She would do anything to survive, including getting herself damaged and off the companion list. A Hmrain finds her in an unlikely place for an unlikely partnership.

Athena made it to a pickup point, past the physical, and up to the education station. Her training was difficult, but when she found out she was a likely candidate for companionship to a Hmrain, she took drastic action.

Being disfigured was the one situation that the station would accept to lower her classification and position her in the bulk-purchase category. Her bond would be purchased as part of a group acquisition, and she would be able to earn out her price on some alien world before she swept out to travel the stars, working as she went.

With her goal in mind, she put herself in the path of the most toxic creature on the station, and she ticked it off. The resulting scar across her face did the job. She was out.

It was just her luck that when she was on her new planet, she was very good at her job. Her team comes to the attention of the Hmrain overseer, and her planning has come to naught.