“Arbiter Darcy,” the Exec began, unaware how close he’d come to being killed. He gripped her hand as she let go of his. “My crew and I were wondering whether you’d care to discuss our kung’an at some length.”
As Jade started to protest that she was too busy, the Exec continued smoothly, “Later, after shift, somewhere private?”
Jade then patiently explained that she didn’t date customers. She had started to reclaim her hand from the complex caress of his two dozen cilia when a roar went up from the Palovoi table loud enough to cut through and silence the din in half the ingesterie. One of the melons had been very overripe. Jade pulled herself free with a hurried excuse and turned to the scene of the disturbance.
Migul was yelling at the server who’d brought the unsatisfactory melon. “You
