Cleo
CLEO
The thing up ahead releases a blood chilling scream as it races towards us through the shadows shed by our lights. I’m sure it’s the source of the weird, unpleasant smell which has been pervading our every move. I already have my pulsar pistol in hand, but the terrible creature has me frozen to the spot.
“Xavir?” Retah bursts out.
The thing comes to a skidding halt.
“Retah?” Its voice is distorted, half scream, half words.
“What are you doing down here?” Retah asks.
What seems to be a pile of bones and rags suddenly shifts, opening in the middle as something inside shrugs off the costume to reveal an Oykig who smiles genially at us.
Maxym releases a growl which could strip paint, and the Oykig nearly falls over.
“Why is there a gladiator here?” he gibbers.
“Answer Retah’s question first,” Maxym snarls, lifting his sword. “Or you will die.”
“I’m protecting the hoard,” Xavir gibbers, his eyes not leaving Maxym.
“Hoard?” Retah looks as confused as I feel. “This place is supposed to be abandoned.”
“That’s what they want you to think. But the Lepke jewelers still use this place to store their goods,” Xavir says. “We decided the best way to keep would be interested parties out would be to pretend it was abandoned and use scare tactics to deal with those more curious.”
“Xavir runs one of the foremost security firms in Tatatunga,” Retah says to us.
“You do know the Bogarok have invaded, don’t you?” I say, confused. “They’ve been on the planet for the last three nova-days.”
Maxym scents the air.
“The smell, it’s designed to repel, isn’t it?” he growls.
Xavir grins. “Well spotted, Gryn,” he says. “It is designed to repel predators like you. No one should really get this far.” He turns to me, brow furrowed. “What was that about Bogarok?”
“How long have you been down here, friend?” Retah asks.
“One of my staff was injured on a job, so I had to take over. My shift started three nova-days ago…I think.”
“You think?”
“Time is strange down here,” Xavir says with shrug. “But the Bogarok have invaded?”
“Yes, the Bogarok have invaded. We’re trying to get to the dome, to return this gladiator who got separated from the others,” Retah says smoothly. “Can we still get through?”
“Of course. The way is clear.”
“You don’t have to stay down here. You know that, don’t you?” says.
“On the contrary. If there’s an invasion, I’m not going to get my relief, am I?” Xavir says with a smile. “Looks like I’m stuck.”
“We can get a message to your team, if they’ve avoided the Bogarok. They can come get you.”
Xavir snorts a laugh. “And risk the Bogarok eating the hoard? Not a chance.”
“Eating it?” I query.
“Bogarok eat precious stones and metals. It’s how they support their exoskeletons,” Retah says quietly. “You’d better get back to it,” he says with a smile which somehow doesn’t quite make it over the rest of his face.
Next to me, I feel Maxym tensing.
“We’ll be on our way,” Retah adds.
“Good luck,” Xavir says as we walk on ahead.
“Shouldn’t we help him or something?” I ask as we get farther away from the strange Oykig.
“I’ve never trusted Xavir,” Retah says under his breath. “And there’s no way any security firm boss would remain unconnected from their business for three nova-hours, let alone three nova-days. We’re going to have to speed this up.”
“You believe he’s in league with the Bogarok?” Maxym rumbles.
“I believe my acquaintance with him is the only reason we’re not completely dead, yet,” Retah says darkly. “He’s got to get a message to them first.”
Both Maxym and Retah turn to look at the Oykig who has vanished like smoke.
“Yes, speed it up,” Maxym says, increasing his pace. “I’d rather maintain the element of surprise, if we can.”
I jog to keep up with the pair of them, their much longer legs eating up the distance as the passage narrows and there are a number of branches leading off it.
“That one leads to the dome, but it’s blocked. Potentially Xavir might think we’re going to use it, so I think we should take…” He turns ninety degrees. “This one.”
“Where does it take us?” Maxym asks, his feathers shaking.
“We’ll exit on the far side of the square in front of the dome.”
“Where there will be a thousand Bogarok waiting for us,” Maxym rasps. “What are the other options?”
“I can’t tell where this one comes up.” Retah thrusts his vid-screen at Maxym, and I peer at it from under his wing.
Maxym grins. “I can,” he says.