Free The Army Of Light (Kestrel Saga) by Stephen Fender Page A

have a lot of time to chat,” Shawn replied, paying more attention to
his destination than to the conversation. He reached into his pocket and drew
out a golden five credit coin and flipped it into the air, which was quickly
snagged by two of Timo’s three hands. “Go buy yourself another round, compliments
of the Old Flamingo. Keep the change.” He finished by giving Timo a soft pat on
his whiskered cheek, careful not to rub the neurotoxin tipped quills that
doubled as his eyebrows.
        
“Hey, thanks Shawn. You’re a real pal! You know, I never forgot about that time
on Tagus! When you did that thing with the… well, whatever it was. Man, I owe
you big time for that, old buddy. You really saved my fur.” Timo kept praising
the captain even as the small creature waddled to the bar to order his next
drink.
        
Melissa leaned curiously over Shawn’s shoulder. “What was that all about?”
         “Long story.”
        
She found herself smiling, although she didn’t quite know why. “Maybe you’ll
tell me about it sometime.”
     
    “Yeah. Maybe.”
        
Shawn arrived at the counter and caught the attention of the bartender. The
barkeep, a rather large and scaly creature with long black tusks, asked Shawn
what he’d like.
        
“Tell Jack that Captain Shawn Kestrel is here. He’s expecting me.”
        
“I ain’t no messenger, Earther .”
        
Shawn wordlessly tossed him… her… it a gold coin, similar to the one he’d given
Timo, and the bartender acknowledged with a nod. However, before he ambled
away, the creature jerked his head in Melissa’s direction. Shawn slowly spun to
see two surly looking patrons, a human male and a fish-faced Erkelian , slowly approaching Melissa, who wasn’t right
behind him where she should have been. From nowhere a crowd had quickly formed,
blocking every available route to the young woman.
        
As soon as the tall, thin, inebriated human outstretched his hand to grab her,
Melissa had him doubled over with a kick to the stomach. When the Erkelian’s unblinking, saucer like eyes saw his buddy lying
in a heap on the floor, he lunged at Melissa with
webbed fists flying. “Wench,” he snarled.
        
She was ready for him before he got within five feet of her. As he came within
range, she smoothly stepped aside, allowing his momentum to carry him past her
before dealing a strong kick to his backside that sent him crashing through a
table near the bottom of a narrow staircase. The bar went silent, everyone
staring at her and the two men on the floor—Shawn included. Using the lull in
the fighting to extricate himself from the bar, he deftly moved to her side.
        
It was just as well, because two additional men, both humans this time, came to
the aid of the fallen friends. One rushed Melissa, the other intent on taking
down Shawn. The captain tried a maneuver similar to Melissa’s, but
couldn’t side step the man fast enough, instead getting tripped up and losing
his balance. The drunk took the offered advantage and swung a wild left hook
that connected with the side of the captain’s mouth. Stunned but not defeated,
Shawn, using the full power of his weight, planted one foot into the floor and
the other into the drunks’ abdomen, sending the assailant sailing backwards
over a table and into a transparent purple piano at the end of the bar. With
the thunderous tang of an F-minor chord, the man slowly rolled to his belly and
slithered out of the bar.
        
Meanwhile, Melissa and her assailant were having a standoff around another
small table. Surmising that she had no escape in either direction, the bronze
skinned man brazenly attempted to leap over the table, but with mixed results.
While he’d managed to get his meaty hands on Melissa’s waist, the cost was at
his own footing. He was now sprawled across the tabletop. Melissa dropped an
elbow between his shoulder blades, causing him to instantly release his