Ethereal Lives: A Romantic Sci-Fi Novel

Chapter 29

Ariane sat in a bar opposite one of the best hotels on Mart. Her hand was tightly tied to Bizax and her form resembled a Martian, native of the planet Mart. She'd actually laughed when Sek had told her that's what they needed to look like. She'd instantly imagined the cartoon character Marvin the Martian. In reality, she was nothing like that. Her shape remained humanoid, though her skin was now the colour gold. She stood about six feet tall, and her figure was thin, verging on gaunt. Catching her reflection in the window, she admired her cheek bones for about the fifth time since changing.

It had taken a lot to convince the men to allow her along. At first, they were adamant she must stay on the ship. It was only after reminding them the ship had been stolen, and would likely get seized if spotted, that they allowed her to come. Of course, it helped that she'd been the only person who bothered to research the planet and learn where everything was.

Now they sat surrounded by the smell of alcohol, and she wished to be back on the ship. Chancing a peek at the drink in front of her, she felt her stomach revolt. Apparently, the green sludge bubbling in her glass was Martians' version of fruit juice. A bubble popped and the vile stench it produced wafted up to her nose, causing her to heave and shove the glass away.

"Now that's a buyer if ever I saw one," Sek said in a low voice, dragging her attention back to the window.

A Xan in richly decorated robes climbed from a car-like vehicle which hovered, and hurried into the hotel, closely followed by four muscular males.

Ariane got to her feet, straining for a better view, but was urged back down by Bizax. "Don't draw attention to yourself," he murmured.

Ariane took her seat again, relieved to see no one paying attention. "What do we do now?" she asked Sek.

He gave her a pointed glare. "You stay here where it's safe. Trel and Dyan, keep an eye on him. We'll watch another hotel just in case this one isn't a buyer."

With a nod, the two men left the building.

Sek turned to Bizax. "You and Praid take her back to the hotel and stay there Brise and Jas, you're coming with me."

Ariane grabbed Sek's arm as he went to rise. "But-"

"No buts!" He turned hard eyes on her. "Ax will kill me if anything happens to you. I want you safe."

With a sigh, she let go and watched him leave.

...

Ariane fidgeted on the creaky old hotel bed trying to get comfy. The PD she'd brought from their recent ship rested on her lap. The hotel had a form of Wi-Fi, which Bizax had connected it to. With nothing better to do, she researched the planet some more.

"Once we get Ax, how will we leave the planet?" she asked some time later, causing Bizax who was dozing in a chair to jump.

"What? Uh, leave... um," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Praid who sat in another chair laughed. "We'll buy another ship."

"Buy?"

"Of course, buy." He seemed aghast at her implying they would do otherwise.

Ariane raised an eyebrow. "And how will we buy this ship with no money?"

"We'll borrow some."

"And will the lender know we're borrowing their money?"

Praid huffed. "We won't have time to do everything, you know."

With a laugh, Ariane went back to her PD. The men seemed pretty confident it would be easy to get off the planet. She wasn't so sure but had no intention of arguing with them.