“Hey, it is time for you to leave.” 

I blinked my eyes open, trying to clear my vision.  Had I slept all day?  Wow! 

I glanced up to a solemn-faced Rokhol, who towered over me.  “Okay.”  I pushed up from the divan and faced him.  With one side of my lips tilted upward, I said, “Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“You are welcome, Human.”  In an odd gesture, he reached out and slid his fingers around the ends of my hair.  It didn’t feel sexual, just curious.  “You are odd, unlike anything I have encountered before.”

“Same here.”  This time I smiled wide.

He cocked his head to the side and studied my face.  After a moment, he asked, “How did you get here?”

“By accident.  It was our first deep space mission and I got sucked into a wormhole.”

He shook his head in disbelief.  “Be safe Human and good luck.”

“Thank you.”  I slid the hood of the cloak up, covering my hair, and followed Rokhol out of the room.

With my head down, I stepped over the threshold.  Once again, the chilly air brushed my face, reminding me that I was still free.  Humph…I scoffed.  That only reminded me of the weird conversation I had earlier that day.  If it really happened.  After all, I had been exhausted. 

Deciding to test my theory, I thought, Are you still there?

Where else would I go? His deep voice echoed in my head. 

I don’t know.  I don’t even know who you are.

Of course you do. 

I closed my eyes in frustration.  How could he get under my skin so fast?  Whatever!

Free me, underling!

I froze.  He did not just go there.  I may not be from this planet, but I sure as hell was not an underling!  On Earth, my superiors picked me as the best pilot.  I’ve treaded through a sea of aliens unnoticed, only to manipulate a betting machine with my NI. Underling!  I seethed at the word.  My hands balled into fists as heat covered my face.  And in my anger, I said the only thing that came to mind.

Fuck off asshole!

You are angry.  Why?

Why do you sound like an asshole?

How could someone demand help in a superior tone?  I knew that things were different here, but I didn’t care who he was, he was no better than me.

I am the Captain of the Royal Guard.  How would you expect me to sound?

That didn’t make sense.  What Royal Guard? My mind sorted through different scenarios as I kept walking away from the fight club and the shop I’d spent the day in.  I accessed my NI, but couldn’t find any information on any Royal Guard. Not surprising since Munic had limited the information to species normally found on this planet.

I don’t know.  Humble maybe? I would even settle for polite since you are the one needing help.  Not me.

Free me.  Some of the arrogance had fled his tone.  He actually sounded somewhat normal, but not quite.

How could I possibly free you?  Why would I?  For all I know you are a killer posing as a Royal Guard.  I wouldn’t want to be ‘daft’.  Okay, that word still ruffled my feathers.  But it had been a long time since someone made me feel that way.  I enjoyed hearing the sound of his voice, although it frightened me.  It really bothered me he assumed I was stupid without knowing me.

Under… He thankfully paused.  The last thing he wanted to do was call me ‘underling’.  I’d let him rot in whatever cell that held him.  Female.  I only kill those who need it. 

I heard the irritation, felt it deep inside.  I didn’t like it, but I would not back down.  I thought more of myself than to let some man order me around.  And did he just admit he was a killer?

Ah…so you are a killer.

I am justice.

 I snorted as I kept walking.  The aliens had thinned out as I headed away from town.  Justice sounded better than killer, even though the act was the same.

Okay, you are justice.  I pulled the edges of the cloak closer together.  But I can’t help you.  I’m not from around here.

What do you mean?  You are from Ulaya, are you not?

 

Never mind.  I’d seen what went on at the fight club, and I wasn’t about to tell him anything.  I didn’t know him, didn’t trust him.  Trust was earned not freely given.  How did they capture you if you are head of the Guard?

I heard the anger in his voice as he growled, There is a traitor among us.  I must get back before he can kill Lord Garan.  Free me!

I paused.  Royal Guard, a lord?  This all sounded like a tale from the ancient storybooks about middle aged times.  I started walking again.  I understood his frustration but I had problems of my own.  Selfish?  Yeah, probably.  But how did he expect me to free him?

And just how do you expect me to do that?  I am one person who doesn’t even know where you are being held.  A low growl sounded in my ears.  Stop that!  I can’t help that I don’t know where you are!

Everyone knows where the Humchins keep their prisoners.  Just admit you are a coward.

Shut up!  You have no idea what I’ve been through! 

Tell me.

Sorry.  You haven’t earned the right to know.  All you’ve done is order me around and call me names.  Would you help someone who did the same to you?

Silence.  At least now he knew how I felt.  I trekked onward with heavy steps as anger fueled me forward.  I needed to get back to Munic and Oddle.  I could only imagine what they thought happened to me when I didn’t return this morning.

Just as I spotted their house, his words eased my battered soul. 

You are right.  I apologize.

I should’ve responded, but I didn’t.  He was so confusing.  Arrogant one moment, apologizing the next.  The fact that I cared what he thought set off all kinds of internal alarms.  But I didn’t have time for games.  My entire life had been focused.  Games never played a part of it and it wouldn’t start now.

I hurried my steps, anxious to see them, reassure them that I was fine.  Just as my hand gripped the handle, the door swung open.  Munic stood in the doorway and I could see emotion shining in his three eyes.  “Hi Munic.”

He crushed me to his soft, wobbly chest.  “I thought they had caught you.”

“Nope.  But it was close.  I met a store owner who let me crash at his place for the day.  I’m sorry I couldn’t get back before daybreak.”

“Cami, you’re back!”  Oddle said as she walked into the room.  The happiness was easily read on her odd-looking face.  If I hadn’t known her so well, I couldn’t have read the happiness and relief shining back at me.

“I’m sorry.  I tried to get back before daybreak, but it didn’t work out.  Forgive me?”

“There is nothing to forgive.”  She also crushed me to her chest. “I’m glad you are back.”

“Me, too.”

When she released me, I slipped my hand into my pocket and grabbed the coins.  There wasn’t many, but every little bit helped.  They had entrusted me with the few coins Munic had earned.  I only hoped I hadn’t gotten screwed.

“Here you go.”  I held out my hand waiting for Munic to do the same.  When he finally complied, I let the coins drop one by one.

He gasped in surprise.  “Cami, what did you do?  How?”  His worried eyes found mine.

I froze.  My heart rate quickened.  “Why?  What’s wrong?”  I bit my fingernails in a nervous gesture.

“Do you know how much money this is?”

“No.  Is it less than what I had?” 

He shook his head and stared at the coins in stunned silence.  His eyes darted from the coins, to me, then back to the coins. 

“Munic?  Say something!”  I couldn’t take the silence any longer.  How bad had I messed up?

“Um…this is enough money to pay for one flight off the planet.  How did you do it?”  His eyes found mine.  “This is more money than I could ever make here.”

A big smile curled my lips upwards.  “Shew, you had me worried.  Now, all I have to do is make double that amount and we can all leave.”

He looked back down at the coins.  “No.  You don’t understand.  The Humchins will be looking for you.”

I marched over and dropped haphazardly down onto the chair.  All the happiness deflated before dread took its place.  “Why?”  Frustration laced my voice.  I may know how to read and speak the language, but I still had a lot to learn about this world.

Both Munic and Oddle took a seat in front of me.  “I am sorry, Cami, I should have explained this to you before.”  He grasped Oddle’s hand.  “This planet is ruled by the Humchins.  They suppress everyone, making sure that they maintain complete control and power.”  I shook my head, not understanding what he was trying to tell me.  “The most anyone can have is fifteen coins, and they are the wealthiest.”

“I don’t understand your monetary system. How many coins is that one worth?”  I pointed to one in his hand.

“This one,” he held up the one he gave me, “is the smallest amount.  It is worth one centasa.  This one,” he held up the next largest coin, “is worth twenty centasa.  And this one,” he picked up the largest coin, “is worth one hundred centasa.”

“Which is eighty-five more than I’m allowed to have.”

“That is correct.  No doubt they scoured the streets looking for you.”

“Then why put that much money in the machines?”

“It is not much on other worlds, just on this one.”

I let the news sink in.  Not that it mattered.  I needed more money, so that meant at least one more trip to the betting machines.  “Okay, so next time I’ll win enough in one swoop so we can all leave.”

“Or, you can bet just a little at a time and not draw attention to yourself.”  Oddle’s worried voice made my lips curl upward.  She sounded so much like my mother right now. 

“We will decide which way to go, but for now I think I should lay low.”

“I agree.”

“Me too.”  Oddle smiled, “Anyone for soup?”  I groaned.  Not the awful yellow soup.