The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart

Author:Glynn Stewart [Stewart, Glynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Alien Invasion, First Contact, Galactic Empire, Military, Space Fleet, Space Marine, Space Opera
Amazon: B01I3GNS2O
Publisher: Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc.
Published: 2016-07-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Ondu was yet another alien whose species Annette had never met before, though at least she recognized his species from the files they’d been assembling. He was a Tosumi, one of the first races conquered by the A!Tol. Grossly obese for his race, Ondu was a four-armed biped covered in short yellow feathers. He wore a tightly fitted tunic-like garment that made his obesity obvious and also pinned the vestigial wings of his race to his side.

“Ki!Tana,” he snapped, clacking his night-black beak on the click in the name as he leveled jewel-like eyes on the human group and their A!Tol companion. “You are foolish to return to me.”

“We have always dealt fairly with each other, Ondu,” Ki!Tana replied. “Why would I not come to you with this opportunity?”

“Fairly?” the Tosumi sputtered, spraying spittle from his beak but still remaining in his chair. “You sold me twenty thousand defective power cells! I lost customers who’d worked with me for two hundred years.”

Annette quickly checked her translator software. It happily confirmed that, yes, it had translated Ondu’s number as well as his time unit. He’d actually said something like “three eighties of star-dances”. Networked across Tornado’s computers and all of the hardware issued to her thousand crew, the software was getting very smart.

“That was Kikitheth,” Ki!Tana pointed out. “And she warned you she wasn’t sure of the quality of those power cells. You cut thirty percent off the price because of it, Ondu. You were hardly scammed.”

“There’s uncertain quality—and then there’s cells exploding from casing fractures! I had to buy back all of them I could find before anyone died!” Ondu’s beak clacked in what Annette suspected was feigned distress.

“I would say raise it with Kikitheth, but she’s dead,” Ki!Tana replied. “And, old friend, you really should have checked the cells yourself. We didn’t have the tools.”

“I would hope you’re not expecting a good deal after that,” the Tosumi grumped.

“I have brought you the best deal this station has seen in a dozen years,” Annette’s companion replied. “Ondu Arra Tallas, meet Captain Annette Bond, privateer of the United Earth Space Force. The flotilla that just arrived is hers—and she needs the best agent on Tortuga to liquidate her prizes.

“If you do not want to deal with me, of course, we can go talk to others. I believe Palani is still in business?”

“That amphibious reptile would not get you half the deal I would, and you know it, you big tentacled soft candy,” Ondu snapped. “Welcome to my office, Captain Bond. Despite what it may seem, being brought here by this”—he gestured at Ki!Tana with an upper arm—“is a recommendation few can share. You even sent Kikitheth to me on her own.”

“Kikitheth, I imagine, could find her own way around Tortuga,” Annette demurred calmly. “Can we do business?”

“I saw your flotilla,” the bird-like alien allowed. “Costa!” he shrieked, a predatory sound that made Annette’s heart race. A third of the four immense hexapods, this one lacking armor and so revealing a richly furred red creature with large eyes and heavily clawed hands, emerged into the room.

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