Station, стр. 58

tomorrow. But, alas, she is a rarified creature andone that I am lucky to have as a partner." Ego motioned to Cal andOtho. "I see you have made powerful allies yourself. Rott doesn'ttake a shine to many. What is it that makes you so special, MarlinHadder?"

"There is nothing special about me. Rott simplysympathizes with my plight."

Ego spat out some of the wine he had been drinking."Albany Rott? Sympathy? Oh yes, I'm sure that's all it is." Thewords were dripped in sarcasm and sprinkled with condescendence."And what is this plight of yours, Marlin Hadder? Does it bring youto me today?"

"It does. A Riser snuck over the Skirt a few Haelasago and murdered a friend of mine. I need to find him."

"And what will you do when you find him, Setter?Bring him to justice? Serve him a strongly worded letter? Gather ajury of his peers and hold a trial?"

"No."

"What then?"

"I'm going to cut his fucking head off."

Ego's eyes went wide. "Oh, now I see it. Yes, yes,you hide it well, but it leaks out in moments of passion, does itnot? It eats at you, I know this. How have you managed to remain aSetter? How have you tolerated the pain of holding it back?"

"It's an acquired skill."

"I can see that. Well, you have to know, my men andwomen are under strict orders not to cross the Skirt or harm anySetters. But, I concede that even the tightest ships have leaks.Give me a name. If it's one of my own, you'll have yourvengeance."

"The Riser's name is Skeelis." Ego shifteduncomfortably on his throne. The woman peeling the fruit stoppedmid-cut. Hadder grew impatient in the extended silence. "Do youknow this man?"

"I do."

"And is he one of yours?"

"He is not."

"What can you tell me about him?"

"You sure know how to pick your enemies, MarlinHadder. Skeelis is a Riser in every negative sense of the word,perverted in mind and body. He floated around as a mercenary duringthe Riser Wars, working for whoever promised the most kills,whoever proved the most violent. He belongs to The Krown now, isone of his most treasured killers. You're going to have a hard timewith that one."

"How can I find him?"

"You'll have to go north. The bastard should behanging around The Krown's compound, a Bar called King'sHead."

"Thank you. Any advice?"

"Yes. It's a long walk through a den of vipers. Youand your Caesars should dine with me. I'd like to learn what youknow before you march off to your death."

"But I don't know anything of value."

"I agree. You don't know shit. But you aresomething. Otherwise, Kamaria would have slit your throat in thestreet. We don't do favors on this side of Station. Everything hasa price, comes with a cost. Your cost is a meal with me, time Ineed to discover what you are and what that means to me."

"What could it possibly mean?"

"Oh, not much. Just the fate of Station. And perhapsthe world outside these walls."

Ego tore off the leg of an unrecognizable,turkey-sized bird that had been wholly smoked and placed on thetable between him and Hadder. Cal and Otho sat at a nearby table,eating quietly under the watchful eyes of Ego's followers. Egospoke through mouthfuls of meat. "You have no idea why people takesuch an interest in you, do you Hadder?"

"None at all. I feel very insignificant. I alwayshave."

Ego swung the half-eaten leg in the air as he spoke."I'm sure that the Moon, when it looks down upon the grandeur ofthe Earth, also feels insignificant. When it looks down at itssmall, pockmarked gray body, I'm sure it feels trivial standingnext to the blue oceans, lush green forests, and snowcappedmountains of Dunia, or Earth. How could it know the giant effectsit has on the world, from creating tides to stabilizing axial tiltto lighting the night skies? It does nothing, and yet it exertstremendous power. It feels small, but wields dangerouscontrol."

"Dangerous control without purpose sounds likechaos."

"Yes, Hadder. Chaos. Perhaps that's what you are, achaotic variable dropped into Station like a new virus, spreadingthroughout both Rising and Setting."

"But why? Why would Mister Rott want such a thingintroduced?"

Ego sat back on his broad haunches, laughed softly."Ahh, but now we're guessing as to the whims of a god, aren't we?The short answer, Hadder, is that I do not know. The long answer,however, is just that."

"I have questions. But I also have time."

"Very well." Ego signaled, and a petite Asian womanappeared with a tray of beverages, most of which Hadder recognizedas typical Station concoctions. The young woman cut darkened eyesat Hadder, and he returned a smile that disappeared quickly as hiseyes found the large whip strapped to her black belt, a small bladeattached to its tip. Ego took an orange drink and slid another overto Hadder.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Station was founded as autopia for those who rejected or felt rejected by the naturalworld. What we call the Before. But Rott didn't account forsomething."

"The Risers."

"Yes. Not everyone is happy in a world of leisure.For many of us, that is a fate worse than the Before. Sittingaround all day, manikins to feed us, clothe us, wipe our asses.There is a need for action, a call to violence in us that needs anoutlet, and that just doesn't gel with many of Station'sresidents."

"To what end?"

"To give purpose to our daily lives. A reason to getup early, an excuse to train our bodies, a camaraderie built onmore than casual sex and shared drugs. You've heard of theSoldier's Plight?"

Hadder shook his head in the negative.

"In times of war, bonds form that can never bebroken or copied. Men count on each other in a way that isn'trequired away from the battlefield. It's terrifying, but in thatfear you find real family, are truly alive. When the war ends, yougrow to miss it, what it brought you. If the man next to youdoesn't hold your life in the palm of his hand, what manner offriend is he really? When the bullets stop whizzing by your head,is a rollercoaster or scary movie gonna duplicate that thrill? Menfight for many reasons. But common to all is