Tuk stands mutely watching us hugging. He stomps once, and says "Hello Frank and Virginia. It is nice to perceive you."
"Tuttuk!" Dad exclaims, sticks his hand out to shake, and keeps one arm wrapped tight around my shoulder. Mom has her arm around my waist. They're both wearing silk pajamas, but Dad's are so small, the cuffs come to his calves and the sleeves end above his wrists. Mom's are ridiculously big. The pants are so long, they swallow her feet and the sleeves hang below her hands.
Tuk takes Dad's hand,pumps it robotically, and stares at the ground,
"You okay, Tuttuk?"Dad asks, glancing at me with a frown.
"That idiot freak-a-droid head-butted him really hard."I nod. "He hasn't been the same since I rebooted him an hour ago."
"Neural network damage..." Dad nods. "...If we're lucky it's only a component or two, right Tuttuk?" He asks, and ducks down to look in Tuk's eyes.
"Yes Frank. That would be...lucky." Tuk answers. "Luki has damage too. If she is lucky, her ankle will only require a new screw."
"What happened to your foot?" Dad asks concerned.
"And your hair?!" Mom adds, frowning.
"We'll tell you about it on the trip home. Right Tuk?" I ask, smiling at him, hoping he might smile back, but he doesn't, because he can't.
Tuk nods, "I would like that."
"Let's get out of here.It's a long climb back up." I ask.
"You're not climbing anywhere," Dad says, "except piggyback." He turns,bends over, squats a bit, and holds his arms out for my legs.
"Tell me what happened to you!" I reply, and wrap my arms around his neck. As he lifts me up, I'm the happiest I've ever felt before, and squeeze my legs around his waist.
***
Mig leads the way into the crimson blackness, back to the steep stairs. He's the first one up, followed by Mom, then Dad and me. Tuk's last.
"We were unconscious in less than a minute with that many Blue Trance Micro Bolts." Mom says as we enter the kitchen.
"We didn't wake up for forty eight hours. We had no idea where we were." Dad adds, a little out of breath, and looks around the kitchen and out the window.
"Glad to see all the WEAPPs out there." He says.
"We were downstairs, caged in that room when we finally woke up." Mom adds.
"Keep going that way," I point, "There's another stairway at the end, through the doors."
"Am I correct to deduce that you were kidnapped because Red Wolf's scientist died?"Tuk asks, as we trudge up the stairs into the bedroom.
"White Wolf."I whisper.
"Or was murdered. They still don't know." Mom says.
"His body was never found." Dad says, staring at the bed. "Guess you don't get sea sick if you're bed floats like that."
"A brilliant observation, Frank." Tuk offers.
"You're so smart Dad." I say, and squeeze his neck a little tighter.
"But you're right, Tuttuk." Mom continues. "He wanted us because of what we know about endangereds, and Frank's expertise gene editing with CRISPR."
"But why?"I ask.
"Do you know what he planned to do with all the genetic material he was collecting?" Tuk asks as we enter the dining room. "De-extinction could not have been his goal. Was it Frank?"
I'm confused,and ask, "He wouldn't want to create more endangereds? Would he?"
"Would you look at that chair...why I never!" Mom shrieks.
"That has to be the gaudiest thing I've ever seen!" Dad exclaims, "and totally uncomfortable."
"That tiny, shriveled, evil man wanted to corner the market on endangered DNA."Mom says.
"But I thought he only cared about making money from selling endangereds."I ask.
"He saw it as the future of his business." Dad says.
"Of course."Tuk replies in his monotone. "It is only a few years before all these endangereds are gone for good."
"Exactly."Dad agrees. "If White Wolf had most, or all the endangered DNA in the world, he could ask any price he wanted for their genetic material."
"He's absolutely diabolical," Mom shudders and adds, "And would probably be selling to the most unscrupulous scientists."
"He was not interested in de-extinction, Tuttuk." Dad says, shaking his head."He absolutely did not care about bringing any endangereds back to life."
"He only wanted Dad to replicate endangered DNA for the money...it was all about the money, money, money." Mom sighs.
"And endlings." Dad says as we enter the club room. "He wanted to get his hands on all the endlings in the world. Not only to extract genetic material, but to sell them for top dollar."
"Oh dear, this is horrible. We had no idea what this yacht even looked like."Mom says, her mouth drooping. "It's painful to walk through this ship dedicated to such wanton death."
"Next floor is the saloon." Tuk says as we climb the steps up.
"Then we're almost at the top deck." I add.
***
Captain Bo and her lieutenant are in the saloon when we get there.
"Doctors Sloan, I presume?" She says with prayerful hands, and a slight bow.
"How did you know?" I ask, surprised.
"In addition to the time, date, weather conditions, course alterations and ports, Big Bear added their names to the ship's log, as if they were passengers."
"What an idiot..." Mom mutters.
"There are Luzon Tarsiers in the cargo area of the bow." Tuk reports.
"Big Bear noted them in the ship's log as well." Captain Bo replies with a serene smile. "They will remain where they are. When our investigation is complete, we will send them to Bohol Island on the Yanbu."
"Shouldn't they be sent back right away?" I ask.
"The best way to maintain the security and tranquility of the shy,delicate primates...indeed...in order to ensure their very survival....is to do absolutely nothing."She replies.
Dad swivels his head to me. Out of the side of his mouth asks, "Tarsiers....really?"
I nod. "Mig found them. Isn't that right, boy?"
Mig's lying on the couch and sends a picture of voles in his bowl.
"Mig's hungry...and...I'd like to say goodbye to the endangereds."
"WEAPP will ensure that your endangereds will find homes in protected habitats and reserves." Captain Bo says.
"What about the Mangalitsa?" Tuk asks with a stomp.
"The Mangalitsa will go to a farm sanctuary. Any creature that escapes the slaughterhouse deserves to live free and happy." Captain Bo replies.
"Yes indeed,"Dad says, and adds, "and your mother and I will be happy to be free of these pajamas!" He chuckles.
"You should be very proud of your daughter." Captain Bo says. "This was the largest shipment of pangolins ever intercepted...the very last of this species in the world."
"Really? I did? I mean, we did?" I exclaim.
"Our faunal transport helicopters will return them to the Philippines and release them into WEAPP protected forests. They will have twenty-four hour drone surveillance, and armed patrols guarding them."
"Wow, that's great."I reply.
Captain Bo nods with prayerful hands. "Thank you, Luki Sloan. WEAPP and INTERPOL owe you, and your android an enormous debt of gratitude for your bravery and your self-less act of service. The total number of pangolins you saved is one thousand three hundred and fifty seven."
"Whoa." Dad mutters.
"This does not include thousands more you saved from the endangereds White Wolf intended to smuggle in the future. INTERPOL, the Burmese and Philippine WEAPP divisions commend and thank you for your teams' extraordinary effort," she says with a deep bow.
A ferryboat passes outside, blasting Nuwa again, the same song I've heard all day. I know that song...it's my song...but how?!