Love Me, Love Me Not

They cantered the track through the last of the hills and into the compound that held the ranch house and offices. Reed slowed the big horse to a walk. Damitts spread out to surround the main house; a few crouched in a semi-circle around each corner.


Saile thumbed the setting on her blaster - far right, set to kill. Once she got in the room, she'd have a clear shot at that lying scum of an uncle. She loosened the blaster in her holster, slid to the ground and followed Reed past the damitts and up the steps into her house.


#


Her uncle stood in the center of the room, sweating and cursing, a rumpled bundle of papers in his hand. A taller man stood beside him, Teffen, his goons in tow.


"Hello Teffen." Reed nodded and smiled politely. Saile's fingers twitched toward her blaster and Reed casually draped his arm over her shoulder.


"Sign the transfer, Jorge." Teffen took the papers from Saile's uncle and opened them to a back page.


Jorge stared at Saile. His jowls quivered and the red tinge to his face darkened a shade as he shook his finger at her. "You little turncoat," he said. "How dare you steal your own stock."


"Shut up Jorge," Teffen said. "We don't need her anymore, don't want her if she's been out with him."


Reed's arm tightened reflexively around Saile.


Teffen took the papers and signed on the line he'd indicated needed Jorge's signature.


"We seem to have a little problem Teffen," Reed said. "Jorge doesn't own this ranch. I do. And it's not for sale."


Teffen's henchmen shifted uneasily. They watched Reed, their fingers twitched toward their weapons.


"The problem is that you have my llamas." Teffen motioned to his henchmen. "Stun him."


Saile yanked her blaster from the holster and fired at her uncle. Jorge dove for the floor. The henchmen fired. Reed's blast hit the nearest one; he convulsed into his partner, throwing off the other man's aim. The beam grazed Reed and his second shot went wild. Saile slapped the recharge on her blaster and melted a fist-sized hole in the remaining off-worlder's chest.


Teffen snatched the deeds and ran, but froze stock-still in the doorway. Jorge scrambled over the dead guards and edged his way to Saile, his blaster pointed at Reed. At the last instant Jorge turned his weapon from Reed to Saile. "You screwed this deal up," he said, "you're coming with us."


Saile stared at the barrel pointed at her by her uncle. Her fingers twitched against the hilt of her blaster, still charging. She darted, too late; Jorge lunged and caught her. He pressed the tip of his weapon to her head, and thumbed the recharge. The subtle vibrations of it charging burned her temple. Reed slowly spread his open palms away from the second blaster that waited in his belt.


Jorge pulled Saile to the door and pushed his way past Teffen. Saile took a deep breath. The damitts churned in an agitated, chattering pack, pacing and snuffling in front of the house. They snarled and snapped, keening as they milled ever closer.