me. Here. This

me. Here. This is the gem.” She produced a black opal.
The man accepted it warily. “Who are you?”
“Never you mind. I just remember you when you were a pompous little boy. Haven’t changed much. Now you split the flesh cut between them. Off their buttocks. They can all afford to lose the thirty grains. Cap, give them an anesthetic,” she said, queenly and commanding.
“I have been ordered to take it from their chests, madam.” The word was a careful insult. “Inside their chests.”
She shrugged. “Your orders don’t permit you to interfere with innocent parties. They’ve confessed. Therefore the rest of us, Shael and Cap and I, are walking up to you now, innocent and untouchable. We’ll watch you exact the fine. If you don’t do it to my satisfaction, I’m going to rip you open from neck to ball bag, not that that’s ever been any use to you. Shael’ll do the same to another of you. Cap, how many do you think you can kill? Remember they’re law officers. Can’t touch us unless we break their law. They have to work within the local law too. Killing people is not against the law here, is it?”
Shael