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to your superior, and his, about this. This artist has saved the lives of thirteen citizens of our world and deserves to live her life without fear of losing her home.”
    The immigration official was backing away as Charm moved forward until he stumbled off her porch and ran for his one-man grav sled.
    Rhoda was shocked as she watched the official leave in a spray of dust and gravel. Charm turned, and as she watched, his suit slowly folded away from him until he stood in the same clothing he was wearing earlier.
    She blinked. “You are always in uniform?”
    “Technically, yes. Now, I have a proposal that will cease your worries about being thrown off Yacaro.”
    He put an arm around her waist and escorted her into the studio. He prodded her to sit on the stool she kept for clients. Drehl walked out and returned with two glasses of wine. “Here. Drink. You need it.”
    Rhoda sipped at the wine, ignoring what it was going to do to her hormones. “What is your idea?”
    “Marry me.”
    Her head swam from more than just the wine. “What?”
    “Marry me. You will become a citizen, a Genaran, and be invulnerable to the machinations of the politicians and officials.”
    “How will marrying you make me a Genaran? Isn’t it a species?” The wine must be working, because she was considering it.
    “It is more a state of infection. We adapted so well to the nanobots that Genar used to treat us that our bodies generate them constantly now. Mine are slightly more aggressive and I am able to control them after they leave me. That is what gives me my place as a Guardian.”
    She blinked and gulped some of the wine. “So, I would be infected and therefore get the Genaran classification if we married? How do you manage with other women?”
    “I use protection. The nanites only leave when requested to.”
    “So, that is how your talent works?” She licked her lips and set her glass aside.
    “To a certain extent. Every once in a while, the Genaran population has a person born who contains a gland, which creates an abnormal amount of the nanites. I can send them out and control them via my voice.”
    She blinked and shifted toward him, her body starting to rev into high gear. “I do like your voice.”
    He leaned toward her, and his belt chirped again. He groaned and gave her a swift kiss. “I want an answer when I return.”
    Drehl put on his armour on the way out, and when he left her home, he took off. Her com unit flared to life and Drehl’s voice hissed at her. “Lock the door, Rhoda.”
    Smiling, she latched the door and leaned back on it as she fought to control her breathing. When a knock brought her out of her daze, she smiled and turned to open the door. “Did you forget something?”
    Five immigration officers were standing on her porch, and she only vaguely saw the fist that came at her face before everything went dark.
     
     
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Cold water sluiced over her, and Rhoda gasped as she woke up. Her hands were shackled together, and she was in a minute cell barely big enough for her to pace her own body length. “What the hell?”
    The department head stood in front of her cell door. “It would have been easier for you if you had not refused to pay, painter.”
    She winced and touched her eye. “I didn’t refuse to pay.”
    He scowled. “You refused to pay the officer this time.”
    Rhoda shook her head, watching his posture go from smug to aggressive. “I didn’t refuse the officer. The Guardian that was in my home refused to allow me to pay and sent your officer on his way.”
    “What Guardian?”
    “Charm.”
    Uncertainty changed his posture again. “Charm was in your home? Why?”
    “Because I was involved in a hostage situation yesterday. I had been injured, and he was coming to check on me.” It would be easy enough for him to confirm that she had indeed run into the Guardians the day before. “He took offense to your officer’s suggestion that I should pay to remain