Cait grinned. The judge had done her homework, and it was always so much easier working with people who did.
“Indeed, your honor, but in this case it wasn’t the client that was the problem. Very often, the company refused to pay me for my services. Not all the time, but often enough that I wanted my own proof-of-delivery system. In fact, I also have financial counter-charges against Rhenn Logistics for non-payment.”
“Excellent,” the judge smiled for the first time. “Please send them over to the court system.”
“No!” Kian surged to his feet, screaming at the judge. His face was red and purple. “You can’t do this! She’s a liar. She’s always been a liar. This is ridiculous! It’s a setup, and you’re all in on it!”
The judge looked at him, her expression set, but the eyebrows of the administrator on her left shot up to his hairline.
“Mr. Rhenn, thank you for making this much easier for us all. With the evidence in front of me and your wild accusations as to this court’s integrity, I find you guilty of sabotage with intent to cause death. You will be placed under arrest and held in custody until your sentencing. Guards, take him away.”
“No, can’t do this!” Kian screamed as the guards surrounded him, twisting around to look behind him.
“Father!” he screamed as they locked restraints around his wrists. “Do something! This is ridiculous! She’s lying! She’s always been jealous, you know that!”
Their father stood and looked down on him, disgust on his face. “You have disgraced our family name. You are no son of mine. In fact, if I have my way, you will no longer be a Rhenn. I will apply to the court to have you disowned.”
Kian thrashed against the restraints, face gray. “You can’t do this! I’m your son! Your heir!”
The guards dragged Kian toward the side door, his protests echoing off the stone walls until the door sealed shut behind him.
“Cait?” her father said in a low voice, finally looking at her.
“Your Honor, I have a last request,” she said, ignoring him. “If you would indulge me?”
“Of course, Mrs. S’Vre.”
“Could you register my formal request to be disowned as a Rhenn, legally?”
The judge smiled as she stood up.
“Mrs. S’Vre, in this case, it would be my absolute honor.”
Cait gathered her dataflex and stood. “Thank you, your Honor. It has been a pleasure dealing with you.”
And with that she walked out of the courtroom, Raaze on her heels, ready to start her new life.
19
Epilogue
Vaath leaned against the railing around the edge of the pitch and chugged water like it was going out of fashion. Since they’d gotten back from the Summer League, practice had been utterly brutal.
The Legion in his blood murmured happily to itself, but he ignored it. Its idea of a good time was the brutal and bloody violence that happened every day during practice… even if it meant him taping up his wounds every night.
Lifting his head, he watched a freighter begin its descent from orbit. He had to admit; it was good to have a purpose. Ferals weren’t usually allowed off the planet, not even to head onto the battlefield to act as shock troops for the Empire, so… yeah, if you’d told him even three months ago that Parac’Norr would have an official warball team, he’d have laughed in your face and called you a draanthing idiot.
The freighter dropped lower, cutting through the clouds. He squinted, then grinned as the sun glinted off the hull. It was a new paint job, but he recognized the lines of the ship.
“Hey, Raaze,” he called out over his shoulder. “Your female’s back.”
Behind him, the training session ground to an abrupt halt. He didn’t need to turn to figure out why. There was the ‘thud’ of the sphere hitting the dirt and the next second, Raaze sprinted across the field like a male possessed.
Vaath snorted and shook his head, watching their team captain sprint toward the landing pads. He made it there way before Cait finally put the H4-RPY down, practically dancing from foot to foot in his impatience.
The ramp dropped, and Raaze grabbed his little female before she took a step down it. Her laughter filled the air, and Vaath watched Raaze spin her around in his arms.
He rubbed at the center of his chest. A female had never once looked at him the way Cait looked at Raaze. He’d seen it back at the Summer League, the way she’d stood up for him, backed him up to prove that he’d been draanthed over.
