"And just what is your business?  Thank you, Jin."

"I'm an investigator, of a sort."

Suze's cup halted on its way to her lips.  Her seamed face set in stiff panic.

"Not for any authority on Kibou, however," Miles added.

"Insurance fraud," Jin put in, in hasty reassurance.  "He's not a policeman.  Or a doctor or a lawyer, even though he went to that conference.  Raven-sensei's the doctor."

Miles's eyebrows went up at this description of himself.  Clearly, at some point he was going to have to take the boy aside and explain Imperial Auditor to him in greater detail, but perhaps this would do for now.  "Not precisely, but close enough.  As it happens, the powers-that-be on Kibou are the subject of my inquiries, not its sponsors.  I have no interest whatsoever in shutting down your operation.  I'd actually like to make use of your facilities.  I may be able to make it worth your time."

Suze's eyes narrowed over her coffee cup; she finally drank.  "We get by here because we don't draw anyone's attention."

"I don't wish to draw attention, either."

Suze sat back, leathery lips pursing.  "You want someone illegally frozen?  Hoping you can bribe me into storing the body for you?"  Her tone was remarkably neutral, neither leading nor guiding.

Her suggestion came up far too readily—ye gods, had Suze ever provided such services, perhaps for the local underworld?  Did Kibou-daini have an underworld?  Aside from the literal one he'd been lost in, that is.  Could this be the source of some of her protection?  Because crime lords would want to cheat death, too.  Though you'd think they could afford their own private arrangements—still, they would need benefits to distribute to lesser followers.  And for the discreet disposal of enemies, those ranks of anonymous drawers downstairs would certainly trump lead weights and a swim in the nearest river.  It would even render murder reversible, if one had been too hasty in one's crime-lordly commands, or otherwise made a mistake.  Man, if I wanted to hide a body on Kibou . . .  Miles wrenched his mind from this fascinating side-path.  "Have you done such favors before?" he asked cautiously.

Suze shrugged, her alarm giving way to dry amusement in the face of his consternation.  "If I had, would I tell you?"

"I have no need to know," Miles assured her.  Want to know yes, but then, he wanted to know everything.  "My need is quite the reverse.  We wish to do a private cryorevival.  Which requires proper facilities.  And discretion.  You may be able to lend us both."