Page 80 of Freedom Mine
“Such as?”
“Not killing their friends.”
“Ah, a good incentive. Then why did this runaway leave in the first place?”
“He was a loner.”
“So you had a slave out of your sight for some time.Andyou found it wise to not only take additional slaves off your property where they could run, but to trespass on a neighbor’s property, a neighbor with whom you do not get along from what I hear.”
So, the man had been researching him. “If we got along, I wouldn’t have to trespass, now would I?”
Barhan’s mouth thinned. “You should have accessed the system to locate the missing slave. Then you could have formally requested his return from Garitt. Your request would have been honored by Garitt, and if not by him, then by me and my office.”
“The winds, the mountains, they can wreak havoc on the system. Sometimes it’s easier to search by air via glider. But you are right. I should have followed proper procedure instead of allowing my impatience to rule. I abandoned the search soon after trespassing onto Garitt’s property. I did not want Garitt to learn of our presence. That would have created additional issues between us. My apologies, First Lead.” Kayo bowed his head.
Barhan sneered. “I know men like you, Variz. The ones with all the answers.”
Kayo clenched his teeth. “Just trying to work my mines, First Lead, not cause trouble. I would have continued my search for my slave if I had thought him a true danger to Garitt or his people. Quite frankly, the slave I left behind was a troublemaker. I was glad to be rid of him. I will, of course, reimburse Garitt for the cost of the slave my slave killed, if Garitt can prove my slave was responsible.”
Barhan merely grunted as he walked through the men. “Step aside,” he ordered Ranth, Liet, and Diggs who’d used their height to hide Alli from view.
Reluctantly, the men parted. Alli backed away from Barhan, right into one of his men who’d circled around the group. The corporal grabbed her hands from behind and slapped a pair of shock cuffs on her.
Kayo lunged forward, but Barhan stepped in his path. “Don’t interfere, Variz. She killed a man.”
Kayo glanced to Liet and Masher quickly, as if to ask them if they had killed anyone. Both men shook their heads.
“She will be turned over as recompense for the loss.”
“I didn’t kill anyone!” Alli said, her eyes wide with fear.
“There’s some mistake, First Lead,” Kayo protested, pushing his way between Alli and the officer. “She killed no one. She never left my sight, as I just explained. If anyone is to blame, it would be my escaped slave. Garitt is using the unfortunate circumstances to take my property. He intends to ruin me. There is history between us. I’m sure First Lead Tammin must have left records behind.”
“I don’t trust you, Variz. You don’t respect authority. You don’t respectme.”
“First Lead, I try to follow protocol, and I mean you no disrespect, but I request to see any evidence you have that this female, who ismyproperty, was responsible. Until then, you have no authority to take her.”
Barhan pulled his blaster and tapped it against Kayo’s chest. “You’d be wise to know your place, Variz.”
Alli cried out as one of the guards pushed her toward the landglider. Fear gripped his chest. If they took her, he’d never get her back, even if he proved her innocent.
“You’re not leaving here with her unless you can prove Garitt’s claim.”
“I don’t work for you, Variz.”
“No, you work for Garitt,” Kayo said, challenging the man.
First Lead Barhan shoved his blaster against Kayo’s head. “Now why would you make such an accusation? She means something to you, doesn’t she? I can see why. Women are rare here, female slaves even rarer. I’m taking more than a worker from you, I’m taking your entertainment away, aren’t I?”
The soldier in him assessed his men and the First Lead’s men, their positions, and who was armed. If Kayo attempted to fight, he and his men would be cut down, and Barhan would still take Alli.
“Garitt’s a known liar and cheat, and you’re taking his word on what happened. He’s playing you. Is that the reputation you want, First Lead? Garitt’s been trying to take my property from me for years. Ask anyone this side of town if you don’t want to take my word for it. Unless you don’t care if he makes a fool of you.”
Barhan pulled his datapad out, tapped several times, and shoved the device at Kayo. “The murder weapon, with her fingerprints. Her prints are a perfect match. There’s no question she stabbed an innocent man, seven times in the gut. He bled out in minutes.” The datapad showed a picture of a bloody knife lying next to a body.
“It’s Tieg,” Kayo said, looking toward Liet and Masher. They exchanged puzzled looks. Alli had been the last one to see Tieg, but she said she’d struck him. She never mentioned a knife, though she did own one. The knife in the image looked like Alli’s and all the others Garitt had given his men. Garitt probably had a drawer full of them on his property, but the bastard wouldn’t be able to fake her fingerprints. Either it was her knife, or Barhan was corrupt and working for Garitt.
This entire situation had Garitt’s particular stink all over it. One slave killing another usually didn’t draw the attention of local law enforcement. Barhan shouldn’t be interested in a slave-on-slave murder. In all likelihood, it had been Garitt who had killed Tieg. That would have given Kayo the right to ask for compensation for the death of his slave. This entire situation didn’t make sense.
