PART 29:
Trip contacted the ship and had them transport the dilithium up. He joined Liana and they headed towards the garden for a walk. They held hands, both of them happy that they were together again.
They entered the garden.
"Who is this Drak person anyway?" Trip asked.
"He's a steward," Liana began to explain. "I met him when I first got here and he seemed nice at first, but then things changed. He was always around trying to get me to be with him and I didn't want anything to do with him."
"But he wouldn't take no for an answer," Trip said.
"I thought he understood," she said. "For a long time he left me alone."
"Until I showed up."
"Yes."
"He must really love ya to go to all this trouble," Trip said.
"I guess," Liana replied. "I just wish he would understand that I'll never feel the same way about him."
"Maybe we should tell your father," Trip suggested. "This way he won't bother you anymore."
"I already told him what Drak did. He told me he'd take care of it."
"Did you hear anything?" Trip asked.
"No," Liana answered. "I haven't seen my father since I told him."
Liana stopped walking and Trip turned to look at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Can't we find out later?"
"Don't you want to know what's going on?" Trip walked over to her.
"Of course I do."
"But?"
"We've wasted so much time already because of what Drak has done," Liana said. "And we don't have much more time together, you'll be leaving soon."
Trip continued to look at her. He knew she was right, within the next two days they would have the rest of the dilithium and would be returning to the ship.
"You're right," he said. "I'm sorry. We can find out what's going on later."
He held his hand out and she took a hold of it, they continued their walk through the garden.
Drak watched them from the shadows again. His rage he felt was fueled by seeing Liana with that human.
So she decided not to heed my warnings, he thought. Well that's just fine, he smiled. He was going to enjoy killing the human.
End of Part 29