The Neko's Tail (Book 2 of Astara)

The Tiger's Master

Artemis sat in the pilot seat, staring at Elias.

"I told you that you can pay me back whenever you want. There's no rush."

The neko glared at the tiger, his hand dangerously close to his pocket.

"It really isn't much. If we take a detour over to Asla 3a, we can mine some of the asteroids. That will pay back at least half of what I've spent so far. The reward from finding your planet will pay the rest. But we are not leaving today. I've spent three months in the black. I want to sleep in comfort tonight. If you want, you can stay on the ship. Or I can buy us a room with two beds for the night. It won't cost any more than I'll already be paying."

The neko was feeling powerful. Artemis was happy for him, though he worried about his neck. Had he given himself to a trigger-happy cat?

The tiger stood up.

"Follow me if you want. If not, make sure you lock the ship. I don't want anyone breaking in."

Artemis headed back into the port, searching for an in. He noticed Elias following him at a distance, and hit a button on his bracelet, ensuring the ship was locked.

During his trip, the tiger made sure he kept Elias in sight at all times. He let the neko walk on his own, basking in the freedom of choice while the tiger shot glares at anyone who approached the cat.

A large alien stepped in front of him, a centaur with the lower half of a dog and the upper half of a cat.

"Are you lost?" the alien asked, blocking Artemis' path.

"Perhaps. Could you tell me where the nearest inn is?"

A sharp blow struck Artemis' face.

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner? Where is your master? I would have words with him."

Artemis' hand flew to his cheek, then dropped to his collar. Fuck...

The neko froze as Artemis was slapped by the alien. Passerby were giving the two plenty of space, watching curiously as they walked.

Artemis' hand touched his collar and Elias gulped. He may be in a different culture, but he realized that even here slaves didn't walk without their owner nearby.

And he held the remote to the tiger's collar. He was Artemis' master.

Pressing the button on the remote, he winced as Artemis yelped. Taking a deep breath, Elias strode toward the tiger, as he had watched his owners approach him before.

The alien looked at the neko haughtily, a green chip glowing in a bracer on his arm.

"Are you his owner?" he asked.

"I am," Elias replied with a confidence he did not feel.

He was surprised when the bracer repeated his words for the alien, in the garbled tones of the trading language. Brushing it off, the neko turned to his "slave".

"You should have known better than to walk so far ahead," he said sharply, trying not to let his inner fear show.

"Sorry sir," Artemis said, turning to face Elias.

The neko slapped the tiger, knowing that it wasn't strong enough. Artemis played along, wincing as he rolled his head with the blow.

"Do not look at me."

"Feisty, isn't he?" the alien smirked at the tiger.

"I'm still breaking him. His previous owner was far too lenient with him."