Page 22 of No Strings Attached

The squad leader shouted, “Hey, what are you doing with her?”

“I’m giving her comfort and reassurance, dumbass,” he said with steel in his voice. “What does it look like? Did your mother have machines tend to your litter?”

Bobby released her, then knelt and effortlessly picked her bodily up in a bridal carry, walking confidently out of the cage.

“Give her to me.”

“Sure. But you might want to say goodbye to your testicles, first. Did you see what she did to that Ulu? She’s going to do the same to any Trallian except for me.”

Vi caught Bobby’s hint and gnashed her teeth at the squad leader, growling. She turned her free hand, the other was around Bobby’s neck, into a clawed thing and reached for him.

The squad leader gasped, then turned and blustered at his squad which filed out the door, while Bobby followed last, with Vi in his arms.

She heard Acken say, “Good luck, little she-beast. And Bobby,” right before the cage room door snicked shut.

Eleven: So, Do We Own This Asteroid Now?

Vi alternated her gazefrom the chiseled walls of the rock corridor to Bobby’s face, marveling at the careful observation and resolve she saw there. Had she really thought she would need to protect him a little extra just a few minutes before he pledged to fight and die beside her?

He looked down and saw her watching him. He whispered, “Remember, you’re worthless to him dead or damaged. He’s not going to want to do something that risks your sale price.”

“Yeah,” she whispered back, “but there’s a lot of terrible and humiliating shit that won’t leave a mark.”

Bobby’s gaze jerked up from hers and followed the passage of a Trallian passing the other way. “Trak,” he whispered, craning around to impart some sentiment with his look as they passed.

“Will he do something?”

“I don’t know if he can.”

They turned a corner, moving through a narrower corridor, then stopped while Vi heard a series of beeps, clicks, irises, andca-thunks, then they walked through a doorway into another world.

The cavern was at least 10 stories high and lit as brightly as a sunny day, causing Vi to need to shield her eyes. They stood at the beginning of a vast, lush garden with trees, flowers, vines, and singing birds as far as the eye could see. Along the cavern walls ran a series of walkways widening out to terraces in front of hatch-style doorways and large, picture windows. It was like the extravagant interior courtyard of a very expensive hotel.

Bobby continued carrying Vi behind the goon squad, walking many yards into the garden until they reached a little clearing covered in purplish grass. Qlu sat there in a massive chair like a king, clearly enjoying the impact his magnificent space made on visitors.

“Lovely, isn’t it? You’ll find…say, why is he carrying her?”

“She would not permit us to retrieve her, and the Garoxian protects her,” said the leader. “Apparently, she has formed some sort of trust bond with this…runt. This was the easiest way to bring her to you while still retaining our testicles.”

“Oh really? And what do you think you need those for?”

The lead Trallian hung his head.

“Wait,” asked Qlu, leaning forward, “Did you say that the Garoxianprotectsher?”

“Yes, Master Qlu. She’s formed some sort of bond with it, too.”

“Hmmm. She sounds like a dangerous influence on my merchandise.” He eyed Bobby, “And my Trallians. Bring her forward to me, runt, and set her down.”

Bobby stepped forward until they were a few feet away from Qlu, but he made no move to put her down. She patted his chest and said, “It’ll be OK, go ahead.”

Bobby gently stood her on her feet, careful not to pull her blanket dress off in the process.

Qlu squinted at them, “I think this runt has developed feelings for this human! How is that possible?” He looked at his squad leader, “Are Trallians compatible with humans?”

The squad leader looked shocked and said, “I…I…I don’t know, Master Qlu. I’ve heard that Trallians aren’t compatible with any other species. That’s why we are trusted to serve female mistresses throughout the galaxy. But I’ve never seen this species before.”

“Don’t you mate from pheromones? Give her a sniff and tell me what you experience.”

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