Station, стр. 54

voice matched hisappearance. There was limitless power between words that werespoken with an unidentifiable accent, a mashup of all the world'svarious intonations.

Since Rott already knew his name, Hadder skipped theintroduction and remained quiet. "This small creature standing nextto you, who was probably too rude to introduce himself, is DoctorMilo Flowers." The little man continued to stare daggers frombehind his glasses. "Doctor Flowers was instrumental in helping medesign and build the Caesars, an unfortunate necessity of themodern Station experience." The two Caesars behind Rott remained asthey were. "I know he's a bit antisocial, but he truly is abrilliant synthetic biologist, second only to yours truly, infact." Hadder thought he saw those blue eyes narrow at this remark,even hidden beneath the thick lenses. "Thank you, Doctor Flowers,you may leave us. I'll meet you in the testing room later." MiloFlowers nodded and then walked down the main staircase, cuttingHadder with another look before descending.

Rott watched Flowers go, waiting until he exited themansion before continuing. "What do you think of my doctor, MarlinHadder? I know he's awkward, but we cannot deny his craft and hiswork."

"He's not awkward."

Rott's red eyes widened a bit, unused to residentsdisagreeing with him. "Really? Pray, tell me what he is."

"What I meant was, he's not awkward for the reasonsyou think he is. He's not awkward because he is antisocial,although he probably is antisocial." Rott seemed to be leaning in;Hadder felt it more than he could see it. "He has the Rage. I'd becareful with that one."

Rott digested what Hadder said, smiled to himself."And what about my fair city? Care to share your penetrativeinsights."

Hadder felt safe in assuming that honesty was thebest policy when facing Albany Rott. "Other than theself-mutilation, monotonous debauchery, and murder, I quite likeit."

"I didn't sense any sarcasm there."

"There wasn't any. I've made a home here. Or atleast, I had made a home. It was stolen from me. I want itback."

Rott began to pace. "And who took this home fromyou, Marlin Hadder? Surely you still have living quarters? Surelyyour precious Bar remains standing? Surely you still have a warmbody to wake up to each Solay?" As Rott walked, Hadder noticed thattwo hatchets, black wood handles with crystalline blades, weretucked neatly into his belt on each side, kept hidden under hissuit jacket. "Station still stands, does it not? How, then, hasyour home been taken?"

"There was a murder several Haelas ago. A Risernamed Skeelis snuck across the Skirt and killed Reena Song inThe Soiree Noire."

Rott paused his pacing. "An unfortunate crime to besure. Reena Song was a good girl, and her presence will be misseddeeply. Was she your woman?"

"No, but she was my friend, and I've never had manyof those."

"Because of the Rage?"

Hadder stepped back instinctively, surprised thatRott had seen through him so easily. "Yes."

"And now, with her death, the Rage is makingdemands, is it not?"

"It is."

"And these demands currently dominate you, allow fornothing else in your life right now? Certainly not allowing for anysemblance of home?"

Hadder bowed. "You see it all, Mister Rott. I amunworthy of your presence."

Rott grimaced, then moved in a flash, was uponHadder in an instant, his pale face hot against Hadder's own."Don't falsely fawn, Marlin Hadder. I have enough doing thatalready. What is it that you want from me?"

"Doctor Flowers said that you already knew."

"I want to hear it from your mouth."

The embers in Rott's eyes had been fed, were nowsmall flames. "I want to cross the Skirt, find this Skeelis, andkill him."

"You seek retribution?"

"I need retribution."

"Then go. No one will stop you from crossing theSkirt. Your Rage will mix well with the Risers." Although Rott'svoice had not changed, there was a dangerous undercurrent to hiswords, made more frightening by his proximity. "What do you needfrom me?"

Hadder worked hard to maintain a brave face but waslanguishing under Rott's red stare. "I need permission to crossback into the Setting once my work is complete."

"To reclaim your home?"

"Yes."

Rott retreated a few steps and then spoke again."The Risers are an unforeseen byproduct of Station. Who could haveknown that such anger could persist in the face of an idealizedexistence?"

"Thousands of years of history could have told youthat." Hadder immediately regretted the words, was relieved whenRott waved them aside.

"Anger, sure. But such violence, to foster and thenembrace a dependence on violence, even my wildest projections didnot see this. Tell me, Marlin Hadder, what makes you think you'llsurvive the Rising? You're a violent man, but these people liveviolent lives, steel sharpened daily on steel."

"I'm not sure I will survive, haven't given it muchthought, truth be told. But if I do survive, I want to know thatI'll be allowed back into the Setting."

"It's an almost certainty that you will die, MarlinHadder."

"I've died once already."

"But I won't be there to cradle your fall nexttime."

"I understand."

"And this does not dissuade you."

"This isn't a choice. Trust me, I'd rather not wadeinto a pack of weaponized animals. This isn't my idea of fun. Butthen things we are forced to do rarely are."

Albany Rott stood for a moment, studying Hadder,before letting loose a laugh from deep within, showing his perfecttoo-white teeth. "Oh, but there's something I like about you,Marlin Hadder! I speak your language, understand your words, butam, as of yet, not fluent. I would like to know more of you,discover that which remains hidden to even me. Very well, yourreentry is granted."

Rott walked again, began speaking as if to himself."But I know this Skeelis, and the little mutation will be hard tokill. That is if you ever find him. The Risers don't just lettourists pass through. If you're not recognized as belonging to aparticular Bar, you'll be butchered on the spot. And then if you dohappen to locate Skeelis and do happen to kill him, how do youintend to get back? They'll not sit idly by and allow you to takeone of their own."

Rott stopped, a sign that a decision had been made.He looked to the Caesar on the right. "Otho, who was it that foundthis human incapacitated on the Skirt all those Haelas ago."

The behemoth answered in the voice of a boulder. "Ibelieve that was