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  She sighed at the rhetoric. “No, because I am willing to go and pass judgement over the corrupt, the wealthy and the depraved, judging them all by a combination of imperium and local customs. When I call for a death sentence, it has to be fast and we have to leave the moment the body drops. Your duties will be to carry out the sentence and then get us to the shuttle. I can fly us from there.”

  He nodded. “I am aware of what you need. I am at your disposal.”

  She jerked slightly as images of her naked with him kissing the curve of her shoulder sprang to mind. She had never had a perspective like that, so it had to be his imagination.

  “Whoa. None of that. I need to trust you with my life, not necessarily my body. Sex just gets in the way.”

  He chuckled. “Not if you do it right, but I will respect your wishes in the matter. Where is our first assignment?”

  Jayd laughed. “Right here. I have to sign warrants for arrest and formalize other agreements. You can either wait here or get me a cup of caf.”

  “With those as my options, what do you take in your caf, Judge Dex.”

  She gave him the order and he left, closing her door securely. Dex was her number, not any mutation of her name; it stood for Judge I-ten of the Nyal Imperium. It wasn’t a bad name and it kept a distance between herself and the people she was there to judge.

  It was odd to become exceptional and then be turned into a number, but Jayd adapted.

  She flipped through the warrants. Three were without legal precedent or any basis, so she dismissed them and sent a note to the officers to get slightly different information and resubmit. If they did it in the next six hours, she would be able to sign off on the documents and they could get their targets.

  The other nine warrants she signed without hesitation. Twelve was the limit for any visiting judge. Some days she wished she still got sick when she saw the details of the warrants. Her exposure to the grotesque things that other beings did to each other had caused her to look at the motivations of others with a certain skepticism.

  Life was very different away from home, but the larger the populations, the more atrocities it seemed they could fit into an average day.

  Not all of the planets in the imperium had death sentences, but those that wanted a more final end to their troubles called in a judge. She could come in, pass fair and equitable judgement and her companion would carry out the sentence immediately. Whether he was incarcerating someone or executing them, she needed a companion to act as bailiff and executioner.

  Jayd smiled as her new partner entered the room. Having him being fun to look at didn’t hurt as long as they didn’t act on it.

  She sipped at the caf that he handed to her. He was cute and he didn’t mind getting caf for her. “This might just work out after all.”

  He resumed his seat. “I am very glad to hear you say that.”

  She finished the authorizations for mating matches as required on Neiaki. An in-depth search of familial ties indicated that they were all suitable by local standards. All families were properly matched and the female was always the one with higher social standing.

  “You sign off on weddings?”

  “For the high families, yes. They sometimes like official authorization from the imperium. It makes everything so much more civil.”

  She finished her caf and got to her feet. “I have meetings with some of the local councils and other judges, will you accompany me?”

  He lifted a data pad and brought up an acceptance contract. “Sign for me and I am yours.”

  She tried to hide her blush as she did as he asked, but the images in her head were now all hers and far more X-rated than they had any right to be.

  This partnership was going to be hell.

  Chapter Three

  “You are quite well respected.” Ex-Hess’s voice was admiring.

  “You don’t need to sound so surprised. I have people skills, though I rarely apply them. Do you have everything you need?”

  He lifted up two bags. “I have my kit.”

  Jayd had her own bags and they looked like any two travellers heading to the spaceport.

  Two days of meeting with other judges and getting case updates had prepared her for her next three months of travel with Ex-Hess.

  “You might want to call me by my name, madam. Truanic.”

  “So, you might want to call me Jayd, Truanic.”

  He blinked. “That is a lovely name.”

  “Thank you. Yours is very lyrical as well.” She chuckled.

  They headed for the diplomatic checkpoint and once they were scanned, they left the customs area and headed to the private shuttle pad.

  “You have been doing this for five years?”

  “Five, six. It all blurs together after a while.” She shrugged.

  “How is it that you still have a sense of humour about this?”

  She pointed to their shuttle and he followed her to the gleaming beast that would be their home. Her code opened the door and once inside, she gave him the tour.

  “We have lift-off clearance in ten minutes. Will you be settled in by then?” She was asking the question from the doorway of his quarters.

  He simply dropped his bags on the bunk. “Ready.”

  She did the same in her own quarters and headed for the controls. “Wake up, darling.”

  The living systems grew bright the moment she spoke. “Hello, Jayd. How was business?”

  “Oh, same as always, sweetie. This is my new partner, Truanic.”

  The deep masculine tone said, “I am pleased to meet you, Truanic. Watch your partner. She is a handful.”

  Truanic took a seat. “Your ship is masculine.”

  “It made me feel better to yell at him. He can take it. The ship is named the High Honour. The mind inside is a new template, designed by the Guardian project.”

  She grinned as her ship grumbled.

  Truanic eyed the console warily. “Does he have a name?”

  “I call him Harry.” Jayd shrugged and settled in as the harness snapped around her and pulled her into her seat.

  Truanic was on his own for fastening and when he was done, he asked, “Why do you have a sentient ship?”

  “It was thought necessary when one of my executioners decided that my decision was incorrect and he tried to launch me out the airlock.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “I gather that he was unsuccessful.”

  “He was indeed.”

  Harry was working on taxying to a lift position while they chatted. He requested clearance and took their assigned spot, sliding into the launch rail that would take them off the surface and into the stratosphere with mechanical propulsion that did not involve fuels being dumped into the atmosphere. It was quite the thoughtful system, but Jayd really felt the gravity.

  Truanic sat back as they were held in their seats by the violence of the rail shot. The moment that Harry kicked in their burners, the pressure changed and it was five more minutes before they could move comfortably.

  “Thank you, Harry. You have our coordinates?”

  “I do. Your concealers are charged and waiting as well. You are going to need them. You are scheduled for a tarmac trial at the next site.”

  Truanic blinked, “You actually do trials at the spaceport?”

  “For some species it is the only place they can actively secure. It is always a shame to have a defendant killed before they can be brought to trial.” She didn’t describe how it made her feel.

  “I read about one of those trials. There was a miner on trial for negligence. You tried him after the mob got to him and he was found innocent after all witnesses had been examined. It had been a mechanical failure due to unusually high humidity.”

  Jayd blinked, and as Harry’s artificial gravity came on line, she unclasped her harness. “You did your homework.”

  “I needed to know what kind of judge I was getting as a partner. You are fair and yo
u do not flinch when the judgement is unpopular. This means that you often rub people the wrong way but you are an excellent judge.”

  She chuckled. “What brings you out as executioner? It is not a post that many normal folks line up for.”

  “Sometimes the best thing for an individual, or a society, is to have the violent offenders removed quickly and mercifully. Of course, sometimes a slow and painful death would be preferable but that is not in my contract, unfortunately.”

  Jayd could see instances where he had performed his duty for the quick death and where he had wished that he could use a little more time. He killed with his hands, shorting out the neural synapses and dropping the guilty to the floor.

  To be polite, she asked, “What is your technique?”

  “Neural shock. It works on all species and is highly effective at ending lives quickly.”

  “Why didn’t you opt into the Guardian project?”

  “My world didn’t have a Guardian base. It was executioner training or joining the family law firm.”

  Jayd laughed at the options. “That is quite the disparity in choice.”

  “Well, I was afraid that I would short out the opposing council, so execution and security became my focus. I trained at the imperial court.”

  He was telling her things that she could find out by checking his files, but it was nice that he was willing to share.

  Truanic unbuckled and checked their projected path as if by old habit.

  Jayd asked, “You firmly in control, Harry?”

  “As always, Judge. I will sound the jump signal a minute before I shift you.”

  “Thanks, Harry.”

  Jayd got up and headed to the galley. She called out, “Come with me if you want a more detailed tour.”

  She heard him move and felt him looming behind her. “You have seen the crew quarters, but here is the galley and the lounge.”

  It was strange, but she could swear that she was able to smell the heat from his body. Jayd felt a blush creep up her cheeks and kept herself facing forward. The images of her backside were in his mind and very hard to ignore.

  “How did you receive your training, if I may ask, Jayd?”

  “It was a logical progression. I left my world under the volunteer act, but I had already been disqualified from the project. Nyal wanted me, so I was sent for immediate training as a Minder, but it became obvious that my talents lay in the legal sector. It involved a lot of legal training, but I managed. The rules here are not that different from my home. The main lav is to your left.”

  It was quite spacious for a lav on board a short-range shuttle, but a judge had a certain dignity to uphold. Jayd also had a lav adjoining her quarters but that was her perk.

  They passed through the private area of the ship and she paused. “Now, we enter the courtroom. Any other ship it would be the hold, but here, it has another purpose.”

  Truanic passed her. “This is spectacular. Does the entire hold open?”

  “It does. It splits right down the centre and folds open like beetle wings. If we need to, Harry can have it snapped shut in under a minute.”

  He explored the galleries built into either side of the ship. “How many viewers?”

  “Viewers? None. Those are for witnesses and the others are for the defense and prosecution.” She smiled. “No one watches an imperium judge in action. There isn’t anything to see.”

  “Ah. Right.”

  She did a quick search of his mind and found dozens of trials but none with an imperium judge. She was his first.

  Chuckling, she stepped onto her podium and took her seat. “Would you like me to walk you through the protocol?”

  “Please. It would be helpful. I was briefed, but I find that the thought of actually being involved on this level is rather overwhelming.”

  “Tomorrow when you rise, after your morning meal, you will put on the concealer. It will cloak you in darkness from head to toe. Practice moving around in it as it can be a little disorienting.”

  “I have worn one before to perform my duties. I understand.” He smiled and nodded as he paced out the edges of the room.

  “Good. I will be wait in chambers, Harry will open the back of the ship and the courtroom will fill. There is usually one or two eager souls who want to get an image of the judge for the news reports, so we remain in concealers the entire time, even on com reports, we use concealers and access codes.”

  “Understood. When can we break cover?”

  “The moment we are off world and on our way to the next assignment. I am afraid that this was the last day that you would be able to walk a world without being hidden for the next three months.”

  “Are you serious?” He seemed surprised.

  “Well, we might be able to get a few days off on Gurrineer IV.” Jayd smiled. “It all depends on the trials.”

  “Then, may law be swift and the trials be clear cut.” Truanic smiled. “I am very happy to be on board.”

  “I am happy to have you.”

  He gave her a slow smile and her blush came back in full force. Her judgement flew out the window, and she knew that her life was about to take a sudden turn. It was about time.

  Chapter Four

  Day one of their trek together was uneventful. Truanic filed the court-arrival documents for two days later and they shared meals and small talk. All the polite chitchat wore on her nerves and she decided to let off some steam.

  Jayd went to the courtroom and began her workout. Skipping rope was one of the smallest exercise machines she could carry with her and she used it whenever she was twitchy. Today was just such a day.

  Harry blasted music for her and she skipped to the beat for half an hour until she was coated with sweat and Truanic was standing in her field of vision. “Music off, Harry.”

  Truanic winced. “Music? Is that what you call it?”

  She picked up her towel and patted her face. “I have heard Nyal music. It is a sound to sleep by.”

  He snorted. “Shushan music is much more rhythmic with less yelling. My father was Nyal and he moved to Shushan to be with my mother. Her family had the law firm, and he got his certification when her family put the pressure on him to join their concern.”

  “You do love sharing.” She chuckled and draped her towel around her neck.

  “I do. I keep hoping that you will offer up information of your own.”

  She grabbed her water bottle and sat on the edge of the dais. “What do you want to know?”

  “Where do you come from?”

  “Terra.”

  He blinked in surprise. “Your appearance is not that of a Terran.”

  She laughed. “I am well aware of that. I did mention that I was not suitable for the Volunteer program. There was an incident and I was contaminated with Ontex blood. It caused the silvering you see in my skin and opened my mind.”

  “It is very attractive.”

  She laughed. “Thank you, but I liked my old skin, and my old mind for that matter. I was a spinster, I was boring, but I saw my ancestors every time I looked in the mirror.”

  “Spinster?” He scowled.

  “Woman rapidly approaching sterility without a husband or child. It used to refer to an unwed woman over the age of twenty-four, but I was forty. The Ontex blood did quite the number on my appearance.” She ran a hand over her hair.

  “What colour was your hair?”

  “It was a brown so dark it was almost black. The waves are still mine though.” She chuckled and sipped at her water. “What else?”

  “Why did you never find a mate?”

  “I supported my family during my early adult years and there was never time to find someone. I looked up one day and I was in my late thirties. It was too late to start looking, so I just threw myself into taking care of my nieces and nephews.”

  “Your siblings had children?”

  “Yes. My youngest sister enabled me to keep a tiny
piece of myself, actually.” She redirected the conversation and touched the moon on her forehead.

  He looked at it. “Your skin is a different colour under the mark.”

  “My sister thought I was dying, and she kissed me to bid me good luck. The combination of two strains of related DNA managed to keep the Ontex transformation at bay. It is the last piece of myself, so I had it protected with the tattoo.”

  “What were you doing when I came in?”

  “Oh, jumping rope. It is a cheap and space-saving way to exercise.”

  “How do you do it?”

  “You are kidding.” She looked at the imposing height he carried so easily.

  “I am not. Would you show me how?”

  She got the rope and walked him through the steps, demonstrating the surprisingly complicated steps to going up and over the rope while not falling on her face. He watched, asked questions and when she was done, he held his hand out for the rope.

  “It will be more difficult for you as the rope is sized for me, but you should be able to manage a few skips.”

  Truanic brought the rope over his head from behind and seemed to analyze the timing. The next time he stepped over it, and before she knew it, he had done two skips before tangling in the rope.

  “Children do this?” He was surprised as he hopped and stopped again.

  “Yes. Adults do it when they are in physical training. It occupies the mind and body at the same time.”

  She sat and drank while he eventually got a rhythm going. Sweat gleamed on his neck and face. The rest of him was covered by his bodysuit and it was a damned shame. She would have liked to see how much of him glowed as he performed the innocuous exercise.

  When he finally stumbled to a halt, she extended her water bottle to him. He gulped down the contents gratefully. “How was that?”

  “We need to get you a proper rope and you can be skipping along in no time. The best part is when you can move around the room.”

  He gasped and nodded. “I can see why you had the music. It would be easier to match a beat.”

  “It is indeed.” She laughed. “Well, I am going to take a solar rinse. It is your turn to make dinner.”