Captive - Cheryl Brooks Page 0,93

had never sat in on one of the Haedusian women’s meetings, nor had any of the others. She wasn’t sure they even knew what the women had been up to.

“So… do you and the other Nedwut guards have a plan of any kind?”

“You mean like the women of this city? Not really. We figure we can work for them just as easily as Pelarus. It’s a gamble, but we’re counting on them to treat us better.”

After all the Nedwuts had done to the natives—whether by Pelarus’s orders or not—Klara wasn’t so sure about that. Then she was struck with another realization. “Hold on. Are you saying you guys knew about the women’s movement?”

“Oh, yeah. Some of us even warned Pelarus not to underestimate them.” He chuckled. “Obviously he didn’t listen. He thinks money is the answer to everything. Don’t get me wrong, it helps, of course, but there are some things money can’t buy.”

“Clearly, I should have had a chat with you guys years ago.”

“Might’ve helped,” he said with a shrug. “Although it’s only been recently that we’ve been getting kinda fed up with the Master.”

“What’s changed?”

“Well, for one thing, he cut our pay. Aside from that, even we realize this can’t last forever.” He gestured toward the shabby, rotting buildings lining the road. “Look around you. This world is dying; Pelarus and his cronies have made sure of that. They’ve exploited its resources until there isn’t much left. Most of the land is poisoned and the water is nearly gone. Won’t be long before even the desert plants and animals die out.”

Moe had sounded so optimistic when he spoke of how the planet could be reclaimed. Harlex’s assessment left little room for hope. “You said cronies. You mean there are others like him?”

“There used to be. Most of them left when they had nothing more to export. If it weren’t for the spaceport, Pelarus probably would’ve abandoned this city long ago. Hell, for all we know, he could’ve been planning to leave today.”

“Which means he’d have a ship ready and waiting.”

“It’s possible.”

“But unlikely,” she said, hanging onto the last shred of hope. “Even if he’d planned to leave today, he probably hadn’t intended to leave the arena the way he did.” She didn’t bother to add that his original plan might have included taking her with him. She could only be pleased it hadn’t turned out that way because with every habitable planet in the entire galaxy available as a destination, Moe might never have found her again.

Of course, if everything had gone according to Pelarus’s plans, Moe wouldn’t have been able to come looking for her.

He would be dead.

“Dammit! Why can’t this thing go any faster?” She somehow managed to control the impulse to punch the control bar with her fist and simply jabbed it with a finger, albeit forcefully enough to break a nail down to the quick.

“Um… too much weight, maybe?” Harlex sounded slightly embarrassed as he pointed toward the spaceport control tower. “Although we are almost there.”

Klara sucked her bleeding fingertip. “I see it. Looks like there’s a welcoming party at the gate, too. I really hope those guys are friends of yours or we’re in big trouble.”

As he sped through the streets, Moe wished he’d taken the time to study the local geography. Without his speeder and its auto-nav function, he would never have found the bar in which he’d been stupid enough to pick a fight.

But then, he never would have met Klara.

If meeting was the right word. A forced meeting, perhaps, but a meeting nonetheless. The best of his life, in fact.

His brief rest aboard Nexbit’s kradjet form had helped some, but a quick shot of energy couldn’t hurt.

Yeah. A hot fudge sundae with whipped cream and a cherry would go down very well right about now.

Then again, if there were any sugary sweets anywhere on this whole damn planet, he was probably headed away from them, unless there were vending machines at the spaceport. He hadn’t noticed any when he’d first arrived, but he hadn’t been looking, either.

He rounded one corner and another before reaching the main road to the spaceport. He really hoped this wasn’t all for naught, but he wouldn’t have been a bit surprised to see a ship taking off just as he hit the homestretch. Then again, if the revolution extended to the spaceport, he might be lucky enough to get there in time to see a gang of Nedwuts ripping off Pelarus’s wings.

With a chuckle, he