AngelsHaveNoWings Read Free Page A

thing and put it on the fixer’s shelf. He was at fault there.”
    They started walking down a sidewalk toward a large construction area. “I understand the need for breaks during long missions,” Scona said. “Our problem is we do not have enough personnel right now to allow days off. Until command can get me some more people, we are it, and everyone needs to pull double duty if need be.”
    They looked at the construction site from outside the safety fence. The sign in front of the large construction site told Scona the work going on there was for a new medical facility. She put her hands on her hips and stared off into space a moment, then blinked when she ended her telepathic communication with Zicata. They stood there a few minutes waiting for Zicata to report on the building materials. Scona nodded. “Good, thank you Zicata.” She smiled at Pilan. “All materials accounted for and where they are supposed to be. Now, I am ready to go shop.”
    As they walked back toward the center of town, they continued their discussion.
    “Why can’t we just have a stop once every couple of weeks at one of the space stations? That would be good enough to break the time up. Granted, it is not leave on a planet, but it would help the crew’s attitude,” Pilan suggested. “Working every day for three months straight, no time off makes the crew more aggressive. An occasional stop at a space station would not hurt.”
    Scona nodded. “I will take that suggestion under advisement, Life Holder. Now, if you don’t mind, I want to find a present for my mom’s Life Day.”
    As they walked down the main street of Sharpak, Scona and Pilan noted the changes from their last visit to Prin. Several new businesses, old closed shops reopened, new housing in a neighborhood, a new park, school and a new road. Besides the new hospital in the growing neighborhood, there were several smaller clinics.
    “All this work is because of the influx of Falory to Prin?”
    “Yes,” Scona said. “Amazing what happens when a population grows by several thousand bodies, isn’t it?”
    “I like what I see and will mention it in my report as well,” Pilan said as they continued to walk toward the shops on that particular street.
    Scona looked at items in the windows of the various shops as they walked past. She stopped in front of a shop window. “I have no idea what to get Mom.” She glanced at Pilan, who was looking at something down the street. “Pilan, you know her better than most. What about that thing there?” She pointed to an item in the window.
    Pilan turned his attention to the item Scona indicated. It was a porcelain mask of a canine. The overall color was a brownish red. The long nose was tipped with black. The long, floppy ears were several shades lighter than the overall color on the head, with dark, menacing eyes and light tan eyebrows. Bright white teeth showed beneath shiny black snarling lips.
    Pilan shuddered and then read the small card next to the piece. It proclaimed the piece genuine porcelain, hand painted and named by the artist as Red.
    “Nice piece of work, but what would your mom do with a porcelain mask of a snarling canine?”
    Scona growled. “Thank you. Since I have no idea what to get her, you pick something out. She always adores whatever you give her, even if she already had the item. It is always your present which always sits in the center of the mantle over the fireplace.”
    Scona’s words stung Pilan. He looked at her and sneered, knowing very well her meaning. Over the years, Pilan fathered many cubs with Scona’s mother and her female siblings. His genetics were very strong in that female line. Except for Scona and a couple others, most of the cubs on her mother’s compound were his.
    Pilan cleared his throat and tried another question. “When do you think our new orders will arrive?”
    Scona ignored the question, not wanting to talk about CAVNET stuff, and pointed to another item in the window.