Hadrian grinned at Jayne. “Have to find me first.”
Before Nero responded, he cut the transmission. “And when he does, he’s going to kill me.”
She wiggled her comm. “Mine, too.” She tucked it away, then jerked her chin toward his ship. “So, where are we headed?”
“What was your expression? Hell in a handbasket?”
“Now I understand your urge to head-slap me. Can I get a better response?”
He piped the nav coordinates so that she could see them over his head. “We’re going to the last known location for Mordacity. There, we will interrogate and probably kill her . . . provided Nero doesn’t get there first and beat us to the execution.”
ChapterFive
Jayne looked around the harsh metal space station that was owned by the Septurnum group of the Tavali pirate nation. There were enough ships here that it looked like a League port. Every crew functioned with military precision and her group was being eyed as if they were a lethal STD in a brothel. “What kind of assassin lives in a Tavali station?”
Hadrian laughed. “A smart one.”
She scowled. “How so?”
“League laws don’t apply here. Even though the League refuses to recognize the Tavali as a legitimate empire, they are still a sovereign nation.”
Jayne conceded that point. They were also a massive one that was divided into four separate states with the Septurnums being the group that was held out as a rebel band from the other three Tavali nations. Even among their own, the Tavalis didn’t trust the Septs.
And because the Tavali’s existence wasn’t recognized by the League, they were all considered outlaws. Anyone found with Tavali gear or flags could be imprisoned or executed. The only thing that kept most empires from declaring war on them was that no one knew exactly how many Tavali there actually were.
Or how much fire power their nation had access to. Since they were literally pirates who made their homes on space stations spread out through the Ichidian universe, no one wanted to risk going to war with them.
Only the League was that stupid.
Because the main rule of the Tavali was a simple one . . . they were one united family. If you messed with one of them, they were all honor bound to retaliate.
That had been the foundation of their empire. A solo shipper and her crew who’d been wrongfully persecuted by the Krellins who had them all executed. The parents of that captain, Tavali Snitch, had rallied all the independent shippers they could, and created a nation other empires would be afraid to prey on.
For that reason, most nations wisely turned a blind eye to Tavali activities and allowed them to go their own way so long as they didn’t cause any insurrections or other problems that the recognized leaders had to deal with.
Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.That should have been the Tavali national motto instead ofHem me never.
Which got back to her original question. “Given how territorial and exclusive the Tavali are, why would they ever allow an outsider to reside in one of their bases?”
Hadrian glanced at Hauk as he joined them before he answered her. “I’m going to hazard a guess that she’s not an outsider.”
Jayne scowled at that. “Tavali aren’t assassins.”
“Technically, Tavali don’t exist as they’re made up of all species of sentient beings. So, why couldn’t someone be both?”
Hauk nodded. “That tracks.”
Jayne wasn’t so sure. “I just can’t see a pirate as a licensed assassin.”
Hadrian put the heel of his hand against his temple as they stepped away from their ship. “There’s a lot of anger in the Tavali, isn’t there?”
“You okay?”
He shook his head and winced. “Not sure. But if I go down, we now have help.” He gestured at Hauk.
“Really? Why do I always get stuck carrying the idiot?”
Hadrian started to clap his arm again, then caught himself. “Your awesome Andarion strength.”
