Galaxy's End: Book One by LeRoy Clary (popular ebook readers txt) 📗

Bill drew her attention as he impatiently tapped a finger on the table. She had been lost in her thoughts and ignored him. She said, “Listen, I’d like to invite another traveler to join us here. Kat has met him, a strange little creature that tried to take me captive and turn me in for a reward. Would you mind?”

Bill shrugged. They had about talked out his ideas of leaving the trio for the better good and decided that it was not necessary. He looked forward to learning and being paid to work on mechanical things. The ship could use an engineer, even one learning the trade, the captain said. He’d work hard and earn his way and he wore a smile.

She motioned to a steward and told him she wanted a message delivered to Fang. After sensing reluctance, Stone smiled and told the steward, “There’ll be something extra in it for you.”

The steward wiped his hands on the white apron covering his thighs and nodded, agreeing to the task and reward, but not enjoying it. He was the same steward who had lifted and placed Fang on the high stool at the table.

Bill thought about her statement instead of his potential future. He asked, “This is the same bounty hunter that tried to sedate you and turn you over to the police for a reward?”

“Just business, as Fang says.”

“Why invite him to join us?”

“Think of it as more of a summons. There are a few nits I wish to clear up.”

“Nits?”

“Nits and gnats. Tiny thoughts that should be discussed. Have you ever had ice cream, Bill?”

“Uh?”

The sudden change of subject threw him off, as was intended. She cooed, “No, of course, you haven’t. On the Guardia, we installed a freezer just to store ice creams from different worlds.” She turned to find another steward and instead found the eyes of a tall woman, probably not human. It was not that their eyes had met—that was normal. It was the speed and ease that they had flicked away in a different direction. A guilty move. She had been watching Stone.

Stone ignored the action and asked for two servings of three scoops of ice cream, each a different flavor if that was possible. The steward said, “We have three varieties, two of which you will enjoy, the third is an acquired taste but I’ll include it.”

Fang entered and was helped on the elevated seat by the false-smiling steward sent to summon him. His skin was dripping wet, the lemon smell stronger, and he curled his lips in imitation of a smile. The rows of razor-like teeth belied the smile. “I welcome your invitation. It was lonely in my small cabin.”

Stone matched his false smile and said, “Then this meeting works out well for both of us. Hopefully, many more things will also.”

Fang asked the steward for a meal of rehydrated protein, which Stone knew meant insects that had been dried for months, perhaps years. She would look away while Fang ate, but many races enjoyed the benefits of consuming high-protein insects. They were cheap to raise for the growers and often tasty.

Fang turned to Bill. “You are the spouse of the young one called Kat?”

Stone intercepted before Bill could respond, “No, he is not the spouse, in the usual sense of the word, however they travel together as two of a trio. Bill, is it true that you’ve accompanied Kat on her every off-world adventure?”

Bill caught on at once. He was to remain as silent as possible and answer no question directly. He gave Stone a small nod and said, “That would be the total truth.”

Fang turned to the captain. “Was this an invitation or formal request for my presence?”

“I hate to be formal on a small ship, don’t you?” she said, dodging the question in such a way that told Fang it was a formal summons.”

Fang’s meal arrived along with the ice cream and all three of them lifted spoons as if in salute, a human gesture most races embraced in one manner or another. Eating slowly was an effective way for Bill to hide and think about his answers before speaking. Stone tasted the yellow ball of ice cream; found she hadn’t tasted the flavor before—and didn’t care for it. “Bill try the others, not the yellow, not yet.”

Fang chewed and chewed on the spoon full of insects before he asked, “What may I do for you, captain?”

Stone said, “I am under the impression you may not be the only one on this ship who knows there is a reward for me. Is the tall humanoid seated behind me the other?”

Fang looked ready to eat another mouth full, turned a pair of eyestalks to look over Stone’s shoulder, and chewed slyly, two of his other pairs of eyes slightly narrowed. “Could we discuss a sale and purchase of that information?”

It was Stone’s turn to fill her mouth while she thought. It was a simple yes or no question. Or had been. Fang’s response showed it may be something else. It was her fault for asking a question in such a direct manner. That placed Fang in a position of power.

The answer might be a simple yes or no, and after she agreed to the sale, Fang could give her one of those two responses. His change in attitude might be because the answer was not either of those. By asking, she confirmed she didn’t know another piece of information.

Clever bastard. He had her cornered. He knew it.

She smiled as if not caring about the answer, “Why don’t we change the subject?”

Fang replied, “That may be dangerous.”

Again, she could interpret the green thing’s response in any way she liked and stood a good chance of being wrong. “What do you want for the answer?”

“My