The Cagliostro Chronicles by Ralph L. Angelo Jr.

smile.
    “What do we get when we win?” Credom asked.
    “I’ll wager a few gold pieces on you.” Mark replied, leaning in.
    “Not enough, we want your ship.” Endorf sneered. “We win, we get your ship.”
    “That’s crazy.” Eddie replied, leaning back in his chair.
    “Not gonna happen.” Dan answered, grim faced, Red nodded in agreement, as both stared menacingly at the two aliens seated with them.
    “What’s in it for us?” Mark prodded, with his eyes slit, and his lips set grimly.
    “We have much information you might want.” Endorf smiled again in answer.
    ‘ Watch it, he’s baiting you Mark. I can’t get a clear read on his alien mind but there is something there. Something he feels we’d want to know. ’ Ariel mentally informed the crew.
    “It had better be very important information if you think I’m willing to lose the only means we have of getting off this sandbar,” Mark answered in a hiss.
    “It’s very big; you would want to know what we know.”
    “You’re asking a lot to expect me to trust your word about some nameless information and wager it against my ship.”
    “What I have you want, I promise.” Endorf replied, almost greasily.
    ‘ Mark, you can’t seriously be thinking of taking this guy at his word can you? ’ Ariel hissed mentally.
    ‘ Relax, ’ He replied through her mind-link, ‘ Worse comes to worse the Cag comes and gets us all after a few days, I have no intention of letting the Stargrazer fall into anyone’s hands. Let alone these two morons. ’
    He turned back towards Endorf, “You have to give me something up front so I know your information is worthwhile. If it’s not worth my time, I’m not going to be bothered.”
    Endorf smiled then and leaned towards Mark to whisper something to him. Mark ’s face shifted almost imperceptibly at the red brute’s words, then he sat back in his chair, his brow furrowed in thought. Next to Mark, Ariel did her best to hide what she had mentally heard, as she shifted her head towards the arena once again, her blonde hair trailing after her turned face in one quick motion. Her face, now hidden from the rest of the table showed immediate concern.
    Mark faced Endorf, and his face was unreadable, merely set , as he began to speak. “All right your terms are fine, but hear me and understand what I’m saying here; if you try to cheat us, well, it will not be a good move on your part. That’s something to think about before we enter into this little wager, and be assured we will know if there’s any deception on your part.”
    The big alien nodded slowly and grinned, relaxing back in his chair, as the ring announcer continued to call out for challengers to the reptilian who had just beaten the bear-like creature.
    Endorf raised his hand and whistled so that he drew the announcers’ attention, “Credom will battle the Zrigg. He will challenge him.”
    ‘ Mark, this is bad, terribly bad. ’ Ariel warned through the mind link, ‘ The crowd is already getting worked up at Credom’s name alone. ’
    Credom stood up and grinned at the group seated with him, it was not a pleasa nt site. It bespoke more of “I got you” then anything pleasant.
    Ariel again broke into their thoughts, ‘ Mark… ’
    ‘ Ssshhh. ’ He replied in a mental hiss the team all heard.
    The red skinned brute walked up to the ring and pulled the ropes down , stepping over them. The Zrigg, if that was his name or race, no one among them but the two strangers knew, merely snorted contemptuously at his new enemy.
    Both alien creatures circled each other menacingly, and then Credom charged, right into the right fist of the Zrigg, who knocked him over like a bowling pin. Credom shook his head and fought to his knees as the Zrigg suddenly streaked up to him and kicked him in the gut, sending him sprawling again.
    ‘ He’s desperate. ’ Red said, through the mind link.
    ‘ Who? Credom? ’ Eddie replied mentally.
    ‘ No, the Zrigg. He’s trying to