|
|
 
|
Chapter 45 Katrina’s head hurt and the bright sun and Siri’s sharp tongue only made her feel worse. Chalee-Siri trudged along, silently enduring her mother’s lecture, interrupted only by occasional rebukes. She had grown withdrawn and sullen over the past year and her mother had shown her concern through extra nagging and harping. Katrina worried about her friend but cursed having to also bear the brunt of Siri’s “remedy”. "Don’t think that you’re in my good graces either,” Siri turned to rain her wrath on Katrina. “I was awake half the night because of all the ruckus from you and your Olvecks.” Katrina shrugged, knowing that she had been awake all night because of them and all of the night before. When they weren’t under attack from gourmet-loving natives they were trying to dig out of their pen or just bounce off its walls. Because of the noise, she was glad they were housed outside again but the threat posed by the indigenous people of the planet was always present. Even the stingy, rude clerk at the landing pad’s only store would be a welcome change to time spent with Siri. While the Caminees shopped for the Tri Katrina would once more look through the store’s limited supply of fabrics. Though she dedicatedly harvested the hair from her fifteen Olvecks, she was still unable to weave enough fabric to make more than a sleeveless tunic or half a pair of pants. The numbers grew every year but without new blood she worried that reproduction would soon end or genetic mutations resulting from inbreeding would soon come into play. Because all the credits she spent came from the Tri, and ultimately through the Caminees, she was wary of asking to purchase more Olvecks. Siri had been very vocal of her dislike for them and Cha-Lee generally sided with his wife on non-Zanespot-related matters. The shop owner muttered angrily under his breath as the three women entered and attempted to push his small wife into a back room. He nodded coldly to them and pointedly turned to the old man standing at the counter. They exchanged several hushed but heated words in their own language and shot dirty looks at Katrina before the old man started out. Katrina ignored them and began browsing the bolts of fabric. Nothing had changed in the store’s supply but she decided to give in and buy several meters of a semi-nice blend from Sena 3. She was about to have the order out when a familiar squealing sound caught her attention. A white blob of fur raced from the back room and under several tables of merchandise. The female native chased after it, screeching in her language. Katrina watched the pair and all fourteen of the Olvecks stretching out behind them. Katrina caught the Olveck being chased and dropped it into a deep pocket. The woman scowled at her but realized that she had fourteen more problems running loose before she could say anything. “Help me,” Katrina’s mind betted Chalee-Siri. Both girls/young women dropped to a stoop and began collecting Olvecks. They lured some with the Force and simply caught others as they zoomed about. They raced against the older woman who angrily cursed them and sought her property. When all fifteen Olvecks had been caught, the shopkeeper’s wife held only two. “How much for all fifteen?” Katrina demanded as she reached for the last two. “There were twenty.” “You lie, “ Katrina looked down her nose on the taller woman. “They are not pets,” the shopkeeper said disapprovingly as he came to stand beside his wife. “No. Nor are they food. How much?” “They have already been sold.” “Then you will have to take them from me.” “You threaten me with theft.” “I am offering to pay. What is the price?” Katrina’s voice grew tense. “They are not for sale.” “That is your choice.” Katrina turned to leave. The shopkeeper grabbed for Katrina’s arm but found himself thrown against a wall lined with colored jars. Many fell and broke on the floor as he fought to free himself of the invisible hand that had shoved him backwards. Katrina turned to face him again, gray and gold eyes glimmering with anger. “Will you now be reasonable?” The shopkeeper nodded and Katrina released him. He tumbled forward, knocking over his wailing wife. “I had planned to buy some of the gray bolt in the corner, there. I will pay double what I had expected to buy, for all fifteen Olvecks. Is that fair?” Again he nodded. Katrina told Siri how much to pay the couple and watched her apologize their way out of the store. Both girls suffered through another lecture on the walk back to the Tri but endured it with a series of conspiratorial grins and glances. |
