More guards than usual manned the entrance.
“Let me by,” Janwar ordered as he strode toward them.
One raised an O-rifle. The others closed rank behind him.
“Pulcra told us not to let you or your crew pass,” the one aiming his weapon uttered.
“No,” Janwar said. “Pulcra told you not to let me or my crew pass while the battle took place. The battle is over. Get the drek out of my way.”
Krigara joined them. Then Soval and Srok’a.
The guards looked at each other, then parted to let them pass. The large door slid up.
“Pulcra is incoming,” Elchan warned softly over the comm as they charged forward.
Janwar and his men arrived in time to see Pulcra and several more guards storm into the tunnel Simone had probably already reached. He couldn’t catch the arena owner’s expression, but the grunark’s stiff posture radiated displeasure.
Janwar followed, his men flanking him, and peered past Pulcra’s group.
At the far end of the tunnel, Simone waited in front of the lowering gate with a smile. She even waved, undaunted by the forces who marched toward her.
Janwar glanced at his men and Dar.
Each nodded, ready to leap into battle if Pulcra tried to pull any bura.
“That was awesome!” Simone declared, eyes bright, a wide grin betraying her excitement.
But Pulcra disagreed. “What the drek did you do to my champion?” he bellowed.
She shrugged. “I beat it. Wasn’t that the whole point?”
“The point,” Pulcra snarled, “was to give Promeii 7 something they’ve never seen before—a fight in which the Dotharian devoured a female!”
Her smile slipped into an expression of placating apology. “Well, you didn’t make that as clear as you should have, so that’s on you, not me. I thought I was here to put on a show and kick a giant beast’s ass.” She motioned to the arena behind her. “And I believe I accomplished that.”
Pulcra took a menacing step toward her. “You didn’t beat it. You ruined it! It’s terrified!”
“You don’t want it to be terrified?” she asked innocently.
“No!”
She threw her hands up in exasperation. “Well, how was I supposed to know that letting out one squeaky little fart would frighten the beast so badly.”
Janwar barked out a laugh.
The guards in front of him spun around, only then noticing his arrival, and aimed O-rifles at him.
Pulcra stood on his toes and peered through them. “You!” he shouted. “This is your fault, Akseli!”
“Actually, it’s yours, Pulcra,” Simone said behind him. A mischievous glint entered her brown eyes as she winked at Janwar. “You’re the one who sent us the food that made me gassy.”
Janwar laughed again, knowing she hadn’t eaten a thing and that gas had nothing to do with her victory. “Tell your guards to stand down.”
Face reddening with fury, Pulcra ground his teeth. “I should have them kill you all.”
“I don’t think you want to do that,” Simone offered conversationally.
Pulcra spun toward her. “Why? Because you know you’ll be next?”
She stared up at him with a dark smile. “Oh. I won’t be next. I’ll be too busy feeding you to the Dotharian.”
That bold declaration rendered Pulcra speechless. He opened his mouth to reply but paused. For several long moments, he just stared at her. Then he blinked, and a jovial smile slipped across his features. “Of course. Of course. I jest.” Turning to his guards, he waved a hand. “What are you doing? Lower your weapons and let my friends pass.”
What the srul?
The guards did as ordered, lowering their weapons and stepping aside.
Janwar walked straight to Simone.
“That was so much fun!” she blurted, delight returning as she jumped up and down in excitement. “Did you see me?” She even did another one of those funny foot shuffles and threw some mock punches.
He grinned, utterly charmed. “I did.”
Puclra loosed a hearty laugh. “Indeed, we all did. A fascinating fight it was. They’ll be speaking of it for years to come.”
Janwar studied him suspiciously. What was with the sudden good humor? Why had he changed his mind? What was he up to?
“So, Pulcra.” Simone addressed the arena owner with a smile. “You said that if I fought the Dotharian, you would give Janwar the information he seeks.”
“I did. And I shall.” He delved into a pocket.
Janwar tensed, barely stopping himself from grabbing Simone’s arm and jerking her behind him.
But Pulcra didn’t remove a weapon. He brought forth a datapad and offered it to Janwar with a good-natured smile. “This holds the information you seek: a location and a map to guide you there.”
Janwar motioned to it. “Show me.” He didn’t trust the grunark not to slip him a bomb instead.
Pulcra turned to his guards. “Look away.”
All of the guards turned their backs.
The arena owner sent Janwar a conspiratorial smile. “The fewer who know, the fewer who may succumb to temptation and offer bounty hunters information on your whereabouts in exchange for credits.” He activated the device.
A three-dimensional holomap rose from the tablet and hovered above it, displaying a planet with thirty-three moons. One of the smaller moons glowed red.
Pulcra poked it with a pudgy finger, enlarging it to show an icy sphere bereft of plant life. “That is the place you seek.” He closed the map and passed the datapad to Janwar. “But I fear approaching it and breaching the hidden compound without drawing notice will be impossible.”
Janwar frowned and feigned disappointment. “With no clouds or vegetation to hide behind, they would see us coming long before we reached the base.”
“Whether you approached by air or land,” Pulcra agreed and slid Simone a sly glance. “Should you wish to catch them away from the base, however, I may be persuaded to alert you the instant a Gathendien ship docks here again if this female will agree to return for a rematch with my champion.”
Simone grinned. “Technically speaking, I believe I am now the champion of Promeii 7’s most impressive arena. But yes, a rematch would be fun.”
“Excellent!” Pulcra cried with unusual excitement considering he had just been fuming over her defeating the beast. “Then we have an accord.”
Once more, Janwar wondered what the drek was running through the arena owner’s mind.
Pulcra clapped his hands with a smile. “Will you all join me for a celebratory meal?”
Janwar shook his head. “We must leave, I’m afraid.”
Pulcra seemed disappointed but didn’t press it. “Next time, perhaps,” he suggested and escorted them to the exit.
Everyone was quiet while they crammed themselves into another hovercar that took them to the docks. After bidding Dar thanks and goodbyes, they boarded Janwar’s transport and left Promeii 7 behind.
Simone couldn’t stop smiling. This had to be one of the best days she’d ever had. She couldn’t wait to tell Eliana about it.
As soon as they were back on the Tangata, Janwar handed Pulcra’s datapad to Kova. “Check this for trackers and explosives. I don’t trust that grunark. He was too happy when we left and may be plotting something.”