Sea of Stars - IC III

[Haval]

"This was not my first choice of career when I arrived on Scintilla, you know."

'And what was your first choice of career?' Anika asks in honest curiosity.

She sighed, and then straightened, abruptly back to businesslike. "Now, to what I can offer you.. I'd like to establish first that my absconding aboard your ship was your idea, not mine. While I'm happy to buy your assistance, all I need to buy is your silence. The question is simply what to offer to a man who can already acquire just about anything. Money is far too simple. Alliance is something you could get from anyone, though few are as wealthy as House Kindjal. Access to the pies we've got our fingers in? Preferential trade deals? If you insist on a physical reward, I'm sure I could dig something interesting out of the family vaults to offer you, or perhaps your Magos would like access to our notes and records on the Jokaero?"

As for the other point. 'Meaning your aunt might be unhappy with you if you left? Well from what I've heard I don't have much of a problem with her being mad at me. As long as we can avoid giving any impression that we're holding you against your will.'

Anika will glance at Macharius when the matter of a reward came up. 'I'm sure we can work something out, and leverage is always useful. Personally I am happy enough to create some distance between the Stalker and my parents.'