Pathways - Jeri Taylor [158]
That and Rhuludian crystals, of course.
Neelix realized that as his mind had wandered, Wix had continued to speak. Neither seemed aware that the other was essentially communing with himself, a fact which Neelix found amusing. He chuckled a bit.
The more he thought about it, the funnier it seemed, and soon he was laughing out loud, drawing curious stares not only from Wix but from the other passengers as well. He clapped Wix on the shoulder in a gesture of goodwill and solidarity, and was gratified when Wix threw his arm around him in a brotherly hug.
A brother. That’s what Wix would become to him. Neelix felt tears of happiness sting his eyes as he realized the pain of the past was no more, and that he had a family once again. He probably wouldn’t even need the crystals anymore.
They found their ship, a battered but serviceable scout vessel, in a vast graveyard overseen by a huge Wellyump, one of a beastlike species with a reputation for being hard bargainers—a reputation Neelix and Wix soon found to be accurate. In the end, they had to relieve the mountainous, hirsute creature of the battered vessel they wanted through subterfuge: after giving him a few drinks of sokrit, a potent liquor, Neelix engaged him in a game of cards, which Neelix managed to win because he had inhaled crystals and his mind was nimble. The Wellyump’s senses, on the other hand, were muddied by the sokrit, and he couldn’t remember to count his cards. Neelix won game after game, each time collecting a precious gemstone from his opponent’s gradually shrinking pile.
The danger in all this was triggering the Wellyump’s legendary temper, but Neelix wasn’t worried. He was capable of controlling the situation until Wix had made off with the ship. He knew the big behemoth would keep playing, desperate to regain his jewels.
“I’m a fair man, sir, and I offer you the chance to recoup these splendid gems. How about this: one game in which you stand to gain much, and lose little. If I lose—and surely I’m due, don’t you think?—you recover everything.” Neelix spread the sparkling jewels on the table, the light catching their luster. “And if you lose—you owe me only one more.”
The big creature opposite him settled in his chair with a grunt. Rolls of fur-covered fat undulated around his body, quivering. He reached again for the sokrit cup and swigged deeply. Finally he looked up at Neelix through drooping eyes. He nodded.
The sad thing was, Neelix thought, it wasn’t even a challenge. The Wellyump was so besotted he could hardly see the cards, much less play them with any precision. That’s what drunkenness did to you, and he thanked the fates that he didn’t partake of such destructive substances.
He won the game easily, and his opponent sagged in his chair, inebriated and defeated. A wheezing gurgle emitted from deep in his throat, and Neelix wondered if this was a warning. He decided to be politic, and sacrifice some of his gains in order to insure his safe departure from this potentially dangerous being.
“Sir, you’ve been a challenging opponent, and I enjoy a game well played. Because of my respect for you, I’ll share these winnings with you.” He scooped up roughly half of the jewels and shoved them across the table to the Wellyump, who seemed dazed and uncomprehending, but who nonetheless put out a hairy claw to receive the proffered booty. Little grunts emanated from him, though what their interpretation was Neelix didn’t know. Shoveling his gems into his sack, he pretended to quaff a drink from his cup and rose. He backed toward the door, smiling genially and waving.
The Wellyump had passed out, collapsing on top of his recovered jewels, which he cradled to him like a litter of babies.
Neelix moved through a passageway in the station, and saw through an airlock that Wix had the decrepit-looking ship docked and ready, and in minutes they had departed the graveyard, laughing at how easy