Lumwak's duty shift at Siruss's "shop" was not due to begin for over an hour, and he was permitting himself a much-needed break. The pay was good, excellent in fact, but Lumwak could not help but notice the high attrition rate of the crime lord's "staff."

Lumwak considered himself a bit of a philosopher—something unusual among the Kodhar'Khans. And after three years of working for Igon here in Big Market, he had formed a philosophy about it. He leaned back in the café seat, sipping something sludgy and potent and wonderful while his enormous gun—which ensured his privacy; few wanted to chitchat with someone who had his weapon out and obvious—lay on the table within easy reach and examined his thoughts as he watched the tourists bustle and buy.

There were three kinds of people who came to Big Market per Lumwak's philosophy. One was the original, intended customer base: tourists, with too much money and too much room in their homes, who wanted the delight of visiting a thousand worlds w