Space politics sends The Protector on a mission, the failure of which could result in mass destruction. When her mission is sabotaged, the man bred from birth to be a Protector must leave his lover in order to carry out his duty. However, before he leaves, he promises to meet the white-haired H’asean at Asphodel’s Pit, one of the most dangerous dives in all the known universes, sending him off with Protector’s Brachi friend.<br><br>Meanwhile, at Asphodel’s Pit, inhabitants of other planets are going about their business. Sloff runs the dive, along with his old friend Rinig sa Bre, who provides security. Both men are unaware all hell in on the verge of breaking loose, as a Protector is about to arrive, looking for his young sir.

I Will Meet You at Asphodel's Pit

“And The Protector really cut off her own hand?” Sloff looked as pale as a former spacer could, and Rinig reached over the bar and squeezed his shoulder.


Hssa nodded. “We found it—what was left of it—in the ship’s trash disposal. How she managed to get it in there is anybody’s guess.”


“They ask…asked…a lot of us in security,” Rinig remarked, “but I don’t know that I could do that.”


“You put yourself in front of a young sir, Rin. That cost you more than your looks.”


Skipper had been apologetic about it as he’d handed him his severance pay. He’d felt bad enough about the situation that he’d twisted the owners’ arms and got them to pay for Rinig’s care and the work on his face, but once the med techs had done all they could, Skipper had had to cut him loose. It seemed the young sirs on his ship and their young madams complained that the scars on Rinig’s face were…upsetting.


Chapter 9