Page 20 of Star Champion

“I have to work,” she said.

“Je—” Nico almost blurted out her real name, but her glare stopped him. If that glare were a physical thing, he would have suffered a life-threatening injury.

She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I can’t not show up to my job, Nico. This ain’t no sure thing yet.”

“You’re either all in or all out.”

“I’ll be all in when I’m actually in.”

“You gotta be all in to get there.”

She shook her head. “I ain’t quitting my job.”

By now the three men were leaning in to overhear their intense, whispered conversation. She turned and they popped back upright. “Sir Klark, I work every day but Firstday. I’m usually done by dome-set. I’ll come to your ship as soon as I get off.”

“Do what you must, but come ready to train hard. There’ll be no accommodations. If you are up to snuff, you’ll be signed. But I’ll warn you, few street bajha players can adapt to league rules.”

“Well, I can. And I will,” she said fiercely. There was no other option. To fail was to condemn herself to Barésh for untold years longer, working for a company that expected her to kill children.

She had the feeling he saw more of her struggle than she wanted anyone—especially him—to know. She tore her focus from those perceptive golden eyes and cleared her throat.

“That’s the can-do attitude we like to see, Kes.” Skeet chucked her on the arm, her good arm. “I’ll be rooting for you.”

Xirri smiled. “See ya tomorrow, bud.”

Sir Klark pivoted on the heel of one of his expensive boots and strode with his players out of the club.

As soon as they were gone, Jemm turned to her brother and grabbed him by the arm. “A lass, playing for the galactic league. Are we crazy?” Her stomach flip-flopped from hope to dread. “He’s a team owner, Nic. Messing with an elite of that stature, do ya know how dangerous this is?” She would rather face down a mine boss than be caught lying to theVash Nadah.

“There’s nothing false about your playing. That’s what he saw, that’s what he wants. Mark my words, it’s gonna be the best decision he ever made.” He pushed her toward the utility closet. “Now go get changed. You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

Tomorrow! Dome help her. Jemm packed her gear and donned her street clothes, joining Nico outside in the alleyway behind the club. Her hair was brushed out and swinging free, her leather jacket unzipped, the cool air blissful on her company-issue undershirt. She held her injured arm close to her body. The ice had helped some, but not enough. She hoped it did not put tomorrow’s practice in jeopardy.

Nico took her gear bag from her to sling over his shoulder. “Here. Drink up.” The cobblestones were slick with dew. Her boots skidded on some night slime as she paused to drink from the water jug Nico had refilled for her. Her timepiece slid heavily from her wrist to her hiked-up sleeve as she tipped her head back to guzzle from the jug. She did not pause until she had finally taken her fill, expelling an appreciative gust of air. Nico waved a handful of silvers at her, the precious gold credit tucked safely away, his eyes scrunched with happiness. “I’ll buy you dinner. A big dinner. All you can eat. There’s a place up the block. I’ve never gotten sick from the food there. Not once.”

The mere mention of food made her knees weak and her stomach growl. “Don’t tempt me.”

“C’mon. You know you want to. And ya deserve it.”

After this insane day, she deserved to burrow into her bed and go unconscious for a few hours, too, before she had to leave for another long day of ore hauling. What if the scurries came at her tomorrow for another go, thinking she was an easy mark because she had not fought them off? How long until the bosses got suspicious at the loss of ore?

Her shoulders sagged.

“Crat, Jemm. You ain’t been yourself tonight.” Her brother cornered her, his voice careful. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me it’s nothing, like your arm.”

“I almost had to shoot those kids,” she mumbled. “The scurries.”

“But you didn’t.”

“But I could have. Then what? I’d be no different than them—the bosses.”

“You never would have killed a child, Jemm. You’ve got a real conscience. You always do what’s right.”

She had not done “right” accepting the fraudulent load Arik had dispatched her with. But if she hadn’t gone along with the scam, she would have ended up having to explain what happened to that quarter canister of trill. At the very least, she would be held responsible for the loss due to carelessness, because if she did not defend the load with deadly force, then she had given it away like candy. At the worst, they would accuse her of pilfering it for herself, owing to the lack of any evidence to the contrary. “I don’t want to become one of them, Nic. The longer I stay here, the more I think I might. That’s why I’ve got to get out. I’ve got to get all of us out.”

“C’mere.” Nico gathered her into a hug.

She sagged into the warm, vape-scented comfort that was Nico, her cheek resting on his thick, scratchy sweater.

---