Dreamer shook his head.  With the guards having stepped back now, he moved to stand at the end of the bed, between Lanner and Maeve.  He hated that she, of all of them, believed his story… but he’d had no choice.  Convincing her had been one more step toward convincing Lanner that he was telling the truth.<br/><br/>He faced Lanner.  He noted, very vaguely, that there was a portrait on the wall behind the man.  The portrait was of Guinness Blotar, Maeve’s late husband.  It had been shredded by blades, and the handsome bull’s face had been covered in graffiti… drawn in blood, possibly Maeve’s own.  Dreamer didn’t react, but he remembered what was concealed behind that portrait.  Had the humans torn it down, they would have found Maeve’s wall-safe.  They would have found interesting things inside… but now wasn’t the time to worry about that.<br/><br/>“There are so many things wrong with what you just said,” he declared.  “Firstly, Shark could simply decide to kill you for presuming you can give him orders.  Seriously, the takeover around here went well, so it would be a shame.”  He was hoping for an excuse to kill Lanner, but if letting the bastard live was the price to pay to keep Maeve alive, he’d pay it.  “Second, of course Shark’s in a hurry to have her.  He won’t use any pills to digest the Baron; he’s going to make that last… but there’s lots of other things he can do with his body in the meantime.  Larosha and her daughters… well, I’m guessing chains, beds, and a lack of clothes are still in this cow’s future for a while.”  He gestured at Maeve, vaguely, pointedly ignoring her horrified response to his words.<br/><br/>“Thirdly, while I myself could always get you another cow, and in fact I’ll see to it you get more than one ---- there’s a set of twins in the fort, although they might be gone by the time I get back ---- there’s no way I’m leaving this one here with you.  You’ve damn near killed her already.  That’s cool, since she’s still alive, since Shark had given you permission before changing his mind, but if I leave the cow with you, you’re sure to kill her.  You don’t have that kind of self-restraint.”  He shrugged vaguely.<br/><br/>“And, last, if you want to watch Shark swallow her, then you’ll have to head to Kree to do it.  He’s going to give a grand speech soon, and he wants as many of his people to hear it as possible.  Make sure you leave plenty of people behind to handle this area, though.”  He had to say that… not doing so would be too suspicious.  “Not that the furs could put up much resistance now, mind you.”<br/><br/>He watched Lanner for a few seconds as the sand-man ---- as Dreamer recalled some people calling him at times ---- took in what he’d said.<br/><br/>“If you really insist, you can ride with me to Kree, and if you’re brave ---- or crazy ---- enough you can argue your point with Shark yourself.  But I am in a hurry, so if you’re coming, go set up who you’re leaving in charge while I remove these chains.  Speaking of which, where’s the key?  Or do I have to break the chains?  Or, no, the bed would be easier.”<br/><br/>He looked at Kitten.  He was amazed at how convincing the frail human’s expression and body language was.  “Keydan,” he said, making sure the young man realized he was being spoken to.  Somehow he didn’t think any self-respecting fur-hater would keep the name “Kitten” after a rebellion.  “Keep your gun on the cow.  If she tries to make a break for it, shoot her in the legs.  We need her alive, don’t forget.”  He looked back at Lanner.  “Well?  Keys, or do I break apart this bed you might have use of for a pair of twins later?”