Anawar stepped forward to calm his guards. He did not want any premature discharge of their weapons should the occupants of the ship flinch the wrong way. That could get messy.
And besides, he might actually see a Klin emerge from the doorway in the pedestal, and not a Human. To see a Klin in the flesh would be the most momentous event in his life. An actual Klin!
To his disappointment, no Klin emerged from the circular ship. Instead there appeared a Human, about a full head shorter than he, wearing a light tan shirt with an open front, displaying a primitive-looking series of abdominal muscles for all to see. Disgusting. The creature had dirty yellow hair, bright blue eyes and a redness on the left side its face which appeared to be a healing wound. The creature’s arms were bare below the shoulders and exhibited a remarkable degree of musculature — Anawar had read that these creatures were extremely strong and quick with their reactions. Overall, the beast looked primitive and savage, as all the reports had indicated.
Yet the expression on the face, coupled with the sharpness of the eyes, led Anawar to believe that this being also possessed a hidden intelligence not mentioned in the reports. He would have to careful with this one-
And then Anawar involuntarily took a step backwards, as another Human appeared, followed by another and then another. In a moment, Anawar Fe Batlin, Overlord of the Juirean Expansion, was experiencing an emotion he had never felt before. His heart was racing and he felt a flushness on his face. He knew this to be fear — and standing before him was the catalyst.
He now counted thirteen Humans standing before him, all dressed in a variety of tattered and dirty clothing. Some were even larger than the yellow-haired one; there was even a black one, and of a size almost equal to his own. There was an obvious female in the group as well, yet from her demeanor she appeared as an equal to the males, both in resolve and toughness. In the back stood two other creatures, a Belsonian and a Fulqin, yet Anawar could not take his eyes off the Humans.
The Overlord could sense the tenseness in his guards; if he was feeling as such, then surely the non-Juireans manning the flash rifles must be on the verge of panic. Anawar looked over at the sentries and calmly spoke: “Stand at ease. Do not fire unless ordered.”
The row of sentries appeared to relax, even more so when five Juirean Guards entered the landing bay, also armed with flash rifles. They took up positions on either side of the Overlord. Good, Counselor Timino is observing, Anawar thought. He has sent reinforcements.
The yellow-hair Human took two steps forward — he was apparently their leader. “What now, boss?” the creature asked.
Gathering his courage, Anawar himself stepped forward until he was only an arm’s length from the formidable beast. “I am Overlord Anawar Fe Batlin. You and your crew are now prisoners of war. Your ship will be confiscated and-”
Anawar broke off as an excited voice blared through the microphone in his ear. He raised his hand to the side of his head in an involuntary reaction to the sound. “My Lord!” said his Counselor through the link. “Facial recognition has just identified the Human with which you are speaking. It is Adam Cain, my Lord! Adam Cain!”
Anawar suddenly locked eyes with those of the alien. He took a step back. “You are the terrorist Adam Cain!” the Overlord said in a voice that echoed throughout the landing bay.
The creature raised his eyebrows and his lips began to stretch wider across his face. “That didn’t take long. I suppose my mug shot is plastered everywhere from here to Timbuktu.”
“Yes, you are well-known to all Juireans. Your murderous exploits have been related in all their bloody detail. I am also aware that you had been in transit to Juir when you escaped from your captivity, killing nearly all of the crew aboard a Class-3 battlecruiser.” Anawar heard a murmur run through the non-Juirean guards in the landing bay.
“I had help,” Adam Cain said, cocking his head sideways slightly. “Now that we’re all acquainted, I return to my original question: what now?”
Anawar’s chest was exploding with excitement — and trepidation. Here was the infamous Adam Cain, standing before him, and within his custody. There was only one thing he could do.
“You, Adam Cain, will be presented to Council Elder Hydon Ra Elys, the leader of the Juirean Expansion, and the most powerful being in the galaxy. I will personally deliver you to him on our glorious homeworld of Juir!”