“Yes.” The word was clipped and cold, but civility was beyond me right now. I started down the hallway toward his quarters, then stopped and spun back to him. Luna purred louder, but I was beyond soothing. “Threaten my crew again and I will invoke the hostile client clause on the spot. Are we clear?”

Torran’s eyes narrowed. When I didn’t back down, he inclined his head in agreement.

The clause was a standard part of my contract, but one I’d expanded just for this job. It gave me permission to confine them to quarters until a suitable station could be reached, and it broke the contract in such a way that I kept the initial payment.

If the Valoffs objected, a neutral arbitrator would be hired at the destination station to determine if the clause had been invoked with cause. Threatening to kill my crew once might be allowed to slide, but repeated threats were certainly cause, and Torran knew it. If the arbitrator ruled against me, then I’d be forced to pay back the initial payment and make an additional hardship payment, so invoking the clause wasn’t something I would do lightly, but I would keep my crew safe.

Torran’s eyes moved over my shoulder, and I turned to find Eli leaning against the wall, with a plas rifle held loosely in his arms. His lips were pressed into a flat line and his eyes were clear and cold. It was his killing look, and I hated that Torran had put it on his face.

“We’re fine,” I said, my voice calm and soothing. “Go help Kee with her project.”

“Who do you think sent me here?” he asked softly, his gaze still locked on Torran.

“I have the situation in hand,” I said, sinking command into the words.

Luna hopped down from my shoulder and went to sit in front of Eli. When he ignored her, she chirruped at him. He glanced down and sighed, his mask breaking. He patted his T-shirt-covered shoulder. “Come on, you little menace, let’s go see what Kee is doing.” Despite his wording, his voice was soft with affection.

Luna leapt up with a happy chirp and Eli didn’t flinch, though I knew just how sharp her claws were. Eli nodded to me, gave Torran a flat look, the threat clear, and then turned and disappeared around the corner.

“Kee,” I said, subvocally.

“I’m on it. I’ll put him to work. And I’ve got eyes and ears on you.”

I led Torran to the room next to mine. Yesterday, I’d thought myself so clever, keeping my enemies close, but now I wished that I’d put him somewhere much, much farther away. Like a black hole at the edge of known space.

That might be far enough.