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“Have you seen a little pink flur’fa with a blue beak and purple legs anywhere around here?” Seline asked the waiter who was seating them. He was a Fe’goin from Trellix Medira and he had two long, narrow faces, side by side, on the front of his head.
“I’m afraid not, Miss,” the face on the right said, making a sympathetic expression. “But we see so many flur’fas darting here and there—it’s hard to tell them apart.”
“Would you like to see the menu?” the face on the left asked, all business. “Our special is—”
“Never mind the specials—we won’t be dining today,” Nox told him as he settled in his chair, arranging the bottom of the black leather duster he wore so he could sit on it comfortably. He was dressed for combat, with weapons in the inner pockets of the long coat just in case he needed them.
The waiter’s right face looked surprised while the left face had a sour expression.
“Would you like to see the drinks menu, then? We have an excellent Pan-galactic gargle blaster.”
“No drinks either,” Nox informed him. He had already decided it was much better not to eat or drink anything—that way Lendrex had no opportunity to drug them.
“Oh, dear!” The right-hand face looked like it was trying to think of something polite to say, but the left hand face wasn’t nearly as well-mannered.
“You can’t just sit here and order nothing,” it snapped bluntly. “We’re a restaurant—not some free meeting place.”
“Never fear—you will be adequately compensated for the use of the table, my good Fe’goin,” a voice from behind them said.
Turning, Nox saw Lendrex standing there with Lovely at his side. Nox didn’t like the fact that the other male had been able to sneak up on them but he was here now.
“Lendrex,” he said, nodding. “Have a seat.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Lendrex nodded at the waiter. “Oh, and I’ll have one of your Pan-galactic gargle blasters—and one for my pleasure girl as well.”
The waiter’s right face broke into an eager grin.
“Excellent choice, my Lord Lendrex!” it exclaimed.
“Coming right up,” the left-hand face said, all business again.
As soon as the waiter left, Lendrex and Lovely took chairs opposite Nox and Seline. Nox thought that Lovely looked somewhat subdued but she offered Seline a tentative smile and Seline returned it eagerly.
Nox still didn’t think they had much chance of getting the other male to part with his favorite pleasure slave, but he knew that Seline was set on at least trying to free Lovely. However, they had agreed to bargain for the Far Box first, so he put the other concern out of his head.
“Do you have your half of the artifact?” he asked Lendrex.
“I do.” From under the voluminous cloak he was wearing, Lendrex produced the dull gold metal box, covered with carvings in the ancient Kindred script. He placed it on the round silver table and pushed it towards Nox. “Go on—take it out and examine it. See if it fits with your own half.”
Nox was a little surprised at this offer to examine the artifact in question so closely, but it certainly made things easier. He opened the lid of Lendrex’s box and saw that what was inside looked exactly like the half of the Far Box that he and Seline had.
“It looks right,” he said guardedly.
“Pick it up—handle it,” Lendrex urged him. “Make sure—I wouldn’t want to make a false bargain.”
Nox did as he said. Lifting the half-cube from its padded box, he examined it closely and then passed it to Seline.
“See if it fits with our half,” he said.
“All right.” Seline pulled out the metal carrying case with the first half of the Far Box and opened it. Picking up the half that they had brought with them, she fit the two half-cubes together at the center joining point.
There was a muted click and then the entire Far Box began to give off a soft, golden glow. It didn’t last for long, but it was enough for Nox to realize that the half cube Lendrex had was definitely a good fit.
Lendrex seemed to think the same thing.
“Ah—excellent!” he exclaimed. “It seems I have exactly what you need. So let’s talk about the price.”
“We have our extremely valuable chin’di chips we can pay you with,” Nox offered. “Or if you prefer, we can get them changed to regular cred chips and pay you in those.”
Lendrex frowned thoughtfully.
“Well, to be honest, I’m already a rich male—I have no need for any more money, even rare cred chips.”
Nox spread his hands.
“Then what do you want? I have nothing else to bargain with.”
“Oh, I think you do.” Lendrex was suddenly eyeing Seline in a way that Nox didn’t like at all. She was wearing another one of her Yonnie Six Mistress dresses—a green one, this time, which showed much more of her breasts than he liked.
