Janus wasps weren't known for being reasonable or allowing reality to interfere with the pursuit of their goals, so the fact that the Paka had been able to run them off still disturbed her. Normally, if the wasps thought they were under attack, they killed all the victims they had in custody. If they had thought it was a hive-burning, they should have converged on her and Chessie and taken them to the altar room.
But watching the big Paka fight, she had to admit the JWs had good reason to be scared. When she added in the fact that Daji had already taken the fight to their altar room, she thought it was little wonder that the JWs had chosen discretion as the better part of valor. The cult members had probably decided they weren't ready for their high priest to be the next sacrifice, especially since it had been clear that sacrificing their remaining victims wouldn't be possible.
The Paka was like a machine, tearing through anyone who stood in his way with a cold ferocity. In some ways, he was much like a guard, except unlike the mechanicals, he obviously had the capacity to temper his response based on the situation. Petri had never met anyone quite like the alien before, and she looked forward to learning more…assuming she didn't end up having to kill him.
In spite of the strange procession they made when they exited the hive, no one bothered the four of them as they made their way to Daji's ship. Never having seen the spaceport before, Petri was a bit disappointed by the fact that it just looked like another neighborhood in Under City. Old, semi-dilapidated buildings lined crowded streets. Merchants hawked their wares from carts and storefronts, and dollies and dust pushers plied their trades on the corners. Here and there, music could be heard coming from one of the clubs that never closed. And neon signs flashed over their doors, trying to entice passersby to enter. Overall, except for the dank smell that permeated everything, and the fact that both the merchandise and the shoppers were more varied, they could have been in any central area of Southern sector.
Chessie, on the other hand, didn't share her friend's let down. Petri watched as the taller woman tried to look everywhere at once. She seemed fascinated by all the off-world goods that were on display, and her fingers twitched as if they were itching to touch all the exotic treasures. She was still carrying Sadaka, but if Petri had had a free hand, she would have taken one of Chessie's.
Her friend was a part-time pickpocket and shoplifter, but the people in this market were all too alert for any of her games to work. The last thing they needed was for her to get caught stealing. They didn't know enough about whom it was safe to rob in Western sector, and taking chances like that just weren't worth the risk. Petri managed to catch Chessie's gaze and gave her a look, but her friend just rolled her eyes.
Fortunately, Chessie managed to control herself and they passed through the marketplace without incident. Beyond, the buildings thinned, and Petri caught a glimpse of the night sky high above. The haze and murk obscured the stars, but she could just barely make out what she thought was one of Upworld's three moons. The smell was also stronger here, and she searched for the water that was supposedly the source.
The ocean remained out of view, but a loud, rhythmic whooshing sound was audible, which Sadaka informed her came from the water hitting the land. Petri tried to picture such a thing, but her imagination wasn't quite up to the task. Spaceships of all sizes and models dotted the ground, and Petri wondered which one was their destination.
The Paka led the way to a small ship that was nestled in the shadow of two larger freight transports. The lines of the ship were elegant and flowing, almost as if it was meant to move through water and not vacuum. The metal exterior was black, and it was shaped vaguely like a teardrop.
Before they had left the hive, they had found Daji's missing possessions stacked in the room next to the altar room. He had reclaimed his tools and supplies, and now he drew a wand-like object and pointed it at the ship. A ramp lowered from the narrower end, and he gestured at them to board.
Petri led the way up the ramp, but she was forced to stop when she got to the top. A locked door blocked the way, and she had to wait until Daji joined them before she was able to enter the airlock. The Paka grimaced as he looked at the three of them, his hand poised over the lock to the interior door.
"You will all need to cleanse yourselves immediately. I fear you are infested with parasites, and I do not want them on my ship."
Petri's eyes widened at the insult, and she opened her mouth to fire back a fitting retort, but Chessie put her hand over her friend's lips and said, "Sure, sugar, I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd love a shower."
Nodding, Daji pressed his hand against the lock, which beeped. "Welcome aboard the Ruba."
The interior door retracted and warm, dry air rushed into the airlock. Petri noted that the stench of the water was absent and a burn in her sinuses she hadn't even been aware of faded.
Putting Sadaka down, Petri took the girl's hand and led her forward. As they stepped into the room beyond the airlock, a black ball of fur dropped down onto the child's head from above. She shrieked and tried to run, but Daji caught her and held her still.
"Kivuli!" he growled.
Two enormous eyes emerged from the ball of fur, which resolved itself into the shape of an animal Petri wasn't familiar with. The creature sat on Sadaka's shoulder and plunged both of its tiny hands into her hair.
"Hey!" squeaked the girl, but the animal ignored her protest.
Almost immediately, the furball plucked something from Sadaka's head, which it held up between two of its fingers. It studied its catch for a moment, and then ate its prize with an audible crunch. Petri looked at Daji in astonishment.
The Paka shrugged, "This is Kivuli, which means 'shadow' in my language. She is a tessa. They eat almost any type of prey that is smaller than they are. As I said, you all need to cleanse yourselves."
Sadaka reached up to touch the creature, who seemed to be quite comfortable on her shoulder, and she smiled. "She's soft!"
"Yes, tessa fur is known for being soft and exceptionally warm. She will not harm you, little one, you need not fear."
Kivuli leaned into the child's caresses and purred. Sadaka giggled in delight, and Petri couldn't help but smile.
"You're sure she isn't dangerous?" Petri asked their host.
"Yes," Daji assured her, "Kivuli is quite tame, and she likes people. If you were to attempt to hurt her, she would defend herself. But she will not attack."
Nodding, Petri said, "We should let someone know about the hive. You didn't kill all of them, and it won't be long before they start looking for our replacements."
"I killed none of them, though some may be permanently damaged. They are mad and dangerous and should receive appropriate medical care, so that they do not harm themselves or others."
Chessie made a noise in the back of her throat, and Petri shot her a look. "Well, that won't happen, but we should still report them."
He nodded, "I will contact someone I know here while the three of you wash."
They nodded in agreement, and Daji showed them to his refresher unit. While they bathed, Sadaka told the two women how the JWs had been getting ready to chain her to the table in that room of horrors when the Paka had appeared and saved her. He told her he had heard her scream and had followed them into the hive to rescue her.
The girl's face was solemn when she informed them that the wasps had tried to capture him and had stolen his equipment. But he had fought them off and they had run away. Petri smiled at Chessie. It was clear their young charge had a crush on the handsome alien.
Once the child ran down, and they had all dressed in the shipboard coveralls that Daji had provided, Petri said, "You never did tell me how old you are, sweetie."
Looking away, Sadaka shrugged. "He said I was almost ten," she mumbled.
The two women exchanged a confused look, and Chessie knelt down in front of the girl and put her hands on her shoulders. "Who said, honey?"
Another shrug.
Petri studied the child now that she was clean. Her white-blonde hair gleamed in the well-lit lavatory, and her big, blue eyes were almost as striking as Daji's. She was just a skinny, little thing, as skinny as Petri, but there was already a hint of the figure she would have when she got older.
Everything about the kid screamed future high-priced dolly. She was exactly the kind of girl the houses turned into sweetie dollies, or even sold as permanent companions to the ultra-rich in Upworld. Such arrangements weren't common because of the extreme expense involved, but sometimes, family members wanted slaves they wouldn't have to share. Sadaka was exactly the kind of child who might end up in such a situation.
Petri's felt nauseous at the thought. In some ways, the life of a permanent companion was easier than that of a house-dolly. They usually had better food and accommodations than most dollies, were only passed around if their owner wanted to share them, and they weren't expected to hustle to attract clients. But there was no escape for them either.
On occasion, a house-dolly might save up enough to buy their freedom once they were no longer of use to the house. Or failing that, if they proved themselves to be smart and hard-working, they might be offered the opportunity to manage the other dollies once they were no longer able to make money as a dolly themselves.
But permanent companions didn't have those options, and the working-life of people in the sex trade was usually short. The kind of Upworld citizen who would purchase a permanent companion didn't need the money that would come from their sale or allowing them to buy their own freedom. And people who operated at that level in Upworld always had secrets. They would never allow someone who had spent years in a position where they might learn intimate details about their owner the chance to tell anyone what they knew.
House-dollies who the houses had no other use for were often sold to the grinders, and permanent companions who were past their prime generally shared that fate. Petri had a sneaking suspicion about how Sadaka had ended up on the street alone. Under City was a harsh place, and any adult with a child as attractive as this one promised to be would face enormous pressure to sell her.
Pulling herself away from her thoughts, Petri forced herself to concentrate on the here and now. Sadaka stood with her arms wrapped around herself; her bottom lip was trembling. For all the girl's strength and the tough front she presented to the world, she was still a child.
Kneeling down next to Chessie, Petri opened her arms. Sadaka flung herself into Petri's hug and buried her face in the woman's neck. Petri felt hot tears spill over her shoulder and down her back.
"Shh now, baby, it's okay. You're safe now."
"He was goin' t'sell me," whispered the girl. "I heard 'em talkin', he was goin' t'sell me."
"I believe you, sweet heart. Did you run away?"
The small face nodded against Petri's shoulder.
"Okay, well, it's over now. You're going to be okay. All right?"
Sadaka leaned back and studied Petri's face frankly. "Are ya really Mgeni?"
"Ugh." Petri rolled her eyes. "I'm only telling that story once. How about we go find our host?"Biting her lip, Sadaka nodded.
Petri and Chessie removed all the food they had stashed in their clothing and put all their dirty clothes in the refresher unit on the wash cycle. Once they had returned the lavatory to its previous tidy state, they set off in search of the captain of the ship.
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