by L M Lacee
Peyton stopped listening when a shuttle arrived, and Bacon bounded out. Rage, Rave and Fanharr surrounded him with the other Prowlers. Pantarr watched them intently, smiling.
Matt, who returned with the rest of his team, said. ‘We found nothing more Commander, Star Daughter.’
‘Good, return to the Warbird, and thank you, remember check in with the healers please.’ Melody excused them. They jogged to the waiting shuttle and were lifted back to the Warbird. Peyton turned to Bacon, who was with Melody. ‘Bacon we have a job for you.’
You do Star Daughter?
‘Yes, it is very important. You may see some things that are not very nice. So you can say no if you want too.’
My Melody, do you want me to do it?
‘No, I do not, but my Bacon, it is the right thing to do, which is why we are Warriors. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to.’
It makes us stronger.
‘Yes sometimes it does and sometimes it makes us sad or angry.’
Alright Isa do it. Isa not as strong or brave as the great Rage or big Rave.
Peyton told him. ‘Oh I think you are, and you will one day be as big as them, when you are grown. Today they need your help.’
They do?
‘Oh yes, we have lost some children in the planet. There are tunnels, and we cannot find them. Do you think you could scent for them?’
He asked. Isa don know. Rave can scenting.
‘Yes he is, but even he is not a good as you are at scenting. So he is going to search another part of the planet, and you are to search the tunnels. So will you do this?’
Yeeesss… but I do not know what they smell like?
‘I see.’
‘Bacon honey, there are children with Healer Dinas and Healer Patty.’ Melody told him, they could hear him sniffing then he said. Isa smells them, theys smell like bad water.
‘Okay that is the scent. Can you find them?’ Peyton asked the young Kit.
Yes, Star Daughter, Isa can.
‘Rage, he is all yours.’
Melody said. ‘Bacon, I love you. Fanharr thank you.’
Melody, I swear to you we will not leave him.
They stood and watched the Prowlers being led by the head down, tail up Bacon. Melody smiled. ‘He is enjoying this.’
‘As he should, his language skills have improved immensely.’ Peyton casually mentioned.
Netta cheered. ‘He’s the man.’
Peyton smiled at her as they heard someone muttering. ‘Bat shit crazy.’
‘Heard that.’ Netta said as they walked to the hut holding the prisoners.
Melody told Peyton. ‘Fanharr and Jarrod hypothesize, it is because of the bonding. They think because we talk directly to each other, it has helped his language skills, they have noticed all the kits around his age have improved.’
‘That makes sense, if you think about it.’ Peyton said as she asked Netta. ‘What about Knife?’
Netta’s face softened at the mention of her bonded. ‘He is as he is. I think he is talking more, time will tell.’
They had reached the hut where Kerol and the Warriors held the prisoners, there were ten altogether.
When she, Melody and Netta walked in, they started grunting and making noises from behind the tape. Peyton frowned. ‘My word, that is oversexed.’
Melody agreed. ‘It’s like they can’t help themselves.’
Netta snorted. ‘Probably can’t.’
Melody asked Kerol. ‘Did you get the samples, Dinas asked for?’
‘Yes, he comm’d Healer Heather who comm’d someone called Ninafernkate?’
‘Oh I think you mean Nina, Fern and Kate, three scientists who deal with this type of thing.’ Peyton corrected him.
‘I do not care, all I know is they were very excited. Heather told them we would not take one home for them to study, they were not happy. She told me all the samples that they wished to have collected.’ He snarled as he told them. ‘I think they did not need all those samples. They asked for them because they were annoyed or they talked to Penny.’
‘I am sure it wasn’t, they are professionals.’ Peyton just managed to keep her smile hidden, especially when he gave them all a suspicious look. He was positive he heard a sound that sounded like a short laugh. Deciding to ignore the females, he looked at the wall above their heads. ‘I collected them all and will never do it again, Star Daughter.’
‘I see, well would you like to wash up?’
‘I have three times, it does not help.’
‘I am sorry.’
‘Please do not talk about it ever again, and as you are all my friends, never in front of Jade.’
‘Kerol, I swear on the stars. We will never… never talk of this again.’
‘I thank you, Star Daughter.’
Peyton looked at the trussed up males lying on the floor. ‘So what do we have here?’ She glowed a little as she spoke and watched them all flinch away as Jarrod and Pantarr walked in. The Eictorians seeing Pantarr started twisting and talking behind the tapes again.
Peyton suppressed her disgust and anger, otherwise she was worried she would rip poor Pantarr apart if she slipped and let the emotions out. She said coldly to the prisoners. ‘I am the Star Daughter, refrain from acting like you know him. You threatened and scared him into obedience. So you could access his surface and whatever it is you mine here. He is young, you knew this, or your employer did, and you still abused him. He especially does not like how you treated the young ones, none of us do. You killed all those innocent females, which upsets him and has angered me. You killed my chosen and for that you will die if not your whole world.’
She took a breath and regained her temper. ‘Now we have dealt with that, we are going to try the easy way first. It goes something like this. I will ask a question, you will answer and so on. If you do not answer. I will ask Master Jarrod, the mind walker, to find the answers for me. After that I have promised the Prowlers. Oh, they are family to the ones you thought were Turquall. My chosen, the ones you abused, starved and killed. You should know they are immune to your venom. Now if you are thinking to answer with lies and I bet some of you were, because that’s what you are like, sneaky little beasties. My Specialist will monitor the answers. I know, not fair, but there you go. Kerol, which one is Koles?’
He and another Warrior picked up a male and dropped him on the floor in front of her. Jarrod stood next to Melody as Netta stood, blaster in hand, next to the Warriors who had blasters trained on all the prisoners.
‘Remove his tape please Kerol.’ As he went to comply, she held her hand up, and he stopped. In an emotionless voice she warned the male and pointed at him. ‘You bite my male and I will rip your sex organ.’ She motioned with her hand to where it seemed his penis was. ‘From your body and feed it to you, want to see how I will do it?’ He furiously shook his head. ‘Are you sure?’ He nodded his head quickly.
‘Because I will do it, and then I will have every one of your males treated the same way. When I have done so. I will make sure you are dumped back on your planet.’ Frantically he shook his head in acknowledgment. ‘Good.’
She gave Kerol a nod, he slipped his knife under the tape and the edges gave way and dangled on the male’s snout.
‘Koles, what are you mining here?’
His voice was guttural and totally nonsensical as he spoke a language they had no translation for. Pantarr did though and without asking, he gently mind-sent the translation to them.
We mine Luntsene.
Peyton asked Pantarr Can they not speak Coalition?
They understand better than they speak it.
I see, thank you for the translation.
I did well?
Yes very well, continue please.
‘I see, so you mine Luntsene, interesting and you have been mining here how long?’
We have been here five luneras. He looked at Jarrod fearfully. Peyton asked. ‘You have met the Masters before?’
All know of the Masters.
‘Jarrod you are famous.’
‘So it would seem.’
‘Who do you mine for?’ He turned his head from her.
‘I see a touchy question. Koles, I need to know. I will find out from you or one of the others. So you may as well tell me.’
I will not. They will not. Let your Master look inside my head for the answers. He will find nothing but I will no longer care what your Turquall’s do to me. He cackled in what they assumed was a laugh.
Peyton smiled and sighed. ‘Alright, but I should have warned you I suppose, my Specialist is very, very good, he told me so. He will not destroy your mind or any of your male’s minds. He will make sure you are aware for your judgment from the Prowlers.’
Still he said nothing as his head remained turned from her. She nodded her head and Kerol stunned him. He slumped where he was and they taped his snout again. She noticed the one dead in the corner as she turned to go. Kerol saw where she looked. ‘He donated the samples.’
She shrugged. ‘I see Jarrod, I was serious about the Prowlers. Rage is very angry, it has transmitted to all the adults.’
‘As you wish, Star Daughter.’
‘Oh, do you need a translator?’
‘No, once I go in the mind. I will have the full language.’
‘Really, will you be able to download it? Darby will want to have it. I think she will want it for her collection.’
Netta murmured. ‘Seems a weird thing to collect.’
‘I know right.’
‘Seriously, you know it is for the language library she is constructing.’ Melody scolded them both.
‘So you say.’ Peyton answered.
Jarrod hurriedly interjected, seeing an argument starting. ‘Yes, Star Daughter I can.’
‘Thank you. Pantarr, you are with me.’
‘I would like to stay with Specialist Jarrod?’
‘I know you would sweetie, but I would rather you did not see this. So let’s round up Darby. Commander Melody, we need Rose please?’
THIRTY-NINE:
‘Warrior Marlo!’ She called as she walked out of the hut with Pantarr following. Melody moved away as she comm’d Hawk to send Rose to the planet.
‘Yes Star Daughter.’
‘Trader Rose is coming onto the planet. She will need a guard please, and she will be scared.’ He looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she said. ‘She will explain.’
‘As you wish, Star Daughter. Specialist Darby will be alone.’
‘Thank you, Specialist Darby will be with myself and the Commanders Netta and Melody. Please have your squad remain with trader Rose at all times. With luck, it will only be for a few mins.’ Marlo nodded as he ducked back into the hut.
‘Pantarr dearle can you go find the Prowlers, see if they are having any luck.’
‘I go find the ones who went far away with the one called Rave. Others coming, Star Daughter.’
‘Thank you. Darby, what did you find?’ She asked as she and the Warriors emerged from the hut. Darby placed some things in her bag. ‘Loads, it’s all uploaded to the ship. It is not confirmed but looks like some Governor from the Capital employed them. What about you?’
‘Not much, they are mining something. Rose is on her way.’
‘Okay.’
‘Marlo and the guys will look after her. You will remain with us. She will be fine, it is time she got over this planet thing she has. Especially if she is to come out with us as she wants and this is gentler than throwing her into the deep end.’
The Warriors stood looking confused as Darby nodded. ‘If you say so.’
‘I do.’ She stomped off as Darby grinned at Netta and Melody.
‘Really, Darby, you have her worried now.’ Melody said, then turned to the confused Warriors to explain what Peyton meant.
‘Her punishment, two sentient planets.’ Darby growled, and went after Peyton, who was standing by some bushes looking down with a puzzled frown, as the bushes moved slightly. She could not feel any wind on her face, and yet the bush moved again. Darby came to a stop beside her and she too looked at the now frantically moving bushes. Just as they were about to call for Netta or Melody, a small brown hand appeared and then another and as they watched a small naked boy wiggled out of a hole from behind the bushes.
Darby crouched down with her arms out stretched as she said. ‘What... Oh my, come here sweetie, come on little one.’
A tiny thin naked boy, the size of a two yenta old, toddled over to her. His skin color looked dark tan, his hair was a dirty gold color and his eyes were the color of dark chocolate. He put his arms up for Darby to pick him up. She cuddled him close, he was filthy, scratched and adorable. ‘Oh honey what are you doing out here?’ She murmured to him as he sighed and put his head on her shoulder and his thumb in his mouth as she rose from her position.
Peyton said softly. ‘Darby, Patty is in the med shuttle.’
‘I’ll take him.’ She kissed his head as he snuggled against her. ‘Darby, is he…’
‘Mine, he’s mine. I just… I don’t know how or why, he just is.’
Honor came over and sniffed him. Netta and Melody rushed over, a startled Melody told her. ‘Oh Darby, he is yours, I can see it as clear as day.’
‘Well that answers that question, it is not just Prowlers.’ Netta said to Peyton as Darby walked to the med shuttle. ‘Didn’t see that coming?’ She said with a shake of her head.
‘Nope.’ Peyton agreed as a shuttle landed and Marlo and his squad surrounded the small green female as she stepped hesitantly down. Larson said something that made Rose laugh. She waved to Peyton and Netta and with her tools in hand, walked off, talking with her guard surrounding her. Peyton assumed she was telling the four of her experiences on Infer.
Peyton and Melody heard him before they saw him. MY MELODY. I DIDS IT ISA THE BEST. MY MELODY I DIDS IT. He called it over and over until he was closer and Melody could call to him. ‘My Bacon I am here and I am so very proud of you, are you well?’
I am... I am. Fanharr said I was the bravest kit she has ever seen. Isa, the best tracker. The Great Rage told me I was. He bounded to her, filthy and so very proud. She took his face in her hands and looked deep into his eyes and saw the hurt and the fear there.
Itsa okay, my Melody.
‘No, it is not my kit but it will be, Mama Melody will make it so.’
Okays Mama, I want to go now an...
Peyton nudged Melody aside and took his face in her hands as Melody had. Did yah hear Star Child? Isa founds them all.
We did Bacon, our shining star. We are very proud of you for doing a grown up Prowlers work. Thank you, sweet kit. They brushed his head several times until he dropped softly to the ground.
Melody went to reach for him, but Rage stopped her. No Melody, the Star Child is removing the memories, he will be fine. He will know he found the children but not the deaths he saw of the small ones. He is truly the most extraordinary kit.
‘Thank you and thank you Star Child.’
They turned to Melody. He is a favorite of ours, we like his happy nature and wish it to continue. And he always finds the best cookies.
They all laughed at the Star Child’s tone. Peyton returned. ‘He will be well, take him to the med shuttle.’ She flicked her fingers over his head, and Bacon woke saying. Mama Melody, I could eat.
Melody hugged him. ‘Of course you can, let’s see what Dinas has.’
Kay.
‘The children?’ Peyton asked Rage.
We have six, two of them are Paolo’s young. There were deaths.
‘How many?’
Rage sighed. Five, none from Oraintarre, we are sorry, there is no way to know where they came from. We have taken their scent, if we ever find their people we can tell them of their deaths.
‘Thank you Rage.’
Pantarr said sadly as he reappeared. I failed to keep them alive.
Rage growled and shook his head as he told the young pla
net. It is not your fault, they were badly hurt before you found them. Taking all of them saved the other children. The ones responsible are those in there. He nodded toward the hut the prisoners were in.
Peyton said. ‘The one who employed those in there, will share the blame and punishment when I find him.’ Peyton asked Pantarr, ‘I don’t want this of you, but I have no choice, if Rage takes you to the children’s bodies can you do what you did before, please?’
‘I don’t want to, but I know I have to, it is right.’
Peyton hugged him and said. ‘Pantarr make something special grow where you bury them to remind others of their existence.’
‘So they will not be forgotten.’
‘Exactly, so they are not forgotten.’
‘I will.’
‘You are a good planet, Pantarr.’ He ducked his head in pleasure at her praise and the bushes all sprouted tiny flowers. Rage said. We will help too, the Prowlers will have a tree from our home world sent here.
Peyton inclined her head. Thank you, Pride Leader.
Rage and the Prowlers all ran with a saddened Pantarr across the world as six Prowlers arrived with a child on their backs, girls and boys she thought.
Peyton walked among them until she came to one boy. He was about three or so, he was covered in the burgundy dust and it was hard to see his skin tone but his hair although dirty was jet black and he had bright blue eyes. He held his hands up and she plucked him from the Prowlers back. ‘Thank you Salmah.’
Is he for you, Beloved?
‘It appears so, I wonder if he is supposed to be this thin and small.’ She followed the other Prowlers as they walked slowly to the medical shuttle. Dinas met her at the door as the other healers took the children from the backs of the Prowlers. ‘I see, we are going to the Warbird, Star Daughter.’
‘Yes, take him please. I still have work to do.’
Dinas started to take the child, but he screamed until Peyton hugged him to her. ‘Sweet boy, you must go with Uncle Dinas.’
Melody and Darby came to where they stood, Darby was still carrying her boy. Melody gently lifted the boy from Peyton’s arms and immediately he started making small sounds of distress. ‘It’s okay, we are fine, go, we will see you on board. He will be in medical.’ Darby told her.
