Lib Novel Page 87
“What information?”
He hesitated then. This was the part he wasn’t sure he should tell her about.
It didn’t affect her directly, but after the story she’d just told him, he knew now it might affect her emotionally, maybe even mentally.
“Do you remember those guards who took you from your planet?”
She stiffened a little, her alertness increasing. “The ones that looked like walking alligators?”
At his confused look she went on. “Long tails, yellow eyes…”
Ah. “Yes. The Hedgerud fighters. They work for the High Tasqals—the beings who ordered for you to be…taken.”
He studied her for a negative reaction but she only seemed more interested so he went on.
“Niftrills sometimes work on the ships they use to transport a valuable ore…talix metal. One of those Niftrills is a smuggler. I was hoping to…intercept him.”
“Why?”
His sat-watch dinged and crackled before he could answer.
Nia was watching him.
“He’s contacting me.”
“Who…the person who hired you?”
He glanced her way. “Something like that.”
The watch crackled again and he activated the comms.
“Yes?”
“What’s your status?”
He glanced at Nee-ya once more. “I told you there’s been a…situation. There’s something else, something important that I have to do.”
There was a pause.
“I’m surprised. You never…turn down assignments,” the person said.
His eyes were still on Nee-ya as he spoke. “Well…this time, I have reason to.”
There was another pause on the line.
“This job…it’s…you are our last hope, Urgmental. Countless lives will be lost if you do not retrieve this package.”
Ka’Cit stood and turned away from Nee-ya then, trying to mask the growl that rose in his throat.
“Get someone else to do it.”
He had to take her home, back to Riv’s Sanctuary. She’d be safe there. He couldn’t go off on some job when she needed his help.
“Negative. That is not possible. You are our closest source.” A pause. “It is our last effort to help these humans.”
Ka’Cit froze. Humans?
He trusted this contact so he’d never bothered to find out why they’d wanted the rare metal. He was more than happy to screw over the High Tasqals at any chance. Heck, he was doing it for free.