Kalan made it through the open bazaar of stalls and hawkers to one of the lifts without incident, nodding to a few familiar faces as he went. With a casual word, he sent the lift hurtling downward toward the lower decks. He supposed most people living on the station considered it a bad neighborhood, but he felt most comfortable there. Those were the people who took him in and helped him find work when he needed it most. The lift doors opened and he stepped out into a down-market version of the bazaar from upstairs. The stalls and hawkers were there, but they wore leaner faces and harder eyes. He knew most of them but didn’t want to get caught up recounting news from off-station. He’d do that later, if necessary. Instead, he cut through a series of side passageways that would get him to Patonga’s faster.

At least, he’d hoped they would. He turned a corner and came onto a scene that he knew he’d be better off avoiding. Two burly thugs that Kalan recognized were dragging a screaming, thrashing waif of a girl down the corridor. Kalan told himself that it wasn’t his business. He didn’t know what any of it was about. The girl could be a thief or a killer for all he knew. Just walk away, he told himself. With that settled in his head, he took two steps forward and planted himself in the middle of the passageway.

“Let her go,” said Kalan.

The thugs and the girl all shot him astonished looks. They’d been so focused on each other, they apparently hadn’t taken note of him. The bigger of the two thugs gave him a scowl.

“Not your business, Rinn.”

“Probably not, Carus, but I’m asking you to let her go anyway.”

“She’s coming with us,” said the other thug.

Kalan felt the shifting air pressure behind him. He didn’t even turn his head when he spoke. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

“Kalan?” said a familiar voice from behind him.

Kalan turned slightly to find a slim, bearded man holding a slender knife and giving him an unhappy look. Kalan offered the man a small nod and said, “Monsell. Are you having your boys steal kids? I didn’t think you went in for that kind of thing.”

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Monsell made the knife disappear somewhere before directing a withering glare at Kalan. “I don’t, but that feral creature owes me money. She’s late with her payment.”

Kalan wanted to sigh, but he restrained himself. He and Monsell had come to something of an agreement years ago that had let them coexist in, if not peace, then something less than outright conflict. He knew he should have just walked away, but he was involved now. He eyed the girl.

“He telling the truth?”

“Kalan,” said Monsell in something that sounded like genuine shock.

Kalan saw something that looked like desperate hope simply die in the girl’s eyes before she nodded. Kalan did sigh this time.

“She’s just a kid, Monsell. Can’t be more than fifteen.”

Monsell eyed his thugs before he walked a few steps away. Kalan went with him.

“I know she’s just a kid,” Monsell muttered, “and I know what she spent the money on. That’s why I let it slide this long. But I can’t let people not pay me. I’m not even charging her interest.”

Kalan blinked at that. Did Monsell, the ruthless loan shark, actually have a soul in there somewhere? It seemed so improbable. Kalan gave the girl another look. The struggling, screaming girl was gone. Now, she just looked tiny and very alone. Kalan was certain he’d regret it, but he heaved another sigh and asked how much the girl owed. Monsell lifted an eyebrow and rattled off a number.

“I’ll cover it,” said Kalan in a quiet voice.

It was Monsell’s turn to blink. “Why?”

“Because I know what it’s like to feel that alone.”

Monsell frowned and stood in silence for half a minute before he nodded. “Fine, but you take her with you on that ship of yours. Keep her off the station for a while. I don’t want word of this getting around.”

“Fair enough.”

“And Kalan.”

“Yeah?”

“I want the money today.”

“I’ll make sure you get it.”

The two men walked back over to the thugs who still held the girl between them.

“Cut her loose,” ordered Monsell. “The matter is settled.”

The thugs gave Monsell baffled looks but released the girl. Monsell gave Kalan a curt nod and walked away with his thugs in tow. Kalan watched the dumbfounded girl as she stared after the loan shark. Eventually, she turned uncertain eyes on Kalan.

“I don’t-,” she started. “What did you do?”

“You got a name, kid?”

She blinked at him a few times before the question seemed to register. “Fresia.”

“Come on, Fresia. Let’s go.”

The girl took a step back. “Where?”

Kalan felt a headache coming on and rubbed at his left temple. “To get lunch. I’m starving, and we’ve got a couple things to talk about.”