Free Seers of Verde: The Legend Fulfilled: Book One by ML Williams

be called before the High Council. The transport captain had abandoned another Tanlian captain who had requested his assistance. It didn’t help that the other captain was Yermak Halpan, grandson of the hero of the great revolt.
    To make matters worse, he was facing another Halpan — Drace, Yermak’s and Rolid’s father — and even more importantly, the leader of the High Council.
    Drace was an imposing figure. A long gray braid hung over his shoulder. Each knot signified completion of a successful mission. His bushy eyebrows stuck out almost four centimeters.
    “How long did you wait for my favorite sons?” Drace boomed, glaring at Masat.
    “Eighteen hours, High Councilman,” Masat answered. “Transport law required me only to wait twelve. Yermak did not leave the coordinates of his mission, only where to meet him when he returned, which he did not.”
    “Do not quote transport law to me, Captain,” Drace said, glowering at the man standing before him. “I wrote that law. I waited four days once for a fellow Tanlian to return.”
    Masat relaxed a bit. He had heard that story before. Last time, Drace had claimed to wait two and a half days, and this was the first time he had publicly claimed Yermak and Rolid were his favorites. The old man had fourteen sons, and all had been pronounced as his favorite at one time or another.
    “I am prepared to take a faster ship to search for him,” Masat offered. “If I know Yermak, he has found a fat colony and is enjoying himself.”
    Drace smiled in spite of himself. Yermak was famous for disappearing — sometimes for lunars on end — and then showing up with the most succulent cargo. Yermak always saved the best trophies to bring back to Tantalum 2.
    “Take your pick of the best trophy ship in our fleet then, Captain.”
    Masat looked at Drace and folded his arms. “Trophy ship, High Councilman? Is that necessary?” Masat asked. He had stopped collecting female trophies more than ten years ago. Masat's last trophy hunt had gone poorly. After raiding a CAIN colony encampment, his men killed many of the male colonists who tried to defend their families.
    The sonics and gas were ineffective that day, which left many inhabitants alert and ready to fight. The women and children screamed and fought as they were taken from their shelters and separated from the bodies of their dead husbands and fathers.
    Children of all ages were taken this time. The Tanlians were collecting women, girls and even young boys. Tastes varied among their buyers.
    Masat had trained himself to be oblivious during the collection of trophies. However, that day he found himself watching a mother and two young girls being forcibly carried out of their home. The girls were small, about the ages of his daughters, and their mother had long dark hair, much like his mate.
    After that trip, Masat swore never to carry human cargo again. Drace was aware of the captain’s vow, but he needed a trophy ship to search for Yermak and Rolid in case his missing sons needed the help.
    “I know of your dislike for trophies, Captain, but the High Council requests this of you one more time,” Drace said, his ancient face cracking into a rare smile. “Don’t bother yourself with the collection, Captain. And besides, I will guarantee you double the earnings from this trip. Do you have any idea where this wayward Halpan might have gone?”
    Masat frowned but agreed to Drace’s offer with reluctance. “We will have several worlds to investigate, High Councilman. Yermak said he was low on fuel. We will visit each bioformed planet within low-fuel range.”
    Drace nodded in agreement. Only Yermak would take such a foolhardy chance with low fuel reserves. It was like him to call for help, but not give away a good find.
    “Permission to leave and prepare for the journey,” Masat bowed to Drace, and waited to be dismissed.
    “One more thing before you go, Captain,” the high councilman said. “Perhaps you would