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Authors: J. C. Daniels
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throat as bodies began to twist and morph.
Son of a bitch.
“You chased after Emiri form-changers. They are not of your planet. The women they rescued weren’t of your planet. Regardless of whether they broke your laws or not, these people will face an embassy tribunal— offplanet . They’ll face a court of the federation— not Hsainien justice.” His voice turned mocking as he looked to the Hsainiens. “I’m quite certain none of your scans showed any DNA abnormalities, of course.”
I don’t think anybody in the caravan moved as the male with the human appearance continued to speak with the Hsainien leader. I know I didn’t. I continued to watch the male. I wanted to see his face. I needed to see his face.
But he didn’t look at me.
When the white-garbed aboriginals fell back, I heaved out a sigh of relief. He’d done it. That human male down there had won against the Hsainiens—on Hsain . They’d actually backed down .
The gathering started to splinter and I had to back away. Those who’d been in the caravan followed the embassy detachment. The Hsainiens went in the opposite direction, albeit reluctantly. What stopped them, I wondered. The Thrull? Or the storm of shit they’d face if they tried to cross those within the embassy?
I lingered another moment, might have lingered longer, except I noticed he had stopped, the tall, dark shadow with the mocking voice and powerful form.
He was looking in my direction.
Although I knew he couldn’t see me, my skin still prickled and my instincts screamed.
Nerves wracked me and I reached up, resting one hand on the blaster at my side. I put the other hand on my belt, touching the darts tucked inside.
Get away.
Get very, very far away.
It sounded like an excellent plan.
But at the same time, some part of me wanted to stay, even as he took one step in my direction.
His face…
The visor I wore zoomed in, giving me a clear visual.
I sucked in air, the hot, desert air searing my lungs. Hsain’s atmosphere was compatible with most oxygen-breathers out there, including humans, but you’d think I’d just drawn in some sort of drugged gas. Black dots danced before my eyes and my head started to spin. Shaken, I slammed a hand against the rough bark of the litir tree. His face…
He took another step in my direction, not even pausing when the Thrull called after him. He answered over his shoulder and I found myself staring at him, mesmerized. He couldn’t see me. My cloaking was still engaged and I’d be imperceptible to the eye.
But my heart started to race.
This was dangerous.
Slowly, I took a step back, then another.
He continued to stand there, and I watched him as I walked backward, losing myself in the litir field.
Chapter Six
There was a transmission from Gold waiting for me.
He hadn’t signed it and it was encrypted. Knowing him, it would be all but impossible to trace it too, but there was no denying who’d sent it.
The dataport built into the comm panel did a retinal scan before I could access the transmission, and I settled in front of it, arms crossed over my chest, as I started to read. It held schematics, images and architectural layouts of the buildings where the embassy members would be, the standard info I’d expect to find, plus a vast array of cultural details that, I assumed, might come in handy.
What it didn’t have was information on my target.
I dug my nails into my arm and moved closer.
There was a note, added in at the bottom, and the very sight of it made blood roar behind my eyes, the harbinger of a headache no painkiller would touch. Unless of course it just put me out of my misery—permanently.
Further info to follow once you reach access point .
That son of a bitch.
He was just going to leave me hanging until I was actually on the grounds. Some part of me was tempted to tell him to fuck himself. Up the ass. Sideways. With something rusted and diseased.
I could walk out there, away from the shelter I had
Son of a bitch.
“You chased after Emiri form-changers. They are not of your planet. The women they rescued weren’t of your planet. Regardless of whether they broke your laws or not, these people will face an embassy tribunal— offplanet . They’ll face a court of the federation— not Hsainien justice.” His voice turned mocking as he looked to the Hsainiens. “I’m quite certain none of your scans showed any DNA abnormalities, of course.”
I don’t think anybody in the caravan moved as the male with the human appearance continued to speak with the Hsainien leader. I know I didn’t. I continued to watch the male. I wanted to see his face. I needed to see his face.
But he didn’t look at me.
When the white-garbed aboriginals fell back, I heaved out a sigh of relief. He’d done it. That human male down there had won against the Hsainiens—on Hsain . They’d actually backed down .
The gathering started to splinter and I had to back away. Those who’d been in the caravan followed the embassy detachment. The Hsainiens went in the opposite direction, albeit reluctantly. What stopped them, I wondered. The Thrull? Or the storm of shit they’d face if they tried to cross those within the embassy?
I lingered another moment, might have lingered longer, except I noticed he had stopped, the tall, dark shadow with the mocking voice and powerful form.
He was looking in my direction.
Although I knew he couldn’t see me, my skin still prickled and my instincts screamed.
Nerves wracked me and I reached up, resting one hand on the blaster at my side. I put the other hand on my belt, touching the darts tucked inside.
Get away.
Get very, very far away.
It sounded like an excellent plan.
But at the same time, some part of me wanted to stay, even as he took one step in my direction.
His face…
The visor I wore zoomed in, giving me a clear visual.
I sucked in air, the hot, desert air searing my lungs. Hsain’s atmosphere was compatible with most oxygen-breathers out there, including humans, but you’d think I’d just drawn in some sort of drugged gas. Black dots danced before my eyes and my head started to spin. Shaken, I slammed a hand against the rough bark of the litir tree. His face…
He took another step in my direction, not even pausing when the Thrull called after him. He answered over his shoulder and I found myself staring at him, mesmerized. He couldn’t see me. My cloaking was still engaged and I’d be imperceptible to the eye.
But my heart started to race.
This was dangerous.
Slowly, I took a step back, then another.
He continued to stand there, and I watched him as I walked backward, losing myself in the litir field.
Chapter Six
There was a transmission from Gold waiting for me.
He hadn’t signed it and it was encrypted. Knowing him, it would be all but impossible to trace it too, but there was no denying who’d sent it.
The dataport built into the comm panel did a retinal scan before I could access the transmission, and I settled in front of it, arms crossed over my chest, as I started to read. It held schematics, images and architectural layouts of the buildings where the embassy members would be, the standard info I’d expect to find, plus a vast array of cultural details that, I assumed, might come in handy.
What it didn’t have was information on my target.
I dug my nails into my arm and moved closer.
There was a note, added in at the bottom, and the very sight of it made blood roar behind my eyes, the harbinger of a headache no painkiller would touch. Unless of course it just put me out of my misery—permanently.
Further info to follow once you reach access point .
That son of a bitch.
He was just going to leave me hanging until I was actually on the grounds. Some part of me was tempted to tell him to fuck himself. Up the ass. Sideways. With something rusted and diseased.
I could walk out there, away from the shelter I had
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