The Autobiography Of An Alien

Chapter 36 - On Espionage

"Yes," she said slowly, eyes flicking to him every so often. "A terrible tragedy."

Rulshkka bared his teeth threateningly. "I'm sure you're losing sleep over it. Regardless, the Outkast responsible for his circumstance gave me some information. Not enough, however."

Fho settled across from him with a hot cup of tea clutched between her claws. "You want me to find out more?" she guessed, voice pitching upward with incredulity. 

"Yes," Rulshkka simply said, a bit impressed with her conclusions. "You are, in short, expendable. I care not for you, and if you die at the hands of the Outkasts... well, you were always a rogue, weren't you?" 

Fho looked unimpressed. "Whyever would I wish to do that for you, O Vokkra? My freedom may be limited, but I'm only on probation, now. I get to see the sky once more. Playing spy for you doesn't seem to be very enticing for me."

"I will let you go," he said. Fho's expression flickered with surprise. He continued, "If you do this, I will wipe your record clean. Everything. It will be spotless."

"Why?" her voice dropped to a whisper. Rulshkka ignored her.

"But you are never to return here. Nor to the humans' planet. If you step claw onto either of our soils after this is through, I will know. You can go anywhere else. I'll even fund you a ship. I want you away from me and my Kohgrash."

He's thought about this intensely. He wanted every trace of the Ring demolished, and he would have, had Kohgrash not spoken to the Spirits on Lilac's behalf. He loved Kohgrash, but Spirits, had he made everything that much more difficult. Slapping every possible charge he could on Fho had been the next best thing. No one would find out that he had bribed the prison guards to make her stay as miserable as possible. It certainly helped him sleep at night.

Still, he had held Kohgrash after his nightmares, made only worse by the Buffet. The way he had stood out in the cold after Fho had shown her face when he held court. Rulshkka was incensed, but he had refrained from doing anything else at Kohgrash's request. Simply fumed and plotted.

And now, he had a use for someone he no longer needed. He would send Fho to the Outkasts, she would tell him information, and if he perhaps leaked that there was a spy in their ranks... well, it wouldn't be Rulshkka's fault that Fho got caught.

Even if Kohgrash would probably shout his ears off. Maybe he'd let her live for a while longer... he would like the satisfaction of killing her himself. Hmm.

He tired of waiting for her to process his offer. He stood abruptly, startling her. "Contact me when you have decided. I expect an answer at the end of the week," he said shortly, swiping his business contact information to her own device.

"Of- of course, Your Majesty," she said quickly, standing up and following him toward the door. "Thank you..."

"Don't thank me," he hissed, looking over his shoulder. The slightest edges of fear crept into her face. "I am not doing this for you. It is for my Kohgrash lying almost dead in his room. I want revenge."

Her face shuttered into something determined. "I understand that," she confessed quietly. Rulshkka did not care for what she meant exactly, so with nary a goodbye, he left. He didn't hear the door click shut behind him until he rounded the block.

Thruul greeted him with a smile and a tilt of his head. Rulshkka merely shrugged. Fho would take the offer, he was certain of it. But how soon she would reply was anyone's guess.

He spent the night with Kohgrash's small hand in his own, feeling the slight fingers twitch every so often. His eyes were unmoving behind his lids, unlike the rapid flicker they usually did while he slept. While he dreamed. Rulshkka hoped that, whatever he was dreaming about now, it was pleasant.