`WE USE BIGGEST CARRIER ANYWAY. YOU HIDE IN DARK.
Knowing it would take the `Dini captain time to make its ponderous way from the bridge area to the transfer pod in the cargo bay, Rojer stripped out of his rumpled shipsuit and donned a clean one, buckling on the formal belt and pouch he rarely bothered to wear.
He was in awe of Great Captain Prtglm and a `uniformed’ appearance bolstered his morale.
Gil and Kat were so excited they squirmed in his arms as he gathered them up for the `port. Actually, he landed neatly right at the hatch to the cargo bay, and in an empty corridor. He could, however, feel the vibration in the deck plates of a heavy’ tread.
`QUICK, YOU TWO,’ he urged, adding body language to his words, opening the hatch and thrusting the two warm furry bodies ahead of him.
`THE GREAT ONE COMES. FEEL HIM?’ His two friends scurried to the large pod that would be used. They opened it and were disappearing inside as Rojer explained to the deck officer that he’d be taking the captain back to the KTTS.
`You sure know when that biggie’s coming, doncha,’ Ensign Menburia said as the vibration through the deck plates was even more discernible. `No disrespect intended, but it can barely get through that hatch.
Oops!’ And the ensign ducked back to her engineering board as the massive figure of Prtglm appeared.
The captain required time to settle itself in the pod while the cargo bay crew appeared extremely busy at their stations. Finally, Rojer could enter.
`Is power up, ensign?’ Rojer called and received a thumbs up from Menburia. He closed the hatch and tried to compress himself so as not to touch the captain.
A Great One did not appreciate tactile contact.
Rojer picked up the pulse of generators he was now as familiar with as Xexo’s at Aurigae Tower. He knew where he was going and `ported them on board the KTTS so lightly he was sure that Prtglm wasn’t even aware the transfer had taken place until the hatch was opened by one of its own officers, and it was officially welcomed back on board. Prtglm rattled several phrases off so quickly that Rojer didn’t follow the sense of them.
Something about `new probes’ and `decision’ COME,’ Prtglm said curtly to Rojer as soon as it had its back legs on the deck. Rojer scrambled out to see Prtglm making its way to an opening that led to the interior of the `Dini ship, not to the bridge as Rojer had expected.
It was as well Prtglm made its way without a backward glace for Gil and Kat suddenly clung on to Rojer’s hands.
WHAT’S WRONG?’ he asked but each made the sudden quick head movement that told him to keep quiet. He could feel their digits trembling despite the strength with which they held on to him.
They were alone as they followed Prtglm down the corridor which was just wide enough to accommodate the massive body of the captain.
Then a hatch slid back and Prtglm entered, pausing to gesture to them to hurry.
Rojer obeyed despite the fact that both Gil and Kat seemed to impede his forward progress.
WHAT’S WRONG?’ he muttered, bending down to their ear holes.
Kat managed a quavery noise and, taking a breath as if steeling itseW stepped over the hatch and into the big hangar facility. Rojer and Gil followed. Rojer knew his dear friends were awed by any proximity t& Prtglm, but there was some new quality in their manner now that began to infect him with doubt and anxiety.
The hangar was dark, but Rojer could make out racks of long, slim shapes that had a metallic shine: many of them. Light came up and Rojer blinked to adjust to the glare. Gil and Kat audibly moaned.
These were not probes, Rojer instantly noted: they had a precision of line that made their purpose unmistakable even before his horrified stare took in the deadly bulb of a warhead on the pointed end. And there were an awful lot of them.
Prtglm’s digits flashed over a terminal and the multiple screens above it flicked on, each with a different view.