by Eric Vall
“Oh, and for the cakes, too,” Akela added right before she shoved a tiny cake in her mouth whole.
“For the cakes, too,” King Grenn agreed with a laugh.
I brought the cup to my lips and took a hesitant swig, but much to my surprise, the drink truly was delicious. It was sweet, floral, and tasted more like wine than liquor.
After we all finished our first cups, the king poured us one more before we headed out toward the edge of town where the party was to be held. It had gotten dark by then, but the new lights in the city lit our way, and before long, we were mixed in with a large crowd of Gelm also on their way to the party.
I felt great after those two drinks, and I smiled at everyone who passed by me. I wasn’t sure if they knew I was intoxicated, or if they were genuinely happy to see me, but most of them smiled back.
The king seemed to have a grand time, too, as we walked. He reached out and patted citizens on the back, and he had a small baggie of little cakes with him that he gave out to the children.
I wondered if Grenn had children of his own and we hadn’t met them, or if he had no heirs. I hadn’t ever seen him with a wife either, which was curious to me, but I put the thought out of my head and smiled as we headed to the celebration.
The closer we got to the outskirts of town, the louder and more chaotic it became. I expected to feel Neka’s tail wrap around my wrist, but instead she pranced forward, and her eyes glittered from the lights and her awe at the situation. I could hear what sounded like music, and it grew louder as we walked. Children ran around and played, some of them carrying treats or drinks, and adults talked, sang, danced, and drank. There was a huge fire in the middle of the field, and people gathered around with chairs or instruments, and there were whole tables filled with drinks and food and servants who happily handed out plates and cups.
“Welcome to the party,” King Grenn announced with a wide gesture once we were in the throes of it.
I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the ambiance, but the whole scene felt so happy. Everyone smiled and seemed at ease, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling either. I looked over to Akela and Sef’sla to see both of them were feeling it as well, since they had wide grins plastered on their faces as they took in the sights before us.
“Go, enjoy yourselves!” the king chuckled.
Neka had already made her way to the food table and stood in line, so Sef’sla, Akela, and I followed her lead and stood behind her.
“This all looks so good,” the cat-girl purred as she turned to us and licked her lips.
“It does,” I agreed.
“Probably smart for us to eat something as well,” Sef’sla hissed, and she wavered on her long legs. “That tea the king made was quite strong.”
“I warned you,” Omni’s voice rang in my ear.
“We know, O,” Akela laughed. “We like our drinks strong.”
“You won’t be saying that in the morning,” the AI chided, and I rolled my eyes.
“O,” I said, “why don’t you take some video and just enjoy the party?”
“I’ll do my best,” he replied. “And I’ll make sure to get plenty of videos of you later on in the night.”
“Goodbye, O,” I said dryly, and I clicked my com to shut it off.
“I’m gonna have another drink just to spite him,” Akela snorted as she grabbed a cup.
“Me, too,” I chuckled and did the same.
The food was marvelous, and there were so many different things to try that I didn’t even get to eat many of the options before I was full to bursting. So, I drank my fermented tea, chatted with the locals, and did some dancing.
After a few hours, it was absolutely dark except for the light of the fire, and those that lit up the city. The food table was mostly empty, but the music still blared, and Gelm still danced and sang, though I did see a few asleep propped up against trees.
I had to admit, I was ready to join them. I was quite intoxicated by now, but the king hadn’t lied, I’d never been to anything quite like a Gelm celebration.
“Hear, hear,” King Grenn shouted as he stood up on a table, and the music cut off while the crowd cheered and turned to their leader. “I hope you are all having a marvelous time!”
The crowd roared in applause and laughter, and the king smiled and held up a hand to quiet them.
“We are here to celebrate the wondrous things that have happened to our people lately,” the older Gelm male declared. “We have been cured of The Gray Cough! We now have lights to brighten our city, even in the dark. Our soil will soon be able to grow anything we desire, and we will soon be visited by travelers who will come to purchase our mior, a precious commodity we didn’t even understand until now. None of this would have been possible without our saviors. They have come to help our people, and we should be eternally grateful.”
The crowd roared, but just then, Shaso jumped up onto the table next to the king, and it was obvious he’d had too much to drink.
“Hear, hear!” the Elphad leader called, and Grenn eyed him warily. “To a new time for the Gelm! And to CT, Sef’sla, Akela, and Neka! May they come back and visit us often!”
The people cheered, and many turned to toast us where we stood. I was shocked by Shaso’s words, but I smiled at the Elphad leader, and he gave me a nod before he hopped down from the table.
“Oh, Your Majesty!” I yelled. “I have an announcement for you as well.”
The crowd whispered amongst themselves as I walked toward the king.
“An announcement?” King Grenn asked, and he eyed me curiously.
“Yes,” I said as I walked up and stood by the table. Even on top of the table, the king was only a head or so taller than me, but I pulled out my handheld device and pressed a button so the hologram of the contract would come up. “Omni and I have finished your intergalactic contract. Once you sign this, you are officially your own governing body, and then you will be able to trade and deal with any travelers who comes through on your own terms and keep every last profit for your people. This contract makes you an independently ruled planet, not to be governed by anybody but the Gelm from here until eternity.”
The king looked at me with soft, compassionate eyes as I spoke, and he placed his hands on mine.
The crowd had gone silent, and I began to wonder if I’d made the right call to do this in public, but then Grenn spoke.
“Where do I sign?” he asked, and the crowd erupted into cheers once more.
After the paperwork was signed and I had several more drinks in me, I found a table to sit down at as I watched Neka, Akela, and Sef’sla dance by the fire. The flames illuminated their faces and bodies in a beautiful orange tint, and all I could think was how beautiful they’d look naked.
I had another drink while I watched, but eventually the three of them ran up to me, breathless and sweaty.
“CT!” Neka yowled. “Come dance with us!”
“Yeah,” Akela panted. “Come on!”
“Please,” Sef’sla begged.
They all tugged on my arms, and finally, I couldn’t say no any longer, so I stood up and let them lead me onto the makeshift dance floor.
Sef’sla and Neka began to dance around me, but Akela pressed her back against my chest so I could feel her ass as she ground against me. Soon enough, Neka and Sef’sla were at my sides as well, and I was kissing each of them as I caressed their waists and hips. I couldn’t tell where one began and the others ended as I let the beat whisk me far away into that one moment of bliss.
I was hot, and sweaty, and after a while, I couldn’t suppress my feelings any longer, so I grabbed the girls by the hands and began to lead them away from the fire.
“Where are we going?” Neka giggled.
“You all know where we’re going,” I laughed. “You all teased me on that dance floor for far too long.”
All three of them snickered as I led them through the city.
The walk to the castle seemed short with the amount
of alcohol we’d consumed, and we quickly made our way out back to the Lacuna Noctis before I led them to my bed chambers.
“Oh, Colby,” O’s voice came over the speaker, and I closed my eyes in frustration.
“Yes, O?” I asked as the girls giggled behind me.
“Terra-Nebula has been in the news again today,” he said. “I thought you would want to know.”
Terra-Nebula in the news? I knew that couldn’t be good, and I wondered if it had anything to do with what had happened on Proxima V when they’d tried to take Sef’sla’s home planet from her people.
But just then Neka pressed herself against my back, and Akela began to kiss my neck while Sef’sla giggled and toyed with my hair, and I lost all track of my thoughts.
“Uh, can this wait til the morning, O?” I asked.
“Yes,” the AI said. “In the morning, then.”
“Thanks, O,” I told him with a sloppy grin, and I opened the door to the bedchamber and led the girls inside.
Morning was a long ways away.
End of book 3
End Notes
Thank you for reading Planet Broker 3! I’ll start writing the next book as soon as this one has one-hundred reviews. So please leave a nice review here!
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 by Eric Vall
