4 Violations by Susan Wright

Author:Susan Wright [Wright, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780671520465
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1995-09-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

"I knew it was a bad idea to come here," Neelix said to himself.

"I told them so, but did they listen to me? Of course not, why should they? It's only Neelix--only the expert on this area of space. But does that make a difference? No..."

Neelix peeked around the corner, trying to keep his breath from rasping in his throat. He figured he must have finally lost Bladdyn and Rep, but the last time he started to relax, both of them had appeared in front of him blocking the only exit from the marketplace. He'd gotten away by jumping the expressway at the last instant, almost breaking a finger when he forced the door open to get inside. The car had taken him to the far side of the Hub, leaving him searching for the past few hours for a way back to the ship.

Neelix edged forward, certain he was almost home. He could almost smell Kes's hair, and the way her lips felt against his skin. All he had to do was go through the hall link to the next pointed room, Lobby 58, where the lift would take him up the docking spire. He could see the lobby through the toroidal tunnel, so safe and sedate. There were even a few red Enforcers wandering among the tourist crowd, not that he wanted to call attention to himself from the Cartel.

Neelix straightened his shoulders and started toward the hall link.

Rep burst out of a waste-reclamation chamber in front of him.

All Neelix saw was the blurred arch of something slashing toward him.

The razor edge tugged at his shoulder as he spun away.

In a sheer blind panic, Neelix ran right over the top of the beaked hominoid. The hall link was his only goal, his only hope, driving him right through Rep's frantic jabs.

His mouth was open but he didn't realize the high-pitched squeal that accompanied his flight across the lobby came from his own throat. As he skidded around the lift depot, one of the Enforcers called out, "Hey, you! No running in public spaces!"

Neelix dove for the open lift door, having barely the presence of mind to call back, "In a hurry! My mate's waiting. Lovely time... I had a lovely--" The door slid shut in front of him, cutting him off.

Neelix collapsed against the wall. I can't believe I did that!

But he'd spent so many hours lost and looking for the ship, and the hall link had been his only way back. He could still see the outrage in Rep's eyes as he was bowled over, and the way his beak thrust forward as if to punch him in the chest.

Neelix felt around the back of his jacket, letting out a shaky sigh.

Just as he thought--it had been cut by Bladdyn's knife.

He had known something was behind him, a native sense of everything around him that had saved his life before. This time, he was lucky he hadn't tried to retreat. They had gotten that close to slicing him into bite-sized pieces, all because Paris had left him behind.

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