HAWK

CHAPTER TWENTY: CAVEMAN (1/5)

Captain Mack put his glass down and walked briskly to Rhaspa, donning a broad smile reserved for old friends.

'Rez,' he said as he grabbed the elderly man by his shoulders, 'it's good to see you again.'

'It's good to be seen,' Rhaspa replied. 'We've been in need of some propitious news for some time. Morale has been uncommonly low in your absence.'

'I find that hard to believe. I would have sent a message but I couldn't risk it.'

'The most important thing is that you're here. Sudds told me you were... successful?'

'I was.'

Rhaspa drew a great breath as though it would be his last. Kas thought she saw tears forming in his eyes.

'Thank you,' he said. 'Thank you, my friend.'

'You can thank my friends, too.' Mack looped his arm through Rhaspa's and guided him towards Kas. They stopped only a pace in front of her. 'This is Kas Balera.'

Rhaspa did not look at Kas but instead gazed loosely in her direction. It was only then she realised he was blind.

'Welcome to Xeo,' Rhaspa said. 'It's a pleasure to meet you.' He smiled warmly as he extended his free hand towards her. Kas looked at it, then at Captain Mack who nodded back to her, reminding her of her promise. But before either of them knew it, Worm had grabbed Rhaspa's hand and was shaking it firmly.

'Hello there, who's this?' Rhaspa asked.

'That's Worm,' Mack said. 'She's a mechanic.'

'Aren't you rather short to be a mechanic?'

'She's a kid. And she's mute.'

'Ah, my grandmother was mute. Wonderful woman, smelled of lilygrass. It's a pleasure to meet you, Worm.'

Worm smiled as Rhaspa released her hand and turned back to Kas.

'And are you mute as well?' he asked her.

'I'm still thinking about it,' Kas replied.

'Well take your time. I'm Serez.'

'I know who you are. I'm just struggling to believe you're still alive.'

Rhaspa chuckled. 'You're not the only one. I take it I still have some of my old looks if you can recognise me under all this fluff?'

'Oh, I'd recognise you anywhere.'

'Are you a former soldier, too?'

'Not exactly.'

'She's a bounty hunter,' Mack said.

'A bounty hunter? Really?' Rhaspa smiled and offered Kas his wrists. 'Then you must be here to arrest me. Tell me, what price would an old blind man like me go for in your business?'

'Hard to say,' Kas replied. 'An old blind man? Not very much. The system's most infamous racist, on the other hand...'

Rhaspa's smile faded. Behind him, Sudds took a step forward, ready to intervene if Kas tried anything foolish. Mack looked at him and shook his head.

'I see public opinion about me hasn't changed much,' the old man said.

'You don't just get to disappear for a few years and expect everyone to forget what you did. You left a legacy behind. Rhaspians are scum on every planet in the system.'

'Who is this woman?' Sudds asked. 'Why did you bring her here?'

'I had no choice,' Mack replied with a glare at Kas. 'We escaped on the same ship and I had nowhere else to drop her off.'

'What have you told her?' Rhaspa asked in a subdued voice.

'Nothing. I thought it would be best to wait for you.'

Rhaspa turned back to Kas and searched for her eyes in the darkness of his own.

'You don't like me,' he stated.

'I don't.'

'You think me a racist.'

'I do.'

'Are you hungry?'

Kas baulked, taken aback by the question. 'Uh... I...'

'We will be eating in an hour. Why don't you use that time to make up your mind? If you decide you are, I hope you'll agree to join us.' With that, Rhaspa turned and walked back to Mack. 'Would you walk with me, Captain?'

'Of course.' Mack took Rhaspa's arm and helped him back to the doorway. The old man seemed to look right at Sudds as he passed him.

'Sudds, if you wouldn't mind staying here to look after our guests.'

'No problem,' Sudds replied. Rhaspa and Mack exited the room, leaving Kas and the bald man staring distrustfully at each other.