“TELL ME HOW you got out of parading yourself half-naked in the wedding precession.” Amye slips off the jumpsuit portion of her uniform.

“You’re used to parading yourself completely naked before the male population of Tartarus, so half-dressed will be a step up for you.” Kymberlynn dangles her legs from atop Amye’s dresser.

Amye keeps her response calm. “You keep harping on my life choices—I didn’t realize you find me so interesting; maybe your life is just that boring.”

“I’ll pilot the Dragon while you abduct the princess and steal her dowry.”

“Important work if you can get it. My contribution to this play is slightly more significant, especially since I’m the one stealing the princess.” Amye slips on snowy silk robes.

“I wouldn’t want to be you—if you smerth up.”

“I’ve proven myself useful to Reynard. I haven’t seen you perform any fancy flying of yours for him.” Amye applies mascara to her eyes.

“Good thing my loins don’t get all juicy when I’m near the commander, because once I fancy pilot the Dragon for him he won’t even remember your successes.”

“I think we both scored low on the ‘plays-well-with-others’ exam.”

“I’m just telling you how you feel about yourself, Little Sis.”

“I don’t need to be constantly reminded about my poor life choices. I thought us joining the Dragon’s crew was our chance to reinvent ourselves.”

“It is,” Kymberlynn says.

“Then why do you have to constantly remind me how messed up I used to be?” The well fills behind Amye’s eyes.

“Don’t cry, Little Sis, it will ruin the makeup.”

“That’s what concerns you?” Amye disquiets her distemper toward Kymberlynn to prevent those tears from escaping.

“Don’t give me none of that ‘what about my feelings’ smerth. You want anything but to be treated soft,” Kymberlynn reminds her.

“I don’t want to be coddled, but you don’t have to drive stakes into my heart.”

“Just get your butt down there. Once again, your actions are pivotal in the Commander’s plan. If he only knew you have no confidence in yourself.”

••••••

THE TRANSPORTER’S BLINDING white light subsides as Amye materializes in a stone chamber. Secured in a chair, a diminutive brunette sporting the same snowy silk dress as Amye pleads for help with her tear-filled eyes. Amye hears Kymberlynn pointing out that if she had cried, her makeup would have been in the same ruined state as the poor girl’s.

A short-haired blonde with three tear-drop tattoos below her left eye removes the sable glove running up the length of her arm to the middle of her bicep. “You know I’m about to break fifteen laws on over a thousand worlds, all of which result in my death, if I’m lucky. I don’t want the alternative.”

“What’s worse than death, JC?” Doug asks.

“For a telepath, the equivalent of a lobotomy. Only they turn your mind in on itself and feed you through a tube for the remainder of your existence.” JC waves her hand over the girl’s forehead, never touching her sweating temples.

“Smerth me.” Doug takes the girl’s left hand from the binders and inserts it into a slot built into the briefcase he carries.

JC touches the girl’s temple. Her mind drifts into the terrified thoughts of the flower maiden. “She knows nothing. Just how to bear the flowers for the wedding. Security has cleared her twice, and procedures say she has one more check once she’s placed in the wedding precession.”

“I’ll copy her DNA card with her security clearance to allow Amye to take her place in the precession,” Doug announces with pride.

“It’s impossible to duplicate those,” Amye chimes in.

Doug lifts a lid on the top of the case. He removes what looks like raw flesh. He dangles the skin before Amye. “I’ve created a way around it. Using synthoid tech and some computer genius, I’ve duplicated her unduplicatable DNA implant, only like synthoids it’s unstable and won’t last.”

“It’s a trick. It’s impossible to duplicate the implant—only fool it,” Amye scolds him.

“For one or two scans maximum. DNA card readers use a form of radiation to prevent exactly what I’m attempting.”

“You’ll guarantee I’ll fool the scanners.” Amye points out, “If I get caught the Mokarran will serve me as part of the wedding feast.”

“This maiden was to take her place in the precession line. Once she’s scanned in, they shouldn’t have a reason to check again,” JC assures her.

“Just don’t get out of line to pee,” Doug suggests.

“So I should go now.” Amye rolls her eyes at Doug.