In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

in and were signed by the City Mayor himself. Grouter doesn’t have a leg to stand on."

Deliberately, Katherine caught the eyes of each of the children in turn. "Zack is correct. This was not entirely unexpected, and we do have a plan in place to handle it. I told you about it because I want there to always be honesty between us. You children don’t really know either Zack or me very well yet and we are barely making your acquaintance as well. However, just in case Grouter has any plans to take any illegal actions to reacquire you, I am going to ask you to stay in our quarters today until after he has left the base. Corrine and Vernal will be with you. Can you do that for us?"

Juliette and Roderick exchanged glances, and then Roderick said, "We can do that. But since you want honesty, I should tell you that we have a plan too," he finished defiantly.

"Hey!" Juliette snapped at him.

"Alternate contingency plans are always good things to have," Zack remarked. "But I hope you won’t feel the need to run away until we decide the situation is hopeless."

"Can I have your word to wait, Roderick?" Katherine asked.

Juliette and Roderick exchanged glances and seemed to come to an agreement. She nodded, "Sure, we can wait."

Corinne gathered the children and she and Vernal shepherded them out the door towards their quarters.

"Wow," Katherine expelled a breath. "I know we said we would talk about it before we told them, but I could tell they knew something was up. They still don’t quite trust us or any adult for that matter yet."

"I noticed that. Did Rupert have another nightmare last night?"

"Yes, I wish I knew why whatever went on at Grouters bothers him so much more than Roderick."

He shrugged, "Maybe they didn’t share the experience. Roderick’s ready to fight though," he added with self-conscious pride.

Katherine made a rude noise. "Men!" she uttered. She checked her pad. "Okay, Commander Veratos just arrived; let’s go meet her so we can all turn up at Base Commander Harris’s office together."

Zack laughed. "I might have known you had an ace up your sleeve. This should be fun."

"I’ll have you know I never hide cards in my sleeves," Katherine retorted haughtily. "They’re too easy to spot there."

They were still laughing when they met Veratos outside Base Command. Their high spirits made a good impression on the harassed Admiral Harris.

Grouter and the other man already waiting there eyed them suspiciously.

"Admiral, this is Commander Jolea Veratos from the Interplanetary Police Human Trafficking Squad. The commander specializes in capturing those who traffic in children," Katherine said. "I know she’s been anxious to get in touch with Grouter, so I invited her to join us."

"Please to meet you, Admiral Harris," Veratos shook his hand. She turned to look at Grouter and his companion. "And who might this be?"

Harris coughed uncomfortably. "Ah, this is Master Grouter, the administrator of the children’s placement center, and this," he gestured to the other man, "is Master Straus. I believe he is an attorney."

"I’m delighted to make your acquaintance, Master Grouter," Veratos gave him a predatory smile. "Especially since I have been attempting to locate you for a week to ask you some questions. We have some unfinished business in connection with Jerrod van Doyle regarding certain transactions that took place at the placement center. Perhaps after this interview is finished, Admiral Harris will let us use one of his conference rooms to do just that."

Admiral Harris appeared to be amused. "Oh, I think we can accommodate our colleagues in IPP," he too smiled like a predator.

Katherine glanced at Grouter. "I understand you have some questions regarding the children, Master Grouter?"

He glared at her; whatever he had planned to say was now out of the question since he didn’t dare bring up van Doyle’s name in front of Veratos. He looked at his mouthpiece for help.

Straus stood up. He recognized an untenable position when he saw it. "We merely wished to make sure the children were happy with their placement," he said smoothly. "If there is nothing else, Admiral, we are at your service Commander Veratos, to answer any questions you might have."

Reluctantly, Grouter stood up too. "Sure," he said. "Anytime. I have nothing to hide."

"Certainly," Harris said. He touched a spot on the desk and his aide came in. "Please show Commander Veratos and these gentlemen to an empty conference room so they can conclude their business."

"Certainly, if you will follow me," the aide replied.

Once the door had closed behind them, Admiral Harris favored Zack and Katherine with a fumulating look. "Well that was certainly a change in his tune! I’m not sure just what went on here, and I don’t think I want to know. How soon will your ship be leaving Lady Katherine?"

"Captain Heidelberg tells us the Dancing Gryphon will be ready to depart in about three weeks. That will give him time to get the cargo loaded and us time to take care of the remainder of our business here."

Harris grunted. "I do trust," he said frostily, "that I will hear no more of this incident?"

Katherine smiled, "We will certainly try to stay out of your hair for the rest of our stay, Admiral. I’m very sorry this got brought into your office."

He nodded. "You’re awfully quiet Lieutenant. Nothing to say?"

Zack smiled at him. "Oh, I think we can handle anything else that comes up sir. It’s been a pleasure dealing with you."

Harris snorted and flapped a hand at them. "Get out of here and take her with you. Civilians!"

The next day Katherine went with Lord Gideon to meet the ship bringing in his wards. Surprisingly, the spaceport was crowded. Waiting in the arrival lounge, she was pleased to see the number of new arrivals had increased just in the short time since her own arrival. More tourists arriving meant that Fenriki economy was beginning to recover, which in turn meant that they would need more of the luxury