Harwin chuckled.“They are asking for mercy.Apparently, the fear of their victims is put directly into their minds every night.”
Chloe sipped at some tea.“How unfortunate.”
Skylar laughed.“Isn’t it?The ghosts will come with us when the new ship gets here.”
“New ship?”
Harwin snorted.“Dytura is getting you a slip ship that can hold your shuttle.He’s courting you.”
Chloe smiled.“I know.He’s not in a hurry.I am not in a hurry.I am sure if that changes, I will know, or he will know.There is so much to experience out here.”
Ra picked up Harran and moved to sit with them.The baby was comfortable in the curve of his arm.
Harwin smiled.“We have a solid ten minutes before the psychotic little leech is attached again.And Harran as well.”
Chloe spluttered with her tea.“Wait, there is another ship coming?”
Skylar smiled.“Orex makes vessels that are called slip ships.Their power source can propel them along the edge of solid space, dipping in and around to reduce travel time by eighty percent.It seems that Lord Dytura embraces the idea of a road trip.”
Chloe chuckled and paused.“Wait, don’t ships that size need a crew?”
Ra nodded.“He has provided a crew of four Zowoth.They are the ship’s crew and bodyguards when you walk strange worlds.”
Chloe frowned.“What’s a Zowoth?”
Harwin laughed.“They are a composite society.They started out with a singular surviving warrior race, and now they find warriors, heal them, and bring them into the fold.Male and female, they all fight.Oh, and their original species were green-gold orcs.Seven footers.If you see anyone shorter, it’s an acquisition.”
“Humans?”
“We won’t know until the ship gets here.I do know that their society is split.They do have pair bonding, but the females are heavily adorned so as to make their allegiances known at a glance.Warriors should staff your ship.”Harwin smiled.“Some of the ladies’ outfits put my royal rigging here to shame.They also make Skylar’s dance outfit look positively modest.”
Ra grinned.“You did your research.”
“Well, I only have to hold Harran with one hand while he eats.I hate to waste time.”
He chuckled.“I am aware.”
“Yeah, well, if my cousins are going to be spending time with a hostile species, I wanted to know how hostile they were.As long as the females crewing the ships are neutralized, there won’t be an issue.They are scent sensitive.”
Chloe said, “Uh, I am not neutralized.”
“They will take scent swatches and inoculate themselves against you.That way, there will never be a crossing of lines.”
“Oh, nice.”Chloe smiled.“Dytura must have a lot of confidence in my ability to resist orcs.”
Skylar snorted.“He’s a dragon, dude.He is made entirely of confidence.”
Chloe nodded.“Fair enough.He’s in for a lifetime of me barging into the shower after that stunt with the repair unit.”
Harwin coughed.“He might actually enjoy that.”
“Oh.Dang.See, this is why you have to talk things out with friends.”
The ladies laughed, and Ra looked bemused at being inside a group of ladies.Harran began to fuss, and Harwin took him and got him his brunch.
Once that was done, they travelled to the village, and Chloe watched the ghosts tormenting six humans who were sobbing and rocking on the stone.
Chloe knelt next to a woman, who was rocking back and forth, mumbling about Aretta.Chloe looked at the woman and asked, “What did you do to Aretta?”
