"I'm going to check on my slave" said Aisha to the guard. The guard nodded and moved to one of the Terran kids. The Terran child was perhaps a year older than Jim was. The Terran child looked at the guard with distain but didn't do anything. He knew that he wouldn't last long against a Ctarl-Ctarl. The guard smiled down at the child and licked his lips. The Terran child just blinked and made a gesture that said plainly "I'm yours" Aisha walked out of the room with the 200 Terrans in it and headed towards Engineering where Jim was asked to go too. Her belly sloshed back and forth with the meal in it. The child within her stomach had cleary given up and accepted his fate. Aisha could hear soft sobs coming from the child. Aisha paid no attention to the crying in her gut. She had eaten enough Terrans so that it didn't effect her if they were crying in her gut. It may sound cruel, but only the strongest survive out here in space, and Terrans weren't that strong...but they knew how to breed like rabbits. Aisha felt no remorse for the child in her gut, because that was a sign of weakness on the Orta Hone-Hone. Aisha made the decision of not eating children in front of Jim. Jim would be horrified at Aisha's actions. Aisha wouldn't eat Jim if she was starving. But, if Jim saw Aisha eating Terran children, he wouldn't want to be with Aisha anymore probably.
Aisha walked into Engineering to see everybody hard at work. She scanned the Engineering Room and spotted Jim talking to Paige and Trisha in a corner. Aisha smirked. It looked like Jim was making some Ctarl-Ctarl friends. Aisha walked over to the three.
"...and then, Gene said.." Jim was saying when Aisha was within earshot. He stopped at once when he saw Aisha. Paige and Trisha looked around and snapped to attention. Jim looked at Aisha's bloated gut. It seemed not as big when she ate an adult. Maybe the adult she ate was short.
"Are the engines alright now?" asked Aisha.
"Yes, Ma'am" said Paige. "Ji...err, your slave was a big help"
"I'm glad to hear it" said Aisha. "I knew he would make a good slave once I saw him. Now..."
"Commander Clan-Clan" said Paige, working up her courage. "I have a request. Can I buy your slave from you? I saved up all my money and I think I have enough to buy him off of you"
Aisha quirked an eyeborw, and so did Trisa. Jim just stared at Paige in disbelief.
It wasn't unusuall for Ctarl-Ctarl to trade slaves with each other; in fact, it was a normal thing to happen. Usually, Ctarl-Ctarl traded slaves for heaps of money...if money was a problem, then a slave would be traded in favor of a new slave. Most of the crew of the Orta Hone-Hone had Terran slaves, except for Paige. Trisha had a slave in her room.
"You want my slave?" asked Aisha. "well, he ain't for sell at any price"
"I'll pay anything" said Paige. "but, please, give your slave to me"
"No dice" said Aisha. If Aisha traded Jim off, then Jim wouldn't last a day longer without Aisha being there with him.
"Paige.." said Trisha. "I'm willing to buy Jim off the commander too in exchange for my slave"
"Heh, I saw your slave earlier" said Aisha. "little scrawny thing. You know I like to eat big fat Terrans"
"I'll give you all the.." started Paige.
Jim was about to say something, but stopped short when he heard muffled crying coming from Aisha's gut. The muffled crying was soft and fading, and sounded like it was coming from a kid. Jim looked at Aisha's face,but Aisha was looking at Paige.