somewhat sharply, Mandi asked, "If it wasn't a pass, what was
it?"
"At most, a compliment. Ready to move on?"
Glancing around, Mandi said, "I guess so."
They were less than halfway down the aisle before she asked, "Are you sure
it wasn't a pass?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," said Cade, reaching for a book past a tall woman in
Klingon garb who was studying a figurine display.
Possibly because he'd spoken, she chose just that moment to turn and her
rather massive, plastic-armored left breast collided with the side of Cade's
face with an audible 'thunk'.
Apparently assuming no responsibility whatsoever for the collision, she
stiffened and straightened, glaring at Cade. Mandi snickered, but otherwise kept
silent.
"You wanna watch where you stick your goddamned nose?" bellowed the Klingon
woman, sounding as if she might actually be from Brooklyn.
"You wanna watch where you point those things?" returned Cade. "They're
dangerous."
A large hand clapped solidly onto Cade's shoulder and clamped down.
Cade turned to see a guy a head taller than himself, also wearing Klingon
gear, who said, "That's my girlfriend, dude."
"Hands off," said Cade. "She bumped into me, that's all. No damage, no
problem."
"I'll decide if there's a problem," said the guy, his grip on Cade's
shoulder intensifying a bit.
Reaching up quickly, Cade drove his thumb into the inside of the
faux-Klingon's bicep just above the elbow and snapped the area solidly back and
forth. The guy hissed and yanked his arm away as if he'd been shocked.
Stepping toward the Klingon to let some people get past, Cade said, "Okay,
then. You decide. Is there a problem?"
The Klingon wannabe rubbed his arm and glared at Cade as if thinking about
the question.
A fortyish blonde booth attendant rapped the pommel of one of the daggers
from her display on her table and said, "Don't make me call security, boys."
Pushing ungently past Cade, the female Klingon went to stand by her
boyfriend and tugged his undamaged arm. After another moment of glaring, he
turned to accompany her.
As Cade turned to go with Mandi, the booth attendant held up the dagger in
her hand and said, "Hey. I'll give you this dagger if you can teach me that
trick."
Cade eyed the dagger. It had a wire-wrapped black handle, a fancy brass
crossguard, and a stainless, stiletto-style, double-edged blade about seven
inches long.
"