Chapter 5
Gaitha struggled not to laugh at what she saw before her. He was obviously a splice but he was tiny and had a thin nose that was red on the tip, ears that stood out sideways, buck teeth, and tiny little feet. She was reminded of a "dandy" from some of the history and books she had read. Completing that picture was the white wig he had on his head with the curls reminiscent of the wigs worn by British Parliament. Even his voice was a little high. No wonder he needed a large Sargorn to protect him.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Gaitha asked.
"I want nothing from you my dear, but I do want something from your mother and your father, something they took from me a long time ago. I see you do not recognize me so I don't believe your mother has told you how she killed my Lord."
"If what you say is true then I think that my mother had no choice and it was self-defense. She would never intentionally murder someone."
"Believe what you will your Ladyship but to me it was murder. My name is Chicanery Knight and I worked for Lord Balem. My friend Greeghan here wants something from your father as well. Your father nearly killed him but I came along to free him from the hanging trap your father left him in after he maimed him."
From Greeghan came a deep growl that gave Gaitha goose bumps.
"What does all this have to do with me?"
"You are simply a means to an end my dear."
"You are going to ransom me and then kill me." Gaitha had no illusions about whether they would let her live or not and she believed that would likely set a trap for her parents.
"No you are too valuable to kill, not right away anyway. But you are quick and yes we are going to demand a ransom. Your parents destroyed an extremely productive refinery and caused the loss of millions in revenue from the Regenex produced there."
"Jupiter," breathed Gaitha.
"Yes, your father's zeal to rescue your mother caused the destruction of the refinery and your mother took the person who paid me well for my work and my loyalty. Lord Balem was a bit of a perfectionist and quite the snob but the pay was well worth putting up with his particular idiosyncrasies."
"If you were paid so well why do you need more and why did you wait so long to do this?"
"You were a well guarded child and we had to wait for the opportunity we needed to present itself. It finally did when we intercepted the delivery of your planet jumper and had our own people deliver it with us secretly ensconced inside it. When I learned that Lady Kalique was having it delivered to her alcazar I knew she would give it to you before your father could be there to inspect it which he surely would have demanded to do."
Gaitha knew this rat-like splice was right, If her father had been there, not only would he have inspected it, he would have come with her and brooked no resistance from her which she would not have given him anyway as she would have loved to have him with her on her first jaunt in her new jumper. She said nothing in response to his declarations.
"I will be happy to answer any other questions if you like. "
Gaitha looked him straight in the eye. "You know my father will hunt you down and kill you don't you?"
This time that rat didn't respond but instead she heard the harsh growl of Greeghan who said, "I look forward to it."
The rat simply smiled at her.
"You have all that you might need in here I believe?"
Gaitha did indeed have whatever she might need as she also had a stocked mini-fridge in her room. Gaitha also knew how she couldn't smell them when she had entered and gone through the jumper. She was close enough now to they had no scent at all and must have used a bonding sealant on themselves that covers them completely so their scent can not be detected. But she also knew they could not use it for more than about 4 hours at a time or they would die. Their pores would not be able to breathe. She knew they must have had to constantly wipe their scent in between or she would have detected it. But she knew her nose wasn't as good as her father's and they would have less of a chance of evading his tracking abilities.
"You do know that this jumper cannot portal right?" Gaitha thought this would be to her father's advantage as well as hers.
"Oh but we can. My gift to you for your birthday," snickered the rat.
Gaitha's heart skipped a beat at this news and she stared at the rat, trying to reign in her sudden fear. The rat gave her a wicked smile and once again locked her in her room.