Slip Point Read Online Free Page A

bars,” Shayalin said ruefully. She reached for the most exotic-looking food—something like a starfruit crossed with an eel—and took an exploratory bite. It was both tart and sweet, and chewier than she’d been expecting.
    “That’s what we do,” Thana said. “We save people the time and trouble of asking around.” She cocked her head. “I flatter myself that I’m one of the best here, but there are a few on the station you could’ve used even though I fled my office early.”
    “I didn’t know about travel agents,” Shayalin said. When the woman’s eyes widened, she added defensively, “I’ve lived in a Steader colony all my life.”
    “No, I can’t say I’ve had many Steader clients,” the woman said slowly. “They usually don’t leave their hearths, do they? Well, good for you, getting away. That couldn’t have been easy.” She laughed suddenly. “You can tell I’m not in vacation mode yet, because I just had to stop myself from telling you about all the glorious places you should visit.” She raised a hand to forestall Shayalin. “And I won’t, because I really do want to get away from work. You’ve done fine so far, and you can look up a good agent in Balba. I don’t think anyone would turn down the chance to work with a Steader—we usually have to deal with the jaded travelers who’ve been to every spoke of the Wheel. It’s nice to get a client who wants something different.”
    Shayalin couldn’t imagine walking up to a travel agent and asking for the swiftest route to her father. On second thought, why not, if she just asked the right way?
    “So they know the safest ways to travel?” she asked. “Away from unstable routes and pirates?” To avoid pirates, you’d have to know their haunts.
    Thana hesitated. “The reputable ones will steer you right,” she said. “Just be careful. Some of the shadier agents forward their information on to pirates, I’ve heard. It’s how they find their targets. Don’t get aboard anything that looks like it has important people or cargo.”
    “How can I tell?”
    “The station master’s a good resource. He has all the cargo manifests, so he can tell who’s carrying goods that need special handling or rushed delivery. That’s like honey to pirates. And couriers are usually carrying something valuable, but then again, they tend to know the most reliable routes, so that’s a mixed signal.”
    The seed of an idea took root in Shayalin’s mind. “Is there a way to check which agents are reputable?”
    “Honestly, the best way’s to get a recommendation from a satisfied customer. I get most of my business from referrals. Failing that…” She shrugged. “If you’re not sure of an independent, then go to a big chain. They won’t get you the cheapest prices or offer the most original ideas, but they’re dependable.”
    “Thanks for the advice,” Shayalin said. “There’s so much I don’t know.”
    Thana chuckled. “That’s what datalinks are for.” But she proved a fount of information herself. She’d traveled to a fair number of planets and had her share of stories about them. Whenever a crewmember wandered in for a quick cup of coffee, he ended up listening to the current anecdote, which flowed seamlessly into the next.
    Mohit finally found them all there, gathered around Thana. He shook his head, smiling. “We’ll be taking off soon, if anyone cares to tend to his duties.”
    The crew dispersed, although some lingered to exchange a few last words with Thana. Shayalin was in awe of the woman’s breadth of experience. The travel agent had been to all the Hub worlds and along the spokes of half of them.
    “We’ll be reaching the slip point shortly after take-off,” Mohit said, catching Shayalin before she headed off to her cabin. “Can you handle it all right, or do you need to be sedated?”
    “I’ll be fine,” she said. Some people had adverse reactions to entering slipspace, but she had been untroubled on the