A Musebox for Flying Squids

Novoc didn't even notice the clutter, though his gaze lingered sadly for a moment on the shrine. He stooped to take his boots off without prompting, lining them up next to his suitcase in the space by the door. It had occurred to him, as he did so, that Badd might notice the leather straps holding his thigh holsters in place, and being a foreigner might object to someone carrying weapons into his house…But Novoc didn’t see how he could do anything about that without raising the issue himself. He would just have to convince Badd of his good intentions…somehow.