Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
But then there was another layer and another and another and even more after that! There were also three sets of socks, a special pair of boots, three pairs of gloves and one pair of mittens that went over them. And Sir also synthesized me a furry scarf and a face wrap as well as a fur hat that tied under my chin.
Once I had all of it on, I looked like a furry bowling ball and felt like I was baking. How cold was this damn planet, anyway? Weren’t we going to be inside a building the whole time? It just seemed like overkill.
But Sir wouldn’t budge when I whined and begged to take off a layer of two. He insisted that I was “too delicate” and that he had to protect me from the cold.
“It’s so frigid on the surface of O’nagga Nine, you would freeze to death in mere merns,” he told me, frowning. “I refuse to risk my precious pet in such extreme temperatures.”
“But we’re not going to be on the surface, are we?” I asked. “Or at least not for long. I thought we were going to be parking right across from Baron Vik’tor’s building and going right inside.”
“Even a few merns on the surface can be dangerous for one with a delicate constitution and a body that is unable to self-regulate its temperature,” Sir said. “If you want to come with me and partake in the feast, you must wear everything I have synthesized for you.”
I saw he was putting his foot down and wasn’t open to negotiation on this point, so I sighed and nodded.
“Fine,” I grumbled. “But we’d better get to the planet quickly. If I have to stay in these furs inside the ship for much longer, I’m going to have a heat stroke.”
Sir frowned.
“Is this something that often happens to humans?”
“It does when they overheat,” I said. “And I’m getting really overheated right now.”
He shook his head and muttered something about primitive people who couldn’t control their body temperature.
“Hey—just because I can’t set my own temperature doesn’t mean I’m primitive!” I exclaimed, putting a hand on my hip—which I could barely feel through eight layers of fur. The outer coat was the worst—it was three times as thick as the others and it fell to my ankles. I felt like a walrus in this getup! All I needed was a tail, some tusks, and a big set of whiskers.
“You’ll be glad for every one of those layers once I open the door to the ship and we step out,” Sir told me. “Which I am about to do now, because the ship has landed. Come here to me, little one.”
He motioned to me and I came to stand obediently by his side. Sir was also dressed in layers—though not nearly as many as me. He looked rich and important in his long synthi-fur coat. It was velvety black which made his gray skin look even more like expensive, imported marble.
“Get ready to move quickly,” he said. “We need to get from the parking area to the Baron’s building as fast as possible.”
“I’m ready,” I assured him.
He frowned down at me.
“Adjust your scarf and face covering, little one. Not a bit of your skin must be exposed to the elements.”
I sighed and did as he said—no easy task with the triple layers of gloves and the mittens covering my hands. At last Sir seemed satisfied because he nodded at me.
“All right—let’s go.”
Then he opened the door and a gust of wind so cold it took my breath away swept into the ship.
“Come on.” Sir had me by the hand and the ship’s shiny silver door was closing behind us almost before I could react.
I gasped and wished that I hadn’t—the icy wind went down my throat like a sword made of ice. It was so cold it burned and breathing it made my lungs ache. Also, ice crystals formed immediately on my eyelashes, which was something I had never experienced before—not even in the coldest Virginia winter.
“Little one? Are you all right?” Sir demanded, looking down from his great height. “Shall I carry you?”
He had wanted to do so, but I had talked him out of it earlier, saying I could handle myself. Now, I wasn’t so sure. Still, I shook my head stubbornly. I didn’t want to be carried around like a baby or a pet—especially not when we were about to meet someone important.
“I’m okay. Just…getting used to it,” I assured him.
Taking tiny sips of air to get myself acclimated to the extreme temperature, I concentrated on keeping up with my Master’s long strides.
The ship had landed on a large black square of land that was coated in some kind of rough asphalt. Several other ships were parked nearby—at least, I thought they were ships. They were all covered in thick tarps which showed nothing but vague outlines.