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“Shut up, Castor,” Cassius ift and be silent”

I don’t shut up Whether Cassius wants to admit it or not, these people are our kin And if I do not stir the pot, the only opportunities will be the ones they choose to give us That is unacceptable

“She was in the Gulf for a reason,” I say to Diomedes “And without permission fro aze: eyes then hands then scars “Do you even knohy? Or is that Krypteia jurisdiction?” His silence speaks for him There it is A chink in the emotional stoicisest sense, that of a soldier’s honor: “If you are truly thankful that we saved Seraphina, save us Do not let us see Io We’re traders, that is all We thought we stuar, cells, and this ship If we see anything beyond this ship, we both knoill never leave Let o back froe of your space and send us on our way That is what is honorable Life for life”

“My brother is a child,” Cassius grovels to the knight “Forgive his st his own”

Diomedes walks back to s “There are no eyes like yours beyond the Belt You are a pretty boy Aren’t you?” I don’t reply “How old are you, Martian?”

“Twenty”

“Your brother is right You speak like one of our children” With an easy show of strength, he grabs the chain attached to the back of my muzzle and pulls it so hard I’m lifted off my feet My neck bends painfully “A lesson is needed I will teach you”

“Don’t…” Cassius says from behind his muzzle

Dio on his datapad and Cassius’sviolently, Cassius falls back into his seat and I’ bay Diomedes shoves me into the center of the floor doors and presses me to my knees into the worn intersection of a painted red X He does soh I hear the click of hDo not be afraid Stand astride the torrent

He talks as he works

“When I was a boy, I remember the envoys the Core would send Slippery Politicos in their slick suits, fingers laden with gaudy rings” I glance back and see hi a cable that’s now attached to the back of my harness “All they wanted to see were the seas of Europa The h, they had to coe to Revus au Raa, because power lies where honor reigns But you could smell the derision when they caes behind our backs, safe under our shields Rustics Dusteaters” Trailing the cable behind him, he walks to a red button protected by a plastic case on the wall It takes every ounce of courage I have to re in the center of the door and not to scramble to safety He smiles at my inability to tarandfather’s hospitality The respect he showed theentle way in which he spoke, even as the Codovan and Norvo gnashed their teeth over Rhea They race for weakness Abused his kindness Then Fabii learned the lesson I am about to teach you”

“I don’t have an oxygen mask,” I say

“No You do not”

With that, he slaainst the red button and the steel doors beneathon open air My stomach rises up into s thrashing, holding h my ears Then a horrible pain erupts atintovest so hard I feel metal puncture hts scattering acrossup, pressed to the belly of the craft as it races across a sky stained with acid-yellow clouds

My body lurches into shock froasp for oxygen I close my eyes as needles of fire stab into ainst the hull And just as ed back into the hangar by the chain and tossed onto the floor I gasp for air and it’s some time before I can open my eyes My body aches and my skin feels alive with fire Diomedes stands over me, his dark eyes still and quiet, no evil in theahja?” he asks It is a lesson in respect