Free In Search of Spice by Rex Sumner

to drop his beer.
    They all started talking at once, showing off their blisters and describing their day while Mot curled herself protectively over Pat’s feet. Selwyn came in, shortly followed by Mikkel and Connor. They formed a large group and soon went over to a long table. Food flowed out of the kitchen. When Selwyn started to sing, Sal objected and threw the men off the table to go and make a noise at the other end of the bar while the girls sat and talked.
    More people came into the bar, and soon it was full. The girls were at one end of the table while another group were occupying the other half. They were deep in discussion about how to wash hair in seawater without ruining it, when Mikkel wandered over. Sal eyed him suspiciously, fearing he was drunk, but he smiled and stood behind Sara and listened to the conversation.
    There was a crash from the far end of the bar, and the girls looked over to see Dan swarming off the floor in furious anger at a laughing stranger, while the others started to pull him back, looking very unhappy with the stranger.
    Sal began to stand up when Mikkel whirled and his fist crashed into the face of a man at the table behind them with solid power. The man’s eyes rolled up and he fell to the floor, out cold. As he landed, his arm flung forward, dropping a dagger onto the ground. Mikkel swerved to avoid the stab of the man’s companion, deflected the blow and started to swing at him. The man put up his arm to deflect the punch and his eyes went wide with surprise as a long arm came under Mikkel’s and Sara’s knife slid between his ribs.
    Mikkel dropped his hands and caught the man, lowering him gently to the floor as his eyes glazed over. He nodded approval at Sara and stood up, bellowing above the noise of the impending fight down the bar.
    “CARLSON! GRAB THAT MAN! ATTEMPTED MURDER HERE, HE’S THE DIVERSION!”
    The laughing stranger stopped laughing, looked over at Mikkel, frowned and pulled a knife from his belt long enough to be a short sword. The boys around him pulled back while the bouncers, Carlson and his equally huge assistant, slammed the doors shut and barred them, then advanced on Rafe.
    Rafe looked at Mikkel again, and dropped his eyes to see the pool of blood around Paul, pivoted, put his arm over his eyes and jumped at the window. And bounced back, the glass cracked but unbroken and the wooden frame still holding. Carlson picked up the stunned man, broke his wrist carefully to dislodge the knife and threw him against the bar.
    Carlson looked round. “Did he have any friends?” his voice was high and squeaky, and would have been funny if he was not so menacing.
    “He sure does,” said Dan, and grabbed a couple of toughs who looked stunned and came forward at his pull.
    Sara looked at Mikkel and whispered, “You knew this would happen?”
    He grunted. “Saw the way they acted. Heard about him before, political killer. Nasty bit of work.”
    “Mikkel doesn’t miss much,” said Sal matter of factly.
    “I see,” said Sara. “I need to get back to the ship. I can’t be questioned.”
    “I understand,” said Mikkel, so only Sara could hear him. “I know who you are, saw you last year. I’ll square it with Carlson. Give me your knife, it’s mine now. Got another one? Fine. Get the boys together and take them back to the ship. Go with them Sal, take Selwyn. And Sal, leave that boy alone.”
    Sal glared at him. “I’ll see them back to the ship, no worries. What are you going to do with this shit?” She kicked the unconscious Lance.
    “Watch him. I need to talk to Carlson.” He turned and was off.
    “Just what is going on?” Terri’s voice was high and frightened, Linda’s eyes were huge.
    Sara glanced at her. “Old feud from my mercenary days,” she said. “Why I didn’t really want to come out tonight. I am sorry you were involved.”
    “Is that man dead? I’ve never seen a dead man so close.”
    “Where the hell are you from, sister?” Sal