A Dark and Hungry God Arises by Stephen R. Donaldson

on the value of the goods salvaged. You're asking me to surrender those goods, but you haven't told me what they're worth. '
    Nick swallowed a curse. They haven't got any value to me at all. The Amnion want them, I don't. And I can't explain the Amnion to you. I don't know why they think that brat is so precious. ' I don't even know whether it's really him they want. I don't know which one of us they were trying to kill in the gap. A bit lamely, he added,
    'You could ask them to set the fee. '
    'My dear Captain Nick, ' replied the Bill with cadaverous amusement, 'I've already done that. They decline to place a value on your "property". Indeed, they decline to solve any of your problems for you. If I understand them rightly, they insist that the sole, or at least the only relevant, issue here is "the mutual satisfaction of requirements". They feel that they've bargained with you in good faith, and that you've cheated them. This they consider intolerable. They insist on restitution, pure and simple. '
    Nick clenched his teeth for a moment. Then he took a deep breath, let it out with a sigh, and said as if he were admitting defeat, 'So I'm stuck. You won't return the contents of that ejection pod. And you won't accept my money. That doesn't leave me very many options. ' Are you ready for this, Morn? It might work. Can you stand it? 'I guess I'll have to offer you something else. '
    The Bill beamed. 'Naturally I'm interested - although I can't imagine what you have that would be worth more than money. '
    'Try this. ' Nick glanced around the dark corners of the strongroom as if to ensure that no one else could hear him. Then he moved closer to the Bill. Billingate's g made him feel light: what he was about to do made him feel light-headed. When he came up against the nearest of the Bill's computer stations, he stopped. In a quiet, conspiratorial tone, he said, 'I'll trade you. You give me the kid you found in that pod. I'll give you a UMCP
    ensign, complete with id tag. '
    The Bill's face seemed to stretch as if he were feigning surprise.
    'She's a cop - and she's intact, ' Nick articulated softly.
    'If that were all, she would be worth a fortune out here.
    The things she can tell you are priceless. But there's more.
    'She's a cop, she's intact, she's gorgeous - and she has a zone implant. The control comes with her. '
    The shirting of the shadows on the Bill's face began to make his surprise appear more genuine.
    Think about it for a minute, ' Nick urged. He'd already promised Morn to the Amnion, but that didn't hinder him. They were after Davies: Morn was just 'restitution'
    for their inconvenience. Nick would be able to find some other way to satisfy that requirement. 'Her id tag alone is precious. It'll give you all the codes the cops use to access their own computers. And you won't even have to break her to get the rest. All you have to do is turn her on and let her spill everything she knows.
    'But here's the best part. ' Are you listening, Morn?
    When you're done with what she knows, she's still priceless.
    'I tell you, she's gorgeous. And that zone implant makes her the most effective piece of female flesh you'll ever see.
    I know from experience. She'll make every other woman here look like a dry hag. In the end, you might get more for selling her on the cruise than her information and codes are worth. ' The idea of selling Morn into sexual slavery almost restored his sense of being sure and unbeatable. The truth is, she's a hell of a lot more valuable than that fucking brat. Except to the Amnion, because they don't fuck women - and they don't know she's a cop. But she's about the only thing I've got left to bargain with. For the sake of surviving what you call my "escort", I'll trade her for that kid. '
    'Interesting. ' The Bill twisted his lipless mouth. 'A tasty offer - apparently. Of course, I accept your glowing picture of her worth unreservedly. But simply out of curiosity - do the cops know you've got one of their