6
Kess
—
Kess entered the first carrier he encountered and selected his destination.
He closed his eyes and leaned against one of the transparent walls of the carrier as it drifted downward.
He rolled his shoulder, wincing at the slight stiffness. At least it was healed. The stab wounds from the Muridian attack panged on occasion but not with the intensity like before. Maybe even as soon as a week from now, he’d be in optimal condition as he was before Pheor.
He was alive and he was healthy again.
Thanks to the human—no, Karen, as she’d scolded him—who he had just mistreated.
Self-loathing darkened Kess’ mood. No matter how much his anger might be justified, he’d behaved reprehensibly. Insulting her, manhandling her… how he treated her was unacceptable. He was a Yen, and had been raised to honour even his enemies with respect. Surely the mother of his unborn child deserved far better than the sullen, offensive words he’d awarded her.
The carrier slowed to a stop, its smooth robotic voice alerting him he’d arrived on the main level. Kess slid out the open doors into the bustle of the many individuals that kept the palace in shape, and manoeuvred his way outside.
He paused to enjoy the late afternoon sun’s warmth on his skin. He’d nearly gone insane after being cooped up in the infirmary under Zezvar’s watchful eye for four standard days. During that time, he’d gone from despising the medic for participating in the theft of his essence, to a grudging acceptance. Then, finally, gratitude for the medic’s hard work to cure him.
He was grateful to Karen too even if he had yet to admit it out loud. She was a brave, remarkable, beautiful woman who’d changed her life forever so he might have one. In his Union Police career, rescuing abducted beings from the evil clutches of slavers had been a frequent occurrence. Karen had believed him her saviour. While that might be true, Kess knew he had helped out of habit, out of duty to his Klar and Klara. Karen had saved him because she believed he was worth it to be alive.
If only she knew the truth: that he was a self-destructive failure.
Why are you so insecure that you need to intimidate me?
Karen’s words rang in his head and he knew the answer to that question. She was the first person since Riva’s death to make him want something other than revenge. Whenever he looked at her, there were glimmers of what could be if he allowed it. If she wanted him in her life.
And he despised her for it because for over two standard years, his life’s singular purpose was to find the elusive being who had killed his brother. He’d felt obligated to follow this one course. Justified that this was his punishment because of his inability to protect his younger brother. Now her presence and the existence of their baby had opened up a new path. One he was unwilling to take because he knew he didn’t deserve it.
Afraid of what it demanded from him—an impending father. He’d have to reevaluate his life choices. The reckless ones that led to him abandoning his post as Commander to go undercover as a member of a Muridian gang, the ones that left him stranded on a deserted, dying planet. The ones that almost got him killed because of his desperate need to avenge Riva.
Reluctant to pursue that train of thought, Kess resumed his walk to his grounder. Now that he was well again, he had some unfinished business with a certain lizard named Liol.
He considered returning to the garage and waiting until nightfall for any sign of Liol’s reappearance, but he decided against it. Liol would have learned of his three runners’ deaths and would have come to the conclusion that Kess was still alive. If Liol had any bit of intelligence, he’d avoid doing business in any locations he believed compromised.
So, Kess drove back to Anric. The weapons store owner was one of the many contacts he’d acquired over the years in his police career and who’d told him about Liol.
“Last I heard, he’s stocking up in Tarabet for a shipment to Stoath.”
Kess’ clenched his fingers into fists. The planet, Stoath, was of similar constitution to the now extinct Pheor; a wasteland of extreme heat and desert dust. It was a haven for the criminally-inclined and where his brother was last seen alive.
“Where in Tarabet?” Kess demanded.
“Commander, you’re looking like yourself again,” said Anric, frowning. “But you’re asking for an early death if you keep going after that Xarxi.”
“Where, Anric?” Kess insisted, ignoring Anric’s warning.
Anric shook his head. “Give me your comm so I can enter the coordinates.”
“I lost it.”
Anric retrieved a comm device and entered the location.
“Here,” he said, handing the black strip to Kess. “I would offer myself as backup, but I like living and I don’t like killing.”
Kess chuckled. “Then you are in the wrong business as a weapons merchant.” He turned for the door, then paused his steps. “How did you learn where they were handling the shipment?”
Anric grinned. “Let’s just say that not all servants are loyal to their master, and a bit of ruya herb goes a long way to loosening their traitorous tongues.”