The Pharoah Contract

“Yes. One last time, I ask you if this is wise. Wait two weeks and the circuit collector will be here. Does it make sense to accept the cost of shipment, the security problems, when all this could as easily be their problem, not ours?” Marmo gestured with his prosthetic arm, now fitted with a nerve lash.

“One last time, I will tell you why. We cannot start the rehearsals until they’ve been processed. Time presses. And, as you know, there is at least one dangerous creature in this cargo.” She favored Ruiz with a smile almost affectionate. “Do your job, Marmo, and all will be well.”

“As you say.”

Corean stroked Ruiz’s shoulder. “Be good,” she said, bending close. She kissed him lightly on the cheek.

She turned to Nisa with a frown. She studied Nisa’s drug-frozen face. She patted Nisa’s sleek head in a proprietary manner. “Won’t we all have fun when you get back?” Her tone was bright. She cast one last look about the cargo hold, and left.

Marmo fixed his sensors on Ruiz. “Yes, do be good,” the cyborg said. “I would love an excuse to be done with you.” He rotated, floated forward.

The boat left the ground with a lurch and stagger, then lifted slowly until it cruised over the pens at an altitude of a hundred meters. The Pharaohans paled.

“Don’t worry,” Ruiz reassured them. “This is a safe mode of travel.”

“If you say so, Ruiz.” Dolmaero’s voice shook slightly.

Kroel whimpered. Molnekh leaned a skinny, comforting shoulder against his fellow mage. “Now, now, Kroel. The outworlder says we’ll survive. That’s good enough for me.” Molnekh winked hugely at Ruiz. Ruiz smiled back, amused by Molnekh’s resilience in these alien circumstances. He found himself warming to the cadaverous mage. Molnekh seemed the best and bravest of the conjurors, despite his apparent frailty. Ruiz wondered how the timid Kroel had managed to play, so effectively, the powerful god of slavery.

The engines whined, they flew out over the purple jungle, and the hours passed. Ruiz fell into a drowse, his head tipping forward onto his chest.

He woke when he felt the jolt of landing. Ruiz looked about alertly.

“You do awaken swiftly,” Dolmaero said.

Nisa was watching him, her eyes huge. Only traces of the drug’s confusion showed on her face. “You’re a prisoner, too,” she said.

Ruiz smiled, shrugged. She did not smile back, and after a moment she looked away.

Banessa descended into the hold, trailed by Ayam. “Lunch,” the giantess announced. The Dilvermooner unsealed their straps, contriving to pinch Ruiz painfully in the process. Banessa watched impassively. Her clawed fingers hovered over the collar controller.

They left Flomel sleeping in his floater, but the others walked down the ramp into a grassy clearing.

Sook’s sun burned down brilliantly on the feathery pink grass, struck a blue glitter from the surrounding jungle. Beneath the sinuous trees, a noisy darkness crouched. Alien scents tingled Ruiz’s nose.

The Pharaohans, oppressed by this strangeness, clustered together at the base of the cargo ramp. Banessa gestured with the controller. “Remember the lesson. And the ruptor. It will kill anything that crosses our perimeter, coming in or going out. Besides, there’s nowhere to run to.” She looked at the jungle, a touch of dread on her vast face.

Presently Ayam passed among them with self-heating packets of standard shipfare. Ruiz showed the Pharaohans how to pull the activator strip, and they marveled. Ruiz wolfed his down, though it was bland amorphous stuff, and he advised the others to do the same. “Eat when you can, sleep when you can,” he said, smiling. “That’s the secret to successful travel.”

Only Kroel refused his portion, and Ruiz split it with Molnekh. The bony mage ate with an excellent appetite, despite his skinniness. “I’ve had worse,” Molnekh said, smacking his wide lips, when he’d scraped the last bit from the container.

Ruiz touched Nisa’s arm. “You should stretch your legs,” he said. “You may not have another chance soon.”

“Yes,” she said, and they walked slowly in the boat’s shade, not quite touching. “Tell me,” she said finally. “Tell me why. Was it those metal wasps? Did Banessa send them to fetch me back?”

“One of them. The other was for me. The sting would have been terrible, like nothing you’ve ever felt.” He put his arm lightly around her waist. “There was no chance, Nisa. Though it was a fine try.”

She pulled away from his touch.

The Dilvermooner saw them, frowned, and spoke to the giantess. “Time to load,” Banessa said.

Before the straps were replaced, Banessa allowed the prisoners to use the boat’s recycler, one at a time.

* * *

The boat flew on. Ruiz dozed off lightly now and then. The others eventually relaxed enough to do the same, except for Kroel, who sat hunched with terror, eyes wide and rolling.