RIPE & DRAGGERS

CHAPTER 12

Bob woke up to the rattle of the comm-speakers.

"Kuya Bob.......kuya Bob, you there?"

Recognizing Buboy's voice he instinctly answered without opening his eyes. "Yeah....what's up."

"We are in range for holo-comm link."

He eyes hurt a bit so he pinched them and realizing he can't get up yet he forced himself to answer. "Give me a minute." he said, slowly realizing that he's pinned down.

Something is pressed down to his chest and right arm.

He gently rubbed his eyes and improved his vision. Slowly he recollected his sight and saw a figure resembling black hair.

He blinked and saw that it is black hair.

A woman is using his arm and right shoulder as a pillow. Breathing slowly she sleeps like a bear in his arms. Her body pressed to him on a tender hug.

He slightly tilted his head so he could clearly see how beautiful she is while sleeping.

Gently, he brushed Kai's hair above the ear as he did the last time.

Checking his wrist watch he saw that he slept a good four hours which means that this angel by his arms is sleeping less. So he tap the switch on the wall for the inter-comm. "Sorry, I'm gonna need more time. Give me an hour and I'll join you. Just send the forward transmission please." he said trying to lower his voice; and Buboy on the other side concurred cordially.

The forward transmission received at the other end was almost as fast as a curve jump. The Brahman comms captain that intercepted the transmission hurriedly ran from the central command post up to the towers near the parliament building.

With the usual agility of a Brahm he reached Pedro's quarters within minutes.

He shouted the message through closed doors, and Pedro who is having a naughty with the local servants immediately dressed and answered the door.

"Prepare the long-link and keep the holo-comm room to myself." he said before shutting the door again, and the Brahm promptly complied.

Another few minutes and Pedro sent the reply signal to Bob.

Pedro encoded the coordinates of the the Viva Las Vegas that is hovering around the Gakuran cluster border. Another quick encoding and the holo-comm room became the top of the himalayas with Bob on the other end of the mountain peak. There he is, standing right by the edge wearing a gray t-shirt, old denim pants, space worker-class Runkan boots and that ancient wrist watch that he gave for his 16th birthday. He's grown taller and bigger now since Pedro last saw him, and still his face is as handsome as ever.

Short black hair, dark brown eyes and that cheerful brown skin always puts a smile on Pedro's face.

It's been four years or more he thought, and he would love to have a first hand chat but this hologram comm-link would do for now.

"Hello Bobby..... How are you, my friend?" Pedro said with an honest friendly smile.

"Well I'm fine and dandy sir..." Bob replied with that ancient remark that made Pedro giggle.

"I always forget that you're a professor of ancient literature now, damn Bobby, I haven't heard western accent in a long time now."

The two of them snickered a bit, until Pedro pushed the first pawn to king's three.

Somehow, Pedro knew that this scholar from the Academy is not here for a light conversation. He's here for the Runkan agenda.

"Did you hear? I am in Brahm's parliament house now."