Page 28 of Star Champion

The men peeled away from him like sheet metal under the heat of a blowtorch. “We caught this trill rat trying to sneak into Star Tube J, and he’s armed,” the lead offered with weak bravado.

“That’s a sens-sword, and he’s no bandit. Moreover, he was not sneaking. He’s a well-known bajha player in this colony. Invited—by me—for an exhibition match.”

“I did not realize that, sir.”

“Obviously. There has been an abysmal failure of common sense here. Who is your supervisor?”

“Ardo-Illy Heddad,” the man mumbled.

“Note that,” Sir Klark told his starpilot.

“Already done, My Lord.”

My Lord? The manners of the elite were as foreign to her as the rest of this new life of which she was getting a tiny taste. If “lord” and “sir” were used interchangeably, she would soon find out.

“Kes, if you would like to add any additional infractions to the growing list of grievous offenses, now’s the time.” Sir Klark’s concerned gaze smoothed over her like warm hands. “You’ve got bruises in the shape of fingers on your jaw.”

From the gangster who had almost smothered her. Jemm swallowed hard.

“Which one of these men did this to you?”

She shook her head. “It wasn’t them.”

“Who then?”

“That’s another story.”

“I look forward to hearing it.”

Jemm did not look forward to telling it.

TheVashgave the security cogs an icy glare. “This is not the last you will hear of this.” Then he motioned with his chin to Jemm. “Let’s go.”

He did not so much as walk with them as he did lead the way. In a few long strides he had left her and the starpilot behind. Then, realizing they were not with him, he turned. A regal brow lifted as he waited for them to catch up.

“About those checkpoint guards, Sir Klark,” Jemm said, trying not to sound so breathless. “Those fellas are only security cogs. If ya report them to their boss, they’ll be fired.”

“And deserve to be.”

“Aye, maybe, but if they’re like a lot of people in the colony, they won’t have a backup plan. Their families could starve—or worse, will have to work down in the pits. No one wants to go there.”

Sir Klark glanced sideways at her in surprise. A furrow had formed between his brows. “What are you saying? I should dismiss filing a complaint?”

“Aye. I’m to blame for the trouble. I didn’t have the kind of ID they wanted.”

“You didn’t need it. I logged in all the pertinent information last night. It should have been sufficient. This is Barésh, for heaven’s sake. You’d think it was the Wheel the way they’re so uptight about security.”

The Wheel was the seat of government for the Trade Federation that ruled the entire galaxy. He tossed around the name as if it were nothing. “Still, they wouldn’t have expected someone like me to show up here.”

He seemed to consider her, and what she had asked of him. “Kuentin,” he said after a moment. “Hold off contacting anyone about the security guards. For now.”

“As you wish, Sir Klark.”

“Firing fools is one thing. Causing starvation is quite another,” Sir Klark explained, frowning. “That is not right.”

“You don’t know Barésh, then,” she said under her breath.

But he heard her. “The laws of the Trade Federation are supposed to protect every citizen, no matter what an individual’s personal wealth. This is the foundation of the Treatise of Trade. My ancestors fought and died for the rights of all people. Something needs to be done if those laws aren’t being followed here.” Vexation gave his tone a sharper edge. “Where is Earth in all this? They certainly complained loudly enough about wanting to manage their own neighborhood. King Romlijhian B’kah gave his blessing to naming Earth as sovereign administrator of the frontier. It’s more power than any planet other than aVashhomeworld has ever held. But have you seen any Earth-dwellers around?”

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