Cleo
CLEO
“Look into this light,” the lizard says.
“No.” I shut my eyes tight.
He sighs. “Look, for the final time, I’m being forced to work for the Bogarok. They have my family.”
“I don’t care. It doesn’t mean you get to experiment on me.” I fold my arms over my chest and realize it makes my stomach stand out, and I don’t want this creature knowing about my baby, so I drop them to my sides.
“I’m not experimenting on you,” he says, sharp teeth gritted. “I’m examining you, and the longer it takes, the longer it will be before I have to turn you over to Szek.”
“You mean you don’t want to?”
He shakes his head sadly. “Has your species never heard of resistance before?”
“I’m pretty sure we invented it.” I huff. “But handing me over to Szek isn’t resisting.”
“It is if I tell him you have a space virus and have to be quarantined so you don’t infect him and his crew,” the lizard creature retorts.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you are with young. Because you’ve done nothing to warrant being at their mercy and because I hate them all with the force of a thousand burning suns,” he responds, fists curled up. His body shakes and his eyes close as he rocks on his feet.
I know all of this could be a ruse to get information out of me, but so far, given I’ve met Szek and seen what the Bogarok have done, this seems far too subtle. Far too slow a way of interrogating for them.
I have to take a leap of faith sometime, like I did with Maxym. Like I failed to do with Retah and Tibi. All three of which are my world.
Hesitantly, I put out my hand and touch his. His skin is warmer than I was expecting.
“I’m here with a Gryn and a Remek warrior. We’re trying to get to what the Bogarok want before they find it, and then we’re going to take back Tatatunga,” I say carefully. “Maybe we can help you?”
I hold my breath. I’ve given away more than I should, but it’s enough I should know one way or the other. Bracing for the door to burst open and Szek to shout in triumph or some such drama, I don’t let go of the lizard creature’s hand.
His eyes open.
“You’re trying to save this place?” he says quietly.
“Maybe not save .” I look around at the walls. “I’m not sure anyone wants to save a palace of violence, but certainly we want to get rid of the occupiers.”
“You and two warriors?”
“Got to start somewhere.”
He pulls in air over his tongue, eyes not leaving mine. This is the moment. I’ve thrown us all under the bus…or I haven’t.
“That’s insane…” he says. “It’s so insane it has to be true.” His hand curls around mine. “I’m Dirk,” he says enthusiastically, wriggling his fingers, and I’m guessing it’s a greeting.
“Hi, Dirk. I’m . I’m a human. My mate is Maxym, the Gryn, and Retah is the Remek. He’s my employer.” I feel a weight lift as the words escape my lips.
“You have a Gryn ?” Dirk gasps.
I’m beginning to feel like this is going to be a long process.
“Is that a problem?”
“I was given another Gryn earlier. When we first arrived. He did this.” Dirk rolls his sleeve up and what was clearly a very nasty injury, now mostly healed to pink skin, is visible. “The Bogarok took him away.” He shudders.
“That was probably Klynn.” I make a mental note to let Maxym know the other gladiator is still here and was seen alive. “Not all Gryn are as dangerous.”
“I’ve met the Gryn. None were as feral as that one,” Dirk grumbles.
“You’ve met them?”
“My species, Kijg, were originally from Ustokos, the Gryn home world. I have returned occasionally.”
I shake my head. “Maxym doesn’t know much about his planet, if he has ever even been there. Him and his fellow gladiators all had their memories wiped.”
Dirk makes a snarling, snorting noise. “Drahon,” he adds. “They were responsible for most of the trafficking of species in and around the galaxy. Some say they still are, even if the Galactic Council confined them to their planet.”
For a second, I wonder about telling Dirk our mission, but even if he does seem to be friend not foe, I’m not sure I can risk him having any more information.
Although what he said is starting to make things crystallize in my mind. The Galactic Council, the supposed species-non-grata in the Drahon, but who are still around, the Bogarok and the shadow Varangy. It’s all starting to add up to something highly unpleasant and which goes beyond anything I think any of us have imagined. And it all leads back to one creature, the Protoex.
“I don’t know about the Drahon, but I do know I need to find Maxym and do what we need to do,” I say instead.
My theories will have to wait until we’re all back together.
Dirk strokes his chin. “I can tell Szek you have a virus. It’ll buy you some time to find him.”
“What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re coming with us, surely?”
He looks at me, half alarmed, half grateful. “My family…they have my wife and my daughter.”
“Here?” I ask.
He nods, eyes filled with despair. “In one of the motherships.”
“Then we’ll find them too,” I say with an air of confidence I’m really not sure I have. “And we’ll all get out together.”
At that moment, the door explodes inwards, and through the choking dust, I see a large shadow.
“Szek!” Dirk gasps, eyes swiveling to me. “It’s too late!”