Baffle Read Free Page B

the guard of hooded males.
    “Your honour guard?”
    “And my hands off world. It is Geor’s duty to stay here to be my presence on the surface.”
    Sinder watched the backs of the men marching down the hall around them. “How is he doing?”
    “He is regaining his equilibrium and will join you soon. He is not happy with you, by the way.”
    “Why would that be?”
    “He feels you impinged on his dignity.” The subtle tone of his voice shifted, and she knew she was listening to Geor.
    “I was expressing my irritation in the most effective way possible under the conditions. I underestimated the speed at which Crixox could take over your body, Geor.”
    He chuckled. “You would have run?”
    “I would have walked cautiously to the first sign of daylight I could manage.” She laughed. “And then I would run.”
    “I do hope that will not be necessary. The com centre will be open to you at all hours.” Geor’s voice was enthusiastic in a bass-gravel sort of way.
    “That is nice, but I have no idea how long I will remain here.”
    “Fair enough. Crixox has filled me in on the details of your agreement. First, you will speak to your people and then, we will walk to Kema.”
    “Where is she?”
    Geor smiled as they entered an archway leading to daylight. “She is right where she landed on the edge of a volcano.”
    Sinder blinked as her eyes adjusted to the daylight. “You folks aren’t big on windows, are you?”
    He chuckled and helped her down the stone steps leading from the archway in a widening fan.
    Everything around her was made of white stone with glistening quartz veining. Buildings, walkways, towers, bridges, all made of the same stone. “It’s very…bright.”
    “The stone is the blood of Crixox, all of our structures are made from it.” Geor had pride in his tone.
    “It is very pretty. I suppose I was inside longer than I thought.”
    He nodded. “The gas did strike you harder than my men thought it would. You were out for quite a long time.”
    Sinder twisted her lips in a frown. “That explains why I was so thirsty, but I should be starving as well, and I don’t feel anything.”
    “Ah, that. Well, Crixox put a bit of his energy into you to sustain your body while you were out. It seemed the least we could do under the circumstances.”
    She snorted. They had knocked her out and dragged her to a place where three moons waltzed in the sky during the brightest day. Crixox seemed like a pleasant-enough place, but the taste in the air and the hum of the energy around her gave her a creepy feeling of unfamiliarity.
    Geor and the guards were moving at a pace suitable to her shorter legs, but as they passed curious onlookers, she found she was still short of breath.
    When he asked her a question that she had been waiting for, a harsh cough substituted for a laugh.
    “What is your name, Lady?”
    She debated giving him a false name, but instead, she said, “Retrieval Specialist, Agent Sinderella Baroque of the Alliance Protectorate of Terra. I prefer to be addressed as Sinder.”
    He nodded. “I think Baroque is a lovely name.”
    She coughed again. “It is my surname, my family name. My family is in a patriarchal society, so I wear the name of my father’s family.”
    Her throat was raw. The air was not sitting well with her. She inhaled sharply and coughing resulted.
    “Sinder, are you unwell?” Geor’s hand was on her shoulder.
    She couldn’t answer. Her body fought for oxygen, and as she continued gasping and coughing, hands lifted her. Geor ran with her until more hands held her down, placing a mask over her face.
    They tinkered with the blend until finally she dragged in a shuddering breath.
    A High Nalu with silver horns and snow-white skin looked down at her with a frown. His blue eyes were bright and concerned. “The gas burned her lungs. In her body, it became a toxic substance. She will need to remain here until her lungs heal themselves.”
    Geor frowned. “How long will