Page 32 of Relyn
“Ah, yes. You know it would be easier to remember if someone would stop trying to carry me everywhere. This place is a bit of a maze. You could tell the captain to put up a few signs.”
“It’s a security measure designed to confuse intruders.”
“Oh. Then it works quite well,” Nora said before taking off in the direction he’d pointed. As her legs were not nearly as long as his, Relyn kept up with her easily. “You know, you don’t have to come with me,” Nora said.
“I do not trust Ketle, or one of his intermediaries not to take revenge if they see you.”
“Like I said before, I can take care of myself. I’d rather there was no killing involved.”
“Killing is a last alternative, but I believe we have reached that point with Ketle. His kind do not back down,” Relyn said.
“So you think that now we have both personally handed him his ass on a platter, he’s just gonna go for a quick bang bang?”
Relyn paused to decode that sentence. Sometimes the translator didn’t get the euphemisms quite right. But he got the point.
“Yes. And until then, we shall not separate.”
“That’s okay, big guy. I’ll protect you.”
It took Relyn a moment to decide whether she was talking to him or the cat. Her grin when she looked up at him, told Relyn she was joking.
They entered the hangar which was thankfully empty, and crossed over to the hatch. The tunnel was also empty and his mate was much more secretive about the code than Rutra had been. She made him hold the pet crate and had it open before he knew it.
Nora proceeded inside.
“Lock the door, and don’t open it for anyone but me,” Relyn said. When she followed his order, he sighed in relief. Nora was reasonably safe in the ship, as long as she didn’t open the door to anyone. He trusted she had that much sense. He did not take any chances. Relyn sprinted back to his quarters and grabbed his duffle and packed what little he had on the ship. He slung it over his shoulder and another sprint back to the hangar.
He arrived just as Wendy, Gale, Rutra and Grom also appeared. Unfortunately, Ketle had just arrived, and when he saw Relyn, he let out a roar that echoed down the hangar and back.
Unsteady, Grom pulled out a laser rifle and trained it on Ketle. Rutra put a hand up, and shook his head. His eyes floated back and forth as he did.
“It was a fair fight, Ketle. Everyone saw it.”
“That female, she-”
“Wait. His female? You let his female get the best of you too?” Rutra asked.
“She shot me!”
“And you let her?” Rutra asked. “Go sleep it off, before I decide to make you take a long walk out of a short space hatch! I have business to conduct here.”
Relyn tried to make himself as non threatening as possible, all while palming a blade. Now that he’d punched Ketle once in his nerve center, the bastard was not likely to leave himself open to such an obvious attack.
“You,” Ketle said, pointing his entire arm length at Relyn. “You are dead. The next time we meet.” Apparently this was a sufficient enough threat and Ketle stomped off.
“Now, where were we?” Rutra asked, turning to Gale. “I apologize for the misunderstanding. In fact-” Rutra handed her a credit stick. “I’m even going to give you some business. These two have approached me regarding a desire to travel to, to… uh…”
“Terra,” Relyn supplied.
“Oh, yes, that’s it. Terra. Lovely place. I think. Very. Never been there myself, but that’s where they’re going,” Rutra said, dripping sweetness that anyone with two brain cells to rub together could see right through.
Gale said nothing. She just took the credit stick and walked toward the ship, Wendy hot on her heels. Relyn followed, and Grom slid in behind them.
Gale got to the ship and punched in the code. It didn’t work and punched it in again. “I believe Nora might have altered it.”
“Girl is smarter than I gave her credit for,” she said, pushing the com button.
“Hey, it’s me. Let me in,” she said.
