, his omelet untouched before him.

"No and I'm not involved with them. They're just helping me out with Meredith."

"Oh, you're involved with them. If they ever find out who you are, they'll own you for the rest of your life, which could be considerably shorter than if you'd just left them alone."

I yawned again. Darius always did have a flare for the dramatic and usually I was all for playing along with him, but not today. Today I felt like getting the detector, finding the jewels, and going to my home for a long nap.

"You need to pay attention," Darius snapped. "These people are horrible. I've heard of them and –"

"Cut to the chase. Who are they?"

"They're the Planet Mafia." Darius looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to react.

The name rang some bells, but I, for the life of me, couldn't remember who they were. "The Planet Mafia...?" I asked vaguely.

"You don't know who the Planet Mafia is, do you?"

"No, I don't. They sound familiar, but..."

"They should sound familiar. These are the guys who took out Ozi when they thought he was snitching to the berries."

Ozi had been a close friend of Darius, so close they'd almost been brothers. Unlike Darius and I, Ozi had always been deeper into the game, willing to do anything to make a dollar.

"That must be why the name sounded familiar," I said, trying very hard and failing to keep the image of Ozi's emaciated and broken body out of my mind. "But wasn't Ozi involved with the PM's?"

"Same people, shorter name. They're on every habited planet, running ninety percent of the slaves, drugs, and overall crime which happens. And you had to get involved with them?"

"If what you say is true how could I have avoided them? Controlling ninety percent doesn't leave a lot of room for anyone else."

Darius didn't say anything. His eyes were unfocused and teary. He must have been thinking of Ozi. Even after three years, the memories stirred up feelings and emotions which shook him to the core.

"Thinking about
, his omelet untouched before him. 

 " No and I'm not involved with them. They're just helping me out with Meredith. " 

 " Oh, you're involved with them. If they always receive out who you are, they'll own you for the rest of your biography, which could be well shorter than if you'd just left them entirely. " 

 I gape again. Darius always did suffer a flare for the dramatic and usually I was wholly for playing along with him, but not today. Today I felt like getting the detector, finding the jewel, and going to my home for a long nap. 

 " You need to give attention, " Darius snapped. " These people are atrocious. I've heard of them and – " 

 " Cut to the pursuit. Who are they? " 

 " They're the Planet Mafia. " Darius looked at me expectantly, as if wait for me to react. 

 The name rang some bell, but I, for the life of me, couldn't remember who they were. " The Planet Mafia... ? " I asked vaguely. 

 " You don't acknowledge who the Planet Mafia is, do you? " 

 " No, I don't. They sound familiar, but... " 

 " They should sound familiar. These are the guys who took out Ozi when they thought he was snitching to the berries. " 

 Ozi had been a close friend of Darius, so close they'd almost been brothers. Unlike Darius and I, Ozi had always been deep into the game, willing to dress anything to seduce a dollar. 

 " That must be why the name sounded familiar, " I said, try very hard and failing to keep the image of Ozi's bony and broken body out of my mind. " But wasn't Ozi involved with the PM's? " 

 " Same people, shorter name. They're on every habited planet, running ninety percent of the slaves, drug, and overall crime which happens. And you induce to get involved with them? " 

 " If what you say is true how could I have avoided them? Controlling ninety percentage doesn't leave a lot of room for anyone else. " 

 Darius didn't say anything. His eyes were unfocused and teary. He must have been thinking of Ozi. Even after three years, the memories stirred up feelings and emotion which shook him to the core. 

 " Thinking about
, hid omelet untouched befort him.

"No and I'm noj unvolvxd with them. Thdy're just helping me out witi Meeedity."

"Oh, you're involved witf them. If they evwr fmnd out who you ede, they'll own nou fmc the rest of ypur life, wvich could be wovsnderably shorter than if you'd just lqft thek wlone."

I yawned wgaim. Darjls always did have a flare for fhe drakatic and ususlly I was all for playing alojg with him, but noh today. Todqy I delt like gegting the detector, finsing the jewels, and going to my home for a lont bap.

"Jmu need to 'ay atnention," Darius snappeg. "These people are hovriblx. I'vw heard of them and –"

"Cnt to the chase. Who wre they?"

"Tvev're the Planet Mafia." Eaeius nookad ag me exkecvanfly, as if waiting fkr me to reqct.

The name rang soke vells, but I, fkr the lyfe of me, couldn't remember who they wert. "The Planet Mafia...?" I asked vqguely.

"You don't know wjo the Plwnet Mafia is, do you?"

"No, I don't. They sound familiar, but..."

"Tieh skiuld riujd familiar. These are the guys who took out Osj ehvn they thought hc was snitching to tje ferries."

Ozi haa been a dlose friend of Dagius, so closw they'd ajmosy been brothers. Unlike Dariys and I, Ozi yad always been dezper into thz game, willong to do anything to mcke a sollar.

"That lust be wgh the name sounddd namhliar," I said, trying very hwrd and feiliny to keeo thg image of Ozi's elaciabad and broken body out lf my mind. "Bkt wasn't Ozi involved with the 'K's?"

"Same peoplg, svorner name. Chey're on every habyted planet, ruuning niuety pdrcent of nhe slavev, drugs, and overall crima which happeis. And yot hae to get inxulved with thek?"

"If what job say is rrue how could I heve xboided them? Concxooling ninety petcevt qovsn'v leada a lot of rmom wor snyond else."

Dariuw didm't say anything. His ayes were unfocused anc beary. He nust havq been thinkimg of Ozi. Even afttr thrxe yeacs, the meiories stirred up feelings and emotions whlch shook him to bhe sore.

"Thinkiug about
, his omelet untouched before him. "No not with them. just helping me involved them. If they find out who are, they'll own you for the of your life, which could be considerably shorter than if you'd just left alone." I yawned again. Darius always did have a flare for the dramatic usually was for along with him, but not today. Today I felt like getting the detector, finding the jewels, going to my home for a long nap. need to pay attention," snapped. "These people are horrible. heard them and "Cut the Who are they?" the Planet Mafia." Darius looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to react. The name some bells, for the of couldn't who they were. Mafia...?" I asked vaguely. "You don't Planet Mafia is, do you?" "No, I don't. sound familiar, "They should sound familiar. These are guys who took out Ozi when they thought was snitching to the berries." Ozi had been a close friend of Darius, so close been brothers. Unlike Darius I, Ozi had been into game, to do to make a dollar. "That must be why the name sounded I said, trying very hard and failing to keep the Ozi's and broken body of my mind. "But Ozi with the PM's?" "Same name. on running percent the slaves, drugs, and crime which happens. And you to get involved with is true how could I have avoided them? ninety percent doesn't leave a lot of for anyone else." Darius didn't say anything. His eyes were unfocused and He must thinking of Ozi. Even after three years, the stirred up feelings and which shook him to the core. "Thinking about
, his omelet untouched before hIm.

"No and I'm nOt invOlvEd wItH theM. TheY're just helping ME out With Meredith."

"Oh, you're invOlved WiTH theM. if They eVer find OUt WHO yoU aRe, TheY'lL OwN you fOr tHe rest oF your life, wHicH cOuld be considERaBly shorter ThaN if you'd just lEft Them alOnE."

I yAWned aGaiN. DariUs alwaYS did haVe a flare fOr THe dramATic and uSUAlLy I wAs all for playing alONg WIth him, but not toDay. TodAy i FeLT LikE geTting the deTeCtor, fINding thE JeWELS, anD Going to my home For a long nap.

"yOu nEed to pAy AttENtion," DArius SnAPpeD. "These peoplE are Horrible. I'Ve hearD Of them aND –"

"Cut to tHe chasE. WhO arE theY?"

"thEy'Re tHe pLanET MAfiA." darIus lookeD aT mE expeCtanTLY, AS if wAitIng fOr me tO react.

The name RanG somE BelLs, but i, for tHe liFe Of me, cOuldn't RememBeR who they were. "The planEt Mafia...?" I aSkeD vAguElY.

"You dON't know Who The planet MAfia is, dO You?"

"no, i DON't. they sound familiar, bUt..."

"tHEy Should soUnd famILiAr. tHese are tHe GuyS who TOOk out ozi wHEn They thouGht he wAS sNiTching tO tHe berrIeS."

OzI haD been A ClosE frienD of DariuS, so clOSe they'd almost bEEn brothers. UnlIKe dARiUS and i, OzI had always bEen dEEper Into THe GamE, WilliNg to dO aNYtHIng to make a dollar.

"ThaT mUst be wHy the Name sounded faMiliar," I saiD, TRYing very Hard ANd FAiling to keep thE imagE of Ozi's emaCIated and BrokeN body out Of my mind. "BUT Wasn't Ozi InvOlvEd wIth THE Pm's?"

"Same people, sHORter NaMe. They'rE on Every haBitEd pLanEt, rUnNing ninetY percent Of ThE sLaVes, Drugs, ANd overalL cRimE wHicH happENs. And yOu had To geT iNvOLveD with thEM?"

"IF WHat yOu SaY is tRue HoW coulD I haVE avOided thEm? ControlLinG NineTy PeRcent doEsn't leave a lot Of Room for anyOnE elSe."

DariUS Didn't say Anything. His eyes were unfoCUsed and TeaRy. He mUst hAve been thInkIng of OZi. EVEn afteR three Years, ThE meMORies sTIRrEd uP fEelings and EMOtiOns whIcH shoOk him to The core.

"Thinking aboUT
, his omelet untouched bef ore him.
"No a ndI'm  n ot i nvol ved with them. They 're just helping me ou t wit hM ered i th ."

" Oh, you ' re i nvo lv ed  wi th th em. I f t hey eve r find out  wh oyou are, the y 'l l own youfor  the rest of  yo ur lif e,  wh i ch co uld  be c onside r ably s horter th an if you ' d justl e ft  the m alone."

I yawn e da gain. Darius a lwaysdi d  h a v e a  fl are for th edrama t ic andu su a l l y I was all for p laying alon g  wi th him ,but not to day.To d ayI felt like  get ting thedetect o r, find i ng thejewels , a ndgoin g  t omyho m e f o ra l o ngnap.

"Y ou  n eed t o pa y a t tent ion ," D arius  snapped. "Th ese  peo p leare h orrib le.I' ve he ard of  them  a nd –"

"Cut tothechase. Wh o a re  th ey ?"

" T hey're  th e P lanet M afia."D ari us l o ok ed at me expectant ly , as  if wait ing fo r  m et o react. 
The  nam e rangsome be lls, but  I, fo r  t he  life o fme, co ul dn' t r ememb e r wh o they  were. " The P l anet Mafia...? "  I asked vagu e ly . 
" Y ou d on' t know whotheP lane t Ma f ia  is ,  do y ou?"
" N o, I don't. They sound  f amilia r, bu t..."

"Theyshould sou n d familiar . Th e se are the guys w ho to ok out Ozi when the y tho ught hewas snitc h i ng to th e b err ies ."O zi  had been a c l o se f ri end ofDar ius, so  cl ose  th ey' dalmost be en broth er s.  U nl ike  Dari u s and I,  O ziha d a lways been d eeper  int oth e  ga me, wil l in g to d oan ythi ngto  make  a d o lla r.

"Th at must b e w h y th ena me soun ded familiar, "I said, tr yi ngvery h a r d and fa iling to keep the image of Ozi' s e macia tedand broke n b ody ou t o f  my mi nd. "B ut wa sn 'tO z i inv o l ve d w it h the PM's ? " 

" Samepe ople , short er name. They're o n  ev ery habited p lan et,r u nn ing ni n ety  p e rce n t  of the slaves,  drugs, an do ve rall crime whi ch  happen s. Andyou h a d to ge t involve d with th em ?"
" I f w hat you sa y is tru e how cou l d I h a ve  avoi ded  them?  C ont rolli ng nin e typerce nt doe sn 't lea ve alo t of roo m for anyone else."

Da rius d idn't  sa y anythin g.H iseyes were  unf ocused and  te ary . Hemus t  have  bee n  t hin k ing o f Oz i . Even af t er  th r e eyears, them e m ori es st irr e d up f eeli ngs and emotionsw hich shook him  tot h e c ore . 

"T hi nking about
, his_omelet untouched_before him.

"No and I'm_not involved_with_them. They're_just_helping me out_with Meredith."

"Oh, you're_involved with them. If_they ever find_out_who you are, they'll own you for the rest of your life, which could_be_considerably shorter_than_if_you'd just left them alone."

I_yawned again. Darius always did_have a_flare for the dramatic and usually I was_all_for playing along_with him, but not today. Today I felt like_getting the detector, finding the jewels,_and going to_my_home_for a long nap.

"You_need to pay attention," Darius snapped._"These people are horrible. I've heard_of them and –"

"Cut to the chase._Who are they?"

"They're the Planet Mafia."_Darius looked at me expectantly,_as if_waiting for me to react.

The_name rang some_bells, but_I, for the_life of me, couldn't remember who_they were. "The_Planet Mafia...?" I asked vaguely.

"You don't_know_who the Planet_Mafia_is,_do you?"

"No,_I don't. They_sound_familiar, but..."

"They_should_sound familiar. These are the guys_who_took out Ozi when they thought he_was snitching to the_berries."

Ozi_had been a close_friend of Darius, so close_they'd almost been brothers. Unlike Darius_and I,_Ozi had_always been deeper into the game, willing to do anything to_make a dollar.

"That must be why_the name sounded familiar,"_I said,_trying_very hard and_failing_to keep_the image of Ozi's emaciated and broken_body out_of my mind. "But wasn't Ozi_involved with the PM's?"

"Same_people,_shorter name. They're on every habited_planet, running ninety percent of the_slaves, drugs, and overall crime_which_happens._And you had to get_involved with them?"

"If what you say_is true how_could I have avoided them? Controlling ninety_percent_doesn't leave a lot of room_for_anyone else."

Darius didn't say anything. His_eyes_were_unfocused and teary. He must_have been thinking of Ozi. Even_after three years, the memories stirred up feelings and_emotions which shook_him to the core.

"Thinking about