the table and examined it before saying, "These last two assassins were better armed than the others." Pointing to a canvas-like sack, he asked, "What's in the bag?"
"I found a dozen grenades in the car," Brenda said. "But I only kept eleven."
"I saw that. Did you recognize either of them before they became totally unrecognizable?"
"No. I'd say they were just two more lowlifes looking to make an easy credit."
"I guess bounty hunting can be a tough way to make an easy credit," Nelligen said.
The ship continued on the course established when escaping the attacking ship while not divulging their true destination for a full month, then Vyx entered a heading that would take them to the rendezvous point. He calculated the distance from their current location and reduced their speed so they'd arrive when they should have if their top speed had been just Light-300. The fewer people who knew the real capabilities of the Scorpion , the better.
After entering the proper course coordinates, Vyx returned to the dining area in time to see Albert place a Tarlovo roast on the table. Everyone was looking at the roast with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. The smell was delicious but all had eaten Tarlovo meals on Bleadalto and been repulsed by the taste.
"It smells great, Albert," Vyx said.
"I hope it tastes as good as it smells. I prepared it according to the instructions you gave me. I had a devil of a time finding a whole Tarlovo. Almost every shop Kathryn and I visited had already gutted and skinned the animals. I finally got someone to tell me where I could find a live animal."
"Live?" Brenda echoed, her shock apparent.
"Well, yeah. I wanted it to be fresh. I didn't have to kill it though. The butcher did that. When we got back to the ship, I gutted it and set the glands aside, then skinned it. After it was cleaned, I put everything in the food preserver. Then yesterday, I dragged it all out and began preparing it. If no one likes it, Vyx is going to have to eat the whole thing."
"Gahhh!" Kathryn said.
"Then let me get started," Vyx said, as he took one of the larger steaks and spooned some of the gravy onto it.
Everyone watched expectantly as Vyx cut a piece off the steak, held it to his nose and breathed deeply to enjoy the aroma, then smiled and popped the morsel into his mouth. As he began chewing, all eyes were watching for his reaction.
Suddenly, Vyx stopped chewing and a horrible expression crossed his face. His fork clattered on the dinnerware as he dropped it and grabbed at his throat with both hands. As a horrible strangling noise issued from his mouth, everyone at the table jumped up, knocking over drinks and spilling food from platters.
Then, just as suddenly, Vyx smiled, picked up his fork, and resumed eating. "Excellent, Albert, excellent."
Everyone at the table just stared in shock, then realized it was a joke and began laughing. As they picked up glasses and straightened the food dishes, Brenda slapped Vyx lightly on the back of his head.
"You scared me half to death," Brenda said.
"Sorry," Vyx said with a smile, "I couldn't resist. You were all looking at me like you expected me to spit it out, so I tried to give you what you anticipated."
Everyone laughed again, then began filling their plates with food, including Tarlovo steaks.
No one said anything for several minutes as they chewed a piece of steak and then another, all copiously covered with gravy.
Kathryn was the first to speak. "I can't believe this is Tarlovo, but I was there when Albert bought it. It's delicious."
"I don't believe it," Nelligen said. "You swapped it with something else. Is this Terran pork?"
"No, it's Tarlovo," Byers said, "and it's magnificent. If you don't believe it, I can show you the head. It's still in the food preservation locker. You know, I can't wait to try the recipe for Wernallo now. That's something else I swore I'd never eat again."
"If no one likes the Tarlovo," Vyx said, "I'll be happy to eat the whole
"I found a dozen grenades in the car," Brenda said. "But I only kept eleven."
"I saw that. Did you recognize either of them before they became totally unrecognizable?"
"No. I'd say they were just two more lowlifes looking to make an easy credit."
"I guess bounty hunting can be a tough way to make an easy credit," Nelligen said.
The ship continued on the course established when escaping the attacking ship while not divulging their true destination for a full month, then Vyx entered a heading that would take them to the rendezvous point. He calculated the distance from their current location and reduced their speed so they'd arrive when they should have if their top speed had been just Light-300. The fewer people who knew the real capabilities of the Scorpion , the better.
After entering the proper course coordinates, Vyx returned to the dining area in time to see Albert place a Tarlovo roast on the table. Everyone was looking at the roast with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. The smell was delicious but all had eaten Tarlovo meals on Bleadalto and been repulsed by the taste.
"It smells great, Albert," Vyx said.
"I hope it tastes as good as it smells. I prepared it according to the instructions you gave me. I had a devil of a time finding a whole Tarlovo. Almost every shop Kathryn and I visited had already gutted and skinned the animals. I finally got someone to tell me where I could find a live animal."
"Live?" Brenda echoed, her shock apparent.
"Well, yeah. I wanted it to be fresh. I didn't have to kill it though. The butcher did that. When we got back to the ship, I gutted it and set the glands aside, then skinned it. After it was cleaned, I put everything in the food preserver. Then yesterday, I dragged it all out and began preparing it. If no one likes it, Vyx is going to have to eat the whole thing."
"Gahhh!" Kathryn said.
"Then let me get started," Vyx said, as he took one of the larger steaks and spooned some of the gravy onto it.
Everyone watched expectantly as Vyx cut a piece off the steak, held it to his nose and breathed deeply to enjoy the aroma, then smiled and popped the morsel into his mouth. As he began chewing, all eyes were watching for his reaction.
Suddenly, Vyx stopped chewing and a horrible expression crossed his face. His fork clattered on the dinnerware as he dropped it and grabbed at his throat with both hands. As a horrible strangling noise issued from his mouth, everyone at the table jumped up, knocking over drinks and spilling food from platters.
Then, just as suddenly, Vyx smiled, picked up his fork, and resumed eating. "Excellent, Albert, excellent."
Everyone at the table just stared in shock, then realized it was a joke and began laughing. As they picked up glasses and straightened the food dishes, Brenda slapped Vyx lightly on the back of his head.
"You scared me half to death," Brenda said.
"Sorry," Vyx said with a smile, "I couldn't resist. You were all looking at me like you expected me to spit it out, so I tried to give you what you anticipated."
Everyone laughed again, then began filling their plates with food, including Tarlovo steaks.
No one said anything for several minutes as they chewed a piece of steak and then another, all copiously covered with gravy.
Kathryn was the first to speak. "I can't believe this is Tarlovo, but I was there when Albert bought it. It's delicious."
"I don't believe it," Nelligen said. "You swapped it with something else. Is this Terran pork?"
"No, it's Tarlovo," Byers said, "and it's magnificent. If you don't believe it, I can show you the head. It's still in the food preservation locker. You know, I can't wait to try the recipe for Wernallo now. That's something else I swore I'd never eat again."
"If no one likes the Tarlovo," Vyx said, "I'll be happy to eat the whole
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