Negasi didn't like this development at all. He liked it less when a loudspeaker blared,
"All of you drop your weapons. You are under arrest by station security."
"It was self-defense!" Negasi said. "Bruno Flashback fired on us first."
"Drop your weapons."
Negasi didn't see any point in arguing, so he didn't. Instead, he dropped his weapons. Jeridan followed suit.
"You too, Max," the loudspeaker said.
The little goblin put on an innocent look and raised his hands.
"But I was only doing business. You know I don't take sides."
"Do it."
Max took a strange silvery wand out of his pocket and placed it on the floor.
"What's that?" Negasi asked. He thought he was familiar with every weapon in the Orion Arm.
"I'll tell you for fifty credits."
"Never mind."
They stood there, waiting to be collected by station security.
They waited for a while. Negasi's shoulder ached. The painkillers in the bandage weren't doing their job. It was a low-grade bandage that wasn't designed for major wounds. Maybe the slug had chipped a bone or something.
"What's taking so long?" Jeridan asked, taking the opportunity to put a bandage on his leg.
"They're trying to freak us out," Negasi said.
"Mission accomplished."
Max paced back and forth in the narrow confines of the corridor.
"I don't understand it. I just don't understand it. This has never happened to me before."
"Do you insert yourself into gunfights often?" Negasi asked.
Max shrugged. "That's where the best profits are."
That confirmed what Negasi had heard of Kibwengo culture. They were a mercenary race, always looking for the best angle, but generally neutral to larger political rivalries. Among their own kind they were one of the more harmonious races, saving their wheeling and dealing for outsiders.
As far as Negasi knew, they were the only race that had not tried to expand beyond their own system. They weren't aggressive in that manner, although when a coalition of human and alien pirates tried to take over the mineral-rich asteroid belt of their home system, the Kibwengo had come out in force and annihilated them.
They were a race that could be trusted to the extent of a contract, ignored with safety, and never messed with. He really shouldn't have shaken the little guy, yet it was hard not to let your emotions get the better of you with someone so annoying.
Maybe I should challenge him to a chessboxing match. That would let off some steam.
The loudspeaker jolted Negasi out of his thoughts.
"Move all your weapons to the corner where Jeridan is currently standing and then move to the opposite corner."
They did as they were told.
"Hands on your head!" the loudspeaker ordered.
They put their hands on their head.
The steel doors slid up into the ceiling and they found themselves hemmed in by security on both sides. All were in full body armor. Their blank faceplates stared at them without pity. Far too many guns pointed in their direction.
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Two security officers took their weapons while the others marched them down the corridor, away from Bay Five and the relative safety of the Antikythera. Negasi felt distinctly homesick.
"I'm innocent," Max said.
"Shut up," one of the guards snapped.
"So are we," Jeridan added.
"Shut up."
Negasi rolled his eyes. When, in the history of law enforcement, has a cop ever let someone go because they claimed they were innocent?
The security guard marched them to a locked door, took them through, and they found themselves in the employee's section of the base, a place Negasi had never seen before. They went up an elevator and out onto another level. His shoulder still ached. Negais grit his teeth and tried to ignore it.
The guards led them to a large door flanked by a pair of guards.
"Luna wants to see you," one of their escorts said.
I don't like the sound of that.
Negasi looked at Max and saw a worried expression on his face. That made him even more nervous.
They passed into a lounge area, tastefully decorated with dim lighting, red sofas, what looked like a real antique crystal chandelier, and a thick carpet. The place looked relaxing. Negasi didn't feel relaxed.
The guards flanking the next set of double doors didn't put him at ease.
"Turn off your disguises," one of the guards ordered.
Negasi shrugged. Luna already knew who they were anyway. Both of them switched off their disguises.
"Huh," Max said. "I was getting used to the other faces. You don't look as good like this."
"You're one to talk," Jeridan said. "You look like a walking, talking booger."
Max laughed.
Doesn't anything bother this guy? Oh, just the meeting we're about to have.
Great.
One of the guards scanned them and let them through the doors.
They entered what could only be described as a throne room.
On a golden armchair set on a raised dais sat an ample woman in her middle years with raven black hair falling over her bare shoulders. Woven through her hair were rubies and diamonds on gold thread. A glittering ruby as big as a walnut hung deep in her cleavage. Rings were on all of her fingers.
Those fingers moved constantly, for in front of her seat was a half-circle of a console. While it was sloped in a way to hide the surface from where Negasi and the others were standing, he could see from the glow that there were several screens, many of which had moving pictures judging from the shifting light and shadow on her many gemstones.
Security footage?
Luna kept punching in commands for a time, ignoring them. A typical power gesture used by many species.
Negasi didn't see why that was necessary. This was her station and they were her prisoners. Rubbing it in wasn't going to make that any clearer.
Unless she felt she was in a position of weakness and needed to compensate? Negasi couldn't see how that would be the case.
At last, she looked up. She waved a bejeweled hand, nearly blinding them all. Negasi noticed she sat under a harsh spotlight that made everything extra sparkly.
The guards departed, whether because that was what the gesture commanded them to do or to save their eyesight, Negasi wasn't sure.
Negasi looked around. No other guards. He wasn't fooled for a second. He'd bet a million credits he didn't have that she was protected by a force field and that a turret would pop out of the floor and gun them down if they tried anything.
"Jeridan Cook and Negasi Gao," she said, "and Max. Always Max."
"Doesn't he have a last name?" Negasi asked.
"He does."
"For two hundred credits I'll tell you what it is," Max offered.
"Not now, Max," Negasi said.
Luna frowned at them. "I don't like gunfights in my station. This is a place for trade and relaxation."
"I don't suppose pointing out they started it would help," Jeridan said.
"You knew you were in danger of being attacked and came here anyway, therefore you bear equal responsibility."
While Negasi didn't exactly follow this reasoning, he wasn't about to argue.
"We're very sorry for the trouble," Jeridan said. "The ship's owner will be happy to pay for any damages."
"The Syndicate was actually after her," Negasi offered.
"The Syndicate was after all of you. I've already spoke with Bruno Flashback."
"You got a coherent answer out of him?"
Was that a ghost of a smile on her lips?
"It took a while. I've informed Nova Bradford. Your boss will be arriving shortly to explain herself. In the meantime, consider your ship impounded."
Negasi gulped. Impounded by this pirate? With two children and invaluable Imperium tech non board?
This was bad. Really, really bad.
"Did you impound the Syndicate ship?" Jeridan asked.
"Do you think I'm suicidal? I've fined them, confined them to their ship, and will most likely let them go as soon as this is all cleared up."
Negasi didn't hold out much hope that they'd receive the same treatment. They weren't backed by a bloodthirsty criminal cartel.
Actually, the League of Concerned Archaeologists, despite their name, wasn't exactly all peace and love and academia. But they didn't have the Syndicate's reputation.
Nobody did.
Luna's console chirped. She looked at something and frowned.
"Your boss disavows all knowledge of your disagreement with the Antari Syndicate and says I can do whatever I want with you."
Negasi's heart turned to ice.
It had finally happened. Nova had never really wanted them as an equal part of her team, hadn't wanted them objecting to her ruthless pragmatism. She had been enraged when they took over the ship.
He had been dreading this moment, knowing that sooner or later she'd take her chance.
And the Antari Syndicate had given it to her.
Nova was ditching them.
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