A tech from Resicor meets a bodyguard with sedating spikes. When she wakes up, she is on her way to the Citadel. Ainora has been spotted by the government of Resicor and identified as an active talent. Her ability to identify the repairs needed for any situation makes her a valuable tool and turns her into a slave for the government. Her family makes arrangements to get her off world, and when the rescue comes, he simply knocks her out and carries her away. Lyon has worked as a bodyguard for years but never has he run across a woman who not only recovers from the toxin on his spikes with incredible speed, but also manages to dodge his next volley with surprising instincts.