Condition Evolution 3: A LitRPG / Gamelit Adventure by Kevin Sinclair (ereader with dictionary .txt) 📕

“I’ll take your word for it,” he said, then fell into conversation with Calegg. From what I could hear, it was mainly about the good old days. Seemingly, they had been close friends.

It took a while, but finally Moulagg arrived. He was an older Torax with a similar bulk to Koparr and a commanding appearance, or rather a ‘don’t fuck with me if you know what’s good for you’ appearance. “Koparr, Dolegg!” He boomed. “What's going on here then?”

“I brought the guards in to arrest these off-worlders…”

“And his son,” Koparr added, helpfully.

“…they threaten to destabilize the fragile peace we have with the Empire,” Dolegg continued, riding over the interruption.

Moulagg laughed at that, “Peace?”

“Dolegg rejected an offer for a fair price on the Suldr from his own son and the captain here,” Koparr added, pointing to me.

“What was the fair price?” Moulagg asked everyone.

I answered, “I offered 15 Senlar per Suldr, and my offer was refused. The Chancellor informed me he can only accept four.”

Moulagg's eyes went wide, “You refused more money, Dolegg?”

“We are only permitted to sell for four senlar, as per our agreement with the Empire. My hands are tied, and I don’t intend to hide money from their auditors.”

Moulagg went from a mildly terrifying, cool, calm alien to just downright terrifying in a second.

“An insulting agreement, which you signed for some insane reason, Dolegg! Apparently, for all of our own good. I can’t remember there being any stipulations on not taking more money for our Suldr. Aside from that, please explain why you would try to have your own son arrested?”

“He is a traitor. Bringing these off-worlders here with the intention of smuggling our people from the planet. If the Empire discovered why they were here, only trouble would follow.”

“We hoped to find willing crew members,” Calegg added, calmly.

Moulagg acknowledged Calegg’s statement, then turned to Dolegg again. “Let me get this straight. You tried to arrest your own son and his captain for offering more money on our only export, and offering a genuine route for our people to leave this planet?” he said, eyes almost popping out of his head with the intensity of his gaze.

“It is best that our people do not leave the planet. I say again, only trouble will follow,” Dolegg replied, calmly.

“Damn it, Dolegg. There are no rules against leaving. They have just crippled our ability to leave and have slandered us across the universe. This could be a step to start making things right with the people of the galaxy; show them we’re not the animals we have been made out to be! But you try and prevent it?” He let out a loud huff. “I cannot tolerate you any longer. I am calling a council of judgment on you. Until then, you are under house arrest!”

“Are you serious, Moulagg? You want to go down this route with me?” Dolegg replied, a mix of anger and bewilderment, “You know this won’t go how you expect it to, don't you?”

“You're a damned, shit-eating worm Dolegg, and all I can do is try. Koparr, please escort Dolegg to his home.”

Koparr and his men did as asked, leaving us three remaining in the cool room with Moulagg.

“Come on then, young Calegg, tell me everything.”

Calegg looked sheepishly at me and Ember.

“Go ahead,” I said.

Calegg regaled Moulagg of everything that had happened since he met us. Plus what he knew of our history. It was strange hearing our story from someone else's lips who'd been there. And strangely empowering.

When he finished, Moulagg spoke to Ember and me, “So, you’ve no prejudice against the Torax?”

“The opposite, having befriended Calegg,” I said.

“You understand that you’ll be viewed in a certain way if you have Torax crew members?”

Ember flashed a confident smile at Moulagg, “Our aim is to have many crew members. It seems there are plenty of races in this galaxy that are mistreated. Providing they're good people, we’ll have them all. And if we can collect as many as possible, perhaps we’ll be able to change a few of the injustices going on.”

“That’s a lofty desire. To be honest, it sounds more like a death wish going against the Fystr and the Galactic Empire while making enemies of the Mazltor.”

“Go big, or go home,” Ember said. I was happy for her to take this conversation on. She was generally more articulate than me, at least when she wasn’t being acerbic.

“Well, if you're judged by the caliber of your enemies, then you’re judged highly. I’m inspired by your attitude and will help you pick our toughest, most level-headed warriors. I hope you look after them and help ease the oppression the Torax live under.”

“I promise you, we’ll try best on both counts. It’s a tough galaxy out there, and we want to make it a little better if we can,” she replied, and Moulagg nodded.

“There is one problem though,” he said.

“Yes?”

“Our customs are entrenched in our minds, and no Torax will follow an off-worlder if you cannot beat them in single combat.”

“What?” Ember said animatedly, “That’s bullshit. Calegg follows, and you can't expect Shaun to fight every crew member.”

I was glad Ember summed up everything I thought.

“We’ll crush them all,” Havok said in my head.

“Thanks, bud,” I replied.

Moulagg, obviously unable to hear Havok, continued, “Calegg is not a warrior. It’s not his way. Our warrior caste follows an exacting code. You will only have to fight the strongest among them, whoever that may be. I believe that even if you were to simply put up a good fight, they’d still follow you. Do you think you can stand up against one of our warriors?” he asked, turning to me.

Ember was about to refuse, but I answered quickly, “Sure I can. Why not! I'll do it, Moulagg.”

Moulagg looked surprised, but continued, “It’ll take a few days to find out who wants to go and who should get to go. Where will you be staying?”

“In this damn heat, I think we’ll be best off heading back