2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Iris

Palathum sounded the buzzing-wasps rattle of irritation to warn the pedestrians around them to move. At the same time, she pulled Iris behind her much bigger body. Iris didn't fight the move; she'd almost gotten stepped on by something large and heavy looking that made her think of a six-legged version of an ox from Old Earth. As a human, she was much smaller than just about all the other species on Bathma station, but this guy was big even by Bathma standards.

The creature who nearly flattened her made a trumpet sound Iris's INT couldn't translate and stomped off.

"Sodimins are so rude," Utharium muttered. He was a member of the crew on Progress, Palathum's ship. Iris didn't know what his exact job was, but he was almost always at Palathum's side. Iris guessed he might be some kind of personal security, not that Palathum needed it. Iris had seen firsthand how well the Talin woman could fight. There was no question in Iris's mind that Palathum could beat almost anyone, probably even Utharium.

"It's due to their small brain," Palathum said. "They can't process both their environment and decorum at the same time."

Iris didn't realize Palathum had made a joke until Utharium sounded a rumble of amusement.

"Scientifically incapable of politeness," he agreed, moving closer to Iris so she was safely caged between him and Palathum. "Don't worry, Iris. You're safe with us. We won't let anyone step on you."

"Thanks, Utharium," Iris murmured, distracted by the slave market around her.

This station was busy but built with large enough corridors to accommodate lots of foot traffic, until they got to the slave-market section of Bathma. This section was narrower than the rest and caused traffic to slow down and press in closer to each other, especially in the areas off the main thoroughfare that connected to the two sections of the station. Iris hadn't truly felt in danger of being bumped or stepped on before now. It didn't help that she couldn't keep her focus on foot traffic as she looked over all the slaves for sale.

Iris wasn't a stranger to suffering, but her first few glimpses of the slave market weren't as horrific as she expected. There were individuals of many species tethered to posts with displays over their heads noting their price. Many of them were talking animatedly to potential buyers.

As she kept looking, she noticed signs of abuse and neglect. Two caught her eye as the most egregious examples. One was a Matok with a limb that hadn't been set properly, causing it to heal slightly crooked. The other was a centaur-looking species called Delorta. This Delorta was their third gender, called a provider, and had bare patches all over their back, revealing old and new scars.

These two were either old, troublesome, or didn't have a high skill set, which meant they weren't as valued as the other slaves at the market. Their future wasn't likely to be pleasant.

Her first instinct was to beg Palathum to buy them, but she resisted. Palathum already gave her and Mia so much, demanding she rescue a few slaves felt like asking for too much.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Palathum asked.

Looking up, Iris realized she was so engrossed in looking at the Matok and Delorta she hadn't moved to follow when Palathum started walking again.

"I'm fine," she assured the Talin.

"I can tell by your expression you're upset," Palathum argued. "Utharium can take you back to the ship, and I will find the human if he's still here."

"No, we need to keep looking." Iris reached out and gave Palathum a gentle push, except she couldn't stop glancing at the two forlorn slaves standing side by side. It almost seemed that the Delorta was using their broad, horse-like back to help keep the Matok standing.

"I wish to inquire about those two," Utharium said, and pointed Palathum toward the slaves Iris had been staring at.

"You do?" Palathum said with a rattle of surprise as she let Utharium guide them down the aisle.

"Talzeum is always complaining that she doesn't have enough help," Utharium explained. "I'd like to see if either of these slaves might prove to be useful."

"I'm very strong!" the Matok said quickly and stood up as straight as his crooked leg would let him. "I'm Nax, and I have training with bio systems on both stations and ships."

"I'm also strong and have some skills," the Delorta said. "My name is Dek-lee, and I'm good at carrying things."

"We have a system's technician and there are plenty of cargo bots to carry things. I doubt Talzeum would welcome help from either of these two," Palathum said with a negative rattle that reminded Iris of a hand slapping down on a thigh.

Utharium glanced at Iris before returning his gaze to Palathum. "Are you sure we don't have use for two able-bodied slaves?"

"We have room but no need," Palathum said with the slow-irregular-running-engine-sounding rumble of confusion. "Besides, their status as slaves will be nullified the moment we enter Talin-controlled space, or had you forgotten about our laws? You can buy them if you want but…" her words trailed off as she sounded the glass-marbles-clinking-together rumble of amusement. "Ah, I see. Yes, perhaps we could use them. If anything, they can provide a distraction."

"You wouldn't mind if you have to set them free?" Iris asked, excited that Palathum might buy these two.

"If they wish to remain in my employ after we return to the empire, then I'll negotiate a wage with them," Palathum said before turning her attention to the slaves in question. Both of them were staring at her intently.

"I'll do anything you need me to do," Nax said.

"I know many stories," Dek-lee offered. "I often entertained my siblings when I was young. I could entertain your crew if you wish."

"The most important thing for you to know is that this is a human," Palathum said, placing a hand on Iris's shoulder. "She is my pet. She is small, delicate, and treasured. There is another very young human on my ship, asleep at this time. Everyone on my ship must be willing to put themselves between the humans and danger. There's no exception to that rule."

While both Nax and Dek-lee quickly agreed that they'd lay down their lives to protect her and Mia, Iris blinked in confusion at Palathum's strange speech. Why was she making such a big deal about her and Mia?

Then it hit her; Palathum and Utharium were purchasing the slaves for her. They didn't think there was a human at this market and were probably worried she'd be devastated.

Even though both Palathum and Utharium knew she was as intelligent as they were and only accepted the title of pet as a disguise, they still insisted that she was emotionally fragile. It was sweet but annoying.

"I know Merrick is here," she said to Palathum. Nax and Dek-lee went quiet as Palathum looked down at her.

"Blind hope can cause great suffering," Utharium said before Palathum could speak. "It's unlikely that this Merrick is a human. We've found species mislabeled as humans before."

"Or he might have already been purchased and gone," Palathum pointed out. "This market operates in a legal gray area, so they don't keep accurate, updated records. Remember, we don't even have an image, only the description."

"And the seller didn't have any other slaves or stock listed," Utharium said. "It was all highly suspicious. Humans are so rare I doubt there's ever been one at this market."

"I've seen a human before," Dek-lee said, drawing all their attention.

Eager for information, Iris stepped past Utharium to get close to Dek-lee. "You have? Was it recent?"

"Careful," Utharium warned as he rattled with aggression, making it sound like someone was slapping large pieces of wood together at a regular cadence.

"I'd never hurt someone smaller than me," Dek-lee said. "That would take weight from my soul."

Iris didn't understand what they meant but was too impatient for news to ask. "When and where did you see the human?"

Unlike Talins, the Delorta had expressive faces very similar to a human. Iris felt her heart drop as Dek-lee frowned down at her. "Brace yourself for unpleasant news."

"Don't tell them until after they've bought us," Nax begged, tugging at some of the thicker fur on Dek-lee's long back. "Please, I don't want to die at the next sweep."

Iris looked up at the distraught Matok, momentarily distracted from her quest to find Merrick. "What's the sweep?"

"It's when the buyers for the meat market come through," Nax answered, body shaking with fear.

Before coming onto the station, Iris had given herself a stern talk about shutting down her emotions and staying focused on finding Merrick. The market listing noted his vital statistics such as name, age, species, and place of origin, which only meant the last place he'd been purchased. Iris knew she was going to see unpleasant sights at the slave market, but she hadn't been prepared to find out about the sweep.

"You're upset," Palathum declared. "I knew this would happen. Next time I won't let you accompany me!"

"Try and stop me," Iris muttered, quickly brushing away the errant tear trying to escape her eye. "I have an allowance, right?"

Palathum sounded a surprised rattle. "You wish to use your own credits to buy these two? I've already agreed to purchase them."

"I want to buy them," Iris declared. "Right now! Then I want to set them free. Can we do that?"

Nax made a pleased chittering sound. "If you can purchase me, I can promise to send you payments on my price until I've repaid everything to you. I swear it!"

Dek-lee's reaction was much less pleased. "No!"

Both Utharium and Palathum made threatening, aggressive rattles, causing Dek-lee to jerk in surprise. Iris ignored them.

"You don't want me to buy you?" she asked, keeping her voice gentle.

"Please buy me, but I don't want you to set me free," Dek-lee explained. "I must stay with you and earn my cost. I must make you happy and add weight to my soul. It's so light, I'm afraid I'm nothing but dust."

She was really going to need to get to the bottom of the whole weighted soul thing, but not now. She'd already spent too much time here when she should be looking for Merrick.

"Fine, you can be my slave," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Utharium sounded a rumble of amusement. "The pet has a slave."

"Very funny," Iris responded dryly, suddenly conscious of her jeweled collar's weight around her neck. Palathum had programmed the lock so Iris could take it on and off at will, but she kept it on most of the time. It had a tracker in it, so if anyone tried to steal her again, Palathum would be able to find her quickly.

"I'm afraid I can't register them under your ownership, but I'll make it clear to the crew that Dek-lee belongs to you," Palathum offered as she reached up and tapped the display on the pole to summon the seller.

"Can we spare some funds for Nax?" she asked as a young adult Hamlershin separated from a group and came over to them. "I don't want him to end up enslaved again because he can't afford to leave the station."

"If you wish," Palathum agreed, then had to focus on the seller. Iris was surprised at how quickly the deal was done. She thought Palathum would have to fill out forms or at least answer some questions about setting Nax free. There was nothing, all the Hamlershin was interested in was her credits.

Soon Nax was limping away without a collar and with a credit chit clutched in one of his hands.

Dek-lee still wore their collar and pressed close to her side after they were released from the tether. Their fur was soft, and she had to stifle the urge to pet it. They were a sapient being who deserved bodily autonomy; she couldn't touch them any time she wanted.

"Should I call you master?" Dek-lee asked, crossing their arms over their chest as if hugging themselves.

"No!" Iris said quickly. "Um, I guess you can use my name—Iris. Are you okay to walk around a little? Then we can head back to the ship, and you can have a meal and a checkup."

"I can walk for however long you need me to," they assured her. "I can even carry you if you feel tired."

With the way their movement was a little unsteady, Iris was sure additional weight would send Dek-lee crashing to the ground.

"I like to walk so let's get going," she said. The sooner they found Merrick, the sooner she could get them all back to the ship and cared for.

Dek-lee didn't move. "I warned you that my news wasn't pleasant. The human isn't here any longer. He was purchased earlier today."

Iris's mind stopped working for a moment, so she didn't hear what Dek-lee said next. All she could think was that she'd been so close and still failed.

"Then we'll go there," Palathum said, pulling Iris out of her head. "I'm sure the new owner can be reasoned with."

"What?"

"The Merrick human was very ill, and his buyer took him to the medical suite," Utharium explained. "He's probably still there, so we still have a chance to buy Merrick."

"It's interesting that I've never seen a human before," Dek-lee said, looking back and forth between the two Talins, "then I see two humans in the same day and both of them are owned by Talins."

"His buyer was a Talin?" Palathum asked with a surprised rattle.

Dek-lee dipped their entire upper body in a little bouncing movement, probably a Delorta sign of agreement. "Yes, he arrived only moments before the human succumbed to his frail state and fainted. He ripped the human's tether from the pole, haggled the price with the seller, then carried him away after looking up the location of the medical suite on the map display."

"That makes our job both harder and easier," Utharium murmured. "This Talin might not be willing to sell Merrick, but at least we know he'll be treated well."

"I still want to try," Iris said.

"Of course," Palathum agreed.