Keelo
“Where’s Rin?” Searching the crowd, I hunt for signs of the youngling. She should be easy to sight, despite her small size, as we’re the only Arrok among the horde of Lyd’os and Ves’os.
I wanted to leave as soon as we arrived. But, as Eot is continually reminding me, there aren’t many places where we can buy goods without uncomfortable questions being asked, and outer rim planets such as this one, on the edge of civilized space, are few and far between.
Outlaws, I’m quickly coming to learn, can’t afford to be picky about where they source their supplies.
Pulling a flyer off a noticeboard, Eot waves it in front of my face. “What about this one? Security work. Not too far from here.”
“We can’t have given up everything for Rin only to lose her the first time we’re planet side,” I hiss, as we push our way deeper into the market crowd.
“Payment on completion of assignment,” Eot reads from the help wanted poster. “This could be good for us.”
I elbow him, and he waves his hand dismissively. “She’ll be back. You remember what it was like being her age.”
“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “And neither do you.”
“Hmm.” Eot gives me a sidelong look, silent laughter dancing in his eyes. The exact look he knows I loathe.
“Oh, fek off.” I speed up, wishing it was Eot who was missing, instead of Rin. At least Eot can protect himself, even without his monstrous form.
Rin doesn’t have an other half or any particular skill with a weapon, and worry for her is an uncomfortable weight on my chest.
Still, I don’t call her name. This might be a no-questions-asked type of planet, but that doesn’t mean the locals will take kindly to visitors making a scene. Besides, I don’t want to draw attention to the fact there’s a young Arrok wandering around by herself.
In pairs, we’re virtually indestructible. Alone, we’re vulnerable.
Eot trails behind me, falls behind, pausing at every stall we pass, distracted by their wares.
“Cheap trash,” I mutter under my breath, striding away from a weapons seller. The axes strapped to our backs, gifts from the Elders Coalition when we reached our maturity, are worth twice as much as the stall owner’s entire inventory.
Sunlight beats down on me, and that at least is welcome after weeks on board our ship with nothing but artificial lighting. I’d turn my face skyward, letting the heat sink deep into my skin, except that I don’t want to miss sighting Rin.
What little I’ve seen of the planet's desert is achingly familiar, despite never having been here before. It’s a reminder of Annka and the endless sea of arid land of my childhood. Maybe if I’d realized Lyd was a desert, I’d have demanded Eot pick another planet for gathering supplies.
And miss the sunlight?
A flash of golden hair ahead has me making a grab for Eot, yanking him away from a flimsy blade he doesn’t need and toward our quarry.
“I wanted that,” he protests, stumbling after me, but I ignore him. That’s definitely Rin up ahead, and those two Lyd’os males slouching along behind her aren’t even attempting to keep their interest hidden.
“Two ahead,” I mutter.
“And three behind,” Eot confirms, suddenly serious.
Rin remains oblivious, staring around at the stalls with the wide-eyed expression of someone who’s never before left their homeworld.
Like always, her shoulders are hunched forward, as if she thinks that’ll keep everyone from noticing her.
As if she thinks making herself as small as possible will keep her safe.
I hear the sound of metal against metal as Eot loosens his axe in its sheath, preparing for a quick draw.
We’re not the only people to have noticed Rin’s unwanted shadows. But shoppers and stall owners alike let their gaze slide over the trouble as if it’s invisible.
Scudding outer rim worlds. “We’ll tear the whole planet apart.”
“Of course,” Eot agrees. “So long as we remember to grab some food before we leave.”