Twinks in Space: Fantastic Voyage - Part Two - 42. Chapter 42 - Glinterdale

Lyoth and Stawren boarded the Galaxy Surfer again and launched it from Jitha. Once above the atmosphere, Lyoth input a specific location into the navigational computer, and Stawren activated the cavitation engine. The starship disappeared into the void.

“On to the eighth location?” she asked.

“Indeed we are. Let’s call Suoki and let him know we’ll be there soon.” He initiated the connection but got no answer. “Oh well, I picked this particular safe-house because it’s not too far from Jitha.” He pulled up the engine timer. “Sixty-two minutes, not bad. Fancy a snack?”

“Yeah, but let me call my aunt Thia first.” Stawren also did not receive an answer, and the two warriors headed into the ship’s kitchen.

An hour later, the Galaxy Surfer was descending toward the town of Glinterdale. They landed the ship right next to a starcraft neither of them recognized. Lyoth and Stawren stepped out into the darkness of the night.

“The Garnet Star,” she read from the vehicle’s nameplate.

“Wonder where he picked this up?” Lyoth added.

They approached the front door to the house, and Lyoth called out, “Captain Suoki?” but he got no reply.

“Where do you suppose he is?” Stawren asked as they entered.

Lyoth chuckled. “I have a guess. There’s a bar.”

Stawren perked up. “Do we wait for him here, or do we go to the bar?”

“Bar?” Lyoth replied.

“Bar it is!”

Lyoth led Stawren past the sign for Glinterdale and into the town. It was quiet, and the pair walked for quite a while without seeing anyone, but Stawren eventually spotted one of the Voscijas. The wolfish individual walked toward the light of a streetlamp, and for a moment, the person looked like their fur was black, but as the light hit them it revealed the Voscija to be indigo-purple. Their fur glistened in the glow from above before being swallowed in the darkness once more.

“What is that?” Stawren hissed under her breath.

Lyoth smiled. “Not what but who. That’s a Voscija. Their people were almost wiped out. Suoki and I helped relocate their remnant here about ten years ago.” Lyoth thought he might have recognized the individual, a man, but he was wearing a hat, and Lyoth did not get a clear look at him. Also, he remembered the Voscijas as sickly and frail. This man was strong.

Stawren stared at the dark-furred individual until they were out of sight. “Wow,” she whispered.

Lyoth chuckled. “I think you’re in for a surprise.”

After a little while longer, the two of them rounded a corner and Stawren gasped.

At the far end of the street, the blue lights of the Lapis Lupine were shining into the darkness, and in front of the tavern, many Voscijas were laughing and talking together. They seemed to be slowly heading away from the bar, and as Lyoth and Stawren approached, the pair of them were all but ignored.

They entered, and Lyoth called out for the green-furred bartender. “Hinta?”

Hinta was crouching behind the counter cleaning the lower rack of bottles, and he shot up when he heard Lyoth’s voice. “Lyoth!” he cried out in delight. “Suoki said you’d be here!” He looked around. “I think you just missed him. There was a concert here tonight, but it’s over and most everyone has left already.” He stepped out around the bar. “It’s great to see you, old friend.”

Lyoth and the green wolf-like man embraced. “It is so good to see you, Hinta.” Lyoth turned and added, “This is Stawren.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! What can I get for you both?” Hinta asked enthusiastically.

Lyoth smiled. “Looks like you’re closing for the night. You don’t have to make us anything.”

“I am closing, yes, and I’m famished! Would you two like to go get a midnight snack? Give me a few minutes to send the rest of my patrons home and I’ll lock up.”

Stawren and Lyoth headed back out into the dark street to wait for Hinta.

“Lyoth? It is you!”

“Thulla!” Lyoth replied in delight as the older Voscija man with the cane stepped up to him.

“I had a lovely evening chatting with Suoki,” Thulla declared. “So glad I caught you as well.”

“How are you, my dear friend?” Lyoth asked as they too wrapped their arms around each other.

“Life couldn’t be better!”

Lyoth turned one elbow akimbo, and Thulla hooked his arm into it. “I’m so glad to see the Voscijas thriving. Your people deserved peace and prosperity.”

Thulla let out a contented sigh. “It’s been a long road, but we are in a good place.”

“That’s so wonderful,” Lyoth replied. “Thulla, may I please introduce you to my companion, this is Stawren.”

Thulla reached out and Stawren took his furry hand.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Thulla.”

“The pleasure is all mine, child. Welcome to Glinterdale.”

She smiled. “Thanks so much!”

The blue lights of the Lapis Lupine blinked off and the street suddenly became much darker, with only the glow from a few overhead lamps. Hinta came out through the front door to his bar and locked the door. He turned. “Hello again, Thulla. Thanks for coming out tonight to support Rystiel. We’re about to head over to the late-night snack shack to meet up with Olunt. Wanna join us?”

“Oh, no thank you,” Thulla replied, “but enjoy your meal! This old fox is off to bed. Again, it was lovely meeting you, my dear,” he added to Stawren.

“You too,” she replied as Lyoth and Thulla embraced a second time.

“Lyoth, it was great to see you,” Thulla concluded, and he headed off toward his home.

Stawren turned to Hinta. “Who’s Olunt?”

Hinta gave Stawren and Lyoth a toothy grin. “Let’s head over to grab a bite, and I’ll introduce you to the man of my dreams!”

It was another hour and a half before Lyoth and Stawren returned to the safe house and finally reconnected with Captain Suoki.

“There you two are!” the big bearded fellow declared as they entered. “When I got back and saw the ship, I knew you had made it, but where have you been?”

Lyoth laughed. “We went to find you at the Lapis Lupine. Then we grabbed a bite to eat with Hinta.”

“Isn’t Hinta a doll?!” Captain Suoki asked Stawren.

She also laughed. “He’s great! Glad I got to meet him and Olunt.”

“Lyoth,” the captain said, turning to him, “there’s so much I need to fill you in on. Firstly though, Phentrom is fine.”

“I know. We talked to him. He’s staying with Fonith.”

“Oh, good, good,” Captain Suoki replied. “So on to Quigley. He’s become a close friend, and he needs help.”

“Wait a second,” Lyoth interrupted. “Isn’t Quigley the one who shot you and abducted Phentrom?”

“He is, but he’s a good man. I don’t know what led him to becoming a bounty hunter, but I know he’s not happy in that life and he’s trying to get out of it to be with his family.”

Lyoth nodded. “Okay, we’ll help him after we collect what we still need to get.”

Stawren sucked her teeth and said, “Godstroll blood.”