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Karn shoved the plate over to him. “Finish this if you like.”

“You’re not hungry?” Billy’s fingers were already wrapped around the burger.

“Whatever meat is in that burger is tougher than a boot. Besides, I need to stay in shape.” Karn patted his six pack. “You can’t afford to be a fat spy.”

“I started training.” Billy spoke around a mouthful of burger.

“What kind of training?”

“Weights. I figured I need to build myself up.”

“To do what?” Billy was way too skinny, but he was a teenage boy. From what Karn knew of human offspring, they grew overnight when they hit adolescence.

“I figured someone might take me on the payroll as hired muscle. I’m reliable and work hard. I asked a couple of aliens, but they laughed at me.” Billy glanced at the space where his arm should be. “I decided I’d show them. I’d get strong and become the best bodyguard on the space station.”

Karn shook his head. “Nice idea, kid. They might have a point. If you’re only swinging with one arm, your enemy will have you at an instant disadvantage.”

Billy’s bottom lip jutted out. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Still, worth a shot,” Karn said.

“You can show me a few tricks. You know, what to do if you’ve got a broken arm and can only fight one-handed. I bet you know how to do that.”

Karn’s attention was fixed on the approaching Dackins, Coven and Til. “Maybe some other time.”

Billy finished the burger and licked his fingers clean. “Are they friends of yours?” He tilted his chin toward the Dackins.

“In a way. You’d better not stick around. Spy business.”

“I can help if you need it.”

“Get out of here, kid. You’re cramping my style.”

Billy’s expression fell, but then he nodded. “See you around, Karn.” He hurried away from the table, glancing at the Dackins as he passed them.

“Are you cheating somebody else out of money?” The larger of the two Dackins, Coven, stood behind Karn.

Til took the seat opposite him and stretched his long arms to display his speckled green feathers.

Karn remained in his seat. “I never cheat anybody out of anything.”

“Then give us our money back,” Til said.

Dackins were unofficial space bankers. They loaned you what you needed, and you paid it back with interest. Their rates weren’t unreasonable, but as Karn was discovering, you messed them around too much, and they had a hard side.

“I don’t have your money.”

“We lent it to you in good faith.” Coven’s talons pressed into Karn’s shoulder. “The time has passed, and you need to give it back.”

“When you see what I bought with it, you’ll be impressed.”

“We don’t care what you used our money for,” Til said. “You knew the terms; you knew when you had to repay.”

“I got this.” Karn slid a class three attuned electron laser from the inside of his pocket. He kept it shielded with his hands. If security discovered him with an illegal laser on the station, they’d take it from him.

“Hey! Is that a class three?” Til leaned across the table. “I didn’t think they were selling these yet.”

“You have good taste,” Karn said. “That’s what I used the money on. I knew the release date of this laser and had to have one.”