Driok
Dalox’s dislike of bots goes deep, and given he already has a pulsar rifle in his hand, in this confined space, the only way I can distract him is by suggesting something which he’ll like more.
A good battle.
Thankfully, it works. He holsters his weapon, and along with his warriors, he’s back out into the passage beyond the funny room I found my mate in, and I hear them heading back in the direction we came.
My heart is finally calm because I have Maggie. I thought it might have burst from my chest the closer we got to her. I thought the rut was bad, but it turns out not having her within arms’ length is even worse. I suck down her scent as if I might never scent her again.
I will always scent her. Even if there will be times she is out of my sight, I will have my Maggie within reach at all times.
Which probably isn’t practical, especially as the last thing I want right now is my mate and unborn sarkarnling in the middle of a running battle between Dalox who will do anything to get away from bots and the Ulep, who will do anything to get what they want.
“I’m so sorry, Driok. I should never have let Kes and his bots take me.”
“You were safe, my sweet mate.” I clutch her face in my hands. “That’s all that matters. That and you find the strangest of new friends.”
“Do you have a horc?” Kes asks me, causing Driok to growl and flash his fangs.
Kes’s little nose is twitching.
“I had a horc,” Maggie advises him. “His name was Horace, but I left him in Xracak City. Driok has promised we’ll go back for him when this is all over.”
Kes makes a humming sound. “I thought I could smell horc.”
“I can’t smell horc.” I sniff all over my Maggie. “My mate is entirely clean of horc.”
“Stop it.” She gently slaps at my chest. I continue to sniff at her because she makes a very pleasing noise.
“Horcs are rare,” Kes says.
“Horcs are trouble.”
“But we are going back for Horace, right?” Maggie has her hand on my chest and her eyes on mine.
Something grinds within me, something which makes me want to tell the truth but at the same time keep the peace. “Yes, my mate,” I eventually get out.
“This is clearly a conversation we’re going to need to have later, Driok.” Maggie purses her lips up. “Regardless of whether you want to go back to Xracak City or not.”
“Do you want my bots?” Kes asks bluntly.
“I want your bots to go disrupt the Ulep systems,” I reply. “And to keep away from the Sarkarnii. The Ulep will take most of them out, but I’d prefer it if the warriors were concentrated on the Ulep.”
“Don’t like bots, huh?” Kes chuckles.
“On the contrary. I find bots are very useful for certain purposes. But my colleague Lord Dalox does not agree and will destroy them on sight, understand?” I growl.
“Understood,” Kes says.
“How many strong are you?” I ask, as Maggie watches the bots fall into line and begin a slow march out of the airlock, without the little Paralnyi apparently doing anything to muster them. “My mate says you are here to fight against the Ulep too.”
Kes scuffles in a pile of detritus next to him.
“There is just me and my bots,” he says eventually.
“What?” Maggie says. “I thought you were some sort of resistance movement or something.”
“Sometimes there is only one,” Kes says quietly.
“And sometimes the one becomes the many.” I put my hand on the Paralnyi’s head.
Maggie makes a strange noise and turns her face away from me, her shoulders shaking.
“I hope so because once the Ulep see my bots, I’m as good as dead unless you are able to deal with them,” Kes says, wriggling away from me.
“They have Kes’s family,” Maggie says. “It looks like we have more than just your warriors to release.”
I nod my agreement. “All will be free of the influence of the Ulep in this galaxy,” I intone.
Maggie grabs hold of my arm.
“I got some messages from my human friends back on Vorostor. Does that have something to do with Dalox being here?”
“Dalox says he was contacted by a Paralnyi who told him to come to this sector.” I drag my claws through my hair. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Do you get the impression someone wanted us to be here, right at this particular point, when the Ulep weren’t expecting us?” Maggie says quietly as she watches Kes who is most definitely keeping out of reach of any Sarkarnii, as he continues to muster the last of the bots. “But who?”
“I don’t know. But it seems we have a friend after all. And it’s certainly not the baron.”
Maggie laughs softly. “I think the baron met his match in you.”
“Hardly. He was simply a greedy trader who thought he could best anyone providing he threw enough credits at it.”
“But then he hadn’t met the master pirate of this galaxy, had he?” Maggie averts her face from my gaze, but I’m sure I saw a smile.
“Are you saying I’m a pirate?”
“I’m saying you got a ship, a new wardrobe, and weapons, and you didn’t have to cough up a single credit.”
“A Sarkarnii never gives up his jewels.” I pull her to me.
“No matter what form they may take.” I taste her lips, all to briefly, because we have work to do.
“But now it is time to deal with the Ulep once and for all in this galaxy. And provided my starnet works, potentially in every galaxy they attempt to plunder. But the only thing is…I still don’t have what I need to complete the activator… ”
I look around me again. This place initially looked like it was filled with all the accumulated gak any Paralnyi might have. But on closer inspection, I can see this is not garbage. It is all the items needed to create the army of bots he set loose.
“Paralnyi.” I growl. The little creature’s head pops up. “Do you have a xoh-anntenna?”
“I don’t, but I have some sxixt ore. I can make one if you wish.”
“You have sxixt ore?” I gaze at the creature.
“This planetoid has it naturally occurring on the surface,” Kes says, looking at me as if it’s something I would know.
“How long will it take you?”
“About half a nova-day,” the Paralnyi says. “Provided the Ulep don’t destroy me first.”
“If you can make one, I’ll guarantee your safety.” I growl.
“Is this the thing you wanted on Szorn?” Maggie asks.
“The sxixt ore was what I was expecting to take delivery of. I have a warrior skilled in making tech,” I explain. “But without the ore, the antenna is useless.”
“A xoh-antenna is all you need to defeat the Ulep?” Kes queries.
“Not all, only the final part,” I advise him, knowing I can’t allow too much information out there.
“Then consider it done.” The little Paralnyi scuttles off, and I hear the sound of heaters being lit.
“It’s time to deal with the Ulep.” I turn back to my mate.
“I guess I’m coming with you?” Maggie says.
“Only if you wish it.”
“And the alternative?”
“Dalox has left some warriors on his ship. You can return there and join the battle remotely.” I slide my finger under her chin, tilting her head up to me. “Far be it from me to entrust you to another male, but I expect you can look after yourself, given the right equipment.”
“I think I can probably guarantee it.” Maggie grins up at me. “And nothing would please me more than to help you win the battle against the Ulep.”