Ingray tries to reason with him, explaining that, while the container does indeed hold a person, it’s not what he thinks. Taking one look at the size and shape of her shipping container, he suspects human trafficking and insists on opening it. Which wasn’t what she was expecting at all.Īrriving at the small cargo ship she’s booked passage on, she runs into a new problem in the form of Captain Tic Uisine.

At which point, she takes custody of a large shipping crate. She could go home and hatch some new scheme to outdo Danach. All she’d suffer would be a dent to her savings for the Facilitator’s fee and her travel expenses. She’d probably be better off if the anonymous procurer didn’t cave. She really should’ve forced herself to eat breakfast that morning, no matter how nervous she may have been. She’ll have to wait to eat until she’s on board the ship home to Hwae. If this deal goes through, she won’t even be able to afford her next meal. “The package will not be delivered unless the payment is increased.”īut Ingray doesn’t have any more money. The blur cites “unexpected difficulties” in fulfilling the contract. To Ingray, however, he’s just a gray blur. The Facilitator can also see the opposing party. Sitting in a holographic room, Ingray can see the Facilitator clearly, and the Facilitator can see her. But just when the deal’s supposed to come together, everything’s falling apart. Worse, her adoptive mother will never choose her to inherit over her vile foster-brother Danach. Her reputation will be ruined, and she’ll lose her job. If she fails, she’ll have to work for years to make up the debt. Ingray Aughskold hasn’t just risked her life’s savings for this moment.

Provenance by Ann Leckie