Page 29 of Pirate By Parrot

He chuckled. “In good time. A match was found suddenly, and there were tasks that had to be completed. Patience, Mel.”

“Sure. You are a voice in a station. Patience must be easy for you.”

He sighed. “We are getting ready to park. Please get ready to enter the shuttle.”

Mel focused on the viewer again and saw the station arms easing up to greet them. “Right. I am going to put on that robe.”

She brought her teacup with her and set it in the kitchen before she went and found an open panel in her wall that had a lightweight robe that would cover her suit and still leave her able to defend herself if necessary.

Ves remained near the station, and Mel nodded and straightened, walking past Annabelle’s room and confirming it was empty. She headed down to the cargo area, where the shuttle was waiting. Marko flew in and settled on the pad on Mel’s shoulder.

“Marko, you aren’t supposed to come with me. I have to do customs chit-chat, and you tend to get irritated with the procedure.”

“Be good, baby.”

“Ves, can I take her along?”

Ves chuckled. “You are responsible for her. Several Rai speak English, and she is fluent in Imperial and Alliance common.”

“Oh, yeah. Well, at least it will be interesting.”

She nodded. “Any other advice?”

“Remain calm.”

“Lovely. So, if they let us go, you will bring us to the surface.”

“I am not leaving you, Mel. You will be safe. I would not take you into danger.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I am getting that feeling. Well, here we go.”

She walked to the shuttle, and Marko hopped to her padded little perch. Annabelle looked at her with a smile. “Here we go.”

“Here we go. Excited to be back with regular talents again?”

Annabelle smiled. “A little. I am going to miss you and Marko. You two make an impression.”

Mel nodded. “I will miss you, too. Okay, here we go. Ves?”

“I have a berth assigned. Here we go.” They lifted and left the larger ship and proceeded to the station.

Time to face customs.

The officers took one look at her and waved her and her tiny crew off to the side where larger scanning equipment was available.

“Miss, what are the metal implants in your limbs?”

“Supports. I was born to a smaller species, Annabelle’s species actually, and because of my growth, reinforcement was necessary.”

“I see. What species are you now?”

“Altered Terran, as far as I know. No one has given me a definitive species as I have been altered for three, so I am not sure what the scans are showing.”

They nodded. “Well, you are biologically stable, and there is no reason you cannot enter the station. The bot is yours?”

“It is.” She didn’t explain further.

“Do not let it out of your sight. They are valuable.”

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