“Please help me set the bone.”
“Yes, of course.” He grasped her ankle and pulled, gauging the angle by her facial expressions.
“There,” she said. Switching into Sessiki, she added, “I anticipated an elevated level of aggression in us. It will fade as we re-acclimate to our normal gravity.”
“Why didn't you tell me about that?” Frank asked back in Sessiki.
“I didn't want to burden you, in case I was wrong.”
“When are you ever wrong?”
She smiled. “This is the first time I've successfully anticipated any of your actions. Now help me up.”
He pulled her to her feet and then reached up to wipe a tear from her face. “I'm sorry you got hurt,” he said, still in Sessiki. “I know we heal and all but it still sucks.”
“While that was the highest level of physical pain that I have encountered, I am convinced that it pales in comparison to emotional pain.” Resisting the urge to kiss him, she winked and walked away as she had seen him do before.
“I'm confused,” Nera said in English as she came forth. She had been picking fruit and hadn't seen what had happened.
“That makes two of us,” Robert replied.
“I need to wrap my head around all of this,” Frank said. He turned to the Nuunians. “Are you sure you guys are alright?”
“We are fine, Frank. Thank you for moving the trees.”
* * *
“I'll have my usual,” Jard said as he placed a stack of coins on the bar top. He watched as the barkeep walked down the way to retrieve and old bottle from the end of the shelf. Blowing the dust off, he removed the seal and poured a generous amount into a tumbler.
“I didn't know if we'd ever see you in here again.”
“I was away on an extended business trip,” Jard said with a smile.
“Shall I order more of this ale, then?”
“Yes, please. Keep the change.” Jard turned to survey the crowd. It looked much the same as it ever had. Rough looking members of various species were congregating, drinking and laughing over tales of their exploits. Although many of them looked as if they would be murderers and thieves, Jard knew that most of them were merely ship-folk who were enjoying a layover. He took a sip of his ale as he scanned the opposite side of the room. There he saw the Gurdiks. He didn't want to approach them as he knew that while they are polite for the most part, they will fight if provoked. And he didn't wish to draw attention to himself. He had never really studied them closely before but he knew they kept to their own and no other species had been welcomed into their circle. He then spotted one Gurdik sitting alone at a table in the very back corner. The others seemed to be ignoring him. “What kind of Gurdik would be shunned?” Jard thought to himself.
“It sounds like everyone is getting into the killing business.” Jard looked around to see where the voice was coming from. Looking down, he was surprised to see that it belonged to a scruffy-looking Sungaran. “Do you mind?” the large rodent asked, gesturing toward the empty stool.
“Be my guest,” Jard replied with a flourish of his arm. While he didn't usually engage in social interaction in such a place, he felt that it would be just the thing he needed to keep an eye on the lone Gurdik without drawing attention to himself. “What is it you were saying about the killing business?”
“Almost everyone in here is talking about taking on that big contract.”
“What contract is that?” Jard asked, pretending not to know.
“All I know is what I hear. And my hearing is very good. There is a massive open contract to kill the Monster.”
“The human from the tournament?” Jard asked.
“That's the one. Did you know that he's married to a Sessik?” the Sungaran asked.
“I've never seen a Sessik,” Jard replied.
“Not many have in person.”
“I'm afraid I haven't been following the news very closely,” Jard continued. “Why would anyone put up a large contract for a human?” Jard watched as two Gurdiks walked in the door, looked around, and headed straight toward the lone insectoid sitting in the back. They ignored the main group. And they were wearing cloaks.
“He is no ordinary human. You should watch the news more. He's defeated both the Mingrein and the Gotes.” The tiny being was waving furiously to get the barkeep's attention.
“Allow me, my friend.” Jard leaned over the bar slightly and nodded his head. The barkeep came straight over. Jard waited patiently for the Sungaran to have his exchange with the barkeep. When they were finished, he continued, “So, a lone human did all of that?”
“Yes. And in doing so, he freed Sungara. I would hate to see him getting killed.”
“That is quite interesting,” Jard said, continuing his ruse. “Are you sure everyone in here is talking about taking on the contract?”
“Everyone, except those guys.” The Sungaran gestured toward the main group of Gurdiks. “They pulled out of Vera when they heard the Monster was there.”
“How can you be so sure of what everyone is talking about?”
“Like I said before, my hearing is very good. It's not always a good thing.”
“Can you even hear what those Gurdiks all the way in the back are talking about? That is an amazing ability if you can hear something so far, across such a crowded room.”
The Sungaran shifted his head slightly. “Ah, yes. Those guys are pirates. I don't think they normally do assassinations, but they are indeed talking about taking on the contract.”
“I am impressed.” Jard noticed the three pirates standing to leave. “I am sorry to say I am late for a business meeting, but I have enjoyed our conversation a great deal.” Jard dropped another stack of coins on the bar top. “Your drinks are on me.”
* * *
“Sir, the drop ships are taking heavy fire.”
“What?” Admiral Grame asked. “Status?”
“While every ship managed to land, they are no longer space-worthy.”
Grame stood speechless for some time. He realized his folly was in not waiting until dark to conduct the operation. “How is it that human weapons can damage my drop ships?”
“I wish I had an answer, sir. But the soldiers are heavily armed so they should be okay until we can organize an extraction.”
“Put Ebry through in my quarters.” Grame turned and marched off of the bridge.
* * *
“I feel like it's not safe for me to be around other people.”
“Nonsense, my love,” Gladys answered. Her remote was hovering in front of Frank. Robert and Constanthos were completing the circle. “Now, tell me exactly what happened.”
“I really don't know how to explain it,” Frank answered.
“Robert?” Gladys asked.
“Frank got mad at a tree, and it broke Connie's leg.” Robert's statement drew a giggle from Constanthos.
“Connie?” Gladys asked.
“I'm sorry, sister. It sounds funny when it's put like that.” She flashed a sympathetic look toward Frank who was shaking his head. “I had anticipated an elevated level of aggression. I didn't want it to be a cause for alarm.”
“Are you dealing with that as well?” Gladys asked.
“Possibly. I am still not aware of the true nature of aggression at this point. But Frank has several thousand generations worth of adaptations that I do not possess. I considered myself to be more of the control role of this set of observations.”
“Yes,” Gladys replied. “That is a sound evaluation.”
“I am so lost,” Robert said.
“Welcome to my world,” Frank added. He looked around to see Nera talking to Denise and Michelle off in the distance. She looked like she was ready to leave. “Where's Hiro and Miyako?”
“They are using the refresher room,” Gladys replied.
“I understand their need. Is Breet still out?”
“Yes, but I think it may be time to take him home.”
“I agree,” Fran
k replied. “Let's go say our farewells.”
* * *
Jard followed at a distance as the pirates walked with purpose toward the ship yard. His stealth was made all the more effortless by the fact that only about half of the street lights were functioning properly. The city known as Hitakkita Bay had been in a state of political turmoil for quite some time as the Gotes had been trying to get a foothold. But with the recent events, Jard knew that everything would soon get back to normal. And the streetlights might get fixed. For now, there were plenty of shadows to travel in.
The Yard Authority only glanced at them as they passed by the gate. His job was to prevent or deal with accidents. And check guns. Jard slipped by shortly thereafter, totally unnoticed. As he followed their progress he mused as to which vessel was theirs. He was almost shocked when he watched them walk to the biggest piece of junk on the yard. It was as if pieces of ten different ships had been thrown together to make some odd freighter-warship hybrid. They walked up the ramp and he was pleased to see that it didn't raise behind them.
Jard spotted an alarm switch and placed a remote actuator on it. And then, spotting a dark spot behind some empty crates, he pulled off his gloves and cloak and stowed them. Carrying the data collector, he made his way toward the ramp. As he peered up into the ship, he decided the lighting inside suited him so he quietly ascended the ramp.
“Amoz is in conference with the Queen,” one Gurdik was saying. “He will be along shortly. We are to prime the engines.”
“Prime the engines?” another Gurdik asked. “You don't prime these. He means for someone to warm his seat for him.” They shared a laugh before they went their separate ways. And Jard was surprised to find that he was aboard the ship of the infamous Amoz Nudek.
The interior of the vessel was a striking contrast to its exterior. It was clean and very elegant in its simplicity. Jard knew right away why the vendor had sold him a collector designed for Rhoshe computational systems. The junker was obviously a Rhoshe ship that had been disguised as a flying pile of rust. And that explained why the pirates have always been so efficient in their criminal endeavors. Noticing the light increasing as he neared the bridge, Jard ducked into a dark spot and pressed the button for the remote actuator. The alarm sounded from outside and quickly synced with the ship's computer to alert the occupants, as well as those of every vessel on the yard, that there was some sort of emergency and immediate evacuation was required. After the pirates from the bridge passed him, Jard emerged from the shadow and quickly found the navigation array. He placed the collector and waited.
“These guys have been to a lot of places,” he said to himself as the time was creeping by. His worries were confirmed when he heard the all-clear signal from all the way outside. He was barely relieved when the collector indicated that its work was done. Dismounting it, he darted back the way he came. As he approached the ramp, he stopped to look around the corner first. The entire Gurdik crew was nearly to the bottom of the ramp. He pressed the button again. After a moment, he looked again to see the Gurdiks pause in unison as the alarms once again sounded. Their agitation was visible as they all turned on their heels and walked away from the ship. Jard slipped back down the ramp and disappeared into the shadows. Circling back to where he had stowed his cloak, he retrieved it and put it on as well as his gloves. He then retrieved his remote actuator. Stepping back into the shadows, he decided to wait and see if he could catch a glimpse of Amoz Nudek.
* * *
“Now this is home,” Nera said as she sank onto the couch. She did her best to drag Frank down with her and he decided not to fight it, although he would have preferred to let one of the ladies take his place.
“I really need to get more seating,” he said in a low voice. Looking into Nera's eyes he said, “I am so glad you didn't lose anyone.”
“I'm just glad we didn't lose you,” she replied as she snuggled in closer to him.
“Frank,” Hiro said, “I am anxious to hear about Vera.”
“Vera is a lovely planet, if you can look past all of the Gotes.” Frank looked over to Constanthos, who was standing silently. “Connie, I just realized that you haven't really spoken to everyone. In person, I mean. Well, you know what I mean.”
“I feel like I know everyone well already. There will be plenty of time for pleasant conversation.” She flashed that smile again.
“You are avoiding the topic of Vera,” Hiro said with a smile.
“It got pretty ugly,” Frank replied. “I did my best to conduct myself with honor. Connie was in on the action and she did great. You and your grandfather should be proud of her.”
“Me?” Hiro asked.
“I brought Frank's training memories into this body,” Constanthos explained. “It is as if you trained me as well. Your grandfather helped fine tune my technique.” She paused to smile at Denise as she emerged from the hallway. “Denise started training with your cousin.”
“Yui is wonderful,” Denise said as she settled in on the other side of Frank.
“She is a natural talent,” Miyako added. “I would be happy to continue your training whenever we have time.”
“That would be wonderful,” Denise answered. “Thank you.”
“My turn in the refresher,” Nera said. She kissed Frank before she stood and walked toward the door. “Hello, Phildan.”
“Hello, Nera,” Phildan answered as he looked up from his data pad. “Nice work on Nuun.”
“Thanks.” She disappeared into the hallway.
“Hello, everyone,” Phildan said. “We will be docking shortly.”
“Are we taking Breet home now?” Michelle asked.
“Yes,” Frank replied. “I think I would like to go home too. But there's the small matter of the Gotian Problem.”
“And finding Cindy's planet,” Robert added.
“Yeah. Jard said he would look into that. We'll have to figure out how to find him on Hitakkita.”
“And there is the Mertia situation,” Constanthos added.
“I don't really know what to think about that,” Frank said. “Ottwan sounded so cryptic about it.”
Constanthos suddenly had a serious expression on her face. “You may want to discuss that with Gladys.”
“What is a Breet?” Miyako asked.
“Warrior bug,” Frank replied as the door panel slid open. He stood and offered his hand to Denise, who accepted it and held his arm as everyone made their way toward the door. He was delighted so see Gladys and Cindy waiting to greet them. “You look absolutely radiant, my dear,” Frank said before kissing Gladys.
She didn't reply until after she had either hugged, kissed, or both to everyone. “I have isolated the Problem. The computational system should have a working solution very soon.”
“That is wonderful, my dear,” Frank said.
“I will help it along,” Constanthos said. “Right after I move us to Rhoshe One.”
8.
Two very unremarkable Gurdiks were making their way toward the junker. Jard became one with the dark corner as they neared and he focused on remaining completely silent.
“Make sure the ship is ready,” one of them said. “And brief the new members of the crew to what is at stake.”
“I can't believe she is endorsing this mission,” the other replied.
“If all goes well we can just buy the planet. I have to meet with the Director and then we will be on our way.”
“Aye, sir.” The second Gurdik made his way toward the ship, and up the ramp.
Jard realized he was looking at Amoz Nudek. If there had been one hundred Gurdiks lined up, this is the last one he would ever suspect. A sound caught his attention and Jard looked to his right to see the source. A small group of shadowy figures was approaching. One broke free from the crowd to approach Amoz as the others paused in the shadows. It was Fev.
“Mr. Director,” Amoz said in a low tone as Fev came nearer.
“Amoz,” the Director replied with a slight bow.
>
“Don't do that,” Amoz said in a short tone.
Fev laughed before continuing. “Just a reminder, Bofa and I both know who you really are. So don't get any ideas.”
“I will get you to Earth, Fev. And if you survive, I will bring you back. It is up to you to not blow this opportunity.”
“We have a plan in place. Once we locate the Monster's lair, we will lay the trap. You run interference in orbit. Locating the lair might take some time, but I'm certain it will be of little consequence as that place is pretty primitive.”
“How much interference do you think I will need to run?” Amoz asked.
“It shouldn't be much. Every assassin and wannabe assassin is at Rhoshe.”
“I see. He is returning the Champion to his home?”
“Yes. Apparently this human is screwy like that.”
“It's a shame that he has to die.” Amoz shifted his stance. “I will meet you in orbit and open the rift. If you don't do anything stupid, we will be there in a few days.”
* * *
“What's this all about?” Robert asked with a chuckle as Michelle pulled him to the most remote part of the garden she could find.
“We need to talk,” she said with a smile as she stopped to look around. “This has the be the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life.”
“Any place you're at is the most beautiful place.” He said the words with ridiculous sincerity.
“You are too much,” she replied, her smile never fading.
“I mean it, though.”
Taking both of his hands, she looked up into his eyes. “Robert, I'm pregnant.”
With only a slight pause, Robert Jones, the gentle giant, dropped to one knee. He pulled her close so he could place his forehead onto her belly where the new life was growing. With tears of joy forming in his eyes, he pulled his head back and looked up at her. “I don't have a ring to offer you. But, Michelle, will you marry me?”
* * *
Nera marched out of the boat and straight into the waiting arms of Gladys. After a brief kiss, she disengaged and moved to embrace Cindy.
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