Chapter 18 - Set down

Dukk leant against a bathroom sink. Stunned.
“I’d been wondering when you would show up, Ileadees. I guess you haven’t changed,” Bazzer said sharply.
Ileadees smiled.
Joantyi bent over to pick up the knife.
As she did, Ileadees stepped forward and kicked her in the face. She fell back on the floor. Her hands went to her face, as blood started pouring out of her nose.
“Not so fast, missy. You’ve read this all wrong!” he said.
The security people rushed forward and lifted Joantyi up. Ileadees shifted his gun from Bazzer to Joantyi.
“Turns out your credit isn’t as good as you thought. Looks like you picked the wrong side!” he said to her.
“F! you, Ileadees. I’ve done nothing wrong,” Joantyi muttered in disbelief.
“I am not sure about that. Looks to be more than nothing in that stall there.”
“That wasn’t me, and you know it!”
“I am going to let the judges decide. But, from where I stand, it looks pretty clear to me as to what has happened here. Dukk, and Bazzer, sorry for the inconvenience, please head back into the bar so my people can clean this up.”
Bazzer looked annoyed.
“I guess that this might square things up between us?” Bazzer said reluctantly.
“I hope so,” Ileadees replied.
Dukk looked over at Ileadees, “You said this wasn’t a concern of yours?”
“I said the EVA sabotage wasn’t a concern. An unprovoked assault, here on my station, is another matter entirely,” Ileadees said smiling cheekily.
“Haulier’s justice?” Dukk said back, smiling.
Ileadees nodded as he gestured to them to make for the door.

Dukk and Bazzer wandered back through the crowd. Half in a daze. They arrived at the table.
The girls were all seated, pouring drinks from two large bottles.
“Ileadees was just here. He said that these are for us to share. He suggested that you’d need them,” Luna said with glee.
“Yippy” said one of the teenage girls.
“Sorry, girls, it is still no for you! Bognath was very clear about that!” Luna replied as she looked up at the burly man leaning against the wall near them. Bognath gave a fake smile.
Marr noticed Dukk’s expression. “What’s going on?”
Dukk smiled. “Haulier’s justice. Let’s drink!”

A little later with a suitable version of the story shared and the bottles emptied, Bazzer, Luna and the girls had returned to the dance floor. Trence and Kimince were slumped against each other. They were both snoring loudly.
“What will happen to Joantyi?” Marr asked Dukk.
“Exile, I’d think. If she has enough credit to pay her passage out.”
“She’ll get away with it?”
“Not quite. She will struggle to shake this. Remember, she failed to fulfil her contract. And, I’d be surprised if Ileadees doesn’t capitalise on the incident to build his reputation. She’ll find it very hard to get work. And, she will have to be constantly watching her back. That will be nearly impossible without her body guard.”

At that moment, Trence sat up and looked over at Marr.
“I just remembered. Watching you and Luna on the dance floor”, Trence slurred. “You and Luna were at the old hanger the morning that sentinel blew up and damaged the Bluilda. By any chance, do you know if that crew that went to the fence line, saw anyone running around with a sniper rifle that morning. My superiors told me I was being incompetent for suggesting a sniper triggered the explosion.”
Trence tried to focus briefly at both Marr and Dukk, before slumping back, and resuming snoring.
Marr looked at Dukk.
Dukk turned his head slowly to look at Marr.
“The records showed that we didn’t leave the hanger that day,” Marr offered cheekily.
“Trence didn’t say anything about you or Luna leaving the hanger. Skills not typical for a keeper?” Dukk said in jest.
Marr shrugged her shoulders and smiled again.

“Come on you two, the night is still young!” Luna shouted from the middle of the group on the dance floor.
Marr smiled over at Dukk. She nodded her head towards the dance floor.
Dukk smiled and got up. He moved around the table and put his hand out to help Marr up.
She took his hand. It felt comfortable. She gripped a little tighter. Dukk sensed that and held on.
Hand in hand they moved the short distance to the dance floor. Dukk then swung Marr around and they danced together, in a light embrace. For a moment they were both oblivious to the others and the unfolding events. And, neither could remember being happier than at that moment.
All too quickly it seemed for them, the music changed.

“My turn, Captain,” Luna interrupted as the music got started again.
Marr and Dukk pulled apart still smiling at each other.
Luna swung in and took Dukk with her.
“May I,” Bazzer asked Marr as he stepped into the space that Dukk had just left.
“Of course, it would be a pleasure, Bazzer,” Marr replied as she took his arms and they started to dance.

(to be continued...)

[Rule of Twelve, Double Take, Chapter 18 - Set down (Passage 1 of 5)]

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