The digital symbols printed on the shuttle pass matched the altered interface on Lily's new Archivist. Dense. She didn't understand it yet, but she didn't have to. When the count down at the bottom left corner crossed a certain threshold, the clear plastic flashed red like a warning light atop a cop car. The angry pass tapped against her starcollide-sheathed thigh. Abandoning her old clothes for her barriersuit, she'd let Burki and Larca wrap up her old outfit with her new ones before the twins ventured back to the fitting room.

Purple tissue wrapped parcels nestled in her Physical Dream bag. Zazee created her a whole new custom made and convertible wardrobe. She glanced at the stairs leading to the second floor and scowled. Doctor Puu had one more peccard then she'd have to be a buzzkill and break up his booty call. The flashing pass had to mean imminent shuttle takeoff and they were going to miss it!

In a flurry of swirling cerulean, doctor Puu clomped downstairs, adjusting his robe over his miss-buttoned vest. Damp patches of fur slicked over his cheeks and the top of his head. ZaZee trailed at his heels. She fastened his crellis pouch to his belt as they descended. His shuttle pass flashed in his hand. Already on her feet, Lily gathered up her Physical Dream bag. She waved her pass at them.

"Are we going to miss the shuttle?"

"If we're swift we will not. I know a short route off Market Street to the docks from here."

"I thought you said side streets were dangerous after dark." He'd told her so on their way to Physical Dream. It took longer to get there because of the crowds clogging the main thoroughfares.

"We won't keep to them long. It's that or the captain's wrath." Doctor Puu beelined for Lily when ZaZee caught his sleeve and pulled him close.

"Don't be a stranger to me, Sy." ZaZee brushed her cheek against his. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. Lily faced the door and stared at her feet.

"I have your USIT signature," doctor Puu told the Pashmi woman.

"And you, Lily."

At the direct address, Lily angled around. The Pashmi were still in each other's arms. Untangling herself from doctor Puu, ZaZee stepped forwards.

"Anyone Sycose holds in esteem, I too hold in high regard. If you have need of anything I will do my utmost to provide it."

Did doctor Puu think highly of Lily? She wasn't sure that was quite it.

"As soon as I have her set up on USIT I will route you her signature." Doctor Puu started for Lily then hastily spun. "I apologize for my expedient retreat. It is unavoidable, unfortunately."

"Don't miss your shuttle, Sy." ZaZee shooed him. "And don't be so formal."

The unwieldy Physical Dream bag Lily lugged weighed her down. Arms and legs cramped as she struggled to keep up with doctor Puu through Myskuul's shadowed alleys. Darkness made her steps uncertain. Light came only from the cloud veiled moon and Kaptune's veiled rings. Without the doctor's keen night vision she would have been helpless. Even now, she stumbled behind, her clumsy feet catching every uneven plank in the road. Hefting the bag over her shoulder, she clung to the doctor's arm. The shuttle pass glowed in the outer pocket of his silk robe, its warning light consistent as their boarding window dwindled.

Halting, doctor Puu whipped around at the intersection of three splinter streets. Faraway voices, music, and the gentle lap of water against wood, drifted to the triangular space where they stood. The docks were close. The fishy reek of the ocean compounded Kaptune's stink. The mingled odors irritated Lily's nose. Pumping resnance-constructed oxygen into hard working lungs inflamed her sensitive nasal cavity. When they paused, exhaustion hit her. Heavy limbs sagged, a fiery chest pumped, and her thighs, though protected somewhat by starcollide, chafed. Delicate skin there burned and stung.

A low whistle sounded from the darkened alley at their backs. Lily peered behind them as doctor Puu nudged her towards the westward path. They stopped short. An impassable form blocked their route. A Titian man padded from the shadows, his snug tunic bound between his legs. Whorls of scar patterning and pigment markings on his light green skin covered his face and folded arms. Doctor Puu urged Lily further into the protection of his body. Baring his purple gums, the Titian blew a piercing whistle between them. A low tone at their rear answered his call. Another two whistles sang from the eastern path.

A lean, Verakian man stalked the eastern alley's entrance. Moonlight licked his glossy pressuresuit. A second Verakian man in a red tunic flanked them from behind. Lily gasped. She recognized the snarl decorated ventilator mask dangling from his neck. A weapon holster—Vortrand called the guns L-Strikers—rode low on his hips. A lambent blue cartridge locked in the L-Striker's handle. His answering whistle morphed into a mocking tune. He grinned at Lily who hid herself in the folds of doctor Puu's robe.

If they ran fast enough could they make it to Market Street before the pack fell on them? The Verakian barring the eastern route looked knock-overable. The same thought must have occurred to the doctor because he started that way before jerking back. Another form bumped the pressuresuited Verakian aside and sauntered into the triangular clearing. A starcollide gloved hand ran over her disheveled mohawk.

"Tainted Pashmi are barely more then a slave race to their own people, but they're the flushest race around. That seem sorted to any of you?"

Aliens surrounding them shook their heads. Light at the Verakian woman's back silhouetted her form, but Lily recognized her voice and two of her friends. She snarled at the jerk-offs who lifted some of doctor Puu's dab at the Twilight Market.

"What do you say we spread the wealth?" The Verakian woman asked and opened her arms. "I think you have enough to go around."

The quartet closed in on them. A slice of light split the Verakian woman's pale face as she breached their space. She held out her hand.

"The pouches." Fingers curled in a gimme motion.

"Let my charge pass." Doctor Puu loosened the crellis pouch from his belt. With his other arm he shielded Lily.

"I'm not leaving you," Lily whispered and clutched his vest.

"Quiet, Lily."

Rage wrinkled and puckered Lily's features. She'd had enough of being told to be quiet and enough of people bossing her around. She was supposed to be an actual adult this summer, wasn't she?

"Pouches first," the Verakian woman said. "Passage second."

The Verakian and Titian men crowded them. Gaps appeared between their bodies. If Lily rushed them, she could duck under their arms and squeeze by, she was sure of it but...that meant leaving doctor Puu. She couldn't. The doctor forked over his and Lily's pouches. The Verakian woman tossed them to her man in the pressuresuit then focused on Lily.

"That too." She pointed at Lily's Physical Dream bag.

No! Not all her new stuff! But...she looked at the doctor then at her bag. She knew which was more important even if losing her new toys stung.

Lily started to turn over her things when the talk-round at her wrist beeped. Doctor Puu's beeped too.

Lily's brows went up. An impish grin widened her mouth.

The proximity alarm.

Captain Vortrand.

The rogue Titian might take on another Verakian, but the others might back down for one of their own race. And if they didn't the captain would totally kick all their asses. He had his own L-Striker and Vlex had said he was a special Gem-something agent. Or whatever. Even if the captain was only a well-connected mercenary, he didn't tolerate anyone messing with what he claimed as his. It grossed her out, but the captain most definitely considered her and the doctor his cargo. Might as well use his militant ignorance to her advantage for once. She swung the bag behind her back.

"It's just clothes," Lily said. Doctor Puu squeezed her shoulder.

A pasty tongue ran over the Verakian woman's fangs. "Looks like a Physical Dream bag to me. Hand it over."

"No."

The Verakian woman's lips tightened. "Little girl, you're already on my bad side. Give up the bag or you and your animal aren't ever getting out of this shit-hole alley."

The click Lily heard was the Verakian man in the tunic unfastening his L-Striker. The alarms on Lily and doctor Puu's talk-rounds sped up like erratic heart monitors.

"Like you ever planned on letting us leave?" Lily asked.

Lily strode from the meager protection doctor Puu's body provided. The Pashmi grabbed for her and made quiet warning sounds. Ignoring him, she came toe to toe with the Verakian woman and stuck out her chin. The talk-rounds' alarms neared flat line.

Lily bumped her chest against the Verakian woman's mid-section. "Just try me."

With a laugh, the Verakian woman cocked back her fist and slammed it right into Lily's face.

There was a weird crunching sound that filled Lily's whole head, a falling sensation then the rough slam of wood on her back when she hit the deck. Vision blacked out before she hit the ground.