"hah. severance could have used that excuse before he negotiated five hundred thousand in credit for the safehold and the alien ship. it won't wash now. he's rich."

desma's mouth curved wryly. "don't forget he's only got two hundred and fifty thousand."

cidra flushed guiltily. "he annoyed me. that's the only reason i made him give me a separate contract. i was very irritated."

"the fact is, even if he had all five hundred thousand, he'd spend every last credit on severance pay, ltd. this time he's determined to make his plans a success. he's seen everything fall apart on him at least twice already."

cidra frowned. "what are you talking about?" desma shrugged. "he went into partnership with racer because racer had some capital and wanted to be a wheeler and dealer. racer had the credit but not enough business sense to make it work."

"severance had the business sense?" desma nodded. "severance had the ideas and the ambition. but the partnership didn't work out."

"it's a little difficult to continue in a partnership with someone who's willing to leave you in a sinkswamp with a kill-weaver," cidra said.

desma arched one brow. "is that what happened? interesting. everyone knew something catastrophic had happened, but no one knew exactly what."

"don't tell him i told you," cidra said urgently. "i think i might have had a bit too much ale. i seem to be babbling."

"don't worry, cidra. i won't say a word. as i said, after the partnership was dissolved, severance was left with only his ship and virtually no capital. he and his brother started building things up again, and just as they were beginning to see some progress, jeude went down on qed."

"i know." cidra swallowed a wave of sadness. "it was very hard for severance to handle."

"the emotional trauma was only part of it. the other half of the story is that the loss of the ship sent severance pay, ltd. back to circle one. for a year severance took some awful risks as a bonus man here on renaissance for some exploration companies. excellex was one of the firms he worked for during that period."

"do you think he took the risks because he just didn't care anymore?"

"i don't know. people take risks for different reasons. i know he was a bitter, angry man for a long time. he spent more time in the jungle than he did in try again. but when the year was over, he seemed to have pulled himself together. in the meantime he had accumulated enough bonus money to finance severance pay. he's been working his way back for a third try at the big time ever since."

"and now he's got another crack at it." cidra sighed. "i suppose i shouldn't get in his way."

"but are you going to get in his way?" desma asked perceptively.

"i prefer to think of myself as a useful and extremely valuable member of his crew." cidra took another sip of ale. "now all i have to do is make him see me that way."

"hey, severance, how much will you take for the little lady?" craft grinned cheerfully as he helped make the skimmer fast to the dock. he examined severance's dusty boots and sweat stained shirt, which were revealed under the marina's bright lights. it was obvious that the past four days had been hard and long. but, then, most days on the river and in the jungle were.

the balmy night air was thicker than usual, heralding the approach of a storm. borgia and medici were quickly being veiled by clouds. severance and the skimmer's pilot had made it back barely in time. skimmers avoided travel by night if at all possible, especially when a storm was in the offing. but severance had pushed for the unorthodox travel that afternoon because they were so close to try again and cidra was due to ship out the next day. the thought of not seeing her before she left had led him to give the skimmer pilot an extra fifty in credit for traveling after dark. folks were always on the lookout for easy bonus money on renaissance.

"you haven't got enough credit to buy her, craft, and you know it." severance jumped onto the dock, his stained travel pack slung over one shoulder. "even if i decided to sell, you'd have one renegade devil of a time trying to collect. the lady's got a mind of her own."

"she's also got two hundred and fifty thousand of her own from what i hear." craft chuckled as he reached down into the skimmer to take a container the pilot was handing to him. "a lady like her draws a considerable amount of attention in a place like this."

severance, about to walk down the dock toward shore, glanced back. "anyone been making too much of a nuisance of himself?"

"why? you going to feed him to the river if he has?"

"after i separate his head from his neck. let's have it, craft. what's been happening?"

"calm down, severance. she and desma haven't been seen apart since you left. saints know a few hopeful types tried to get cidra interested in a nice steak dinner or something, but no one had any luck."

"she doesn't like meat." severance readjusted the travel pack and stalked off toward the bank.

"maybe that's why she's drinking ale at the bloodsucker tonight," craft called after him. "a lot of protein but not much meat in a glass of rose ale."

"one of these days, craft, someone's going to accidentally push you into the river." but severance didn't pause this time. he headed away from the dock facilities and up the dusty street, driven by a sense of urgency. he had so little time left with cidra.

she must have gotten very bored to have gone to the bloodsucker for a drink. maybe desma had talked her into it. cidra never did more than sip elegantly at a glass of wine or ale. at this late hour she was probably tired of killing time in a tavern. she wasn't really cut out for spending her evenings that way. at least there was no cord racer around to cause trouble that night. severance decided he wouldn't chew cidra out for spending a couple of hours in a tavern. after all, there wasn't much to do in a place like try again. besides, from what craft had said, it sounded as if desma was doing a good job of playing chaperon. he paced more quickly along the street, anticipating the pleasure in cidra's eyes when she saw him again.

it was desma who saw severance come through the door. she glanced up, took in his dusty, stained appearance and the intensity of his eyes as he scanned the room, and then she smiled at cidra. "he's back."