Page 28 of Cops in Space
“A baby Tabor.” I plucked Gita off his face.“Say hello to Uncle Ben, Gita.”
“Hello. Why fur stick up like that?”
The shock on Uncle Ben’s face was hilarious. “I…ah…” He ran a hand over his hair and bushy beard.“I’ve been busy and how come I can understand her?”
“She’s psychic, and smart, and looking for her mother.”
“Oh.”Ben switched to English. “Kaelen said you were onboard a slaughter ship.”
“I was.”
“A Tai-Kok soldier’s metabolic rate keeps them on the edge of starvation. They probably ate her mother.”
“I know, but I’m not telling her that.”
Gita started playing with his beard.“Onkel fur funny.”
Uncle Ben patted her head awkwardly. Under his breath, he muttered,“A talking spider. Who knew.”
“The Tai-Kok experimented on Gita’s mom.”I flashed Uncle Ben mental pictures of the Tai-Kok scientist and his lab. “Meet your alien counterpart. He even has your hair.”
My uncle gave me the stink eye.“Har. Har.”
“Got any clues what kind of experiments he was doing?” I shoved the images of the dead critters, petri dishes full of white oblong objects and flasks filled with God knows what into his mind.
“Huh? Egg sacs. My best guess is his tests had something to do with Gita’s mom reproductive abilities,” Uncle Ben said.
Shivering, Gita curled under my chin.“Him want eat babies.”
“That sick sonovabitch! I’m so glad I vaporized him.”I stroked her soft fur.“You’re part of my family now, and don’t worry. I’ll keep looking for your momma.”
“Kay. Him my Onkel?”
I kissed her little head.“Yes.”
Uncle Ben gaze fixed on Nix.“Is that another alien baby?”
“It is.”
“Any more surprises I should know about?”
I grinned.“Wait until you meet the father of my son. He’s an Askole.”
“Son? You have a baby? How is that even possible? Does your father know?”
“Yes, Dad knows all about Jaxor and it’s a fascinating story. Speaking of fascinating, when did Qa’a give you psychic abilities?”
A shudder shook him.“About a week ago he just popped in and said I needed to be able to communicate with all the lifeforms you would be dealing with. That was one freaky ass experience. I never, ever want him in my head again.”
I laughed.“I hear ya. Did he give you a tattoo?”
“He did.”
Nix morphed into a gigantic mouth with rows of sharp teeth and snapped at Uncle Ben.
“Holy shit!” Uncle Ben pulled his laser pistol and backed away. “What the hell kind of monster is that?”
Uncle Saul strode into the room. “Put your weapon away. That is a baby Katanic. You damage him and Qa’a will eat you.”
