Helix hurried after her quietly and didn’t speak until they reached the beverage fabricator. Even then, his voice came out soft, pitched not to carry. “Have I put you at risk?”

That’s what he’s worried about?

Qalu had already been determined to protect him, no matter why he was being hunted, but that solidified her resolve. Such innate kindness—she couldn’t believe he’d done anything worthy of being hunted. It was far more probable that those chasing him had nefarious intentions. She gazed at him for a long moment.

I’ll never let anyone hurt you.

Then she turned to program four steaming cups of pirin, one with extra spice just as she liked it. “I’ll be fine. Corroborate what I say and don’t elaborate, even if they ask.”

“Are you suggesting that you are better at prevarication?”

“I’m not fantastic,” she admitted, “but I’ll do my best. Trust me?”

“With everything that I am.” His somber tone sent a flutter through her.

Stop it. This is assuredly not the time.

With effort, she calmed herself and set the hot drinks on a platter, carrying them with as much composure as she could muster. The agents hadn’t moved, and she knew this because Aevi was keeping a wary eye on them from her perch near the ceiling. If strangers had attempted to probe deeper into the little one’s territory, she would have produced a fearful racket. Even now, her hackles were raised, and she looked as if she might launch herself at Agent Atarr’s unsuspecting back.

“Be polite,” she said softly.

And Agent Orlon glanced around in startled alarm, only then noticing their silent observer. “You keep a Pherzul in your home?”

“It’s not illegal,” she said, oddly defensive. “Aevi is my companion, and I have registered her with all relevant—”

“He was merely curious,” Atarr cut in. “We’re not here in regard to that matter. Indeed, that falls well outside our purview.”

“Here.” She set the flagons down and took hers first, so nobody else wound up surprised by the spiced heat. “Now then, about your questions?”

Orlon took a perfunctory sip. “You’ve already confirmed that you knew about the crash. Why didn’t you report it?”

Because I didn’t want to draw attention to it.

She stared blankly. “Was I supposed to? I’m sorry. I thought your agency had satellites and operatives dedicated to such matters. Don’t you normally send a rescue team to extricate any possible survivors?”

The agents shared another significant look, one Qalu interpreted as deciding silently how much to tell her. “Since the initial report indicated an unmanned drone, it didn’t seem to be an urgent matter. The account was buried until the bounty hunter arrived.”