“Why should we put our necks on the line?”

Agozi didn’t exactly feel very happy about the surprise mission and had been spending the last five or so miniates arguing back and forth with Snikers.

“We've never heard a peep about it, so I'm guessin' you haven't told the rest of the crew either,” she said passive-aggressively. “How will they react when they find out? None signed up for this guff.”

Snikers took a beat before answering; when he did, his voice came out bossier and more forceful—almost intimidating, by Pretenti standards.

“It is of no consequence, for they shall not be granted the luxury of choice in this matter,” he said. “The Council's desires supersede all trivial matters,” Honorary-Lieutenant Snikers said. “You are bound to comply with their wishes, and in turn, with mine."

Agozi felt seriously ticked off.

But as much as she loathed the whole thing, she had to hand it to Snikers—he had a point. If the Council wanted it, she couldn't do much. Their authority was the final word, and she couldn't buck it.

The awkward silence said it all to Snikers.

“I am pleased that my sophisticated reasoning is finally understood by both of you.”

Although Agozi remained silent, her whiskers jerked continuously, signaling her discontent.

“When shall we embark?” Kaz asked eventually.

“I can't believe we're actually buying into this load of yibberish!”

“It is not within our jurisdiction to defy the Council's decision.”

“So we're just rolling with this?” Agozi asked, her tone drenched in irritation and disbelief. “Just like that?”

“That is the case." Kaz looked at Snikers. “When shall we embark?”

“As soon as you are prepared, my esteemed Captain,” Snikers said. “All arrangements have been made, as I have no intention of squandering valuable time on trivial matters.”

Kaz gestured to indicate he understood.

“We should start preparations, then.”

“Excellent!” Snikers said joyfully. “I’m glad we’re both on the same page now.”

Agozi wasn't thrilled about it, but she knew kicking up a fuss wouldn't get her far.

“What am I to tell the crew regarding the new mission parameters?” Kaz asked.

“Once we are no longer within communicator range, you will have permission to educate the crew about their new assignment. Before that time, they are to be updated on a need-to-know bases exclusively.”

“They won’t like this.”

“Not pertinent that is.”

They glared at the smug alien skunk, as full of itself as any Pretenti they'd ever crossed paths with, though they hadn't met many and preferred to keep it that way.

Sure, the Pretenti had a big seat at the Union table, like the rest of the Big Four, but they weren't exactly crowd favorites. Most Mevik didn't care for them.

Kaz ambled towards a nearby communicator. He picked it up and spoke into it.

“This is the captain speaking. Our mission parameters have changed. We’ll leave within the hour.” He turned the communicator off and looked at Snikers. “Anything else?”

“No, my dear Captain,” Snikers replied. “That would be quite satisfactory for the moment in time.”

“Then we have other matters to attend.”

Just as they prepared to leave, Agozi noticed an armed guard near the bridge entrance and halted abruptly.

“Wait!” A tad uneasy, she spun around to face Snikers once more. “There’s still one other thing…”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Which would be?”

Her whiskers quivered nervously and her ears betrayed her worry.

“There was this armed force that passed us while on our way to the hangar,” she said. “They carried enough deadly force to bring down half an ecosystem…” Her tone became increasingly edgy. “What the heck for?”

The idea of carrying a lethal weapon unsettled Agozi deeply. Despite her Mevik roots, she wasn't one for violence. Most sentient beings felt the same, with even the Mevik who could stomach it doing so reluctantly.

Snikers didn't seem to give a hoot.

“We have invested incalculable resources,” he replied with indifference. “We might as well if it means safeguarding our investment.”

“Safeguard it from what?” Agozi asked, growing more and more fed up with the whole thing. “What exactly are you expecting us to find out there?”

“Opportunity and endless riches.”

“If you're just expecting to find that, why the heavy-duty security?”

Snikers's nose gave a slight twitch, clearly irked by Agozi's repeated questioning of the mission.

“You are overthinking this,” he replied dismissively. “This is but one of those trivial expenses one might as well toss in with the rest. That is all there is to it.”

Agozi’s whiskers jerked angrily.

“Trivial to your bloated bank account maybe, but what about the cost in morale?” she asked, clearly offended by his lack of empathy. “All these slugthrowers will make the crew anxious. You never thought about that?”

For the first time, Snikers looked like he'd been thrown off his game, almost embarrassed. But the unusual moment was fleeting. His usual smugness snapped back in no time.

“Some within the boardroom did indeed express similar sentiment.”

Agozi felt a moment of relief. Apparently, not everyone in Snikers's shady political circle was as heartless as him.

“It was concluded that the crew’s morale does not constitute a priority concern.”

Agozi's ears sagged, her whole stance echoing her profound disappointment.

*****

Agozi walked into the Cantina, certain to find Kaz drinking there. It didn't take long before she spotted him.

Kaz peered into his empty glass.

“Waiter!” he barked. “Another one of these!”

A Mevik bartender holding a bottle of Drakar approached him and poured some into his glass.

“Thanks for that,” Kaz said. “Put it on the Council's tab."

They'd been in slipspace for several days. So far, the experimental drive hadn't thrown any curveballs.

As expected, the sudden departure announcement had thrown the crew for a loop, and it didn't take long for worried whispers to spread through the ship.

Uncertainty was a morale drainer.

They both knew this didn't paint them in a good light, but they were stuck, unable to do anything about it.

The sight of Kaz's drunken state repelled Agozi, but she reminded herself of his predicament.

The moment they'd undocked, worried messages from anxious crewmembers started flooding his inbox. His vow of secrecy meant he had to leave most of them hanging. It made him look like a jerk, and he knew it.

Approaching him unnoticed from behind, Agozi touched his shoulder.

“Having a party?”

Kaz put the glass down.

“Agozi?!” he exclaimed after peeking behind his shoulder to see who had touched him. “You…uh…s-startled me.”

Agozi’s whiskers fluttered with amusement.

But her amusement faded quickly upon seeing how many empty glasses he’d racked up.

“You sure seem to be enjoying yourself…” she remarked backhandedly.

Kaz’s whiskers jerked with embarrassment.

“After the crapola the Council just pulled on us, I don’t think poking a few holes into their over-inflated budget will cost them any…” Clearly drunk, he raised his glass and began swirling its contents.

Agozi’s expression grew concerned.

“Don’t you think you’re perhaps going a bit overboard with this?” she asked. “I’ve noticed you’ve been drinking a lot lately. And it worries me.”

Kaz’s whiskers fluttered.

“All I’m w-worried about right now is if that jokester Snikers bothered to stockpile enough of this swill for it to last the entire journey!” he replied in drunken state. “Wouldn’t surprise me if he hadn’t! It would be par for the course for him to find a yet another way to humiliate us!”

“Yea, but you see that’s exactly what I’m talking about…” Her whiskers twitched worryingly. “Come on, don’t be so downcast.”

At her touch, Kaz's whiskers twitched, and his lips formed an annoyed frown.

“I’m not downcast,” he replied irately. “I’m annoyed.”

Agozi’s whiskers now jerked as well.

“And you think I’m not?” she replied. “Everyone’s annoyed! Annoyed and anxious! You can thank that Snikers character for that.”

Kaz grumbled something under his breath.

“I still can’t make sense of the Council’s motives.”

“You heard what Snikers said,” Agozi said. “They want us to test this fancy drive of theirs without anybody knowing about it. I don’t like it either, but it’s not like we can do anything about it.”

A moment stood.

“I’ve picked up some food from the recreation center,” Agozi said eventually. “Just let me accompany you back to our quarters and—"

Unexpectedly, Kaz’s communicator started buzzing like crazy.

“W-Who the heck might this be?” Kaz mumbled, whilst reaching into his vest drunkenly in search of his communicator. "T-This is the captain."

It was Bridge-Commander Teflar.

“Captain, your presence is urgently required at the bridge!”

“At this hour?” Kaz asked, before a minor hiccup awkwardly escaped his throat. “C-Can’t it wait? This really isn’t the best time. What could be s-so important?”

“You’ll know it when you see it,” Teflar replied. “Please! It is urgent.”

Kaz’s whiskers twitched.

“A-Alright,” he replied. “We’ll be there.” He turned the communicator off.

Kaz's confusion mirrored on Agozi's face, causing her to look equally concerned.

“What was that all about?”

“Teflar has requested our presence…my presence…our…o-our p-presence...” Kaz struggled to string together a coherent sentence.

“Like right away?”

“Y-Yes.”

"I'm coming with you." Agozi observed as her drunk captain awkwardly attempted to get off his chair. "Need to come with you more like it…”