Page 19 of Star Champion

“What happened to your player?” theVashasked with a hint of accusation, as if he were the one tasked with protecting her and not Nico.

Nico turned to Jemm. “What happened to you?”

Memories of her encounter with the scurries pelted her like the rocks they had thrown. She tucked her painful arm closer to her side as if to shield both her thoughts and the injury from the men’s prying eyes. Like the stray yipwags of the colony, she instinctively knew to keep any wounds secret, whether they were on the inside or the out. On Barésh, hiding weakness was a matter of survival. “It’s just a bump.”

“Yeah? I pull and tear enough body parts to know it’s more than a bump,” Skeet argued.

TheVashnodded. “As do we all. Unfasten your suit so I can take a look at you.”

Undress for him?Crag me. Jemm’s fingers clamped around the ends of the towel as if grasping a comforting hand. “That ain’t necessary.”

“Aye, it ain’t,” Nico spoke up. “I’ll treat Sea Kestrel later, if he requires treating.”

Jemm nodded. “Aye, he will.”

The players exchanged questioning looks. TheVashappeared unhappy about her refusal. Sir Klark was used to getting his way. “What is your given name?” he asked.

“Kes,” she replied as she and Nico had rehearsed.

“Kes. The most minor of injuries can ground a player if not caught early. Have you seen a physician?”

“Here we don’t call doctors for every little pinch or scratch.” Not when you were forced to decide between eating and medical care.Like Ma. But she was certain that choice was one these off-worlders had never been forced to make.

“I see. Well, I came here to talk about a proposition, but holding an ice pack makes it rather difficult. Why don’t you take it?”

The ice pack dripped water onto the floor, drumming out a tempting beat. Although she kept her expression as blank as possible, she had the sneaking suspicion Sir Klark had guessed her longing for the ice.

“Whether you need it or not,” he added. He dipped his chin, their eyes locking. Beneath that smooth, chilly surface, there was a man trying his hardest to do a kind act.

Mumbling her thanks, she took the ice pack, moved aside the towel and unfastened the top two fasteners of her suit to slide the bag into place inside her sleeve. Hunching her shoulder to make room, she was careful to give no indication how much that movement hurt. With the chance of a lifetime within her reach, she could not risk the impression that she was damaged goods.

Nico piped up. “Well, that’s settled. Let’s talk about that proposition you mentioned.”

“Ah, yes, that.” TheVash’s aloofness again fell away with the change in subject, seguing into boyish enthusiasm. “It should be clear why I am here,” he told her in his exquisite accent. “I feel that with enough practice and desire you have the potential to move beyond street bajha. That’s not something I say lightly. Thus, I’d like to offer you the invitation to train with us for a few days, here on Barésh—my ship—the goal being an opportunity to try out for Team Eireya. The galactic league.”

There it was. The door opening. Everything she had ever wanted was summed up in those three words. Jemm stared hard at the grimy floor for a second or two, trying to contain the joy swelling in her chest. Her bajha skills formed the perfect emotional armor, so by the time she was able to look up at theVashagain, she was composed.

Except, his pale gaze had observed it all. He acknowledged her reaction with the slightest of satisfied nods, then turned to Nico, offering him a white card embedded with tiny red lights and the wordSECURITYin black letters. “You two will need this to access the secure area of the docks tomorrow.”

Nico squinted at the card, pretending he knew how to read. “That is all fine and good, but our time don’t come for free, fellas. If Sea Kestrel is with you, he can’t play matches for me. And that means a stoppage in my income stream.” He wiggled callused fingers. “How about a little earnest money to motivate me to add this to our busy schedule?”

“I fully intended to compensate you,” Sir Klark said, and reached inside his cloak.

“And, on Eighthnight he’s all mine. We have a standing engagement at Rumble, a North City fight club, the day after tomorrow. Until anything is signed, I have to stick with my player’s prior engagements.”

“Of course.”

It was an advantage that Nico had the guts and the gall to speak up to these noblemen. Nothing seemed to rattle him. But when Sir Klark opened his money holder and counted out a single gold card Nico’s swallow was audible.

“Will that do, Mr. Aves?”

Her brother remained silent as he contemplated the credit. A gold card was equivalent to a couple of months’ worth of players’ cuts—at least!

“It will do, won’t it, Nic?” Jemm broke in, her scowl leaving him no choice but to accept what the team owner had offered. Overconfidence was no good in the ring, and greed had no place in negotiations, not when they involved her. She could not afford to let Nico’s brashness to chase away these scouts and the biggest chance she had ever had all because he wanted to haggle over a few extra credits.

“Aye. It’ll do.” Nico slipped the gold into his pocket.

“My ship is berthed at Star Tube J,” theVashsaid. “I’ll see you there in the morning.”

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