“Great galloping gravity, Mac, why didn’t you say so?”
“You did not instruct me to do so. Captain.”
“Do I have to tell you everything?”
Mac was pleased to now be able to employ one of the captain’s own idiomatic phrases, “Yes, sir. Pretty much.”
“Right. Okay. You keep monitoring that thing-remember everything you hear. I gotta go see a man about a drone.”
Hafiz was explaining why the drone -was not yet in space as he had assured Becker it -would be with all possible dispatch. “I was preparing my message, dear Becker.”
“Your message? How long can it take to say, ‘The Khieevi are coming, the Khieevi are coming, lock and load or get the hell out now7.’ “
“You don’t understand, my boy. Even such public service messages carry delicate nuances. And of course, we did not know exactly -when or where they were coming, did we?”
“Now we have a pretty good idea, though. They’re chowing down on the cowboy planet right now.”
“Cowboy planet?”
Becker stuck a forefinger from each hand up beside his temple and wiggled them. “Two horns like cows, get it?”
“Ahh, the Niriians. Yes, I have heard they have excellent organic technology.”
“It stinks, if you ask me, but nobody deserves to have the bugs on top of them and that’s what’s happening right now. So, is the drone going up or do I have to take the ConSor up and make like Paul Revere?”
“Paul who, dear boy? And what was he revered for, exactly? “
“Getting his drone up before the enemy had a chance to eat every planet in the galaxy, that’s -what. Now then, do you think you can finish your message?”
“Certainly.”
“Good. I’ll just wait then and carry it out to the drone for you.”
Hafiz turned on his recorder and rewound. “Let me see, where was I, oh yes, ‘This urgent humanitarian -warning is brought to you through the kindness and beneficence of the Federation’s foremost philanthropic economic ambassadorial firm, House Harakamian.’ “
“A commercial’}” Becker demanded. “You held off putting the drone into space while you made a commercial?”
Hafiz spread his hands -with an elegant shrug. “I am in commerce after all, dear boy.”
“Not for long if the bugs attack us,” Becker said grimly.
“Ah, an excellent point. Very well, I shall continue.”
The message concluded, “The dastardly insect creatures of torture, doom, and enormous appetite, the Khieevi, are known to be attacking the Niriian homeworld. Any who dare assist the Niriians, feel free to do so, please, -with our commendations and blessings. All others in the same quadrant might think seriously about evacuation or defense, as your culture dictates.”
Becker gave him a disgusted look, but said only, “Good. Now then, that should be translated to all of the languages of the nearby races. I don’t expect, since -we’re making first contact here, more or less, their Standard is going to be really up to par.”
“Ah! A good point.” He clapped his hands. A servant appeared. “Please fetch our Linyaari guests-all of them. Ask them to bring their clever translation devices and tell them it is a matter of some urgency.”
Hours later, -which seemed like months to Becker, each Linyaari had contributed a translation of the message in all of the languages each of them knew. Since all but Maati and Acorna had spent considerable time visiting nearby planets at some point in their lives, they felt they had pretty much covered it.
Meanwhile, Nadhari and her staff went on red alert, and to the whine of the sirens, the first evacuation drill began, just as the drone was shot into space.
The Balakiire had not yet landed on the first planet on the list of those to be warned when they heard a broadcast that at once made their mission and their caution futile and provided them with a new mission.
Oddly, this new mission began in a similar fashion to their present one.
“Mayday, Mayday! This is the Niriian vessel Fo^en broadcasting a Mayday to all worlds and ships in the area. Our homeworld is under attack. The Khieevi have landed. Our ship escaped before the invasion. Mayday! Come in, please.” With a glare at Liriili, Neeva picked up the communication device.