Heart of Stone by Cathryn Cade

soothed. "No shooting,
remember?" He'd handle this with words, as he managed the kingdom
he'd carved here.
    He sauntered through the tables to the
off-worlder. Mobius indicated the empty chair across from him, but
Masterson shook his head. He hooked his thumbs in his utility belt,
one hand hanging over his laser weapon. "Tar, you old scoundrel,"
he said. "I'm surprised to find you here."
    The off-worlder threw back his head and
laughed, a gargling sound. "Masterson," he replied jovially. "What
could possibly be wrong with me and my crew stopping in for a hot
drink on a cold winter day?"
    "Glad you've had your drink," Stone
said, eyeing their empty cups. "But it may be time you moved
on."
    "And why is that, youngling?" Mobius
eyes twinkled craftily.
    Stone returned his gaze steadily. He
had been a youngling when they met, but no longer. Rose had likened
him to a lord, and in a way he was. He had a fortune in credit,
investments and land on this planet, and he was responsible for the
livelihoods of many beings. "I think you know, but in case you
missed it, old one, law and order is coming to
Frontiera."
    Mobius grunted disparagingly, but his
men watched closely. "You mean the sat-com system? It's real, then?
Thought it was a tale made up to scare old pirates."
    Two of his men uttered gargling laughs
at his witticism.
    "And what are you doing standing on the
side of the table with law and order, you young quarker?" Mobius
added. "Shouldn't you be taking flight as well, if these tales are
real?"
    "Nay, I'm here to stay," Stone said,
smiling faintly. "I'm cruising in sunlight these days, not dark of
the moons. And the sat-com network is real, Tar. If you're not out
of here before starfall, the ISF will have a lock on your ship's
signature before you know what hit you. You saved me once, so now
I'm offering to do the same for you."
    The other male shook his head
chidingly. "You on the side of the ISF, Masterson? Never thought
I'd live to see this day. Be a quarking female, I bet.
Cunt-dazzled, boy?"
    Stone straightened, his smile gone.
"Time to leave, Tar," he repeated. "And stay gone, if you know
what's good for you. There's no room for you here, not
anymore."
    "Who'll make me?"
    Stone sighed. This was not going to go
well.
    "Thought you'd never ask," Jark roared
cheerfully. "Us!"
    He cannoned forward as Mobius' crew
surged to their feet. The tables on the other side of the room
emptied as well, a collective roar of battle erupting. Seemed
Mobius was not well-liked by the lawful workers here.
    A laser charge streaked through the air
and hit the holo-vid Chaz Jaguari in his groin. He disappeared with
a crackle of static, but reappeared seconds later, insouciantly
shaking his ass toward his galactic audience.
    "Hey," shrieked the sturdy blonde
behind the bar, a laser weapon appearing in her hands. "No shooting
in my lodge!"
    One of the Mauritians raised a weapon,
but before Stone could react, the bar owner shot the pirate in the
back. He fell like a downed tarma-pine, smashing one of her
tables.
    Four of the Mauritians came at Stone,
only to be clotheslined on Jark's huge arms and then stomped for
good measure. Only two got up again. Jark took them both on at once
with a grin of savage glee.
    The rest of the room's inhabitants met
in the center. The hunters leapt to their feet, but instead of
diving for cover, they joined the fray. The woman high-kicked a
knife-wielding Mauritian, stopping him in his tracks, whirled so
fast she was a blur and kicked him again. He plummeted to the
floor. With a grin of fierce delight, she went after the two who
were engaging her companions, both of whom looked equally pleased
to fight.
    Stone and Mobius did not take their
eyes off of each other. As soon as the fighting erupted, Stone saw
a flash of movement under the Mauritian's table. Without
hesitation, he fired his laser from the hip. It struck the
off-worlder in the shoulder, sending him tumbling
backward.
    A laser charge seared by Stone's