“Hey,” I say, and pause. My mind grasps at nothingness for a moment before producing a name. I snap my fingers and smile. “Thudana! Been a while, huh?” She scowls at me, unimpressed. People seem to find me affable enough on other planets, but here it always feels like I’m doing something wrong. Gaian manners are too complicated, and I didn’t exactly get a crash course as an illegal off-worlder. Corvus was much better at knowing the right thing to do. “Uh…” I glance at Lyre, who shrinks back with a shake of her head, never one for conversation with strangers.

Thudana pulls up the end of one glove to reveal a glowing digital clock etched there. The electronic tattoo reads in blocky white letters: 07:14.

“You’re late,” she says.

“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Fourteen minutes late, and she’s being pissy. Damn Gaians and their schedules. I extend my hands in a gesture of apology for the third time since my arrival here, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “We experienced an unavoidable delay.”

“At customs?” she asks, suspicion crossing her face.

“No, no. Ship malfunction. Nothing to concern yourself with.”

“And where is Auriga?” Her lips purse in displeasure.

“Talking to our client,” I lie. “Trying to make up for the delay.” If this woman knew my mother was pulled away by law enforcement, she’d boot us out onto the streets. “She’ll be here in a couple hours.”

“We don’t rent to off-worlders. Do you have permission to be in the city?”

Despite my many years away from Gaia, and the fact that I’m here legally this time, the implied threat still shakes me up. My tongue tangles on itself. Lyre nudges me, and I clear my throat.

“Of course we do. We’re here rather than scattered in pieces across the landing zone, aren’t we?”

“I can’t rent space to anyone without a Gaian ID.”

My lips form soundless words for a moment.

“You’ve done business with us many times before,” Lyre says quietly, while I struggle to respond.

“I did business with your mother,” Thudana says. “Your Gaian mother.”

“Aw, c’mon,” I say. “It’s—”

“Illegal.”

“Oh, now you’re suddenly so concerned with the law?” I almost laugh. There’s no way Thudana is unaware of the illegal business people use her rooms for. My mother has kept cargo here many, many times over the years. The two are practically business partners.

“Scorpia,” Lyre hisses. Thudana, behind the counter, sits up straighter.

“I’m not sure what you’re implying,” she says stiffly. “This is a perfectly legal business. Which means we do not conduct deals with off-worlders.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and look at Lyre.

“Go wait with the cargo,” I say. She frowns at me.

“But—”