Tell the drunken fool if the government takes any of my stock, I’ll take the price out of his idiot hide even if he is family,” he whispered furiously.
Rev fought not to smile as he overheard. The shopkeeper had no idea Rev’s hearing allowed him to overhear even whispers farther away. He sent a mental message to Dezek and Vax to bring up the threat of the confiscation since in fact it was a very real threat if someone repeated the tale of sickness to right ear. The Katowie government dealt swiftly and not necessarily justly with potential disease carriers. The capital had twenty million permanent residents and another five million daily visitors to the galactic supply station on an average day. A fast spreading disease would be catastrophic. Rev walked closer to the enclosure and squatted down. He pointed and then crooked a finger at the one who was doing the most glaring. He figured anyone that gutsy was the alpha of the group. Not many people would be willing to stare down Dezek. Dezek, at six and half feet wasn’t the largest male on their ship, he and Fazon both had four inches and forty kilos on him, but Dezek had an intensity and an aura of authority that people responded to when he entered a room. The defiant female made Rev wait for a few moments. While he waited patiently for her, Rev decided she would definitely make a fine mate for his best friend. She had courage and spirit to spare. He knew Dezek thought so as well. From his position behind Dezek, he’d seen his friend’s nape spots flush suddenly. That meant only one thing to their people, a found mate. She finally came to the wall and stared down at him. Yep, she had guts.
“I want you to pay attention carefully,” he told her. “They went in to get him to give us a good price. You need to be ready to leave the minute the collar locks come off. You’ll comply quickly and quietly. We will need to leave fast and efficiently if you want off this planet. Trust me when I tell you this is the best offer you’ll get. If the people they call the government on this rock confiscate you because they think you’re contaminated, they exterminate without a second thought. Since you were in the custody of the Mirkndaks, you already know some of what other potential hazards lurk. Do you understand?” His voice was low and commanding but he seemed sincere and it didn’t feel like an attempt to scare her.
“Ashaa hasn’t been conscious since he zapped her collar. Rose and Taylor are injured, in a lot of pain and having trouble moving. They simply can’t move quickly with the injuries,” she told him pointing to each in turn so he wouldn’t think she was disagreeing.
“Moz is arriving behind me now,” he said without looking behind him. Indeed another impressive gold male who was about the size of the leader had arrived and was smiling at her as he advanced. “We’ll have enough hands to help. Go tell them what’s happening and ready them.”
“What about Zabyss?” the woman indicated the Xydrav in the next pen.
“What about it?” he said with narrowed eyes.
“She was with us aboard the Mirkndaks’ ship. That means she’d be in danger too.”
Rev rolled his eyes and sent another mental message to Dezek. Only a woman with guts would bargain for another’s life when she had no idea of what lay ahead for herself.
“I let him know you don’t want to leave it but I can’t promise anything. Now go get them ready,” he told her and she looked startled by this news. He just smiled and waved her to the others. He watched her go back to her group and whisper urgently to them. All eyes of the group were now watching him except for the unconscious woman he knew wasn’t completely human and the youngest with her short red hair and the most bandages.
He turned and stepped toward the other male.
“Fazon?”
“He’s waiting at the vehicle controls. He’ll pull up front as soon as he hears from Dezek. Ragtag
Rev fought not to smile as he overheard. The shopkeeper had no idea Rev’s hearing allowed him to overhear even whispers farther away. He sent a mental message to Dezek and Vax to bring up the threat of the confiscation since in fact it was a very real threat if someone repeated the tale of sickness to right ear. The Katowie government dealt swiftly and not necessarily justly with potential disease carriers. The capital had twenty million permanent residents and another five million daily visitors to the galactic supply station on an average day. A fast spreading disease would be catastrophic. Rev walked closer to the enclosure and squatted down. He pointed and then crooked a finger at the one who was doing the most glaring. He figured anyone that gutsy was the alpha of the group. Not many people would be willing to stare down Dezek. Dezek, at six and half feet wasn’t the largest male on their ship, he and Fazon both had four inches and forty kilos on him, but Dezek had an intensity and an aura of authority that people responded to when he entered a room. The defiant female made Rev wait for a few moments. While he waited patiently for her, Rev decided she would definitely make a fine mate for his best friend. She had courage and spirit to spare. He knew Dezek thought so as well. From his position behind Dezek, he’d seen his friend’s nape spots flush suddenly. That meant only one thing to their people, a found mate. She finally came to the wall and stared down at him. Yep, she had guts.
“I want you to pay attention carefully,” he told her. “They went in to get him to give us a good price. You need to be ready to leave the minute the collar locks come off. You’ll comply quickly and quietly. We will need to leave fast and efficiently if you want off this planet. Trust me when I tell you this is the best offer you’ll get. If the people they call the government on this rock confiscate you because they think you’re contaminated, they exterminate without a second thought. Since you were in the custody of the Mirkndaks, you already know some of what other potential hazards lurk. Do you understand?” His voice was low and commanding but he seemed sincere and it didn’t feel like an attempt to scare her.
“Ashaa hasn’t been conscious since he zapped her collar. Rose and Taylor are injured, in a lot of pain and having trouble moving. They simply can’t move quickly with the injuries,” she told him pointing to each in turn so he wouldn’t think she was disagreeing.
“Moz is arriving behind me now,” he said without looking behind him. Indeed another impressive gold male who was about the size of the leader had arrived and was smiling at her as he advanced. “We’ll have enough hands to help. Go tell them what’s happening and ready them.”
“What about Zabyss?” the woman indicated the Xydrav in the next pen.
“What about it?” he said with narrowed eyes.
“She was with us aboard the Mirkndaks’ ship. That means she’d be in danger too.”
Rev rolled his eyes and sent another mental message to Dezek. Only a woman with guts would bargain for another’s life when she had no idea of what lay ahead for herself.
“I let him know you don’t want to leave it but I can’t promise anything. Now go get them ready,” he told her and she looked startled by this news. He just smiled and waved her to the others. He watched her go back to her group and whisper urgently to them. All eyes of the group were now watching him except for the unconscious woman he knew wasn’t completely human and the youngest with her short red hair and the most bandages.
He turned and stepped toward the other male.
“Fazon?”
“He’s waiting at the vehicle controls. He’ll pull up front as soon as he hears from Dezek. Ragtag
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