Free Annals of the Keepers: War 267 (Book 1 in the Gashnee Saga) by Christiaan Hile, Benjamin Halkett

on it, and I need you at a one hundred percent. No argument.”
    “No arguments here. But as long as there is more ass-kicking to hand out, I’m all ears,” Ramek said.
    Jens couldn’t resist and made one last remark towards Ramek.
    “Big floppy nasty-looking ears, too.” Jens laughed.
    “Hey, you already have one foot in the hole with that female comment,” Ramek said as he reached up and touched his ear. “What’s wrong with my ears?”
    Kason motioned to Jens. “I want you to join Keelen and Maddox and do weapons prep. I have a briefing to attend to before the mission.” Turning to Ramek, he continued. “I Want you to listen to Doctor Solome, understand?”
    Ramek looked over at the doc. His smile dropped as she was holding another hypo-injector.
    “I don’t think I have a choice in the mater, boss.”
    “You don’t. Enjoy yourself. I’ll see you when I return,” Kason said as he left the room. Passing Solome, “Doctor, he’s all yours.”
    Ramek turned to the doctor, who was holding the odd-looking penetrating device.
    He raised his arm. “Here’s my arm, doc. Have at it.”
    “Oh, I don’t want your arm for this one,” Solome said as she approached.
    Ramek’s eyebrows rose. He could only guess where this one was going.
     

Data Cell 9
    The beast snorted along the ground, sniffing its way near the detention corridor. The enormous head swayed seeking the scent that had lured it to this side of the cell block.
    The animal moved forward without caution, hair bristling around its neck, its jaws opening exposing the crystalline serrated teeth inside. A low audible growl issued from the quadruped’s throat as it came to the force-field of the cell door. The beast’s yellow eyes locked on to a small cowering figure in the back.
    The tiny shrinking shape hid its head in a corner, shooing away the large dog-like creature, now at its barrier entrance.
    “Go. Go away. Just go away. Leave me alone, Aythra,” said the little being with a childlike voice, trying to wave off the unwanted beast.
    At the motion from the minute form in the corner, the Aythra’s growl turned louder, as it huffed and snarled under its breath, wanting to gain access through the field which separated the two.
    “ Tanee , Nahh !” a yelled command issued from a distance.
    The creature turned upon the order, moving away from the invisible barrier before it.
    A Kryth officer approached the block.
    Looking down at the huddled mass, he spoke, “Get up, Cuukzen. You’re being moved for interrogation.” He glanced at a data pad in his hand. “You, prisoner fourteen, a Cuukzen spy named…” He searched for a name.
    “I’m a bounty hunter, not a spy,” the tiny Cuukzen responded with arms crossed.
    The hairless and stubby Cuukzen was only three feet tall; not even an inch taller than the Aythra that drooled before his cell. His oversized eyes blinked at the towering Kryth before him. The large ears folded and dropped back behind the wee Cuukzen.
    “I don’t have all day. The name is, Mistuuk . And I’m a bounty hunter,” the little one said with boldness.
    “Yes, Mistuuk the spy. You will be moved shortly. That’s all,” the Kryth guard said as he left.
    “What, that’s all?” Mistuuk trotted up to the barrier. “Idiots, Kryth idiots. I’m a bounty hunter for the sixth hundred and tenth time.” He ranted his dissatisfaction to no one in particular. “Can’t you pitat’s get anything right? Well, can you?”
    He couldn’t hold back his frustration. “A spy, huh. Just stupid. No respect, Kryth.”
    Mistuuk was still sore from the shrapnel wound in his side that grew bothersome as he sat on the hard cell floor.
    He counted himself lucky, though. He and a fellow survivor, a Fossari, had been detained for questioning by the Kryth after the attack on the Sol System. He thought the Fossari to be a troublesome race, always testing how far they could reach before their Kryth Mahr masters slapped their hand back