“That was us swinging out of subspace,” Tanin said, standing again. “We’re here.”
“Finally,” Goldie uncurled from her discomfort ball. Subspace sickness was terrible, but at least it ended immediately upon exiting subspace.
“I should go. The keepers will be waiting,” Tanin said. “Take your time getting up. They’ll want to see you, but you don’t have to move too fast.”
“Screw that!” Garnet declared, tossing her blanket aside and throwing her legs over the side of the bed, getting to her feet. “I’m not staying here a moment longer.”
“I am,” Goldie sighed with relief, pulling her blanket up higher to right under her chin.
Garnet smiled at her as she began gathering her hair back into a tail. “So, what are we doing, boss?”
He watched her, wishing she’d let him do that instead. “Well, let’s find out, shall we?”
Chapter 14
Garnet
Peacekeepers, as near as Garnet could figure, were space police. They didn’t have authority on planets, unless they were picking up intergalactic prisoners or something. They were more militaristic than standard police, but they were also fighting pirates and criminal empires that were able to flourish out in the infinity of space.
The Coalition was massive. Species belonging to the Coalition were spread across multiple galaxies, in multiple star clusters. It was, frankly, impossible to patrol that much space. So, they patrolled only the important, well-tracked areas, occasionally venturing out to take down bad guys that had set up some sort of criminal enterprise on asteroids or dwarf planets or illegal colonies. They’d shut those places down, arrest who they could, and move on.
Essentially, they were always fighting a losing battle, and, for them, it was really only important that they keep at least the space stations dotted throughout Coalition territory safe. That was the best they could do, and, apparently, they did it relatively well.
But it wasn’t enough. It was never going to be enough. There wouldalwaysbe space for people to get away with any manner of crimes out in the infinite void.
All of that was explained to Garnet by Alred as Tanin communicated with the leader of the peacekeeper ship. He was explaining Garnet and Goldie’s choice to stay and that he was willing to act as their sponsor because of it.
Garnet wasn’t sure how well the conversation was going, however.
She followed Tanin up to the bridge where Sway had abandoned his post to go get some food and shower while he had a chance. There, Tanin called the peacekeeper ship – which she was told was relatively close, though she couldn’t see it from the windowless bridge. In front of Tanin, there was a holo of a stern, three-eyed, domini male who was glaring at Tanin quite suspiciously. Garnet didn’t think he could see her, or if he could, he hadn’t even glanced her way.
She was occupying herself by picking up some of the clutter around the area as Alred lingered in his light form, explaining the keepers to her softly so as not to interrupt Tanin. The peacekeeper leader’s tone was short and gruff as he stated-
“I appreciate the females have chosen to stay with you, and I am not averse to allowing it with permission from the domini embassy around her home planet, but Iwill notdo so without speaking to the females first. Alone.”
The keeper – Captain Ikvar, she was pretty sure she heard Tanin call him – was a large male with stern features. His skin was white like his uniform, but there was a distinct gray cast to it that Trove didn’t have. He didn’t look like he’d ever smiled in his life, and at this point, his stiff face might break if he tried. His hair was shaved close to his scalp, and it looked like he had a prosthetic eye – the left one shined like metal and the pupil moved oddly. He was the kind of guy she’d definitely not try to confront, but also the kind of guy she’d be glad to have in a position of strength in a military organization protecting her.
She actually rather appreciated that he wanted to make sure she and Goldie were safe by insisting he interview them alone and on his ship – making sure that they were both taken away from any source of pressure or influence in case they weren’t willing.
Tanin was just refusing to let them go alone. Not to be interviewed alone, he was fine with that, but he was insisting that he be allowed to accompany them. Something Captain Ikvar would only permit if Tanin allowed himself to be interviewed as well.
Tanin already had to pass a background check that they were performing even now to make sure he was qualified to be their sponsor. But Ikvar was looking at him suspiciously, like that wasn’t enough. Like he might demand an interview even if Tanin didn’t come with them.
Honestly, Garnet expected Tanin to protest the background check part more. Even now, though he was so calm, she was kind of nervous about what they might find.
She didn’tknowwhat Tanin had done in his past, but she knew he hadn’t always been a delivery boy. He had a life before this, and judging by the way he fought and acted, she didn’t think it was a completely innocent one.
People who didn’t kill didn’t need rules in place to remind them not to kill.
But he didn’t appear bothered by it. It didn’t even really seem like he was particularly fussed about the interview. He seemed to be arguing just to argue – like it was a minor inconvenience he’d rather not deal with.
Eventually, he capitulated to Ikvar’s demand, and they ended the comm with the peacekeeper promising to send him instructions on how to link up with their ship. A process that would be very similar to how the pirates had done it, connecting outer door to outer door, but they’d have permission this time, so it would be a lot less jarring.
“Do you hate being interviewed or something?” Garnet asked when Tanin turned from the console – Alred would be doing the actual connection process.
“I don’t particularly like it,” he said without any real heat. “I figured he’d want to interview me anyway though. So, it doesn’t matter.”
She cocked her head. “Then, why’d you fight it so hard?”
