I Dare You  

"You want to tell me why you've all of a sudden decided that we need supplies?" asked He'dtaalh, his upper lip curling back in condensation.

"For once, I agree with the warrior," nodded Vi'dta. "Why, when we have an unknown alien species hiding on our ship, are we out grabbing additional supplies?"

About ten males were boarding the runner that would take them from the Retribution to the trading station. There was nothing overly special about the station. There were three major rings, held together by three beams, floating around in space.

While it was anchored to the Najari moon, it could fly away on its own if necessary. It was just Ba'dqeel's luck that there was a trading station so close after he got off the comms with Da'kea.

"First of all, it isn't our ship. It's my ship," snarled Ba'dqeel. Really, his brother damn well better appreciate just how well he was able to hold back his need for bloodshed every time his nephew opened his mouth. "And second of all. It is none of your business. No one asked you to go to the station."

Vi'dta smiled tightly as Tu'sub closed the door of the runner and gently lifted off the hanger bay floor. "Too late now, Uncle."

It was only a matter of chwila before the runner docked at the station. Five of the males, their supply list in hand, went in one direction while Ba'dqeel, He'dtaalh, Zua'the, and the other two remained standing by the hatch.

"Aren't you going?" asked Vi'dta, his head cocked to the side as he smiled at Ba'dqeel.

"If you must know, I have a diplomatic meeting with the Saalistaja. Did you really want to intrude?" demanded Ba'dqeel. He was lying through his teeth, but there was a sense of satisfaction when his nephew turned a pale shade of grey.

The Saalistaja were feared for a reason, and most species avoided them at all cost.

Spinning around on his heels, Vi'dta and Nai'dqa stalked away, looking for a restaurant or bar of some kind.

-----

"You are here for a meeting?" demanded Zua'the, his eyes narrowing. He knew about every meeting and interaction on Ba'dqeel's schedule and there wasn't a single mention of the Saalistaja.

"We need furs," replied the ambassador, strolling away toward one of the lifts. They would need to be on the second ring if they wanted to find anything for their mate. The first ring was just for pleasure. Gambling, eating, drinking, females… it was all there.

The second ring was for shopping. If it could be bought or sold out in the open, it was on the second ring.

The third ring was for anything that needed to remain in the dark. Slaves, weapons, drugs… anything that might even be remotely illegal was done out in the open in the third ring.

"I'm sorry," blinked He'dtaalh. "Did you really say that we needed furs?"

He asked the question like Ba'dqeel had said they needed to buy shit. Furs were gross, something that only the lesser beings would be interested in.

There was no way someone as high ranking as Ba'dqeel would even suggest that they buy…

Furs.

"Yes," hissed the ambassador as the lift opened, taking them to the second ring. Ships weren't allowed to dock directly on the rings, they were all relegated to one of the three beams keeping the rings together. "I have it on good authority that our mate will want fur when we can find her."

-----

The three males had been walking around for two catawr before finally coming across a vendor selling furs. It wasn't a Saalistaja. Instead, it was another feral race called the Njeriuujk. They had fur covering their body with a long, bushy tail behind them and a long muzzle coming out of their face.

It looked like they had never really evolved from their baser forms; the only thing they did that was different from an animal was that they walked on two legs instead of four.

"We want your furs," sneered He'dtaalh, looking at the creature in front of him. This was the first time he had ever really interacted with a Njeriuujk, and he was not happy.

"Which ones?" asked the creature, his massive head cocked to the side.

"All of them," stated Ba'dqeel, pulling on everything that he had learned as an ambassador to speak to the being in front of them.

The Njeriuujk blinked at them before letting out a snort. "Why are you buying my furs?" he asked. "The entire universe knows that your species doesn't lower themselves to touching the skins of beasts."

"It's none of your damn business why we want them," snarled Zua'the. "If you aren't willing to sell them to us, we'll just go find someone else to do it."

"Seeing as I am the only one on this station selling furs, I think you'll have a hard time doing that." Letting out a sigh, the Njeriuujk rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Since you know nothing about what you are asking about, I will explain things to you."

He picked up a large, black fur blanket that was probably big enough to cover even Ba'dqeel from head to toe. "This is from a medvjed- a creature from the moon of Xunzarus. It is much softer than most other furs and is generally prized for its texture and warmth. This is a konjin," he continued, holding up a brownish fur that was much smaller than the previous one.

"While it is soft, too, it is much smaller and would be used to warm parts of a body or sewed together to form a bigger blanket."

"It's for our mate," sighed He'dtaalh, the fight going out of him as he studied all of the pelts in front of him. This was for their mate, not for them. They had to choose well.

"Your mate?" asked the Njeriuujk before his entire demeaner changed. "There are only two species that I know demand furs as part of their mating ceremonies… and I don't see you with either one."

"I think you are mistaken about something," murmured Zua'the, leaning closer to the seller. "I have no problem killing you and just taking everything that you have."

The Njeriuujk smiled at them, his white teeth flashing. "Try it. I beg you."