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Coven thumped him in the back. “We don’t care about your stupid laser. We care about our money.”

Til reached a talon across the table. “I wouldn’t mind one of these.”

“You could have one if we had the money he owes us,” Coven snarled. “This idiot is three payments overdue.”

“I’m keeping track of what I owe,” Karn said. “You will have your money.”

“When?”

“In a couple of months.”

“By then, you’ll be five payments overdue.”

“I know you guys are good for it,” Karn said. “You understand there’s a small risk when you loan money. You know I’m good for it.”

“We have plenty of money. We’re concerned that you don’t.” Til’s talon slid away from the laser, and his expression hardened. “You need to pay us.”

“I can’t do that.” Karn traced a finger across the laser. He briefly considered threatening them with it. He wasn’t normally a violent alien. Well, sometimes he enjoyed violence, but only when it was deserved, when someone really wound him up or prevented him from doing his job.

“We’ll take your laser,” Coven said. “We’ll hold on to that until you repay us.”

Karn grabbed the laser and tucked it back in his pocket. “I need it for protection.”

“Who else do you owe money to?” Coven asked.

“No one else. I don’t like debt.”

Til snorted. “Then return what you owe us, and you will be in no more debt.”

“It will be any day now. I’m due payments on a few jobs. That Rolon you were speaking to, he’s hired me.”

“That’s not the story he told,” Til said. “He was ranting about what an arrogant Forka you are. How you tried to double your fee for no reason. He said he wouldn’t hire you if you were the last Forka on the station.”

“Calm down,” Karn said, ignoring the stir of worry in his gut. “He knows I’m the best at doing that kind of work. He’d be an idiot to hire anyone else.”

“Then he must be an idiot because that’s what he said he was doing. So, keep talking. Who else is going to pay you?”

“I have business in hand,” Karn said. “You’ll get your money.”

“Not good enough. You’ll have to pay us back another way,” Coven said.

Karn inspected his nails. “I don’t work for free.”

“You can pay off your debts this way. That will make us even.”

Karn frowned. “I’ll consider it. It had better not be anything dangerous. I won’t put my life on the line to pay such a small debt.”

Coven grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. His sharp beak scratched against Karn’s ear. “It doesn’t matter what it is. You’re doing it if you want your pretty face kept intact.”

“I consider myself handsome rather than pretty, but thanks for the compliment.”

“Easy,” Til cautioned. “We don’t want security paying us attention.”

Karn felt his arm bones creak. He should have used the laser when he had the chance. “I’ll be no good to you if you break me.”

“Does that mean you’ll do the job?” Til asked.

Gritting his teeth, Karn nodded. “Tell me what it is.”