Human Chronicles Part 2 Book 3: A Galaxy to Conquer Read Online Free PDF Page B

talk. His name was Kankus and he had to be over a hundred Tel’oran years old.
    “So where did he go?” Kaylor asked, chugging on a strong intoxicant himself, while Jym suspiciously eyed every other patron in the bar. Between listening to the old pilot ramble on about what a rotten bastard Ruszel was—and watching Jym send teeth-baring snarls at anyone who looked at him for more than a second—Kaylor wasn’t sure how this night was going to play out. This old pilot was the first real lead they’d found in over seven days of searching, and Adam and the rest of the team were now only one day out. However it looked as if Jym’s newfound confidence and belligerence might interrupt the interview....
    Kaylor was somewhat relieved to see that none of the Tel’oran natives reacted to Jym’s snarls, meaning they didn’t treat the baring of teeth as a life-challenge, as did most of the galaxy. Unfortunately, there were other races represented in the bar other than Tel’orans, and already Jym was causing some of them to stir.
    The old pilot spoke: “He and Canos quit the Guild and have taken their bloodlines to The Lakes , along with his fancy new ship.”
    “Where are The Lakes ? We are new here.”
    “Then why are you asking about Ruszel? He is no longer a pilot, and if you require one, I am available for private hire.”
    Around the main spaceport, Kaylor had picked up rumors of another ship like the Pegasus that passed through a few months before. Could this be Riyad’s ship, the Ifrit? Kaylor wondered. If so, then how did Ruszel come to possess it?
    ‘We seek Ruszel in regards to the ship he now owns,” Kaylor improvised. “There is a title issue that we are seeking to resolve.”
    “Scumcup!” the Tel’oran pilot spit out, spraying Kaylor with a partial mouthful of bitter intoxicant. Unconcerned, the alien continued. “I hope you yank that ship right from him. He was such a scumcup telling us all about what a superior ship he now possessed. So he could not own it in reality?”
    Kaylor picked up on the line of thinking by the old pilot. “That is a possibility, yet we must confront him first. So where are The Lakes ?”
    “North of here, just at the base of the Esesian Mountains. It is an exclusive region most commonly reserved for Guild managers and directors and not for overly-fortunate pilots! Did he really receive that ship and the credits in return for a single fare? I know there are beings within the Expansion with credits to spare, yet this was beyond belief.”
    “He may have stolen it,” Kaylor said, glad to see an even more animated response from the pilot.
    “In that case, I will personally guide you to where I believe he is now residing!” Kankus said. “And if you allow me to see the look on his face when you confront him, I would be forever in your debt!”
    “Our transaction with Pilot Ruszel will have to stay private, yet if you guide us to his location, we could pay you a thousand ruiens.”
    Kankus nearly fell off his seat. “Of course—a thousand—that would be acceptable.” And then he paused. “Half in advance?” he said with a question mark. “I have a tavern debt to clear before we leave.”
    Kaylor grinned. He had been in the same situation many times before and could relate. He doled out the credits to the Tel’oran and then turned to see if Jym had started a fight—yet. Even though two sets of foreign creatures were visibly agitated at Jym’s challenges, none had acted on their anger, which only served to infuriate the tiny bear even more. Kaylor nudged his partner toward the door, with the old Tel’oran pilot bringing up the rear. It seemed that Jym wasn’t enough of a challenge to the aliens for them to bother, something that would do little for his small friend’s self-esteem. Kaylor knew it was only going to get worse from here on out.
    ********
    Kaylor had secured a transport large enough for the three of them to make the two-hour journey to The Lakes in