But I am.
DANTE
Ido not like leaving my mate or my sector in order to speak to Driok. But the nevver wouldn’t take no for an answer, and he wouldn’t agree to discuss whatever it was he wants to discuss over the comm.
My two best warriors are by my side, carefullysked-ul-edto be with me this nova day. I had to leave Rosalie with the sarkarnlings, where she was instantly swarmed, but being with them means no one will touch her, and it’s the best arrangement I could think of without clawing off my scales and leaving them behind.
The neutral sector rings with the sounds of various weapons being discharged and the usual cheering which accompanies such testing. Beside me, my two warriors are calm, without the usual jitteriness we all feel when there are loud explosions nearby.
Yet neither have a whiff of paraxio about them. In fact, our usage has reduced significantly across the ship, and with the possibility of being able to get hold of some eletviz, it may be the end is in sight for the mutation which forces us into our reliance on narcotics.
Then we can simply enjoy them like any other Sarkarnii.
“Driok is most likely to want access to the class five planet our scout ship surveyed on their last trip,” I say to my warriors. “He will also offer refreshments which will be laced with something.” I grin at them. “Make sure you take it. It’s free.”
We enter the clan building at the heart of the neutral zone. There is a distinct whiff of chemicals. Driok might be a dangerous nevver, but I don’t think he’s ever really thought beyond his own ship and crew.
Or considered what we might have resistance to.
Or the fact I know all his plays. I’ve been around him long enough and he hasn’t developed any new ones. He can have what he wants…at a price.
The clan hall is well lit when we enter. In the center there is, as expected, a vat of ale-wine surrounded by delicacies from the rest of the galaxy.
“Dante.” Driok moves out from the shadows. “Your mate hasn’t envenomated you yet, then?”
I bare my teeth at him.
“Do I look envenomated?”
“Who can tell?” Driok replies. “Your guard will be wanting refreshments, no doubt?”
“Of course.” I give my two warriors the indication they can take what they want.
“Any time of the nova day or night,” Driok says dryly as a goblet of ale-wine is handed to me, and my warriors get stuck into the rest.
“Any time.” I tip the goblet at him before swallowing the contents which have an interesting aftertaste. “What do you want, Driok?” I wipe my hand over the back of my mouth whilst holding out the goblet for a refill.
“The last scout mission you did. I want the co-ordinates for it.”
“The entire mission?” I down another goblet of the ale-wine. “I doubt we’ve kept them. The mission was a bust.”
“And yet you had items to trade from it,” Driok says with a glance at my warriors who are most definitely enjoying the refreshments he has laid on.
Around us, out of the shadows, his warriors move into the light, and there are considerably more than the two I brought.
Trust Driok…or rather don’t trust Driok…ever.
He is the slipperiest of Sarkarnii with a heart blacker than even Dalox in my experience. With the self-imposed title of protector of Vorostor, he uses his position to make as many gains for him and his crew as he can.
“What I traded was from an earlier mission.” I hiccup. “And from items we manufactured.”
“Speaking of which, I want more star fuel,” Driok says, walking away from me.
The ale-wine certainly has a kick to it, but not anything I’ve not dealt with before. One of my warriors, however, is already asleep, his wings shifted and draped over both the seating area and half in the food left out.
I am impressed.
“And I want another scout ship.” I hold his gaze for a nova second before letting it slip.
