The Infinity Chronicles Volume 1

Act-6: Enter the future mentor...

Act 6: "Enter the future Mentor.."

Sitting on a massive chair and reloading his empty pistols, Alex smiled to Cygna.

"So, you betrayed the Imperial court? Kinda puts us on the same page, so to speak."

"No Master, I didn't betray the Court or the Council. He did." Cygna replied, pointing to the fallen Emperor.

"Can you prove that? And is that why you're a slave girl?"

"No, and yes." She replied, her head lowered.

"I will find a way. I'll find the proof you need to break the chains of slavery kitten. That is my promise to you." He said, lifting her chin, and looking into her eyes. She leaned up afterward and kissed his nose.

"Thank you Master."

"So, shall we go?" He said, as if what had just happened were an everyday occurrences to the former fighter pilot. Cygna smiled, nodded once and helped Karen to her feet.

"Is it over? Are we gonna die now?" Karen asked, as she shook off the last vestiges of her faint.

"Yes, it's over. Come, my Mistress awaits." Cygna said, leading them out of the Imperial Hall and into the street. A brisk walk of no more then 5 minutes brought them into Temple Square, an area nearly half a mile across.

Arranged like it's name, Temple Square was both a district for worship as much as a district for commerce. Carts and vendors lined the streets some just outside of various temples' front doors. As they walked into the Square, between Loren and Bathneel's temples, Alex gazed in wide-eyed wonder at the commotion all around them.

"Pretty busy for a religious center, isn't it Cygna?"

"Oh yes Master, Temple Square is the most heavily congregated area on all of Marrok. Anything and everything can be had here, for the right price."

As if on cue, a huge male Marrokian, some seven and a half feet tall and as wide as a truck walked over to Cygna, looked her over rather roughly, then turned his attention to Karen. She shrunk back from this brutish figure. He smiled and all of his teeth, including the upper parts of his very pronounced canines gleamed in the light of Marrok's sun. That gleam was from all the gold in his mouth.

Karen gasped.

Turning, he began speaking to Alex in rapid-fire Marrokian, a language Alex did not yet know more then a few words in. Smiling and stepping back just a bit, Alex pulled Cygna closer to him and whispered in her ear, while still nodding and smiling to the big lummox, "What in the hell is he trying to do, buy my sister?"

"That Master, is EXACTLY what he is offering to do. And might I add, he is offering a very tidy sum for the Mistress." She said, smiling to Karen. She looked horrified, as if Alex might actually sell her.

Smiling to his sister, Alex said simply, "She's not for sale or rent. I'm sorry, but she's taken. Mated if you prefer." He nodded to Cygna to translate, which she did. The merchant scowled, cast another glance at Karen and shrugged.

"As you wish. But ever since Barnard first arrived here, I have wanted to try one of your women." He replied in near accent-free Anglic.

"Master-General Cyban! I thought you looked familiar!" Cygna said, bowing her head low out of respect for one of Marrok's mightiest warriors in a very long time.

"Rise, First girl." Looking to Alex, he smiled.

"If you have any of your females who aren't mated, my original offer still stands."

Making a quick call on his implant COM, or i-COM, Alex called the Gunny.

"Barnard's Star, how can I help you?" The big gyrine said, his soft tenor echoing through Alex's skull.