Talon

Lianne and I sat across from each other at the long table. At the far end, Vayne cut off a piece of fruit with his dagger. It was grotesque smelling and equally nasty looking. It looked like a purple banana but despite my revulsion, he seemed to take pleasure in it. He closed his eyes and chewed so slow it was like watching in slow motion. Vayne took pleasure in everything it seemed, based upon the riches which adorned his ship.

Lianne’s fingers drummed the table’s surface impatiently. My foot took on its own kind of spastic rhythm against the leg of the table while we waited for Vayne to swallow. “Why do you keep us here?” I finally blurted.

He swallowed, wiped the dagger carefully on a napkin and slid it back into its sheath—a leather scabbard obscenely inlaid with gold that was most likely won during some random game of chance on some godforsaken planet against some sucker. Vayne’s gambling stories were as numerous as his treasures.

Laying the dagger gently upon the table he flicked a seed off the table. “You are here because I have orders to keep you here.”

“Orders from who? Lianne demanded.

“That isn’t important,” he huffed. “What is important is that you remain here until otherwise necessary. Safety is of the utmost priority.”

“I don’t need anyone to keep me safe,” Lianne growled.

Vayne looked at her and laughed. “Bugger off then. It’s not you I’m concerned with.”

A look of concern washed over her before she turned toward me. “Is he in danger?”

Vayne removed his dagger and began picking his teeth. “These are dangerous times we live in. Isn’t everybody in some kind of danger at one time or another?”

“Your riddles are beginning to drive me crazy,” I responded angrily. “Can’t you give us a straight answer for once?”

Vayne removed the blade from his teeth. His mouth twisted and for the first time since our initial meeting I spied anger in his expression. As quickly as it came, it disappeared. “I thought I did,” he replied calmly.

I rose angrily and slammed my fists on the table. “Screw you and screw your riddles, I’m outta here.” I hurried to the door.

Startled, Lianne rose and hurried after me. Before either of us could reach the door, Vayne flicked his wrist and his dagger crashed into the wall about three inches from my nose. He moved around the table with a swift feline grace to stand between us and the door. “It’s not my riddles that are keeping you alive, Cartographer.”

“Is it your witty banter?” I mocked.

Vayne brayed like a donkey. “I like you Cartographer. I will miss you when you’re dead.”

I frowned. “Well that’s reassuring.”

Vayne yanked the dagger from the wall and slipped it back into its sheath before seating himself. “Reassurance is not really my game. To be honest, babysitter is not really my thing either but it was what I have been tasked to do until backup arrives.”

“Backup?” I asked. “We have allies down there.” I gestured at the window, toward the planet below. “All you need to do is land.”

His expression suddenly became serious. “Your confidence in your allies can be your undoing, Cartographer. Be wary of those you call friend.”

“I knew most of those people since I was barely out of my mother’s womb,” Lianne shouted. “Nobody down there plans to hurt us so you can stop the act.”

Vayne stared at her for a long time. Tension fell over us like a blanket. He studied her to decide if she was one of the questionable ones. Lianne didn’t flinch. She was a fighter in all that she did and never backed down, despite the odds. The silence was broken by the beeping of the intercom. Vayne stood up and strolled over to the wall mounted unit.

“Yes?”

“The enemy has been sighted. Their forces have landed on the planet, sir.”

“Thank you.” Vayne turned from the intercom and flashed us a toothy smile. “And now we shall put your friend’s allegiance to the test.”