Lynx didn’t answer, avoiding his grandfather’s eyes. He’d never spoken of his very early days. That was the past, old and dead and buried. He was with his family now and what had gone before didn’t matter. As soon as the shock of his existence wore off, Sin told him that, and he knew his grandfather meant it.

Instead, he asked, “What did you want to talk to us about?”

That got the Old Man back on track. He fixed both of them with that brilliant green gaze, slitted pupils wide in the garden’s dim light.

“Are you happy?”

That was all he asked. Then he sat there. Waiting.

Mal and Lynx looked at each other and back at Sin.

“What exactly do you mean?” Mal’s hesitant question was delivered with a frown.

“I meant exactly what I said. Am I speaking Severani or some language neither of you understands? Are you two happy? In living here? In what you’re doing?” When they still looked at him, shaking their heads, he went on a little sharply, “Mal, I know you never wanted to be a ship’s captain. You’re like Adam in that respect, so I allowed you to take over the company’s accounts. Lynx, you’re one of the finest captains in my fleet, but I know sailing a shipping route, even between fourteen planets, is dull compared to the life you used to lead. So, what I want to know is…are you two happy in what you’re doing? Are you satisfied?”

“Does it matter?” Mal responded. “I mean, we do good jobs, fulfill our duties…”

“Not a good answer,” Sin interrupted. “Adam’s my heir and head of everything, but as far as he’s concerned, he’s out of the business and into farming full time. The others seem satisfied with their desk jobs or sailing their routes and coming back to their mates and cubs, but you two…”

He paused.

Still waiting.

Still no answer.

“Damn it, answer me, both of you.” Sin raised his hands, making an exasperated gesture. “It’s not like I’m going to drive you out and horsewhip you in the town square or something if you say what I don’t want to hear. Just tell me the truth. Are…you…happy?”

“Well…” Mal drew in a deep breath, held it, let it out slowly.

“Now that you mention it, Grandpa…” Lynx beat him to it. “There is something I’ve been wanting to speak to you about.”

“Go on,” Sin encouraged.

At last. Getting these two to talk is like pulling fangs. He felt himself tense slightly, wondering what his grandson was going to say.

“You’ve been good to me, Grandpa.” Lynx was the one taking a deep breath now, as if steeling himself for an outburst. “I mean, I walk in here, declare myself your grandson, and you and my father accept me without an argument. Even with his having a very clear memory of how I came into being, you could’ve found half a dozen reasons not to take me into your family, but you didn’t. You and Grandma welcomed me with open arms.”

He looked at Mal and smiled.

“As did all my uncles and aunts and cousins.”

“But…?” Sin prompted.

“But… Right.” Now Lynx looked a little anxious. “Well…it’s… Since Elena and I went our separate ways and my son’s being so well-cared for by his aunts and all the nannies they have, I feel…” Lynx stared at Sin a moment, then burst out, “I’m bored, damn it. It’s all become routine. At least when I was a pirate, everything was unexpected. I never knew what was going to happen, and I felt…alive. Now? I feel as if I’m…just…existing…”

He stopped, averting his gaze, staring at the pebbles in the dirt beneath his boots.

“God, I’m glad you said that.” Mal spoke into the silence.

Lynx looked at him. “You are?”

“Yes. Because that’s exactly the way I feel.”

He turned to Sin with the most earnest expression he’d ever seen on this quietest of his sons.

“I’m bored sick, Dad. I know you want all your sons to be Abiders and if Mom were alive, she’d probably grab me by the ear and haul me to my room and lock me inside until I apologized and said it wasn’t so. Frankly, I’m surprised to hear myself admit this, but…” Mal paused, inhaled deeply, and blurted, “I wish I could’ve known you before you two met. I know I’m going to shock you with this, but…I wish I could’ve been a smuggler, too.”

Sin didn’t answer, staring at them. The silence lasted so long Mal began to fidget and Lynx shuffled his feet, gently kicking the pebbles back and forth with the toes of his boots.

“So that’s the way you feel? Both of you?”

Together, they nodded, and waited.

“In that case, I suppose there’s only one thing for me to say…”

Mal and Lynx exchanged glances, then looked back at Sin, each waiting for him to denounce them, perhaps even order them out of the Pride House, and disown them. Mal straightened, throwing back his shoulders and Lynx copied the gesture. They were both startled when he laughed.

“Thank God! Finally, someone with my blood doesn’t want to be hemmed in by laws and customs. Oh, if Andi could see you two.” The look he bestowed on them held more love than they’ve ever seen. “She’d be exasperated, shocked, and proud of both of you.”

“You’re not angry?” Mal was stunned by his father’s reaction.

“Not a bit. Glad is more like it. To prove it, I’ll free you of your duties and let you go your own ways…though we can’t let it be known I’m encouraging a couple of Breakers in their nefarious endeavors.” Sin stood, all business now, more enthusiastic than he’d been in some time. “I’ll defranchise the Ray—wouldn’t do to take your ship away from you, Lynx—and you two can sail her out of here. If you want to go back to your former occupation, I recommend taking her to Terra, and having your membership in the Brotherhood reinstated. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get Mal accepted, too. Think you’ll like having a tattoo, son?”

“Grandpa…” Lynx was overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to say.”

“‘Thank you’ will do nicely for starters.”

“Wait a minute.” Sudden euphoria took a nose-dive as common sense kicked in. “I can’t go shooting off to the stars again. I’m a father now. I’ve a cub and responsibilities.”

“Sorry, can’t let you back out now, though you’re right,” Sin agreed. “I wouldn’t think you’d want to take the boy with you. Pirating can be a bit dangerous, as you already know. He can stay here and you can see him anytime you want to anchor at the docking station and come on-planet.”

“What do you think?” Lynx turned his attention to Mal, who’d fallen silent. “Suppose we could work the same ship without killing each other? Me as captain and you as First Mate?”

“What makes you think I want to be First Mate?”

“Well…” Lynx looked a little startled.

“You’ve already got a First Mate, and I don’t think Josh is going to step down, even for a relative. Besides, I’ve always said I wasn’t captain material,” Mal went on, answering his nephew’s question. “I imagine I could fill some kind of ‘advisory’ capacity fairly well, though.”

“Then it’s settled.” Without a tremor, Sin got to his feet. The excitement of what had just happened chased all the alcohol from his system. “Tomorrow, we’ll do the paperwork.” He sighed. “Going to miss you kids. Damn, I envy you.”

“Why’s that, Dad?”

“Why? Because you’re going to have the same adventures I once did, the adventures I wish I could have now, since I’ve no feisty little Terran to keep me settled down. No offense meant, Andi.” He directed that last remark in the direction of the stone.

“Why don’t you?” Lynx’s expression changed. He looked like someone who’d had the most brilliant idea, the thought of a lifetime.

“Why don’t I what?”

“Have some more adventures? Come with us, Grandpa.”

“I’m an old man, now, Lynx. Isn’t that what you call me behind my back? The Old Man? In capital letters? Don’t deny it,” Sin said as his grandson started to speak. “The last thing you need is some old codger slowing you down and cramping your style.”

“Old codger?” Lynx laughed. “I don’t think so. Besides, who’s to stop you? Who’d dare?”

“Yeah, why not?” Mal chimed in. “As you said, you’ve no one to keep you here, and...like you’ve been moaning and groaning when you thought no one was listening, you’re as bored as we are.”

He looked from his nephew to his father, nodding as if agreeing with himself.

“I’m thinking the three of us are pretty much alike, and I think we all need to escape Felida and its law-abiding citizens once and for all.”

“Right.” Lynx took up his uncle’s argument. “How about it, Grandpa? Come with us. I won’t guarantee we’ll break any Federation laws, but....”

Apparently, being an Abider had rubbed off on him. A little, anyway.

“We don’t necessarily have to, you know, to have a helluva lot of fun. We could be...”

“...adventurers, explorers, soldiers of fortune,” Mal finished for him. “That’d probably be better. Keep some people from worrying about us, anyway.”

He glanced hopefully at Sin as he spoke.

“Sailor of fortune, you mean,” Lynx corrected. “Yeah, I like that.”

“What would be my rank on this totally hare-brained expedition?” Sin demanded.

Both of them were startled to see a light in his eyes they’d never seen before.

“If I were crazy enough to accept, I mean?”

“Captain emeritus,” Lynx replied without hesitation. “Kh’ta-in-residence. Onboard to advise us young starbucks on the protocol and proper way to act when in port on other worlds.”

He was going to accept, they could see it. The eagerness, the desire, flamed in Sin’s face. In a moment, he was going to burst out laughing…

He did, with that loud guffaw of sheer delight they hadn’t heard since the day Andi got sick.

“Damn it, yes.” He got to his feet, clicking his heels, and giving Lynx a sharp salute. “Kh’ta sh’en Singh, reporting for duty, sir. Where do I sign in?”

Nils stared up at him, noting the black leather trousers, boots, and vest, and the blazing white shirt. He remembered how March was dressed in soft Felidan robes.

Like fool, he stuttered, “G-God, you’re tall!” before he realized it.

More than once he’d used his own height to intimidate someone and now he knew how that felt.

“We all are.”

A slight smile touched the giant’s mouth, revealing another shock.

Pointed canines.

He leaned against the desk, arms crossed over his chest. “What do you want…” Green eyes flicked to the insignia on his right shoulder. “…captain?”

Good God, they looked like a cat’s. The young man’s thoughts were a jumble.

“Van Lewen…” he managed. “Nils Van Lewen, Captain, Federation Armed Services.”

“I don’t want to seem rude, but I’ve a business to run. I’d appreciate it if you’d state your purpose in being here so I can get back to it.” Sin stared at Nils expectantly.

Nils stared back.

At least, he sounds like a Terran, speaks Inglaterre well, too. No accent at all. Thank God.

“Well?” There was a hint of impatience in the deep voice.

“I’m sorry, but I was told you were paraplegic,” the young officer began, then shook his head as he realized the statement came out sounding like an accusation.

His assignment seemed so easy. Go to Felida, talk to the invalid owner of sh’en Singh Shipping, an old man partially paralyzed, dazzle him with Federation authority. Already nothing was going as it should.

“You are Andrew Malcom McAllister? Aka Sinbad sh’en Singh?”

“I am,” Sin answered, a little brusquely. :Do you wish to see my ID?”

“Uh…no, sir…”

“As to the rest…all that moving around you’ve witnessed is merely the work of a very finely-programmed micro-computer implant.”

For another minute Nils continued staring before bursting into explanation. “I’m going to get right to the point, Mr. McAllis…uh…sh’en Singh…sir.”

“When?” Sin didn’t hide his sarcasm. “I’m waiting.”

“Terra’s at war.”

“Am I supposed to be surprised? What else is new?” Sin shrugged. “Who’s the unlucky aggressor this time?”

“A planet called Severan.” Nils ignored his sarcasm.

“Never heard of it.”

“Not many people have. It’s a small world in the Drexus Cluster. A petty bunch of blackbirders barely surviving in the slave trade until about fifty years ago, when a dissident faction overthrew the emperor and set about establishing a military-controlled planet.”

Without permission, Nils sat down again, sounding more certain of himself. Then he realized he now had to look up at Sin even more and regretted his decision.

“They’ve been slowly overrunning and subduing the weaker planets in the Cluster… attacking, pillaging, carrying off the inhabitants into slavery, stuff like that.” He said it offhandedly, making it sound like every-day acts.

“And they’ve been stupid enough to attack Terra? I doubt Earth attacked them.” Sin went on, before Nils could answer. “Tell me, has there ever been a conflict in which Earth was the aggressor? Still, fifty years isn’t long enough to get the military power to attack a planet that size.”

“That’s what the Federation thought when it was told a fleet of Severani warships were headed toward Terra, but they were wrong.” Nils shook his head. He got to his feet again. “The Severanis have devoted themselves entirely to building up their armed forces, sacrificing public welfare and natural resources to achieve their goal…and they succeeded. The attack on Earth was not only successful, but there was a sixty-five percent destruction rate in the areas hit and a severe loss of life. They fire-strafed both coasts. If the Federation hadn’t had that brief warning of the attack, the war might’ve been lost and won right then.” He shuddered. “It was Pearl Harbor all over again.”

“Pearl Harbor? What…?” Sinbad looked stunned though the reference was lost on him.

“The last time a near-successful attack was made on a Federal military base. It was called the United States, then,” Nils explained. “That was in 1941.”

“Damn,” Sin breathed. Briefly, he regretted never having received a Federation education. “I never thought I’d hear anyone say that. But they retaliated?”

“Of course, what else could they do?”

“Of course.” Once more that ironic tone.

“Nevertheless, this fight’s going to be a bad one. The Severanis are well-trained, dedicated, and fanatical in sacrificing for the Mother Planet.”

“This is all very interesting, Captain Van Lewen.” Sin went around the desk, dropping into the chair behind it. He frowned at the look of wonder still lingering in the young man’s eyes. “But what exactly does it have to do with me and mine?”

“The Fed’s sending officers like myself to members of the Federation, setting up enlistment stations.”

“I see.”

Those two words weren’t encouraging.

“We’re going to need all the man-power we can get for this one. If we don’t get volunteers, we’ll have to start inductions, and they don’t want to do that. We haven’t had a true draft in three hundred years.” He carefully omitted mentioning the conscription in effect during the Terro-Felidan War. “Quite frankly, with so many worlds involved, I doubt it could be effectively enforced.”

“You want to set up this enlistment station in Khurda?” Sin struggled to glean information from what Van Lewen wasn’t saying.

The young man nodded.

“Why come to me?” Sin spread his hands. “I’m merely a humble merchant. You should be speaking to the emperor.”

“I have, sir, or at least his representative. Before I landed. His Excellency gave his permission, but told me since Khurda, as the largest pride on Felida, was chosen as the site, I had to get the Pride Chief’s permission also. You’re anything but a humble merchant, sir.”

And you damn well know it, Nils thought.

Sinbad’s slight smile said so.

“So, here I am,” Nils finished.

***

Over the tent of his fingers, Sin studied the young Terran, while Nils attempted not to fidget under that cold green stare making him feel like a schoolboy called to the headmaster’s office. He couldn’t know Sin was thinking: Now that’s true irony. The Almighty Federation that caused my parents’ deaths, forced me to become a criminal, and declared my entire planet a world filled with non-humans, is now coming to me for help.

Abruptly he straightened, slapping both hands on the desktop.

“I’ve very little love for the Federation, Captain Van Lewen, and consider myself having no loyalty to it, either.” His answer was short and sharp. “The business now called sh’en Singh Shipping was originally a smuggling operation illegally supplying goods while we thumbed our noses at the Fed as we did it.”

“I’m aware of that, sir.”

Damn, the kid’s so polite, I want to deck him. How can I continue being rude to someone sounding so respectful?

“I know your history and to be frank, I expected your opposition. That’s why I thought you might need to see this.” He extracted a chip from a tunic pocket, holding it out.

“What is it?” Sin made no move to take it.

“A list of the casualties. The Heartland and the West Coast of Noramerica, where the majority of Terra’s bases are located, were two of the major strike areas. I understand your family has connections in both areas.”

The change coming over the cat-like face was startling.

Sin pulled the disk from Nils’ hand, thrusting it into the slot in his desk. He scanned the rows of names appearing on his screen. They were alphabetized. He found the L-column, scrolling through it. Landers, Landry…Lawless, Victoria, Lawless, Angelina.

Oh, God, Adam’s mother and little sister.

He’d met Victoria Lawless only once, the night and day she sheltered him after his escape from the Federation Prison where his father died. She’d fed him, clothed him, and given him a brief and unplanned introduction to physical love shaking them both. Then she let him go, neither knowing she was carrying his child. He hadn’t learned of Adam’s existence until a day sixteen years later when Victoria saw the announcement of his marriage to Andi and sent the boy to his father. Adam chose to remain with them, coming to Felida to live.

How am I going to tell my firstborn his mother’s dead?

He checked the list of M’s for his half-brother’s mother’s name.

Not there. Thank God.

Van Lewen had said the west coast. That meant the valley, too. Hoping he wouldn’t see the names, he checked the T’s, finding Andi’s father and her older brother, Ramon. George and Goldie Windwalker were there, too.

Damn, Adam lost not only his mother and sister, but his grandparents as well.

Eli Nighthorse’s wife and infant son were also among those killed.

Sin closed his eyes, feeling a surge of anger at the unfairness of it all. Eli, a burly black half-Martian had been his companion at his wedding to Andi. He’d bought the Talltrees’ farm when Sin and Andi left Terra.

The list from Angel City was just as lengthy.

Jake…what’s Jake’s last name? Goldstein? That’s it.

Not listed. At least his old friend had escaped, though two members of the Council of the Brotherhood of St. Dismas didn’t, as well as many of the smugglers Sin once associated with, having been caught on-planet at time of the attack. He looked up at Nils, who was watching his expression anxiously.

“You’re right. This changes matters. I won’t oppose your being here, Captain Van Lewen. If any Felidan male wishes to join the Federation armed services, I won’t object, but I’m not going to encourage any to do so.”

The young man looked relieved, but disappointed.

“Is there something else?”

“We…” Van Lewen’s expression changed to one of absolute terror. He swallowed convulsively and cleared his throat. “We were hoping you’d volunteer your ships, sir.”

It came out in a near-whisper.

“My ships?” Sin’s exclamation exploded into the air.

Nils jumped, knowing his reaction wasn’t very officer-like. “Y-yes sir. You see, your darters are nothing more than modified Federation Thunderbolts, and your pilots are already combat-trained and if we had them…”

Sin glared at him.

“…we wouldn’t have to waste time training a Felidan Defense Force…to…” His voice trailed away.

“A Felidan Defense Force.” Sin laughed. “Isn’t that contradictory? According to the Peace Proclamation between Terra and Felida, we aren’t allowed to have a defense force. I suppose technically, my having these darters to protect my cargo ships is also in violation of the Treaty.”

“That part of the Proclamation’s been amended, sir,” Nils answered.

Sin frowned. “And…?”

Nils shook his head as if he didn’t understand.

“…do I need to remind you Felida isn’t a member of the United Terran Federation?” Sin’s  voice went bitter. “No animals are allowed.”

“A special act of the PanGalactic Congress was passed before I left Terra. It also revoked the Federation Edict declaring Felidans non-humans, giving them First Class citizenship and bringing Felida into membership.”

“That generous move wouldn’t be just to get my ships, would it? Well, you can’t have them.”

Realizing he was wringing his fingers in a completely unofficer-like manner, Nils looked down at them and forced their nervous movement to cease.

The Felidan stood up, towering over him again. His ears seemed to flatten slightly, eyes narrowing.

Nils wanted to cower against the wall, but managed to stand still. His reactions had probably already disgraced the Federation and the uniform he wore. He hoped he wasn’t about to void his bladder, too. He definitely felt weak in the belly-region. Trying to do so without being obvious, he pressed his thighs together, grateful his tunic-hem covered that area of his body.

“I’m overjoyed I’m now a true citizen of the Federation.” Sin’s reply was deep and sarcastic. “I’m certain my wife’ll be greatly relieved to know she’d no longer sleeping with an animal, but you aren’t getting my ships, Captain Van Lewen. You’re here on sufferance, so be thankful you’re being allowed to stay at all.”

As he came around the desk, Nils stiffened, expecting to be seized and tossed out of the office. Instead, Sin put a hand on his shoulder, so gently it was a shock.

“There’s an empty office on the landing,” he went on, voice calmer. “You may use that. You can post a notice on the Working Wall in the village and the holovision station’ll give you Public Service Time.”

“You’ve a holostation?” The question came out in a squeak. Nils coughed. “Sir?”

“Not only that, we’ve running water in every home and indoor plumbing, too.”

The sharp fangs showed in another smile Nils thought contained more than a little menace.

“We’re civilized here, Captain Van Lewen, only no one’s ever bothered to find out.” He propelled the young man out of the office and up the landing, opening Sherla’s door, and saying, as she looked up, “Sher, this is Captain Van Lewen of the Federation Armed Forces. He’s going to be using that empty room at the end of the landing. Would you show him?” As Sherla stood up and walked around the young Felidan in the black uniform, Sin continued, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, captain, I have to tell my family what’s happened.”