Page 61 of Uncovered By the Alien Commander
“Nope, not this time, you little bitch. You still had your pathetic pistol. Remember Kaanus?” She glances up at the Captain, who nods his head in affirmation, looking at me with a curious expression that never alters his unreadable eyes.
“Because he refused my—” I begin before Hyanxa interrupts.
“I checked your locker. Your clothes and credits, almost every item gone. Same as Triandale. You planned this together, to steal the Klendathians’ masks. As you live like high merchants, while we suffer the wrath of the Suns of Omega and the Klendathians!” Her words strike like a supernova, as she separates from Kaanus, moving back into the shadowy corner as her golden eyes glint with fury. “And now caught by the Klendathian you comeback with your tail between your legs, daring to show your ugly alien face here again.”
They’re going to kill me. There’s nothing I can say now.
Yet the words continue to spill. “No Kaanus, I’d never put the crew in danger!” I plead, but the words feel hollow as they fall, dying on my lips in an instant.
“Shut the void up Tyrxie!” Kaanus roars with a slurred voice as he stalks towards me, limping on his injured leg. Now appearing massive the closer he draws. “Haven’t I been good to you?”
“Yes, absolutely,” I lie, flinching backwards as he approaches with clenched fists.
“And this is how you repay me? With voiding betrayal!” he roars, the deafening sound causes me to wince. “Hyanxa was right. I should have sold you off years ago!” He grasps my shirt in an arcweave grip, lifting me off the ground as my heart pounds in my chest. His face is full of rage but also hurt, yet I reach for the knife at my waist as he raises a huge scaled fist.
Maybe I deserve this.
Chapter 24
Xandor
Past
Where the void isthe Captain’s chambers?I’ve traversed this cramped ship more times than I can count, driven by sheer boredom, yet his specific quarters still elude me. Quickening my pace, I’m propelled by the troubling news from Mod that Tyrxie has left to visit Kaanus. I’ve only seen her lurking in the shadows, her eyes darting nervously when Kaanus is near, so it shocks me she would seek to confront him.
The notion fills me with unease. When I’d brought her back aboard, I could see the surprised glances exchanged between the Captain and his co-pilot.They never expected her to return.
The events of Tier Three remain shrouded in mystery to me, but Tyrxie must have revealed some form of betrayal.What mountain of mischief has my little puffrio gotten herself into, Iwonder?Lucky for her, she has me to help clean up the mess. NowIf I only could track down the tricksy Tyrxie.
My heavy boots echo through the confined corridors. Its oppressive surroundings are almost enough to make me miss the garish openness of Omega Flux Station...almost.Gods, I never thought I’d ever escape that netherworld-like nightmare, cradling the sleeping Tyrxie in my arms while passing the inspection to enter Tier Two.
The garish guards inspected me with accusing stares like I was carrying the female off to dishonor her! One even dared to touch my chest. He’s fortunate my hands were occupied, or I would’ve crushed every bone in his feeble grip. A mere flash of my fangs and a stern word was enough to frighten them. Their hearts weren’t in it, smart of them to step aside.
I hope Kaanus and his fierce female are also smart. I’d hate to fly this ship myself. It’s so old the controls may be incomprehensible. A deep sigh escapes me as I round another corner, only to halt as an unsettling yet familiar sensation washes over me like an icy wave. Tyrxie’s in danger somewhere to my left. I quicken my pace, almost running, wondering how she keeps getting herself into trouble so often.I’ll have to keep her close from now on.
As I near the door at the end of the cramped corridor, a clamor of raised voices assaults my ears. Something about ‘betrayal.’ It’s a word Tyrxie evokes often, however betrayal is a matter of perspective.I need only align our goals together and she’ll behave herself, right?The wishful thought lingers limp and flaccid as I can almost hear the Gods’ mocking laughter.
The door swishes open at my hurried advance as I dash inside to find nothing other than clothes littered around. Yet I pay it little heed, sensing Tyrxie’s still in danger very close now, which pulls me further into the room. Revealing the infuriating sightof her lifted into the air by Kaanus, his face twisted in fury, threatening to strike her.
Yet my fury is greater as I thunder across the remaining distance with blinding speed. I shove the Captain with such force, he’s propelled through the air like a comet, his pathetic body crashing atop his messy bed. My ears twitch as movement to my left propels me to aim my arc blaster into the corner. Anticipating the fierce Jungarian reaching for her gun as she stalks in the corner.
The female is quick, almost leveling her gun at me, before I’ve beaten her to the draw. “Drop the gun, or I’ll be adding a touch of blue-bloody gore to decorate this room.” My eyes bore into hers. A promise of violence should she defy me, while I extend a hand towards the trembling Tyrxie. The brown-furred Jungarian tosses her automatic ballistic gun onto the floor, yet her eyes remain hard and defiant.A touchy one indeed.
Incredible softness enwraps my hands, shocking me until I realize it’s Tyrxie, clinging to me as she rises to her feet.How can hands be so soft?“Thanks... thanks, Xandor,” she stammers out as her grip lingers for a blissful moment longer than necessary.Why am I letting her simple touch distract me?
“I promised to keep you safe,” I smile, peering into her sad green eyes.Have I ever been this close without fear etched in her eyes?“But next time, come find me before you charge into the hydraliths den, naked.”
Hyanxa scoffs, “It’s us who’s in danger from her! The treacherous little—”
“Keep your yapping muzzle shut, fierce one!” I snap back at the irritating female, noticing Kaanus righting himself on his bed, shaking his head with a pained grimace. “Aren’t you two supposed to be a couple? Why the void are you skulking in the corner like a topless dancer?” I demand with a frown, gesturing with my arc blaster for her to join Kaanus on the bed.
The Jungarian shows no concern for her modesty or anything as she moves with languid grace towards the bed. “Because I heard you coming,” she sneers, her eyes darting to her discarded gun on the floor.
“Eyes on me!” I yell at the fierce female as I fumble for Tyrxie’s pistol attached to my belt. “Here, keep this on that one,” I command, nodding toward Hyanxa while I hand the tiny pistol over to Tyrxie.
“I can do that,” Tyrxie replies with more than a hint of relish in her tone.
“You can’t do shit, you useless ugly—” the irksome furry one spits out, before I interrupt.