Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
The captain appears, and I jump to my feet. So does Niri. Farli watches us with fascination but does not leave her seat.
“You stand when the captain appears,” Niri tells her.
Farli blinks. “Why?”
“Because that is what you do.” Niri seems impatient with Farli’s endless questions.
Farli looks to me, curious. I shrug and give her a nod, and this seems to infuriate Niri even more. Not my fault that Farli wants me to guide her instead of Niri. She gets to her feet, and the captain moves toward his chair, his hands clasped behind his back. He ignores the rest of us, like he always does. Behind him is Trakan, and his eyes are devouring Farli’s lithe form in the tight jumper.
That protective surge rises in my gut, and I have to fight the urge not to jump in front of her and shield her from his eyes. I glare at him, hoping he keffing notices that I don’t like the way he’s looking at her.
The captain sits. Niri and I sit down, too, and Farli does a moment later, though it’s clear she doesn’t understand the ceremony. Trakan immediately glides over to her side, extending his hand. “Well, well, Niri told me that we had a visitor, but I didn’t believe her. Hard to think that a beauty like you is hiding out on this iceball of a planet.”
Farli looks delighted at his words, but she ignores his hand. “You are speaking my language!”
“Niri sent us the language file so we could all chat. I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say.” He winks at her and nudges his hand closer. I notice his tail is flicking in a rather predatory fashion, and anger burns in my gut. He’s got a girl back at spaceport. He needs to leave Farli alone.
She eyes his hand and then looks at me. Maybe it’s me being an ass, but I shake my head, indicating she should ignore it.
“Gonna be like that, huh?” I can’t tell if Trakan’s talking to me or to her, but it doesn’t matter. I lean in so I’m closer to her and give him a challenging stare.
He smirks at me and moves to his seat, across from Farli.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” the captain says in an austere tone as he presses the button to begin the first course. “Why don’t you tell us why you are here?”
She looks at me, and then her brows crease in a frown. “I was hunting.”
“Here on this planet,” the captain amends smoothly as the first course is served. Bowls of kelp soup are placed in front of us, and the others begin to eat, delicate eating sticks clinking against the bowls.
Farli sniffs over her soup and then looks at me again, a distressed expression on her face. I take my eating sticks in hand slowly and take a mouthful with exaggerated motions. She picks up the sticks at her side and examines them, then lifts one to her nose to sniff.
Trakan snorts with muffled laughter.
I scowl at him.
“I am not sure what you mean, here on this planet,” Farli says as she tries to balance the sticks between her fingers like I am. After a moment she gives up, uses one stick to fish out a stewed leaf, and takes a small bite—and immediately I can tell she hates the food. She chews for a long time, and I try to think up what excuse I can give if she spits it out, but she swallows bravely and then sets her eating sticks down. “I live here.”
“Do many of your people live here?” Chatav asks.
“Oh, all of them.”
Trakan chokes another laugh off, hiding behind his drink.
“And how many is that?” the captain asks smoothly, and I hate this. I hate that he’s interrogating her and she’s got no clue of what he’s doing, because she doesn’t have a bit of guile in her body.
She gives a bright little laugh. “I cannot count that high. At least ten hands worth, and that does not include the humans.”
“Humans?”
“Yes. They came here several seasons ago. The bad aliens left them here, and my chief found Shorshie and the others and rescued them. They are all mated to good strong hunters now. They all have kits, too. Some have several.” Her expression goes from pleasant to slightly wistful, and I notice she’s looking at me again.
“Tell me more about the humans,” the captain says. “They are stranded here like your people?”
“No, they live here like us.” She talks happily about the different ‘mated’ people in her tribe and the personalities of the ‘humans.’ I see Niri pull out her personal pad and begin to type, while Trakan and Chatav eat their soup. Farli does not eat, just talks, and it is clear she has great affection for everyone in her ‘tribe.’