To the world at large you're a hat-tipping fixer, providing the nobil- ity with what they need, sometimes before they even know they need it. You're keeping track though and each indignity will cost them, big. You're a mastermind and your crew — the well-regard- ed Nine Eyes — operates smoothly thanks to you always planning five steps ahead. Your parents were loyal, obedient sorts who raised you well They taught you to anticipate the needs of your betters, and those lessons gave you an edge over most skaa in the eyes of the nobility. Nevertheless, when a terrible sickness swept through the city in your youth, your parents and brother were left to die. Everything changed, and you be- came your own man, family first and curse the Lord Ruler. Now you have a thriving public business, a wife, two strong boys, and everything is going great. Your fam- ily doesn’t know about your criminal activities but you sometimes catch your beloved looking at you with just a hint of suspicion, and you worry about what she'll do if she finds out the truth Among your crewmates, Thorrow is a worry. You've got a gut feeling that it’s only a matter of time before he loses it, and you've taken precautions to distance yourself and the crew if that should happen. Still, you can‘t help caring and you hope that it doesn’t come to that. Sev's drinking is getting out of hand, but confronting him means getting past his sister, which is difficult to consider once she starts fluttering those perfect lashes. Wait, you're married, aren't you? Damosi and Gavon remind you so much of your sons. Da- mosi always follows his own agenda like your oldest, and Gavon, like your youngest, he’s got no agenda at all, The combination could be trouble, but really, how could you turn them away? JeHoy... Normally you'd be a lot less keen to keep one of ‘those things” around, but this one’s proved more level-headed and conscious of the crew's needs than many so-called “professionals” you've had at your side. Take Sev, for example. Permision granted t photocopy forperonal use ony,