“The point is, you haven’t let the lack of Seconds stop you. Or the rules. Or respect for reality, as far as I can tell.”
Shayde still wore Public Property Grey, but this time, her footwear was a pair of Hazard Yellow thongs. Indicating that she was both off-duty, and a potential danger to the public. Someone had given her a silver fan brooch, indicating that she was also offensive without training.
“I take it you’ve been freed,” said Rael in the tones of mock-optimism usually reserved for five-year-olds who ‘found’ puppies.
“Oh aye. Turns out, reliable information’s a hot ticket. I could make a mint buskin’ if I had me axe. Or wi’ info services if I had a comm link. Or an account. I could find a bunk if I had the Hours…” she fished in her pockets and bought out two Second coins. “I got two Seconds, the clothes on me back, the knowledge in me head, and a number of things in pocket dimensions nobody’d bother sneezin’ on.”
Rael thought back on the past two weeks of her incarceration. “The difference now is, you’re a free agent. You can do anything you like.”
“Aye. Wi’ nowt tae invest. I’m skint, homeless, and buggered. What next?”
“There’s always the Free Listings. Anything you can get for free…”
“Is worth exac'ly woh ye pay for it. D'ruther pay sweat equity. Least then I know it’s worth sommat…”
“You can also find those on the Free Listings.” He sighed. “Look. I’ve known you for all of two weeks and in that time, I’ve never seen anything stop you. Not a lack of money. Not any of the rules. Not even reality, in so far as I can tell… Stop looking at what’s missing and work with whatever you can get. There’s plenty of real estate that requires fixing up.”
“Reckon you could find a good one in two seconds?” she rattled her change.
He took the money. “I found it while you were busy being miserable. It’s in a forgotten area near the dry dock end. We’ll take the free transits.”
“…worth exactly what ye pay fer 'em…” Shayde mumbled.
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