Katya's World by Jonathan L. Howard - Sample Chapters

of examining it, but Katya knew that he had already lost. If her uncle wanted to keep his master’s license, his boat and his liberty, he really had no choice but to obey. Finally, he folded up the paper and gave it back.

“Academic, anyway. We don’t have sufficient space for two passengers.”

That took the officer aback, the first time his careful façade of authority had wavered. Katya reckoned he probably spent hours in front of the mirror, practising being cool and official.

“Your boat’s rated for two crew and four passengers.”

Lukyan smiled. “Half the passenger space has been given over to cargo and we’re carrying three crew today. It’s all in our itinerary and manifest. Nice and legal.”

“You don’t need three crew for a bucket like that.”

Lukyan’s smile faded quickly. The officer didn’t notice; he was pointing at Katya. “What does she do?”

Without being asked, Katya snapped out her card and held it out to him, open. “I’m the navigator.”

“You?” The Fed didn’t even try to conceal his disgust. “You’re just a kid.”

“Not in the eyes of the law.” They all turned to look at the prisoner in surprise. He was somewhere in his late thirties, thin rather than lean, with dishevelled light brown hair worn at collar length. He was wearing loose clothing, a baggy shirt, a long jacket of some light material. Katya had never seen anybody dressed like that, couldn’t even remember ever seeing clothes like that. They were soiled and dirty; he had plainly been in a fight recently. One lapel and shoulder