He sounded a rumble of amusement then looked behind him when something bumped him in the back. It was Mitzy. While her siblings had wandered off, she’d remained waiting for the next instruction and treat.
“She’s so focused,” Han said, reaching into his treat pouch to toss Mitzy a pellet. “She’s going to be a champion.”
Mitzy was good, but he didn’t think any of their jinjoos were going to be champions, not after he’d watched vids of the highest performers. But that didn’t matter. After selling all the ships andsplitting the wealth three ways, there were plenty of credits to last a lifetime even if the jinjoos never won a single prize.
Thinking about the wealth made him think about Malsum and Tumoro. After they’d given the pair one-third of the credits, the two decided to start their own company. No one knew where they were or even what their business was. It was all very mysterious, and Zeph had a bad feeling it was illegal, or at least bordered on illegal.
So far one human and three Ugarians had shown up to claim one of the many domiciles Malsum and Tumoro had bought but not rented out. The human and Ugarians explained that Tumoro and Malsum had sent them there to live. Other than that, they remained completely closed-mouthed about their life before arriving at Inneeko, even as they found their place among everyone else.
Zeph hoped Tumoro and Malsum would make it back for the holiday celebration, but the last message said they wouldn’t be back for at least another half solar. He was sure part of the reason was to avoid interrogation!
Or they were in a bad spot and couldn’t find a way out.
“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Han asked. “You started making that worried rumble sound.”
“I’m concerned for Malsum and Tumoro,” he said.
She let out a sigh. “Me too. I know Malsum’s strong and smart, and Tumoro knows his way around a lot of species, but they’re both so young. I wish they’d stayed close to Inneeko for a few years.”
“We didn’t have to share the money with them,” Zeph said. He’d argued against it, but Han had been firm, and he’d given in.
“I know, but that wouldn’t have been right,” Han said with a little frown. “They both put themselves in danger, especially Malsum when he helped me and the kids get back to the ship. They proved themselves, so we need to trust them.”
“But we still have that contract ready if they need us, right?” Zeph asked. Han had negotiated with a local charter company so that they would always have a long-distance speed ship ready to take them anywhere they needed to go at a moment's notice. It wasn’t as expensive as buying and maintaining one themselves, but it wasn’t inexpensive either.
Neither of them cared. The extra expense gave them both peace of mind.
“I just renewed it,” Han assured him. “And I checked with my friend at the port, and she said the company always keeps one of their speed ships here or in orbit, no matter how busy they are. They’re honoring the contract.”
“That’s good,” Zeph said, relaxing a little.
“I got a message from Golgim,” Han said, trying to be casual, but Zeph could hear the tension in her voice. Golgim was the Ugarian that found them Nack and Yullie. The female had just given birth and was sickly, along with all the babies. The owners had neglected them, and Nack had become territorial because they weren’t being fed enough. He’d seen anyone coming into the paddock as someone who might steal the little bit of feed Yullie had to eat.
It had taken almost twenty volunteers to get the jinjoos into a livestock transport and bring the little family back to their little farm. With plenty of food, Nack had calmed down. The food also meant Yullie and the babies started looking better quickly. Now the litter was old enough to be away from their parents and start training. By the time they pulled the young jinjoos out of their pen, Yullie looked relieved instead of upset.
Not everything was perfect. Yullie would always have issues with her mid-hooves from extended malnutrition, and no one could go near them when they were being fed or Nack would attack.
If Golgim was contacting Han, then there was probably another jinjoo neglect situation. Far from breeding and raising champions, they were saving individuals.
“What did Golgim say?”
“There is a farm closing down in Three Boulder,” Han said. She tossed a last treat to Mitzy before moving to the door of the paddock. Zeph followed her out. “There are some older jinjoos they’re talking about letting loose in the grassland because no one will want to buy them.”
Ugarians didn’t eat meat and didn’t believe in the killing of anything, but that also meant sometimes they did things like abandoning animals in an environment they weren’t suited to. Elderly jinjoos would have a hard enough time surviving in their native mountain homeland on the planet of Valsoon; they wouldn’t last long at all in the grasslands.
“We have room. They should come here,” Zeph said without hesitation. He’d enjoyed rehabilitating Yullie and Nack more than training their offspring. “We have three paddocks and could build two more before we’d need to buy more land.”
“I hoped you’d say that!” Han said. “They’re arriving tomorrow.”
Zeph let out a rumble of amusement. “Then it’s a good thing we got the order of extra food yesterday.”
“Han! Zeph! Where are you?” Domonic yelled from one of the empty paddocks.
“Over here, Dad,” Han yelled back, taking his hand in hers and leading him to meet Domonic on the walkway between the paddocks.
“Felk needs help with one of the table bots and Zephus is worried both of you are going to miss out on eating,” he said. He was holding Hanum in his arms. The child was old enough to walk now but loved the way Domonic would carry him around and make zooming sounds while walking.
It was clear Domonic was working hard to be one of Hanum’s favorite humans.
