"You know the Code," Gordus explained. "The Challenge wasn't withdrawn. You struck the field. A coward may be killed by any weapon."
"You are too modest," Hammen told him.
Gordus smiled and fed the gun to a compartment of his utility chair. "I only wanted to prove a point. I can kill you anytime, anywhere. No one can beat me. Can they? Can they, Hammen?"
The sweat stung Hammen's palms so hard he could almost taste the salt in it with his fingers.
"I'll do it."
"Gratitude is a part of honor. Yes. The Code. You do believe in that. But you haven't asked me yet who your human Companion on the jump will be."
"Who?" Hammen asked.
"As you yourself pointed, I still come under the Code myself."