The Lereni Trade Read Online Free PDF

slow strategies, and returned her
attention to the door.
    Karik had kept Torik for a while
already. That might stretch into some time yet, and she was on a
ship in space, a real spaceship.
    Excitement coursed through
her.
    How had she missed that?
    She'd been too confused and hurt and
injured and scared to be excited. However, now that her ankle had
mostly healed—thanks to the ministrations of Torik and their
advanced medical knowledge—and now that the initial fear had
succumbed to curiosity, a sense of exploration took
root.
    She rose to her feet and crossed to
the back of the room and the metal stairs she had been forced to
climb the night before. But now, her ankle was healed. Descending
to explore would be easy.
    Intrigued by the new surroundings and
bored of waiting, she started down the stairs. They hadn't said she
couldn't explore.
    "Nef!" The sharp word from behind froze her with one foot on the
top step. The two at the table both stood, watching her with hard
lines to their lips.
    A string of words came from the one
behind it as he slid out. Arms thrust with violent exaggeration as
he stormed towards her.
    Krissa backed away to the wall, her
adventure on their ship forgotten.
    "I don't understand," she said, but
they continued towards her, their hair flat on their heads. "I'm
sorry. I…I…" Where was Torik?
    A voice rose from behind them,
stopping both. They eased away from her, but their eyes never
wavered.
    Beyond them, heavy steps approached.
To her relief, the face that accompanied it was that of the alien
she most trusted.
    Torik shoved both aside and
interspersed himself with his back to her. A heated exchange
between them ended with him pointing to the table with his eyes on
the one who had led the advance on her. His green eyes narrowed in
contempt, the crewmate returned to the table and slapped a
key.
    "How can she understand if you don't
use the translator?" The computer voice followed Torik's statement.
Not waiting for them to answer a question that seemed more to make
them think rather than one expecting an answer, he turned to her in
harsh criticism, full of suspicion like the others.
    "I'm bored," she said meekly, twisting
her fingers together. "I just thought…I'm on a ship. I've never
been in space before. I just wanted to see more."
    The way he watched her made her wonder
if he would understand or turn on her.
    He turned back to his crewmates and
regarded them for several seconds before saying, "The world of
Earth is primitive. Her curiosity is only natural."
    "She would cause trouble," one of the
two argued.
    "Perhaps less if such curiosity was
sated with guidance."
    The other huffed indignantly. "You are
too soft, Torik. She should be locked up."
    "And that would make matters
worse."
    Another set of steps approached and
stopped.
    Krissa peered past Torik to the cold
face of their captain and swallowed.
    "I only want a tour, to learn about
this ship." By the looks on the faces watching her, they would
rather lock her up. Only Torik stood between them and her, hardly
reassuring. "Please?"
    Without a word, Karik gave a sharp
lift of his jaw and strode back in the direction of the command
center.
    Was that a yes? A no? A signal of
something else, like a pre-discussed intent to lock her
up?
    Torik returned his attention to her.
"You will have your tour."
    Krissa blinked, wondering if the
computer had translated correctly. "I will?"
    Torik tipped his head with a hint of
the warm smile she had come to trust. "Escorted. It would be safer
than you wandering alone."
    "Yeah…" This was too convenient. Why
had Karik agreed so readily? That wasn't like him in regards to
her.
    Forget it. She wasn't about to
question it openly. She'd take what she could get under the
circumstances. And now she was going to have something to occupy
some of the time on that ship, however much time it might be, and
welcomed the return of a friend.
    A friend.
    She started at the thought. She'd
never had a true friend