Waiting Shapeless

Chapter 9. Space, unknown location.

The being's voice reminded Hud of two dull rocks grinding against each other.

"Get out of the ship, Greenie." Ordered a nearby Rapiki guard.

Hud sighed and opened the hatch of his small ship and climbed out. As he had expected, the air was frigid. It felt to Hud like he had just stepped into a large freezer.

He could see frost start to gather around the edges of his ship, and the frozen ground was hard to stand on for too long.

He wished he wasn't shirtless, being cold might make this difficult. Natilliea stayed warm however, which was comforting to Hud. The metallic tube produced a faint amount of heat as she hummed.

As he stood next to his ship, two Rapiki grunts drew closer, keeping their weapons aimed at the green Pardos. Hud raised his arms in submission, taking a step away from his ship.

"Search him." Commanded the head Rapiki at the front. The grunts stepped forward.

"I'm unarmed." Lied Hud, hoping they wouldn't touch him.

The two rocks checked Hud out, patting him down. Hud flinched as they checked his worn baggy pants.

"This is?" Asked one of the nearby Rapiki soldiers, pulling Natilliea off Hud's shoulder by the leather strap.

Hud grimaced. "Be a good girl, Natilliea." Said Hud quietly. She shook quickly for a moment in defiance, then shifted to a unnoticeable quiver.

"What's that you said?" Spat the Rapiki holding Natilliea.

Hud ignored him.

"...What is it?" Questioned the head Rapki at the front of the room loudly, impatiently looking at his two grunts.

The Rapiki holding Natilliea examined her. He was still holding her by the strap. "Seems to be a hollow tube. That's it." He touched the metal of Natilliea and then quickly drew his hand back. "It's warm."

"What is it, a weapon? Why are you carrying around an empty metal tube, Pardos?" Questioned the head Rapiki suspiciously.

Hud shrugged his shoulders. "I love her." He said honestly.

The Rapiki spat on the ground and looked back at Hud. "This is nonsense. Bring the thing to me."

One of the two Rapiki next to Hud walked back to the front of the bay and handed Natilliea to his boss. The head Rapiki tentatively felt the tube with his hand, then placed her on the frozen ground. 

"What are you doing in Rapiki territory, Pardos?" Growled the rocky being.

"Just sightseeing." Hud said, his eyes fixed on Natilliea. If they knew what was good for them they would just let him go.

"Sir," called another Rapiki from a control station in the far corner of the large bay. "Just scanned the ship, it's licensed to the Rhaa."

The head Rapiki looked surprised and then grinned viciously. "Well, well, well. A Pardos from the Rhaa, hm? I wasn't expecting that, did you wander in here unintentionally or did you come here to 'put us in our place'?"

The group of Rapiki chuckled.

Hud stood in silence. It was getting pretty cold and he shivered.

"Run out of things to say, is that it? We have a way of dealing with the Rhaa Pardos. Maybe you know." The head Rapiki said with a smile. He reached down and grabbed Natilliea again by the strap, examining her shiny surface. "Are you sure you don't want to tell us why you are here?"

"Sightseeing." Hud muttered. "A friend of mine told me this was a nice section of the galaxy."

"Ha!" Scoffed the Rapiki. "You're a funny being! Alright boys kill him off."