CHAPTER 1
LYK
“I’m telling you, if we knock this vessel over, we’ll be doing the whole quadrant a favor.”
Lyk took a drink of the foul brew that passed for liquor on Gamma-17. He’d been on the asteroid long enough to grow fond of the mud-colored drink, but it certainly wasn’t anything close to Vartik summer wine.
His second-in-command, Celdrake Jamar, had an excited sparkle in his eyes. Or maybe that sheen was due to the ocular implants he was so proud of. The cyborg often scouted opportunities and brought them back to Lyk for execution. Lyk had the final say, as was only right. He was the captain, after all.
“Who does the vessel belong to?”
Celdrake smiled. “I’m glad you asked. Ever heard of Rigel Rigellus?”
Lyk almost choked on his sip of the brew. “Rigel Rigellus. As in, the man who owns half the brothels on Venus?”
“That’s the one. According to the member of his crew I overheard drunkenly boasting, he’s got a shipment headed from our asteroid to the Rings. Luxury items.”
It made sense that Rigellus would be bringing luxury items to the Rings. A team of engineers had managed to build amiraculous city among the chunks of ice and debris that circled Saturn, and only the most well-heeled could afford to live there. People with money had expensive tastes, which meant they required a near-constant stream of costly furnishings, clothing, and accoutrements.
What didn’t make sense was the fact that Rigellus was starting off from Gamma-17, which was the opposite of luxury. Lyk was certain he wasn’t picking up his cargo there—unless it wasn’titemshe was gathering.
“Fucking filthy slaver.” He spit the words out of his mouth, his stomach turning. Trafficking was one crime Lyk would never touch. There had been whispers before about Rigellus and his massive profits, not to mention where the beings that filled his brothels came from. It only made sense that he’d bring along something that would fetch a far heftier price.
Celdrake frowned. “You think he’s picking up live cargo here?”
“Nothing else makes sense. There’s nothing with resale value that comes from this asteroid. Nothing except the down and out who pass through here, the ones without anyone to miss them if they disappear.”
“So you agree with me. We take Rigellus’s ship.”
Lyk took another drink, waiting with his confirmation. Rigellus was scum, pure and simple, but he was well-connected scum. Then again, Lyk was already an outlaw, so it wasn’t like this score would put the first black mark on his already tarnished record. Still, it paid to be cautious. “I want to know what weapons we’re going up against. Keep snooping around the crew. I want as much information about that vessel as we can get before it takes off.”
“No problem, Captain.” The cyborg tapped on the bar for another round of the brew. Celdrake looked like any other human—if you didn’t look too closely. Then you might beginto notice how his skin didn’t exactly match all the way around. Some patches were slightly lighter, highlighting that they were artificial in nature. Those with wealth could afford WonderSkin™ but Celdrake shopped exclusively on the black market for his upgrades. Which meant someone could spot the fact that he was half-machine if they knew what to look for.
The barkeep, a male from Tako-B, used a tentacle to push the glasses across the bar toward them.
“To a fat pigeon, ripe for the taking,” Celdrake said, holding up his glass in a toast to their future victory.
Lyk acknowledged the toast and lifted the glass to his lips, freezing when a new figure entered the tavern and looked around, a determined expression on her face.
She had the face of an angel, but Lyk was fairly certain she was human. Waves of light brown hair framed a beautiful face. The rest was pulled back in a bun resting against her delicate neck. Her clothes were baggy and utilitarian, but even they couldn’t hide the fabulous curves lurking beneath. Arousal shot through Lyk as he watched her.
The female singled out the scantily clad waitress, Muriel, who’d spent the last half hour chatting up one of the better-dressed guys in the tavern. She said something, to which Muriel nodded then jerked her head in the direction of the bar where Lyk and Celdrake were standing. The female turned in his direction, her eyes locking on his and sending an electric shock through his system.
Making a beeline toward him, the beauty came to a stop right before Lyk. He noticed her face bore an imperfection, a red mark that covered much of her left cheek. Somehow, the imperfection made her even more stunning.
“Are you the Raven?” she asked, her no-nonsense tone tinged with anger.
“Who wants to know?” Celdrake replied with his usual gruffness, but Lyk decided not to play their usual game and nodded instead, making the cyborg’s eyes widen in surprise.
The female looked him up and down. “Give me back my heirloom,” she demanded.
Lyk stood there, confused. “Your heirloom?”
She nodded. “Don’t play coy. I know you have it, and I want it back!”
Lyk had no idea what she was talking about. He’d never seen the female before, let alone whatever heirloom she was seeking. But there was something about her that appealed to him. Something that made him want to keep her around.
“I’m afraid there’s been some mistake,” he said with what he considered a cordial smile on his face.
