"Case Damon. Well, I'll be! I told Yuna to warn those guards, but I didn't really think you'd make it."
"I didn't, did I?" Case said bitterly.
"What is it?" A voice said from behind Engels. "What is going on?"
That was in Earth English, but with a heavy accent. The voice belonged to an orange skinned man who came through as the guards parted. This was someone of importance, Case realized. His metallic suit gleamed with the lustre of spun gold, and it filled his big body as though it had been moulded to it.
"Meet Case Damon," Engels said with mock ceremony. "Damon, this is Yuna, ruler of Kanato and soon to be half ruler of the Earth."
Haughty yellow eyes flashed at Engels and stilled his tongue. Then the eyes swung back to Case and gave him a thorough scrutiny.
"So this is the one of whom we were warned," Yuna said. "I can see why the Earthlings do not surrender so quickly."
"They'll surrender all right," Engels snarled.
Case saw an opening and lashed out with his foot. The kick caught Engels low in the belly and drew a yell of pain. A fist thudded against Case's jaw.
"You rat," Case said through drawn lips. "You'd sell out your own mother."