Page 72 of Alien Peacock
Several hours go past before the Eoans are back. But now there’s a dozen of them, as well as a Bululg. He looks like a dwarf compared to the big Eoans
They stop twenty feet away, and one of them comes up to the cage. He’s smaller than a regular Eoan, and his splotchy white color also stands out. His wing feathers are brown and have a dirty look to them.
Still, the other Eoans defer to him in a way that helps me guess who he is.
The chemicals in the energy bar have faded. Still I have the patience to wait until he draws breath to speak.
Then I quickly say, “Oh, it’s Buroteo the dictator. Also known as Buroteo the Dead!” I make sure to put some force into it, and my words echo from the wall.
Buroteo’s mouth snaps shut, and his expression turns sour. “Watch your tongue, little female. It can be easily removed!” His voice is creaky and flat, nothing like I would expect from an Eoan.
But he’s talking to someone who’s been in the company of a much scarier peacock for days, so I just laugh. “Soon, all of you will be removed from the universe, Buroteo the Dead. Already Arelion has decided which sewer to throw your dead body into.”
“Arelion is an annoyance,” Buroteo says slowly. “But that is all he is. And now, we know he has no hope for his silly little rebellion to succeed. Because I haveyou.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to be much of a help,” I tell him. “If you notice, he’s not here.”
Buroteo gives his men a sign. They quickly approach and take me out of the cage, holding me firmly between two of them.
“He’s not herenow,” Buroteo says with a smile of brown teeth, with some missing. “But I want to find out if he’s coming. Strip her.”
While two Eoans hold me, two others start taking off my armor.
“Take your fucking hands off her!” Tara yells from her cage. “I’ll kill you all!”
Her voice resonates from the walls, but the Eoan’s don’t pay her any attention. Only the one Bululg glances nervously up at her. She must have seriously scared them at some point.
I spit and kick and struggle, but I’m nowhere near strong enough to handle Eoans. Krunku and Fresk are smaller and weaker than these giants. Soon my boots are off and my jumpsuit is being pulled down.
“Tell me if it’s time, Maeve!” Tara yells.
I know what she means — she also has a final option implanted in her wrist.
“Not yet,” I yell back. If it were just me, I might consider it. But Tara is here, too.
The Eoans pull my jumpsuit off and drop it on the ground. Then they turn me around.
“Aah,” Buroteo says with satisfaction. “That looks like a Mark to me. But Earthlings don’t Mark, the Bululg have told me. Whogave you this, little unadorned female?” He traces the Mark with one icy cold finger.
I recoil from the creepy touch, but his cronies hold me firmly in place. “Get your dead fingers off me!”
“His Mark is on you,” Buroteo says with satisfaction. “And the way I know Arelion, he’s stupid enough to think it means something. He’s just the type of young idealist who will believe in the ancient myths and old-wives tales!”
“He’s ten times as smart as all of you combined!” I hiss. “And right now, he’s taking back his planet!”
“And yet I now have his Marked female and that female’s sister,” Buroteo cackles. “Not a sign of great intelligence!”
The Bululg takes a step closer. “There’s a message from Source,” he says in his thin, creepy voice. “Arelion is approaching the station.”
The mere mention of the name makes the breath catch in my throat. Arelionhere?
“Good,” Buroteo creaks. “When he enters through that door, he will see his Marked female defiled and his rival victorious! We shall kill his female in front of him. And then we will kill him, and his rebellion will be over.
I suddenly spot movement all around. Hundreds of aliens are entering the room from all sides. There are Bulug and Fresk and many others, but only a handful of Eoans.
“Yes, most of my army is here,” Buroteo goes on with great self-satisfaction. “I was going to ambush Arelion the moment he landed with his pitiful little forces on Eo. But now, that will notbe necessary. We will simply trap and kill Arelion here. Without him, his silly little rebellion will fall apart.”
Shit.This is worse than I thought. Not only have I doomed myself by coming here, I may also have doomed Arelion’s whole planet to be ruled by this jerk.