The sun blazed overhead, humidity thickening the air to the point Milo thought breathing felt more like swallowing warm soup. Red dust whipped around in the stale wind as he trudged along behind Tereine and Albany. Tereine stretched and sighed. Though this planet wasn't her home world, it must have reminded her of the climate back home, for she basked in the sunshine and didn't even break a sweat from the humidity. Albany kept swiping at the same strand of blonde hair that stuck to her sweaty forehead.
"So hot," she huffed. "Hopefully, this doesn't take too long."
"Oi, this is prefect weather! I don't mind staying here a bit. What do you think, Milo?"
Being a chubby guy, Milo's sweat stained his armpits, chest, waist, and several other unpleasant spots. The dust kept getting in his mouth, reminding him of something between sand and chalk. He coughed and spluttered, a bead of sweat running down his face.
"I'm with Albany on this one. Why couldn't we transport straight into the city?"
"That raises suspicion, aye. Especially with a load like this..."
She motioned to the giant robot behind them, floating along on a steel pallet that Tereine pulled with a cable. Despite its face being torn in half, he couldn't help but fear that the bot would suddenly revive itself and attack. One attachment, the stun rod, still hung from the bot's limp wrist. His lower back muscles twitched as he remembered the full-blown shock he'd suffered only a couple of days ago.
"Don't you think having a full-ass robot is going to raise suspicion?"
Tereine waved her hand. "Coalwatch is a pretty 'don't ask, don't tell' kind of place. They just don't appreciate people transporting in and out the city all willy-nilly. Aye, makes some of the shop-keeps nervous."
Albany looked back at Milo. "Are you thirsty? I brought drink capsules. They're not the tastiest, but the hydration is superior!"
Milo took one of the blister-shaped capsules in his palm. "Thank you." He bit into the capsule and a wave of lukewarm fluid moistened his parched tongue and throat. Not much better than filtered tap water that had been sitting out for a bit, but at least it chased away the fledgling headache in his temples.
Tereine pointed ahead. "Aye, we're closing in! Shouldn't be much longer, now!"
An enormous mountain loomed on the horizon, colored the same dusty red as everything else. Milo squinted and could make out the faint outlines of bustling city life. Hundreds of wooden, two-story buildings clustered at the base of the mountain, dozens upon dozens of bodies shuffling around. A wire fence encircled the entire city, the one entrance slowly appearing in the distance.
A pair of guard towers waited for them at the entrance, manned by four guards armed with blades, rifles, and thick leather armor.
"Oi, Milo," Tereine said. "Don't mention you're from Earth. As I understand it, there are some unsavory folk who like to own Earthbound humans as slaves. Or worse."
"W-what could be worse than slavery?!"
"Being someone's snack?" Albany added cheerfully.
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"Aye, just keep it shut on that front. There are enough humans out in the universe that you shouldn't have to worry. Just stick close to us and you should be fine."
They approached the guard post, and the four guards on duty regarded them no differently than any other band of travelers. The biggest one, a lizard woman with yellow-red scales, approached them.
"Greetings, travelers," she said. "What brings you to the merchant city of Coalwatch?"
"Aye, we're here to sell this scrap heap." Tereine jabbed her thumb in the robot's direction.
YOU ARE READING
Right Hand of the Pirate Queen
Science FictionMilo works a dead-end night job and gets used by his girlfriend. He's a walking doormat with no future, and every day, he wonders if he should just end it. Then, one night, a powerful space pirate mistakes him for his father and punches him in the f...
