Sandcats of Rhyl Read Free Page A

appeared.
    “Yes, you are very attractive to me. I just don’t understand what you see in me.” Before she could answer, he went on, “It’s not mere boredom. Not with almost two hundred passengers from a dozen planets on this ship.”
    “Why can’t I find you more attractive than the others?” Again the fake determination, the set to her lips telling him more than her words. Nightwind sensed the truth. Information was all he possessed that Steorra could want. He idly wondered if she was interested in his and Heuser’s little treasure hunt to Rhyl? Was she competition for the prize, whatever it might be?
    Rhyl, the desert world where Dr. Alfen had made a monumental discovery of treasure beyond belief.
    “No reason.” Nightwind sipped his lemonade as Heuser entered the lounge. Seeing his friend occupied with a woman, the cyborg simply went to the bar. His order pleased the robot bartender, giving the machine something more demanding to do than dispensing lemonade like any cheap home-unit model.
    Nightwind said, “It’s just that I’ve worked as a security guard. Maybe I worked at it too long and have grown … suspicious.”
    “A security guard? That’s awfully dangerous work, isn’t it?” Steorra’s face showed concern. Her eyes told a completely different tale.
    “Not really. My friend at the bar and I worked for a drug cartel on Earth. We finally decided to take a vacation, have a leisurely sightseeing tour of the galaxy. How about you?”
    For a moment, panic filled the girl’s eyes. She quickly covered it, and Nightwind knew whatever she said would be a lie. “I came into a bit of money and decided to see a couple different worlds, too. Been on Earth all my life. You can appreciate wanting to get away from there.”
    “Overcrowding, yeah.” That part rang true, at least. Earth had more people than any planet should reasonably have to support. It hung suspended on a thin thread having to import most of its food in exchange for the dubious export of a well-run bureaucracy.
    “You must have dozens and dozens of exciting stories to tell about your time in space. Tell me some! Something recent and shivery!” Steorra leaned forward, eager.
    There it was. The woman might as well have carried a sign advertising her intent. Nightwind dismissed the girl as unimportant. She was probably as young as she looked. Certainly lacking in experience, Steorra was no trained interrogator. He had always played fair with the drug cartel; she couldn’t work for them. And he scrupulously avoided politics. No world government would have the slightest interest in him. That left his trip to Rhyl as the object of her interest.
    Nightwind began telling stories, mostly fabricated on the spot. Steorra’s impatience grew steadily as Nightwind steadfastly avoided any mention of his last trip in space and the salvage of Dr. Alfen’s expedition ship.
    The brunette finally broke down and asked, “What about your last trip? Surely, something wonderful happened?”
    “Ummm, no. Fairly routine trip.” Nightwind was beginning to enjoy Steorra’s agitation. Her emotions could be seen as easily as the overacted tri-dim recorded play running in the far corner of the lounge. She’d have to have a lot of experience before she could move into the league that Nightwind enjoyed pitting his wits against.
    “Surely something — ” she started. Steorra’s words were cut off by a loud argument coming from the bar. Both the brunette and Nightwind turned to see a massively built man shove Heuser off his stool. Heuser’s face never changed from its innocent set. The stranger read no sign of menace in the blazing, intensely blue eyes. Nightwind did. Heuser would break this impudent drunk into small pieces and never work up a sweat.
    Nightwind gracefully rose, bowed to Steorra saying, “Excuse me, milady. I’ll return in a moment,” then pivoted and grabbed the man’s arm before he could complete his swing at Heuser.
    The vise grip on