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“Even if she won’t, I’ll at least make sure that she is safe and has anything she needs. Then I start working on earning her forgiveness.”

“There is one other thing,” Eula said.

“What’s that?”

“The Steward that has been missing since the night Alexandrus was attacked?”

“Yes,” Bart said.

“He is Mirilla’s brother. His name is Mir’ Ahn.”

“Do you think she went in search of him?”

“If she thinks he may be responsible, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

“He would certainly have been aware that she had a passkey,” Bart said.

“And I will confirm it, but I believe I remember her telling me that he had access to her room. It would have been her choice to give him access. All they have left is each other— their parents are gone.”

“So she’s out there, searching for her brother, thinking that he might be the one who stole her passkey, arranged for Alexandrus to be attacked, and left her to try to prove she wasn’t involved?”

“Perhaps. It is certainly a possibility. Especially since he went missing before she did,” Eula said.

“I’ve got to speak to my people. I’ve got to get out there, I have to find her.”

“Anything you need, I’ll get you. Protect her, Bart. She’s dear to me.”

Chapter 25

Mirilla strode into the drinkery imitating the walk of the captain of the vessel she was on, to the best of her ability. She wore black breeches. A black shirt, heavy black boots, and a heavy black cloak. Her hair was slicked back and she’d smeared dirt over her face to try to make it look less feminine. She kept the cloak pulled down over her face, and wore a blaster at her side. The dagger An’ Der had given her was hidden deep within the pocket of the trousers she wore.

She attracted a little attention as she entered, but not as much as if she’d advertised it that she was female. Being Cruestaci meant that she was about the same size as an average human male, so it wasn’t as if she was tiny and obviously female. Her features, though, and her mannerisms were soft, and that was what she worked so hard at hiding.

“What’ll it be?” the barkeep asked.

“Looking for a male named Mir’ Ahn. Tall, pale orange kind of color to his hair and eyes. Insolent.” She wanted to smile at her ability to pull off the voice she’d mastered back on the vessel. Her voice was scratchy and raspy, and gruff. She’d managed to hide any hint of her naturally feminine voice. The captain had told her that she sounded like a male who’d survived having his throat cut.

“Haven’t seen anyone like that. Even if I had, information costs around here.”

“I’m not paying you to tell me that you haven’t seen him. If you have, give me a reason to believe you and I might make it worth your while. Then again, I might not,” she snapped out.

The barkeep regarded her for a few moments, then shook his head. “Nobody like that has been in here.”

Mirilla turned and walked out of the drinkery, fairly certain that they hadn’t seen Mir’ Ahn. She walked down the street,looking for the next establishment, prepared to repeat her act at as many establishments as she could find. The seedier side of the space ports was her goal, since she had no doubt that Mir’ Ahn would frequent them first.

~~~

“She is not responsible for all that has occurred,” Eula said. “Mirilla wouldn’t do anything to harm any of us.”

“I’m aware of your stance on the subject. In light of the things we’ve learned about her brother being missing, and now her, I’m inclined to believe you. But it is possible they were working together. She seems to have slipped away as stealthily as he did,” Quin said.

“She slipped away because she felt it was her only choice. She didn’t take her credits so that we couldn’t track her,” Eula exclaimed.

“Because she was planning on hiding,” Quin said.

“No, because she knew you thought she was guilty. If you stopped her from leaving, and still didn’t believe her, there would be no one to clear her name. She’s attempting to do it herself.”

“Exactly,” Ba Re’ said.

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