The Hermit of Chaldene (Mastery of the Stars, #9) by M J Dees

Author:M J Dees
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: space opera
Publisher: M J Dees
Published: 2022-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9: THE PIRATE

"Why should I go?" asked Sevan. "Everyone treats me like rubbish and then as soon as I find someone who appreciates me, you want me to leave."

"You have to come. We can't get home without you."

"How did this star chart get inside me? Can't you just take it out?"

"Did you hear that, Effeeko?" Ay-ttho asked her communicator.

"Yes, I did. Apparently, that's not an option. Ron has been modified to interface with Sevan but he cannot download the data. Sevan must be connected all the time."

"You hear that Sevan? There's no option. You have to come with us."

"Why do you want to go back, anyway? To be chased around the Republic? We're not welcome there, we're welcome here."

"You've only been here five units. You've no idea what this place is like."

Sevan finished the pish in his glass, then poured himself another, filling it up to the brim.

"Come on, Sevan. We don't want to stay here. We didn't want to come here in the first place."

Sevan downed the entire glass in one go.

Ay-ttho and Tori watched him impatiently.

"Well?" asked Tori.

Sevan placed his empty glass on a small table.

"You don't understand. I've been used," he said.

"We've all been used," said Ay-ttho.

"Even my aunt isn't my aunt any more."

"She never was, Sevan. Look, I understand you feel betrayed, but you haven't been betrayed by us. If our friendship means anything, you will help us get back to our own universe."

Sevan poured himself another drink.

"Come on, Sevan," Tori pleaded. "This desire you always had to get back to your aunt has always been holding you back. Now you can pursue your dreams. You can do whatever you want."

"I don't have any dreams."

"Perhaps it's time to get some."

"How about living here and being revered by the khalgoin? That seems like a pretty wonderful dream to me."

"Come on, Tori. This is pointless. Let's go," said Ay-ttho, turning to leave.

Tori looked at Sevan with disappointment and then turned to follow Ay-ttho. Sevan watched them go and then helped himself to another glass of pish.

The apartments the khalgoin had provided him with were spectacularly luxurious. They made the presidential palace on Future look positively ordinary.

Sevan took soothing baths, ate delicious meals, and slept in the most comfortable bed he had ever enjoyed.

The khalgoin asked him questions, which made him feel very important and he tried to answer as best he could.

"How does the gravity manipulator work?" they asked.

"I really don't know. You would be better off asking Witt about that."

"Who is Bertel?"

"I don't know. Who is Bertel?"

"I'm not thinking about anything. Who is Bethel?"

"I don't know Bethel either."

"Bethel?"

Sevan shrugged. The khalgoin gave up. The translator box was obviously not working as well as it needed. They left Sevan alone and he helped himself to more pish.

He soon got bored with his new life of luxury and within a small number of units, he was missing his friends.

"Where have my friends gone? Have they gone back to see Pirate?" he asked the khalgoin.

"A friend of mine? Do you mean friends? Yes, they come back to find other friends.

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.