Total pages in book: 175
Estimated words: 166095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 830(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 830(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Zakoar’s descent down the ramp is noisy, his prosthetics clanking and hissing as he moves to the floor. I know he can give himself better cybernetics, he just chooses not to. There has to be a reason behind it.
I’ll ponder that some other time. Right now I just want my mate back.
I bolt towards them with my best, most winning smile. “Glad you’re here. If you’ll come with me onto my ship, I’ll show you where Jamef is so you can get started.”
Zakoar stares at me with displeasure. “Are you here to show my mate around the station?”
Like I have time for that nonsense? “No —”
“Then get out of the way,” he says coldly. “I will see my Tessa settled first.”
“I don’t mind,” Tessa says, speaking up. She keeps her face tilted towards his, an expression of amused affection on her features. “I’m sure Sophie’s got quarters set out for us.”
“I mind. I did not come here to be rushed. I came here to work at a friend’s bequest, but even that friend would be a gracious host.” Zakoar continues to eye me with distaste. “Your mate is in stasis. Tessa can get settled and we can discuss my payment, and then I will get started.”
Grr. Okay, fine. “Jerrok’s on his way,” I say with a tight smile. “He was just spending a few minutes with Softie. And as for your payment, could I interest you in some human-sized jewelry and expensive dresses? Because we’ve acquired several trunks of the finest adornments any human could ask for.”
Tessa’s eyes light up, and I know I’ve got a winner on my hands. Rhonda’s wardrobe just might end up taking a big chunk out of what we’re going to owe Zakoar and get me in his good graces. Because if Tessa’s happy? Zakoar of the Broken Back is happy.
“Come on,” I say encouragingly. “You look like the right size. I’ve pulled a few trunks into the station so you can take a look through them, and once you’ve decided what you want, then we can discuss Jamef’s repairs.”
One Hundred Twenty-Six
JAMEF
“Let me know when you’re fully awake.” The male’s voice pierces the darkness, rousing me from a deep sleep.
Disoriented, I open my eyes. My bionic eye automatically scans the area, noting one enhanced mesakkah life form and behind the door a short distance away, a human life form. Location—the Pleasure Spot. Keffing hate that name, but it looks like it’s sticking.
I’m in the med-bay. I raise a hand to my forehead, frowning to myself. Other than a dry mouth, nothing is shooting with pain or sending uncomfortable twinges. That’s new. So is the male seated beside the pallet I lie upon, running a diagnostic over my limbs. I don’t need to ask who he is. The metallic jaw and chrome covering his head tells me plenty.
Zakoar of the Broken Back, the infamous prosthetics supplier, is here on the ship. That’s going to cost us a pretty amount of credits. From what I’ve heard, he never leaves his shop. I wince.
“Any pain?” he asks. “Error messages?”
“Where are my mates?” I demand. “Are they all right?”
“I’m going to take that as a no,” Zakoar continues, making a note into the scanner. “As for your mates, Bethiah is probably arguing with her cousin, and your human had to be pried away from the door. She hasn’t left your side since you went down, and the only reason she’s not in here right now is because I can only work in a sterilized environment. Truth is, she’s hovering too much. Makes me nervous.”
“Her cousin?” I ask. “Jerrok? What’s he doing here on Three Nebulas?”
Zakoar lifts the scanner and runs it over my cybernetic arm. “We’re not on Three Nebulas. I’m doing a house call, as Tessa likes to refer to it. We’re on Jerrok’s station. And your old leg was possibly the most outdated model I’ve ever seen. Except for Jerrok’s, of course, but he replaced that last year. You mind if I take it back with me? I want to show my assistant what a real antique looks like.”
I sit up gingerly, making sure nothing surges or twinges or even lets out an uncomfortable pop. “You can if you pay me for it.”
He huffs with amusement. “I’ll take it off your bill. It’s a piece of junk, you know. Not sure how it worked this long.”
“It worked fine.”
“Oh, clearly. That’s why you’ve been in a coma for the past week with a feedback loop destroying all your circuitry.” His tone is dry, matter-of-fact. “I had to replace three components in your other prosthetics that melted down because they were getting overloaded. You were a few hours away from a total shutdown.”
I don’t like hearing that.
Nor do I like hearing that I’ve got a brand new leg and several new components. I know how much everything costs…and it’s a lot. The credits we just made on Rhonda’s mission were so we could hide out somewhere quiet for a while, and I’m worried those are gone. Kef, worse than gone. We’re probably in the red by several missions.