“Done.”
“We want weapons and the Gryn you mentioned,” Maggie calls out from across the room.
The baron looks at me with interest. “Do you usually let your pet…I mean your guard…do the negotiating?” he asks.
“She is in charge of my personal security. I completely agree with her. I need weapons and I need warriors. I assume that’s what the Gryn are…warriors?”
“More than that…if you can control them, they are fighters supreme.” The baron burbles. “However, no one can control them, not really. Irritating creatures,” he grumbles. “You’re more than welcome to them.”
“I get to choose the ship.”
For a moment, I think the baron is going to change his mind, but then he eyes my closed hand, and his tentacles relax.
“You get to choose the ship,” he says with a few bubbles. “But…”
“No but,” I snap.
“It’s a good one. Nothing which will cause you any pain,” he says with a wave of three tentacles. “You and yourguardare tocome to my party. Tonight.” He holds up more tentacles. “I won’t take a refusal, Lord Driok.”
“We will attend your party. Once we have what we need, and the ship is ready for us, you can have your jewel,” I rasp.
The baron holds my gaze for a long time.
“From what I’ve heard, Sarkarnii are pirates and thieves,” he says.
I open my mouth, and he waves a single tentacle.
“Good thing I don’t listen to gossip,” the baron says. “I will take your word.” He leans back against the cushioning. “Or I will take your mate…I mean pet…I meanguard.” His central eye glitters with the lethal nature of the Ntahal.
They are not to be crossed. Every Sarkarnii knows it, and those who don’t soon find out. The mere fact he has guessed what Maggie is to me tells me everything I need to know.
“Until tonight.” I respond, getting to my feet as Maggie makes her way back to me. “And if you double-cross me, I will take your tentacles, one by one, and cook them in front of your very eyes.”
I release a short burst of flame at the plant next to me. It explodes briefly into a bright blue flame before turning to ash.
If my show of what I can do without weapons makes any impression on the baron, he does a good job of hiding it.
“Then we are agreed,” he says, picking up a small, colorful comm device out of a hidden drawer. “I have advised all of the vendors in this building you can charge whatever you want to me.” He purses up his mouth with pleasure. “And I have sent the information you wanted to your comm. Enjoy, Lord Driok.”
I make sure Maggie is in front of me as we approach the main exit. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the baron decides to cross me, given I am, as far as he’s concerned, the only Sarkarnii here.
But then along with the stories about Sarkarnii being pirates, I know there are others which circulate. Those of Draco and hiscrew and how they broke out of the most secure prison in the starred galaxies.
Good rumors, as far as I’m concerned.
We enter the airlock, and the Badaon are nowhere to be seen.
“Get your pulsar pistol,” I say to Maggie.
She pulls it from her pocket. “Already got it.”
“Wait…how?”
“You didn’t think I was going in there unarmed, did you?” She stares up at me.
I know the baron will be watching, but I don’t care. I have my mate up against the wall as I suck in her delicious scent in an area which has no scent inhibitors. Maggie smells like perfection, and my cock pokes its way out of my pouch without a single thought.
I brush a strand of hair away from her face, marveling at the size of my claws compared to her. She huffs at me.
