Earth Husbands are Odd (Earth Fathers #2) - Lyn Gala Page 0,46

the navigation program. “You have brought value to navigation. That value is not as obvious to understand.”

“I’m not going to cut Bundy out of the deal.” Max wanted the buyers hungry and competitive before bidding started. That was why he had come out to show Xena his newest weapon design. People wanted what was right in front of them, and Max needed to be in front of the prospective buyers to make them want the program more. He was going to go visit Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum later. The two Pajekhs had purchased his first weapon and had asked him to do a security check on their ship. Their language was closer to human and less likely to give Max a headache, but the Spaceballs aliens left him trying to avoid giggling. But they had credits, and Max planned to let them try to lure him into selling them a copy under the table. He wouldn’t because that would undermine the final auction price, but he would let them make their play so they could taste that program and want it even more.

Luckily greed was universal. Even Bundy had to admit that Max was good at marketing his work.

“You have honor. But you do not have obligation of honor to Bundy,” Carrington said. “He is buyer and seller. He has no honor to you.”

“Oh, I am sure you’re right about that,” Max said. Bundy would’ve stabbed him in the back for a credit. Or at least have done the financial equivalent. “But he took a chance on my work when everyone else thought I was a moron.”

“You are a warrior. Warriors and protectors are not morons,” Xena bellowed.

“Thank you.” Max appreciated the support. “But a lot of people made assumptions.” Max didn’t add that the people on the law-enforcement ship had no business doing any sort of assessment of new species because they were morons.

“Both humans in custody appeared to lack cognitive skills,” Carrington said. “That is evidence in support of claim. Not assumption.”

Max flinched at the mention of Dee. She had not come back that night or in the week since she had visited. He felt like an ass for not running after her, for not doing something to make her see that his family would welcome her and she didn’t have to be alone. He couldn’t imagine what her life had been like at the docks. She said nightly lodging and food were free, but man or woman couldn’t live by reconstituted vitamin cubes alone. Hell, she didn’t even have a volleyball she could paint a face on. He remembered sitting in the maintenance shaft and crying because he felt so damn lonely, and he hadn’t been alone.

She had.

“We were injured and had too many new ideas introduced at once. I hear the Chosen did not handle it well when they learned of other sentient life in the universe.”

Xena made a bugling noise.

Carrington tilted her head. “You speak factually.”

“Thank you. I like to be factual.” Max locked the equipment cart before picking up the remote. It was time for him to go home.

“Humans are factual.” Carrington repeated herself. Max turned on the cart and started it toward the exit. Damn, this ship was humid. Max would have to change clothes when he got home because he had just about sweated through this one. He could have entered a wet T-shirt competition with it.

Carrington walked beside him. She was persistent. “Being factual, you should understand well that I would handle your sales more effectively.”

“I am happy with the effectiveness of Bundy.” Max smiled at her. He wondered if she took that as a friendly or threatening gesture. He didn’t care, but he did increase the speed of the equipment cart.

“There are facts which make me an improved administrator of your sales. There are facts that would endanger your ability to make sales,” she said as she followed him.

Max didn’t stop the cart, but he stopped to study her for a second before turning his attention back to it before he drove it into a wall. “That sounds slightly mobbish.”

“Clarify the term mobbish,” she said.

“Mob. Dishonorable individuals who work together to break the law or earn compensation by making others feel threatened or threatening them.” Huh. Max was getting good at being a dictionary.

Carrington’s neck gills slapped shut. “I am not lacking honor.”

“I never said you were,” Max said before he could drive his best customer away. “Your statement sounded like a threat, so the statement sounded mobbish, not