Alien Freak - Calista Skye Page 0,33
into his heart, at the same time firing at another.
Pulling my fangs out and kicking at the face of a third, I realize I can strike the fourth with my fangs. After that, the two others can cut me down at will.
Venom pumps into the fourth Bululg for a split second before I pull back, waiting for the crack of a shot that will kill me.
But it doesn’t happen. The two remaining Bululg are hanging by their legs from the giant’s hands.
“I don’t like unfair fights,” the monster growls so deeply a nearby metal sign rattles.
Leaping to shield Averie again, I wave with the weapon in my hand. I can’t be sure it will make much of an impression on the giant. Those things are usually just as tough as they look. “Nor do I. Thank you for your help.”
The giant drops the two remaining assailants to the ground, and they start to crawl away. “Your female is spilling tracking codes all over the place. Easy to find. Her device needs some adjustments.”
“Very well,” I say, wary of his intentions. “We’ll get it done.”
The giant cracks his huge knuckles. “But I suppose there is no rush. I don’t think there are any more Bululg on this station just now. You should be able to leave in peace.”
“Then we will. Thank you again.”
“My pleasure.” The giant sends Averie a last glance, then saunters away.
I can finally inspect Averie. “Are you all right?”
She looks down herself. “I think so,” she says in a thin, trembling voice.
“We just have a couple of things to do here before we go. Come and walk beside me.”
I step over the dead Bululg and spot what I think is the place I was looking for. Everyone around carefully ignore us, but stay tense until we’ve passed.
What came over me back there? Bellowing ‘she’s mine’ before the attack ruined every chance to surprise those Bululg. If not for that giant, I would have been dead now and Averie in Bululg captivity again. But it was a need, an impulse that came from so deep inside me I would have no idea how to stop it. It overwhelmed me completely.
The bar has burly guards in shining armor outside the doors. They have no problem with us, and easily stand aside so we can enter.
We sit down at a table by the wall. The menus are projected on the table, just like in the old days. This place clearly goes for a retro feel.
“Order anything you think won’t kill you,” I say to Averie. “I’ll be right back.”
I’ve never been here before, but I know about it. A lot of unofficial business takes place here, and when you’re being hunted, you better keep everything strictly unofficial.
After a couple of false starts, I find the kind of fixer I’m looking for. He’s small and innocent-looking, with brown fur and four big ears that keep twitching. Each ear has an eye at its upper tip, making the alien look intensely alert. A prey species, without a doubt.
“I heard you sometimes have jobs,” I say after I sit down at his table, uninvited. “Of the special kind.”
He raises his head, trying to look past me. “Sometimes. How much for the female?”
I deliberately block his view of Averie. “The female is not for sale. I have a ship, I can do delivery missions.”
The alien finally looks at me, recoiling a little at the sight. Doubtlessly a prey species. “Can you do pick-up missions?”
“Probably.”
“Then I have an easy one. Pick up a working artifact from the nearest Elder moon. It’s not far.”
“What kind of artifact?”
“That is of no concern. It must have a function, and it must still work. Two thousand credits.”
“Two five,” I counter. “Plus expenses. Half up front.”
“Very well.”
That was too easy. “This Elder moon. A bad one?”
“Depends on how you look at it. I mean, nobody’s going to pay you twenty-five hundred to bring them a rock from the surface. It’s called Verv. Mostly explored. We think you’ll need to go to an unexplored part to find a place that’s not yet been looted.”
I sigh. “And the reason it’s unexplored is that it’s a bad moon.”
The alien’s ears twitch. “Again, depends how you look at it. What seems bad to me may strike you as completely pleasant.”
“Right.” In other words, this is an extremely dangerous mission. But I am desperate for funds. After Averie’s clothing was paid for, I have enough to fill the tank about half. And that’s it. The fee