The streets of Smudge, as usual, were teeming with the lowest life forms. I was pushed to a wall by the throng. I looked for an in, and that’s when I saw Firebird.

There are people you hear about and don’t believe half. Firebird was a legend. I always shrugged it off, thinking no one could be all that.

Firebird was a bounty hunter; the most successful. Of course, she hunted on Smudge. The most dangerous place for someone in that line of work. She hunted here, and she was always successful, and no one ever tried to interfere in her business. There are myths and pieces of truth, and I’ll go with whatever is current. Because whatever it was or why, it was.

She was wearing a black cloak, not a torn old dirty one, but something you could wear to the Opera. On her forehead was the amulet, a bird of glowing red. I didn’t look at it, I knew better, I focused on her face. Her wide grey eyes, her aquiline nose, her mouth in confident bemusement. She didn’t walk, she cut a swath. In front of her, crunched and craven, was her quarry. I knew it by his robotic steps.

She strode through the streets of Smudge as if she were alone on an empty boulevard. Smudgees scurried like rats to let her pass, keeping their heads low. She deigned not to notice but I could see it in her face, that pride, that power, and I followed her. Not close, but keeping her in sight as she went through the crowd, going to the Pier. No one strides like that on Smudge, people will kill you for a day old biscuit. People don’t expose their faces, but not Firebird. She strolled down that boulevard towards the Pier as if she were in a park on an extra secure mudball, strolling to tea, not cutting through the filth of a place that doesn’t even have a decent name.

When she made the turn and was going up the gang plank of Pier One she said in a voice like a bell; “What do you want?” and though I had her back, I knew she spoke to me.

“I know where there’s a Gennie with a Ten Mill reward on his head,” I call.

“How nice for you,” she said, “now get off my tail,” and she kept walking, her quarry in front of her.

I stopped, I couldn’t believe it.  She’s a Bounty Hunter.  And she’s turning down a Bounty of that size? What did I say wrong? I shook my head, it didn’t match. I continued up the plank to my ship, in to the galley to take the taste of the crap I’d eaten on Smudge out of my mouth.

When I’d done, I was on my way to my cabin when Gye was in my path, I couldn’t meet his eyes, so turned away, tried to get past. He stepped in front of me. I raised my head.

“Treachery becomes you,” he said, and walked around me.

I hadn’t blushed since puberty. I went to Donnie’s cabin, he wasn’t there, so I waited. I decided to take a shower. I should really go to my cabin, but didn’t. When I’d finished, pulled back on the same dirty things I’d taken off, there was my Captain.

I told him what Lenny had said, starting with the word ’spy’ and ending with “reward.”

“I knew that,” he said, stretching out on his sofa.

“You know?” I must have looked like an idiot, my wet hair slapping around my face as I brayed.

“Yeah. Which is why I told Gye not to leave the ship.” He’s talking in this dull voice as if everything he’s saying is so boring, he can bearly sit straight. And he goes; “Cilla, listen…”

“Oh don’t you start! Oh no! I’ve already heard it from Lenny! I don’t want to hear it from you.”

Offensively he said; “I once heard that Gennies are almost fatally attractive to normal fems. I guess it’s true. Because he doesn’t look at you, you’re willing to sell him just because you know there’s a price on him. You don’t care for what, and you’re not a licensed bounty hunter who can live without a conscience…”

“I saw her…” I interrupt.

“Huh?”

“Firebird. I saw her on Smudge.”

“She’s real?” he asked with that squinty eyed look. I nodded. “She’s all that?” he asked. I nodded, words unnecessary.

Gruffly now he charges; “And I’m sure you invited her to take Gye off our hands, huh?”

I got defensive; “What is with you? You act like he cares if you live or die, like he’s your friend or something!”

“He’s a member of my crew. And as long as he’s a member of my crew, I won’t…betray him.” The way he paused, the way he searched for words, I knew his link with Gye was a little more than just a name on a roster.

I flung a hand and stomped out, made it to my cabin where I changed my clothing, showered again to cool my temper. I don’t know, maybe I’m screwy. But a guy is put on a ship as a spy. He’s put there by our employer to spy on us. He’s got a fat price tag, enough to buy this ship, and there’s a bounty hunter in spitting distance …well, she’d get the bounty so scratch her…but! I can’t compute why Donnie wants Gye here, and is protecting him. Unless, it all ties back to Rhyse/Hawking.