Crescent Read Online Free

the book—quite a feat of caretaking in a place like Crescent, considering that three quarters of the universe’s dust originated on that very station, or so Gerald believed. As he moved along the neatly organized rows of books, Gerald couldn’t help but notice the door to Mayor Kendall’s office was open a sliver. He approached the door and heard what sounded like a good old fashioned scolding.
    “Dr. Cortez, we are happy to accommodate you on Crescent. As I’m sure you’ve seen in your short stay, your donations have gone a long way. However, I cannot allow you and your daughter to snoop around where you don’t belong, trying to find some place that doesn’t even exist. There is no buried treasure on this station. Those decks are off limits for safety reasons. If it were anyone else, they would have been kicked off the station. In fact, the guard that your daughter bribed is being sent away on the next transport. I take these matters seriously. I am tolerant, Dr. Cortez. Extremely tolerant, I’m sure you’ll agree. But I can’t have you going down there. Consider this a warning. You are a smart man. You know next time I won’t be as forgiving. Your daughter is a very pretty girl. Let’s keep it that way.”
    “Yes,” Gerald heard a soft, male voice say—heavy with the sound of acquiescence, and trembling ever-so-slightly. “I apologize.”
    “Do not apologize. Just assure me that it won’t happen again.”
    “It won’t happen again.”
    “Good. In that case, Dr. Cortez, You and I are done for today.”
    Gerald hurried back to the hungry couch and sat down; the cushions purred and enveloped him. The office door opened fully and a trapezoid of light fell across the dark carpet, revealing a woven pattern of vines that coiled and twined on one another like verdant barbed wire. Roses the dark color of wine blossomed along the green tentacles. It struck Gerald as more beastly than beautiful. His reverie was broken as a shadow spread across the rug. A stocky man with a crazy mop of curly white hair dashed out of the office; he clutched a small, flat personal terminal close to his chest. Tiny eyes darted to Gerald and then to the exit. The man, presumably Dr. Cortez, was escorted by two roughnecks. One of them was tall and fiery stubble covered most of his freckled cheeks. The shorter one was all grease and slick hair with a wad of tobacco stuffed into his cheek that was so big it looked like his face might burst. Cortez’s escorts didn’t spare Gerald a single glance.
    “Come in, Gerald,” the metered drawl of Mayor Kendall drifted from the office.
    The Mayor’s office continued the theme of the antechamber. The walls were stained burgundy and volume-lined. A wide desk with wood side-panels and a dozen or more liquid crystal displays set into its top stood at the aft of the room. Each monitor glowed with a different scene, showing a combination of security camera feeds and news feeds. A big, octagonal viewport stood beyond the desk and showed the night face of Anrar III; the deep orange sun, Anrar , blazed as a necklace of light over the curve of the large planet. Its light flooded the office like day glow. A shimmering hologram hovered above one of the camera feeds, appearing as a diffuse negative from Gerald’s perspective.
    “Gerald, I won’t keep you long. I am well aware that you just arrived from a lengthy salvage trip. Men have needs after trips like this.” Mayor Kendall’s tall, lanky frame was silhouetted by the glow of the star. He had his back to Gerald. “Far be it from me to deny you of these needs.” Kendall turned and stepped out of the glare. He extended his hand to Gerald. Blazing sunlight caught in the wisps of Kendall’s thin, gray hair making the strands glow like heated filaments. Gerald took Kendall’s slender hand for a quick, firm hand shake. Kendall’s pink lips curved into a grin, but the smile did not spread across his pale face. He let go of Gerald’s hand and