Page 5 of BrOdByc
Bao sighed. “Yes, several of our brothers are already awake on the ship. Two have followed Reb. They carry a med kit. Another brother is headed our way.” The captain hesitated before questioning Brode, “The bond has created a link to her mind?”
Having a mate was new ground for all of them. Neither he nor the captain knew what to expect in this situation. Which meant it was dangerous. Nodding slightly, Brode kept his eyes on the three Siloth men in front of him. His mate was bound and gagged, and they carried her over their heads. She continued to struggle, but her efforts were weakening.
The main alleyways that led out from the dock toward one of the largest towns on Viant were fairly straight. Almost like spokes on a wheel. The larger roads were well used and paved. But there were dozens of additional pathways shooting off the main roads. Each lined with buildings. Some were overgrown with plants and small trees.
If the Siloth turned off this thoroughfare, he could lose them in a heartbeat.
There were apartments, larger dwellings, and a variety of shops along this road. He noted bakeries, a bootmaker, and an armorer. A smattering of different species either walked along the roadway or skimmed over it on a hoverboard. Some he saw obviously had money. But not all. Many were poor.
Brode had been on this planet several times over the last ten years. He never paid attention to those along the road. He always exited the ship and took a direct route to one of the nearest pleasure stations.
A few of those lining the streets turned and cautiously monitored the Siloth as they passed. He noticed several women frown and then clench their hands, forming a fist. As if the sight of the red creatures made them angry. Or the sight of them carrying a female over their heads made them angry. He wanted to stop and ask why they reacted to the Siloth in this manner but couldn’t risk losing sight of the group.
Taking a deep breath, he noted there was a definite sweet smell in the air. Not unpleasant. But unexpected.
“What is that smell?” Brode counted on Captain Bao to watch their backs. His only job was to follow the Siloth and get closer so he could take advantage of any opportunity to rescue his mate. The captain needed to ensure another enemy didn’t attack them.
One of the captain’s inherent skills was the ability to identify natural and chemical substances. He could look at a vial of liquid and name all the components by volume. He could also do the same thing if he tasted or smelled something.
Bao offered, “It’s floral, but more concentrated than what appears in nature. Yet the scent is light enough you might not notice and the side effects would be mild enough to blame on other things. The flower is native to this planet—the Viant Violeta. It is both an aphrodisiac and can cause mild lethargy. It would be interesting to find out if someone added the scent for a purpose.”
BrOdByc immediately realized what his captain insinuated. This was a pleasure planet. One that might not be as legitimate as they believed. It would be both profitable and expedient to sedate detractors, while at the same time enhancing their customer’s desires.
But he didn’t have time to worry about that. Brode had more pressing issues. “I feel her in my mind. Her fear and anger throbs within my blood. It is similar to the internal bond all the brothers share. Yet it is so much more.“ He tried to explain.
“If we lose visual with the Siloth, would the bond help you locate her as we can find any of our brothers?” Bao wondered.
Brode closed his eyes for just a second, and the pull toward his mate grew stronger. He felt the connection and smiled. Again, the link to his mate was close to what he had with each of his nineteen brothers. When he thought of Reb, a light blue orb sparkled on the right side of his brain.
Reb’s flesh was a light blue. If he searched for Bao, he would see a bright green orb that matched his skin tone. But his mate? The connection to her was a shimmering flame. “Yes. Except she is the fire burning in my soul.”
He watched the Siloth hesitate at the edge of what appeared to be a large, open-air market. Crowded with males, females, and children of several species, the area would be difficult to navigate. But it didn’t seem that would be necessary. One of those carrying his mate gestured to a path between two small buildings.
The Siloth hurried toward the narrow path and disappeared. Brode started running, the captain right behind him. He slowed just before the entrance to the pathway, walking slowly past to see if the Siloth were lingering in sight. He panicked when he realized all three of the Siloth and his mate were nowhere to be seen.
The captain put his hand on his shoulder and turned him toward the left side. There was a two-story building about twenty feet from the main road. A large, red-furred hand reached out to close the door.
Every muscle in Brode’s body tensed. Ready to rush after his mate.
“Going in the front door isn’t a good idea,” Captain Bao stated dryly.
He took a deep breath of the floral-scented air and willed his body to relax. “I know that. But my entire being centers on her. My body does not want me to be careful.” He changed focus. “The sweet scent of the flowers is stronger here.” Scanning the surrounding ground, he didn’t see any blooms to account for the strong fragrance. It wasn’t coming from actual flowers. They had to be pushing it into the atmosphere another way.
Bao nodded. “I noticed. If we spend any time on this planet, I’ll look into that. It feels... unethical.”
Brode snorted. “The owners of the pleasure planet pumping an aphrodisiac into the air is definitely cheating. Between that and seeing the Siloth with their captives... what we believed about Viant feels like a big fat lie.”
“I agree. I plan to shed some light on that. If we don’t need to grab the women and hide our ship from security—I’ll check it out. I’ll send a report on our suspicions when we get back to the ship.” Bao turned, scanning the area in a full circle. He motioned Brode to follow him and ducked behind the light purple building.
On Viant, the color purple was used to draw attention to the pleasure stations. Just as purple clothing was used to signify those on the street who were pleasure masters.
The Siloth males had disappeared inside the pleasure center with his mate. The only thing that kept him from running in and snatching her from the Siloth, was that for now, she was calm. Brode guessed she was trying to get a feel for her surroundings. Her quiet reflection eased his need to break into the house on a rampage... charging to her side.
The small street out front was quiet. No one came or went from this pleasure center or any of the buildings surrounding it. The back of the building held refuse containers, a small patch of growing plants, and a few chairs. There were stairs leading to the second floor, and a few covered windows. It was hot today. Keeping many inside where it was cool.
“Our brother has hidden in the front. He’ll watch and report on anyone coming or going from the building and work on setting a diversion that we can use once you rescue your mate.” Bao followed Brode up the stairs.
Nodding his understanding, Brode silently climbed a level. At first, he looked away from this purple building and studied what he could see of the neighboring structures and green spaces. He saw... no one. No movement. Nothing to concern him.
