Chapter 14 Noviosk #2
This female… She was one of the slaves from my own damned cages. No way I’m telling her who I really am.
I’m the reason she suffered on Vagantu.
She saved my life.
The irony would be amusing—if I didn’t feel like I’d been steamrolled by a black hole.
— Nov. Call me Nov. Thanks for saving me. I won’t forget it.
So now I’m seriously injured, stuck on a tiny Human ship, riding shotgun with a girl barely big enough to qualify as a threat.
I study her carefully. I don’t recognize her.
But those eyes… That deep, brilliant blue… I’ve seen them before. On the Human male we captured not long ago. The one who—died. I made sure of that.
No doubt now. She’s his sister.
That’s going to be… inconvenient.
For now, I need to focus on survival. Rest. Regain use of my shattered limbs.
A wave of exhaustion crashes over me like a flood.
Everything blurs. It’s like trying to stay awake underwater.
— Relax, she says gently. I gave you a mild sedative for the trip. I’m going to top it up. You really weren’t supposed to wake up until we got there. We’re almost at Gekkaria, the tiny planet where I live. You’ll be safe there. You’ll have time to heal.
Truths.
Her voice softens into background static.
I let go.
And the void takes me.
I wake up with difficulty. Once again, pain pierces through every part of me. Every breath is torture, every movement an ordeal.
“Easy now,” says a soft female voice as multiple hands hold me up and keep me from collapsing.
I grit my teeth to stifle a scream of pain.
I open my eyes and quickly take in my surroundings.
The ones carrying me are humanoid reptiles. Not Penubians, thank the Stars! They follow Sam’s instructions as she points toward a massive tree, making small approving clicks.
When she sees I’m awake, my so-called savior turns to me.
“We’ve arrived in Gekkari territory. They’ll carry you up to your pod, where you’ll stay until you’ve healed. Sorry, but the climb might hurt a bit…”
No kidding!
At the base of the tree, several Gekkaris leap toward its smooth purple bark and grab hold of my arms. I’m hoisted up, passed from hand to hand like a damn package, with all the delicacy of a cattle auction.
This Vagantu-grade torture finally ends when the trunk gives way to a small hut woven from branches.
“Lay him down there,” Sam instructs.
I can’t even open my mouth to chew her out. I’d probably vomit from the pain and humiliation.
I shut my eyes and try to mentally assess the damage.
My wounds must be deep, my bruises countless, and the bones in my right leg—crudely stabilized with splints—feel shattered in several places. My ribs are messed up, too.
And the shame… Stars, the shame! Me, a Srebat, reduced to this pitiful, helpless state.
After a moment to gather myself, I try sitting up, but the pain is unbearable. The Gekkaris are gone, but Sam’s still here.
“I almost dropped you off in Gekkar Creek,” she starts. “But Felone’s ship was parked there. He’s a nasty crime lord who’s taken over this system. Given your condition, I thought it was safer to hide you here.”
I process that quickly. No one must ever see the leader of the Coalition like this. If Felone wants to rise in the ranks, killing me now would be the easiest promotion of his life.
“You did the right thing,” I mutter, begrudgingly.
Or did she? I’m now stuck high in a tree, completely immobilized. What the hell was she thinking?
“This is the safest spot,” she adds with a bright smile. “I live in the tree next door! If you need anything, just yell. I’ll climb over—there’s a rope ladder.”
Over my dead body will I ask this female for help doing… anything. Does she know who I am? Is this some twisted revenge? If so, she’s nailed it. Humiliation is the worst torture for a Srebat.
“I don’t want to stay here. In this tree,” I growl, making myself clear.
“Oh. I… Look, I’m sorry, but it’s actually safer up here. Even the Gekkaris sleep in the treetops. Down on the ground, there are these huge centipede things that crawl out at night. Pretty venomous. Trust me, the best place to heal is up high.”
Truth.
The Stars must seriously hate me.
“For your… bodily needs,” she says awkwardly, “call Goulou. He’ll help you.”
“Goulou?”
“Yeah, Goulou.”
What is she babbling about now?
“Goulooooou!” she calls.
A Gekkari appears in the pod. Its lipless, toothless mouth opens wide.
“Nov?” he asks in a muffled voice, using strange hand gestures.
“Gekkaris don’t usually talk,” Sam explains with an apologetic grin. “They communicate by changing their skin colors. A few have learned some words to interact with other species, but you’ll have to speak slowly, use signs, and cut out anything unnecessary.”
Perfect. I’m stuck on a backwater planet with a former prisoner of mine, a town nearby run by some two-bit thug, dependent on a giant lizard for bathroom breaks, and surrounded by a people who don’t even talk.
What’s the point of being the most powerful Srebat in the galaxy—able to detect every lie—if I’m stranded with creatures who don’t lie because they don’t speak?
And of course, my thoughts drift back to him. The bastard who put me in this mess. That Asgarnian…
Pherebos. He duped me. He came to Vagantu, dangled the promise of a new world to conquer—then brought the Intergalactic Confederation right to my doorstep. It had to be him!
I was so consumed with rage chasing after him that I let my guard down… and got mauled by that damn Krakelodon. If it weren’t for my aeropod’s hull, I’d be dead. Instead, I’m here. Broken.
Sam’s gone. Goulou, too.
I examine myself carefully.
My arms are scabbed where my short, dark fur should be. Sam said she had to shave me to remove the flesh-eating slugs. I bare my teeth in disgust. I’m not even sure the fur will grow back in those spots.
I touch my bandaged head. The pain’s still sharp, but I can tell the swelling’s gone down.
When I probe my torso, I’m pretty sure a few ribs are cracked. Nothing fatal.
Then I finally check the worst of it—my right leg. Sam splinted it to stabilize the fractures. I hesitate, but start unwrapping the bandages anyway. The smell underneath is revolting.
When I expose the flesh, I instinctively jerk back. It’s rotting in spots. The stench is unbearable.
This little Human is trying to cripple me!
“SAM! SAM!” I bellow, fury and panic twisting my voice.
I wait forever before she reappears, that annoying smile still plastered on her face. Her cheerfulness in the face of my utter catastrophe makes me want to bite her.
“Back again,” she says. “I went to grab my pouch of disinfecting balms. Judging by that leg, it’s just in time. Maybe we should try Gekkar Creek after all? They’ve got a small medical post. I’m no doctor—I just make ointments for the ones who are…”
“I’ll manage!” I snap. “Just clean it properly. It smells like death.”
She gets to work without a word of complaint, unfazed by the stench or the sight. The paste she applies smells oddly pleasant. Let’s hope she knows what she’s doing.
By nightfall, I stew bitterly in my thoughts.
I’m isolated, weakened, stuck with a mute species and a bubbly young woman who’s taken pity on me—without knowing I’m the one who killed her brother.
The Stars have truly turned their backs on me.