KETTY'S SUBDIVISION Wattys2017

Chapter 16-Part VIII

Harazel tried to keep his head up, but even his stamina was wearing thin.

"We should probably rip him limb from limb and jettison the parts into space," Lindy said as she poked his ribcage with a long rod.

"After what he did to our planet, I think he needs to be tortured," Bakes pulled the trigger on his stun gun, sending a loud crackle through the brig. "Besides, what do we know about them except the fact they can play dead for twenty four hours, then come back to life."

Rayleen was feeling a bit more optimistic. "It's a good thing Kato reviewed the monitors on the parking structure back on Karabellum, or we never would have known they are so hard to kill." They had killed hundreds, but it turns out, they weren't dead, only stunned and playing possum. Now she knew why her necklace had been irritating her at night, its owner wasn't dead.

"But its owner lives in dishonor," Harazel's thoughts broke through her reverie, though his own necklace hung across the room. "That warrior will be a fledgling until he reclaims what he has lost to you."

Rayleen remained calm. How could she be surprised after all she had been through? "He can still talk to me without the necklace which means they have latent telepathy, and now I know how they found us."

Kato thought as much when they were first attacked. "He used the necklace. We know it's powerful enough to teleport and communicate over large distances, but where did they get this technology."

"Give me some time and I'll find out," Bakes said, pacing back and forth like a caged lion.

"Maybe you should see how Scott is doing," Georgiana ordered more than asked, yet her voice had an air of authority which made him listen. She took a water bottle and stood in front of the formidable creature. One eye met hers, while the other gauged the room.

Lindy could see compassion in Georgiana that she couldn't understand. "You think he's going to warm up to you?"

"No. If you were in his shoes, what would you do? Don't answer, think about it." The others in the room stood in silent contemplation as well. She poured the water into its mouth, inches from the razor sharp beak that could tear her hand off. "We must keep you alive for now," she cooed like a mother bird. "It won't do to have you suffer." She stepped back and called Purline over. "Ok, do as I asked."

Purline made a few motions and emitted strange clicking noises. Georgiana looked up to a small monitor used to check vital signs. Then the bot grabbed Harazel's leg and pulled hard. The crusty bird screeched and emitted a blast of repulsive gas which sent everyone gagging from the room. It was the first time the readout changed. Obviously the alien didn't like robots.

Once outside, Georgiana dismissed Purline. "Thank you dear, that is enough. As you can see," she said, turning to the others, "They are afraid of the bots. Rayleen was the first to notice the subtle effects Sizy had, but till now we had no proof. Now, does anyone have an answer to my question.

"If I couldn't escape, I would wait for my friends to come and save me," said Kato.

"Anyone else?"

"I might pretend to get caught, then wait until they took me back to their lair, at which point I would call in reinforcements."

"Exactly," said Georgiana. Except the Baird know exactly where all our assets are. He's up to something and we need to find out what it is. We can be sure he has a contingency plan, so let's lock the necklaces in the reactor core, which will prevent us from being followed, then I will turn him over to the military when we reach our destination."

"I think we need to move him into the holding cell as well," said Kato, "That way we're not abusing the prisoner."

His mock indifference didn't escape Georgiana, but she had to agree. "Keep the restraints on as well, but allow him to bed down." While Kato and Lindy moved Harazel, Georgiana took Rayleen aside. "I want to assign Sizy guard duty, but make it seem like your idea. She has the most experience with the aliens."

"No problem, it will keep her busy."

"Have you seen Belletine?"

"She slipped out a few minutes ago, why?"

"I'm not sure, something seems a bit odd. Can you see what she is up to when you go check on Ketty?"

"No problem." Rayleen had a hundred questions, but she trusted Georgiana.

"When you find her, tell her to cut the ship lose and get us moving again."

It was cool and quiet down in the lower hold, where Rayleen found herself after searching the rest of the ship. When she heard Belletine's voice pulled to a low whisper, she waited around the corner, listening intently.

"We have quite some time before we reach Faraday," Belletine said. "You can wait for us there. We need these bots to infiltrate the Firm, it's our only hope of breaching their security." Rayleen waited for a reply which never came. Who was she talking to? Belletine's solitary steps echoed down the corridor, leaving Rayleen lost in her thoughts. When she turned to look, no one else was there. To have come so far and lose because of a traitor would be unacceptable.

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