Page 12 of Pirate By Parrot

“Now, Mel. You can head back to the hold now.”

Mel grinned and started to run through the halls, enjoying the freedom that came with the suit. She felt like she was running in hero wind.

Chapter Three

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MEL WATCHED THE VESSELapproach and be slowly settled onto the floor of the cargo hold.

Marko flew out and settled on Mel’s shoulder. She was given a quick look into everything Marko saw via an implant Ves had installed.

“Well, Marko, it looks like we have company. Are you adjusting to the lighter gravity?”

“Shut up, bitch!”

“Thought so.” She scratched Marko under the chin as the ship went through a decontamination protocol. Marko hadn’t touched anything, and there wasn’t any atmosphere.

Bots rolled forward and opened the ship, splitting it and then rolling the container with the Terran in it out onto the deck.

“I will wake her. You may want to appear smaller, Mel.”

Mel frowned. “What? Oh.”

“Get on your knees, cunt.”

“Really, Marko? That is a little crass, even for you.”

Marko ruffled her feathers and settled in.

They watched the bots start the waking protocol.

The container began to show glyphs that indicated it was warming the occupant. Mel crouched and waited. The lid exploded upward, and a woman with glowing fists and a wild expression hovered above it, one glowing fist pointed at Mel.

Mel grinned. She said in English, “Well, fuck me.”

The woman paused. “Say that again.”

“No, but I can say I love your outfit and would kill to meet your tailor. All I get is industrial spandex. My name is Mel. I am one of the Terran Resets. You are...”

“Norel. Specialist Annabelle Norel. What year is it?”

“Ves? What year is it?”

“Annabelle Norel disappeared sixteen years ago, according to Citadel records. I have been in contact with them, but they wish to speak to her.”

She sank and sat on the pod. “Sixteen years. Oh, god.”

Annabelle put her face in her hands and started to sob.

“Be quiet, bitch!”

Annabelle lifted her head in astonishment.

“Marko, not helpful. Sorry, Specialist Norel. My parrot was part of my volunteer agreement, but I didn’t expect to run into too many others who spoke English.”

Ves said, “Mel, Marko now speaks nineteen languages, all of the Nyal Imperium.”

“Aw, fuck. That isn’t going to be awkward at all.”

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