Chapter 1459 He Is Cute

Chapter 1459 He Is Cute

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

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"Child, return to me at once," he commanded in a booming voice, the fiery whip in his hand snapping sharply as he spoke.

The girl cowered behind Gustav, her body trembling. "Please, don't let him take me! It hurts!" she cried out, her voice muffled against Gustav's leg.

They were both speaking different languages but with the translator working Gustav could understand them like they were both speaking English. Even if the translator wasn't in place, with Gustav becoming unbound, he would still be able to understand.

The Krylorian fixed his burning gaze on Gustav. "I see you have found my property. I will thank you after you hand her over and continue on your way."

Gustav, assessing the situation with a calm yet defiant stare, placed a protective arm around the child.

"And what if I don't?"

The Krylorian's eyes flared with anger, and the air around his whip crackled more intensely.

"Hand her over now, or face the consequences."

Around them, the usual hum of the docks seemed to quiet, other figures stepping back, giving the confrontation a wide berth.

It was clear that the Krylorian was well-known and feared in the area.

Eyhrum, who had been watching tensely, stepped slightly towards Gustav.

"We cannot cause any trouble here, especially with him. He has powerful backing," he whispered to Gustav.

The tension was palpable; the air seemed to buzz with the impending threat of violence. Gustav, keeping his voice steady, addressed the Krylorian, "There has to be a way to resolve this without conflict."

The Krylorian laughed, a sound like gravel scraping over metal. "This is the Nereus Sector, not your sanitized cities of law and order. Here, might make right. Now, last chance—hand her over, or you will face the wrath of Rylon."

Rylon expression contorted with disdain as he responded with a snarl.

"She is not for sale. She has already been purchased by the House of Fel on Planet Zurich. As an Aquarii, her value far exceeds what you could offer. They are cherished as... companions, once they come of age. Her kind is... preferred, across the universe."

As the tension mounted around them, Gustav stepped forward, seeking to diffuse the situation with a financial offer, his voice steady despite the crackling energy in the air.

"How much for the girl? Name your price, and we can resolve this without further issues."

Rylon expression contorted with disdain as he responded with a snarl.

"She is not for sale. She has already been purchased by the House of Fel on Planet Zurich. As an Aquarii, her value far exceeds what you could offer. They are cherished as... companions, once they come of age. Her kind is... preferred, across the universe."

Endric's face twisted in disgust at the implications. "That's abhorrent," he spat out, his voice laced with anger. "She is coming with us, and that's the end of this discussion."

Eyhrum leaned in, whispering urgently to both Gustav and Endric.

"This is a bad idea. Do you plan to challenge every atrocity in the Nereus Sector? We're in over our heads already. This will only draw more unwanted attention."

Ignoring Eyhrum's caution, Gustav draped his jacket over the trembling shoulders of the Aquarii girl, shielding her from the onlookers' prying eyes.

In the flickering haze of an intergalactic tavern nestled deep within the Nereus Sector, Aildris, Falco, and Ria found themselves seated across from a female whose knowledge seemed crucial to their quest.

The tavern was a dimly lit den of iniquity, its air thick with the smell of exotic spices and the sound of a dozen alien dialects blending into the background.

Stools and tables, carved from the hulls of decommissioned ships, were filled with a motley assortment of spacefarers and mercenaries, each with their story to tell.

The woman facing them was an Ixthian, known for their iridescent skin that shimmered in the tavern's neon lights, shifting colors with her emotions from a soothing blue to a wary green.

Her eyes were large and expressive, framed by a cascade of luminescent tendrils that served as her hair, reflecting her mood and thoughts.

Aildris leaned forward, his voice low and persuasive.

"You mentioned you've seen Karis before. Anything you can remember, no matter how small, could be crucial for us. Please, tell us everything you know."

The Ixthian woman sipped her drink, a viscous, glowing liquid, before responding. Her voice was melodious, almost musical, "It was many years ago, yes. Karis was not alone. She always moved with a man—Vlaid Zenith. He's not just anyone; he's a kingpin here, one of the most powerful figures in the Nereus Sector."

Falco's interest piqued, he interjected, "Vlaid Zenith? Where can we find him?"

She leaned back, her tendrils shifting to a cautious orange.

"Zenith is elusive, but he frequents the eastern docks. He has an office there, heavily guarded, under the guise of a shipping conglomerate. Be careful, though; he's dangerous and well-protected."

"Does Zenith have any known routines? Times he's less guarded?" Aildris inquired.

The Ixthian woman thought for a moment, her tendrils briefly flashing a thoughtful violet. "Zenith's routines are as cryptic as the man himself. However, he's rumored to personally oversee large transactions on the first cycle of each galactic standard month. If he's not there, his subordinates handle the day-to-day."

Aildris nodded, processing the information. "And Karis—how is she connected to Zenith now? Do you know if she's still in the sector?"

"She was always a ghost, even when seen beside Zenith," she replied, her skin flickering to a soft pink of nostalgia.

"Last I heard, Karis had struck out on her own. But such bonds—especially in crime—are not easily broken. She could well be in contact, or even partnering with him for whatever business they're into."

Falco looked at Aildris and Ria with a strategic gleam in his eye. "Looks like we're heading to the eastern docks."

The environment around them buzzed with the energy of covert dealings and whispered secrets. The tavern's patrons, a collection of the galaxy's most colorful and dangerous individuals, paid little heed to the four, focused as they were on their dark enterprises.

As they prepared to leave, Aildris thanked the Ixthian woman.

"Your help has been invaluable. How can we repay you?"

The woman smiled her skin now a calm shade of blue.

"Keep your credits. Information is currency but he's cute enough in my eyes."

She blew a kiss at Ria before getting up to leave.

Ria's eyes widened in disbelief, "Is she talking about me?"

"Looks like Ria has an admirer," Aildris and Falco chuckled after spotting the shades of red on Ria's cheeks.

"Shut up you two!"

After their separate forays into the shadowy corners of the Nereus Sector, Aildris, Falco, and Ria reconvened with Gustav in a nondescript room they had rented in the eastern docks—the heart of the sector's clandestine activities.