Imagine how hard it would have been to transport dozens of conscious humans aboard one ship. These aliens definitely knew the human race and had done the only thing that made sense.
But the question had to be asked: What were they doing with that many humans aboard their ship Where were they taking them
Mentally, Riyad shrugged off the question. He was interested in the answer just as a curiosity. What he really wanted to know was how did they know the location of Earth in the first place
Within the computer core of that ship would be his answer — the coordinates of his homeworld! The Holy Grail of his existence for the past six years! And even, possibly, the realization of a fantasy he had been developing for all that time.
Riyad Tarazi had challenged the ship’s captain for the position having only been a member of the crew for three months, but it had been long enough for him to learn the operation of the ship and the pirate hierarchy.
The captain was a Fil-nipon, not even a native of the Fringe, but he was tough and strong and had been in the pirate world for almost 20 years. It had been a duel, and by this time Riyad had no doubt about the outcome. The captain’s weapon had not even cleared its holster when Riyad placed a level one bolt through the creature’s chest.
Now he was the Captain.
Nine months later, Riyad had challenged the pirate leader for his supreme position within the ragtag structure of the organization. The nine months had given him time to study how the pirates operated and how their system could be improved. They were just a loose-knit group of renegades, with no real purpose other than their own personal gain. Riyad figured they could do better under his leadership.
The pirate leader, a Rigorian, had heard of Riyad’s prowess with a bolt weapon, so he accepted the challenge — as long as it was a physical contest and not with weapons. Riyad had accepted his terms.
Rigorians are the toughest, strongest and meanest natives of the Fringe. Giant lizard-like creatures, they had scales for skin and razor-sharp teeth lining a protruding, foot-long snout. In all the history of the Fringe, no one, other than another Rigorian, had ever bested a Rigorian in one-on-one, hand-to-hand combat.
Again, Riyad had studied his opponent and the outcome was never in doubt.
On the day of the fight, a crowd of several hundred pirates had gathered in a field near the K’ly city of Calaa. A stage had been built where they would fight.
The Rigorian began by loudly proclaiming his superiority and prancing around the stage showing off his size and quickness. Riyad just stood off to the side and let him do his thing.
Then the fight had begun. Riyad easily slipped around each of the alien’s thrusts, then after a minute or so of dancing around, he placed a swift kick to the Rigorian’s side that knocked most of the air out of him. Then Riyad swung around behind him, placing a quick blow to the back of the lizard’s head. The alien fell forward onto the stage, but quickly regained his feet.
There was a look of shock and concern on the Rigorian’s face, and for the next few seconds, Riyad pummeled the pirate leader with rights and lefts that brought prodigious amounts of blood flowing from the creature’s mouth. Then simply as a display of his strength, Riyad hoisted the alien above his head, spun around a couple of times, and threw the Rigorian into the front row of the crowd.
A dozen pirates fell into a heap of alien flesh, but they soon pushed the Rigorian back onto the stage.
During his time with the pirates, Riyad had heard where other challenges for the pirate leadership had ended simply with the demotion of the current leader and not his death. This didn’t make any sense to Riyad. He did not want any remaining loyalties to the former leader or grumbling about his return.
So for the finale, Riyad grabbed the massive jaws of the lizard and pulled them open. He continued to spread them wide until he
But the question had to be asked: What were they doing with that many humans aboard their ship Where were they taking them
Mentally, Riyad shrugged off the question. He was interested in the answer just as a curiosity. What he really wanted to know was how did they know the location of Earth in the first place
Within the computer core of that ship would be his answer — the coordinates of his homeworld! The Holy Grail of his existence for the past six years! And even, possibly, the realization of a fantasy he had been developing for all that time.
Riyad Tarazi had challenged the ship’s captain for the position having only been a member of the crew for three months, but it had been long enough for him to learn the operation of the ship and the pirate hierarchy.
The captain was a Fil-nipon, not even a native of the Fringe, but he was tough and strong and had been in the pirate world for almost 20 years. It had been a duel, and by this time Riyad had no doubt about the outcome. The captain’s weapon had not even cleared its holster when Riyad placed a level one bolt through the creature’s chest.
Now he was the Captain.
Nine months later, Riyad had challenged the pirate leader for his supreme position within the ragtag structure of the organization. The nine months had given him time to study how the pirates operated and how their system could be improved. They were just a loose-knit group of renegades, with no real purpose other than their own personal gain. Riyad figured they could do better under his leadership.
The pirate leader, a Rigorian, had heard of Riyad’s prowess with a bolt weapon, so he accepted the challenge — as long as it was a physical contest and not with weapons. Riyad had accepted his terms.
Rigorians are the toughest, strongest and meanest natives of the Fringe. Giant lizard-like creatures, they had scales for skin and razor-sharp teeth lining a protruding, foot-long snout. In all the history of the Fringe, no one, other than another Rigorian, had ever bested a Rigorian in one-on-one, hand-to-hand combat.
Again, Riyad had studied his opponent and the outcome was never in doubt.
On the day of the fight, a crowd of several hundred pirates had gathered in a field near the K’ly city of Calaa. A stage had been built where they would fight.
The Rigorian began by loudly proclaiming his superiority and prancing around the stage showing off his size and quickness. Riyad just stood off to the side and let him do his thing.
Then the fight had begun. Riyad easily slipped around each of the alien’s thrusts, then after a minute or so of dancing around, he placed a swift kick to the Rigorian’s side that knocked most of the air out of him. Then Riyad swung around behind him, placing a quick blow to the back of the lizard’s head. The alien fell forward onto the stage, but quickly regained his feet.
There was a look of shock and concern on the Rigorian’s face, and for the next few seconds, Riyad pummeled the pirate leader with rights and lefts that brought prodigious amounts of blood flowing from the creature’s mouth. Then simply as a display of his strength, Riyad hoisted the alien above his head, spun around a couple of times, and threw the Rigorian into the front row of the crowd.
A dozen pirates fell into a heap of alien flesh, but they soon pushed the Rigorian back onto the stage.
During his time with the pirates, Riyad had heard where other challenges for the pirate leadership had ended simply with the demotion of the current leader and not his death. This didn’t make any sense to Riyad. He did not want any remaining loyalties to the former leader or grumbling about his return.
So for the finale, Riyad grabbed the massive jaws of the lizard and pulled them open. He continued to spread them wide until he
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