RAEFF (Jim Able: Offworld Book 6) by Ed Charlton (great books to read .txt) 📕

Raeffs because they are the ones who can put fire into society. Better to have someone with vision than a plug-butt! They stir up progress. They find ways to deal with problems that no one else would ever come up with.”

Jim was impressed by the enthusiasm and clarity that had come over the captain. His regard for his commander was strong enough to cut through the Lak-weed-induced haze.

The soldier next to Tamric spoke up. “Besides, like your friend here asked, life is short. We don’t have time to waste. We’ll be handing over to our sons.” Jim saw a shadow pass over the young Gul’s face. “We need to make progress while we can.” He finished with a glance at his captain to see if he’d spoken out of turn.

Jim thought for a moment about the things Marhan had told them. At the same time, he knew the Lak-weed was affecting him, but he could no longer think of that as negative. The edges of his thinking were beginning to blur in interesting ways. Invading their neighbors was just the sort of plan a madman might come up with. Marhan had talked of mating with Jorrs to save their species. That was in the same category. Jim’s thoughts began making their way to his mouth before he really wanted them to.

“I heard a rumor that your population is shrinking,” he said quietly.

The captain swore in his own language and gave Jim a deeply hostile stare. “What do you know of that?”

“Nothing.” Jim shrugged and looked out the window.

There was a pause as the captain studied the remains of his cigarette, and then the reply came.

“Well, it’s true. Our females are failing us. There aren’t enough pups being born. That’s one of the main reasons we have to follow this Raeff. He’s mated with a Jorr! It’s never been done before—at least not without the pups going bad. He’s a first-father to a Gul-Jorr cross that can walk and talk at the same time!”

“They go bad usually?”

“Oh yeah, drooling idiots, every time.”

He laughed and continued, stubbing out the end of his Lak-weed on the floor. “When we’ve invaded before, our forefathers always used to leave the females bearing as many as they could! No one thought it would ever work, you know, to have a good cross.”

Jim waited, unwilling to interrupt, hoping for more.

“This time we won’t be leaving them.”

The soldier in front of Jim snapped his jaws at his captain. “Gra! You’ve said too much!”

The captain looked up quickly and realized his mistake. He lunged across the benches and pinned Jim to the window. His claws ripped into Jim’s flight suit.

“Clever monkey! You are a spy!”

Their eyes were level, and Jim saw quick death staring from under the furry eyebrows. The Gul pressed his snout under Jim’s chin, and a deep growl vibrated through him.

One of the soldiers whispered, “Gra! You can’t kill it yet. They’re waiting for it.”

The canid turned his head slowly sideways, an eye fixed on Jim’s face. Jim felt the sharp points of teeth gently widen against his throat. The touch of a smooth tongue on his windpipe sent an unwelcome thrill through his body.

The captain stood back and looked down at him. “Prepare for death, monkey; it won’t be long.” He turned to the two sitting in front and said, “Another.”

They handed round more Lak-weed. The captain sat down and, with deliberate movements, strapped himself in again. He continued to stare malevolently at Jim over each long pull at his cigarette. Jim straightened up and rubbed the burning itch where the claws had cut him.

“Are you okay?” asked Tamric quietly.

“Sure,” Jim replied.

They traveled on in silence.

Tamric began to worry when Jim began talking in a language he had rarely heard.

Jim was speaking English, saying, “Monkey, monkey, monkey. Look at the monkey!”

Trying to avoid attracting attention, Tamric strained to see what Jim was looking at through the window. There was another vehicle alongside, traveling at the same speed.

Jim continued in English, “Never seen one of those before, have you? Monkey, monkey...that’s it, look at the monkey!”

Tamric’s apprehension grew rapidly as he watched Jim begin to gesticulate through the window at the driver.

Jim muttered, “This monkey knows what gets you mad. Your mother’s a whore dog-face! Look at what the monkey can do...”

Two things happened at once. One of the soldiers in front turned and called, “Hey, what’s it doing?” Then the other vehicle rammed them.

The noise of the collision had all four canids shaking their heads to flap their ears. The shock sent Jim sliding across the bench, and Tamric slid hard into the bony elbow and shoulder next to him.

The crash sheets crumpled and twisted round each other, locking the speeding vehicles together. After a few seconds, the noises of grinding metal and squealing tires rose to a deafening height. Then silence reigned, and the world spun around them.

Next Time

Our story continues in

JORR

Episode 7 of JIM ABLE: OFFWORLD

where Tella attempts to contact the influential scientist, Gritta Mel,

mother to the only Gul-Jorr hybrid.

Jim gets his first sight of the Gul space fleet he is tasked to destroy.

But, as on any mission, death waits around the next turn.

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JIM ABLE: OFFWORLD

Episode 7, JORR

Jim Able: Offworld - Jorr

Review

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Please write a short review.

Thanks!

EC

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The Aleronde Trilogy

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