showed up in the other. He took a deep drag, blowing out a long stream of smoke at the Council members.
Yeah, that's better.
He took a sip of the cold beer, smacking his lips.
Yup, just what the doctor ordered.
All he needed now was somewhere to sit.
A green and white lawn chair materialized out of thin air. He sank onto the chair with a sigh. Leaning back, he swung his feet up, crossing them at the ankles. He sat there, smoking and drinking, as he surveyed the twelve, straining Council members. Trickles of sweat slid down their red faces. They looked as if they might have a stroke.
Arthur chuckled.
What morons.
He turned to see how Tig was doing. She still had her hands over her mouth, staring in terror at the Council members. He glanced at Tobah. Her mouth was handing open, the same terrified look on her face. Arthur shrugged.
Taking a sip of beer, Arthur glanced at Cobia, whose eyes were open, a snarl on her face that would drive the fieriest beast for cover. He burst out laughing, beer spraying out his mouth all over the Council chamber floor and his legs. He tipped his beer can at her. Her face twisted into even more of a snarl. Arthur chuckled again.
If I don't stop watching her, I'll never get to finish my beer.
Arthur gestured at Tig. “Come on, Tig. Sit, and have a beer with me. You, too, Tobah.” Two more chairs appeared with a can of beer in each holder. “This may take a while. It seems the Council members haven't realized they're out of business.” He smirked at the twelve women.
Tig hadn't moved. Arthur glanced over at her. She had a desperate, pleading look that reminded him of Ruth when she wanted something. Studying her, he thought,
Tig is a pretty woman, but Ruth and Daisy are beautiful.
He shrugged. If she didn't want to sit and enjoy the party, it wasn't any skin off his nose.
Arthur turned his attention to the gallery, where fifteen Calen women were sitting, watching the proceedings. Cobia had invited these women so she could demonstrate her powers, and how she was going to handle the Earthman. He snorted.
What a show-off. If she wants a show, I'll give her one.
He finished his beer in one gulp, threw the empty can in the air, aimed his finger at it like a gun, and said, “Pow.” The can disappeared mid-air. Taking a last drag off his cigarette, he did the same thing. “Pow,” he repeated, zapping the butt to wherever the beer can had gone. He smiled, enjoying this game.
The twelve women were still standing, holding hands, faces lined with concentration. Their normally pale complexions, which reminded Arthur of a freshly painted white house, were fire barn red.
What else can I do to break them? That's it
, he thought, snapping his fingers. Back on Earth, he knew a guy named Tommy, who smoked the raunchiest cigars ever. No one knew where he bought them, but they smelled like horse or camel shit. He stared at his upraised hand. A big, fat, brown cigar, wafting smoke, appeared between his fingers. He took a sniff, his nose wrinkling in horror.
Yup, I got it right.
He sat there, puffing away, blowing long streams of acrid smoke towards the Council members. His eyes started watering from the nauseating smell, so he shut down his olfactory senses. Pretty soon, the room was full of gagging sounds, as the Calens, who were non-smokers, covered their mouths, or held their noses shut. One-by-one, the Council members succumbed to the raunchy smell, gagging, dropping to their seats, eyes watering. All except Cobia.
She remained standing, holding her breath, scowling with hatred at Arthur. Face turning blue, looking as if she were ready to pass out, she finally released her held breath with a whoosh, slumping back onto her chair. Fanning the smoke away from her face with her limp hand, she shouted, “Enough, Earthman! You mock the ruling Council. Remove this foul odor, and stand before us, as all Calen must stand.”
Finally
, Arthur thought with a smirk,
something we can agree on.
He quickly
Yeah, that's better.
He took a sip of the cold beer, smacking his lips.
Yup, just what the doctor ordered.
All he needed now was somewhere to sit.
A green and white lawn chair materialized out of thin air. He sank onto the chair with a sigh. Leaning back, he swung his feet up, crossing them at the ankles. He sat there, smoking and drinking, as he surveyed the twelve, straining Council members. Trickles of sweat slid down their red faces. They looked as if they might have a stroke.
Arthur chuckled.
What morons.
He turned to see how Tig was doing. She still had her hands over her mouth, staring in terror at the Council members. He glanced at Tobah. Her mouth was handing open, the same terrified look on her face. Arthur shrugged.
Taking a sip of beer, Arthur glanced at Cobia, whose eyes were open, a snarl on her face that would drive the fieriest beast for cover. He burst out laughing, beer spraying out his mouth all over the Council chamber floor and his legs. He tipped his beer can at her. Her face twisted into even more of a snarl. Arthur chuckled again.
If I don't stop watching her, I'll never get to finish my beer.
Arthur gestured at Tig. “Come on, Tig. Sit, and have a beer with me. You, too, Tobah.” Two more chairs appeared with a can of beer in each holder. “This may take a while. It seems the Council members haven't realized they're out of business.” He smirked at the twelve women.
Tig hadn't moved. Arthur glanced over at her. She had a desperate, pleading look that reminded him of Ruth when she wanted something. Studying her, he thought,
Tig is a pretty woman, but Ruth and Daisy are beautiful.
He shrugged. If she didn't want to sit and enjoy the party, it wasn't any skin off his nose.
Arthur turned his attention to the gallery, where fifteen Calen women were sitting, watching the proceedings. Cobia had invited these women so she could demonstrate her powers, and how she was going to handle the Earthman. He snorted.
What a show-off. If she wants a show, I'll give her one.
He finished his beer in one gulp, threw the empty can in the air, aimed his finger at it like a gun, and said, “Pow.” The can disappeared mid-air. Taking a last drag off his cigarette, he did the same thing. “Pow,” he repeated, zapping the butt to wherever the beer can had gone. He smiled, enjoying this game.
The twelve women were still standing, holding hands, faces lined with concentration. Their normally pale complexions, which reminded Arthur of a freshly painted white house, were fire barn red.
What else can I do to break them? That's it
, he thought, snapping his fingers. Back on Earth, he knew a guy named Tommy, who smoked the raunchiest cigars ever. No one knew where he bought them, but they smelled like horse or camel shit. He stared at his upraised hand. A big, fat, brown cigar, wafting smoke, appeared between his fingers. He took a sniff, his nose wrinkling in horror.
Yup, I got it right.
He sat there, puffing away, blowing long streams of acrid smoke towards the Council members. His eyes started watering from the nauseating smell, so he shut down his olfactory senses. Pretty soon, the room was full of gagging sounds, as the Calens, who were non-smokers, covered their mouths, or held their noses shut. One-by-one, the Council members succumbed to the raunchy smell, gagging, dropping to their seats, eyes watering. All except Cobia.
She remained standing, holding her breath, scowling with hatred at Arthur. Face turning blue, looking as if she were ready to pass out, she finally released her held breath with a whoosh, slumping back onto her chair. Fanning the smoke away from her face with her limp hand, she shouted, “Enough, Earthman! You mock the ruling Council. Remove this foul odor, and stand before us, as all Calen must stand.”
Finally
, Arthur thought with a smirk,
something we can agree on.
He quickly
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