Free Ilox Saga 1: Eris Monroe: More Than Human by Bruce Adams

unwind, drink, eat, carouse, fuck and enjoy the numerous pleasures of the flesh. The mercenary made his way through the hundreds of people that inadvertently barred his path. The mercenary reached the main door, which had two large human guards flanking each side. They let him pass without a word. He was expected. Making his way inside, he threaded a circuitous path through drunken dancers and wild party-goers hyped up on drugs and the excitement of being in a dangerous place. The patrons were predominantly human, though here and there could be seen an Evene, or a K’Tosk and rarely an Orvod towering over all others. There was even a small group of Arrasian’s huddled together scheming to make their lives just a little richer. As he arrived the mercenary surveyed the interior of the impressive building. Most structures on this planet were patched, old and rusted, but not the Blood and Honor. Its walls gleamed and neon lights beckoned outsiders to venture inside. Prostitutes prowled the multi-storied lavish outpost looking for customers armed with nothing more than smiles and their own scantily clad and perfumed bodies. A robotic MEK offered him a drink and he ignored it. He climbed stairs that led to the third floor. An overhanging platform jutted out giving a grand view of the main hall. There were at least six bodyguards in attendance as well as numerous hangers-on and slaves to attend their masters every whim. Seated on a plush cushion of pillows was a very large but well muscled Orvod male. His attire consisted of hand woven Saklaht silks in bright reds and shades of orange.
    “What did you see, Verinous?” Chol Cuxa asked while reclining and eating slices of a ripe golden-red fruit. Two beautiful Evene girls near the leader were naked and had been feeding him – giggling as they dangled fruit in front of his face. They never took their attention from the huge Orvod. The mercenary looked around at the sycophants gathered near the leader of the Vortex group.
    “The task is complete. It went flawlessly. No mistakes.” His tone was cool and betrayed no emotion. Of course, Verinous had been a stalwart and trusted lieutenant of Chol Cuxa for three years and didn’t display emotions other than a total desire to generate huge amounts of money. Verinous never questioned his superior, he did what he was told and he did it well. The Orvod stood, waving away his Evene slaves. He towered over all those present.
    “Come - walk with me.” Chol’s voice was rich and deep. It was not a request. Verinous fell in beside his boss as he walked to a private elevator. Once the doors shut, the leader of the Vortex group looked down on his man and smiled. Chol pressed a few buttons on a control panel and the elevator doors shut and began to descend deep under the establishment.
    “ Did you endure any difficulties in climbing?” The soft thud of the elevator reaching its destination punctuated the question. C hol Cuxa thought that he could have picked someone more skilled at such a task, a human perhaps - they had evolved from tree swinging primates on their homeworld. But Verinous was his most loyal…and capable lieutenant.
    “No . It was tiring, but not overly difficult.” His muscles still ached from the exertion. He had slept through five of the last ten hours, but his body was still hurting. As he followed his leader into a secure underground bunker his mind was a blank. He was not curious and he didn’t care about what he had done. He had no ethical qualms about anything, planting a nuclear device and then setting it off would never cause him to lose sleep.
    The room they stood in was stripped bare of the gaudy colors, materials and patrons of the frenetic dance-floor and bars far above them. The space they stood in was a fortified control bunker with dozens of data screens adorning walls – all streaming information on the dozens of missions and constantly fluctuating fortunes of the Vortex Mercenary Group.
    “ Fortune