KETTY'S SUBDIVISION Wattys2017

Chapter 26-Part I

The aliens were gone, and Jimensen was left to clean up yet another mess. All that remained was the incessant drumming of a million little asteroids that sounded like rain. They were adrift in the asteroid field, lost among the constant barrage of lonely rocks. An Albraic tune drifted from XARC, playing some long forgotten anthem meant to inspire the men and women while they rebuilt their ship.

Bakes addressed Kato and the woman who hadn't left his side. "There's no sign of Mikenzy or the boy Denoy. Somehow he escaped with her as a hostage."

"What are you going to do about it?" Kato asked.

"Someone has to take one of the ships and give chase. Once free of the asteroid belt, it shouldn't be too hard to find her."

"Unless the Baird have them."

"One thing at a time," said Bakes. "There's a boat load of people in the sick bay that need you right now."

Kato made his way down there, but Bakes stopped him. "I'm going after Mikenzy. Rookie and I will be gone before the hour is up. He's preparing a small research vessel as we speak." Kato clasped him on the shoulder then thought better of it, going in for a hug.

"I can't think of anyone better," Kato said, burying his face in Bakes' neck so he wouldn't see the turmoil on his own face. Kato had plans, but he still wasn't sure if it was the right decision.

"You're a good man, Kato. Don't let anyone tell you different." They took the elevator down off the ledge, falling into silence as they dropped to the robot floor. In the distance they heard giggling and there was Boondock flying on the back of Colstadt. One of his Gyros must have been out because every time they turned he would do a barrel roll and fly upside down. Kato could see Specialist Dill-tard doing mop up duty with a neck brace on. His promotion had come directly from the Admiral. The robot floor was swept clean and Kato knew they had stored all the dead bots for spare parts in the maintenance shafts. News traveled fast and rumor had it Dill-tard would be heading up robot training at a new facility under the command of Sergeant Georgiana Epsteen. She had been promoted and was engaged to Captain Cody.

Kato hurried down to sick bay, which looked more like a war zone, with every bed occupied around the circular perimeter. A handful of doctors from XARC were tending the wounded under the watchful eye of the Artificial Intelligent robots who ran the place.

"Wait outside, please," Kato said to the woman who was now his personal bodyguard. Her crooked smile and missing teeth gave him a pang of regret as he thought about Egor. She was probably the most unattractive woman he had ever seen, which only made him like her more. Her sweat stained tank top did nothing to hide the hair from her armpits, yet he was comfortable with her and her smell already.

"What's your name, by the way?"

"My given name is Ara-stat-baroona, but my friends call me Moona." He touched her ear and smiled. Turning, he looked around the room at each of his friends. Max and Rayjack played in the corner while Sizy looked on disapprovingly. Scott was there, talking to Pon-shea, who somehow had survived. His words carried to Kato's ears as he chatted with the Princess of Popular Opinion.

"Kato decided to enroll in The New Space Academy which his sister Astrid is running. Purline is going with him to join John-mark in a new science program."

"What kind of science?" whispered Pon-shea Sedona through clenched teeth.

"Quantum time travel. Rear Admiral Barg is in charge of space station Dedamonte, under the rule of the people as you know, but they have ramped up research on the Quantum boat's ability to travel independent of time in conjunction with the Baird's Black Hat. Purline said he looked at the captured ship and has already came up with some ideas for a new class of star ship to fight in the second alien war."

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This is the conclusion! 2 chapters left.