Necrotech by Chris Fox

Author:Chris Fox [Fox, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chris Fox Writes LLC
Published: 2020-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

15

I’d never been so happy to see Briff as when the Remora’s landing ramp extended and he offered me a hand up. Kurz helped Vee on the other side, and Miri jumped up unaided, showing off those athletic skills.

I turned around and helped the minister up, noting that her exhaustion might be worse than my own. “We’ll get you to some quarters for a nap while we connect with the Word of Xal.”

“No, I have to—”

“No you don’t,” I countered. “If you transmit anything from this ship you give away the fact that you’re on it. We’re hitting orbit nice and quietly, until we can get you to your flagship, or to the Word of Xal. I am not taking chances with these guys.”

The minister nodded wearily. “You’re talking sense.”

Vee wrapped an arm around her. “Come with me. I’ll help you to some quarters so you can get some rest.”

They headed off, which left me staring down the ramp as we awaited our last arrival. I heaved a relieved sigh when Aruni came around the corner, and not Inura. I knew it was the same person, but I found his Inuran form a lot less intimidating.

“I lived up to my end.” I slammed the button next to the ramp and it began to retract into the ship. “How about yours?”

“Captain?” Seket choked out. “I do not believe you should speak to him in such a manner.”

I noted that Vee managed a scandalized look over her shoulder before disappearing out of sight with the minister.

“As I mentioned on the moon,” Aruni interjected, “you are a paladin a god can be proud of. Thank you.”

“I don’t mean to press,” I pressed, “but you need to come clean, Inura. What kind of game are you playing? Why were you in that courtroom? Why are you following us?”

Inura nodded emotionlessly. “You have honored our accord, and I will do the same. I was on that moon to meet you and Seket. To take your measure. When I made that choice you were still the captain of the Word of Xal.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know how I felt about a god taking an interest in me. Another god. “So why all the games? Why not just nuke your way off this planet, and go punch that Great Ship out of the sky? You made it didn’t you?”

“Captain,” Seket choked, his voice even more scandalized, if that were possible.

“That is no creation of mine. No longer.” Inura frowned up at the Remora’s hull, and I had the impression he was peering through it. “It has been perverted to necrotech, which devours the souls of the living to power its devices. I snuck aboard and observed the necromancers. They are many and powerful, as you’ve since seen. I’d hoped to reach you and form a coalition to resist them before it was too late.”

“Oops.” Totally not sarcasm. “So now what?”

“I don’t know,” the deity admitted. He sighed and shook his head at me. “I have no special abundance of power.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.