The man looked away from the Baronet for a moment as if pondering, then stared him straight in the eyes, and asked “Well, how much are you offering?”

The joke had fallen flat. The Baronet sighed. Even the servants were dreadfully mercenary here.

“You must understand,” The Baronet said, “when I said I wanted to kill Jolee, I wasn’t being serious.”

“You mean you don’t want me to kill him,” said the tall, thin man, his voice a mixture of confusion and disappointment.

“Yes, exactly,” the Baronet replied.

The Baronet had lived on many worlds, always hiring local servants. He had learned much from these experiences, including the meaning of the Coalitioner phrase “into that,” described as a prerequisite for a personal servant in that country. In between guarding him and overseeing his estate, the woman had attempted, on more than one occasion, to seduce him.

But this was the first time a servant had simply offered murder.
There could be no place safe on this damnable oceanic platform.