STORY: “You and Tueller are known enemies. Why should we believe your testimony for a moment?”
STORY: Sergio smiles again, looking Tueller in the eye. “What have I got to lose? I’m receiving nothing for my testimony today, no deals made. I simply wish to see justice done.“
STORY: Becker shakes his head, looks back at Tueller.
STORY: “No further questions, your honors.” He sits next to Tueller, puts a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
TUELLER: “You’re worth every penny I spent on you.”
TUELLER: “And not one more.”
Chapter 72
TUELLER: “Can someone please buy me a drink?”
RYO: Ryo stands. “Whatcha having?”
TUELLER: “Well whiskey.”
RYO: Ryo goes to the bar, and orders three whiskeys.
STORY: The bartender thinks you’re hot, Ryo, and gives you a free upgrade to the good stuff. He also gives you a wink.
RYO: Ryo winks back. And leaves a big tip. He returns with the drinks. “To a plan.” He raises a glass.
MILLICENT: “A plan, at last!”
TUELLER: Tueller drinks his whiskey. “Ugh, well whiskey is going to be the roughest part of this entire affair.”
MILLICENT: Millie drinks. Looks twice at the glass.
Chapter 71
TUELLER: “Huh. No madmen in your family, I guess.”
RYO: “Oh, plenty. Just didn’t pass on to me.”
TUELLER: “No one studies Nixon anymore either, I guess.”
TUELLER: “Or Machiavelli.”
STORY: “Didn’t they lose?”
TUELLER: “Well, sure. That time.”
MILLICENT: “Was. Was there another time?”
RYO: “Unless you think that The Prince sheds some light on this situation, I don’t see what Machiavelli has to offer us right now.”
TUELLER: “Discourses on Livy, technically.”
MILLICENT: “Hey! Book club!” Millie snaps her fingers.
STORY: “Hey. Brain geniuses.”
STORY: Calixta smiles at Millie.
RYO: Ryo frowns.
STORY: “I have an idea.”
MILLICENT: “I don’t like not being the one who is getting lost in an academic aside.” Millie smiles back at Calixta.
Chapter 70
STORY: “Savvy. I think we can certainly work something out, Mr. Hanaka. But.”
STORY: “Unfortunately, there’s a complexity we have to deal with.”
STORY: “Mr. Ya’Makasi is your… partner?”
TUELLER: “Tueller, please.”
TUELLER: “I am a Ya’Makasi in name only.”
STORY: Ruell doesn’t look at you, Tueller.
RYO: “He is a partner, at least in some ventures. Why?”
STORY: “I’d like to negotiate for him, please.”
RYO: “I’m sorry?”
Chapter 69
TUELLER: “We’re not pirates, by the way.”
MILLICENT: Millie leads, using the directions from the public message
TUELLER: “Not anymore, and not for years.”
TUELLER: There’s a little steel in that.
STORY: “What are we, then?” Calixta asks.
TUELLER: “Fucked if I know, honestly.”
TUELLER: “Right now, knights in shining armor, I guess?”
RYO: Ryo acknowledges this with a mea culpa bow of his head.
TUELLER: “Though that didn’t work out so well the last time.”
TUELLER: “Let’s go figure out who we are.”
Chapter 68
STORY: “You see that?”
STORY: Calixta points at the screen.
MILLICENT: “It’s a bathroom.”
STORY: “Jump relays aren’t crewed.”
STORY: “What’s a bathroom doing inside one?”
MILLICENT: “It’s kind of a nice bathroom.”
MILLICENT: “What’s living on the jump relays?”
Chapter 67
STORY: You watch dozens of employees converge on the cargo bay, taking up positions around the Augusta King, some armed, some just there to see what they can offer.
STORY: They don’t see you, since you’re on the other side of an air vent, but you’re about 20 meters from the ramp into the belly of Chandra’s ship. It’ll be a quick and dangerous run.
STORY: And as you wait for whatever distraction Calixta’s arranging, you realize you’re not likely to all make it out of this. Tueller, you assume, is onboard. But three people running through a firing squad?
STORY: Your luck is going to run out.
MILLICENT: Millie reaches her hand out, still staring out at the troops.
ALEJO: Alejo gets them both into place, ready to make the run when that distraction comes. “Doc, when the moment comes, you run. You run and don’t look back, alright. That’s a gods damned order. You have to make it. I can’t do this without you. You can without me.” He takes her hand.
MILLICENT: Millie stifles a laugh. “Yes, captain.”
MILLICENT: “Mr. Soto?”
ALEJO: He smiles and shakes his head. “Cap to you.”
ALEJO: He squeezes her hand. And then gets serious again.
MILLICENT: “Cap. I’m so very glad you chose my ship to steal.”
Chapter 34
STORY: Wen looks at the group of you, gesturing to Alejo. “You gave me your blessing, man.”
ALEJO: Alejo goes back to get Aki, who is still looking up to Wen. “We gotta go.” He says this softly.
STORY: Alejo, Akilah takes your hand, without looking away from Wen. She shakes her head sadly.
STORY: “Tueller, you were my best man!”
STORY: He’s just sputtering at this point.
TUELLER: “You’re better off not being part of this family, man. I’m sorry.”
TUELLER: Tueller looks mildly sorry.
ALEJO: Alejo closes his eyes for a moment. “Jesus.” He looks up to Wen again. “I’m sorry, Wen. I truly am.” He squeezes Aki’s hand and heads, with her, to the shuttle.
STORY: Wen just looks pathetically at the scene. Akilah turns away and hustles to the shuttle.
MILLICENT: Millie waves at Wen. “Sorry! Good luck with the in-laws!”
Chapter 26, Part II
STORY: “Alejo, I need you to understand – the risk here is not to me.”
STORY: “If I make the wrong choice, the disaster will befall _you._ Your world.”
STORY: “I am trying to keep you safe.”
STORY: “Lose one to save the rest. It is a decision you are familiar with.”
Chapter 11
STORY: “Nice to meet you both.” She walks to the door.
TUELLER: “See you around, Cal.”
MILLICENT: “Oh, nice to meet you, dear!”
TUELLER: Tueller finishes his coffee in a drink.
STORY: She nods, smiles at Millie.
ALEJO: Alejo follows her, giving Tueller and Millie a quick glance like “if you don’t hear from me in a couple of hours, call out the search dogs.”
TUELLER: Tueller remains seated and watches them go.
TUELLER: Makes eye contact with Alejo as he’s going out.
ALEJO: Alejo grabs a jacket off a hook near the door, slips on a cap, and nods to Tueller as he walks out.
MILLICENT: RIGHT after they’re gone. “Think she’ll kill him?”
TUELLER: “Probably not tonight.”
Continue reading “Chapter 11”