Chapter 13 #3
Or since I’m going to be one of the local ‘savages,’ I guess I’ll slaughter him a meal and brew him a drink. There are so many skills I need to learn here, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. As long as I have Farli, I’ll be able to handle anything.
I look over at her, and she’s now by Georgie’s side, chatting and drawing a replica of my tattoos on Georgie’s arm with a paintbrush and yellow paints.
She glances up at me from across the fire, and a shy smile of delight curves her lovely mouth.
My heart surges with joy at the sight of her.
This is good. This feels right. This is where I’m meant to be—at her side, her mate.
I make my way through the cluster of people near the fire and lean in to whisper in her ear.
“Think we can get away without being disturbed?”
“Of course. Why?” Her eyes are full of amusement.
“Because I want to go and make a baby with you.”
She jumps to her feet and flings her arms around my neck. “Let us go, then. And quickly.”
Laughter bubbles up from the crowd. I grin as I pull my mate into my arms, carrying her. We’ve got a few hours before we have to be up for the big khui hunt in the morning, and I intend that we don’t sleep for a single one.
BEK
“You’re sure we can do this?” Trakan asks as I lead him through the thick snow toward the flashing red light in the distance.
“Positive,” I tell him.
“But Mardok lost his shit when we tried to salvage the other ship. What makes this one so different?” Trakan glances back at Cap-tan, whose face is impassive.
I bite back my impatience, because I need this fool.
“The other cave was the home of our elders. It means a great deal to my people. This?” I flick a dismissive hand at the wreck before us.
“This is nothing but an intruder. No one comes here to salvage things or to commune with the ancestors. In a few seasons, it will be completely covered in snow and gone.” I step past a frozen sky-claw carcass.
“You said you wanted a cave like the Elders’ Cave. I have brought you one.”
“Another crashed ship,” Trakan breathes as he follows close at my heels. “For a planet in the middle of nowhere, you guys sure do get a lot of play.”
I do not know what he is talking about. I do not care, either. This is the cave-ship that brought Li-lah and Mah-dee. No one is attached to it. No one will care if it has been ransacked as these greedy ones wish to do.
“And you won’t get in trouble for bringing us here?” The elder, Cap-tan, asks.
I shake my head. “They are off on a sa-kohtsk hunt and will be gone for many days. No one will notice I am gone.” I lead the way inside the broken hull of the cave-ship.
Snow has drifted inside, but I can see the remains of an old fire from many seasons ago.
No one has been here since then. Even the animals and metlaks avoid it.
The two strangers wander inside, shining beams of light from their hands. Trakan whistles. “This looks like a szzt cruiser.”
“It does,” Cap-tan agrees.
“Salvage of the ship itself is a bad idea, then. A single registration number on this baby gets out and we’re going to have every bounty hunter in the galaxy after our asses. Better to just see what we can take and go.” Trakan glances at me. “Which way to the bridge?”
I frown, arms crossed over my chest. “Bridge?”
“Right. I keep forgetting. You probably don’t know what that is. Never mind.”
Cap-tan shines his light-beam onto the wall, where the two pods were broken open. “Cryo chambers. Two open, the others empty. Slaving, you think?” He looks to Trakan.
“Only one reason for szzt to have cryo. Intelligent cargo.”
I do not know what they are saying. “Two humans came from here. Are there more?” My heart gives an excited thump. Perhaps someone was missed?
But Cap-tan shakes his head. “Not likely.”
I bite back my disappointment.
“What happened to the crew?” Cap-tan asks.
“Dead,” I tell them. “One of the humans made sure they did not leave.” I gesture up ahead, where the cave forks into narrower passageways. “They are in that direction.”
“We need crew quarters,” Trakan says, moving his beam in that direction. He heads inside and then tilts his head. “Think I found a dead guy here. Frozen solid.” He bends down and pats the body. “Nothing worth taking.”
“Mmm.” I wait. Surely they will find something they want.
They do, some time later. They find a room with two strange chairs staring at a wall that is cracked into many pieces. Tiny buttons and sticks are laid out in front of them. “The bridge,” Cap-tan murmurs. “And look. Under the station itself…”
Trakan’s light-beam shines on a square on the floor. “Kef yeah. A blast-safe.”
Their excitement is palpable, and mine rises.
I wait silently as they poke and prod at the thing for the next while, until one of them attaches a small square to the front and pushes buttons.
New lights shine, and something chirps a sequence.
“What is that?” Cap-tan asks, and his voice is disapproving.
“Best if you don’t ask, sir.”
Cap-tan snorts. “I had better not see that used on the Lady, ever.”
“No, sir.” It chimes, and Trakan grins. “It’s open.”
Both men lean forward as the lid hisses up, and they shine their light-beams there. My curiosity rising, I look, too.
It is full of small boxes. It does not look exciting to me, but one of the men sucks in a breath.
Trakan grabs the first box and pulls the lid off.
“Kef,” he breathes. “Credit chits. Hundreds of them. These fools crashed with a fortune on them.” He pulls one out and flips it over, then looks at Cap-tan in excitement. “Nontraceable.”
Cap-tan sags in obvious relief. “That is good. That is very, very good.”
“This is your salvage?” I ask. “This is what you want?”
“This is amazing,” Trakan says, grabbing another box. “We’re keffing rich!”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Good. I need something from you.” Excitement rises through me, and I force my expression to remain calm.
Cap-tan’s eyes narrow at me. “What is it you want? Credit chits are of no use to you here.”
“I want none of this.” I gesture at the cave-ship of the bad ones. “You can take all of it. I said I would take you here, and I did. But I want something in exchange for what you take. It is only fair.”
“Whatever you want, name it,” Trakan says.
Even Cap-tan does not hesitate. He nods. “Speak.”
I choose my words carefully. It is something Vaza and I have discussed, ever since the newcomers arrived and Farli resonated. There is still a chance out there for us. “This ship carried humans.”
“Slaves,” Cap-tan agrees. “Illegal slaves.”
“But there is a way to get more of them and bring them here.” I pause, and then continue before they can object.
“I want a mate. There is no female of suitable age for me. Not in our tribe. Not for myself, and not for the four other hunters that still wish for mates. I want you to bring back humans—these ee-lee-gull slaves you speak of—and bring them here. Five of them. We will take good care of them and make them good mates. They will be happy with us, like Shorshie and the others.”
They exchange a look. “What you ask is not easy,” Cap-tan says.
“That is my price.”
He nods. “I will see what I can do.”