"Look, I already have a very generous offer from the Tharsis Reformation," Prak'kesh countered.

Spider harrumphed. "And what would the Vex want with your meager operation?"

Prak'kesh dismissed the slight with a laconic shrug. "They figured the odds were set by some divine mathematical calculation. Like telemetries or something. Never occurred to them that spreads were just made up by schmucks like me. They want to set the lines."

Spider leaned back on his throne to consider. The sounds of lively music and conversation drifted into the back room from the front of the bar. Prak'kesh and his Awoken bodyguard, Tulnik, sipped Ether Fizzes patiently.

"Seems like a fifth arm to me," Spider finally opined. "Betting is just a small part of my operation. Hardly worth mentioning."

"Revenue wise, maybe," Prak'kesh fired back. "But there ain't a lot of other ways to put Lightbearers in your pocket, are there? Hell, I got Dredgens that would ace a whole scav crew to get off my books. The leverage is part of the vig."

Spider chuckled. For a small-time operator, the Human was savvy, he mused quietly. Perhaps he should have expected more from an ex-Guardian.

"One-point-two in Glimmer and I'll throw in the land at the edge of the Farm—not the spot in town." Spider tapped on his datapad. "Lot… 3237. Final offer."

Tulnik leaned over and whispered in Prak'kesh's ear. The bookie nodded.

"And one of those new SRL Skimmers," Prak'kesh added. "The ones with the articulating stabilizer fins."

"Deal," Spider said. "Just give us a week to… acquire it."

"Soon as I see the deed and the Glim in my account, I'll transfer the books."

"Enjoy retirement while it lasts," Spider snarked. "I'll bet you're both back in the game by this time next year."

"You're on," Prak'kesh quipped as they exited Spider's domain, hopefully for the last time.