Yvian had made a terrible mistake.

"Distractingly sexy!?" Lissa's voice raised several pitches. They were standing outside of Feelgood's mod parlor. Captain Mims held his helmet in his hands. He had been about to put it on when the argument started. The crowds flowing through the corridor still stared and muttered at the sight of the human, but the Captain cared less about their reaction than Lissa's ability to see his face.

"I'm just saying it's harder to intimidate someone if they start drooling when you walk in the room." Mims kept his voice even, but his features scrunched in a mix of worry and irritation. His attempts to explain the situation had backfired, making Lissa more angry with every word.

This was not what Yvian had wanted. Her offhand comment had been designed to make the Captain mildly uncomfortable and open the way for her sister to drop some witty banter on him. Lissa's visceral reaction had caught them all by surprise.

"And that's what happens when she walks in the room, is it? You start drooling?" Lissa flashed a snarl at Yvian, then went back to trying to murder the human with her eyes.

"That's not what I said." Mims broke into a glower of his own. "You can't possibly think I'd cheat on you with Yvian. You just want to see me squirm."

"You don't tell me what I can think!" Her scream ricocheted through the corridor. Every single person turned at the sound. Lissa ignored them, fists clench, shaking with rage. "Don't you ever."

"You know damned well I wouldn't pull that shit." The human's pitch stayed the same, but the volume increased. "And you know damned well Yvian wouldn't stand for it, even if she was attracted to men." He shot her a glance before shouting, "Which she absolutely fucking isn't!"

"Uh..." Danil Starlancer cut in. Yvian had sort of forgotten he was still there. "Not that I don't appreciate the drama, but this might not be the best place to have this conversation."

"Stay out of this, Danil," growled Mims. "You're not part of the group."

"She's not and she wouldn't," Lissa agreed, almost hissing. "But you wish she fucking would."

Oh. Crunch. So that was the problem. Yvian had dropped her comment secure in the knowledge that Lissa trusted Mims. And she did. But Yvian hadn't factored for her sister's insecurities. Lissa wasn't worried the Captain would betray her. She was afraid he might want to. She was terrified he didn't want her. That she wasn't good enough. That she didn't deserve his love.

It made sense, Yvian supposed. Lissa had always been insecure, and she had terrible taste in men. Every boyfriend she'd ever had had lied and cheated, usually with women she'd thought were friends. Few people, and no lovers, had given the love and respect Lissa deserved.

Come to think of it, Lissa's taste in men hadn't really improved, much. Sure, the Captain was loyal. He loved her sister as best he could. But that didn't change the fact that he was a cold blooded killer with more issues than Spacedock Weekly. He was stubborn, obsessive, half the galaxy was trying to kill him, and he was almost as socially awkward as Yvian herself. As much as she loved the guy, she had to admit he probably wasn't marriage material.

The Captain opened his mouth to shout back, but stopped, brow furrowed. "You really are jealous?" He glanced over again. "Of Yvian?"

"Well..." A hint of embarrassment crept into her glare. "You keep saying how sexy she is..."

"Of course I did," said the Captain. "She's almost as pretty as you are. It's a tactical liability." He glanced at Yvian, decided speaking to her would be unhelpful, then gestured at the reporter.

"Right, Danil? Back me up here."

Danil held out his hands. "I'd love to help," he shrugged helplessly, "but I'm not part of the group."

Mims glowered at him.

Lissa's expression softened. She stared at the human. There was something fragile in her eyes.

"Do you really mean that?"

Mims looked down at his helmet, awkward. "It's what I've been saying this whole time." He looked up. "It's hard to be intimidating when you're that beautiful. If it was you, it'd be even more important to wear the helmet."

"That's..." A hint of irritation crept in. "Not the part I was asking about."

"Oh."

She let out a breath and tried a smile. "But I guess you've squirmed enough."

"Oh." The Captain studied her face. "Good."

"I'm curious though," the innocuous phrase froze the human in the act of putting on his helmet. "If..." she glanced at her sister, then casually continued. "If Yvian had been into men. Do you think you would have gotten together?"

Mims looked at each of them, considering. "Its..." he spoke slowly. "possible..." He shrugged. "But unlikely. I didn't want any entanglements when we met. You were able to convince me, but I don't think Yvian would've been up to the task."

Lissa thought for a second. Then she laughed. "That's true, isn't it? Yvian's social skills are even worse than yours."

Yvian started to protest, then shut her mouth. She still felt bad about starting this whole thing. She didn't want to draw any more attention than she already had. Also, Lissa being jealous made Yvian deeply uncomfortable. She'd gladly take a little ridicule to see that go away.

"There's more to it than that," Mims told her. "You are both impressive. Both beautiful. I can't say if one of you is better than the other." He took a breath. "But I know who is better for me." He stopped fiddling with his helmet, focusing his whole attention on the woman in front of him. "If I could trade you for Yvian, for anyone. I wouldn't. You're what I want, Lissa. I choose you over any woman in the verse."

The Captain's words hit Lissa like a battering ram. She stared, wide-eyed. Tears formed and started to fall. Mims tossed his helmet to Yvian as Lissa threw herself into his arms. "You should have led with that," she sobbed into his chest.

Mims wrapped his arms around her, eyes closed. Lovingly, he murmured, "It's ok if you need to cry, but you should put your helmet on, first. We're in public, and we have a reputation to uphold."

"Shut up, Mark," Lissa chided. She squeezed him tighter. "You're ruining the moment."

Mims held her until she cried herself out. When she'd finished, she pulled some tissues from a belt pouch and wiped her face just enough to avoid rubbing snot on the Captain while she kissed The Crunch out of him. Then, seeing no trash receptacles, she dropped the tissue for the cleaning drones to deal with.

Mims gave Danil Starlancer a steady look. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this little incident to yourself."

The brilend gave him a nod. "It's a private moment. I won't keep the footage." He tapped his chin. "I don't see anything to be embarrassed about, though. If anything, I'd say it makes you more relatable."

"Exactly." Mims took his helmet back from Yvian and put it on. "Show it to anyone and I'll kill you."

"Fair enough." The reporter followed the human as he moved into the crowd. "But since I'm being so helpful, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions in return."

Mims paused mid stride. "Are you blackmailing me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Danil assured him. "But you strike me as a fair minded sort. The kind who repays favors."

Mims resumed walking. A few seconds later he spoke. "Fine. I'll answer three questions."

"Ten," countered the reporter.

"Five," Mims haggled. "And if I don't want to answer you have to pick a different one."

"Agreed," Danil agreed.

The reporter asked his questions as they boarded a magtrain. Mims answered in detail, but not at length. The interview was finished by the time the train reached their stop. Yvian checked the station map on her console. They were about a fifteen minute walk from the shuttle bays.

Yvian stifled a curse as she entered the corridor. They were in a blue light district. Pixen territory. Blue and pink skinned workers lounged in front of pleasure stations, clad in small strips of cloth and strategically placed body glitter. Other pixens strode the corridors and patronized the bars and restaurants, showing less skin but still leaving little to the imagination. Krog and other species mingled among them, but it was the pixens that Yvian worried about.

"Is there another way we could take?" She consulted her map.

"Not really," Lissa told her. "Looks like the blue light area encircles the whole shuttle bay. We'll

have to walk through to get where we're going."

"Shit."

"It'll be fine," Lissa told her. "I don't think anyone here knows your status, yet. Besides, we're just passing through."

"Maybe you should helmet up," Mims suggested. "Just in case."

Lissa gave him a look, one eyebrow raised. "What is it with you and helmets, today?"

"I dunno." Mims shrugged. "It just keeps popping up."

The girls donned their helmets. The group strode out into the crowd. The crowd ignored them. All was well for almost a minute. Then Yvian noticed the stares. Pixens glared at them as they passed. Mutters and phrases followed them, just loud enough to be heard over the crowd of shoppers.

"Motherless."

"Attacked her own..."

"Human lover..."

A pink skinned woman with gold hair hissed at them as she passed. "Bright Lady scorn you!" Mims stopped, but Lissa put a hand on his shoulder. They kept walking.

Hisses and curses became more frequent as they moved deeper into the district. Tension thrummed through Yvian's legs and back. The shame and rejection hurt, but it was the fear that forced her heart to pound. They knew. They all knew.

How? How did they know Yvian was motherless? How did they know what she looked like at all? Especially with her face covered. A glance at one of the monitors that lined the corridor answered that question. The screen showed a news story, with a picture of the three of them exiting the Random Encounter. Their distinctive, Terran built voidsuits would be easy to spot.

As for how they knew she was motherless... well. Word gets around. Anyone who bothered to check could see her name had been struck from the Registry. Yvian supposed it didn't matter how they found out. What mattered was that they knew, and what they might do about it.

Insults and disapproving glares were just the beginning, she knew. Any motherless caught in pixen territory would be treated harshly. Beaten, at the very least. Usually killed. Station Security never bothered to investigate, not caring what pixens do to each other. They might step in this time if they knew who it was being attacked, but Yvian wasn't counting on it.

They kept moving. Mims kept his body relaxed, shoulders loose, staring straight ahead as he strode forward. He treated the attention as beneath his notice, like the pixens around them were insects crawling on the ground beneath his feet. Yvian and Lissa did their best to imitate his demeanor. Danil looked nervous, glancing all around as he followed in their wake. His camera drone drifted behind him, recording everything with a lack of concern reserved only for machines that cannot think.

Staying relaxed was a struggle. Tension kept shouldering its way into her body, and she kept having to breath deep and force her muscles to relax. The corridor pressed in on her. Shouts and hisses stabbed at her ears. Her eyes watered.

These were her people. The descendants of Pixa. Selling their bodies, eking out a living any way they could. Homeless, unprotected. Shouldering centuries of quiet desperation and despair. There was no one to stand for them. No way for them to stand on their own. Each living in constant fear of falling into debt, or crossing the wrong citizen. Slavery and death would come for them at the slightest misstep, or for no reason at all.

Yvian's dream was to save them. To find a new home. To seize the strength to protect her broken species. She'd given up so much. Her ships. Her mother. She'd almost died so many times. Taken so much pain. For them. Because no one else would.

And they hated her.

She cried silently. Sobs threatened to rack her shoulder's. She held them back. Activated the mute function on her helmet so no one would hear her. She couldn't let them see. Not her people, and not Danil from Spacedock. Crunch, she was on camera right now. Mims glanced back at her for half a second. He knew. Then he calmly turned his head forward again.

He wasn't sending a message. He'd just assessed the situation. Seeing her pain, and her pains to hide it, he made a choice. He ignored her. He might offer comfort later, but he wouldn't undermine her by offering it now. Yvian didn't know if his decision was based off caring or practicality, but she appreciated it. Cold blooded killer he might be, but Yvian was very comforted to know the Captain had her back. She didn't stop crying, but it became easier to hide the signs.

They were almost through. Another minute, maybe two, and they'd see the shuttle bay. They weren't going to make it. A wave of pixens surged into the corridor, blocking the way. Yvian had held some slim hope that insults would be enough. She wasn't trying to mingle, after all. She just needed to get to the shuttles. That hope died in the face of the mass before them.

Mims did not stop. He didn't acknowledge the crowd. He continued walking as though they weren't in his path at all. Another ten meters, and he'd reach them. The message was clear. The crowd would part, or he'd walk right through them.

The shouts grew louder. The crowd in front contained nearly a hundred people, but more pixens lined the shops and the sides of the corridor. The corridor was large, ten meters in width, and twice that in height. Pixens lined the second floor balconies of shops and bars. On one of those balconies sat Yasme Kiver.

Yvian's former mother reclined in her chair. She held a glass of her favorite alcohol in one hand. When she saw Yvian was watching, her lips peeled back in a vicious grin. The fingers of her other hand waggled as she gave Yvian a wave.

Yasme. She did this. The realization struck Yvian like a bolt of lightning. Cold fury swept through her. Before she could do anything, a blur of motion caused Yvian to jerk backwards. A bottle flew past her face. It struck Mims, bouncing off his shoulder and spaying him with fizzy beverage. Mims froze.

The man who threw the bottle was to the side of them. He was large, over a hundred fifty kilograms of muscle. His blue skin had been waxed hairless, and a mop of purple hair tumbled down his shoulders. He wore silver short shorts and nothing else. He was shouting, but the only words Yvian was able to catch were "motherless bitch."

Mims slowly turned to look at the man. The pixen puffed out his chest. His four friends crowded closer, trying to stare down the human. Mims started towards them.

"Yeah?" the muscle man shouted. "Whatcha you gonna do, you Klaath-fucking-"

Mims shot forward, closing the distance in a fraction of a second. Hips twisted as his fist shot into the man's solar plexus. As the pixen doubled over, Mims grabbed his head and pulled it close, sliding an arm across his face. The man found himself curled over, the top of his head facing the floor, sideways against the human's chest. Mims waited half a beat, then jerked sharply. Yvian heard the mans neck pop, and he slid bonelessly to the deck.

"Jorin!" One of his buddies rushed forward. Yvian wasn't sure if he was trying to attack the human or just help his friend, but Mims didn't give him the chance to do either. The Captain's spun, arms whipping out to grip the other pixen's face. His thumbs pressed into the other man's eyes. He screamed.

He kept screaming. The death of Jorin might have given the crowd pause. The high pitched animal keening of his friend stopped them in their tracks. The other pixens shied away from the human. The anger that fueled the mob chilled, replaced by fear.

"Anyone else?" The human's armor had a voice projector, but he didn't bother to use it. His voice caromed through the corridor. The shouts died away. The mob stilled, muttering softly in the face of Mims. A human. Yvian had forgotten what that meant. Humans were monsters. Nightmares of the void. Centuries of oppression had taught the pixens to fear, and the Captain's sudden violence had reminded them what they were dealing with.

The Captain slowly swept his gaze over the crowd. They flinched back from him. The screams of the eyeless pixen continued, but even his friends did not look his way. Their focus was on the monster in front of them.

Satisfied with what he saw, the Captain stepped behind the screaming man. His hands clamped on the pixen's head. He gave a sharp jerk. The screams stopped.

He looked around one more time. He turned to rejoin the others. He stopped when a voice boomed.

"These people saved your lives." The voice belonged to Danil. The Brilend had activated a voice projector. Stepping forward, fist clenched in anger, he cast his words at the pixens. "They saved the lives of your mothers. They saved the lives of your children."

The reporter squared his shoulders. His voice, still amplified, took on a more conversational tone. "That's what got her outcast, you know. Yvian's mother didn't like that she went off to play hero. She made Yvian motherless for the sin of saving your lives."

The crowd said nothing. They milled and muttered among themselves. Yvian couldn't tell if they were listening to Danil or not. He didn't seem to care. Danil continued, angry again. "I know how pixens value family. Yasme Kiver didn't value hers. She started renting Yvian to the pleasure guilds when she was four. She helped her husband, Skean Kiver, do things that would make a human puke." He glanced at Mims after he said that, but the Captain gave no indication of offense. "What he did to that girl was so heinous that the guilds themselves intervened on her behalf. Yasme had to move to a different station when word got out. The other pixens were going to kill her for what she'd helped him do."

People seemed to be listening, now. Danil's voice was mesmerizing. Even Yvian was pulled in, despite the shock and horror of seeing her past made public. "With Skean taken away, it was left to Yvian to take care of the family. Yasme was busy, you see. She had drugs to take, affairs to engage in. She left her children to their own devices. It was up to Yvian to take care of her little sister. To beg the neighbors for food. To steal when she had to." Danil's furious gaze swept over the crowd. His voice rang out. "She even tried to rent herself to the guilds to make ends meet!." He looked down. "They wouldn't take her. Their new home was in flivvan space, and age limits are strictly enforced."

"But I'm not here to talk about Yvian and Lissa," Danil intoned. "You already know what these two have accomplished. No." He shook his head. His arm swept out, finger pointing at the pixen on a balcony. "I'm here to tell you about that woman. Yasme Kiver."

Yvian's former mother stared at the brilend in shock. "Yasme Kiver," Danil let his arm drop as he snarled. "The mother that wasn't. She sold her children, beat them, stole from them when they had credits. She abused and berated at every opportunity. And that's her right." Danil spread his hands. "A mother can do with her children as she will."

"But there's one thing a mother cannot do," Danil's voice crackled with anger. "One thing that is forbidden. That's what is happening right now." His arm whipped out, pointing at Yasme again. Yvian's mother tried to shout some sort of response, but without a voice projector Yvian couldn't hear what she had to say.

"Lissa Kiver," He stabbed a finger in her direction. "Made her mother rich. Set her up with two million credits a year every year for life." The crowd murmured at this. Two million credits was probably more than all of them were worth put together. "When Yasme Kiver showed up here, today, demanding more, Lissa told her she didn't have more money to give."

"So Yasme came here." Danil glared around at the crowd. "She came to you. She sobbed and told stories. She played with your heartstrings. And she sent you out." He spoke softly, relying on his voice projector to carry his words. "To kill her daughters." He picked up the volume again. "That's what you are," he told them. "A weapon, wielded by a monstrous woman to kill the very people she's supposed to love. Shame to you." He swept his arm, gesturing at the pixens around them. "Shame to all of you. But especially shame to her." He pointed at Yasme one more time.

Yvian watched the mob, wondering what would happen next. What happened was nothing. They continued to mill around, unsure what to do. Mims moved, walking back to join the others now that the brilend had finished his speech.

"I didn't know you were a Chronicler of Lives," said the human.

"It's not something we advertise." Danil shrugged. "And today I'm just here as a reporter."

"You won't change their minds, you know." Mims looked out at the pixens. "An hour from now they'll be right back where they started."

"It doesn't matter," said Danil. "The truth must be stated." He glared up at Yasme. "And there are some things you just can't ignore."

Mims grunted. "I guess I owe you an interview."

Danil nodded. "That would be nice."

Mims gave him a nod, then turned back to the mob blocking his way. He activated his own voice projector. "We're leaving. Clear a path, or I'll kill every fucking one of you."

The crowd parted. Mims strode through it. A few meters past the other side, the human paused.

Back to the crowd, he spoke, cold as the void. "We'll come this way again when our business is done. If even one of you gets in our way, I'll make you wish we'd let the Klaath take you."

Yvian didn't see the crowd's response. She refused to look back at them. A swirl of emotions churned in her gut, but she knew one thing for sure. She would not give Yasme Kiver the satisfaction of looking back. She was hurt. She was hated. But Yvian was not alone.

Besides, they were in public. She had a reputation to uphold.