Chapter 10
Lieutenant Vnor Gin
Being with the human felt incredible; it was possibly the best sex I had ever had, but the problem was the guilt. Soon after I came down from the high of being with the human, I felt the guilt settling in. I was thinking about her: Camara. She was on my mind. I thought about the last time that I was inside of her, and it filled me with guilt. How could I do this to her? I knew that she was gone, but it still felt like I was being unfaithful to her. It was a deep, sinking feeling that I could not shake as I watched Bridget get dressed and eat a small breakfast. I had no appetite.
“It is time to go to the transmission station,” I said putting on my belt and making sure that my weapons were charged.
“I am ready,” she said giving me a look. I knew that she wanted answers, but I had none. I wanted to join her when I saw her naked in the shower with water running over her, but I couldn’t. The guilt was too much.
“Good, let’s go,” I said throwing her cloak to her. I put mine on and pulled the hood up over my head. “Make sure you close the ties tight. Covering as much of your face as you can.”
“Yes sir,” she said coldly.
I stored the codes to get into our room into my digital cuff on my arm. Then I handed the card to her. “Bridget. I want you to have this. If for whatever reason we were to get separated come back here to this tavern and wait for me in the room. You saw how to enter the code in the lock?” I asked.
“Yes, I did,” she said.
“Good,” I gave it to her, and she put it in her pants.
A few minutes later I was locking the door to our room, and we headed down the stairs to the tavern. It was sparsely inhabited. Most aliens were eating a meal and not rowdy and drinking. That was good. I wanted to go as unnoticed as possible. We walked out of the open wall area into the plaza. Just then a ship took off overhead. It was large and shot straight into the sky. It was obviously leaving the planet. I wondered what transport off the planet would be? It was something to think about if I could not find the crew.
“Come on, Bridget,” I grabbed her arm leading her through the alleyways toward the transmission station.
“I need to send long-range transmission,” I said to the guard.
He pointed me in the right direction. We walked inside. It was a busy transmission station, but since the outgoing section had just opened, I did not have to wait long.
“Destination?”
“Xeion,” I said.
“This way,” he said and motioned me to a transmission station and left me to it.
“What is this?” Bridget asked.
“A station. I put in the coordinates of where I want to send the message and then I send the message. I just don’t know if it will actually go that far. Stay at my side while I try,” I said.
“Sure. I’m not moving; I'm too curious how this thing works,” she said as she studied the transmission gadgets and screens. I remembered she called herself a scientist and this was her way of learning.
I typed in the message and set the coordinates. I set it to loop for the entire day to see if it would reach.
“Xeion,” a station employee with purple skin said to me handing me a ticketed number.
“Yes,” I said grabbing the number.
“Check back tomorrow for transmission report at the same time. Though I don’t think you will have much luck. The other Kynon haven’t,” he said as he started to walk away.
“Wait. What do you mean?” I said blocking his path. “What other Kynon? Are there others like me here?”
He suddenly grew quiet. The station employees were supposed to practice confidentiality.
“My ship crash landed here, and my crew is missing. Have you seen others like me?” I pleaded.
“Yes, there was another, and he had one of those with him too,” he said pointing at Bridget.
I smiled. “Yes, that is my crew. Where? Where can I find them?” I asked happily.
“After the transmission to Xeion was unsuccessful they departed to the ship port for a ship. That is all I know,” he said.
“A ship. Good. Thank you for your trouble, and here, for your further trouble,” I said handing him a small silver nugget. “If you see them again, tell them the Lieutenant is here in the village and is nearby. I will return tomorrow to the transmission station,” I said.
“Yes, Kynon,” he said quietly as he tucked the nugget away and went about his duties. I looked at Bridget with a big smile.
“I can’t believe it. I’m so relieved,” she said.
“Me too. This is good. This is very good,” I said. “Come let’s go to the port so I can ask around,” I grabbed her arm and led her out of the station.
“I hope that it is Vicki. I miss her so much. I hope that she is alright,” Bridget said.
“It can only be one of three Kynon. Captain Qinov, Ambassador Lek, or Elonu Fiul.” I said. “It’s this way.”
We walked through the market; it was growing busier, and there were all sorts of species gathering to haggle their goods. Finally at the port, I spent an hour asking around. I approached different dock masters with a couple of copper nuggets for their information until I found one.
“Yes, I have seen one like you. And he was with one like her only with gold hair,” he said.
Bridget gasped, “Vicki…”
“Where? What ship did they take and destination?” I asked.
“I am not supposed to divulge information, but I can tell you that it was a long-range ship and he called himself a captain. He said he was going home. That is all I can tell you,” he said.
“When? When was this?”
“They left yesterday,” he said.
“Damn it,” I said. “Unbelievable. We were in the village at the same time and managed to miss each other,” I said. “If he returns, will you tell him his lieutenant is searching for him?”
“I can leave word. Today is my last day on this dock. I am being transferred,” he said.
“Yes, leave word, thank you,” I said. I grabbed Bridget and headed back through the market.
“He abandoned us. Your captain left with my friend and left us here to die!” she said with anger. Some around us turned to look. She was drawing a lot of attention to herself.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “He did not abandon us. I am sure that he will return. The captain does not abandon his soldiers,” I said in anger but quietly.
“What more proof do you need, Vnor? He abandoned you and all of us. He took us from Earth and left us here,” she said.
“You are drawing attention to yourself, human,” I said, getting in her face. She looked around. She pulled the hood over her head tighter and put her head down.
“Now be quiet until we get back to the room,” I said dragging her through the market and back to the tavern. There were more patrons. It was bustling. I practically carried her up to the room. I unlocked the door and pushed her inside.
“You don’t have to be such a dick. Wait here. I’m going to get food from downstairs and bring it up,” I said.
“What? Why can’t I…?” but I closed the door and went downstairs. I knew that she had caused a lot of commotion in the market and many had been looking at her. That was not good. I got to the bottom of the stairs and looked up, making sure that she was not coming down.
“Can I get a tray of food? Some hot soup and bread and a large jug of water to take up to my room,” I said to the green giant innkeeper that had served us the night before. He knew that I had already paid for food and board. He went to the back and emerged a few minutes later with a large bowl of steamy soup and a large hot roll of bread. He set it down in front of me and grabbed a large ceramic jug and put it under the spout to fill with water. I looked around and leaned in.
“I need to get a message to a frequent patron of yours. A Lana named Nippara,” I said.
“Yeah, I know him,” he said.
“I need him to meet me here today… now if possible,” I said. I pushed a silver nugget his way. He slid it toward him and put it in his pocket. He set the jug on the tray. “He usually is in the ship graveyards searching for scrap metal to sell. I will have a messenger sent to him to come here to meet with a Kynon,” he said.
“Quietly,” I said. He nodded and walked away.
I grabbed the tray and carried it up to the room.
“Why did you leave me in here? I can’t stay in this room all day and—”
“You can, and you will. I brought food and water for you,” I said.
“It does smell good,” she said looking at it. I set the tray on the table and began to gather the other empty trays and used plates. I filled my cup with some water and drank.
“I have some business to take care of downstairs. I will only be gone for an hour, but you are not to leave this room. Your reaction in the market caused a lot of looks to come our way,” I said.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” she said biting into the bread. She looked at me and offered a piece.
“No. I am fine. I sent for Nippara, and I am meeting him downstairs. Stay here. Eat, rest, sleep. I will be back. Do not open this door for anyone but me. Do you understand, human?”
“Yes, I understand… alien.” She said looking away from me. I knew what she was pissed about. She was pissed that I had mated with her and was being cold to her. But it was a mistake on my part. I should have never given in to the human.
I went downstairs at sat at the end of the bar, right at the bottom of the stairs. This way I could see up the stairs and know if she came down, or if anyone suspicious went up. The green alien came out and put a cup of the strong wine drink in front of me. “It has been done,” he whispered without looking at me.
“Good. I will eat while I wait. The soup and bread are fine,” I said.
He left a small jug of the strong wine in front of me so that I could serve myself. Then he went to the back. He emerged with the same soup and bread that I had taken to Bridget. I ate slowly. I wanted to look like I was simply there to eat and drink like everyone else and not waiting for someone.
I used the pieces of the bread to sop up the thick soup. It was good. I was surprised at how good the food was at this tavern.
Just when I was drinking the last of the soup from the bowl, I saw Nippara walk in. He nodded to me and walked past me. He went behind the staircase.
“Another cup,” I said to the Innkeeper. He handed me an empty cup. I took my cup, the jug of wine, and the empty cup and followed Nippara. He sat at a small table underneath the staircase. It wasn’t exactly one hundred percent private, but it was better than sitting in plain view at the bar.
“Good to see you again, my friend,” he said. I grabbed his elbow in greeting. His face and arms were dirty with grease from gathering scrap. I poured him a cup of wine and sat down with him for a drink.
“I may have a job for you if you are interested. It pays well,” I said.
“I am listening,” he said.
“I think I and my cargo need to get out of the village. The ones I have been looking for left this planet and I need a place to hide until they return. The village has too many eyes. Today in the village, many were looking at my human. If the word gets back to K6R…”
“He will be here to reclaim what you took and take it out on you and me…” Nippara said as he took a drink.
“Exactly. I don’t know this planet, but I know that you do. I need a small speeder and a place where I can take my cargo and wait, but where I still have access to communication when my captain returns,” I said.
“Hmm… yes. I think I know a place that will work for this. It is a small compound two hundred miles from here. It is on the other side of the Vinta Mountains. The cyborgs do not go there. There is a family of Lana that lives in a compound of several buildings. It is a vineyard, a place of growing vegetables. They are farmers, and they have two small huts for rent to travelers. I have stayed there many times. They do not speak to anyone, so there is no danger the word will spread that you are there. There is a transmission station at the peak of a Vinta Mountain run by a Lana. You can trust him. I could go there for updates every few days for information. But I cannot stay longer than ten days with you and the human; then you are on your own,” he said.
“I like this plan. I must be at the transmission station in the morning for a report on my transmission. Will you be able to secure a ship for us and supplies by then?” I said as I slid two silver nuggets his way.
“Yes. I can.”
“Good. Thank you, friend. Will you meet me at the transmission station an hour after sunrise tomorrow?”
“Yes, and I advise that we leave soon thereafter,” he said nodding his head in a direction.
I looked to see a red alien with four arms staring at us as he leaned against the wall far away. He had a smoking pipe in one of the four arms. He startled as soon as we looked at him. Then he walked away.
“Do you know him?” I asked.
“I do not know him personally, but I do know what he does. He is an information tradesman. All he does is gather information and reports it to the highest bidder,” Nippara said.
“Shit,” I said.
“Yes, it does not look good. I should get a move on to get us a ship and fill it with food and supplies. That way we can leave as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, Nippara, for taking this job. I will have two silver nuggets in payment for you when my cargo and I are safely at this vineyard compound, and I will pay for any transport you need,” I said.
“It is my pleasure, Lieutenant. I will meet you at the transmission station tomorrow,” he said as he finished off his drink and stood up.
I grabbed the jug and looked around to see if I saw the red alien. He was nowhere in sight. I ascended the stairs back to the room. It was best to stay out of sight until morning, but how was I to be in close quarters with that damn sexy human?