Compared to the mega cities that lay a scant two hundred kilometers away, Corilla is a backwoods hamlet. We are verbally guided into the customs facility, and land without trouble. Well, Bashir is a little disgruntled that I won't let him pilot in, but something just feels wrong about this whole affair and I don't want a momentary lapse on his part to put us into some situation I can't get us out of.

The pad we are directed to is a mobile... it sits on a conveyor-like apparatus that will move the pad into a hangar structure designed for horizontally oriented craft. I set us gently onto the decking and immediately feel the motion as we slide into the cavernous structure. An armed military unit stands at attention, probably a courtesy for Mai Ee'shu.

I open the ramp, putting the tea in obvious position for inspection. Standing with my documents glas properly loaded with manifests and sales "papers", I await the inspector and customs officials. My teen copilot strolls up, but quickly seems to sense the this is important.

"Bashir," I say, "It's good to get to know the most common glyphs. See the one on their collars that looks like three bars stacked on top of each other?"

"Uh huh," he exhales.

"That's the civil service glyph. They are very proud of civil service here, it's not like the UEE government employees at all."

"I thought they had an Emperor."

"They do, plus some very rigid castes. Civil service is special, though. You aren't born into it, you have to pass very difficult and rigorous exams to get in."

The Customs Lead, a dino no less, looks to be ancient at best; his leathery skin is pocked and folded, the green in his face and hands is fading to a dusky gray. But he still strides up and politely demands, "Yay Shok! (Papers, Please!)"

I comply and he considers the manifest and the containers of tea.

"What's a caste?" Bashir asks quietly.

"They have organized society based on what job you are trained to do, what family you are born into, whether you are on active duty in the military, and/or if you can qualify for either civil service or the Seers. I think there is probably more to it than that, but the Xi'An are very private and I haven't tried to find out what they don't offer to tell me.

"Is Ms. Ee'shu in a caste?" he asks.

"Yes, the highest caste is the Emperor's NestLine... kinda his immediate family plus some level of close relatives... I really don't know all the details. Anyway, Mai Ee'shu is from the Emperor's NestLine."

"Which glyph is that?"

"It was the middle one, the one that looked solid."

"Like a rectangle with a bump under it?"

I allow myself a chuckle and softly reply, "Yes, that is simplified version of something called the Zagg'R... um..." I turn the parts of the term over in my head a few times before it clicks into recognition, "Ah, yes, the Zagg'Radch." His eyebrows rise just as a crate is opened beyond us. "It's supposed to be something Emperor Kray wears, but I don't really know much about it, it isn't like they have pictures of him laying around anywhere I've been."

"So that's how you knew Ms. Ee'shu was from his family?"

"Yup."

I notice that Mai Ee'shu is out in the hangar talking with the Inspector, a naval officer, and what I think is a Seer. I hope she's arranging for someone to...

CRASH!

I look over to see the old Customs Lead laying on the floor of the cargo bay, a crate of tea on top of him.

Bashir and I are at his side in three strides and we both lift the crate up and clear.

"Mai Ee'shu!" I holler, "This Hatched is hurt! We need medical help!"

We both bend down to see the old lizard in somewhat obvious distress... though I'm not sure where he is hurt.

Footsteps pound up and we are quickly brushed back.

A pair of civil service types loosen his collar and speak with him, but I can't hear what they say.

Four Naval service personnel run up with a suspensor cart of some sort, lift him onto it, and hustle the graying Xi'An away.

Two very large Naval guards step up to us, along with Mai Ee'shu and the Naval officer.

"You will come with us," the officer orders.

"Is something wrong?"

The two big guards step behind Bashir and I as he answers, "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Customs Lead Ton Leena."

"What?! You've got... to be... kidding," I stammer in shock.

"No! We didn't do anything but help him!" Bashir exclaims, almost at the same moment.

Mai Ee'shu smiles and I think I see evil behind her expression.

To her I say quietly, "If you are trying to get back at me, at least let Bashir go, he didn't insult you and he isn't my kin."

The naval officer, I'm not really sure of his rank, growls and I realize that not only is he not depending on Mai Ee'shu for anything, but he is insulted that I'm attributing authority over the situation to her.

Before he can speak, I offer, "Please forgive my failure to understand the gravity of your rank in this concern. I am not sufficiently familiar with the Xi'An system and fear that our system's approach to these kinds of matters has confused my behavior."

"I know who you are and how well you understand us, Shawn Ryan."

The statement is surprising, though now I have to wonder just exactly what is happening here.

Again, the officer orders, "You will come with us."

Bashir looks helplessly at me and I gesture to follow. The teenager's expressions betray confusion, anger, and not a little fear of what is to come... but he obeys and follows as the Xi'An leads us across the compound to a small holding area.

We leave palm prints, our retinas are scanned, and we are led to what seems to be an almost comfortable cell. But imprisoned we are, no matter how much better off we are than we might have been in a Roussimoff Rehabilitation Systems cell block.

"What did we do?" Bashir asks when we are finally left alone in the small bright room.

"I don't know, Bashir, I really don't know. I am sorry you got dragged into this."

He looks around, then back at me with an odd expression, "I'm not."

"Hows that?"

"I'm kinda scared, but I'm glad you let me come. I got to fly in space, and jump between systems, and see new planets, and shoot down two torpedoes, and meet real live Xi'An."

"You're okay with all that?"

He looks my way and then quietly admits, "You're treating me more like an adult than anybody I know... even Dean. Even after I made a smelly mess of your ship."

I smile appraisingly and nod, "You'll make a fine man some day soon if you keep that kind of attitude."

"They have to know we didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm sure they do. I just don't understand what is happening."

"Yeah, it sure seems weird, why didn't they take your gun or my stunner?"

I look down and my pistol is obvious on my belt, it would seem like something they ought to have taken away. Bashir's weapon is also in plain sight on his belt, it's not like we're trying to hide them.

…..

Dinner comes, little trays of unidentifiable warmed Torreele offerings with mugs of watered down glee'ha to help us swallow.

"What's this?" Bashir asks, holding up the ruby-colored drink.

"Smells like glee'ha, kinda like a spiced wine, but a little salty." Bashir takes a sip, then several gulps go down. "Take it easy," I chuckle.

"I was thirsty."

"Yeah, the salt doesn't help either. But you still need to eat your whatever and that is best to wash it down."

"It says 'Spicy Beef' on the box."

"Well, let me know if that's what it tastes like. Most Torreele tastes about the same without enough hot sauce."

He stabs a bite with the flimsy poly fork, eats it and chews for a while.

"And?" I ask.

"Kinda reminds me of what paper tastes like. I used to eat pages from my father's old books when I was little. Mom got angry about it when she caught me, but I still remember the taste."

"Not exactly 'beef' then is it?"

"No, not really very close at all."

…..

The lights are always on, but my mobi tells me that it's the middle of the night our time. I'm stretched out on the floor trying to sleep while Bashir lays on the one bed making sounds vaguely like quiet snoring.

The door crashes open and four big female guards step into the room. They pair up and two heave me to my feet while the others haul Bashir out of bed.

"Where are we going?" I ask, but if they understand English, they are doing an exceptional job pretending not to.

…..

One long corridor leads into another. In my weariness, I've lost track of how far we have come... though the long halls remind me of another time in this system. Are we going to see the Outer Ring again?

…..

Turns and turns and still more turns. In my sleep limited brain I no longer have even sense of the time passing. Bashir, too, seems asleep on his feet; his weariness and drooping eyelids are at least keeping fear at bay.

We cross into a cavernous room where several hover craft float, powerplants humming, fans creating odd breezes at our ankles. One car, an unpretentious gray hover with one of its doors already open, seems to be our destination. There are two armed and hooded Xi'An already inside... correction, there is another at the wheel.

"Sit," orders one of the hooded ones and we don't argue.

I note that these are not Naval personnel, but their hoods seem designed to hide their glyphs... "May I ask wh..."

"No."

"Can I..."

With a thick accent, she orders, "Be silent."

The craft's door closes almost silently and we are swiftly moving into a tunnel. Light dims until all we can see are equipment and incidental lights inside. We are in a hurry somewhere, but there is only one approved place for humans on Xi... and we are speeding away from it.

…..

I can't imagine how far we've come, we must have already been in here an hour at least. With nothing but dark walls only briefly lit, I can't judge our speed and I feel like opening my mobi isn't the best idea. Bashir, in the mean time is slumped against me, snoring peacefully away. For just a moment, I wonder what it might have been like to be a da myself... to have my own son crashed against my arm; I find a hidden sense of loss... of meaninglessness and emptiness.

Heck with that. "I though humans aren't allowed..."

"You are disorderly," heavy accent interjects disapprovingly.

"What is..."

"KATH An'shan! (Human, STOP!)" the second guard abruptly orders and I think I see a glint of anger from under her hood.

The loud command has awakened Bashir, though he is obviously still pretty much out of it.

He looks my way and I try to reassure him, "Rest, Bashir. I'll wake you when we get there."

He nods, leans against the far wall, and fades quickly off to sleep.

I envy him.

The two across from us maintain their vigil and I resume my boredom.

…..

We exit from the tunnel into a sunken passage that strangely has no roof. Above us, organic towers of green and brown regularly stab at the heavens. Rihlah's sunlight reflects boldly off a billion glints of crystal or glass. I have seen images of their habitats before, but nothing to prepare me for the sight of rows of them from twenty meters down in a trench.

A blur passes and I look about. The trench has widened to a thoroughfare and there are many hovers moving swiftly along. I wave at a Xi'An pilot in one of the fast moving craft, but there's no recognition or response.

"You can not be seen," the English speaking Xi'An says.

"Oh, thanks. Where are we?"

"Xi."

"I guessed that."

The grumpier of our guards stirs and I don't press the issue when neither responds.

"Bashir, wake up."

"I don' wanna go ta school, mom."

"Do I look like your mom?"

He bestirs himself and sheepishly answers, "No, not really."

"Look at those," I say, pointing at the skyscrapers above us.

"Oh, Wow! Are we still in Corilla? I don't rem..." his voice dies as he reads my face. "Well, where are we?"

"No clue other than still on Xi."

Confusion evident, he asks, "But I thought you said..."

I interrupt gently, "I did."

"Oh." His eyes widen as he realizes we are in traffic with hundreds or maybe even thousands of Xi'An moving along this speedway.

Hmmm, I call it traffic, but even though we are all packed in together, it seems that we move with a speed and smoothness that no human ground traffic could ever match. Craft somehow indicate they need to move in front of us and our pilot slows enough for them to move; likewise for us, a hole opens beside us at one point and without a moment's loss of momentum, we are one lane (for lack of a better word) closer to the side of the artery. I note that it happens again, and then one more time; now we are speeding along next to a wall itself... no... I guess we are taking a side branch and slowing markedly.

I begin to notice a proliferation of alien symbols... these aren't the stylized collar glyphs of caste and kin; rather, the characters are obviously communicating information, often on flowing electrical displays that seem to move with us, as if to be read by our vehicle's occupants alone. Here, my failure to even try to learn written Xi'An becomes much more than a lost opportunity, it is a burden of greater weight than the crushing gravity.

"Are we there yet?" Bashir asks as we enter another tunnel and I secretly have to admit to wondering the same thing.

…..

This time, we arrive before my eyes even adjust to the tunnel's darkness. The chamber is large and quite crowded. There are no humans here, and the Xi'An all seem busy. They are wearing somber blue and red uniforms, but I don't recognize anything but the Civil Service glyph.

The other point of interest is that most of these individuals are HUGE. I can't imagine them being aboard a starship smaller than a carrier because unless our hovercar's windows are distorting the scene somehow, these creatures must be close to four meters (about 13 feet) tall and weigh at least 500 kilograms (over 1100 pounds). Actually, I do note one more thing: they are all heavily armed.

Everyone turns to face our vehicle as the doors open; they are suddenly still, the only sound is the hum of our hoverdrive.

Our Xi'An only officer orders, "Ith lakshore," as she exits the craft.

I look at Bashir and translate, "That's 'Follow me'." He nods and we comply. Our English speaking companion follows us silently.

We walk to a counter that is either obviously meant for taller creatures or intended to disorient us... yeah, both could even be true.

Both of our guards converse with the counter's occupant, another massive Hatched with a lot of reddish markings around the beak and eyes. As with the others, the only glyph I know is the Civil Service glyph, though I note that it is repeated beyond the job-caste glyph (ie., the CS glyphs bookend the job caste glyph)... I think that means this individual came from a noname family, but I could be wrong.

Finally, our English speaking guard says, "You will be secured here."

"Secured?"

Now it is her turn to be confused, "Secured..." she struggles to find the word she needs, "Proper..." she grunts, clearly out of her vocabulary, "Safety."

I think I know what she means, but I rather she come up with it... so I shrug with an equally confused look... an expression she does recognize.

"You are secured here... safe to the Hatched... not improper..."

"Imprisoned?"

She smiles widely, "Yes, imprisoned!"

Bashir's eyes grow large but I try to find the edges, "Do you mean to take our weapons?"

"No, if you use on Hatched, Nagdach will... demolish you."

"Nagdach?"

She gestures at the many Xi'An, then pantomimes tall and thick. I gesture around the room at the Hatched present. "Nagdach?" I ask and she nods. She then repeats herself while making a breaking motion, "Nagdach will demolish you."

"So I can use my weapon on...?"

"Human only."

I look around, but not seeing people, I decide to let things play out.

…..

The room we are ushered into is an even white, the corners are hard to see in the equally even light that comes from the whole ceiling. There is a low couch; I point, "Get some rest."

"No."

"What was that?"

"You've been up longer. I'll keep watch."

This rather adult attitude is unexpected, but I find the surprise quite pleasant. "What do you do if a Xi'An comes in and tries to take you away?"

"I make sure I'm close enough to wake you before they can get into the room."

"And if they put a human in?"

"Um... say hello?"

"You can do that, but make sure you have one hand on your stunner and the other waking me up."

"Why?" he asks innocently.

"Because many of the humans they might have here will have come from Corilla, and not everyone in Corilla is a nice person."

"Criminals?"

"Yup."

"Would I have to shoot them?"

"Only if you think one of us is in trouble," I allow.

"Okay," Bashir says seriously, "You sleep, I've got this."

My weariness threatens to knock me to the floor anyway, I might as well try to keep any watchers from knowing that I'm that far gone: I lay down on the couch, pull my gloves off, and lay them over my eyes. Near at hand, I can hear Bashir sit down on the floor; I'm satisfied, he is smart enough to choose to stay within easy reach.

…..

"Company," Bashir's voice announces and I'm immediately awake, adrenaline automatically dumped into my veins.

At our door stands a more normal Xi'An. He is dressed in black, Naval glyphs at the collar, four deep. Let me see... that's rank first, I'm pretty sure he is equal to our Captain. Second isn't the Imperial Nest-Line, so the next one should be the one for role and/or assignment. To have a third without being Imperial family, he must be in a special unit, though I have no clue which, and that would mean the fourth is a medal or award. All that is to say this is a serious individual.

In plain lightly accented English he begins, "I am Tsee Allath, Commander of the defense forces here. You are both to be questioned. Do you understand?"

"Bashir is innocent of anything."

"And you are admitting to guilt?"

"Yup, I didn't properly recycle my used fingernails."

He smiles, but it is really a rather grim look. "You are hoping to make jokes. I do not like jokes.

I shrug, "The boy is my responsibility. I will take care of him."

He smiles in a frigid sort of way, "You will obey or you will be food."

I don't generally take kindly to threats, my reply follows the norm, "Excuse me?"

Rather than answer, he does something with his version of a mobi and the blank white wall to our left turns into a display. Eight... no, nine uniformed Nagdach, possibly the same ones we saw on the way in, surround what appears to be a live pig. The animal is dwarfed by any one of the tall Xi'An, but together there is the impression of a rabbit surrounded by somal. The only sounds are those of the pig contentedly munching on something.

What happens next is a horror best not described, at least not in detail. The nine huge creatures literally rip the pig apart and consume it. One moment it was alive, now there is blood everywhere and the sound of crunching bones. The final detail seems to sum up the whole: once the carcass is completely gone, they each proceed to groom themselves by licking the blood off their hands and garments until each looks clean except where their tongues can't reach... then they clean each other of what was missed. The final result looks exactly like they did before they started.

I look back at Tsee Allath and see that same grim smile. "Would you like to see them with a defiant prisoner?"

"No," I gasp, then, regaining some composure, I repeat, "No. That is enough."

"The boy is first," he says without any sign of hesitation.

I look at Bashir, his skin is almost the color of chalk. Not since Major McMurdoe had him has he looked so terrified.

"I'll cooperate," I state.

"He will be questioned first anyway."

"He is just a friend's child, this is his first mission into space."

"He should have chosen better."

I look over at the boy and try to remember how I felt that day when I first walked into the RRS compound's gate. Probably about the same, I guess; I knew I shouldn't have been there, but that the fact didn't matter.

"Stick to the truth," I say quietly, hoping that's enough.

"Yes, sir," he answers as he rises and walks, perhaps a little shakily, to the doorway the Xi'An is holding open.

The door closes and I'm alone.

…..

The mental image of the Nagdach killing a creature in such a brutal way has left the impression I'm sure it's meant to create: helplessness and hopelessness. I have a 10.5mm pistol, but that is meaningless against that kind of brutal pack animal behavior. A laser might have been better, but not by much. I hope Bashir does well, but my memory of the Seers' grilling me, probably on this very planet, leaves me fearing for the child's life.

The door opens and a rough looking human is shoved in by one of the Nagdach. He takes a moment to reorient himself, my right hand finds my pistol. He seems to have a weapon as well and is suddenly drawing it. I clear mine first and don't find any hesitation... yet the sound of it's discharge is strangely dampened. The victim falls to the floor, a laser clattering away towards where I sit, his arm at the shoulder shattered by my bullet.

He glares at me, no remorse, no appeal... the door opens again and two Nagdach step in. They ignore me completely, instead focusing on the other prisoner; one drags him away and the other... my stomach churns as I realize she is grooming off the blood... human blood... that she has gotten onto her humongous hands. She looks briefly my way, no expression evident, then walks out the door and closes it behind her.

The abandoned laser pistol looks like it has seem better days, marred and scratched to the point that I'm not even sure of the manufacturer. Nevertheless, I shuffle over to it and find a place for it in my belt.

Hardly have I returned to my couch when the door opens and Tsee Allath appears. He crosses to where I sit, holding a small box.

"Do you recognize these?" He asks, expecting a quick answer.

From the open door I hear a distant voice call out in terror, "No! NO! HELP M...," interrupted by a chilling scream that would freeze molten lava.

"The guards are having lunch," he observes, my attention obviously focused down the hall. "You will continue to cooperate, correct?"

"Yes. Please go easy on the child. He is not military age yet."

"You indulge your nestlings with too many extra years. It is no wonder your kind are corrupt."

I let the jab slide. "What answers can I give you?"

"The right ones."

"As long as they are true."

"What is truth? Do you An'shan even glimpse truth?"

"Honest, accurate, factual."

Back to the grim reality, he repeats his earlier question, "Do you recognize these?"

I look through the box, several things from the 'Lancer; it is half full of various odds and ends from the cargo space, including the shattered remains of the manifest glas I had given to the Customs Lead.

"Most of this is from the Argo. This," I raise the broken manifest device, "Was the manifest I gave your Customs Lead."

"Ah, yes. The shattered glas. Why were you trying to kill him?"

"I wasn't."

"Your copilot, then?"

"We didn't want to kill anyone. We want to go back home, this whole thing has been one change in plans forced on us after another."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I tell the truth."

"I have only your word," he says "word" as if it I were unfit to be trusted with such a topic.

"Ask your Seers." I sigh. "Ask Toth Anddag of the Outer Ring."

"You had a Seer arrested, why should they believe you?"

"I did not. It was part of some scheme of yours."

"I was not there, you lie."

"'Yours' meaning 'your kind', the Xi'An... the Hatched."

"You expect me to believe that you knew nothing of it?"

"You have my ship, what do the logs tell you?"

"They are encrypted."

"What?!" That can't be right.

"Give me the codes and I will find out."

"Take me to the ship and I'll show you that there are no codes."

"Do you call another of our kind a liar?"

A chill runs down my spine, I feel the icy touch of Mai Ee'shu and can only hope that her enmity is less than her sense of... well... duty.

"I detect no deceit, I only believe you have been misinformed."

"You have nothing to hide behind, you are wholly within our Empire. Your diplomatic corps wisely leaves miscreants like you to our own justice. Only the Emperor could save you now and you are not fool enough to appeal to him after how you treated his daughter."

A thought strikes me. "Is it not a Xi'An crime to disrespect let alone challenge a Captain on his ship?"

"Of course. Discipline is discipline."

"Even if the clearly insubordinate Hatched is of the Imperial Nest-Line?"

He is watching me closely, "What are you implying?"

"If my logs are now locked, someone doesn't want you to see what happened before my angry outburst."

"You admit you expressed inappropriate anger?"

"Yes, as Captain, I have the right to address insubordination according to my customs, especially in UEE space, do I not?"

"I will consider this," he answers. Spinning quickly, he heads out the door.

…..

Another human is unceremoniously tossed into the room. This one isn't aggressive, though... if anything he looks scared seeing my hand move to my weapon.

"No! Ungun'd! (I'm unarmed!)" he exclaims in the slang of junkies, criminals and pirates.

"Sit over there," I order, motioning to the far corner by the door.

He holds up his hands in the universal sigh of surrender or cooperation and does exactly as I've told him. He does look curious, "You sound... you speak legal?"

"I'm a Citizen, if that's what you mean."

"Good English. Okay. Don't shoot, okay?"

"Okay."

We study each other, I suspect he wonders about me as much as I wonder about him.

He breaks the ice, "How long you been here?"

"About a day. You?"

"Oh. A few months maybe. Hard to keep track. What are you in for?"

"Framed for attempted murder. You?"

His eyes shift away as if he is looking for an answer. Eventually, they come back to mine, "They called me a spy."

My eyebrows rise, "I'm Shawn Ryan... and you are?"

He seems to want to think about this before answering.

"Suit yourself," I comment, appearing to settle back into my waiting position.

"No, Don't stop!" he whimpers. "I need someone to talk with. I'm Jenk. Jenk Gallen."

Jenk Gallen. The nexus of a galactic uproar. Maybe a spy and maybe not. I can't imagine this is a coincidence; after all, Dnong was sure I knew about Gallen back when he first had him arrested.

"Did they tell you why they put you in here?"

"If they did, I don't understand. I still don't do slink."

"These walls have ears, you might not want to insult them."

"Yeah, well, these wauglash deserve whatever insults I can give them. They don't understand, though. Not the big ones anyway. They seem a few thrusters short of a full ship, if you know what I mean."

"You're big news back home."

He frowns briefly, then replies, "Yeah, I bet."

"Are you a spy?"

"You just said the walls have ears, right? How do I know you aren't working with them?"

"Touche," I admit.

"What's that?"

"Touche?" I have to think about the answer for a few moments, then, "A mispronounced word from French, I think; it means something like 'you've got a good point'."

"Oh. So are you working for them?"

"No, but I'm in no position to prove it."

The door opens and Bashir is tossed in, looking none the worse for wear. He stumbles my direction, then notices Mr. Gallen. "Hello," he says, but Jenk seems unsure of the situation and just nods. Bashir shrugs and moves swiftly to my side.

"You doing okay?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah, they just asked a lot of questions. I answered the ones I knew and said I didn't know to the rest." He seems to notice some of the splatters near the door and realizes that the red means blood. "What happened here?"

"They tossed in someone who meant me harm, I shot him."

Bashir looks stunned, "You killed someone just like that?"

"No, I shot his shoulder out and some of the Nagdach hauled him out. Then they threw this poor fellow in."

"Oh." Bashir's curiosity gets the better of him and he asks, "Who is he?"

"That would be Jenk Gallen."

He waves halfheartedly, then looks back at me, "They didn't seem to care about much of anything since we got to this planet, just stuff about home and the trip before we jumped in. They seemed pretty serious about the Xi'An we brought with us, but I just told the truth, even about throwing up in the galley."

"You did well, Bashir. I'm proud of you."

The door opens and Tsee Allath steps inside. Looking from Jenk to myself and back, he asks, "Where do you two know each other from?"

"Never met him 'till now," Gallen says.

I add, "I know him by name only until today."

"Where did you hear his name?"

"Dnong Ksack asked me if I knew it once at a meeting of the Outer Ring. Since then," I think for a few moments, "I'm not sure if I heard it in the interim, but I certainly heard it when Dnong told me about Mr. Gallen getting arrested. Then of course, his name is big news all over in the UEE."

"Does he work with you?"

"Nope. Your rank is Captain, isn't it?"

"You are sure?" he presses, ignoring my question.

"Absolutely certain, Captain."

He gestures for Jenk to move out the door. The latter rises obediently and complies with the obvious order. Through the open doorway I see him being followed by two Nagdach.

"I say you are both guilty."

"Of what?"

"Attempted murder and disrespecting the Imperial Nest-Line."

"Do I get a lawyer?"

"If it is decided so."

"No other options?"

"You have nothing to hide behind, you are wholly within our Empire. Your diplomatic corps wisely leaves miscreants like you to our own justice. Only the Emperor could save you now and you are not fool enough to appeal to him after how you treated his daughter."

I would swear that he has recently said exactly this or at least something very close.

Bashir perks up, "You mean like Paul getting to appeal to Caesar?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask the excited teen.

"Paul the Apostle was a Roman citizen convicted wrongly of inciting trouble. But he appealed to Caesar and went to Rome to talk to the Emperor directly."

"What happened then?"

"Well, he lost his head eventually."

"Great." But then the thought strikes: maybe this is how I am to get the Imperator's message to Emperor Kray. I may suffer for it, but maybe I can get Bashir free in my appeal.

I rise to my feet, face the Captain and decide to try the most formal polite approach I know: "Tsee Allath, Shē'sueren. I'm still an Imperial Contractor, am I not?"

He seems taken aback by my politeness. His eyes narrow and I think I see a hint of fear or maybe uncertainty. "Yes, our records confirm that."

"Then I do appeal to His Imperial Majesty, First Above All Hatched, Emperor Kray."

"Shawn Ryan," he pronounces my name for the first time, "You have appealed to Emperor Kray, to the Emperor you shall go."