"There are no functioning parts on it.I made sure it was too damaged," he said as he went back to adjusting the shielding on the side of the ship.
"Should we bring it in, though?Do you think it could be tracked?"
He shook his head but still didn't look any her.."I removed the beacon inside and threw it over the cliff."
"Oh, all right."
"Why are you concerned?"
"I didn't know if it was seen.Would it lead anyone to us?"
"This location is secure.They could not get inside."
She nodded, but that strange feeling would not go away.She continued holding the hooks for him while he worked, but she couldn't help looking back at the door over and over.There was a feeling in her gut.
"Do you have security on the entry points?"she asked.
"No.No, he does not," came a male voice.
Bahran grabbed Caoimhe and pulled her behind him, and when he came around, the tool in his hand was replaced by a blaster.
"Oh, look.He's going to defend her," the Charro said.
A Terran officer came forward and pushed past the Charro.Even in his military uniform, she could make out his rank on his insignia.
"Bring her out here," the Terran officer said--a lieutenant, she noticed.
"No," Bahran said, with his hand behind his back, holding her there.
The lieutenant shrugged."Then we kill you both."
Caoimhe stepped out from behind him and made herself more visible."I am Imperial Princess Caoimhe, and by royal command, I insist you drop your weapons now."
Bahran glared at her.
They all stood there, everyone unmoving except for their eyes.They looked back and forth at one another--and there were several.Three Charro and four Terran military.
The Charro bobbed up and down on their tails, making them seem much taller than the Terran military men.
She should have been surprised to see Charro, but truly she wasn't.Her father did whatever he had to in order to get a job done, and if that meant paying some aliens to take care of it, then that's what he did.
She saw them lower their weapons.
Were they listening?Would they follow her commands?
The lieutenant glanced at the Charro next to him.
"Nah," he said."I don't follow your orders, girl."And he raised his blaster.
Probably would have fired, too, if Bahran hadn't shot first.
She dove for the ground, behind Bahran.
Bahran pulled out another weapon--where had that one come from?--and started firing, each arm moving in an arc, criss-crossing in front of him.They fired back yet didn't seem to hit either of them--did Bahran have some kind of shielding?
She ducked under part of the ship and heard the ship's side being hit hard.She even smelled one of the pungent odors of the internal fuels.Something was ruptured in the ship.
Great, all that work they'd done was gone.
