Read Online Alien Hostage by Tracy St. John - Free Book Online

the Basma, then that could only mean one thing. The Basma had no intention of returning them to Kalquor. 
    He might even be planning to kill Tasha and Noelle.
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
    Dramok Falinset sat working at his wide, curved wood desk in his office. All was quiet save for the sounds of nature outside, fed in by the window vids set in the walls. The high-pitched call of the leathery-winged vasis were a musical counterpoint to the breeze sighing through the trees. Vents brought in the scent of the sea, only a mile away. If Falinset couldn’t be outside, he would at least give himself the illusion that he was.
    Not that his office was uncomfortable. It was in his home and as private as a man could wish. His clanmates were somewhere else in the house, granting him the solitude to do his work.  Falinset would not have minded their company. While he strove to keep most others at bay, Nobek Wekniz and Imdiko Nur were always welcome.
    However, he tended to be boring when he researched a fresh prospect. Wekniz and Nur did not share Falinset’s love for discovering a new business venture, investigating its potential for success, and anonymously investing if it looked promising. Possessing an uncanny instinct for such things, Falinset liked to tell his clanmates he could smell success in the making. With accounts that allowed his clan to live sequestered for the most part, there were few who would challenge his assessment of his abilities – had they known what he was worth. Falinset let his few mistakes slip out to those who were interested in such things, but he kept quiet the multitudes of winning gambles he took.
    Clan Falinset was only poor in the way it mattered most. Material possessions were not among the things they lacked. The home was modest but well-built on Lobam where free-standing structures were allowed. Their parcel of land was large and ended half a mile from the beach. Wekniz often found game to hunt in the thick woods that took up most of the acreage. When he wasn’t on duty at the fire prevention headquarters in Nalta City, he enjoyed roaming among the trees, tracking and catching much of the meat they ate.
    Nur enjoyed luxury more than the other two men, but even he took more delight in finding a bargain than paying for things at full price. His ‘treasure hunts’ at consignment and second-sale stores were the source of great delight for the Imdiko. Such places in Nalta City knew him by name and often put things aside for him to buy and carry home. Finding a rare piece of art or classic piece of designer clothing in his or Falinset’s sizes never failed to give Nur a sense of triumph.
    Though it was clear the clan lacked for nothing, few people acquainted with them had any idea how well off they were. They preferred it that way. Keeping secrets was a way of life for the three men.
    Falinset narrowed his eyes at the description of a company that had caught his eye. They promised that within two years they could completely terraform a planet lacking atmosphere within a star’s lifebelt range. How could that be possible? Terraforming was a chancy and expensive matter. If a planet or moon had no atmosphere to start with, the odds were not good within even a decade.
    If this company had found a way, it would be worth an insane amount of money to investors. Not that Falinset cared about money. He just enjoyed being one of the first to see the promise of a new endeavor and being a part of making it happen.
    He read over the proposal. His eyes widened as he saw the first project the company proposed.
    “Earth Two? A new home planet for those people?” he whispered wonderingly.
    Falinset quickly paged through the documentation on his computer, wondering who else was in on such an insane-sounding scheme. His heart went into overdrive to see familiar names among the sponsors.
    “Dramok Ospar and Dramok Rajhir. So that’s what you two schemers have been up to since you were barred from public service. Dramok