‘Throne, I never thought civilian clothes could be less comfortable than power armour,’ Sister Esperanza fiddled with the collar of her tailored suit, her gait stiff. 

‘And I never thought you’d complain about such trivialities. Where’s that pious asceticism your order is so famed for?’ Inquisitor Amelia Sovv whispered briskly, her hand on Esperanza’s arm. Her long gown flowed as the pair descended the steps into the Smiling Grox, well-known for its patrons holding more combined wealth than entire systems. 

They reached a checkpoint manned by several expensively-dressed security personnel. Sovv gave one a knowing nod as the pair were patted down for weapons, and he returned the gesture. A low wolf-whistle sounded in the three agents’ vox-beads.

‘Looking good, sher. I got your eyes from on high,’ Eysaac LaBou tracked the two women through the scope of his long rifle, crouched low on a neighbouring roof.

Sovv let out a small scoff. ‘Hold your tongue, lest I return you to the care of your Colonel with one fewer extremity.’ 

Two chuckles sounded over the encrypted vox before Braxto Ghorl’s gravelly tones cut in. ‘He’s here, my lady. Far blackdice table. Throne protect you.’ 

Sovv and Esperanza found the man in question: a hunched man in a deep violet robe, his face sallow and his eyes replaced with glittering black gems. 

Tuvan Tanele, black market kingpin and self-styled curio collector, clapped his hands together as the two women approached. Flanking him were Rho and Rhy, hired muscle Esperanza had met when arranging the meeting. ‘Lady Demetra! What a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.’ Tanele took the hand of ‘Lady Demetra’ and kissed it; Sovv swallowed down bile. Inquisitor and Sister sat across the table from the businessman, and Sovv held a steady gaze on him. No twitch, tremor, or tell would escape her notice. 

Tanele, however, gave nothing away, and produced a small ebon vessel. ‘I have just the piece you requested.’ Lifting the lid, Tanele revealed a gleaming dodecahedron of deepest azure, its interior swirling with empyric power.

Esperanza gingerly lifted the stone up for Sovv to inspect, then set it back into its box. Tanele smiled amicably. ‘My offer from our prior communique stands. Three million credits will do.’

Esperanza tensed. Sovv smiled politely. ‘I believe I told you I would not be paying any sum in excess of two-point-five million. Surely, you received my message?’

Tanele’s smile flickered, just barely. ‘I did, and I ignored it. I am not known to undersell my wares. However, for one of such distinguished heritage and fair aspect-’ 

Sovv’s lip curled, ‘I will make an exception. Two-point-eight million.’

‘Two-point-six, or I walk.’ Sovv fixed Tanele with an icy glare, as did Esperanza.

‘Two-point-seven,’ Tanele stated flatly, his tone indicating the end of the discussion.

Sovv huffed. ‘Two-point-seven,’ she agreed. Her accounts would be exhausted, but that could be addressed later. Tanele’s smile returned as Rhy handed Esperanza the box.

‘Excellent. Now, there is something I neglected to mention…’ He raised a hand, and LaBou piped up over the vox.

‘You’re found, Boss. Three maleiis converging. Braxto’s following.’ His accent was streaked with a note of fear as the security guards approached the table, hands on holsters. ‘You gotta get out of there, pronndo.’

‘What’s going on here?’ Esperanza demanded. ‘You would insult my lady like this?’

Tanele chuckled. ‘I’ve been swindled by your ilk before, Amelia Sovv,’ Tanele leaned forward, pushing dice and cred-chits from their places on the table.

Sovv and Esperanza exchanged looks, and Ghorl put his hand on his pistol grip. ‘How?’ Esperanza asked.

Tanele shrugged. ‘I have my sources.’

Sovv began to cycle rapidly through possibilities in her mind. Was it her rivals in the Ordos? An old foe reemerged? Could one of her own agents have sold her out?

Interrogations would have to wait. She seized the black box just before Esperanza flipped the dice table, knocking Tanele from his seat. In the midst of the frenzy, the guards collapsed in a flurry of gunshots and cracking bones. Meanwhile, Rho and Rhy hoisted Tanele to his feet and escorted him out of the Grox, taking advantage of the throng of panicking socialites to make their exit. Sovv hurriedly activated her vox-bead. ‘Tanele’s running. Drop him.’ 

A window shattered, and Tanele’s head jerked, but it was Rho who collapsed to the ground. The gaping wound in the dealer’s head knitted back together as he disappeared out the door. Sovv heard LaBou swear over the vox. ‘The cuyo’s bound and wyrded!’

Signalling her pilot, Sovv rallied her agents and made for the door. ‘Head for extraction. We’ll deal with him later.’

A howl of rage rose above the din. Rhy sprinted towards them, serrated bone-blades sprouting from his forearms. Ghorl tapped his temple implant, calmly stepping into his path. Sovv smirked as the blades retreated back under skin, and Esperanza followed up with a shot to the skull. Rhy collapsed to the floor in a heap of limp limbs.

LaBou spoke up over the vox. ‘Ride’s here, Boss. Let’s go.’ The trio hurried to the exit, passing by spilt drinks and scattered tokens. The cutter waited on a landing pad, engines humming and awaiting liftoff. LaBou reunited with them just as the group boarded the craft.

‘It’s a shame,’ Ghorl remarked with a smirk, reactivating his limiter. ‘I almost enjoyed working there.’

Esperanza scoffed. Sovv’s attention was split as she pensively examined the artefact. ‘I’ll keep that in mind for wherever Tanele sets up shop next,’ she remarked. The gun-cutter’s ramp closed with a hiss as it lifted into the night sky, leaving the Grox, smiling no longer, behind.