Chapter 4 #2
He rounded into the one part of any station that was lively no matter that it was the main sleep cycle for the majority of the inhabitants.
A variety of entertainment areas and comestible establishments still did desultory business.
Wherever he poked his head in and searched for the being he wanted, the customers looked his way, then stopped talking.
Some appeared uneasy, while others glared at him speculatively, as if realizing for the first time that he was a male to pay more attention to.
Good. It was all to the good. His profile had been elevated, although it remained to be seen if that would be to the better.
He found K-Zet in the third place he entered.
The alien lounged on a bench with a drink in his hand and opened his scaly mouth in greeting when Rone approached.
Whatever the creature intended to say got choked off by Rone’s fingers pressing on his throat.
Rone flung the guy toward the wall then held him there with a grip just short of deadly.
K-Zet, oddly, didn’t even try to escape the hold.
He merely looked up at Rone placidly, his vertical, yellow eyes the picture of nonchalance.
For some reason, the seeming lack of fear irked Rone, so he pulled the alien forward just to slam him against the wall again.
“Killing four of your own wasn’t enough sport for you this eve?”
Mother. If K-Zet had any balls hidden behind his leathery skin and scales, they were certainly big ones. Rone had to give him that much.
He bared his teeth before answering. “It just whet my appetite and left me wondering if there’s anyone else around here interested in taking me on.”
“I can assure you I had nothing to do with it.” Again, one had to admire the calmness in the alien’s voice.
Rone studied the alien’s eyes, searching for the truth—part of him hoped to see a lie there.
Too much rage banked within him. He wanted to let it out and throttling someone—anyone really—would give him the release he needed.
No, killing four Travians, including Arpell with his bare hands, hadn’t been enough.
The sound of bone breaking and the high-pitched scream continued to echo in his head.
He’d imagined time and again that his mate would have made that same horrible noise if she hadn’t been dazed from the drug administered by her sister, and her neck must have snapped just like Frey’s arm.
He dreamed of her death, and while there was hardly a comparison between his beloved pregnant mate and his inconvenient human pet, he still couldn’t stop his brain from entwining the two.
His fingers tightened in an involuntary spasm.
He reined himself back, forced the anger down, then reminded himself that he had a mission to fulfill, and while killing K-Zet might prove satisfying on a primitive level, it wouldn’t help him achieve success.
Pulling himself back under control and believing he’d made his point, Rone released his hold then stepped away.
He kept his guard up, though, ready to react if K-Zet struck.
Part of him hoped the guy would do just that.
Rone inclined his head. “Forgive my suspicion, but the attack on me and the attempt at stealing my pet came suspiciously soon after you approached me and offered for the boy.”
The alien straightened and showed no signs that he’d been recently assaulted in any way.
“I would be a poor merchant indeed if I resorted to stealing what could more easily be obtained with time and patience and a good bargain offered and accepted. Besides,” he added, retaking his seat, “I could make more brokering a deal between a male such as yourself and others who are always looking for help.”
Rone’s attack had sent K-Zet’s drink flying, so the guy placidly ordered another. He looked up at Rone. “May I offer you a libation?”
Tossing himself on the bench opposite K-Zet’s, he nodded. “I am thirsty, now that you mention it. I’ll have whatever you’re drinking.”
K-Zet seemed pleased with the response and soon they sat quietly drinking in each other’s company.
Or, at least Rone drank quietly. K-Zet slurped noisily at the somewhat bitter juice.
Rone forced his blood to cool and to just be patient.
He decided to wait and let the creature make whatever offer he intended.
“Word of your encounter with Arpell and his males has rolled through this station with great speed. I can’t say I’m surprised about the ambush.
Arpell was known for being a cheat and a sneaky shit.
But he did have his uses and, therefore, friends in powerful positions.
If he’d succeeded in killing you and reclaiming his pretty little fuck toy, no one would have called him to task for it. ”
For a brief moment, Rone’s rage tried to surface again, goaded by the image K-Zet’s words conjured of the repellent Arpell claiming Frey’s beautiful body.
Rone ruthlessly suppressed it. This conversation with the alien was clearly leading Rone in the direction his mission had always intended for him to go.
He made himself take a casual sip of his drink.
“Security does seem to be lacking out in this part of the Empire.”
K-Zet waved the hand holding the drink. “Oh, there would have been an investigation, in which Arpell’s males would have sworn on their mother’s lives that Arpell had bested you in personal combat.
It would have been a very quick process, I’m sure.
Neither the Travian military nor the civilian government have much power this far away from your home world—not as much as they think, in any event.
” He drank some more and fixed his yellow gaze on Rone from over the rim of his glass.
The alien had it right. The farther out into space Travians went, the thinner it spread their resources and control.
So long as commerce flowed smoothly and nothing obviously and alarmingly wrong occurred, places like this station ran themselves.
It was the reason why they’d sent Rone. If a contingent of military investigators had come clattering on board, everyone with questionable business would have either taken off or crawled into their quarters and stayed out of sight until it was safe to come out again.
Any effort to ferret out conspirators would have been stonewalled.
Privateers and mercenaries kept their mouths shut for fear of having it permanently shut for them.
A lone male could slip in and accomplish much more.
“I am aware,” he responded dryly. He let his expression turn sly. “In fact, I’m counting on it. And although I find it hard to believe anyone would have trusted a male as stupid and obvious as Arpell with any task of value, it occurs to me that his demise might open up opportunities.”
K-Zet showed his teeth. “For a male of ambition, opportunities are always on the horizon. I could make introductions, if you’re so inclined.”
Rone didn’t say anything for long moments.
He finished his drink, then set the glass aside.
It wouldn’t do to appear too eager. “I am, as it happens, except that I dislike being beholden to anyone. Remember that my pet is not up for consideration. Having already killed to keep it, you can imagine I’m even less inclined to trade it away. ”
“Understood, and not to worry. My reward, should there be one, will be extracted on the other side of the transaction. I’m willing to take the risk of not being able to broker the deal.
I see great potential in you, however, and am confident that my efforts will prove fruitful.
” Draining his glass, he tossed it into the processor and stood up.
Rone followed suit, trying to hide his mounting excitement. “Do you mean for me to accompany you now, and, if so, where and to whom?”
K-Zet hissed, a sound of amusement or warning or both. “No, no. I must make inquiries on the other end. I can assure you, though, that your reputation has preceded us both. Now that your interests are clear, I will act as a conduit—and quickly.”
Rone deliberately relaxed his body. “Very well. I shall wait to hear from you. But,” he added, dropping his eyelids to convey both boredom and menace, “I’m not the type to wait around for anyone.”
“Understood. Come here after your next sleep cycle, and I will find you with news. In the meantime, I’m sure you’ll have plenty to occupy your time, what with that pet of yours all healed up from the encounter with Arpell.”
With that parting shot, K-Zet ambled away.
Rone had the strong urge to chase after the creature and pound him into the ground.
He didn’t like the casual way the alien kept mentioning Frey, and he certainly didn’t like the fact that details about the ambush and its aftermath seemed to be easy fodder for the station, that K-Zet seemed to know what happened in private spaces as well as in public ones.
Well, it was just a reminder that, other than Preen, Rone couldn’t trust anyone.
Maybe one other. His human pet might be a captive, yet he’d saved Rone from death by shouting out that warning.
It might have been simple self-preservation that had caused the boy to do so.
Even so, it put him firmly in Rone’s camp and that might prove useful.
Mother, what was he thinking? Frey was not an ally.
He was a distraction. He was also far too delicate to be helpful in any way.
He’d had no chance against Arpell. Even Preen was sturdier than a human.
Still, Rone couldn’t deny that having a pet added to his aura of a privateer and might help open the doors he sought in his mission.
And if having the boy in his bed gave him a pleasure he’d thought was lost to him? Pure happenstance, that was all.