Preacher Man Page 3

“Outlaw, me mudder’s behind…I was the heir to the throne. That was me only crime!”

  “I know, Da’…”

  The strangest thing was that his father’s ghost had hooked up with him on the freighter. He remembered the day it first happened. “Zeer…” he heard in his head. It was his dad’s voice. He had been drinking that day, so he just tried to blow him off. “Go away! You’re dead!” He thought it. He was not able to speak.

  “Of course, I’m dead.”

  “Then, we canna be speakin’.”

  “We’re not speakin’. We’re thinkin’ ta each other.”

  “Fine! Where are you?”

  “Don’t rightly know. I guess I’m right here.”

  “And, where have ye been?”

  “Travelin’… jumping from head to head, lookin’ fer you or Shannie…”

  “Right…”

  “I hid out in a few heads, lookin’ fer you two boys…I heard a rumor about Shanny bein’ off this a way, so, I found passage in a cow headed for this planet. Low and behold, there you was, passin’ right by me. Now, I’m kinda in a corner of your brain.” It had taken some for Zeer to get used to it, but, Zack would jump in and out with comments on Zeer’s life and choices.

  "Thee dinna want ta get any one's attention, bucko."

  "Right, Dad. Hide in plain sight… If'n I baptises a few babies, marry a few, and have a few services here and there, who will suspect us. "

  "Aye, laddie, that's a good plan."

  "What bothers me is that we're not gettin' much Q."

  "I see that."

  "What little Quallium we are given in the collection baskets is going right back out ta keep us moving and fed."

  "Well, sonny at least ya found a good map, now. If'n that bar man was drawing true."

  "I just wish Paris would cut me some runnin' rope."

  "Dinna pay her any mind. She's a fur ball and a female fur ball at that."

  "I must make her understand that whether she wants ta go or not, that's where we’re headed."

  "What a dreamer ya are, me son. Heh, heh, heh. Asking for sense from a female! What a dreamer." Ghostly laughter seemed to fill the cabin.

  "I know that she won't be happy anywhere but back home on Paron. I want this job to be over with, as well. Some how she must understand that without Quallium, we canna leave."

  Chapter 3