Nezla smiled wanly. “Of course not. They knew I’d kick the s**t out of them if I found out they were bettin’ against me. What were you talkin’ about with that Lithuwa before you came over here?”
“Oh, he came up with the bright idea of trying to hold us as hostages if you didn’t give them the ship back. I told him that if anything happened to us, you’d fly the ship over their city and kill millions of Lithuwaa. He finally saw the light and decided to let us go.”
Captain Kirre returned from the Core, crossing the Drawing Room in long strides. “How’s this one?” she asked Bred.
Tyla stepped between them. “Shouldn’t you be up in the Control Sector, starting the preflight checkout?”
Luuj bristled, her gold uniform coming stiffly erect. “I am not in your employ, Mistress deVrie, and I do not
