Services Rendered

This short story was originally published in the anthology Beyond the Stars: A Planet Too Far

Li’hanna, a member of the prized and elusive Kotkaa race, is prepared to do anything to keep the secrets of her clan out of the hands of the evil imperial fleet.

Captured by one of the imperial hybrids and his human associate, she’s smuggled aboard a transport ship that belongs to the vengeful Jeren Skalos. When she manages to break free, she finds herself assisting the human crew to outwit the enemy—instead of running for her life.

What starts as a desperate escape attempt engenders something else—a partnership that could be the beginning of a rebellion against the empire.