The Amazing Tales of Wildcat Arrows (18 page)

Kerreth was not going with the Zoltarians. No. No. No.

Once the pirates realized they'd been swindled, they'd kill him in a nanosecond and then come straight after the Sugarbabe and its entire crew.

He could not let that happen.

Lucky had been innocent in more ways than one; she didn't know everyone was after the Heart of the Merchandiser. He had talked his way onto this ship; he couldn't put them in mortal danger because of it.

"Red, you can't do this trade. There is something I have to—"

"Please don't make this harder, Slick." She blocked him out and flipped the mute off before she could change her mind. "Okay, Captain Kokol. I'll agree to your terms."

"Wait!" Kerreth tried to stop her; but it was already a done deal.

"Excellent!" Pleased, the Captain sat back in her chair. "There is one more minor thing…"

"I told you not to trust her."

"Yes?"

"I still want the Heart of the Merchandiser."

"
What
?" Lucky gasped.

Wildcat spoke up. An android was one thing; the jewel was something else. "Don't you think you're getting enough as it is, Kokol, my darling cutthroat? I just hitched a little ride, after all."

She laughed. "Enough will be enough when it is enough."

Her response befuddled SpinDrift's Floop brain. "
Braaak
!" His half-eaten snack fell out of his claw.

Lucky had had enough. "Heart of the Merchandiser? Ugh! I have no idea where that stupid thing is! I'm starting to wish I never heard of it."

"Don't play coy with me."

All humor suddenly gone, the female pirate extended the nail of her index finger. The lethal-looking talon pressed immediately against her brother's throat, right above the carotid artery.

She at least warned Lucky. "One slice will be all it will take."

Wildcat was not loving this turn of events. He spoke in a calm, yet deadly voice. "This is not very neighborly of you, Kokol. I won't like you as much if you slice my throat."

"While I admire your pluck, Cat, you should remember that I can keep you alive while still delivering a considerable amount of damage. Your sister would still pay to get you back; you just wouldn't be in such good shape."

She pressed her nail along the skin of his throat. A bead of blood bubbled up.

Wildcat's eyes locked with the Zoltarian. "And here I thought you cared, Kokol."

"It's just business, lover."

Lucky clenched her fists. The last thing any of them wanted was for Wildcat to get hurt. "What should I do, Cat?" she cried to her brother. "I can't give her what I don't have."

Wildcat decided to challenge the pirate's greed. "Tell her the deal is off."

"No!" Lucky screamed.

Kerreth leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Tell her you'll meet her on Dumfug 8 and you'll do the exchange there."

"What good will that do?" she whispered back.

"It will give us a chance to come up with a plan. Tell her you'll hand me over to her at that time as well."

Lucky met Kerreth's gaze and her eyes filled with tears. "It's only for awhile; I promise we will get you back someday. I'm sorry to have to—" she swallowed. "To give you up, Slick."

"You won't get rid of me that easy, Red." He squeezed her hand.

"I'll—I'll give you what you want, Captain. Just don't hurt him! We'll meet you on Dumfug 8 and exchange as agreed."

The Zoltarian captain removed her talon from Wildcat's neck and clapped her hands. "What a happy day! 'Till we meet on Dumfug, then. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Lucky Arrows. Kokol out."

Just before the screen went black Lucky got a quick glimpse of the Auran assassin wafting over the Zoltarian Captain.

He was pulsing a rather menacing purple and red color.

Cloud could take that pirate out before she even knew what hit her. It was a highly unusual situation, but the Auran would never let Wildcat get hurt. She was sure of it.

All was not lost yet.

"Clugot?"

"Urrr?"

"Get us to Dumfug 8 as fast as you can. I don't think that
woman has much patience."

"Ur."

"And thanks for sticking by us."

"Urr. Urr."

Lucky spun around in her chair. "Well, Spin we're off on the road to Dumfug 8." She tried to smile, but couldn't.

Seeing her downcast features, Kerreth whispered, "We still have a little time, Red. Would you like to go… rest?" He winked smartly at her.

"We don't have enough time, Slick. We'll be there shortly." She looked down. "I'm sorry."

"We have time." He took her hand and led her from the bridge.

"… ooooh, we're off on the road to—" SpinDrift stopped singing and looked up as he realized he was all alone on the bridge. He put his claws on his hips.

"Well, this situation doesn't seem all that dire to me," he announced. "Lucky has found someone to play with at last. And Sensei Arrows just might have a new crew member!"

"Ur." Clugot quickly disconnected himself from the bridge. The screen went blank with a
blip
. Kelvinators subscribed to a keen concept of self-preservation: Never Engage The Floop.

"Hmf!" SpinDrift adopted his famous Belgian's accent. "
It is my weakness, it has always been my weakness, to desire to show off
!"

With that, he shook his feathered tail at the now dark screen and continued to sing old road songs as he danced across the floor, confident that all would be well.

Meanwhile on Planet Volauvent…

"I believe you are right, sir."

"I'm always right. That's why I am who I am."

"Of course, your superordinate one." Heiner clicked his heels. "It was sheer genius to place that message tap on them. How did you ever obtain that tech? I thought it was illegal for everyone but the Incomparable Honcho."

"Oh, it is. Except for one small technicality."

"And that is?"

"Whatnot developed the initial protocol." Big Gun had the nerve to grin.

Heiner tittered behind his hand. "Do you believe Wildcat was taken by the Zoltarians?"

"Sure. Do." Big Gun guffawed.

"It was odd, sir; for a moment I thought I saw the strangest flicker in the transmission…"

"Never mind that. These parallel compressions are never one hundred percent. Did you tell the girl to come straightaway to the dock-link to collect her reward?"

"Yes, I did."

"Good. We'll need to keep her hostage. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly. What about the Floop?"

"Please. You're killing me here."

When they got back to the cabin, Lucky immediately threw off her clothes. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Kerreth crossed his arms over his chest. "You know there is such a thing as foreplay, dearest."

"Don't be silly. I don't need that."

His eyes widened. "You don't need—!" He shook his head to clear the 'red' fuzz out. "Do you know what you're saying?"

"Uh-huh. I'm ready to go.
Really
." She gave him a sincere look and batted her lashes.

Kerreth swallowed. A sheen of sweat broke out across his forehead. She was making him uncomfortably
warm
. "Look, Red, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but it really isn't wise to jump into—"

She planted herself in front of him.

"I once read this book were the man—a shapechanger, if recall—stood behind the woman and… Well, it was incredibly erotic."

She tapped her chin. "I think I'd like to try that."

Kerreth's eyes glazed over.

"I don't think that's wise. You're probably too sore to do—"

"I'll decide that."

"Red, you—"

"Get behind me, mister!" She smiled wickedly.

A part of Kerreth immediately assumed the rock hard position.
What was going on
? Every time that redheaded woman opened her mouth and that sweet melodious voice issued forth and
ordered
him about, he thought was going to erupt like a volcano.

He threw off his clothing.

"That's better." She examined him from head to toe.

No way he could hide the fact that he was already erect. So she had it in mind to take advantage of her Masterstroke, did she?

"Fine, Red, but you should be careful what you wish for."

He came up behind her and pulled her back against him.

Lucky gasped as she felt the velvety length of him slide against her buttocks. "Do you like that?" he breathed into her ear.

"Yes." She closed her eyes as his tongue followed the curves of her ear. Sharp teeth captured the delicate lobe, tugging sensuously.

"Mmmm. Keep going, Slick. This is great."

"As you wish." His arms came around her waist to clasp her to him.

Lucky realized his skin was scorching hot wherever they touched. It was
simply perfect—

Until the ship's climate control took that precise opportunity to send a blast of cold air down from the ceiling right onto her. She jumped.

"
Yikes! What is wrong with this wacko ship
?!" Lucky paused. "Wait, that actually feels good. No thanks to that doof of a computer!"

"Mmmm, that does feels nice," Slick whispered. "Makes me think of the cool island breezes on Grenaday Bay Colony."

"Have you been there?"

"Of c—" Kerreth caught himself. As an android who supposedly never left Slide, he couldn't have been there. "Of course not. I have imagined it, though."

"When you make love?" Lucky lifted her chin, not at all sure she wanted to hear about his past exploits of making love with endless amounts of women.

Kerreth kissed the side of her neck. "Just with you," he answered diplomatically.

"They really do take extra care with your programming. Well said."

He smiled. His palm caressed the side of her ribcage as his mouth continued to play along the edge of her throat. "I doubt I have been with as many women as most Masterstrokes. You, ah, caught me relatively early in my
sexbot
career." He grinned into her neck.

"Very funny."

"I try to please." He nipped her shoulder.

"Good; that's exactly the response I expected of you—even though you are far too skilled for me to think otherwise."

"My skill doesn't come from experience; remember?"

Her face colored. "I-I know that. I just think that someone who is so well
programmed
wouldn't be left 'unused' for very long."

He stilled and lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I care for the way you phrased that."

"I didn't mean it as an insult! One should take pride in excellence of any kind."

"Uh-huh."

Lucky sighed. "Seriously. You know what?" She turned halfway in his arms and looked over her shoulder at him.

"What's that?" He hugged her.

"I'd be happy to give you an endorsement for future reference!"

Kerreth coughed. "That's, uh, good of you, Lucky. But I think I'll be looking for a different line of work. So tell me, what excited you about this love scene you read?" He palmed her breast and flicked the tip with his thumb.

The peaks of both her breasts hardened into jutting nubs.

"It was the way he took her. Passionately. Wildly. He was focused only on her. He gave himself completely over to his passion."