Page 38 of Bonded

“And to clarify: this deal,” Ithran nodded toward the tablet, “is for the next scheduled quarterly meeting. Not today.”

Brooks and the Kaza twins stared at each other and finally confirmed the understanding with Ithran.

Ithran nodded, the large ropes of his plaits swishing around his shoulders. It took a trained eye to see that the swath of hair down the middle had intensified to a dull red. He hid his tells well.

“Please make sure that clause is in the contract just like that. New contract, new payment for provisions at that future date, and new transport requirements.”

My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest. I kept silent, though, clinging to my belief that Ithran knew what he was doing.

Both Brooks and the Kaza twins made the amendments, and returned the tablet back to Ithran for approval. When that wording was settled and all parties agreed, Ithran signaled for me to get up and leave.

“I will have my goods now. I expect it at the south landing docks in five minutes.”

RUZAN

“You did well, Captain,” I said. “Much better than I could have done.”

“You didn’t resort to violence, and the cantina was intact. I say that you did about the same as I,” Ithran replied.

I took that as a compliment, especially since I had envisioned exactly that. I had to swallow my pride, though. The same as Vryek. We both had wanted to see those mercenaries torn apart, but Priya…she was our priority now. We couldn’t indulge our primal urges when we couldn’t guarantee her safety.

I kept my hand on her back, feeling her warmth. It could be my imagination, but I thought I could feel her heartbeat. Just knowing she was safe with me kept me calm.

“So, what about this new contract?” Vryek asked.

Ithran made a gesture in our old code.Not here.

“How did you get here so quickly?” I asked, deflecting the topic.

“I have my methods,” Ithran said. “Besides, a little mite suggested that haste would be appreciated. Considering I was in open space, I was not amused.”

I tried to link with Priya to include her in the joke, as she had wanted to link earlier, but she was closed off. She was sleeping or trying to shut me out. I hoped for the former, considering how happy she had been to share our link. It felt so good to feel her within me.

“I cannot wait to hear about this from the mite’s point of view,” I said.

“Indeed,” Ithran said. “You have what you need, then?” I knew he meant more than just the supplies.

“Yes, everything we need is here.”

The red stripe along his head was subdued, but I saw the way it tinged the other plaits along his head. His dead calm could switch into violence quickly.

The whine of a small hauler approached us. The Kaza twins were no longer around. Not surprised. They probably left before we exited the cantina.

Brooks rode in the front car, with two trailers packed behind. We inspected the goods first.

“We can take it to the dock from here,” Vryek said.

“And have you steal our hauler? No, we will drive it to your dock as part of our agreement. As he so pointed out to us, we needed to keep.” Brooks nodded at Ithran.

I wanted to rip his multi horned head off of his body. He didn’t belong in the same space as Priya. Vryek had been concerned about her reaction, but I was doubly so, as I felt her shut down when Vryek could not. I couldn’t do anything about that at the moment.

Ithran said nothing, merely stared at the trader until his black bulbous eyes looked away. “Let’s go then. We aren’t far from the south landing dock from here, anyway.”

I sat in the third row, leaving Ithran up front closest to Brooks and Vryek between us in the second row.

I thought I was safe back here, but one of the Nokta crew, a low-level one given its bluer skin tone, slipped onto the bench beside me. I shifted Priya so that I tucked her between me and the door.

“Seems a good haul,” the Nokta said. “You lot gonna be part of the team, then?”

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