Chapter 13
My beam saber was already out, and I brought it up, blocking the first few bolts that came down the alley, though they spun off in uncontrolled directions. Luckily, they did not land anywhere towards Violet.
One shot deflected so sharply that I singed the toe of my boot. Another slipped past my guard, grazing my elbow and putting a hole in my clothes. Melgara was not going to be happy that I was going to need more healing; hopefully, she could patch me up before Lily saw.
More and more bolts were deflected before they reached me as Violet clashed with our opponents. Fewer managed to get around her, and fewer were flying free.
Their present concern was that Violet was doing her best to bury her beam saber in their chests.
Though I was surprised when, even with the opportunity to end one of them, she pulled back her saber at the last second, flicking her wrist and slicing him across the forearm so that he could no longer hold the gun.
She then twisted, sweeping their legs, and one by one, she denied each of them a stable footing, landing them flat on their backs or clutching arms and legs, unable to continue the fight.
As quickly as it had started, Violet ended the fight.
Yet for her having sprinted the entire length of the alley while I stood at the other end, somehow she came out looking better than I did.
A small twinge of pride stung before I stuffed it down.
It didn't matter. What mattered was that we were both unhurt, at least relatively.
I tested my elbow. Yep, that was a nasty burn. At least my toes were fine.
"What are we going to do with them?" I asked, stepping up behind Violet and switching off my beam saber, though keeping it firmly in hand, my thumb feathering the ignition the entire time.
For as much as she’d run rough-shod over them, they were only groaning and rolling around. Very easily one of them could pop up and take another shot at us.
Violet shrugged, her saber already off and reattached to her hip. "You all got off lucky today." She crossed her arms. "I'm in a hurry, and I don't have time to deal with you. If I catch you doing something like this again, to me or mine, I won't be as patient."
Wait, was she just going to scold them?
"Should we call the authorities?" I blinked.
Violet shrugged. "It's not like they're actually very dangerous," she said.
I begged to differ, but I supposed danger was a very relative measurement. Perhaps Violet was right, and these were just scamps looking for trouble.
"Besides, everyone deserves a second chance." Violet crossed her arms. "You won't come at me again, will you?"
They all wisely bobbed their heads in agreement. "See?" she said.
I wasn't certain I agreed with her assessment, but it wasn't as if I had another solution, nor any authorities to call. Part of me wanted to believe in the good within people, but I had a hard time after they’d taken shots at us.
"No, we'll leave," one of them said quickly, looking around at the others, who all bobbed their heads, happy to agree they would never have to see us again.
Before I could say anything else, they were scrambling to their feet, clutching their arms and hurrying away as fast as they could.
Those struggling to stand were helped up and dragged away.
I frowned at Violet, but she stared back at me.
"What would you have me do? Kill everyone who looks like they don't belong in the wealthy district? Violence solves very little." She crossed her arms.
I didn't entirely disagree, but it felt like people like these would mistake mercy for weakness. I wasn't certain we wanted to let them go, only to have them return with new sources of trouble.
"Anyway," I said, shifting and glancing down the alley the way we had been heading, "what surprised you enough that you darted down a dark alley in the first place?"
"Right." She blinked and hurried forward until we emerged before a massive quarry, or at least part of one.
The whole place was locked down. It looked more like an internment camp than a place of work.
Conveyors poured rocks onto waiting trucks outside the walls, but there was no sign of workers.
I peered around the edge of the fencing, looking for anything beyond, and that's when I caught motion in the corner of my vision.
A camera pivoted our way, and a door slid open.
An android stepped out, heavily decorated with corporate logos. "You have trespassed on private property," it said, staring me down in a way that felt much like looking down the barrel of a gun.
"We were just looking about the area." I smiled, glanced back at Violet, and pulled her close. "We're in the market for a new house, actually. We were wondering what sort of industry was located in our prospective backyard."
The android tilted its head. "Mining. But do not worry. There are no remote demolitions. The place is entirely excavated by hand."
"That seems horribly inefficient and expensive," I said, staring at the volume of rock coming out.
The android only shrugged. "How we mine is our own decision, and most residents find non-explosive methods preferable. There is no foundation quaking, which is ideal considering the level of development in the area. Perez Corporation is committed to the ongoing development of Toussaint."
"Wait… Perez?" I said, the name snagging at me as I looked over the corporate logos saturating the android. "The gambling company also happens to do mining?"
"Perez is a large multi-industrial corporation. The gambling house is just one facet," it answered smoothly.
"Well, we've seen so much. I'm curious… How long has Perez been here?"
"Ten years, give or take." The android seemed happy to answer.
I glanced meaningfully at Violet. She said nothing.
"Ah, well, that would make sense," I said. "My friend here is from the area. Perez and many other things about Toussaint are new since she last visited."
"The city has undergone extensive overhaul over the years," the android said. "I am fortunate to have been able to watch it for the last five. It truly is a miracle what Perez has been able to accomplish with the reduced legislative burden."
I glanced at Violet to see if she would react to that, but instead, she stared past the android, frowning at the place where her master's home had once been.
"I think it might be best if we move on," I said, nudging Violet. It was like pushing against a brick wall for a moment before she gave way.
"Of course," she said, frowning. "It's just… this used to be a rather famous person's home."
The android tilted its head, and I could see the telltale signs of it switching between programming. "That is very interesting. Did you know the former occupant?"
Violet quickly shook her head. "No. Just of them."
"Ah." The android settled. "The Cowardly Saint of Toussaint." It turned back toward the work site, and beside me, Violet pressed her fingernails hard enough into her palms that they began to bleed.
"What did you call her?" she asked, clearly struggling with her emotions.
"The previous occupant. The Cowardly Saint. She was known in her time as a powerful and righteous woman. However, after her death, many truths were revealed to the public. The only tragedy is that she did not perish sooner." The android shook its head.
I latched a hand onto Violet's shoulder before she could move.
In all the time I had known her, she had been calm, timid even.
Through the rehab center, aboard the ship, even when thugs had come at us from behind, she was calm.
She had put herself at risk to subdue rather than kill.
But now, standing here while this android spoke poorly of her master, I was genuinely concerned she was about to lose her composure in a very dangerous way.
While she’d handled those thugs, the fact that this android came out to dissuade trespassers meant it probably had defensive capabilities we didn’t want to mess with.
"What was discovered?" Violet bit the words out like it pained her to ask.
"Sadly, massive embezzlement of city funds. All of her goodwill projects”—the android air-quoted with its fingers—"were designed to occupy the moral high ground so that opponents could not criticize them freely, all while she pocketed much of the money for personal gain.
And that fails to even delve into numerous accounts of the Cowardly Saint using her position to intimidate politicians and effectively escape the law. "
Violet's eyes were twitching. "Is that so?" she barely strangled out the words.
"It is indeed a sad state of affairs. There were so many people fooled by her honeyed words," the android continued, unaware of Violet’s anger.
"Violet." I put a hand on her shoulder. "We should go."
She turned back toward her master's estate, clearly unwilling to leave, but then she physically wrenched herself away. "I understand," she ground out, glaring at me as if it were my fault, and we moved away in silence.
The android saw us off before turning and returning to the shed it had come from.
I rubbed Violet’s back as we walked, supporting the young woman, who was so clearly crestfallen, like her soul had been crushed, wrung out, and torched.
"I cannot believe they would tarnish her legacy like this." Anger and despair warred in her tone, finally settling on an exhausted sigh, her ears flopping down atop her head like there wasn’t an ounce of energy left in them.
I gave her a sympathetic look. These were very likely the same people involved in killing her master, so it came as no surprise that they would do everything they could to discredit her in the same breath.
"Question," I said, glancing back over my shoulder to make sure we weren't being followed. "Did your master leave anything valuable at her estate?"
"There were probably many items of value," Violet said quickly. "She didn't get to be where she was without a decent collection of… well, many things."