Kari grinned at herholo-image. “I do look like a sexy bad-ass. Kinda like a slutty Cat Woman.”
“Eh?”
“Never mind, long story.” She twirled one finger around that herholo-imagewould show her how she looked from all angles. “Good work, Dari. Very good work.”
“I give you my thanks.”
“Where have you been anyway?”
“Putting Bazi to sleep for the eve.” The princess flounced down onto a nearbyvesha-bench. “A growing boy-child requires much slumber.”
“Slumber? More like hibernation.”
Dari grinned. “‘Tis true, your words.”
A blaring horn alerted the women to the fact that something was amiss. Startled, Kari ran to the controls to see what was going on. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
The princess’ hearts rate immediately sped up. “What is happening?”
Kari’s fingers danced over the touch-screen controls. “We’re being followed. And I don’t think we have enough fuel to go invisible.”
“You are certain we are being followed?”
“Yes. Completely certain.”
“What if ‘tis my sire or Gio?” Dari began to pace. “They will never believe my story and will mayhap be killed for not listening to me!”
Kari drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Our only shot is to go invisible, but if there is nowhere to refuel on Khan-Gor…”
“Then we are trapped there. Mayhap forever.”
“Exactly.”
Silence. Dari halted her pacing.
“We must go invisible,” the princess said shakily. “I would that I could see my sire and Gio, yet we needs must keep them from this planet where evil dwells.”
“Evil,” Kari murmured. Her eyes were unblinking. “I can’t believe it never dawned on me before.”
“Of what do you speak?”
“I once knew and loved a man who hunted evil with the aim of destroying it.” Wide-eyed, she glanced up at Dari. “Maybe it’s the same evil we are chasing.”
“Who was this male humanoid?”
“He was—is—a warrior. His name is Isar K’al Draji.”
Dari’s forehead crinkled. “I remember that you spoke of him during the retelling of your past, yet am I still suffering some memory loss. Mayhap ‘twill come back to me.”
“His birth name is Isar K’al Draji. I believe he is known in your world as High Lord Death.”
The princess gasped. “High Lord Death?”
“You know him?”
“Aye. Very well. Did you not pick up on that during the telling of my story?”
Kari sighed. “Partially. But I only understand Galian culture. I thought maybe ‘Death’ was a common nickname or something.”
