inquiring into, Captain Grok? It must be of grave
importance to warrant your presence.”
“I’m searching for a Dreck assassin.” Grok slid a tablet
toward Furu. “He’s extremely dangerous, a threat to all of Balazoid .”
Red eyes set in a pale face stared up at them, savage and
defiant, the Dreck’s human hair whiter than his skin. Furu scanned through the
images, feigning an interest. “And the female?” A humanoid female with long
lifeless pale hair and blank violet eyes gazed out of the screen.
Grok surveyed the empty room and leaned forward. “It is a
future-bender. We suspect the Dreck captured it.”
Furu blinked, expressing the expected amount of surprise,
not caring an amani ’s ass about some colorless future-predicting female.
“This could secure our victory.” He tilted his head, his verme limp, the
strands missing Mirian’s touch as much as he did. “The Balazoid who
recovered the future-bender would be a hero.”
“This is why the council trusts me and only me with this
assignment.” Grok tugged down on his ill-fitting uniform.
Xan snorted, his nostrils flaring.
“And this is why you’re talking to us.” Furu tapped his
index finger against his mouth, slowly leading Grok toward the decision they
wanted. “If the Dreck assassin enters this sector, he’ll stop on Viridi to replenish his supplies.”
Grok’s eyes widened. “And when he does, you’ll inform me.”
His voice rose. “I’ll dispose of the Dreck assassin and retrieve the Federation
future-bender.”
“We’ll do no such thing,” Xan stormed, pounding his fists on
the seat, denting the metal. “We completed our assignment on Viridi .
We’re moving to the next assignment and earning our way back to Balazoid .”
“You could complete a hundred assignments and not earn your
way back to Balazoid ,” the captain spat. “But…” He met Furu’s gaze, his
beady eyes speculative. “If you assist me in capturing the Dreck assassin, I’ll
ensure your crimes are forgiven.”
“If?” Xan sprang to his feet, his boots thudding on the
tiles. “You want us to wait on Viridi for how long? Forever?” He towered
over them, his muscular physique dominating the space. “On the off chance the
Dreck assassin might enter the sector?” He rammed his hands down on his gun
handles. “No deal.”
“You don’t have a choice.” Grok slapped a button on his
communicator. “You’re staying on Viridi and you’ll notify me when the
Dreck assassin lands.” The doors slid open and five burly soldiers entered,
guns in their hands, their bodies covered with protective armor. “That is a
direct order. These males will escort you to your ship and you’ll return to the
planet or it will be my great honor to personally dispose of you.”
“Why you—” Xan surged toward Grok.
“No, Xan.” Furu stepped between the two males, the soldiers’
guns trained on Xan. “Don’t.” He patted his warrior’s chest and one of the
soldiers sneered. “This is an opportunity for us to earn our way back to Balazoid sooner.” He turned to Grok. “We’ll do this.”
“Good.” Grok nodded. “Listen to your master, Dreck.” He
smiled smugly. “Take them away.” He waved his hand.
The soldiers approached. Furu grabbed Xan’s arm and dragged
him out of the room, the warrior glaring back over his shoulder at the
warship’s captain. Xan grumbled curse-filled nonsense as they strode through
the narrow corridors, a visual recording system following their movements, the
soldiers listening to their conversation.
Furu pressed his hand on their ship’s control panel,
unlocking the doors, and they entered their makeshift home, leaving their
guards on the warship. “Engage,” Furu instructed their guidance system, the
route back to Viridi already programmed.
The ship shuddered and shook as it broke away from the Balazoid warship. Furu fell forward and Xan strapped his arms around his waist,
steadying him.
“Finally, we’re
importance to warrant your presence.”
“I’m searching for a Dreck assassin.” Grok slid a tablet
toward Furu. “He’s extremely dangerous, a threat to all of Balazoid .”
Red eyes set in a pale face stared up at them, savage and
defiant, the Dreck’s human hair whiter than his skin. Furu scanned through the
images, feigning an interest. “And the female?” A humanoid female with long
lifeless pale hair and blank violet eyes gazed out of the screen.
Grok surveyed the empty room and leaned forward. “It is a
future-bender. We suspect the Dreck captured it.”
Furu blinked, expressing the expected amount of surprise,
not caring an amani ’s ass about some colorless future-predicting female.
“This could secure our victory.” He tilted his head, his verme limp, the
strands missing Mirian’s touch as much as he did. “The Balazoid who
recovered the future-bender would be a hero.”
“This is why the council trusts me and only me with this
assignment.” Grok tugged down on his ill-fitting uniform.
Xan snorted, his nostrils flaring.
“And this is why you’re talking to us.” Furu tapped his
index finger against his mouth, slowly leading Grok toward the decision they
wanted. “If the Dreck assassin enters this sector, he’ll stop on Viridi to replenish his supplies.”
Grok’s eyes widened. “And when he does, you’ll inform me.”
His voice rose. “I’ll dispose of the Dreck assassin and retrieve the Federation
future-bender.”
“We’ll do no such thing,” Xan stormed, pounding his fists on
the seat, denting the metal. “We completed our assignment on Viridi .
We’re moving to the next assignment and earning our way back to Balazoid .”
“You could complete a hundred assignments and not earn your
way back to Balazoid ,” the captain spat. “But…” He met Furu’s gaze, his
beady eyes speculative. “If you assist me in capturing the Dreck assassin, I’ll
ensure your crimes are forgiven.”
“If?” Xan sprang to his feet, his boots thudding on the
tiles. “You want us to wait on Viridi for how long? Forever?” He towered
over them, his muscular physique dominating the space. “On the off chance the
Dreck assassin might enter the sector?” He rammed his hands down on his gun
handles. “No deal.”
“You don’t have a choice.” Grok slapped a button on his
communicator. “You’re staying on Viridi and you’ll notify me when the
Dreck assassin lands.” The doors slid open and five burly soldiers entered,
guns in their hands, their bodies covered with protective armor. “That is a
direct order. These males will escort you to your ship and you’ll return to the
planet or it will be my great honor to personally dispose of you.”
“Why you—” Xan surged toward Grok.
“No, Xan.” Furu stepped between the two males, the soldiers’
guns trained on Xan. “Don’t.” He patted his warrior’s chest and one of the
soldiers sneered. “This is an opportunity for us to earn our way back to Balazoid sooner.” He turned to Grok. “We’ll do this.”
“Good.” Grok nodded. “Listen to your master, Dreck.” He
smiled smugly. “Take them away.” He waved his hand.
The soldiers approached. Furu grabbed Xan’s arm and dragged
him out of the room, the warrior glaring back over his shoulder at the
warship’s captain. Xan grumbled curse-filled nonsense as they strode through
the narrow corridors, a visual recording system following their movements, the
soldiers listening to their conversation.
Furu pressed his hand on their ship’s control panel,
unlocking the doors, and they entered their makeshift home, leaving their
guards on the warship. “Engage,” Furu instructed their guidance system, the
route back to Viridi already programmed.
The ship shuddered and shook as it broke away from the Balazoid warship. Furu fell forward and Xan strapped his arms around his waist,
steadying him.
“Finally, we’re
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