“I just received word,” Pryvani said, checking over her pad. “My asset in New Trantor reports that Margu Peten has been placed in custody.”

“What’ll the charge be?”

“Well….”

“He was actually in trouble already,” Rixie said. “Those ‘bad runs’ that Palemst Themego documented. We felt it best if he faced the consequences of that, rather than trying to swear out new charges for trespassing.”

Pryvani looked over at her security chief, and nodded. Rixie was well aware of whose custody he’d been delivered into, and what the consequences would be; she was also aware of why it might be best not to state it aloud. Pryvani had no doubts whatsoever about Rixie’s competence or skill. But she may have been wrong, she thought, about Rixie’s capacity to deal with some of the worst things. No…no. She knew Rixie was capable of it.

Pryvani had worried that Rixie’s old loyalties to the law would trump her personal loyalty to her. They didn’t. Pryvani made a mental note to talk to Rixie in more detail about a number of things. She wasn’t going to ask Rixie to get into wetworks, for goodness sake. But there were a number of projects that would benefit from the assistance of a smart, capable former Imperator whose loyalty was beyond question.

“That’s probably better,” Darren agreed, jotting notes in a pad. “Gotta say, this coulda gone a lot worse. Though Raptis is kicking herself for letting them go back to the ship without more of an escort.”

“You had the tail number, and all three trackers were active,” Rixie said. “Everything was done per your protocols and ours. And if Margu Peten hadn’t gotten desperate, it would have been very clean – the ship gets away, they spread the word that if you’re thinking of attacking Avalon, you don’t even have to worry about the Titans, the humans will kill you before we get there. And with the new orbital smart mines we’ve ordered, and the anti-aircraft batteries you’re moving into Paletine…the next ship won’t even get to land.”

“Yeah, I know. Still, easy to second-guess. You know how it is, Trix. Anyhow, I told her that she followed SOP, and if she wants to adjust it to make our tracking more apparent, I’ve got no objection.”

“And Darren, as always….”

Darren waived a hand. “I know, Perspicacity, you’d always come pick ‘em up. Just like you ended up doing. But you know why we don’t want you doing that unless you have to. Not up to you to fight our wars for us. You’ve done it enough.”

“True,” Pryvani said. “And clearly, you don’t need us to. But any incursion by Imperials…that isn’t your war. That’s a war by my people against you. And I will do whatever I must to prevent that.”

“We know. And we appreciate it,” Darren said standing. “All right, I think that’s that. I do hope you know what you’re doing, hiring the others, but I suppose you keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“They are not without skill,” Pryvani said. “And yes, this allows me to keep an eye on them. Give my best to Lysis.”

“I will,” Darren said. “And I promise, Stratichos Paducah will be home soon, just need a good man running clean-up in Paletine right now.”

“I have had to abandon him for business reasons far more than I’d like to,” Pryvani said, pressing a button on her pad. “What is the saying – ‘foot’s on the other hand?’”

“’Shoe’s on the other foot,’ and you know it,” Darren grinned. “You’ll never out-malaprop me, Porcupine. Hey, Big T,” he added, as the door to the room opened. “Guess you’re my chauffeur.”

“Taron, can you take Darren down to the train?” Pryvani asked.

“Be glad to,” Taron said, taking the Secretary of Defense and withdrawing.

Pryvani looked over at Rixie, and leaned forward, just a bit. “You know,” she said, “I am not a trusting person.”

Rixie chuckled. “I hadn’t noticed, boss.”

“Yes, well…when your mother is…my mother…you learn at an early age that you shouldn’t share too much, that you shouldn’t lean on any one person more than is absolutely necessary. That’s a hard habit to break. Even with friends.”

She drummed her fingers for a moment. “There’s a club on Laxen, one that has a basement accessible only if one knows the right passcode.”

“Drugs? Print shop?”

“I don’t deal in drugs,” Pryvani said. “It’s an underground combat site.”

“Fight club. Okay,” Rixie said. “What’s the situation?”

“I’ve heard rumors that the operator is getting into some things they shouldn’t,” Pryvani said. “Nothing I can prove, of course….”

“How dangerous?”

“Weapons are limited, surrender is encouraged, and there is a medbot on site – at least, there is now. There hasn’t been a fatality since it dropped into my lap. My mother had different ideas, of course, but it’s making money even with the extra precautions. If people want to stab each other and get stitched up, that’s their business, as long as they’re adults and willing; if I’m holding the party, though, I’d rather they survived.”

“This is wildly illegal,” Rixie said. “But you know that.”

“Like you said…you trust me with your secrets. I trust you with mine.”

Rixie nodded. “The easiest way to get in is to pose as a fighter.”

“I thought you could persuade Vilum,” Pryvani said.

“I could, but why? I’ve always wanted to see how I’d do no-holds-barred. I don’t know if you had a fake ident ready, but if not, there are a few I’ve still got from before….”

Pryvani smiled. “Just don’t get killed. I don’t want to have to explain that to Alex.”

“Have faith in me, boss,” Rixie said with a grin.

“Believe me,” Pryvani replied, “I do.”

* * *

The Akelois was six hours out of Avalon. They’d been cleared to land at Rabtes Station, near Tarsuss’s home. Liss was checking the ship for landing, out of habit as much as anything; her cargo was only the two human soldiers and their habitat, and honestly, they were quite capable of securing themselves.

They’d left Yvenna Mirendy on Grelau. Liss had been quite surprised to sail through the base check without so much as a mention. It paid to have powerful allies. Well…mostly.

Mirendy had sent along a message to Tarsuss, thanking her for allowing her the opportunity to do…something. Liss didn’t know exactly what Lady Tarsuss had against Mirendy, though it sounded like Mirendy had worked for Pryvani’s mother at one point.

It was another reminder of how ruthless Liss’s new employer was. But then, Pryvani Tarsuss had underlined that when she’d made Liss deliver Margu into the hands of the Overseer’s counsel. The message was not subtle, nor was it meant to be.

And then there was the retainer….

Pryvani had given Liss a retainer of 1.9 million credits – far in excess of what Liss had wanted or needed…but precisely as much as Margu had said he owed the bugs.

Liss couldn’t help thinking that this was a test of loyalty, just as dropping Margu off on Kaol had been. Tarsuss could afford to overpay, but she wanted to make sure that Liss would stay bought.

Liss was a crook. She was comfortable with that description of her; it was what made her happiest, really. But she was an honest crook. And an honest crook stays bought.

Margu, more than anyone, would understand.

She keyed in the code to the cargo bay, and walked into the nearly-empty room. “Just a heads-up, we’ll be landing on Avalon in six hours. Do you need anything?”

“No, captain,” Nest said. “Do you need us to do anything to help?”

Liss smiled at that; she wasn’t sure that the humans would be much help in securing anything for landing. That said…she knew that if she asked them to, they would do their best. They were quite fascinating, these tiny people.

“That’s fine, Palemst Themego. I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Thanks captain,” Nest said, trying to ignore Asker Ionula, who had elbowed him none-too-subtly.

“Well, if you do need anything, let me know,” Liss said, turning.

Ionula elbowed Nest again, and he looked over at his friend, who gave her head a sharp side-bob that had an obvious meaning.

“Captain, um….”

“Yes?” Liss said.

“I was just wondering…uh…if you’re not too busy, when we get back to Avalon…if you’d…never mind, it’s….”

“He’s trying to ask you out,” Ionula said. “Brave about everything but women, this guy.”

Liss blinked, and walked back over to the table. “Uh…huh. Is that…were you actually trying to ask me out, Palemst?”

“Well…yeah, I know, kinda weird, but…well, we did help each other save the day back on Avalon, I thought…maybe….”

Liss walked up to the table that was the humans’ station. She frowned a little, but put her palm down for Nest to climb into. He swallowed, hard, but did so.

Liss raised him to eye level, and quirked an eyebrow. He was so fragile, so delicate…and yet he was handsome, she had to admit.

“I haven’t had great luck with relationships,” Liss said. “I’m divorced, and deserve to be, probably.”

Nest swallowed hard again; it had been one thing to talk big around Ionula, and he was quite certainly attracted to the woman who held him. But it was daunting enough chatting up a girl his size. Chatting up a girl whose face alone was the size of a house….

Still, he forced himself to stop worrying. “We don’t…I mean, who knows if it would be a relationship? Just thought…might be fun to go out.”

Liss studied him. “I have,” she finally said, “no idea how a human and Titan could…go out.”

Nest thought about mentioning a few of the couples he knew, but he stopped himself. “Oh,” he said. “I mean…sure….”

“But I am going to be on Avalon for a bit while the Akelois has its engines overhauled,” Liss said, “and I’m not going to be doing much. So…if you can figure out a place we actually can both go to…I’ll be staying in the compound.”

Nest blinked, and blinked again. “I…I will,” he said. “I…look forward to it.”

Liss smiled. “Me too. All right, you’d best secure your stuff. I have a landing to plot.”

“Yes…yes captain,” Nest said, hopping off her hand as she set it down.

He watched the mountainous woman leave, and let out the breath he’d been holding in since she’d picked him up.

“Goddess protect me,” he said, “what the frak have I done?”

Eleven Imperial Years Later

Titan Station, Sol Earth System

“Should I do a bow-to-stern inspection for old time’s sake?”

The tall Jotnar in her red-and-black Tarsuss Corporation livery turned, smiled, and shook her head. “Decanus Orgin. You wouldn’t waste your time, you haven’t bothered to in eight years.”

“There are reasons for that,” Orgin said, looking over the starship parked in Dock G7. “So you’re flying yachts, now. You sell the Akelois?”

“No, no, just doing a favor for Lady Tarsuss,” Liss said. “Her usual pilot is on vacation, went to see the Grand Tribute. I’ve run a few things for her over the years and was near Avalon; she asked if I was willing to fly a yacht for a couple weeks. I asked if that meant I would have an actual bathtub. She said yes, so I jumped at the offer.”

“And doing favors for Lady Tarsuss is always smart,” Orgin said. “If anyone would ask me to do some, I’d be happy to, you know.”

“I’ll let her know when I see her,” Liss said. “Anyhow, you picked an interesting time to transfer out of Norvsekal. I heard Navarchos Bass’s niece laid you out cold.”

“Don’t laugh, she’s tougher than she looks!”

“Isn’t she, like, 14?” Liss asked with a mocking grin.

“She’s an adult, and she’s got a good hook,” Orgin sighed. “You know, I really can do a bow-to-stern….”

“You won’t,” Liss said. “Not of the Pygmalion. Though I’ll probably steer the Akelois around Sol Earth if I need to get anywhere fast.”

Orgin shook his head and chuckled. Liss had flown through Norvsekal enough times that he’d gotten to know her fairly well. He remembered thinking, when he was just a young peacekeeper, that he’d scare her away by keeping up inspections, but she’d kept coming back. He heard through back-channels that it was easier to let her go on through, eventually, but he’d still kept an eye out. She was clean – or so it appeared. There were rumors, of course – there are always rumors. But the fact that Pryvani Tarsuss would turn to her to pilot her yacht, now of all times, to here of all places….

If the White Shaar was that closely tied to the senator…well, then it didn’t matter if she was clean or dirty. Orgin may not have been quick enough to duck Sorcha Freeman’s right hook, but he was smart enough not to get in the way of the richest woman in the Empire, even for a moment.

“So,” Orgin said, “did you get a look at it?”

“Yeah,” Liss said. “Impressive.”

“You’ve done runs to Avalon. Are the humans there…could they build a ship like that?”

“Without question,” Liss said. “Build it, conn it, fly it as far as it would go. I’ll wager a thousand creds that there will be a human-piloted warp ship flying here from Avalon within the year.”

“Titan-built, though,” Orgin said. “They don’t have warp drive. Right?”

“Not yet,” Liss said. “But once they get their hands on a warp generator, it won’t take them long until they’re building their own. And that’s Avalon. Earth is already building compact gravitics. Warp’s the next step. Was for us, the Ler, the Dunnermac…gotta believe it’s next for them.”

Orgin looked at the yacht for a long moment. “So you think they’re as smart as we are, then.”

“If not smarter,” Liss said. “Oh, don’t looked shocked. You saw their ship. The schematics have been beamed all over the Empire. That power plant – yeah, it’s not that impressive compared to what we have on our ships today, but look at the size, and look at the power output. They’re centuries ahead of where we were when we started exploring Sol Archavia. This wasn’t an accident.”

“They’re pets, though,” Orgin said.

“I thought that, once,” Liss said. “Long time ago. They aren’t, though. They’re people. You went to the reception last night?”

“Yeah. Didn’t see you there.”

“Not everyone on the station got an invite, you know. But I heard about it this morning. Tell me, with the holos on…could you even tell?”

Orgin looked over at Liss, and shook his head. “Only by the uniforms. But these are their best, their brightest….”

“You’ve seen our best and brightest,” Liss said. “They aren’t that much smarter than our worst and dullest. Not in the grand galactic scheme. Pluck a random human off Avalon and a random Titan off of Jutuneim…they’ll be about as smart, and about as capable. Human will be a bit more bold.” Liss chuckled at that. “Okay, a lot more. They’re small. They have to make up for it somehow.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Orgin said. “Gonna be a lot more exciting here than I thought it was.”

“That a bad thing?” Liss said.

“Depends,” Orgin replied.

“That’s true.”

At that moment the dock doors slid open, and a burst of excited chatter filled the room.

“I’m serious, boss, fancy isn’t in the plans. You know me. You know Alex. We’ll do a simple courthouse wedding, we’ll host a nice dinner at Rixie’s….”

“You know, the Experimental Orchestra of Granav owes Thyllia a favor. I could probably get them to play the reception. You said you like neoprimitive music, I remember.”

“I thought they were on a thirty-system tour,” Sorcha said.

“Well, yes, but they would swing by. I could have Captain Peten grab them. Hello, Captain Peten!” Pryvani said. “Rixie and Alex are getting married.”

Liss arched an eyebrow at Rixie. “I thought you said it would never happen?”

“I’m full of surprises,” Rixie said.

“This is true,” Liss said. “The ship is ready for loading, Lady Tarsuss,” Liss added.

“Excellent. There’s one piece of cargo I want you to handle personally, Captain,” Pryvani said, handing a very small figure over to her.

“Oh! I’m sorry I didn’t see you,” Liss said, taking him carefully into her hands. “I’m Liss, I’m the captain of the Pygmalion, at least until Taron gets back to Avalon. What’s your name?”

“I’m Moze,” the small man said.

“Excuse me, but a human pet…I’ll need to see his papers before clearing,” Orgin said.

“I have them somewhere,” Pryvani muttered.

“You don’t need them, Lady Tarsuss,” Liss said. “He’s not a pet.”

“I kinda am,” Moze said. “I mean, I was at the store, and Sorcha bought me, but Lessy said I’m going to Avalon to be a person, there. Is that…I guess I don’t….”

“You see?” Liss said. “He’s a person. Traveling domestically. I know my passengers’ rights, you don’t have cause to check him.”

Orgin looked at Liss, nonplussed. Rixie, however, grinned.

“That sounds right to me,” she said. “Decanus, you don’t need this person’s paperwork. He’s just traveling domestically, according to the captain.”

Orgin blinked, and turned. “Yes, Magister-Imperator,” he said, with a salute.

Rixie returned it. “I feel quite certain that all of Sen. Tarsuss’s cargo will pass muster, there’s no need for further inspection. You are dismissed, Decanus.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, saluting again. “Nice to see you, Liss,” he added, before departing, taking care to make a wide circle around Sorcha.

“Good to see you,” Liss called. “Now, Moze – that’s your name, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You have a last name?”

“What’s that?” Moze asked.

“Oh, we’ll talk about that on the trip. Do you need any help loading?” she asked the three women who’d entered the room.

“No, Captain Peten, we’re good,” Pryvani said, with a warm smile. “If you get Moze settled…there’s a stateroom in four….”

“Absolutely, Lady Tarsuss.”

As Liss disappeared into the Pygmalion, Rixie said, “Hard to believe how she got her start with us.”

“Yeah,” Sorcha said. “She started attacking humans, and now she’s one of the good guys. I know,” she added, “I should probably remember this next time I try to knock someone out.”

“Depends on the someone, kid,” Rixie said. “Grab that box, I’ll be with you in a second.”

Sorcha moved on, and Rixie chuckled. “Liss isn’t a ‘good guy.’ I suppose we aren’t either, though.”

“It depends on the day, Rixie,” Pryvani said. “Today…yes, Liss Peten is one of the good guys. And so are you. And so am I…maybe.”