Caph and Ford looked at each other. “What the fuck?” Caph said.
Immediately, two Moran guards rushed up and grabbed Ford and Caph.
Ford struggled. “Let go of us!”
The woman spoke quickly in Moran to the two guards, who ripped the basket out of Caph’s hand before slapping their version of handcuffs on them and bodily dragging them from the store.
“What the hell is wrong with you people?” Caph yelled, trying to fight.
They were dragged into an awaiting vehicle with a logo on the side that Caph assumed meant it was one of their security force vehicles. When they both continued trying to resist, the cuffs delivered a stunning shock that left both men immobile and disoriented for several minutes.
Ford groaned. “Aaron’s gonna kill us,” he said from his place on the floor in the back of the vehicle.
“Screw that. Emi’s going to kill us,” Caph said.
Emi and Aaron quickly made their way back to the main Imperial Home. Rawin didn’t follow them, much to Emi’s great relief. Once again, every nerve in Emi’s body was screaming in protest, and nothing she told herself would settle her. The only thing that would help, she knew, was getting Ford and Caph and getting the hell back to the Bight.
One of the guards at the entrance understood enough standard she was able to lead Emi and Aaron back to Mauri’s office.
Mauri was still on the phone at her desk. Shaking with adrenaline, Emi plopped down on the sofa and looked up at Aaron.
How he’d managed to not say anything during the encounter proved the strength of his iron will. Maybe she wasn’t the best imitation captain out there. Aaron, hands down, did a far better job of at least pretending to keep his cool. Once Mauri got off the phone, Emi would ask her to send guards after Caph and Ford to see them back safely, and then ask to leave.
Mauri was still on the phone a few minutes later when a guard rushed into the office, speaking in excited tones Emi didn’t like.
Even more, Emi didn’t like how the guard glanced at her and Aaron before directing her comments to Mauri once more.
Mauri ended her phone conversation and frowned as she spoke with the guard.
Aaron walked over to Emi as she stood. “I don’t like this, babe,” he whispered.
“Neither do I.”
Mauri looked distraught. She rounded her desk and approached Emi. “Doctor Hypatia, I have just received troubling information about your other two men.”
Emi involuntarily reached for Aaron’s hand. “What? Are they okay? Did one of those spider things get him?”
“Things? No, there was an altercation in the store. I am so terribly sorry, I should have sent a guard with them but I did not want to insult your ownership of your men by doing so.”
“What happened?” Emi tried not to scream.
“It appears they assaulted someone in the store.”
“Assaulted?” Now she and Aaron were doing the twinspeak.
“No way,” Emi said. “They would never do that.”
“I do not have all the details, but security detained them and took them to a holding station.”
“Are they okay?”
“They are unharmed. We must go. Now.”
Less than an hour later, they were standing in the station. Caph and Ford looked miserable, sitting on a bench inside a locked holding room. Two uniformed guards were trying to explain the situation to Mauri and Baltin, who’d been called in to help deal with this.
Rawin showed up with another woman and entered the fray as well after casting triumphant glances at Emi.
Both Caph and Ford stood up and walked over to the door, motioning to Emi and Aaron. Emi and Aaron could stand outside the cell and talk to them through the door.
“That’s her,” Caph said, pointing at the woman who’d entered the station with Rawin. “That’s the woman who walked into the store and then just started yelling. We never touched her, and we never touched the woman we were talking to.”
“I swear we didn’t,” Ford said.
“Calm down. We’ll get this settled,” Aaron counseled. Emi read the doubt in him, though, which didn’t instill her with confidence.
After several more minutes of wrangling, Mauri walked over to Emi. “Doctor, I must speak with you.” She brought Emi over to the gathered security officers, Rawin, and the other woman.
“There is a witness to the claims Ptau’Baegen makes. She claims they attempted to sexually assault her. These are serious charges.”
Emi struggled to remain calm. “My men didn’t touch her. She’s making this up.”
“This is what the report says.”
“I don’t care what the hell the report says. My guys are chipped. It ensures fidelity. Even if they weren’t chipped, I know they would never touch someone like that.”
“There is a witness.”
“Is it on video? Witnesses can lie.”
Rawin’s eyes narrowed. She looked amused. “Ptau’Baegen is my friend, and she does not lie.”
“You’re behind this, I’m sure of it!” Emi shouted. “You’re pissed off that I won’t let you get freaky with my husbands!”
Ptau’Baegen got in Emi’s face, which was hard to do because she stood a good half a head taller than Emi. “I do not lie!” She looked at Mauri. “I demand damages for the assault and for the accusation against my honor!”
Rawin got between Ptau’Baegen and Emi. “Mother, I have a simple solution. Perhaps Ptau’Baegen will be amenable to it?”
Ptau’Baegen looked like she was thinking. “Go on.”
“Do any of those men catch your eye?”
She looked at where Aaron, Ford, and Caph stood. “The free one. The pilot. He would do.”
Rawin looked triumphant. “I suggest a simple trade. Dr. Hypatia awards the pilot to Ptau’Baegen, and perhaps Ptau’Baegen would be agreeable to letting the other two go free?”
Ptau’Baegen nodded while Emi yelled and tried to charge the Moran woman. “No fucking way!” She felt hands on her and realized Aaron was pulling her back, trying to calm her.
She fought him, breaking free and standing on tiptoe to get in Rawin’s face, who stood at least a head taller than Emi. “Listen to me, you goddamned cunt. You are not getting your fucking hands on any of my men. I’ll do whatever it takes, but they all leave with me. This is made-up bullshit and you know it!”
There was a brief moment of discussion in Moran between Rawin and her friend. Rawin shrugged. “She says she demands a fight of settlement. Winner takes all.”
“Fine!” Emi screamed.
“Em,” Aaron warned from behind her.
Emi ignored him and turned to Mauri. “Let’s do this thing. I can take her.”
Rawin cleared her throat. “Ptau’Baegen has the right to choose to fight or appoint a proxy.”
“What kind of bullshit is this?”
Mauri sadly nodded. “It is our law.”
“And she appoints me as her proxy,” Rawin finished.
“Or you give me the pilot,” Ptau’Baegen helpfully suggested with a smile, “and you can leave tonight with your others right now.”
“Fuck. You!”
Mauri sighed. “Tomorrow, then. At the grounds. I shall announce it.”
Rawin stared Emi down. “You do not stand a chance,” she whispered to Emi. “Spare your honor and two of your men and be generous.”
“Fuck. You.”
“You cannot win against me.”
“I’m very lucky.”
“There is no such thing as luck. There is skill and training, and I am the best.”
“Then why are you eager to get me to settle?”