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thought quickly. “Just wanted her thoughts. She might have picked up something from Herion’s Main Computer that could help us.”
    Randolph beamed. “See? You’re already thinking of her as both a person and an important part of the team.” He hugged me. “You’re the best friend in the galaxy.”
    I wondered how much a psychic scan would cost, and if it would outweigh the work needed to play along with Randolph’s scary delusions.
    But I merely shrugged. “That’s me. The best.”
    A heavy hand fell on my shoulder. “That’s what we’ve heard.” The voice was male, and one I didn’t recognize.

CHAPTER 11
    I turned around slowly, making sure I was ready to fight if necessary and smile nicely, depending.
    There were several men there, including the guy who had his hand on me. They weren’t Herion Military, which was a small blessing. They weren’t anyone I recognized, and they weren’t dressed like any spacers I knew, either. They ranged in age between me and the Governor, and were dressed like businessmen.
    “Captain Alexander Napoleon Outland?” the guy with a grip on my shoulder asked. The big guy who had about twenty years, six inches, and a hundred pounds of muscle more than me asked.
    “Who wants to know?”
    “Herion Business Bureau.”
    I took a careful look. They were all in expensive suits. They all looked familiar with money and probably power. What they didn’t look like were business owners. At least, not legitimate business owners.
    “You’re representing special interests?”
    The man gave me a slow, wide smile. “I like smart boys.” I hoped he meant this in a figurative sense, not that he and his associates wanted to broaden my horizons. Because I had no doubt they’d be able to—they all looked like they’d passed on joining Herion
Military only because it didn’t pay as well as organized crime.
    “What’s your interest with me?”
    He laughed. It was a low laugh that made my private parts want to shrivel up and hide. “Best pilot in the galaxy, who’s also the best smuggler, and he has to ask what our interest is? Smart is good. Coy is not. Coy is for girls. You’re not a girl, are you?”
    “No. I like girls. A lot.” I wondered if there was a way I could keep these guys from spotting Slinkie. I figured Audrey could hold her robotic own, but I didn’t want them trying to make time with Slinkie. Having Lionside doing that was more than enough competition.
    “So, smart boy who likes girls, why do you think we want to talk to you?”
    “Because you can’t get contraband on or off planet because of the pirate armada.” Randolph sounded calm when he said this. “And you want to hire us because we’ve made it through alive.”
    The man who still hadn’t released my shoulder gave Randolph a long look. I wondered if we were dead or being set up. I figured both.
    “Your friend’s not as stupid as he looks, is he?” he asked finally.
    “All my crew’s smart. The question is, is his guess right or do you just like holding onto me?”
    He grinned and let go of my shoulder. “He’s right, and if you’re the best smuggler, that means you’re the best at getting away. Didn’t want you trying that right now.”
    “No plan to do so.”
    “Really? Perhaps you should work on controlling your expression, then.”
    “Oh, will do. So, is this about a job?” The men all nodded. “Great. Then I have some rules. First off, I don’t do business with people without names, so if you want to have a discussion, pretend to be polite and introduce yourselves. Second, I have right of refusal. I don’t like your offer or your terms, I say no, we leave if not friends then at least not enemies. Third, if I take your job, then we’ll do your job, but if, as it so often turns out, your job has more
complexity to it than you want to tell me about at this stage of the game, I’m going to demand appropriate additional payment. And, so far, I’ve been able to do that successfully