Free Neverwylde by Linda Mooney Page A

worms were gone. And so were—
                “Where the hell are our weapons?” Fullgrath bellowed.
                A bright green beam erupted behind him, catching him in the back. Fullgrath grunted and fell forward. Mellori leaped toward him when a second beam belched from a different location. It barely missed the engineer, hitting the floor and making the rock explode.
                Kyber recognized the undeniable sound of a Seneecian blaster. The green light verified it. Beside him, he saw Mellori pull out his tube weapon. Kyber hastily motioned for him to put it away. “It only works at close range,” he reminded the man in a low voice. “Tell the others to keep them concealed until we know for sure what we’re up against.”
                The click of a blaster echoed in the room. Kyber stepped forward. “Hold!” he yelled in his language. “Hold and announce yourself!”
                The barrage ceased. The air settled and grew quiet.
                Several meters away, a deep voice spoke up.
                “I am D’har Plat audo Reen. Who are you who speaks the gods’ tongue?”
                Kyber’s mind reeled. Massapa moved up behind, his face mirroring the shock Kyber felt. After motioning for the Seneecian to tend to the wounded Terran lying on the ground, Kyber turned toward the voice.
    “I am Por D’har Kyber Nau, of the Seneecian warship Ist Umberu. Cease firing!”
    A familiar chuckle answered him, and a familiar figure limped into view from out of the shadows.
    “It’s good to know you survived, Por D’har,” the white-furred alien grinned. Immediately, he dropped the smile and pointed his blaster again at Fullgrath.

Chapter 11
    D’har
     
     
                Kyber reacted without thinking. Launching himself at Fullgrath, he slammed into the big man, shoving him out of harm’s way. But at the same time it placed him between the blaster’s beam and the Terran. The green proton ray hit him in the back of the shoulder, burning through fur, skin, and muscle. Roaring from the pain, he collapsed on his side.
    “ I said cease fire! ”
    Massapa and Mellori went immediately to his aid. As the stench of burnt hair and flesh filled his nose, Kyber glared at the D’har with undisguised irritation.
    D’har Plat stared wide-eyed at the human helping Kyber to his feet, then shot a look of disbelief at his second. “What is the meaning of this? Why are you protecting these skints?” He raised his blaster again, aiming it at Mellori, who had pointed their one remaining weapon at the aliens, but this time Kyber was close enough to slap the Seneecian’s hand away. The D’har narrowed his eyes, lifting his lips to reveal his long teeth in an angry growl.
    “Things have changed, D’har,” Kyber told him, using the Terran language so everyone understood. “We’ve called a truce on this world. A truce I hope you’ll honor.” He’d started to say, “a truce I expect you to honor”, but at the last second changed his wording. The past two years working under the D’har had proven one doesn’t demand anything of the Seneecian. It was best to remain somewhat obeisant.
    He glanced over the Seneecian’s shoulder. “Who else is with you?”
    The D’har lifted a hand in a familiar signal. Two figures slowly advanced from the shadows where they’d all been hiding. The two crew members paused beside their D’har and made homage to Kyber.
    Kyber nodded, acknowledging them. “Kith Verin, Kith Kleesod. Praise the gods you survived.”
    Survived, yes, but not without some injury. Blood splattered their uniforms. Reddish blood, not the dark ichor from the eye worms or other creatures. In addition to the D’har’s limp, Kleesod bore a long gash across his shoulder.
    The D’har took a menacing step toward him. “Explain yourself. Why did you place yourself in front of my weapon to protect this filth?” The