“For the ship, no,” Damocles said. “You’re shockingly thorough for a gene pool created in this disgusting backwater.”

“Thank you, Brigadier, I—”

“Pity there’s a discrepancy in these logs.” Damocles’s gaze was so sharp that Clo felt it like a blade to the chest. “You checked every inch of my ship so carefully, and yet made such small, seemingly careless mistakes in your entries.”

Briggs went still. She saw his hand inch under his parka for his belt.

Clo thought quickly.

“Oh, no,” she said, clicking her tongue. “Is there? That would be my fault. I get numbers mixed up sometimes.” She spoke in a perfect Imperial accent and gave her best vacant smile. Why not play stupid? Damocles already thought her to be part of a backwater gene pool. “I’m sorry; I’ll do better next time, Brigadier.”

Damocles’s lip curled in disgust. “I see this one is exactly what I’d expect of low genetic stock.”

Briggs gently nudged Clo aside. “She means well, Brigadier, but—”

Damocles raised a silencing hand. “I’m not interested. Sort out your logs and don’t let this fucking fool near the records again.” He signaled to his guards. “Get ready for lift. I’m tired of this planet.”

Clo held a sigh of relief as Damocles strode back to the ship.

Just before he reached the ramp, he paused, eyes glancing over to where Sher’s ship lay hidden beneath the tarp. Clo bit her lip to keep from swearing. She’d missed the smallest corner—a curve of a wheel was visible. From their angle, it almost looked like a spare part discarded on the floor.

Almost.

Fool.

“Brigadier Damocles,” she said, too brightly, “is there anything—”

“You two put on a good act,” he said, striding over to the ship, pulling off the tarp to reveal Asteria. The metal nose of the ship gleamed in the harsh overhead light. “Shoot them.”

The soldiers pointed their weapons, but Briggs was faster. He had his Mors in hand. One shot, one soldier down. The other trained his weapon on Clo and fired. Briggs’s massive body slammed into Clo’s to shove her out of the way.

“Briggs!” Clo’s cry echoed through the hangar as she felt his body jerk. Warm blood slid across her palms as she pressed her hands to his side.

Morsfire echoed through the hangar as Sher rushed out of Briggs’s office. He returned fire, ducking his way over to Clo and Briggs. He took one look at the older man and swore.

From the way Briggs was looking up at them, eyes glazed over in pain, he didn’t expect to survive.

Flood that.