A wash of relief went over Kiem. “Oh, well, that’s fine then.” He knew he could outmaneuver Aren if it came to the media. “I’ll call a journalist. We’ll make up a story for you. Come back and help me get Jainan.”

Bel looked at him, then something in her seemed to crack, and she covered her eyes with her hand. “You need help,” she said. “No, I know Jainan needs help, but so do you, because you’re clearly out of your mind. But I’m going to come back, and this is a conversation we’re going to have later. Okay?”

“Okay! Yes!” Kiem said. “Come straight back. I’ll meet you at our room.”

“And you’re still going to get me a replacement shuttle ticket even if Internal Security comes after me.”

Please don’t go, Kiem wanted to say. “No problem.” He gave her a thumbs-up. “Anonymous and first class.” She nodded and cut the call.

Raiders. Kiem let out a long breath. No wonder she hadn’t wanted to give him her real history. He couldn’t imagine Bel as part of a hijacker crew, but most of what Kiem knew about raiders came from vid dramas, so what did he know? And what did it matter? Since he’d offered Bel the aide post a year ago, she’d been in his corner every time he’d needed her. She was coming back now because he’d asked. He could at least keep her out of trouble afterward, even if it meant she was going to leave.

An emergency ping came from outside the door. Kiem opened it.

Gairad pulled herself from her slump against the corridor wall opposite, scrubbed the back of her hand over her swollen, watery eyes, and glared at him.

“Where the hell were you? I couldn’t find you! The bastards have taken Jainan!”

Kiem hadn’t previously supposed an ally might come in the form of a tearful

teenager with anti-Iskat pins on her jacket, but right at this moment he was prepared to consider her Heaven-sent. “You saw them? Who was it?”

Gairad’s combative air weakened, as if she’d expected him to argue. “I was coming here to talk to him, and I saw him get dragged out. He wasn’t conscious.

What the fuck is going on? They looked military.”

“Where did they go?” Kiem said urgently.

“Shuttle docks,” Gairad said. She gave the long, ugly sniff of someone determined to be functional. “Unmarked short-range capsule. I tracked the first bit of its flight on the public system.”

Chapter 25

“You are a vision of staggering brilliance,” Kiem said fervently. “Come in.

When Bel gets here we’re making a battle plan.” He passed her a handkerchief and set the door to admit Bel and no one else.