Page 27 of Jewel of the Alien Bandit
“King Sylve,” I addressed and bowed my head. Keeping him waiting was not ideal, he wasn’t known for his patience, nor forgiveness. Commanding a planet of outlaws didn’t require those traits.
“You’ve secured the jewel?” He was ignoring my delay to answer his vid comm, and I didn’t know if that was a good sign or not. I’d never spoken to him before now, but he was smiling, which was disconcerting.
Dressed in his finest armor, and not a hair out of place. He’d never had to do a job himself, but he didn’t become the King because he was born into it. He was ruthless, and he’d slaughtered his way to his position.
I cleared my throat, he’d find out sooner or later that I failed to retrieve the jewel, and now it made sense why the job was too good to be true, and had a ridiculous amount of credits to its name.
Was he the client?
“Didn’t Carmen fill you in before we warped?” I tried to avoid saying the words myself, if she already broke the news to him, I didn’t want to disappoint a second time.
The King’s smile widened and a gleam filled his green eyes.
“Why else do you think we would be talking? I’ve already sent another ship to meet with you at the satellite station XVR-8-7. Your ship is not ideal for protecting the package.”
I blinked at him confused. Did he think we succeeded in obtaining the jewel?
“King Sylve…” He wasn’t much older than myself, but if I didn’t handle this right I’d have more to worry about thankidnapping a scientist and escaping to a new star system. He’d put a bounty on my head, and I wouldn’t have the element of surprise to get a head start in disappearing.
“I ran into the Commander of Krelis on Estreldez, and as you are aware they have a deep hatred for my species. I barely had time to leave the planet before he informed his war ship–”
The king dismissed my explanation.
“What do I care if the mission attracted the attention of Krelis? That’s why I sent my own war ship to meet with you, the Viper Raul, to ensure your safe return to Necias.”
Shit.
The Viper Raul was his personal war ship, the deadliest of his enforcers. There was no way my ship would make it into warp before they destroyed us, or latched on to stop warp altogether. They were that fast, and equipped with grappling arms, among other offensive technology.
“Operative Carmen already reported on the krelin’s involvement. You’ll hand over the jewel, and report to the CO of the Viper Raul.”
“I believe there has been some misunderstanding,” I tried to explain now before he figured out that we didn’t have the jewel and think we stole it from him. Then again, there was no guarantee he wouldn't already think that when I was through explaining.
His face hardened, a firm set of his jaw as he stared me down through the feed.
“Do you not have the Almder’s daughter, Luan, in your custody?”
I straightened at the mention of her name, and schooled my shock into a mask of indifference at hearing that Luan is the Almder’s daughter.
“Operative Vareo,” his voice was cold as he commanded my response. “I’ve already verified that Estreldez has prepared theirown warship, and teamed up with Krelis in search for her. If you’re trying to bargain for more credit then you’ll be detained instead of promoted, so choose your next words carefully.”
This wasn’t happening.
Luan was the Jewel of Estreldez.
And I would be handing her over to the very man that I was spending my life trying to escape, even if he was the newest successor to the throne.
“She came willingly.” If she was going to be captured, the least I could do was make sure she was treated well enough until I could figure a way out of this mess.
The king lifted a brow curiously, waiting for me to continue.
“She believes that you’ll assist her planet with researching solutions to their population crisis.”
“A diplomatic offer? What does she think she is trading this research for?”
He leaned in with a mischievous grin. King Sylve didn’t have any reason to agree to a trade when he already thought he had what he wanted, but he may play along with pretending she’ll get what she asked for a time.
“She would not presume what kind of trade would be suitable without meeting with you first.”
