Chapter 23 #2
After that, Trove and Sway stood by the Vainglory’s docking entrance and took down anyone who came to try to take their ship or detach Alred’s cable. There weren’t many, because the others were good at their job, but it felt good to move his body again.
Trove didn't want to use a plasma pistol in here, no one was wearing envirosuits. And though he didn't care about the people they were robbing, he did care about his own team.
Instead of envirosuits, they were wearing simple, black suits with masks to conceal their features.
Alred would destroy any footage, but they didn't want any potential witnesses being able to live and describe what they looked like. They weren’t trying to kill anyone, after all, but it was sometimes a little too easy to accomplish.
Yeah, they were made for mercenary work.
He could kind of see Sway having the same thoughts as Trove was moving the body of the male that had come running at them out of the way.
He was alive, groaning and definitely hurting, but Trove hadn’t killed him.
The male was a baemoth, the same species as Rok.
Four arms, random patches of scales, and a horn that swept back over his head.
“Can you imagine if we could get paid for this?” Trove asked him, smiling.
“It wouldn’t be sustainable long term as we get older,” Sway mumbled like even he didn't believe his words.
Because it didn't need to be sustainable. Just long enough for them to gain enough credz to retire on for good. Then they could sell the Vainglory, retire somewhere nice and warm, take their females and younglings, live a peaceful life, and never worry again.
And Trove was surprised by the pang of longing in his chest as he imagined it.
Living in a warm, bright, open home with Chee.
They’d have their own shooting range where they could challenge each other.
They’d have a big, wide bed so he could please her.
They’d have a warm living space so the crew could visit often.
And younglings…
They’d have younglings, huh?
Garnet was pregnant. Haven was pregnant. Grace was pregnant. Human females fell pregnant very easily. And Chee had given him no indication that she wasn’t interested in her own younglings. It was likely for them.
But he…
Trove couldn’t imagine. He’d never been around younglings. He couldn’t even begin to figure out how to raise one. He wasn’t even sure he could keep one alive. And if he tried to draw on experiences from his own youth…
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Sway asked, cocking his head.
Trove shook his, coming back up the small ramp to their docking door. “Just… Are you excited about being a… a father?”
Even the word felt wrong on his tongue. To imagine for himself. To imagine for any of his brothers. They were crooks and killers not… fathers.
But Sway smiled gently. “I am. I’m thrilled, in fact. She’s not letting us find out what the gender is yet. She wants it secret. There’s apparently an Earth custom of celebrating the gender announcement of younglings and part of the process is keeping it secret until the celebration itself.”
Trove made a face. “That’s an odd thing to celebrate.”
“That’s what I said,” Sway shrugged. “But if it makes her happy…”
He understood that sentiment. If Chee wanted to celebrate something, he wouldn’t actually care about the occasion. He’d just be happy to see her happy.
If that was the gender of their own youngling…
The sound of footsteps made them both reach for their weapons. Sway was wearing his metal claws as his species was naturally clawless. Trove had chosen a knife. It was long, black, and sharp.
But the footsteps weren’t coming from inside the station. Instead, they were coming from inside the Vainglory. They both turned to see Rok coming towards them. The big, four-armed male was smiling, unconcerned.
“How’s it going?” He asked.
“Seems fine so far,” Sway shrugged. “And the females?”
“Garnet was feeling sick, so I went to get her something for her stomach. Then Grace got sick because she was worrying. So, now I’m coming to find out how it’s going.”
“Pretty well,” Trove gestured to the empty dock. The others had dealt with the other problems. There wasn’t even an alarm blaring. Like Alred would let that happen.
“Bring them parts of their nests,” Sway said. “Gravid females prefer their nests. It might help them remain calm.”
Rok wasn’t listening, however. He was leaning to the side, looking past Trove.
He followed his gaze to the three males all piled up in the corner.
One of them, the baemoth Trove just took down, was moving.
But all he had managed to do was somewhat come up on all fours – all sixes?
He was struggling to get anywhere though.
Trove turned, raising the butt of his knife, fully intending on slamming it against the back of his head and sending him down again. They were still trying not to kill anyone – trying – but he could break their skulls a little bit, that was fine.
Yeah, Tanin definitely made the right choice.
Before he could fully finish covering the distance, however, Rok was there, putting a hand to his shoulder, stopping him. Trove gave him a curious look.
“What is it?”
“I know him” he said as though stunned.
“Huh?”
Rok kneeled down and grabbed the male with two hands. He let out a groan as Rok used three of his four hands to sit him up so he could look him in the – slightly – bloody face. The other male had some trouble focusing but when he did, he frowned.
“Uvmont? Is that you? You’re alive?” He breathed, stunned, using Rok’s old name. Because Rok wasn’t supposed to leave the ship, so he wasn’t wearing a mask.
“Do we need to silence him?” Trove asked, deftly twisting the knife in the air so that the point was aimed at him instead.
“No, we were friends,” Rok smiled, patting his shoulder. “It’s good to see you, Yurekt. I’m glad to see you doing well.”
The male, bleeding sluggishly from the head, unable to keep himself upright, just stared back at him. And it wasn’t the look of a friend delighted to find out someone he thought dead was alive. There was no relief or victory there.
But there was a darkness Trove didn't like.
“I’ll silence him,” he said, raising the knife.
“No, it’s okay,” Rok took hold of Trove’s hand with one of his upper arms. “Yurekt won’t talk. We had a strict policy about talking in our gang. Right?”
Yurekt, who definitely did not look like he was ready to keep this secret, didn't respond. Probably because he wasn’t stupid enough to provoke the guy with the knife.
“Get back inside,” Trove said, deliberately not using Rok’s new name. He didn't want this guy to know it. “I’ll deal with him.”
“It’s okay,” Rok said, standing straight. “He can’t do anything. He was excommunicated from the gang as well. Even before I was.”
“Uh-huh. That’s nice. You should go to the females now and I’ll just make him go to sleep,” Trove lied completely.
Rok wasn’t the smartest individual. He was big and strong and deeply loyal to Tanin, but thinking was not his strong suit. Trove wasn’t going to convince him that this guy was a problem, he’d rather just take care of it without him knowing.
But before he could do so, the sounds of shuffling had them directing their attention to the front of the room.
It wasn’t more station personnel, however. Instead, it was Tanin. He and Vytln were carrying the painting, one person on each end, holding it straight up. The entire thing was enclosed in a glass and metal case, keeping it isolated. The twins were on either side of them, running defense.
At the sight of them, Rok ran forward to take Vytln’s place.
Rok was stronger than Vytln. Tanin, though the shortest, was stronger than all of them.
The two, under Vytln’s direction, hauled the painting up through the door of the ship.
They needed to tilt it to get it through the opening as they hadn’t attached the larger doors.
Trove turned back to the Yurekt person.
“Hey!” Tanin called out. “Get in here. Disconnect the computer. We’re leaving.”
“But captain-”
“That was an order.”
“Fine. Let me just take care of this guy first.” Trove turned again.
“Do not,” Tanin ordered, his voice harsh and sharp like a whip.
Trove stilled, hand in the air. The guy was weak and helpless, barely able to hold himself up against the wall. He was keeping quiet, a cautious eye on Trove’s blade.
“Captain, I really think we need to deal with this one,” Trove said.
Tanin frowned and gestured to Vytln. He came forward and took his spot and the two large males continued getting the painting into position. Sway was standing by, ready to detach Alred’s cord just before they left.
Tanin, however, came to stand by Trove. He looked Yurekt up and down before asking-
“And why is that?” He asked calmly.
“He saw Uvmont’s face,” Trove said, also using Rok’s old name. Tanin glanced over at him, but that use of that name told him everything he needed to know.