Vikramnodded. “She’s been quiet…”
Terrysighed, looking toward the… place. “For the life of me, I can’tfigure out if that’s a good thing or not.”
Helooked back at Vikram. “Anyway, we need to get moving. Frank’ssupposed to meet with Mr Kawle and Mal. We need to head back totown.”
Not My Job
Unity, Ragnarok
Frankfelt strange, walking across the square in his armor, but he’d beenlate getting back from the highlands. Rather than keep folks waiting,he decided to come straight over.
Sushiland Mal were already at a table and Mal waved at the third coffeethat sat in front of Frank’s empty chair. Frank sat, oddly gladthat he didn’t have to sully the coffee-shop experience by walkingin with armor on.
“Justback from the fields?” Sushil asked.
“Thehighlands,” Frank confirmed.
“Anynews from our friend?” Mal asked.
Frankshook his head. “She’s been quiet lately.” He took a drink,sighing with enjoyment.
“Theboys found a dead feather tiger today,” He told them. “Looks likethose glowwhalesdrop deadly spores when they die. Tiger got caught in a nest ofthem.”
Heused his suit to transmit some imagery to Mal who wore his suitalmost all the time. “It looks like the tigers might be keepingsome of our more pestilential wildlife under control. The one theyfound today had killed a root-eater.”
“Really?”Mal had his cup nearly to his lips but he set it down. “Well, I’llgo on record as saying you were right about not shooting those scarybastards, Sushil!”
“Goodof you to admit it!” Sushil saluted him with his cup before takinga drink.
“FiguredI’d save you the trouble of saying you told me so.” Mal grinnedas the chairman snorted, splashing some of his drink on his face.
“Sowhat do we do about the strange things happening up in the hills?”Mal pressed.
“Youhaven’t been up there?” Frank asked.
“No.Don’t want to risk escalating anything on my own. Anyway, we’renot sure that it’s a military matter and I’d rather not make itone if I can help it. I’ll support what you guys decide to do butit’s up to the chairman.” He gestured to Sushil.
Sushilsighed. “If she stays quiet, we should wait a few more days tillthe crops are all planted. I’d rather present this to the council,if we can.”
“Yousure about that?” Mal asked.
“Weshouldn’t start acting like the council has no say…”
“No,”Mal interjected. “Are you sure about her being a she?”
“Ihad a vague impression of that,” Frank admitted, “but Vikram wasabsolutely certain.”
“Rohanhad the same impression,” Sushil added.
“Well,I suppose that counts as good news,” Mal said grudgingly. “Itsounds like we’re dealing with a creature that has genders incommon with us, at least.”
“Yeah,”Frank said ironically, “we’re practically twins!”
“Don’tlaugh,” Mal warned. “You wouldn’t believe the weird shit youcan run into out here on the fringes. This isn’t much but I’lltake it.”
“Well,I know what I’mtaking.” Frank held up his cup. “A shower. I’ll thank you forthe coffee, gents, by leaving your noses in peace.”
Hegot up. “Been a long day, up in the hills, and I smelllike it!”
Hand-off
The Deathstalker, Kurnugian Orbit
“Didn’t you idiotsever hear of laundry?” Gabriella asked Len through the bars of herhastily grown cell.
It had been five daysof living in a two-meter-cubed cell with a toilet, a bunk and noprivacy. She was still wearing the same t-shirt and shorts she’dworn to bed on the night of her capture and nobody had any spareclothes for her.
“Not my problem,”he answered curtly. “I’m just here to get you off this ship.”
Great. I stink so much they’re gonna spaceme. She stood up from her bunk,ready to lunge when the bars dissolved. I’ll take thisbastard’s eyes with me, at least.
“Our boss is here,”Len said. “It’s been a fun five days but I’d keep my smartmouth shut, if I were you. The guy we’re giving you to doesn’ttake well to insolence.”
“You think I’minsolent?” she asked. “I don’t recall anyone calling you‘Lord’, you jackass. Whether you give your oath to my Aunt andUncle or not, there’s still a hierarchy in place and you seemed toremember that when your henchman was getting ready to…”
“Alright!” he saidurgently, cutting her off. “You’ve made your point but I stillurge you to take mine as well. You’re about to meet one of the mostfeared lords in the empire… the real empire.
“He’s got a temper.If you run that saucy little mouth of yours at him, he might justblow your head off.”
Sherelaxed her posture a fraction. If she wasn’t getting spaced, shecould put off attacking Len, for now.
Len dissolved the barsand stepped back. “Listen,” he said, “about what happened…”
“The two of youkilled my mother,” she said coldly and in a steadier voice than shewould have expected. “You’re both going to die and it won’t bepretty.”
“As you wish,”he said tiredly. “This way, my lady.”
He led her to an openpart of the hull, just forward of the engineering bay. She steppedpast him and led the way down the ramp into a large, ornatelyappointed hangar bay.
The crew in thebay were all Quailuand one of them, radiating more than the usual degree of authority,stood at the bottom of the ramp. She reared back in disgust at theodor coming from the prisoner.
“What is shewearing?” theQuailu demanded.
“She had this on whenwe captured her,” Len said with a shrug. “One of the team-membersgot injured, so we didn’t have time to go look for her underarmorsuit.”
“I’m taking you toa suite of rooms,” the Quailu told her. “You will have to cleanyourself and wash these ridiculous garments before I present you.”
Sheturned and started walking.
Gabriellaconsidered just staying where she was but it served no purpose andshe did stink. Shelooked at Len one more time. “Slowly,” she reminded him. Beforehe could say anything, she set off after her new captor.
The rooms werepretty much the same as what she and her mom had stayed in aboard theMouse. It had a showercubicle and a fairly fast clothing cleaner that used sound waves.
She made a quick searchof the rooms to make sure nobody else was there and then she strippedoff her stinking t-shirt and shorts, tossing them in the cleaner onher way to the shower.
She stayed in there alot longer than was absolutely necessary. She just stood there in thehot water, eyes closed, not thinking.
Not thinking aboutanything
