Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

KHORAHN

Just kill me already.

The female's words tormented me. I wanted to decimate every Wsoau in this camp for all that they'd made her suffer that she so readily wished for death. But I refused to prolong her anguish.

The scent of her fear already wrapped around me as I jogged over the burn powder. She didn't understand she was no longer in danger. That I would never harm her. And carrying her in such an uncomfortable position likely wouldn't endear me to her. Yet, it was necessary to leave quietly.

Although anyone with half a brain could see that she was not a male Zoshesh, I hoped that the loose material of Anerman's jumpsuit, covered in the Zoshesh's scent, and her prone position over my shoulder would be enough to fool the Wsoau on the path and at the landing pad. However, I was not foolish enough to believe that would be the case if any Wsoau spotted me here so close to their precious bathing house where I wasn't supposed to be.

Pausing at the edge of the building, I risked a quick look around the corner. The perimeter burners were too close. I retreated to wait.

Curling wisps of smoke rose from my feet. I didn't know how much hide was left to burn away, but I didn't think it could be much. While I'd rather not experience the burn of the powder, I wouldn't risk discovery by leaving cover prematurely.

The human moved slightly, and I stroked her backside to soothe her. She immediately stilled. I continued to smooth my hand over her flank, willing to give her the comfort she needed. She shivered lightly in my arms, and I inhaled deeply, searching for anything other than fear. Unfortunately, that scent only intensified.

Given enough time and care, she would learn I meant her no harm and trust me to keep her safe. But I would be a foolish male if I expected her to understand that now.

The moment the perimeter burners turned, I bolted across the clearing and onto the path. No alarm rose behind me.

Relieved but not slowing, I continued running. The sound of agitated plate rattles faded quickly, but not fast enough based on the vibrant green showing through the withered, blackened mat on both sides.

I'd been lucky on the way to the bathhouse and had missed the Wsoau keeping the paths clear by moments. However, considering the regrowth in the scorch under my feet, I wouldn't be so lucky again.

A burst of noise ahead alerted me to the next burner.

"Don't char me, my friend," I called, slowing to an easy walk.

The human tensed at the sound of my voice, and I quickly soothed her flank one last time before dropping my hand and rounding the corner. Other than her wish for death, she'd said very little, and I hoped she would remain silent now.

The Wsoau looked at me, then the path behind it, obviously confused.

Confused was good.

"Thank you for the tip, my friend. Unfortunately, this fleking tuber got away from me once we left the tunnels. He ran right into the veg. Lucky that I heard your burner, or the veg would have made a meal out of both of us."

As I spoke, a vine slithered onto the path and encircled my ankle. I jerked my leg, snapping the vine.

"Very lucky," the Wsoau said in agreement.

"This path needs your attention, and I need to get this bounty to my ship. Enjoy your bath, my friend."

I walked away, keeping my stride easy but my free hand close to my phaser. The customary click sounded from the burner pack's igniter. Prepared to dive off the path, I tensed and glanced over my shoulder. However, the Wsoau already had his back to me as he continued to char the encroaching vegetation.

Relieved, I hurried my pace and returned my hand to the female's flank. She shivered again in response to my touch, and the scent of her fear thickened, but I did not remove my hand. Without her sight, she was vulnerable. The more I touched her without harming her, the faster she would understand she was safe with me.

The perimeter burners at the landing pad paid me little attention when I emerged from the path and strode straight to my ship. Another one thousand units of minerals waited by the bay door along with the Wsoau who'd rushed me to leave.

"You took a long time," the Wsoau said.

"This one liked to run until I stunned him. Thank you for watching my ship. I'll happily pay you twenty chit for your time, and however much of that mineral waste you want to offload."

His plates rattled.

"Twenty chit for this waste is an insult."

"The twenty chit is for your time, my friend. I already have a thousand units inside from the last camp and don't need more. The offer to take some of the waste off your hands was meant to help you. I imagine it'll be inconvenient to haul it all back where it came from."

The rattling quieted.

"Twenty chits for my time," he agreed. "Another forty chits and the waste is yours too."

I sighed and considered the minerals, putting up a show.

"Agreed," I said finally. "If you load them since my hands are full."

The Wsoau moved with a level of haste I appreciated, and I closed the bay in a mere span of prexels. Using the datapad by the bay door, I started the launch sequence and set our coordinates for the nearest Helix station. My fingers continued to skim over the female's flank as I worked.

She hadn't stirred once during my exchange with the exoid, proving again how intelligent she was, and I itched to get her to the med bay. The halo-flash the engines rumbled to life, I strode from the cargo bay. The ship echoed with my footfalls, highlighting its stark interior.

I needed to make this bucket a more desirable place for a female to live. Flek. She was going to want to leave me the prexel we arrived at the Helix station.

Mind racing, I entered the med bay and gently eased her from my shoulder. She swayed on her feet, and I steadied her as I set my hand on the sys-unit's access pad.

"Prepare for species type: human. Scan for injuries and make repair and health maintenance recommendations."

The unit flared to life.

I carefully removed the foot covering from her head. Her eyes had continued leaking liquid, creating wet paths from her red eyes to her hairline. I wiped the moisture away and hoped the sys-unit would be able to fix that for her. It looked like an uncomfortable condition.

Ready to inspect her more fully now that we were aboard my ship, I reached for the fastener at the base of her throat. She shivered when my fingers brushed the soft skin. The visual response to such a simple touch hardened the length of my breeding shaft until I saw her discolored skin again.

Anger outweighed lust, and I wanted to kill that fleking tuber all over again.

With care, I stripped away the Zoshesh's jumpsuit and the filthy rags beneath, ignoring her soft responses and the way the fleshy mounds on her chest vibrated as she stood bare before me.

"I understand your fear," I said, gently lifting her onto the sys-unit table. "But it's no longer necessary. I will show you the care you deserve. You will suffer nothing more. I vow it."

Her vibrations increased, and she fisted her delicate hands at her sides as I guided her to lie back. I inhaled deeply. Hating her continued fear.

The ship chimed suddenly, finally rumbling under my feet with take-off. Straps emerged and secured the female to the examination table in preparation for the orbital turbulence. Her face lost some of its color.

Worried, I started the scan and watched the lights dance over her flesh. Then, I used the nearest datapad to check for pursuit.

It was unlikely the Wsoau would discover the female's disappearance so soon after the announcement that she needed rest. Anerman's presence would likely be discovered first.

Leaving my bounty behind had been worth every lost chit. His presence on the planet and his clothing had been exactly what I'd needed to steal the treasure before me. When the Wsoau discovered their human missing, they would look at Anerman, the unconscious male on the roof of their bathhouse before they even remembered me.

Confident that pursuit would be arcs behind us, I focused on the sys-unit and my precious cargo. The scanner lights narrowed.

"External contaminants. Recommend decontamination. External tissue damage. Recommend pain lubricant. Tissue and nerve damage in the visual and audio receptors and organs. Recommend regeneration stims. External tissue irritation. Recommend pain lubricant. Internal parasites. Recommend purge stim. Vitamin and mineral deficiency. Recommend diet correction and vitality stim. Fertility levels are lower than species average. Fertility will increase with diet correction and vitality stim. Scan complete."

Parasites, malnutrition, and more damage than any female should ever endure. I looked at her closely and touched her fisted hand. She jumped, and more liquid rolled from her eyes.

"I understand, female. I know your worth and will treat you like the treasure you are."

I stroked her fist and gently opened her fingers to set her palm to mine, a pact that I would keep my word.

"Proceed with recommendations," I said.

"Preparing for external decontamination." One of the med bay's walls opened, revealing the small decontamination stall.

The ship shuddered and fought Narlin Four's orbital pull. I kept my palm pressed to hers through it all.