Page 7 of Pulled By the Tail
“I’m notin a mood. I’m furious.” Quil rolled his eyes, which only ratcheted up Talen’s fury. “The ship is our transportation, our livelihood, and our home. How could you be so reckless?”
“That rusted old beast?” The seated Corravian male snorted. “I’ll be paying the junkers to haul it away.”
“You’re Lerrence, then?” Talen knew the male’s identity. They had played cards before, in another gambling hall. Of course, Quil had lost spectacular sums of money to the male, no doubt boosting the male’s confidence about a win.
“And that estate is nothing but a money pit. I’m doing you a favor taking it off your hands,” Quil said, taking his seat at the table.
“Yes, and your ship is bringing down the property value of the entire station. I’m surprised you can even afford the docking fees,” Lerrence retorted, his tone practically dripping with money and privilege.
“I don’t like this,” Talen growled. His fingers flexed, claws extending and retracting. The crowd of spectators around the table took a collective step back.
“As the gentleman said, it’s too late now. The bet is placed and the collateral certified. The only way to finish this is to win,” Lerrence spoke with the confident tones of a male used to winning. Of course he was. He lived in the luxurious sky palaces above Corra, where the ultra-rich fled when ecological disaster struck their homeworld. They lived the literal high life in orbiting stations, indulging in every available vice while the less monied struggled on the surface.
Not that life on Corra proved to be a hardship. Talen had grown fond of the planet on the far edge of the galaxy. It was free from many of those pesky Interstellar Union rules and regulations, and the provinces had contained the mornclaw problem. Well, the civilized regions were secure from the monstrous creatures that wrecked the Corra ecosystem and slaughtered nearly half the planet’s population. He was sure the money pit Quil gambled everything for was far from civilization and infested.
Judging by Lerrence’s smug expression, of course it was. They really would be doing him a favor if they won the property.
“I need a drink,” Talen growled, snagging a glass from a passing tray.
Lerrence rolled his eyes at the uncouth behavior and then picked up his cards. Those very same cards would determine whether Talen rested his head in his familiar bunk that night or hustled to find a new berth. He had little but he had his own ship and a trade. He’d rather be in his bunk, reading, than scowling over Quil’s shoulder.
Lerrence motioned to the dealer for another card and examined it with an impassive expression. Quil, however, practically shouted his distress with his flattened ears and twitching tail.
“You bet everything on a bad hand,” Talen muttered. He didn’t have to see the cards to know the truth.
“Not now, dear brother. I’m working,” Quil hissed.
“You’re losing.” His frustration grew. With his jaw clench, he was surprised the entire room couldn’t hear him grind his teeth.
Quil ignored his obvious agitation and motioned to the dealer.
“I won’t let you ruin us,” Talen said, grabbing Quil by the ear and yanking him to his feet. “We’re leaving. Now!”
Large Tal males in expensive suits moved to block the door. If they had any loyalty to the planet of their shared origin, they gave no sign of it.
“No one leaves until we finish our game,” Lerrence said.
Talen curled back his top lip in a hiss. He sized up the guards, believing he could take one, perhaps two. Larger than the males and with military training, he had an advantage, but if Lerrence alerted the station, soon every available pair of fists on the payroll would be involved, and that was a fight Talen could not win.
So he resorted to verbal fighting. “Typical. Rich Corravian sources his protection off-world. How much does he pay you to pretend you’re not disgusted with him?” They gave no indication of hearing him, let alone of being affected by his barbed comments. He turned his ire to Lerrence. “And you! Fleecing my brother. You know he’s terrible and you know our pockets are empty. How dare you accept such a bet? Is your pampered life so empty that you have to torture a stupid male for entertainment?”
“Stupid? Hey now,” Quil said, taking offense.
Tough. Talen called his brother a lot worse.
Talen turned to Lerrence, knocking his tumbler of no doubt expensive alcohol into the male’s lap. He jumped to his feet and a casino employee appeared out of nowhere with a towel. “Watch yourself! You damn hot-headed fool.”
“And what happens when you take our home? You plan to make us beg? Grovel for your amusement?”
“You Tal are all alike,” Lerrence sneered. “Happy to spend money like there’s no tomorrow, full of growls and threats when it’s time to pay the bill. Your kind is good for nothing but being hired muscle, and even then, I wouldn’t put it past you to steal the silverware. Everyone knows the Tal are nothing but thieves.”
Talen tossed a scandalized look to the two Tal males at the door. “You let him talk about your people like that?” A shifting of weight from foot to foot was the only indication of unease. “So, it’s like that then,” Talen said, disappointed that negative Tal stereotypes thrived in the modern world.
“You bore me,” Lerrence said. With a flick of a finger, the nearest guard grabbed Talen and shoved him out the door.
“You think you’re better than me! Because you have money and pedigree.” Over the guard’s shoulder, his brother gave a mournful shake of his head. Before he could continue his rant, the door slammed in his face.
Finally.
