CHAPTER 34
A VERY RARE BLUE-GREEN WORLD
"It's my Ireenium cape, you know," said Sennai as he, Tzkk and Duke strolled away from the loading bay and along the connecting corridor. Zero lumbered some way behind.
"Gosh offered it to me first," he persisted.
Tzkk tilted his feathered head towards Sennai, and the corners of his beak turned up in a knowing smile.
"Captain, I'd like to point out that Mr. Bordomm is leaving, isn't he? And this is only possible by taking my Eggkraft."
"Hmm. Well, I agree that was very generous of you Tzkk. But I can also clearly see that for you, your Eggkraft is not a great loss. I presume you've considered what you're going to replace it with?"
"A Spacetime Donut. I'm going to get me one of those, and non-poultry themed. But in the meantime, Captain, for now it looks as if I will have to accompany you. And together we will see out your destiny... until it is fulfilled."
He then turned to Duke and nodded. "Time is now of the essence my human friend."
"Don't you have other parts of the universe to be masterful in?" continued Sennai. "Are you sure you need to come all the way with me and the Earthling?"
"I'm here you know, and I have a name!" put in Duke once more.
"Nothing that can't wait Captain," answered Tzkk. "But also, it's clear now that I really, really... want to understand this planet Earth a bit better."
***
As they made their way through the ship this unlikely trio continued chatting. The robot walked behind, squeaking all the way. Tzkk was enthralled in Sennai's encounter with Gwofie and the Digitari. He was most pleased the numerous crates of the universe's strongest Braevitchkan beer had been secured for the Peacefulness and Primacy Offering. And he adored the idea of a pink elephant onboard.
Duke on the other hand required everything to be explained twice. Yet he reserved the bulk of his questions to ask how tachyons helped these beings travel faster than light. A full explanation remained elusive.
A congratulatory toast and two more light drinks followed in Refreshment Bay Two, before Sennai finally left his two passengers to their conversations and reverted to his quarters. He needed a rest. The All-Powerful Tzkk kept hold of the Ireenium cape.
***
Moments later the migrant ship briefly popped out of superluminal drive to lay a rather large egg beneath its fuselage, and Gosh Bordomm hurtled due north, disappearing into the inky blackness. This short delay in transit allowed the migrant ship's pursuer to close in further. The flashing blue and red beams continued to pulsate silently.
On the screen in his rest quarters, a tired and oblivious Captain Sennai studied a rare image of the planet he was about to visit, induce, and enlighten. Taken many annums earlier by a wayward deep space explorer, it showed a very rare blue-green world of twenty nine percent land mass, occasionally blanketed by swirling white cloud. It was truly beautiful, and they would be there in a short while.