No More Heroes by Loren Rhoads

Author:Loren Rhoads
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Published: 2015-06-21T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

The crew walked back to the boarding house where they were staying. Each had sunken into his or her own thoughts.

Mykah’s comm buzzed. “The Veracity has been released!” he read aloud. “We owe back docking fees, but they are willing to waive them if we drop our suit for travel damages.”

“That’s a relief,” Coni said. “Are you going to drop the suit?”

Mykah turned to face them all. “The Veracity is a democracy,” he reminded. “What do we want to do?”

“I won’t be here to help you with the lawsuit,” Vezali said.

“I want to concentrate on getting Raena out of jail,” Haoun said.

“Ask Ariel for her advice,” Coni suggested. “She’s the one who paid our travel bills. She’ll also have a better sense of what our chances of winning might be if we proceed.”

“Let’s get off the street first,” Haoun urged, heading toward the closest bar. “I need to drink something stronger than ale.”

While the others procured liquid sustenance, Mykah settled into a quiet table at the back of the cantina. He commed Ariel and told her about the message from the new dockmaster. “What do I do?”

“If it were me,” she said, “I’d pursue the suit and damn the cost. But you have a chance to get your home back. It won’t cost you another credit and you won’t have to stay in the boarding house any longer. Which way do you find yourself leaning? I’ll support whichever choice you make.”

“I want the Veracity back.”

“Then take her back. Have they put any conditions on you?”

“Like what?”

“A gag order? Are they forbidding you to discuss the impoundment?”

“They haven’t mentioned it.”

“They know—or they should know—that you’re a journalist, Mykah. They will try to silence you. Tell them you’ve already been in discussions with Mellix about this matter.”

“I have been,” he said, surprised that she would guess that.

“Perfect. If the torpedo’s already in the tube, so much the better. Let them know that anything they say to you is on the record. If they try to gag you, tell them their threats are being recorded and you will proceed with your suit.”

Haoun handed Mykah a glass of xyshin and sat down beside him.

Mykah nodded his thanks, then asked Ariel, “You think they’ll cave?”

“They’ll cave,” she promised. “They’re already regretting that they started this debacle. Now they just want us out of here as soon as possible, so they can begin the damage control.”

“Thanks, Ariel. I appreciate your advice.”

She laughed. “Always glad to help.”

The first round of drinks was the most celebratory by far of their homecoming on Kai.

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