3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Iris

Staring down at the emaciated human in the bed, Iris tried hard not to let her temper push her back to the slave market to start hitting every seller she could find.

Almost every inch of Merrick was covered in healing gels or skin regrow patches, making it hard for Iris to know what he looked like. He was nothing but skin and bones, making him look even smaller in the large bed.

The poor guy had been through a lot, but it was a relief to see he was being taken care of.

"As you can see, the human is alive," the med tech told Palathum. She'd bribed him to gain access to Merrick. "The prognosis is good for his body surviving, but his mind is troubled. We had to heavily sedate him because he kept begging us to end his life. He was disturbing some of the staff."

"We wouldn't want your staff to be upset," she muttered under her breath even as tears burned the backs of her eyes. He wanted to die? What horrible things had Merrick been through that death was the most desired option?

"You're going to be okay," she whispered, placing a hand on a small spot of unmarred skin on his forearm. "We're going to take care of you, I promise."

It wasn't surprising that he didn't respond to her words, but declaring them out loud made her feel better.

"We know he was purchased by a Talin, I need his name and Ident number," Utharium demanded.

"I can't relay that information," the med tech said while looking down at Palathum's Ident. It was a clear indication that the knowledge would cost them more credits.

Utharium rattled with irritation and moved threateningly toward the med tech but Palathum's hand on his chest stopped him.

"Calm yourself, Utharium, and step down," she said with a soothing rumble that reminded Iris of an Old Earth cat purring. "You're here to protect my person, not my wealth."

Utharium stopped rattling and backed off with an apologetic rumble. Iris found it adorable how protective Utharium was of Palathum. If they weren't Talins, Iris would think the powerful Utharium was interested in pairing up with her. But they were Talins, with all kinds of strange taboos and laws limiting marriage and prohibiting love.

It was all very sad.

Of course, Palathum was already breaking the rules with her and Mia, and she let the crew do as they pleased. Maybe there was room for a little more rebellion.

"I think she likes you," Iris whispered to Utharium as Palathum negotiated with the med tech.

He leaned over to whisper back. "If that's the truth, then the feeling would be reciprocated."

That was nearly a declaration of undying love in Talin-ese.

"I know you guys are from different backgrounds, but maybe you could–"

Palathum turned to them and Iris stopped talking.

"His name is Damascus of the Jal Family within the Rora clan," she said, tapping on her Ident. Iris could see she was doing a search for another Ident's number. Then she sounded a rumble of affirmation. "Good, he's not far. If we hurry, we might still catch him before he's finished his meal."

"No, wait," Iris said, before Palathum led them out of the medical suite. "Can we get Dek-lee looked at?"

"I'm able bodied and not in discomfort," Dek-lee said, but Iris knew they were lying. She got close so she could whisper to them.

"I want you to stay with Merrick."

"I'm willing to do that without costing money on med techs," they answered, hugging themselves again.

"If you're being treated next to him, he won't think he's being watched," she explained, thinking fast. "You can talk to him and make sure he knows he's safe and that we'll be back to collect him."

"The three of you could stay here and wait for the human to wake," Palathum said. "I can find this Talin and negotiate Merrick's sale."

"You will not go anywhere alone," Utharium declared. Iris understood his concern. The last time he let Palathum loose on a station without him, she'd ended up in a fight for her life with the Talins who kidnapped her. She'd won and rescued Iris, Mia, and Rain.

The episode had earned Iris's trust and Utharium's condemnation. He'd been even more vigilant, and Palathum was constantly threatening him with unemployment, which he ignored.

Utharium took a strong stance between her and the door. "This station is vast, with many hidden dangers. I won't let you face them on your own."

"You'd almost think I worked for you instead of the other way around," Palathum grumbled before looking at Iris. "I'm not comfortable leaving you here without protection. Having the Delorta stay for treatment and to keep the human calm if he wakes is an excellent alternative."

Seeing fear on Dek-lee's face, Iris realized they were scared of being abandoned. Reaching into the hidden pocket on the inside of her omnie, she pulled out a small information square and handed it to him. "It's programmed to communicate directly with Palathum's Ident. If anything happens, you're to contact us and we'll come right back."

Dek-lee accepted the information square and clutched it to their chest as if it was a precious gift. "Yes, yes," they agreed, dipping their upper body several times. "I will send regular updates and keep a close eye on the human."

"And you'll let the med tech treat you," Iris reminded them.

"If that is your command."

"It's her command," Palathum said and signaled to a med tech. It only took a few words, and soon a special bed that could accommodate the Delorta's shape was installed next to Merrick. Dek-lee sighed with relief as they relaxed into the sling-type bed, information square still held tightly to their chest.

Several med techs got to work on the Delorta, making Iris feel more confident than she had since finding out there was a human for sale on Bathma station.

They were going to find this Talin and convince him to sell Merrick, then they would all leave this nasty place and live happily ever after.

***

They found Damascus leaning back in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, head tilted back, mouth open, sound asleep.

Iris was a little shocked to find four other patrons asleep in the dimly lit and shabby restaurant. Everyone else was eating their food with rapid, almost frantic movements. Everyone in the place was Nimon except for Damascus. This must be a custom she didn't know about.

"How can he slumber like that in public?" Utharium asked, sounding a disgusted rumble. "Has he no regard for safety or decorum? And Nimon food? What a disgusting choice."

"But cheap," Palathum countered. "Which indicates he'll be easy to negotiate with."

The three of them approached Damascus's table with Palathum and Utharium creating a wall between her and the napping Talin.

As they got closer, Iris was finally able to get a good look at the male. He had the standard keratin plating all over his body, with only an exposed strip of skin on either side of his neck where it met his shoulders. Like Utharium, he was powerfully built, with the typical muscled Talin physic. Unlike Utharium's deep chestnut color or Palathum's gold-colored plating, Damascus was a pale ice blue. She'd never seen a Talin this color before! His plating darkened around his shoulders and down his arms until his elbows where it lightened again. His claws weren't the typical black either, they were a dark blue!

Utharium and Palathum didn't comment about his complexion so it must not be rare or notable, but Iris couldn't help but think he looked beautiful. She had to fight the urge to squeeze around Palathum so she could touch Damascus. Petting a sleeping stranger wasn't the best way to start a negotiation.

Actually, what was the best way to start this discussion? They made it all the way across the eatery and were looming over him, but he wasn't waking up. Utharium and Palathum kept staring at him, as if the weight of their gazes would draw him out of slumber, but nothing happened.

"Damascus of the Jal family within the Rora clan, we've come to speak with you," Palathum said nice and loud so she could be heard over the sound of smacking Nimon mandibles. Damascus didn't even twitch.

"I'm Palathum of the Uriam family within the Uriam clan and I've come here to discuss business with you," she continued. Still no response.

"This is ridiculous," Utharium grumbled as he reached down to grab Damascus's shoulder. Before his hand could make contact, Damascus grabbed his wrist and turned it at an odd angle, forcing Utharium to bend his body to the side to keep his elbow or shoulder from being popped out of place.

Palathum sounded an aggressive rattle and reached for his hand to rip it free of Utharium, but Damascus spoke up before she could move.

"I wouldn't do that," he cautioned. "I can break his arm and shoulder in four different places before you'll be able to do anything."

Only after saying that did he open his eyes and sit up.

Iris wasn't usually one to freeze in surprise. She tended more toward fight than any of the other startle responses, but everything happened so quickly she was caught unprepared. She covered her gasp with both hands, feeling both helpless and dumb for being so stereotypical but unable to stop herself.

Damascus's eyes dropped to her, his gaze intense as he sounded a rattle of irritation. "I'd hoped you were here to buy the human I've recently acquired, but I see you already have one. Or are you looking to buy a male for breeding? I have to warn you, the one I own won't be capable of rutting for a while."

That helped pull her out of her shock. Scowling, she picked up an empty platter that hadn't been collected by the service bot yet and hurled it at Damascus's face with accuracy honed over years of playing pillar-disc growing up.

He stopped the platter when it was only a finger's length from his face, then slowly lowered it to the nearby table. He did all of that without letting go of Utharium and his gaze never wavered from her.

"Impressive," he murmured. "I was under the impression humans were meek and fearful creatures. Perhaps there's some fight in your species after all."

Shit, was she turned on? There was definitely something wrong with her!

Forcing herself to focus, Iris sneered. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"I'm intrigued," Damascus drawled, letting go of Utharium with a shove while getting to his feet. "Perhaps I should see if they'll trade my human for you. He's long since been beaten into submission, but it seems you need some lessons in obedience."

Those words should've been a threat, but Iris heard sensuality in his voice.

Or maybe she'd finally lost it!

"We will not be trading humans with you," Palathum said, backing up a little and drawing Iris and Utharium with her. Utharium hadn't stopped sounding a low, angry rattle. Iris could tell he wanted to fight Damascus and was barely keeping himself under control.

"How disappointing," Damascus said, finally shifting his eyes away from Iris. It was both a relief and unsatisfying.

"We're here to buy the human Merrick from you," Palathum explained. "I know how much you paid, and I'm willing to double the price."

Damascus didn't answer immediately. He looked her up and down, then examined Utharium. Finally he swept his gaze over Iris. It was so impersonal and calculating that it made her want to duck behind Palathum.

Forcing her shoulders back, she glared at him and even showed her teeth in a clear threat display. He ignored her and addressed Palathum.

"I don't recognize your name, but I know your clan. You have a personal bodyguard and own a human dressed in expensive items. All of this indicates that you come from wealth, Citizen Palathum. I want more than double."

"Her title is Admirus Citizen Palathum," Utharium barked. "Show her the proper respect."

Damascus didn't move his eyes from Palathum. "Did your sentry bot bark? You should see to that, or I might have to decommission him."

"Now I know why you are here, on the borders of the civilized universe," Utharium said, voice heavy with contempt. "You're soiled. Perhaps not badly enough to be outcast from the empire, but I doubt there's a single Talin station or colony that would welcome you."

Iris saw Damascus's lip twitch in a growl before he got hold of himself. Utharium had hit a nerve.

"Quiet, sentry bot, the Talins are talking," he mocked, voice tight. "Admirus Citizen Palathum, I thought you were here to negotiate, not trade insults."

"We are," Palathum said. "What's your price for the human? I've already taken over his medical costs so don't include that in your estimate."

"Then you've already seen the poor state he's in," Damascus said with an affirmative rattle. "Good, I wouldn't want you to claim I misled you later. Despite what your employee might think, I'm not soiled." A short rumble of amusement came out of him. "Although you could say I'm a bit tarnished."

Iris almost laughed.

"Price," Palathum repeated through clenched teeth.

"The cost is your ship," he stated, trailing a hand down his chest to scratch low on his belly, right above his belt. Iris's eyes followed his hand as it scraped blue claws across the fine overlapping plates there. As she watched, the hand slid back up his belly, chest, and neck. She couldn't look away, even as he dipped one claw into his mouth and sucked on it briefly. She'd never seen a Talin do that before.

"What's caught your eye, little human?" he asked, making her realize he knew she was watching the entire time. His movements had been for her benefit.

Even as her face got hot, she boldly met his gaze. "What would you do with an entire ship?" She was proud of her steady voice.

"I don't need the ship itself, I need a ride," he explained. "I need to get to Balforge."

"I can buy you passage to wherever you want to go," Palathum said, clearly relieved to know exactly what Damascus wanted.

"No, you can't," he countered, his hand rubbing lazily down his chest. Iris was good this time. She kept her eyes on his face. When he realized she wasn't looking down he dropped the arm to his side and gave up on the game. "Very few ships go to Balforge. There isn't much there except the Rekin's religious center and the diplomatic city of Satrin."

"What if I bought you a ship that could be operated by a single person?" Palathum asked. She was willing to buy Damascus an entire ship for Merrick? Maybe it would be easier to simply steal Merrick! They already knew all the med techs were easy to bribe, it probably wouldn't take much to get them to look the other way while they carried him away.

"I don't want a ship. I want you to take me," Damascus insisted. "It's difficult for non-Rekin to get permission to visit Satrin, but a high-ranking Talin would be welcome."

Palathum went still, and Iris could tell she was trying to think of some way to get Merrick without having to accommodate Damascus. Iris was about to pull her aside and suggest abducting Merrick when Palathum sounded a rattle of agreement.

"Fine, I'll take you to Balforge. But I can't guarantee I'll be able to get you access to Satrin. I can ask, but I can't force them."

"That's fair," he agreed and unclipped his Ident from his belt. "Give me your ship's credentials, and I'll meet you there with my human as soon as the med tech says he can be released."

"No," Palathum countered. "I have a healer on my ship. She'll go to the medical suite to assess the human, and then we'll decide when and how to transport him. You'll come with us now and stay on my ship while I arrange everything."

"It's almost as if you don't trust me," he taunted.

"As you believe, so is the reality," Utharium muttered.

Damascus sounded a rumble of amusement then pointed to the doors of the eatery. "I'm ready to follow, my friends. Lead the way to my new temporary home."