Red Bounty (Backyard Starship Book 2) by J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert

Author:J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert [Chaney, J.N.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2021-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

I had to admit that, of all the worlds we’d visited so far, I only thought of Torina’s as more homey and comforting than Sozal’s school. As it dwindled behind us, I found myself jabbed with a pang of regret.

But I forced my attention forward. There was work to do.

Work that took us to Spindrift next. We were meeting with two agents of the Peacemaker Guild there, auxiliary specialists who provided expert consultation in matters related to art and artifacts. Most of their work involved dealing with stolen goods, and we’d already read their report on the items that had been stolen from Erflos Tand’s family. But both had wanted to experience The Ancient’s Call firsthand, and we weren’t going to broadcast it and end up with copies floating around known space.

So we met with them, an older human with iron grey hair and the most remarkably blue eyes I’ve ever seen, and a tall, slender alien with grey skin, huge black eyes, and a mouth surrounded by wriggling tentacles. The human’s name was Dora Masters, while the alien—who apparently had no gender—was named Te’rnestilandosar.

“Although everyone just calls me Tern,” the alien said.

“Efficient of them. Nice to meet you, Tern. And you as well, Dora,” I said, inviting them aboard the Fafnir. Perry had stayed in the cockpit to make more room in the crew habitat section, which was still rather cramped even with just me, Torina, and our two guests.

I placed the ornate box on the tiny galley table, opened it, and activated the player. The dreary, haunted opening notes of The Ancient’s Call filled the tiny space with an oppressive beauty that was tangible.

Again, I found myself nearly stricken, despite having heard The Call before. Torina wiped her eyes, but Dora just let herself weep freely, while Tern—

Sat and looked inscrutable. He could have been listening to someone reading off a list of flight departures from Spindrift, but I had no idea how his race expressed sadness, or if they could, or if they even experienced such an emotion.

When it was done, I closed the box.

Dora sniffed and wiped her eyes. Torina did the same.

“That was—” Dora began, then stopped and shook her head. “I don’t even know. I think I need some time to process it.”

Tern remained silent and still.

I looked at him, then at Dora, raising an eyebrow. “Uh…”

Dora smiled and shook her head. “Tern’s people deal with strong emotion by retreating into what, to us, seems to be a catatonic state. They focus entirely on working through them and—”

“And incorporating them into our life experience,” Tern said, their voice utterly unchanged. “I’ve done that regarding my emotional reaction to The Ancient’s Call and have placed it into my auxiliary brain. If I wish, I can experience those emotions at any time.”

I shook my head. “Wow. I’m jealous. Torina, imagine how it would be if we could do that, just park your emotions and experience them later.”

But Torina shrugged. “Not really sure it works for humans. Too busy… feeling things and reveling in them.

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