So, what is that? asked Abneil, hooking his thumb backwards towards the diagnostics lab.

Nothing, I don’t know.

Is it nothing or is it I don’t know? He slyly smirked.

Flux sighed an exasperated, exhaustive sigh. Abneil is far less charming and funny that he thinks he is. But they only have to deal with him for a couple of hours and then cash is exchanged and they go their separate, diametrically opposite directions.

I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s anything. I pulled a chip out of the nav computer to see if I could find out where the ship had been listlessly floating around for the past dozen centuries.

And?

And it’s fried. I think. I can’t make heads or tails of it.

The tips of Flux’s ears started to get a little warm and hot. Was it noticeable? They wanted to be nonchalant so that Abneil wouldn’t get terribly interested and we could keep this all as quick and businesslike as possible.

Reeves said that Abneil would want to take them. Flux felt deep down that this was true. And for some reason it wasn’t time for that yet. For some reason Flux needed to protect Reeves. At least from douchebags like Abneil.

Well, I don’t want to hold you up. I’ve taken out the bits and bobs I’m interested in already so the hulk is yours. There’s only the matter of payment.

Flux stretched out their hand.

Abneil looked at the hand for a moment and then up at Flux’s face.

You know this is on commission. I don’t know what this thing is worth.

He scratched his chin theatrically.

I just don’t know, Flux, I don’t know. Is it worth anything at being as old as it is? In such terribly shape?

Always the same stupid fucking dance, Flux thought.

Let’s talk scrap prices. I’m not suggesting you sell this to some sort of resto nut that wants to return a fucking tanker to its former glory. It’s not a sports skiff or anything like that after all.

Flux pulled up the report and invoice behind their eyes, looked into Anbeil’s, and asked Do you consent to me sending you these docs?

Of course, Abneil replied.

I can’t remember – lefty or righty?

Abneil chuckled. The right one.

Flux locked into his right eye and pushed out the doc.

Here’s my report on the physical material composition of the hulk. Here’s the going rate for these components. Here’s what the pure scrap value would be. We do this fifty fifty and you go on to double your half by piecing it out or finding a white whale collector of oversized useless metal swiss cheese. Maybe it’s a contemporary art piece. Or it belongs in a museum.

I tell you what – I’m going to let my men check out the ship first. See if it’s even in a state where we could tow it away. I wouldn’t want to pay for something that would disappear into a puff of smoke as it disintegrated from the effort of moving. What’s the rush? We’ve got time.

He sat down at one of the chairs at the kitchenette table and kicked up his feet to cross his legs at the ankle. Disgusting.

I tell you what – why don’t you start the water boiling for a nice cup of something. We’ll let the guys do their work and we can talk about that thing you’ve got hooked up in the diagnostic lab.