Junebug really wished she had a day or so to spend in an autodoc. The medical facilities had done their best to salve her wounds, but the load of painkillers and anti-inflamatory drugs in her system made her feel distant and disconnected from her body. It wasn't a matter of functioning, she could do her job and had done it drunk or on drugs plenty of times but it made her analysis unreliable. A meeting with the great and powerful of Formax wasn't a good place to miscalculate.

Gerharht touched a lapel communicator and spoke quietly into it for a moment as they passed into the great hall. The place was a huge hall, dozens of columns reached up to the ceiling each wrought of a different metal or gleaming polished stone. Heraldic banners, doubtlessly full of significance to those who cared about such things, hung like colorful bunting. It seemed garish to Sayeeda's sensibilities but she had seen many such displays in her career of slaughter for money.

"The Agents of House Cho-Lan!" a young man in gold robes boomed in a surprisingly deep voice.

"Colonel of the Guards Stasia Gerharht!" the announcer thundered after a moments pause. The background buzz of conversation in the hall quietened as they marched down the polished stone floor. Sayeeda's combat boots clacked noisily with every step and she shouldn't wonder that they scratched and scuffed the expensive stonework.

The collection of men around the throne were universally grim faced. Many of them carried themselves like soldiers, which was surprising. Sayeeda had assumed that merchant nobles like Cho-Lan held the reigns of power. By the way Cho-Lan looked at the man on the large central throne, she had been mistaken about that.

"You are Cho-Lan's lackies?" the large man rumbled, his contempt evident in his voice. Sayeeda leaned over and spat on the floor before straightening and crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

"I am Captain Junebug Cyckali, and this is First Officer Neil Edwards. You ASKED to see us as I recall."

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