The pilot stared at the readout in disbelief, upped the magnification, and checked the readings once more, cold dread in his heart.
"Commander. Pilot requests permission to speak."
"Permission granted," Khaliiz said.
"The vessel which we captured on our last pass through this system is moving under power, Commander. The scans read the life forces of two creatures."
"Pilot's report heard and acknowledged. Stand by for orders. Second!"
"Commander."
"It was reported to me that none were left alive aboard yon vessel, Second. Discover the man who lied and bring him to me at once."
His Second saluted. "At once, Commander." He turned and marched from the bridge.
Khaliiz eyed the screen, perceived the ship-bounty slipping through his fingers, and was displeased.
"Pursue."
Val Con cursed very softly, then snapped back to the board, slapped the page into its slot, and demanded data: coords, position, speed, and amount of power in the coils.
"Could we leave now?" asked a small voice to his left.
He turned his head. Miri was sitting rigidly in the copilot's chair, her eyes frozen on the screen and the growing shape of the Yxtrang vessel. Her freckles stood out vividly in a face the color of milk.
"We must wait until the power has reached sufficient level and the coordinates are locked into the board," he said, keeping his voice even. "We will leave in a few minutes."
"They'll be here in a few minutes." She bit her lip, hard, and managed to drag her eyes from the screen to his face. "Val Con, I'm afraid of Yxtrang."
Aware of the tightness of the muscles in his own face, he did not try to give her a smile. "I am also afraid of Yxtrang," he said gently. His eyes flicked to the board, then to the screen. "Strap in."
"What're you gonna do?" Miri was watching him closely, some of the color back in her face, but still stiff in every muscle.
"There is a game Terrans sometimes play," he murmured, dividing his attention between board and screen, fingers busy with his own straps, "called 'chicken' . . .Strap in, cha'trez."
He flipped a toggle. "I see you, Chrakec Yxtrang. Pass us by. We are unworthy to be your prey."
There was a transmission pause—or did it last a bit longer?—then a voice, harsh as broken glass, replied in Trade. "Unworthy? Thieves are always worthy game! That ship is ours, Liaden. We have won it once."
"Forgive us, Ckrakec Yxtrang, we are here by no fault of our own. We are not worthy of you. Pass by."
"Release my prize, Liaden, or I shall wrest it from you, and you will die."
Miri licked her lips, steadfastly refusing to look at the screen.
Val Con's face was smooth and calm, his voice nearly gentle. "If I release your prize, I shall die in any case. Pass by, Hunter. There is only I, who am recently wounded."
"My scans show two, Liaden."
Miri closed her eyes. Val Con, measuring board against screen, eased the speed of the ship higher, toward the halfway point.
"Only a woman, Ckrakec Yxtrang. What proof is that of your skill?"
There was a pause, during which Val Con slipped the speed up another notch and pressed the sequence that locked in the coords.
"Will it please you, when you are captured, Liaden, to watch me while I take my pleasure from your woman? Afterward, I shall blind you and give you as a toy to my crew."
"Alas, Ckrakec Yxtrang, these things would but cause me pain." Coils up! And the Yxtrang were finally near enough, beginning the boarding maneuver, matching velocity, and direction . . .
"It would give you pain!" the Yxtrang cried. "All things give Liadens pain! They are a soft race, born to be the prey of the strong. In time, there will be no more Liadens. The cities of Liad will house the children of Yxtrang."
"What then will you hunt, O Hunter?" He flipped a series of toggles, leaned back in the pilot's chair, and held a hand out to Miri.
Slowly the ship began to spin.
There was a roar of laughter from the Yxtrang, horrible to hear. "Very good, Liaden. Never shall it be said, after you are dead, that you were an unworthy rabbit. A good maneuver. But not good enough."
In the screen, the Yxtrang ship began to spin as well, matching velocity uncertainly.
Miri's hand was cold in his. He squeezed it, gave her a quick smile, and released her, returning to the board.
More spin; a touch more acceleration. The Yxtrang moved to match both. Val Con added again to the spin but left the speed steady.
"Enough, Liaden! What do you hope to win? The ship is ours, and we will act to keep it. Do you imagine I will grow tired of the game and leave? Do you not know that even now I might fire upon you and lay you open to the cold of space?"
"There is no bounty on ruined ships, Ckrakec Yxtrang, nor any glory in reporting that a Liaden outwitted you. But," he said, sighing deeply, "perhaps you are young and this your first hunt—"
There was a scream of rage over the comm, and the Yxtrang ship edged closer. Val Con added more spin. Ship's gravity was increasing—lifting his arm above the board the few inches required to manipulate the keys was an effort. His lungs were laboring a little for air. He glanced over at Miri. She grinned raggedly at him.
"How much faster will you spin, Liaden? Until the gravity crushes you?"
"If necessary. I am determined that you will collect no bounty on this ship, Chrakec Yxtrang. It has become a matter of honor." More spin. He paused with his hand on the throttle.
"Speak not to me of honor, animal! We have toyed long enough. We shall—"
Val Con shoved the velocity to the top, slammed on more spin, hesitated, counting, eyes on the board—
Jump!