Again I followed her to RIP HQ. Again I found her and Fan facing Keys and his officers. Keys wore a grin that I wanted to wipe away with a Tanzer. He looked startled to see me, but then the grin returned, and he turned to Ta’klu. “Got your attention, I see,” he said. “Your call, ip. What’s the decision?”
“You are making a terrible mistake. You—” Ta’klu began.
Keys swore. “Captain, radio your men to stand by to detonate.” The Captain saluted and spoke into his PerComm.
“You will die. You will all die,” Ta’klu said.
Silence choked the room. The Rippers looked at each other, but Keys laughed. “If you had any power, you’d have used it.”
“We are protecting you.”
Keys laughed even harder, but few Rippers joined in. This planet, this city, the indifference of the Be’nans to their own g*****
