Zam doesn’t recognize any of the location names he provides, but no matter; the galaxy’s a big place. More of interest to her is the man’s description of what he last remembers: being strapped to a table by some kind of cult. Zam has a vivid memory of the Bando Gora and of how she had rescued Jango from a similar fate. Ungrateful barve. She should have let that Vosa maniac play in his guts.

She refocuses on the present. The man’s story is enough for Zam to strongly suspect that he is indeed dead, even if he himself disagrees. Another point for the afterlife theory, then.

“The King in Yellow?” she repeats. “No. I haven’t.” Most of her association with royalty comes in the form of killing them—or being hired by them to kill others. Still, it’s an evocative title and one that has Zam eyeing the sopping yellow robe still clinging to the man’s shoulders. “He have something to do with why you’re dressed like that?”