Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,53

just said it will leave the area before sunrise. It is only another rotation or two until we arrive at the crash site.”

“And there will be more of its kind—or worse—and we may not be so fortunate next time. According to the scientist’s records I found there were many such experiments that he suspected got loose on the starship. The closer we get to Evandra, the more of these bio-techs we will discover. Death waits for us at the wreckage. Nothing more.”

“I disagree,” the captain said coolly. His face broke into an excited smile as he rounded on his crew. “Just think! If they are creating things such as these, then they must be protecting even greater wealth than suspected on Evandra. Can you imagine the treasures that these guardians must oversee?” He turned his head and fixed Veral with a smile as the pirates murmured uncertainly around him. “And we have little to fear with a legendary Argurma warrior and expert salvager leading the way. These would be the kind of potentials he would have trained for.”

Veral’s face clouded with fury. “There is a good possibility that if you do this, you will be sentencing my mate to death.”

“If you do your job well, that should not be a concern. Besides, does she not have protection now? And Azan as well. She is better protected than all of us.”

Her mate stalked forward. “And what makes you think that I will not kill you now if she is so protected?”

The pirate met the obvious threat with a knowing smirk. “Because we all know that, while that symbiont is impressive, it is doubtful that even it can stop a blaster shot, or several, directly to the head… Azan.”

Terri felt the nudge of metal at the back of her head followed by an instinctive surge of fear. Desperately, she wiggled her fingers, trying to get the symbiont to react and protect her.

Nothing.

Fuck! Why couldn’t the tech just have a magical on switch? How the hell was this going to be of any use to her?

“I am sorry,” Azan whispered regretfully. Veral’s furious snarl almost drowned out the female’s words as he stiffened, his vibrissae rattling as he began to turn toward them. It was only the firing up of her blaster that made him halt.

“I know. And if he kills you, I’m sorry too.”

“Fair enough,” Azan replied.

“It seems her tech does not immediately recognize the threat of a blaster. Must not have been in its programming. A pity. All for the best,” Egbor continued. “I am sure you are also aware that my ship will still not hesitate to shoot you down before you even manage to leave the atmosphere. With this in mind, I would not react foolishly if I were you. Nothing has changed. You are still very much under my control.”

“As you say,” Veral growled. “I will remember this moment on the day I tear you apart with my claws.”

“I suspect you might, if you had such an opportunity,” the pirate agreed with a tight smile. “For now, however, you defer to me. Now get some rest, everyone. We move out at sunrise.”

18

As calculated, the creature departed just before the first rays of light filtered down through the canopy. No one had been able to sleep after the attack. Although it had made it difficult for Veral to pick off another male from the group, the creature had managed to kill two males.

A reasonable trade.

It did not escape his notice that the planet was doing most of his work for him when it came to thinning the crew. So much so that, as they continued to trek further into the forest, he abandoned all immediate plans to kill the males.

Statistically, it was logical to keep what was left of the crew alive so there were extra bodies between Terri and anything else that might hunt them. Even armed with a symbiont that would likely react to the presence of the creatures, despite her current lack of skill in utilizing it, Veral wanted bodies between her and the creations of the Elshavan.

One way or another, they would all die.

The captain, however, he would particularly relish killing in slow, painful ways. He would make certain that the punishment was great enough that the male would regret even in the next world that he had forced Veral to take his mate to the Evandra.

The only good thing to have come from recent events was that fear of attack from the bio-tech creatures