Echo-1 The Whale

27: The Getaway

"Your whale has now been safely transported off our ship." Faye smiled a smile that would make the devil blush. She was pleased with the situation. 

Baba and Yaba walked over to me and leaned on me from either side, running their hands around on my body. They tousled my hair and whispered that I was a rather cute fellow. They pondered aloud just what was inside my head. Faye slid her legs off the couch and made as if to stand. 

"Now, about this girlfriend of your's, terrorizing around the ship in her indestructible motorcycle. We'd like you, her, and this rust bucket droid off our ship. Our business with you is complete." 

Mox had done it. He successfully traded with the Vedma. I had a whole new level of respect for him. I was feeling optimistic about everything. Hell, I had two beautiful women hanging all over me. We'd got the whale off the ship and with any luck, the Brick had picked them up already. All was right with the world. 

Mox took a rather bold stance in the center of the great hall. 

"She is on her way presently. If you just return my right-hand man, we'll be on our way." 

It began to dawn on me that I was suddenly on the bargaining table. 

Baba whispered in my ear. "We'd like to keep him." 

Then Yaba in my other ear. "Yes, we'd like to see what makes him tick." She flicked me on the side of the head. 

"What secrets do you hold?" 

"Yes, wouldn't you like to stay with us?" 

I had to admit the thought was very tempting but I could tell by the look on Mox's scaly brow that it wasn't a good idea. He shot his tongue out in Faye's direction. 

"My dear Faye, he is not a negotiable item." 

She stood up. "I'm sorry to tell you that he is staying with us. He will even stay freely." 

She shot me a glance that bowled me over. Her radiant bright blue eyes lit out of her dark sculpted face. She was like a Bernini statue carved out of black marble; perfect physical beauty in motion. I didn't protest. 

Mox glanced at the Sentinel droid. Its axes lit up with red lightning, advanced on the altar, and slammed an axe into the force field. Bolts of red electricity shot out across its surface but it did no damage. The Sentinel swung with its other arm, crashing the second axe into the invisible barrier. Besides putting on a light show, it did nothing. It went into a wild windmill assault on the shield, smashing down axes again and again. Arm over arm it pummeled the shield to no avail. 

Baba and Yaba were jumping up and down again taunting the Sentinel droid. Standing directly under the impact point sticking out their tongues. They walked a few meters out of its reach and stuck their head through the field, only to quickly pull back to the safe side before the droid could lower an axe on them. They did this several times until the droid stepped back and stopped. 

Faye walked over to me, took my hand and addressed Mox. "Leave now while you can, or you will share his fate." 

She squeezed my hand with considerable strength. She was strong for her size. Her aggressiveness somehow broke her spell on me for a moment and all I could do was think about getting out. One half of the bronze door opened; not enough to get the scout ship through but it was a way out.

X came sliding out of the right hall with a pack of Mega Therion wolves on her tail. The Sentinel's thunderous red eye lit up with bloodthirsty bolts of lightning and it stepped between X and the oncoming wolf pack. They came to a scratching growling stop. Their fur raised straight up on their backs. They paced around looking for a way past the droid. It raised up its axes and they pulsed with red lightning. Not the kind of thing a wolf would like to get hit with.