Pearl (Murphy's Lawless Book 5) by Mark Wandrey & Charles E. Gannon

Author:Mark Wandrey & Charles E. Gannon [Wandrey, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Beyond Terra Press
Published: 2020-07-16T22:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Nine

They left the village early the next morning after Roberts sent a report to Murphy via the satellite link. The satellites left in orbit by the Dornaani provided intermittent contact between ranging patrols like theirs and the base, as well as between the base and the space habitat where Murphy ran operations. Included in the report were casualty counts as well as Roberts’ intention to proceed. The satellite went below the horizon before they got a reply.

The patrol climbed back out of the low valley and descended onto the plains again. The grasslands were broken up by rocky outcroppings that extended as far as the eye could see.

Sam and Lech both had the typical morning-after look you see on young people returning from leave; a mix of equal parts sexual gratification and hangover. It takes effort to look pleased with yourself and like your brain is about to explode at the same time.

Artyom just looked surly, as usual. This was despite a report of how he’d done his best to sleep with every female in the village and drink every container of alcohol available the previous night. The longer Vat spent around the Russian, the more he doubted his first impression.

“I thought you didn’t like to fight?” Vat asked as the big man sat astride his whinnie in the early dawn.

“I don’t,” he replied. “That does not mean I am not good at it. I kill many Germans because I need to. So now I kill many Ka-whores because I need to.” He shrugged and laughed. “I not get laid as much killing Germans; I think I like this place.” Sam chuckled nearby from his new whinnie, provided by the villagers. They rode on for a few minutes before Artyom spoke again. “You do some laying yourself last night, I hear.”

Vat’s face hardened, and he nodded glumly. At the front of the column, Salsaliin was talking with her friend Miizhaam. The two laughed, then looked back at Vat who felt his face growing hot. Salsaliin looked slightly confused, but she smiled at him, and he gave the barest smile in return. He’d never had to work harder to have fun in his life than he had the previous night.

The women of the tribe had been extremely grateful for the Lost Soldiers’ arrival. They’d been grateful to all the men with Roberts and Vat, some of them several times. He tried not to dwell on the mixed message of gratitude at being saved from a bunch of sexual predators then giving the rescuers sex in return. My species has issues. Then he remembered how Salsaliin had felt under him, how different it was, yet somewhat the same, and sighed. You’re a fine one to talk.

He’d spoken with the village hetman. He didn’t know what a Daaj was. He thought he’d heard the word once from an old woman in another village, but he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was a hiding place. The word also didn’t have the same dialect feel as their version of Ktor.

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