“Terrific. Thank you for that.” King sat back down on his throne.
“You’re welcome?”
“That sounded like a question, but maybe I need to brush up on my English, Earthling.”
“It wasn’t. It was a welcome.” I didn’t want him to question my confidence again. Who knows what I’d be asked to do next?
“Let’s see. Do you have a resume? CV?”
My mouth fell open. “No. I never planned on having a job interview today. So no, I don’t have one on me.”
“You don’t have your important files digitally implanted?” There was surprise in his voice.
“No.”
“Oh. I forget. Your planet has hopelessly pathetic technology.”
“I’m starting to see that.” I took another look at his face, careful to avoid his eyes. He looked so human. He wasn’t even unusually tall like Kelby. He looked so much like any other man at home. It was weird, and after all this was over I was going to have to ask Kelby what planet he was from.
“You are lucky you got the chance to leave. You can do great things now that you are freed from the constraints of your home planet.”
“Yeah… I still plan to go back.” As soon as possible, with Noah, and once I knew it was out of danger.
“You say that now.” King rose again. “You’ll change your tune later. Anything you liked about Earth can be made better here.”
I forced a smile. “Okay.” I figured there was no point arguing. The decision would be mine and not his.
“You have the job.”
“What job?” Had I missed something. Weren’t we asking him to help us with a job we already had?
I looked at Kelby. I was lost.
“I am hiring you to take care of my most prized being.” He reached for one of my hands. I forced myself to allow him to examine it. “Yes. Perfect. Everything is perfect.”
“Uh, what?” Taking care of prized beings had not been previously discussed.
“Please take a seat so he isn’t scared.”
What about me being scared? I sat down on the very edge of the uncomfortable chair.
“Here, Malton. Here, Malton,” King called out.
A black and white dog that looked a whole lot like a shitzu ran out from behind the curtain. The dog stopped for a moment to look at King before running over to me. He hopped up on my lap. After my initial shock at having an animal on my lap, I calmed down. It was a small thing. Maybe ten pounds.
King knelt down in front of me. “See, he likes you already.”
I gently pet Malton’s head.
“Oh yeah. Just like that.” A deep voice bellowed.
I looked around nearly making eye contact with King but avoiding it at the last second. Where did the voice come from?
“Do it again. Do it again.” This time I watched as the dog’s mouth moved ever so subtly as the words were spoken.
I jumped up, and the dog scurried to the floor.
“What is that thing?”
“Haven’t you seen a dog before?” King picked up the animal and cuddled it. “I’m sorry, Malton. She is a rather silly Earthling.” He scowled at me. “Shall we try this again?”
“He talks.”
“Yes, I talk,” the dog huffed.
“But he’s a dog. Dogs don’t talk.” I shook my head back and forth.
“Maybe on Earth they don’t. We have no use for non-sentient beings here.” King cradled the dog as if he were a baby. A baby with a baritone voice.
“Okay.” I looked to Kelby for help, but he provided none. His expression was blank. Wonderful.
“But you will care for him while we are in battle with the Emperor.”
“Care for him?” I looked at the small dog. For his part he was looking at me with puppy dog eyes that looked, well, like normal puppy dog eyes.
“Have you never had a pet?”
“Oh, I have. Cats. Some fish. Never a dog.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him most of the fish had died within a few weeks.
“Then this will be a new experience. Malton is very easy, but he needs lots of love and attention. He needs to be brushed, and he absolutely loves cuddling. He can’t sleep without body heat.”
Wowsers. This guy had attachment issues with his dog. “Okay. So you’ll bring him by when you’re ready? Is that how this works?”
“I will leave him in your care now. You will give him back to me when this is all over.”
“Wait. What? Now? And will you give me the things he needs? Dog food and stuff?”
“Dog food?” the dog sputtered out. “I will eat whatever you do. What do you think I am?”
“Oh. Sorry. My mistake.” I stumbled back to sit on the chair, narrowly avoiding hitting the spikes.
I decided to leave my other question unasked. Was he housebroken?
“Malton?” King cooed to the animal. “Do you like her enough to agree to this arrangement?”
“She has a nice lap.” Coming out in his deep masculine voice, the answer sounded creepy.
“Great. I will find your blanket, spa products, and other things.” King kissed the dog on the head before putting him back on my lap. King headed back behind the curtain.
“Are we really taking this dog with us now?” I whispered to Kelby.
“I can hear you.” Malton didn’t hide his annoyance. “I have a name. It’s Malton. And you’re not petting me.”
I carefully pet his head. He closed his eyes.
“I’m just not sure how you’re going to feel about things. We are living on a ship right now.”
“I’m ten pounds. How much space do I need?” He rolled over with his belly up.
“Okay…”
“Um, aren’t you going to give me a belly rub?” Malton asked.
“Oh. You want one?”
“Why else would I be laying this way?” This dog was seriously condescending.
King returned with a large, sequined, black backpack. He took the dog and slipped him into a high pocket, that gave him a perch. “Put this on.”
“Uh, okay.” I let King help me into the backpack. I was wearing a backpack with a dog in it. A dog that could talk. This was insane.
“I will ready my army for you.” King reached over me to pet the dog. “I will be in contact when they are ready.”
“Thank you.” Kelby bowed slightly.
“Goodbye for now, Malton poo.” King kissed the dogs head before disappearing behind the curtain again.
“Are you ready?” Kelby asked.
“I’m not going to be picking up more pets with whatever we do next, am I?”
“Not that I know of.”
I sure hoped he was right.
11 Angie
This back room was much smaller than the last one. There were no spike covered chairs, but the pink velvet chaises scared me almost as much. Add in the beaded curtains and shag carpet, and it felt like we’d stepped into a 1970s time warp. I’d thought that stage was strictly an Earth thing.
Malton snored happily in the backpack. I still couldn’t believe I was wearing a dog on my back. Considering I was walking around a strange planet the dog part shouldn’t have been what stuck out, but somehow it did.
Kelby steered us around a few scantily clad couples embracing in rather intimate positions for a semi-public venue. But maybe that was all part of the 70s theme. I’d studied enough U.S. history to know about the whole free-love thing.
“Come on.” Kelby led me further away, and I stopped gawking at the scantily clad couples. “Hello, Georgie,” he called across the room.
“Kelby!” A woman with waist long hair tied into half a dozen braids ran over. She was wearing a long halter dress, and her exposed skin was bright pink with all sorts of designs seemingly etched into it. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Always lovely to see you.” She glanced in my direction. “And you brought a friend. A very pretty little friend.”
“Hi. I’m Angie.” I held out my hand.
She acc
epted my hand and shook it. She didn’t let go. “Did you choose him for his size?”
“Uh…” I tried to gently pull my hand back, but she didn’t release it.
“He is rather large.” Her eyes dipped down his body.
Okay. Was she referring to his height or…“Yeah. He’s tall.”
Georgie laughed. “Is that what you call it?”
“Okay Georgie, I think that’s enough of the pleasantries,” Kelby broke in.
Pleasantries? For real? Was that what he was going with?
Malton yawned. “Plenty of good things come in small packages.”
If Georgie thought it was odd I was wearing a talking dog in my backpack she didn’t show it.
“I assume you are here for help with the rebellion?” Georgie twisted one of her braids around her hand. As she twisted the braid changed from brown to purple.
“Yes. So you’ve heard?”
“Yes. I always hear.”
“And will you help?” Kelby looked directly into her eyes.
“That depends.”
“Depends on what?” Kelby shifted his weight from foot to foot.
“Whether you actually have a chance.”
His expression hardened. “We do.”
“How do you know?” She ran a finger down his chest.
“Because we have Caspian on board.”
“Caspian?” Her eyes widened.
“Yes. He and Rachel are ready.”
Kelby was stretching it. Really stretching it. But I assumed he had his reasons, and I kept my mouth shut. I’d learned with King that calling attention to myself wasn’t a good thing. I also wasn’t going to give up any more information than necessary.
“Is that why she’s here?” Georgie pointed a long finger at me. “Caspian has an Earthling and you wanted one too?”
“No. That’s not why.”
“I can see the appeal. I’d take one too. She would look very nice in my collection.”
Take one? Ugh. I couldn’t stand much more of these people.
“If she isn’t yours, can I have her? You know I treat my collection well.”
“She’s mine.” Kelby snaked his arm around my waist so fast I smacked into his side. There was nothing soft about him. He was all solid, hard, muscle. Although my initial reaction was to argue, I didn’t. I had no interest in becoming part of this girl’s collection. My mind went to glass cases, but I was sure there were worse possibilities.
“Lucky. Are there more around? Or maybe I should go and find one myself.”
My stomach churned as this girl discussed ‘finding’ humans. Was this some messed up kidnapping plot? I wanted to scream. I wanted her to apologize for even suggesting it, but to what end? We needed her. At least Kelby seemed to think so even if I didn’t see what value she was going to bring to the cause.
“None available.” Kelby cleared his throat. “But defeating our common enemy is beneficial for you. Landry is on the list for destruction.”
“And you think that’s why I’d help you? You think I care for the planet that exiled me?” Georgie wove her arms around theatrically. Circle marks on her wrists suddenly became 3-D and twirled around like bangles.
“Is there another reason?”
“I want to destroy them all.” Her hands fell to her sides. The bangles were back to thinly drawn circles.
“Them all?” Kelby’s brows knit together.
“Them all. The patriarchy. The controllers. The oppressors. I want blood.”
There was something eerie about seeing the hippie-looking woman yell about wanting blood, but I got it. I was generally quite the pacifist, yet when Joseph died I would have committed murder. I couldn’t get his murderer so I wanted to get at everyone who led him there.
Kelby shrugged. “I don’t really care about your reasons.”
“Then why did you ask?” Georgie returned to twisting her braid. It was moving from purple to a deep blue now.
“Because I wanted to make sure you had your reasons. I don’t care about the specifics, only that you have a true motivation.”
“We all have motivations.” She turned to me. “Like her. She has motivations.”
“Is there a reason you are talking about me as if I’m not here?” I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but that wasn’t something I was particularly good at. And I’d already used all my restraint.
“Kelby, how many soldiers do you need?” She blatantly ignored me. I swallowed down the anger. What did it matter? At least she wasn’t pawning off a pet on me. “Fifty? One hundred?”
Kelby took a step closer to her. “We need skill as much as numbers, but we’ll take as many as we can get. I’d feel better with at least five thousand.”
“I can do it, but I’m going to need something to give them.”
“I can take care of that. You know that.”
“You still have access to funds? Even after leaving?” She narrowed her eyes.
“I took care of things before I left.”
“So you did plan this out.” A slow smile spread across her lips.
“Of course.”
“I’ve seen her you know.”
“Who?”
“Come on. Don’t play stupid. You know what I mean.” Georgie crossed her arms.
The muscles in his neck tensed. “Trina?”
“Do you have any other sisters?” Georgie’s eyes twinkled. She was enjoying this. She was enjoying having something over Kelby. I didn’t like her before, but this made it worse. I had no clue what history the two had, but taking glee in what is clearly a sore spot for someone is low.
“Where?”
“Around.” She smiled.
“Does she want to see me?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“If she does she’ll find you.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. I don’t want her getting hurt.”
“Hurt? You think she’s in any more danger than you are? You’re an outcast now too.” Once again there was glee in her voice. But maybe this time it was different. Finally getting the strength to do the right thing was a good thing.
“I realize that.”
“Then I wouldn’t worry about Trina. She’s handled herself just fine on her own.”
“I should have come with her.” Kelby looked down at the floor. He was a whole different guy when his sister was discussed.
“You were young and stupid.” Georgie made a flicking motion with her hand. “You aren’t the first one, and you won’t be the last.”
“Doesn’t change my failure.”
Georgie rested her chin on her hand. “While I’ve got you here, have any extra modifiers to sell?”
“You need modifiers?” Kelby asked. “That surprises me.”
“Who said I need them? I’m talking about selling.”
“I don’t have enough for that sort of market.”
“Too bad. Should have taken more.”
“I was in a bit of a rush.”
“I imagine.” She turned to me. “There are worse Lexas to be attached to.”
“I’m not—” then I stopped myself before I could say I wasn’t attached. I had to be careful not to make things messier than they are. “I’m not taking him for granted.”
“Good.” She patted my head as if I were a dog. That reminded me of the canine on my back.
She turned to Kelby. “Who’s next on your list?”
“Any suggestions?”
“Darto, but I’d keep your Earthling close if you go near him.”
“I always keep her close.”
She turned to me, her eyes filled with something resembling concern. “Be very careful.”
“I will.” My stomach turned. Couldn’t we be done already?
“He’s by the back bar,” Georgie explained. “He’s probably intoxicated, but that might be to your advantage.”
Kelby put his hand on my lower back. “You ready?”
I wasn’t, but I had no choice. “Ready as I’ll ever
be.”
Part 5
Noah
12 Noah
I should have stopped her. Not that I really could have. When Angie set her mind to something it was nearly impossible to convince her to change course. But I could have tried harder. She’d just seemed so intent on going, and I got this sense, this weird sense, that she really wanted to go. And if the fate of Earth truly hung in the balance, having Angie involved was a good thing. She was pretty amazing at making sure things got done. I didn’t tell her often enough, but she could be pretty cool.
Still, I was worried the moment she left, and even though I’d expected her to be gone awhile, every passing hour made it worse. I tried to hide it, but I wasn’t doing a great job.
That was probably why I agreed the second Telton gave me a task. I needed a distraction as Rachel was busy working with some bits and pieces of robot that Telton had given her. I’d offered her help, but she seemed to prefer to work on her own. I got that. Not to mention, robot building wasn’t in my wheelhouse.
I wasn’t sure why Telton thought it was wise to have me stand guard over Caspian. I guess it’s because he didn’t want Rachel in there, and he was busy. That still left Dale and Carl, but who would ask Dale to watch anyone? And I wasn’t really standing guard. There were several rows of steel bars separating us. I think it was just a show of force thing, but either way it was incredibly awkward when the guy was all broken up over his ex who happened to be my maybe, kind of girlfriend.
“She’ll never stay with you.” Caspian spoke the same words yet again. He didn’t seem to understand the concept of dropping subjects. This was at least the fourth time he’d said it.
Once again I pretended not to hear. The guy was upset. I got it, but he was going to have to chill out.
“You can’t satisfy her the way I can. You don’t understand her the way I do. You don’t share the connection we have.”
I kept looking off into the distance. He was trying to rile me up. I wouldn’t step into it.
“I know you can hear me. There’s no reason for you to pretend you don’t.”
But now he was getting just plain annoying. I turned toward him. “Fine. You want me to respond?"
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