Neutral Space(18)

I looked around the room. “Is it safe to talk in here?”

“Of course, Jackson; why are you so paranoid?” He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up.

“Because I’m still in the army or, at least, I should be,” I confessed.

“You went AWOL?” His feet clunked to the floor as he jerked straight in his chair.

“No, MIA. I was captured and taken to Kras. I’ve been there for seven months.” I fidgeted not comfortable with everything that happened. “And they let you out?” He asked. I stared at him. “You actually escaped from Kras?”

“I had help. My partner’s getting supplies.” I looked around the room nervous.

“And you trust him not to leave you behind?” Tony scratched his head.

“I have to; she’s all I have right now,” I said quietly.

“She? Oh, Jackson, what have you gotten yourself into now? Please tell me she’s at least human.” Tony, pleaded. I shook my head. “What then, Kelsairan?” he started to laugh then stopped when I didn’t.

“I need three things from you, and one is for your safety more than anything else.”

“All right, Jackson.” Tony sighed.

“Say nothing to anyone about seeing me and get this to my parents they’ll be worried.” I handed him a letter I’d written during one of my many stints at the controls.

“Done and the third?”

“I have a ship with a full cargo hold to get rid of and fast.”

“I know the guy to do it, but he won’t like that you stole it. He pretends to have morals, even though he’s as dishonest as the rest of them.” Tony scrounged on his desk for the man’s name.

“We already have a story schemed up.”

Tony found the name and his communicator “What is it? I have to call him, or he won’t see you.” I told Tony the story, and he couldn’t stop shaking his head. “It’s believable except for you married to a Kelsairan.” He hailed his contact.

“Tony, friend; you not call me long time how I help you?” It was a Zalean on the other end. They all had the same speech pattern.

“I have a friend that just came to see me, Dex; he has an interesting proposition for you. You could stand to make a nice profit.”

“This friend bring good fortune.” Definitely a Zalean. They lived their life by chance and luck.

“He and his wife are selling a cargo ship with a loaded hold. Are you interested?”

“Why they not sell pieces themselves? Why sell to Dex to do?”

“They aren’t merchants they took this ship in trade for their own hoping to earn a little extra money, looks like my friend is about to be a dad.”

“Excellent fortune; send them.” The transmission ended. Tony looked at me.

“Great, she’s going to kill me.”

“It was your story.” He chided me before giving me directions to Dex’s office.

I nodded. “Thanks, Tony. I’ll send word when I can, but it looks like I’ll be on the run for a while.”

“I understand,” He gave me a big hug and pat me on the back. I turned to leave, but he stopped me “Jackson, is she at least pretty?”

“She’s gorgeous,” I grinned at him, and he shooed me out the door.

Luckily Kheda was already back at the ship. She was meditating on the bed with the few bags she bought next to her. I rested against the doorframe, and she opened her eyes. “I have good news and bad news. I found a buyer, but he wants us both to come.”

“Somehow I thought you would say that I was praying now for patience and that we could pull this off. I also bought big enough garments in the market.” I smiled at her. She thought of everything I did not. These were the exact reasons I fell in love with her and was getting myself in deeper every day. Although at this point I hadn’t admitted it to myself. I knew I cared a great deal about her, but I wasn’t yet willing to admit I loved one of the enemies.

“All right, get changed, and we’ll go.” I took one last stroll through the cargo hold making sure everything was in order and picked up the inventory. She came out a few minutes later dressed in a blue dress. She’d padded her breasts and had a convincing belly.

She looked to me “Is it convincing?”

“I’d say so.” She came closer and put my hands on her fake belly. It was hard and somewhat cool to the touch. “What is that?”

“Some kind of fruit. I was worried, sometimes people want to touch it.” I nearly laughed at her ingenuity. She grabbed the hat and veils she was wearing earlier, and we left the ship. I followed Tony’s directions and found Dex’s office quickly. The lights were off though, and I was worried. I knocked on the door anyway.

“Who there?” came a meek voice.

“Not a Zalean.” Kheda cursed.

“Tony’s friend.”

The door swung open, and a light came on “Come in good fortune.” The office was no more than a metal box with stacks of boxes everywhere with a desk in the center.

“Oh, and beautiful wife,” he started then noticed she was Kelsairan. “I see war for you two not exist. Beware those who dislike half-breeds.” He ushered us in and offered Kheda the only chair.

“What type ship, friend?”