“Gyeck.”

It was a strange sound, but it found its way through a deep fog of sleep. It takes a moment for the fog to clear, during which the sound repeats, but a little differently. “Geeyeck!” It’s a tiny, unassuming sound. The fleet is full of strange sounds from valves opening and closing, the engines speeding up or slowing down, cannon fire –if cannons are firing-, and now all the way to the many noisy sounds of repair.

This sound is nothing like those sounds. She isn’t sure why, but she knows it’s not mechanical. “Gyeck! Gyeck!” It repeats twice, quickly.

Jessica rubs her eyes and sits up, listening more intently. Everyone else is sleeping peacefully, including Angelica, who is sharing her bed. Jessica has no idea when Angelica crawled into bed, as the auburn-haired Captain is often quite busy. She’s probably walked the length of every ship multiple times in the last two weeks since the battle with the Zarakyssns and her ‘Supernova Blitz’, as many Marines are calling it. She’s paid respects to hundreds of fallen soldiers, civilians, and Grodrrns who died in the battle, as well as laid her own eyes upon the damages of the battle and her maneuvers. Jessica worries her beloved older sister is beating herself up, but the Captain insists she’s okay, and is using it as both motivation and learning in order to prevent a repeat.

Fortunately, the fleet is in a jump right now, hosted by the Argonaut. Nothing can really happen during jumps, so the crews take the time to rest.

“Gyeck!” She looks down at her waist. She can feel squirming in the pouch she carries with her, and the sound definitely emanated from that direction. She carefully opens the protective leather flap and extracts the transparent silicone pouch inside. The tiny being inside of a translucent purple orb seems to be coiling her tiny, thread-like appendages and positioning them. And, all at once, the tiny figure stretches straight with a tiny, adorably, “Gyeck!”, flexing the orb into an uneven shape.

Jessica watches several such movements, with brief pauses in between and squirming and coiling in seeming frustration. The tiny alien has never moved like this before, but then, there was a first time the tiny little being sung a bird-like tune from within her egg, squirmed against Jessica’s abdomen from inside the case, and sucked on the tip or coil of one of her tiny tentacles like a baby sucking its thumb.

It’s at the moment Jessica really SEES how hard her tiny princess is trying that she understands what’s happening. She murmurs, “Sh-She’s hatching…” The statement makes it more real, and the teen can’t contain herself. “SHE’S HATCHING! SHE’S HATCHING!” This startles the two veterans out of their slumber, while Tanya and Little Bird shift. Grey is the fastest up, looking around before seeing Jessica.

The teen exclaims, “Chief! She’s hatching!”

Everyone watches the glowing orb distort with “Gyeck!” before it sinks in. Little Bird squeaks excitedly, falling cutely out of bed to scramble over and into Jessica’s and Angelica’s. Angelica sits up, her hair messy and face weary, but she manages to smile.

The two girls cheer, “You can do it, Princess! We’re here!”

The tiny alien strains again, but doesn’t seem to make progress. Chief Grey remarks dryly, “Of course she picks night time.”

Angelica chuckles warmly, saying, “How does she know, though?”

Grey stretches, and Tanya replies playfully, “She gets to sleep all day.”

Jessica squeaks nervously. “She-She’s struggling, though! Sh-Should I help her?”

Grey stands up, limping to the kitchen to get a drink. He growls out, “Absolutely not.”

“B-But Chief…!”

“No buts. Normal circumstances, there would be no helping.”

“But, w-what if she drowns!? H-Her egg… It’s so small!”

Angelica strokes her younger sister’s head, saying, “Alex is right, Cottonpuff. She’s meant to do this. She’ll figure it out.”

“B-But human babies…”

Tanya suggests, “Give her a chance, Jess. She’s still going at it, right? If she starts to weaken, we can worry.”

Jessica watches diligently, nodding softly. She’s nervous. They watch the tiny alien squirm and fight against her flexible casing. Little Bird urges, “You can do it, Baby.”

Jessica hums in agreement, but gently strokes the case. Grey approaches, handing her a plastic syringe filled with white liquid. He says, “She’ll be fine. She’s a Long, after all.”

Jessica looks up at her sister, who nods.

They watch as the Princess gives up trying to stretch her surroundings and whirls quickly in seeming frustration. But, seemingly formulating a new strategy, she tries biting the egg. Still, it flexes away from presumably two razor sharp teeth.

The struggling continues for a long several minutes, and the three adults slowly migrate to the table. Jessica nervously says, “Angelica, she…”

“No,” growls Grey sternly.

“But…”

“No.”

She looks pleadingly at her sister. Still, Angelica adds, “She’s going to be okay, Jess. Let her work. She’ll figure it out.”

Jessica watches diligently. After what feels like an eternity, the swirling mass of threads finally presses four of her tentacles in two parallel lines. This seemingly just stretches a rectangular shape in the skin of the egg, like one more seemingly basic attempt to claw free.

However, the tiny alien is not, as it seems, the same as any known infant of any other creature. She slowly squeezes her two rolls together, and the egg skin flexes…

Inwards.

This inward intrusion gives the tiny alien princess enough area to get her mouth around, and she bites. Not much seems to happen, but a short moment later, a tentacle pokes through an imperceptibly small hole.

Jessica and Maya both gasp in excitement. When Jessica’s beaming eyes look at the adults, they’re all smiling knowingly at her.

Within moments, the tiny alien forces another tentacle out, and she easily pries the egg skin open, squirming her way out into the syrupy liquid around her egg. She floats lazily, resting a moment before she instinctively swims up to the air bubble gap in the pouch. She wastes no time breathing and then searching for a way out.

Jessica opens the pouch, gently squeezing it to lift the liquid level up. The tiny alien is startled, but rather than dive, she scrambles out of the pouch.

Jessica is only barely able to react quickly enough, and she drops the syrupy pouch all over the floor in the process. She cries out, “Wait!” as she dives to block the surprisingly-fast little being from darting off of the bed against the wall using her hand. The alien grabs onto her hand, seemingly darting over it, but she doesn’t let go. Instead, the alien princess hides behind Jessica’s hand. Her big-eyed gaze peeks over Jessica’s index finger to study the two girls.

Jessica quickly coos, “It’s okay, Baby! Stay! Please. It’s me, Mommy.” Jessica hums the tune the Queen sings, and which Jessica hums for the Princess almost every day. She can feel the tiny little appendages grip her hand more firmly.

The tiny alien looks at Little Bird, who squeaks, “H-Hi, Baby.” She waves gingerly, which causes the baby to hide. Jessica quickly coos, “No-No! It’s okay! It’s okay! We won’t hurt you. Mommy’s here. I’m right here.”

The tiny head peeks again, squeaking. Jessica smiles, saying, “That’s right. Mommy. It’s okay.” Jessica gently turns her hand to lift the little princess, but the nimble alien stays behind her hand as much as possible. But, even with the teen slowly lifting her, the princess never lets go.

Maya says softly, “She’s sooo cute.”

Jessica hums, “Mm-hmm. It’s okay. It’s okay. Mommy’s here.”

The little alien lies her head on Jessica’s hand, trying to stay hidden. Or, maybe she likes the warmth.

And then…

“Hinny.” A tiny voice makes a tiny sound. Jessica lifts the princess closer to her face, cooing gently, “Yes, Mommy. I’m here.”

The tiny voice, now just audible, replies, “N-no. H-hungie pwee.”

“Hungie pwee?” asks Maya, listening closely.

Jessica’s eyes widen. “H-hungry? You’re hungry? Yo-You can talk?”

The tiny princess insists more softly, “Hungie pwee…”

Jessica scrambles with her right hand, saying, “D-Don’t worry! Right-Right here Baby!” She finds the syringe on the bed where she dropped it and holds it towards the princess. She says, “N-No biting, okay? It’s milk. It’ll come out liquid.”

At first, Jessica carefully drips a drop into the princess’s mouth, but the second droplet misses because her hand twitches. So, instead, she holds the syringe the other way as the princess cleans herself. Slowly pressing the soy milk up, the princess is able to guide the tip close to her, having crawled out onto Jessica’s palm. She is able to slurp the milk up quickly.

The tiny voice squeaks once she’s done, “An you, Meemee.”

Jessica’s heart flutters. She coos, “Ooo, you’re SO welcome, Sweetie. See? You can stay with us. We’ll look after you.”

As the princess wipes herself clean, she studies Maya, and Jessica finally has a chance to study her. Like the Queen, the newly-hatched princess has translucent skin and intelligent-looking dark eyes. Her tiny ear-orbs on her head look like twin buns, but the fleshy shroud behind her head stops at the base of her skull, rather than past what would be her shoulder blades. Instead of four ‘arms’ and ten ‘legs’, the princess has only two ‘arms’ and four ‘legs’ for appendages. Much of their species biology indicates a lot of evolutionary consideration towards available food and calories, causing males to be tiny non-sentient beings and females to grow larger and more fertile only if they manage to live a long time. A part of Jessica wants this little Princess to be the largest Cave Queen to ever exist; a daunting goal given how tiny and fragile this little being is.

The princess points at Maya, and then looks up at Jessica. Jessica replies, “Little Bird.”

Little Bird crowds in a little closer, barely containing her excitement. She coos softly, though, “Hi Baby! Nice to meet you!”

The princess replies, “H-Hi Beebee. Nie oo mee you.”

Both girls giggle, and Grey jokes from across the room, “Great. Another soft-talker like Lopez.”

Tanya chuckles, and Jessica retorts, “She’s tiny, Chief. She has a tiny voice box.” She then says to the princess, “That’s Chief Grey. He acts like a meanie, but he’s the best.”

The princess waves her tiny ‘hand’. This prompts Angelica to approach and kneel down on the deck. She holds her hand up, saying warmly, “I’m your aunt Angie.”

The princess doesn’t crawl into Angelica’s hand, but she does lock eyes with the Captain and say yet another surprising thing, “We lear. Oo wor, e’eryone. Oo wor.”

There’s a quiet pause as everyone is confused. But, Angelica murmurs, “We’re clear. Good work, everyone. Good work.” She looks at Jessica, saying, “The last thing I said on the one emm-cee. Does she recognize my voice?”

The princess touches Angelica’s hand and then nuzzles her finger gently, refusing always to fully let go of Jessica. Angelica coos, “Welcome to our family, little Princess.”

The tiny alien girl looks up suddenly at ‘Princess’, seemingly knowing it means her. Angelica smiles, prompting a big grin from the tiny being. She doesn’t have the same tooth set the Queen possesses. The Princess only has a single sharp point on top and an inverse double point on bottom, like individual, interlocking teeth alone on a gumline. Given what they’re meant to eat, though, they are far from harmless.

After a few more moments of idle introductions and small talk, the princess gestures towards Jessica’s face. The teen holds her closer, but the princess urges more.

When Jessica’s palm is nearly to her nose, the princess touches it. And, shortly after, she lays against it. The tiny alien remarks cutely, “Meemee warm.”

The others all chuckle, and Jessica coos, “All yours, my little princess.”

Grey asks as he makes grilled cheese sandwiches, “You settle on a name?”

Jessica smiles as she gingerly touches the princess’s head with her right index finger. The Princess hums a cicada-like hum of approval and cuddles closer to Jessica’s nose. “I have. ‘Vivi’.” She snorts in surprise with a playful giggle when the newly dubbed Vivi’s tentacles curl up into her nostril. Vivi chirps in confusion, and Jessica coos, “That’s my nose, Vivi.”

“Vivi?” repeats the tiny being.

“Mm-hmm. Vivi. That’s your name, okay?” She points at Vivi, repeating, “Vivi.”

“Vivi.” Repeats the new owner of the name. Jessica smiles, saying, “Yep. You’re Vivi.” She then points at each as she says, “Meemee, Little Bird, Angie, Tanya, and Chief.”

Vivi points to herself, saying, “Vivi.”

“Vivi. You got it.”

Vivi grins.

Grey hands little bird and Jessica each a plate with a sandwich, and says, “Vivi. Good name. Easy to remember.”

Vivi says cutely, “I Vivi.”

Grey smiles and nods, “Yes, you are, Vivi. And when you’re twenty feet tall like your other mother, you can carry Meemee around.”

Everyone chuckles. Jessica carefully takes a bite, cautious of Vivi’s tiny tentacles and body as she continues to lay against her nose. But, the tiny alien crawls across Jessica’s hand, ensuring one of her tentacles always has a grip on one of Jessica’s fingers. She studies the sandwich from above. Noticing this, Jessica moves both hands so she can watch more comfortably as she offers, “Would you like some, Vivi?”

“Foo?” asks Vivi.

Jessica nods while the newborn touches the toasted bread and then prods the semi-cooled melted cheese where Jessica took a bite. The tiny squid-like girl seems to approve, because she nibbles at more of it, in spite of seemingly being satisfied by the milk a little bit ago.

Jessica and Maya both giggle, and Jessica carefully maneuvers both hands so she can take a bite without interrupting Vivi.

Stolen story; please report.

Vivi eats what amounts to a few crumbs of the bread, sitting down heavily on Jessica’s hand. She states adorably, “Vivi no hungie.”

Jessica coos, “That’s good. I’m glad.” She lifts Vivi up to her lips, kissing the tiny alien’s head gently. Vivi stares at her, her brain seemingly stopped. The teen asks, “Are… you okay, Vivi? Did I hurt you?”

Vivi fidgets with her ‘hands’, asking softly, “Meemee do ginn?”

Jessica smiles and lifts Vivi up again, kissing her tiny head gingerly. Vivi hums and chirps giddily, and Jessica says tenderly, “I love you, Vivi.”

Vivi leaps the gap to Jessica’s face without warning, hugging Jessica’s face with her whole body. “Wove Meemee! Wove Meemee!”

Tears uncontrollably well in Jessica’s eyes, and she sniffles. Her cheeks turn hot pink when she looks and realizes Angelica, one of the few people who was on the starliner with her normal gear BEFORE the first burp even, is recording her with her cellphone; useless in almost all other ways now except this. Jessica doesn’t get defensive, though. After all, she’s deeply in love with her little daughter, and profoundly thankful said tiny angel isn’t afraid and fleeing.

***

The day has arrived. Khla’s ship is stable enough to return to the Fievegal and even defend itself if they get into trouble.

Baskylla Jardzen Khla is hugging Neezha for a long time. A Grodrrn hug, easily passable for something a human might do, is less about the arms and more about the necks. Neezha and her Chulm’chn are each resting their jaw on the right collar of the other and deliberately exhaling calm, hot breaths on each other’s napes. Murf, the quiet, massive executive officer to Khla, explained softly that it’s about sharing one’s own warmth, and is rarely seen in Grodrrn culture, even among Chulm’chn and hatchling.

Dzor, for his part, has gently butted heads with and exchanged friendly shoulder pats with Mrff in farewell. Dzor even wishes Laurel the best of luck, though a few volunteer humans have opted to join her in the Fievegal. The Captains, Mr. Right, and Kane all discussed the arrangement and decided, given what they know about the Grodrrns now, that they will at least be taken care of. Though many of Khla’s prisoners died initially from complications of the nuclear destruction the human leaders unleashed on Earth, the survivors have actually been cured of ALL ailments thanks to the work of one of Khla’s loyal doctors. Laurel has chosen to accept her role, possibly believing she stands a better chance at surviving with the Grodrrns –which is a fair argument-.

With a human with a place –possibly an important place- in the Fievegal, perhaps relations can be improved to stop their pursuit, especially considering Laurel could prove to be the fulfillment of the Fievegal’s main goal.

Mrff then turns to Long, emulating a human salute perfectly, if with his left hand instead of his right. Long smiles, and she and the others present salute him in turn. She says warmly, “Good luck, Niolayt Yarjen. Jinntarrick mmrulk.”

Mrff snorts warmly. He replies, “You ozz will, hoomins. Jinntarrick mmrulk.”

Neezha finally turns to Mrff, bidding him farewell similarly to Dzor. Khla says proudly to Dzor, “True sham I no longer hovv competeeshin. I weel hovv to reach meatiest Yarjen alone.”

Dzor scoffs. He replies arrogantly, “I was always meatiest.”

Mrff says bluntly, obviously taunting his two superiors, “Now, Long eez myteest.” All three commanding officers look at him.

Dzor is the first to snort, and then he and Khla both burst into laughter. Long replies warmly, even as they both stamp their feet jovially, “I wish I knew if you Grodrrns were teasing me.”

Khla replies, calming his breath, “Eez true. I oonderesteemott, and you eescopp mih.” He then grins wickedly at Dzor, teasing, “Ond, we KNOW first conquist.”

Dzor snarls at Khla, but makes no aggressive moves. Instead, he retorts, “My sheep destroyed by Zhynnycz’s fleet. Not hoomins.”

Mrff says simply, “Lopez.”

Dzor snaps back, “SHE NOT COUNT! She not warrior! She Nyrm! {Sorcerer!}”

The others chuckle, and Long adds, “I’m flattered and honored to be standing here as friends with all of you. Even if it might someday change.” She raises her hand, cradling the sun, and says warmly, “Ryka nur’kyngur’onn Hin’gur. {Stars give us home.}”

Dzor starts to correct her softly, but he pauses. He raises his hand to cradle the sun, repeating the exact phrase –not a Grodrrn phrase, but a Grodrrn AND human one- as Long. “Ryka nur’kyngur’onn Hin’gur. {Stars give us home.}”

All of the Grodrrns present; Khla, Neezha, Mrff, and a few troopers; join them, saying the same. Before they even finish, the humans present join them all, doing their best to repeat.

For the briefest moment of time, there are no Grodrrns or humans. There are only travelers of the stars.

***

Uniter Queen Syretia studies the human male as he shows her the human word for ‘Queen’ alongside the written word in her language, which he says also translates to ‘star’ in human. Carmine Kane is his name, and it is he who gave her the name Syretia, as well as taught her to read her own language. He claims his arm mounted device is something like magic, and it simply downloaded her language into his brain. And, more importantly, she no longer cares.

He has spent {hours upon hours} teaching her the written language of the Shining Daughters, as well as his own people’s language. He helped her protect her last living egg, her last surviving offspring. Even now, he is cradling the egg as he instructs, alongside an egg of the Nizzkurezz in a special incubator. He seems to believe the two embryos inside might grow into lifelong companions if they spend their earliest days together.

All must be united. We walk the Path. Shine with the Divine Queen. Make all others shine as well.

If I could have MY way, these two will be forever together.

Walk the righteous Path, Sisters! Gather and prepare! The Path is beautiful, but treacherous! We shall see every step through.

What is wrong with this? What is wrong with happiness?

It is dawn, so our prayer goes. Beloved are all, even they who resist. We cleanse what is dirty, Sisters. And, filth has surrounded our sister.

She looks down.

I want her to be happy. I want her to feel forever what I felt for a moment. I want her to love and be loved. Forever.

We will find you, Sister. None of us are ever truly alone. Shine, and we shall shine together. Your defeats open us to many victories.

She looks at Kane again, interrupting him coldly. “{The prayer just ended. They’re coming.}”

“{I’m sorry?}” replies Kane, looking at her.

“{I can hear them again. We know where this fleet is. We –THEY- will be coming for us.}” She never realized just how much everything revolves around ‘we’ with her sisters until now. They can’t control her mind, especially from this far away, but their thoughts can drown out her own until she even believes it’s what she’s thinking. It takes her everything to keep her mind quiet in the congress of the bond. They can’t read her thoughts unless she releases them, but it’s such a natural process for her, it’s now harder to stop.

She says quietly, “{You must kill me. Give her a chance I beg you. But, to do so, you must kill me.}”

“{Hang on. Your bond is back? How long do we have until they catch us?}”

She’s silent for a long moment. She’s silently listening for something. She whispers, allowing it through, “{They interrogate me, Sisters. Please hurry.}”

Kane surprises her always. He doesn’t sound the alarm or kill her on the spot. He doesn’t threaten her egg or yell at her. He simply waits patiently.

She replies softly, “{We… I tried not to let it be known, but… they know we keep moving. They’re scattering fleets to shorten distance our arrival will be.}”

“{Is daily enough?}”

“We… We don’t know. W-I’m sorry. Truly. Short jumps frequently make it more difficult, but we are many.}”

“{Why would they go to the trouble?}”

“{I am bonded. If I am tortured, it will hurt all. Not cripplingly so, but enough to warrant recovery or death. Please, we beg you. Kill me now.}”

“{I can’t do that.}”

“{THEN RETRIEVE THE FIEVEGALIZZ! THE GRODRRN! HE WILL SURELY NOT HESITATE!}” Her desperation grows. Is she running out of time? Maybe. Especially when her mind constricts from painful distress, and her thoughts begin to slip through. Soon, every one of her sisters will know.

But her daughter won’t. She can feel it. The first pangs of a bond. Not a soldier’s obedient bond nor a worker’s trusting but thinking bond, but a Queen’s bond. For many walks, she awaited a daughter, one of the brightest achievements a Queen can achieve. And now, having tasted true independence… She wants this daughter to know it.

She is a Shining Daughter, as are you. We will come. We are inevitable.

This deepens her pain. They know. So long as she lives…

“{You’ve been with us [several weeks] now, Noble Queen. If you learned anything about us, I would think it would be just one thing.}” He stands up, saying in human, “Please ask Commander Hitch and Admiral Long to meet me in Hangar Control. Yarjen Jor as well.”

A reply comes back, “Yes Sir!”

Kane turns to Syretia, saying warmly, “{Do NOT do anything drastic, Noble Queen. We’re galactic adventurers. We won’t settle for the first bad option. We find something crazy to try.}”

“{You… You lack fundamental understanding. Whatever you think you can accomplish, you can’t.}”

“{That’s for us or the Divine to decide, not abdication before even trying.}” He then smiles cryptically, saying, “My apologies, {Noble Queen.}” As he raises his right hand to her. There’s a sudden flash.

And then nothing.

***

“If we want to help her, we have to do it now. There MUST be some way to detect and block her bond.” Kane has explained everything and made his case. But, it’s a new project during a time of many projects. Research and development is spread thin as it is, just trying to make use of captured Grodrrn equipment, let alone Zarak equipment and furthering defensive programs. One team is even trying to guess –essentially- at how Zarak interdiction works so they can try to emulate it it and THEN defend against it. Additionally, human armor is being developed with both Grodrrn energy weapons and Zarak stun weapons in mind.

So, the hesitation at trying to isolate the captured Zarakyssn Queen from her hive mind connection to her people is understandable. Baskylla Jardzen Dzor simply snorts disapproval. Everyone is quite clear on his stance. But, Kane hoped he might have heard of something the Fievegal tried. Anything.

Long, upon hearing Kane’s initial request to meet, called over to the Providence to have Hancock, Lopez, Mr. Right, and several other science officers –specifically astro- and quantum-phycisists to join them. The auburn-haired Admiral asks, “Can she give us anything on the bond itself? Weaknesses? What their empire avoids?”

Kane replies, “She didn’t say. And, I… subdued her so I could come talk to you all. She started pleading for for death.”

Dzor chuckles, grumbling, “Even she want… Why debott?”

Kane replies, “She doesn’t actually want to die, Yarjen. She wants her egg to live as independently as us. And, I believe her.”

Captain Murdock asks astutely, “How can you be so certain, Lieutenant Commander? I don’t imagine she gives off many facial expressions.”

“Not as we know them, true, but it’s a gut feeling.”

Captain Long replies gently, but stoically, “We are taking a big risk with every day she’s present. We may need to consider ejecting her ship and letting her be recovered by her own. At least then, she’s only disappointed, not dead.”

The others nod in argument, save for Kane and Dzor. Dzor, surprisingly, says quietly, “Yukonja… EEF anitheeng said by Queen true…” He scratches his neck scales, adding, “I have no problem weeth resoolt, boot,…” He exhales deeply, looking away. “She better off eef we keel.”

Long watched him the whole time. She asks softly, “The Zarakyssns would kill her? She’s one of their Queens. And, she hasn’t told us really anything yet.”

“She claim she want eendependince for hatchling. She want circumvent societih rules for matt oov choice een ixchonj for hilp. Ond, she occipt personal name. Zarakyssns conform. Different eez bad. Eef sincere, she traitor. Ond, oothor Queens alreadih know.” He adds a little defensively, “I no care, boot… you are… compossionate…”

Kane asks, “Yarjen, does the Fievegal have any records of defecting Queens? Maybe not to the Fievegal itself, but perhaps rumors of rebellions? Or even attempted assisted coups?”

Dzor crosses his arms and replies, “No. No Yarjen foolish enough to reesk. Would keel on spot.”

“Even if they-…”

“Not a mattor oov Queen. Mattor oov Fievegal. Eef soospict Yarjen appease or defect… not worth. Easier to keel.”

“So what about espionage then?” asks Mr. Right in his usual curious tone. "Like Carmine said, did you guys try to stir the pot? Start some protests? Get neighbor turned on neighbor?”

Dzor shakes his head, confused. He replies, “No. What eez point? Fievegal would steel have to fight.”

Kane replies, “The idea is to rot their empire from the inside and weaken them as a whole. It was… one strategy on Earth, unfortunately.”

Murdock scoffs, retorting, “That’s an understatement. Might as well have been plan ‘A’ for overthrowing democracies.”

The Grodrrn commandant scoffs, replying, “Sonds complix. Easier to fight.”

Long chuckles, but stays on task, “So, if she wants us to kill her, her sisters want to kill her; sounds to me like we NEED to cut the link. Doctor Lopez? Anyone? Thoughts?”

Lopez tenses and squeaks, hiding her mouth and nose behind her currently-closed laptop. One of the other scientists, though, replies, “First and foremost would be understanding how this link works, Ma’am. If the other Zarakyssns can pinpoint her across vast swaths of space, our best guess is something quantum. It’s the only way they’d be able to track her real-time. And, I’m afraid, there’s no way to shield against quantum entanglement.”

Mr. Right replies bluntly, “That we know about.”

“Sir, this isn’t formerly-undiscovered asteroids or free-radical ions waiting to discharge. It’s quantum mechanics.”

“And yet, I was accused of fabrications and insurance fraud time and again.”

“We’re talking about something many times more complex!”

“I no oondorstond theess argument.” Dzor, ever the alien in the room, grunts bluntly. “Quantum entonglemint arrays can be disroopted. Eez first theeng Zarakyssns do, and what Grodrrns do een siege bottles.”

The scientist is silent, and Mr. Right, always the professional, jumps up and exclaims as he points, “HA!”

He sits back down, saying warmly, “Thank you, Jor. I owe you a drink.”

“I omm not thurst.”

Captain Long does her best, but a brief snort of amusement escapes her, along with chuckles from some of the other captains.

Dzor suddenly looks at Dr. Lopez intently, as if she just spoke out, and she squeaks in surprise, shrinking behind her laptop. Hancock whispers to her, likely asking what she wanted to ask, which itself, indicates she did in fact make a noise. Dzor whispers to Long, his deep voice making noise, but not intelligible as words. Long whispers back to him, and he pauses.

After hesitating, Dzor rises to his full, proud height -almost, at least, since his head and collar touch the ceiling-, and he says calmly, “Hoomin Doctor Lopiz. For mih ocshuns ond words on mih sheep, I omm apology.”

Lopez’s eyes widen in surprise, and the room is silent. The next noise is the big reptilian taking a deep breath, or maybe a moderate one, and saying equally calmly, though a little more softly, “Do not troost. Eez okay. Boot, osk quistion. Pli… Please.”

Long smiles gently, and she nods at Lopez in approval.

Lopez asks her question with nervousness, but Kane can barely hear her. “H-How d-does the Fievegal neutralize quantum entanglement, um, Y-Yarjen? Unless I’m mistaken… um… th-the strings connected by entanglement don’t technically pass through any distance. Th-they’re tethered beyond the physical dimensions alone.”

Though everyone strained to listen, all but two heard mostly mumbling; Hancock, and the Baskylla Jardzen. The Grodrrn replies calmly in his normal voice, “True and wrong. I omm not ixpert in commooneecashins. Boot, eenvolves rapid resonant spectroom sweeps using common core materuls, mm… ploteenoom, mm… er, alloy hoomins no hovv… teetanoom ond iridium, I theenk… boot specifeek stroocshure. Eef want bist resoolts, sweep all know bands weeth all know constroocshins. Cause closer entanglement uneet to entangle weeth jammer eenstidd, ond sind datta to ooss. To blonkit disroopt a fleet, we use mithodd oov… mm… uh… beeg splash een water… I theenk. Like… phase sheefting all present strings. Can no longer rizzonatt eef foondamentally off frequency by even fraction oov persint. Theess disable all commoonicashin, though. {True and wrong. I am not expert in communications. But, involves rapid resonant spectrum sweeps using common core materials, mm… platinum, mm… er, alloy humans no have… titanium and iridium, I think… boot specific structure. If want best results, sweep all know(n) bands with all know(n) constructions. Cause closer entanglement unit to entangle with jammer instead, and send data to us. To blanket disrupt a fleet, we use method of… mm… uh… big splash een water… I think. Like… phase-shifting all present strings. Can no longer resonate if fundamentally off frequency by even fraction of percent. This disable all communication, though.}”

Lopez furiously scribbles notes on her pad, especially after the Grodrrn’s splash analogy.

Dzor explains, “Splash take lot oof inergy. Las few hours. Eef steel hovv data from mih sheep, good to look at.” At mention of his battleship, Lopez tenses nervously. She halts writing and won’t look anywhere but her notepad. Long asks cautiously, “Doctor?”

Nothing. Dzor speaks, “Calm, hoomin Doctor Lopiz. No grooj. Only sorveev. USE data. Eez call ‘Lyrrgullyka Burrsh Mrryaa. Mm… Phase sheeft resonation pulse generator. Sometheeng leek.”

Lopez glances at him and then back down. She nods, scribbles one last thing, and then suddenly gets up and leaves. Hancock pauses, glancing after her, and then his superior officers. He says quickly, “Excuse me.” He quickly darts after her. No one says anything for a solid moment.

Kane, returning to the goal of the meeting, asks calmly, “Is it fair to assume the Queen’s ability is quantum entanglement, then?”

Dzor nods, “Eez simplest onswor.”

Captain Murdock replies, “Occam’s razor, sure, but what is our plan to determine if it’s working? You trust the fleet to her word, Lieutenant commander?”

Kane replies simply, “Don’t have to. We just won’t tell her when we turn it on. Her initial reaction should suffice.”

Captain Long asks, “Assuming it works, this won’t kill her, will it? All captured soldiers died during the time her bond was lost.”

“I don’t think so, Captain. Even she indicated during my time with her that Queens can function independently, they just never do.”

Dzor nods in confirmation, “Eez true. Or, believed bih Fievegal. Otherweez, they all die whin Queen of Queens dies. Seemilar, some soldiers leeve eendependently. Unknown how.”

Long nods, satisfied. “Very well. Mr. Right, Captain Murdock; Doctor Lopez gets whatever and whomever she needs. If we can’t jam the Zarak Queen, we’ll have to abandon her, and I’m with Commander Kane. IF she was out for the horde, she had to know Jor alone makes us wise enough to keep moving. Let alone, us leaving her unattended.”

Dzor offers wisdom as if he’s teaching a child, though his tone is unusually far from condescending, “A moon make face ozz soon ozz set.”

Everyone stares at him. He scratches his chin, trying to think of how to reword it. He thought he translated it pretty well. He even pronounced it decently.

Long offers, “I assume the Yarjen is saying we can’t know for certain what we can’t see, and we can’t see the Queen’s thoughts.”

Dzor nods, “Yess.” He’s glad someone got it.

Kane nods, “That said, I think she’s as selfish as Zarakyssn’s get, and that’s the best we could ever hope to meet. I think as long as we keep her content, she can be trusted. Even so much as giving her tasks, if she’s up to them.”

Long says more cautiously, “Leeet’s… get beyond the hill of jamming her ability, first.”

Kane nods, “I will lend any aid I can to Doctor Lopez. Excuse me.” Kane salutes, and then he makes his way out.

***