The Space Spoon novel Chapter 85

After a while, another creature of the same species swam toward Tejeda. It looked like the guard who left, but this one had a darker green hue while its fins were almost white. Could this be the way they showed their age? Was this the equivalent of white hair or something?

Tejeda looked at his emerald scales and smirked. This female body was young if the green shade was the indicator. A sly thought scrambled through his mind, and he looked down. Even though they were covered in scales, he had boobs again. The smirk widened.

When the High Chancellor arrived, Princess Allanna was in a pleasant mood, her white, sharp teeth showing clearly. He let himself land on the ocean bottom once he quit flailing his fins and tail. Floating when a monarch was on two feet would have been an act of contempt.

Princess Allana didn’t give him the courtesy of waiting on the ritual of homage, but instead, she started nervously clicking her tongue.

“Care to tell me, High Chancellor, what’s with these new air-breathers in my airarium?”

"Don't you recall? I gave your pet some company since you felt it looked unhappy and lonely. On Genoria Prime, this was the most entertaining bunch I could discover." He paused to look at the princess. “Is there something wrong with you, Princess?”

“No. I’ve just eaten something that didn’t settle quite well.” Tejeda smirked more to himself since he was the Princess’ dinner. “And how did you pick exactly these?”

When the word "exactly" reached his receptor gland at a greater frequency than usual, the High Chancellor pulled away.

"They were suggested to me by certain traders. I assumed it would make your pet happy, and so, you."

Upon looking inside the airarium, the High Chancellor’s fins fluttered uncontrollably. “Excuse me for a moment, Princess Allanna.”

He walked on the ocean floor with great difficulty, using only his legs to progress since he couldn't break the law. Once he reached the other side of the airarium, he gasped, the water invading his mouth.

The residences were precisely positioned to allow one to view everything within the glass cage on this side. Because no barriers were breaching the sight, a comprehensive study of the homes was also possible. Aside from the previous inhabitant, he could count four new air breathers.

The High Chancellor turned to Princess Allanna, who had followed him to this side of the airarium.

"One of them is gone. There were five."

“Is that so?” Princess Allanna’s slitted pupils narrowed even further. “I’ve been here for a while now, and I’ve seen only these four.”

The High Chancellor’s tail fluttered nervously, waving through the water at a high pace. “There were five! Tejeda Hajar is missing!”

“How do you know their captain’s name?” A purple gleam came across Princess Allanna’s eyes.

Rahul shuffled forward, his gravelly clicks sharpened by hate. "Your buddies lasted longer than expected. Even if you fight me, it won’t change the outcome. She will kill them all, one way or another."

“She?”

“You’ll find it soon enough.”

The metallic taste of blood filled the water as Tejeda coughed. The flavor was one he had grown quite accustomed to during fights. Regardless of his taste buds, the twinge was the same in all species. He had to kill Rahul before he would kill a member of his crew. Then it would be too late. But could he kill the last Nubilae who retained self-conscience except for himself? Or were there more? If so, would the others try to kill his crew as well?

Tejeda didn't have time to wait for his fellow Nubilae to tell him the truth. He swam horizontally through the water, angling his fins against the pain and slithering with his tail.

Rahul noticed the impending blow and attempted to avoid it, but Tejeda swirled through the water and pushed himself with his back to Rahul. The spikes on Tejeda's back pierced through Rahul's scales as the latter hissed with a snap of his tongue and sought to hold down his rival.

Bubbles came out of Rahul's mouth, and he lost his hold, spurting blood. Tejeda pulled the spikes out, used his uninjured lateral fin to turn, and tried to slash Rahul's throat with his claws.

The latter still had all of his fins intact and floated upward before Tejeda could follow. Tejeda's tongue dropped to one side in a mangled snarl. He urged his body to fight. Blood gurgling in his mouth, his forearms refused to listen. A shadow flickered, most probably his returning guard. He flipped into the water using his tail and darted toward the figure in the distance.