“Burn!”Noellecried.
But he was already getting up, his eyes red with fury.
“You fucker—I’llfucking kill you!”he roared.
“Easy,Burn.Takeit easy!”Brightstepped in front of him, hand on his chest, holding him back—barely.“GoingintoRageright now won’t help,” he said in a low, tense voice.“We’renot getting out of this with physical force.”
“Indeed, you will not.Infact, you will not get out of this situation at all.”
Another figure stepped through the jagged hole.Ithad similar robes, but the helm was bronze instead of silver.ThesecondSkow'sgrotesque grin was just as horrifying—actually more so, since the gums between its finger-length teeth were oozing bright red instead of black.Itlooked like fresh blood toNoelle—like the creature had just been feasting on something raw and bleeding.
“I see the tracking devices we paid to have installed on theKindredlong range shuttles have paid off handsomely,” he said in the same hideous creaking voice as the firstSkow.
Noelle’s breath caught.Atracker?That’show they found us?Herblood ran cold.
“Yes indeed,Commander,” the first one said respectfully.“Wehave quite the prize here—twoTwinKindredand their female mate.”
Noelle bit her lip—she wasn’t their mate, not really.Andyet…the word stirred something hot and frightened deep inside her.
“Ahh…They’llfetch a good price at auction once we reach theFleshBazaar,” the commander mused.
FleshBazaar.Thewords madeNoelle’sskin crawl.
“But we have a few more traps to mine before then,” the bronze-helmedSkowwho was the commander went on.“Takethe three of them to the ship and throw them in the hold with the rest.”
“You fuckers—you’ll never take us alive!”Burnroared, crouching like he was going to launch himself again.
Bright was quicker.
“No,Burn.Letme talk.”Hestepped forward, holding his blaster at his side.“They’vegot repulsion techandpersonal shields.Wecan’t beat them physically,” he added in a low voice.
Burn snarled but held position, his red eyes glaring death.
Bright looked at the two invaders.“Youwant to take us alive,” he said.“Butwe won’t go unless you give us some assurances.Iknow theSkoware bound by their word—it’s part of your honor code.”
“You’ll get nothing from us!”the bronze-helmed commander snapped.“Youare our prisoners—wegive the orders.”
“Then you won’t take us alive.”
And with that,Brightlifted the blaster and placed the muzzle against his own temple.
Noelle’s heart stopped.
Dios, no.Hecan’t.Hewouldn’t…would he?
Her body went cold again and her knees felt weak as she sent up a prayer to keepBrightfrom doing something foolish.
“Stop, stop!”the commander barked.“Whatis it you want?”
“Your word that we won’t be separated and our female won’t be taken from us,”Brightsaid evenly.“Wemust be sold as a unit to the same master or mistress—you can’t break the three of us up.Weneed to stay together.”
TheSkowcommander looked irritated—his finger-length teeth clenched and ground together for a moment, producing a sound like sandpaper rubbing metal.Butfinally, he nodded.
“Very well, you have my word as aSkow.Thethree of you willnotbe separated.Youwill be sold as a unit, to the same buyer.Nowlower your weapon and disarm yourselves at once!”
“Very well.That’sacceptable.”
Bright lowered his blaster slowly and looked atBurn.Thebigger warrior glared back at him, fury still radiating off him in waves.
