I chose a higher price than I’d bargained for from Quint. “Three lives.”

Over the Ultraviolet Minister’s shoulder, I saw the Indigo Minister look sharply at me.

“Your skills seem to be barely worth your life, let alone two more,” the Ultraviolet Minister said.

“Three lives,” I repeated.

“I saw your hands. I know how the Kystrene scar their fingers as a funeral custom.”

Hidden behind my back, I ran my fingers over the scars that lined the side of my hand from wrist to fingertip.

“You must have lost a great many friends in the reclamation of Kystrom,” the Ultraviolet Minister said. “I understand your reluctance to lose any more. But you came through the war physically unscathed, didn’t you? Hands, arms, and legs all intact. Is your price worth three lives, and all of your limbs?”

It was not just the dryness of the air in the old spaceship that parched my throat. “If I’m bleeding, I’ll slow you down. Three lives—and no amputations. That’s my final offer.”

She considered me. There were fine lines around her eyes and mouth; how old must an ageless Minister be, to have marks of age?

“Three lives, then,” she said. “Seven, disarm the humans.”

“Wait,” I blurted out, as the ultraviolet Minister turned away. “What should I call you?”

“I am Number One.”

One, and Indigo Minister was Two, and Red Minister, who was now patting down Quint and Benny, was Seven. The colors were ranks, and maybe names as well.

The indigo Minister—number Two—approached me. It was difficult to name a creature by a number; even soulless as the Ministers were, it felt wrong. Besides, I would have to count the colors of the rainbow in my head every time. Number One had explicitly told me her name was her number, but the others had said nothing of the kind. I would think of them by their colors, I decided. The Indigo Minister patted me down quickly while I watched One walking away.

It was clear that Quint’s boss had sent us here lacking some important information. But if we left now, our deal was off; he might just decide to kill us offhand, to cover up his tracks—and that was assuming we didn’t stray outside the safe radius our implants allowed. The only way out of this was to find that data and hope the Ministers didn’t kill us after.

Indigo finished patting me down and shoved me, gently, in the direction of my friends. One flashed indigo light at him and, as I made my way to Benny and Quint, the Ministers dispersed through the three doors: Yellow and Blue went through one, Orange and Green through another, and Indigo went alone. Red and One stayed behind. They were a comfortable distance from us, but it would take an incredible idiot to think we could escape.

“We should run, now, while they’re gone,” Quint whispered.

“Are you crazy?” I exclaimed, barely remembering to keep my voice down. “Any one of them could kill us with their pinky finger!”