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Billy shook his head. “I only looked. She was way out of my league. First class. I wouldn’t have stood a chance of even getting a touch.”

“You never know. She might have liked the quirky sort of guy. Chicks are into all sorts of weird things. Their minds have been broadened by the arrival of aliens. I hear some even like tentacles.”

“It wasn’t to be. I had to let her go. She was owned by somebody else.”

“Owned! You make her sound like an object.”

“She was a Draxdan star cruiser.”

Karn reached across the table and smacked the side of Billy’s head. “Seriously, you were lusting after a ship. We’re talking about a real flesh and blood woman. Ivy Blain is as red-blooded and real as you get. I know for a fact she will not come on any space adventure with us.”

“Ivy Blain, that’s her name. You should take your own advice and go talk to her. She might be in need of a break from this place and jump at the chance for some fun in the stars with two good looking fugitives.”

“She won’t. She’s made other plans. Ivy is a distraction.”

Billy leaned back in his seat. “Maybe she’s a distraction worth keeping around.”

“No, I need to get my reputation back on track. It can’t get out that I was arrested on a job. Others will get suspicious about hiring me. We focus on getting out of here, getting some decent jobs completed, and setting up a base elsewhere.”

“What do you need me to do? You say it, and I’ll get to work.”

“We need to scout for a ship and get out of here without anyone noticing.”

“Have you got the funds to buy one?”

Karn shook his head. “I’m thinking more a short-term borrow. We’ll take a small ship that no one will notice is missing and get away safely. No harm was done.”

“By borrow, you mean steal?”

“I’m not taking it permanently. We’ll take the best of care of the ship. Once we’re docked and on our way to our next destination, I’ll make sure the owner gets their ship back. No one will be hurt. I’ll even leave them with some fuel as a way of payment.”

“That’s good of you,” Billy said. “We should head to the docking bay and see what’s available.”

Karn downed his beer. He was about to stand when he spotted Til and Coven enter the bar. He gritted his teeth and slid back into his seat, hoping they wouldn’t spot him.

No such luck. They headed straight toward him.

“You should get out of here,” Karn muttered to Billy. “You don’t want to be involved with this.”

“Those are the two Dackin from the dining hall,” Billy said. “Are they giving you a hard time?”

“Nothing I can’t handle. You get out of here and go find us a ship.”

“No way. We’re partners now. I’m staying right here.” Billy glared at the Dackins as they stopped at the table.

“You failed us,” Til said.

Karn leaned back. “I don’t know what you mean. I broke into the office and uploaded the information you gave me. If it didn’t work that’s hardly my fault.”

“You were caught. We’ve heard all about it.”

“I could hardly fight my way out against a human female. I didn’t want anyone to get harmed.”

“We are being called to report to the Council of Representatives. They want to know what we’ve done. This puts the Dackin position on the Council in jeopardy.”

Karn shrugged. “Again, not my fault. Whatever information you gave me to upload got detected.”

“It is your fault. We’re in the firing line because you messed up. It was a simple job. Break in, upload the data, and leave. Instead, you got discovered, and our plans were ruined.”