He couldn’t believe that not only were they still here, but he had located them. Maggie was going to be overjoyed at the news he had to share. The thought of Maggie waiting for him was a good reminder to stop and gather more supplies before heading back to their lodging. It would also be a good time to try to find out if any Phaetons had landed on the planet since yesterday.
Heading back into the market, Hix planned on doing exactly that when he spotted a bright length of silk hanging from one of the stalls on the outer edge. The color was a blend of green and blues with a shot of gold thread running through the fragile material as decoration. A combination of colors that would be beautiful when laid across Maggie’s body. In fact, now that the idea had entered his head, he was unable to not picture his bride naked with the silk draped enticingly over her figure.
Fingering the soft material, he was unsurprised when the vendor seemed to materialize out of nowhere encouraging him to purchase the item. Keeping his face expressionless, Hix haggled for a reasonable price for the silk knowing he would have paid much more to see it on his Maggie.
Folding it carefully, he tucked it into his tunic before leaving the stall. His size had often deterred the pickpockets working the square, but he refused to be an easy mark for those that doubted his ability to protect himself or his belongings. Looking at the sky, he could see that his time out had passed too quickly. The darker it became, the more dangerous the sector became as traders brought out their more elicit items for purchase.
As Hix scanned the rest of the cloth merchants, he was disappointed that he was unable to find readymade clothing that would likely fit Maggie. He stumbled across bits of lace and silk that would look lovely cupping the curves he had yet to taste, but nothing to be worn in public. Female clothing was not in high demand in the Pleasure Sector unless you planned on gifting the enticing wisps of see-through fabric to your favorite brothel worker. That was how he found himself sniffing a cloak that was for sale. It was used but looked and smelled clean…at least cleaner than the one Maggie had been forced to wear yesterday. It was also shorter, meaning she wouldn’t have to hold it up to avoid tripping. Unfortunately, it was the best he could do for her while stranded here.
The cloak wasn’t as desirable as any of the other purchases he had made so he simply draped it about his neck before moving on. Rounding the corner, he skidded to a stop at the familiar figure of Traeger a few stalls away. He quickly pulled up the hood on his cloak to shroud his face. His old friend was facing the opposite direction but there was no mistaking his identity. Darting back, Hix carefully peered around the edge of the building he was using for cover.
There wasn’t any question in Hix’s mind why Traeger was there. Kell must have sent a shuttle down to capture him and Maggie, or at the very least eliminate him and his bride. He had known that it would only be a matter of time before the Verge arrived, but he had been hoping for a longer reprieve than two days. Traeger’s presence also meant that the Phaeton shuttle that had been in the Pleasure Sector was no longer in orbit.
Hix mentally cursed.
Their chances of a rescue were even further away than before and now relied solely on the message he had hopefully sent earlier.
Hix had tried to get a communication through to Phaeton One shortly after Traeger had caught onto his plans. Dodging laser blasts, Hix had hoped the larger com-tablet had enough power left to send a message to his old brothers. It was a longshot but if he was lucky, but he hoped to boost the signal by relaying it through the Phaeton shuttle that Chander had reported in orbit.
The wave had been short, a simple SOS that he had signed off with using his old Phaeton tracking code. The code matched the small locator beacon he still had implanted in his back from his days as a Skrammon warrior. A traceable chip that he hadn’t had a chance to remove while with the Verge and one he hoped was still functioning. Using his band to communicate would have been preferred but the Verge med center had cut it off without a problem, unlike the chip he had implanted deep in his back. If the Phaetons received his message, they could verify his identity and where to send help. The range of his transmission had been questionable but bouncing it off the Phaeton shuttle had been his only hope. He hadn’t told Maggie to avoid raising her hopes of rescue too high. It was more than likely that the transmission would be nothing but static before it was received by Phaeton One. That is, if it was even received in the first place.
Hix kept his eyes locked on Traeger and noted how heavily armed he was. It was obvious to him what Traeger’s mission was. He was sent here to kill, not capture. The evidence was plain to see considering he carried nothing that would tranquilize but instead ensure a quick death.
When Traeger turned his back, Hix quickly crossed to the other side of the path. Ducking behind a crumbling building, he looked for an opening to move down the busy market street. To get back to Maggie, Hix would need to pass Traeger. Luckily there was a cart being pulled by a ramu that would soon pass. Crouching beside the cart, Hix kept pace with the smelly beast, using it to for cover. Sticking close, Hix grimaced and swatted at the bugs that swirled around its dirty coat. The animal was so filthy that most of the buyers and vendors cleared the path to avoid coming into close contact with the beast.
Once in the clear, Hix darted out of sight. The smell of the ramu clung to the new cloak he had bought for Maggie. Checking behind him, he made sure he wasn’t being followed as he navigated the twists and turns toward their hiding place. With Traeger and possibly others looking for them in the market, it was a risk to move Maggie. A risk that he unfortunately had to take if they were to stay safe. Pulling out his key, Hix slid it into the locks to disengage the bar system that barricaded the door.
After slipping inside, he quickly closed and secured the door. Pushing the hood back, Hix breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Maggie sleeping on her stomach sprawled across the cot. She was nude except for the corner of the smelly cloak that was draped across her lower legs as if she had unconsciously kicked off the offensive material the minute she fell asleep.
He hated the idea of waking her, especially when it looked as though she needed the rest, but they had to keep moving if they wanted to stay safe. There were only so many places available to hide as he waited to find out if the Phaetons had received his plea for help and were willing to help their former brother.
Chapter Twenty
Like Maggie was his shadow, she followed Hix as if she were glued to his back. When he stopped abruptly to peek around a corner, the only thing that kept her from running him over was the large hand he placed on her chest to hold her back. The big palm, which she didn’t doubt could double as a brick wall, had caught her so off guard she let out a surprised squeak at the contact. She was so flustered with everything happening that the action almost made her choke on her own spit. Maggie was tired, hot, stinky and more than ready for this entire adventure to be over…just as soon as they found the women and Hix got them off this damn planet.
“Keep your head down and we should be able to get through easily.” Hix adjusted the cloak covering her frame, pulling the hood down farther over her face. “Hold onto my belt and do not let go.”
Grabbing the thick leather strap wrapped around Hix’s lean waist, Maggie curled her fingers around it tightly. “Got it.”
If there was ever a time when she was over something, this would be it. She was tired of running for her life. She was scared that at some point they were going to stumble and lose the step ahead that they tried to maintain against the bad guys… and she wanted a bath.
Dear lord, did she want a bath!
Six days.
They had been on this planet in the Pleasure Sector for six days and they were no closer to finding a way off than when they first landed.
Maggie quickened her steps to keep up with Hix when he started walking faster, keeping pace with the crowd around them.
“Not much farther,” Hix said under his breath.
Good, Maggie thought as
she felt a drop of sweat roll down the back of her neck. The cloak was doing a wonderful job at hiding her identity, but it felt like she was being smothered by it and the humidity that saturated the marketplace. Peeking out from under the hood, she wished she was able to stop and stare at the bazaar. Never in a million years had Maggie thought she would ever visit another planet, and now she was walking among aliens while they shopped for spices and wares she couldn’t recognize. It was enough to blow her mind if she had the luxury to sit and think about it.
They had been hiding out near the marketplace on Euphoria for the last week and this was the most she had seen of it so far. The first few days here, Maggie and Hix had only moved at night. Using darkness to keep away from prying eyes. Today was different. When Hix had come back from scouting, he had simply said they needed to move. Maggie had taken one look at his face, set to packing, and was ready to go in under five minutes. She hadn’t had a chance to ask him what had happened before they were walking out and into the market just as the place was starting to buzz with activity.
Now, instead of eerily darkened streets, she was treated to glimpses of cobblestone pathways that were starting to become lined with vendors. From what she could see, which wasn’t much. Many of the creatures manning the stalls looked like something out of a movie as they yelled and gestured to attract buyers. None of them looked nearly as human as the Phaeton race which explained why Hix kept her shrouded as much as possible. She would stick out like a sore thumb if she’d tried to stroll through the market and would most likely not even get a few steps before being captured.
The area bustled with movement with some vendors hastily arranging goods on the tables for display. Maggie was enthralled with it all as she snuck her peeks here and there. She couldn’t help but be amazed at the odd combination of obvious alien technology intermingled with the feel of an old-time outdoor market.
Hix started edging them to the outside of the gathering, his large body dividing the group enough for her to follow behind him easily as they weaved around others in the crowd. Maggie was startled when he reached back and grabbed ahold of the hand that was still tight around his belt.
“Everything okay?” she whispered, hoping that her gawking hadn’t brought them any unwanted attention.
“We are here.” Hix tilted his head to an unmarked door just off the stone path that they had walked down. Leaning back against the door in a relaxed pose, Hix scanned the path keeping his expression blank. Tugging her close, he cradled her to the front of his body and kicked the bottom of the door three times with the back of his boot.
“Where are we?” Maggie asked in a soft voice as soon as the door opened, allowing them to slip inside.
“Myrin is a friend of the Phaetons,” Hix said, turning her to face the small creature that was their savior for this particular day.
Maggie tried not to stare but that was asking for the impossible. Standing around three feet tall, Myrin had an extra set of arms sprouting out of his torso with small spindly legs holding his body up. Dark green in color, he looked like a large walking grub with two antennas waving about his round head.
“Thank you,” Maggie said, nodding and smiling at the short alien that was wringing his hands as he watched them.
“He doesn’t speak your language, but I will let him know of your gratitude.” Hix raised her hand up to his lips, dropping a kiss on her knuckles. “Myrin is unsure how long we will be safe here but has offered refuge for as long as he is able.”
Myrin began a string of melodic clicks and hums, his arms moving erratically as he gestured back and forth. Maggie stared in awe as Hix replied using the same type of sounds Myrin used to communicate.
“You speak their language?”
“Of course,” Hix answered. “Myrin is speaking the standard dialect of this sector. It’s a language all Phaetons are familiar with since we are often sent here on trade missions. Even if I did not, though, my implant would interpret for me.”
Maggie nodded at the explanation, forgetting that the technology around her was far beyond what she had ever imagined. She glanced around, taking in the bolts of cloth that lined the small room they had ducked into. “So, this is his shop?”
“No.” Hix reached for the cloak that she still wore, lifting it from her shoulders. He rolled it up and stuffed it into the pack of supplies he’d been carrying the past few days. “This is the storage room for his shop. Myrin and his family run their store out of the front and stay in the living quarters above. They have graciously offered to let us stay here until we find out if my message was received or not.”
Maggie narrowed her eyes in his direction. She couldn’t help but still be a bit salty that he had not let her in on the SOS he’d sent out until recently. She knew that he was trying to avoid getting her hopes up but the only thing keeping her going at this point was the small chance that help was on its way.
Hix and the little green guy spoke for a few more moments before he left with a wave of his hands, all four of them, and a twitter of clicks.
“You need to eat something.” Hix crouched down to where she sat and handed her a small foil-wrapped square. “It does not have much flavor, but it will provide nourishment.”
“Thanks.” Maggie took the offered packet and opened it up with curious fingers. She was surprised to find that the contents were similar to a dense cracker with large flat seeds gracing the top. Giving it a sniff, she couldn’t detect any familiar smell. Biting off a corner, Maggie agreed that it was indeed tasteless. Having no flavor was better than tasting like shit. So, in her book, the crackers were more than welcome.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asked, the cracker already sitting like a lead weight in her stomach.
Hix hesitated before giving her a stiff nod. “Another crate is missing.”
Maggie rocked back on the stack of fabric she was using as a makeshift chair. “Oh, no…not another one.”
“Yes,” Hix answered, his voice gruff with disappointment. “I recounted them last night and it has either been moved to another site or picked up by the buyer.”
Yep. She was definitely going to throw up that cracker. Biting back bile, Maggie closed her eyes and tried to calm her stomach.
Once it calmed enough for her to open her mouth without upchucking, she asked, “Where do you think they were taken?”
“I am unsure. When the first one went missing, I assumed it had been moved to avoid the fence shorting. When I was scouting last night, I overheard one of the guards mention the Djaromir system.” Hix crunched down on his own packet of crackers. His jaw tightened with each bite.
“What is the Djaromir system?” Maggie waited for his answer even as she braced herself to hear it.
“It’s a string of mining planets that are run by warlords.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” Maggie groaned out the question, hating whenever Hix spoke English yet wasn’t speaking English.
“The miners are governed by warlords, powerful men that are similar to the Viking kings in Earth history. On the surface, the planets are barren and devoid of life. Their riches are buried deep underground, only accessible by the tunnels they have designed and live within. Because the environment is so harsh, the planet has a low female population. The females of their race are small and weak, easily succumbing to the cold climate and harsh life. The Djaromir contacted us long ago to inquire about our cloning abilities to assist in sustaining their race but since we were having no success in creating females, they moved on. Even though their environment is barbaric, they are a peaceful people. The good news is that if they did purchase the women, they will be safe.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because, without women, their line will die out…they consider them more precious than the stones they barter to survive. It would only make sense for them to view them as a treasure…just like the Phaetons do.”
Maggie could only hope Hix was right. “What do we do now?”
>
“We are not going to do anything…I am going to visit the storage yard again and look around. The guards are lazy, and from what I gather, do not know what the crates contain. This has made them careless with their security because they do not know what is at stake.” Hix wiped the mouth of the canteen free of dust before offering it to Maggie.
Lost in thought, Maggie answered him silently with a shake of her head. “So, you don’t think the guards know that there are humans inside?” She didn’t necessarily buy that idea, especially if the buyers were women-starved warlords.
“I do not believe so. If I can get close enough, I will try to scan one of their com tablets for information.” Hix finished the crackers and took a drink before tucking the canteen away. “At the very least, I need to do another count to see if any more have been picked up.”
“And if more are gone?” Maggie felt her stomach sink at even the idea that more women could be out of their reach.
“I will do my best to track them,” he promised.
Maggie knew he would try his hardest to get them back. For the past two days, Hix had done everything in his power to hunt down the four missing crates only to hit roadblocks every step of the way. She knew that his concern for her safety was one of the biggest reasons why he was having such a hard time tracking the women. He did his best not to leave her alone and unguarded, which meant his babysitting duties interfered with his hunt for information. With each of his few trips to the storage fields, Hix had always rushed back to her side, not wanting to take chances with her safety. He also refused to let her go with him, which she both hated yet understood.
“I am going to visit the landing field first to make a note of the ships that are docking.” Hix opened another pack of crackers, and this time handed her half of the contents. Maggie nibbled the corner of a cracker and hoped it would settle her still sour stomach.
“Do you think Phaetons may be landing?”
“We can only hope but that is not why I need to scout the area. Whoever is picking up the crates will need to be flying a cargo shuttle sufficient to handle the size and weight.”
Warriors of Phaeton: Hix Page 13
