Page 66 of Shielded in the Shadows

KEELA

For the first time since we’d arrived at Trakhan, Bay 2406 fell utterly silent. Even that awful music shut off.

Byx’s many tentacles swayed menacingly as the Tivoran female who knew Jarrix as Tal entered the bay, followed by a dozen armored soldiers wearing Alliance insignias.

Like all Tivorans, this female was tall and lithe, with very pale skin, two oversized eyes, and hair that lacked pigment. She wore a nondescript blue suit without any emblem or distinctive design but still managed to make it look like some kind of uniform.

In my peripheral vision, I noticed most of Byx’s dockworkers had either picked up heavy tools or drawn weapons of their own.

After seeing what Byx had uncovered about my bounty, my chest ached and my gut felt hollow, like I’d been eviscerated. But I couldn’t afford to think about any of that—not Orqiel unha’Feste, not the Liktarr syndicate, not Ganai, not even the mental image of N’vera’s corpse left to rot in a dirty maintenance shaft.

None of it could matter right now because a new threat had emerged—one apparently tied to Jarrix’s past rather than my own.

Beside me, Jarrix was rigid, his gun aimed squarely at the female’s chest as the soldiers trained their rifles on all three of us. Their helmets prevented me from seeing their eyes, but they were likely keeping a wary eye on Byx’s dockworkers too.

The doors that led to the station closed and locked behind the newcomers.

The female tilted her head and studied Byx. She seemed amused rather than angry. “You think to hold us prisoner, Deckmaster Klettirian?”

“You provided false identification to be granted clearance to dock at Trakhan,” Byx said coldly. “And you do not have permission to enter my bay.”

“I think you’ll find my credentials grant me leave to go where I please,” the female countered, still with that light tone that made my trigger finger itch. “I have no quarrel with you or your crew. I am only here to arrest a murderer and take him to the proper authorities.”

Jarrix’s expression was like Vorcian granite. The only indication of his anger was the tiny flick of the tip of his tail.

I didn’t believe for one moment that her presence was due to the privateers Jarrix had killed on Ghira Station. This was something else. The female’s arrogance and aura of smug authority reminded me of the pit masters in the arena, who’d believed themselves untouchable and their power absolute.

“There is no need for you to involve yourself, Deckmaster,” the Tivoran continued smoothly. “It is better for everyone concerned, including Tal, if he comes with us rather than take his chances with bounty hunters or his former shipmates. At least I can guarantee no harm will come to your crew or him. If the others hunting him arrive here…” She raised her shoulders in a careless shrug that didn’t match her calculating gaze. “Well, it will certainly be a bloodbath.”

Byx made a grating sound. “You involved me when you stepped aboard this outpost, Gitto.”

The Tivoran female’s long fingers twitched. He’d scored a hit by identifying her by name. My respect for his intelligence network increased yet again. I wondered if he had a transdermal implant through which his people could give him information, or if he somehow already knew who she was.

“You underestimate my willingness to protect my bay and all those within it,” Byx continued, his tentacles swaying. “This male is Garon Vorduk, first mate of the Bandit’s Blade. I have known him for many years. I do not know this Tal of whom you speak.”

Gitto smiled, but the expression had no trace of humor now. “We both know who this male is, Deckmaster. Must I demonstrate the folly of claiming otherwise?” She gestured at the soldiers. “I see a clear advantage on my side.”

“That is because you see only what you can see.” Byx made that rough grating sound again. “This is not Catugo Prime, Gitto. This is Trakhan.”

This time Gitto’s jerk of surprise was much more noticeable. I didn’t know what the reference to the planet Catugo Prime meant, but clearly Byx’s intel was serving up the goods today.

We needed to get to the Nivilus and leave Trakhan. Once our ship went into shadow mode, we couldn’t be tracked. Then—and only then—could I begin to attempt to process what I’d learned from Byx’s sources and make plans.

But first we had to get out of this stalemate.

I wanted to know what Jarrix was thinking, but he hadn’t looked at me since Gitto had spoken his name. His body language was hard and cold.

If Byx was going to make good on his threat to neutralize Gitto and the soldiers, now would be a good time. I braced myself for a firefight.

Instead, Byx apparently had given the matter consideration and landed on a much different idea for how to respond to the threat.

“In my capacity as a venerated Grandmale of the Wundi,” he said, drawing himself up to a truly astounding height, “Protector of the Infinite Spiral, and ordained Speaker of the Immutable Word, I grant the male known as Tal Noku and Garon Vorduk and all those who travel with him sanctuary. You will remove yourself from this temple immediately.”

Beside me, Jarrix twitched as if a power current had passed through him.

Gitto laughed. “This is no temple, Klettirian. You have no authority⁠—”

Byx bellowed a word in his native language. My translator didn’t offer an equivalent in Alliance Standard.