Once Jnsnrnan’sn’ah saw that he and Jevnar were heading for the Senate team’s shuttle, he finally protested. “
Rgrarshok turned and regarded the lapel of Jnsnrnan’sn’ah’s suit. She addressed the hidden recorder within as much as the lawyer himself. “[There is no entrapment here. But we do have a single remaining item which needs clarification.]” Her eyes shifted towards Jevnar. “[In particular, there is one detail of the chase you performed with your tiny-chomper companion which we hope you can explain. That explanation will require the presence of Driver. Would you mind summoning him?]”
Jevnar shrugged. “[There is no need, madame. From what I know, he’s been inseparable from [Thunderbird Three] since you impounded it. Please be aware, I’m not sure how Driver was even able to match a Dorarizin pilot’s reflexes, much less overcome them.]”
Ngralh spoke up. “[It’s not a matter of reflexes. It’s more a matter of your route.]”
The Captain turned and gestured to the open side of the shuttle. “[I assure you, we will not lift off towards our own ship with you in captivity, nor perform any other such type of dishonorable ruse. We just wish to be sure of everything involving this matter. Actually, we are bringing you to your shuttle. After this meeting, you are free to use it again.]”
“[Oh?]” Jevnar cocked one ear in surprise. Jnsnrnan’sn’ah knew that [Thunderbird Three] was impounded thanks to its role in the chase after the kidnappers. But this was the first he’d heard that the Senate team was ready to release it.
Jevnar bowed as he accepted the Dorarizin Captain’s declaration, and so the Jornissian lawyer allowed himself to be led into the awaiting shuttle.
When the trio emerged, Jevnar saw a big brick-red Dorarizin clambering like a huge insect over the angular exterior of [Thunderbird Three]. This was a place very close to the final crash and confrontation with Princess Mrg-Znrnah; he couldn't imagine why the Captain chose this location. Driver leaned on a nearby rock outcrop, tapping his white-booted foot in clear impatience.
The big Dorarizin dropped off of the vehicle, crouching during his impact with the ground with the casual grace of an athlete. He saluted the Captain as the quartet approached. “{No damage at all, ma’am,}” he said. “{Not even on the outer edges of the control surfaces.}”
“{Thank you, Specialist Bgrarh.}” The Captain gave a rare, warm smile, then went right back into her Nothing-But-Business mode. She pulled a small datapad from a pocket of her uniform and handed it to Jevnar. “{This is the route of your chase, as determined by Gnranth-Eight Traffic Control. Would you please verify it?}”
Jevnar took the proffered datapad and regarded the map on its screen, overlaid with a saw-toothed line of bright orange. With an internal shudder, he tried to re-create the chase in his head and match it to the plotted course. “{This seems accurate, but I cannot say with absolute certainty.}”
“{No?}” The Captain raised one ear in surprise.
“{Madame, I must confess I had my eyes closed during a few moments of the chase. It's an unfortunate and unavoidable side effect of sheer terror.}”
“{Ha! Well, if you two would be so kind as to indulge us a bit further I can show you the specific point of interest. Here.}” She reached over and tapped at a particular rock formation overlaid by the sketched-out route. “{It's located very nearby. Shall we take a walk?}”
Jnsnrnan’sn’ah crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance. “[Let’s please, if it will wrap this up.]”
The Captain spun and pointed an unsheathed claw at Driver, who in turn put a hand to his chest in an innocent who, me? gesture which transcended species.
"{Yes you, you little menace,}" replied Rgrarshok. "{We need an answer, and you are the only one who can give it.}”
Driver slumped a bit then turned to Bgrarh. He raised his arms over his helmet in what had become the universal tiny-chomper signal for ‘I need a lift’. With a furiously wagging tail, Bgrarh plucked up Driver’s figure and placed the little alien almost reverentially on his shoulder.
Jevnar followed the Captain, wondering all the while what Driver could possibly have to answer for.
----------------------------------------
The now-sextet regarded an arch of stone, a formation of multicolored sedimentary rock which stretched over their heads and pointed into the blue sky like a paw reaching to heaven. Next to the arch paced a dusky-furred Dorarzin, who had a datapad of her own and kept muttering to herself in irritation.
Jevnar turned towards the Captain. “{It’s very pretty, Madame, but I confess I fail to understand the issue.}”
“{The issue is very simple.}” Captain Rgrarshok gestured towards the arch. “{During the chase, your shuttle went through this opening. But we have discovered that your particular vehicle could not have fit.}”
The butler felt a wave of relief wash through him. “{Oh dear. Is that all it is? I did have my eyes open during that part. He tilted our shuttle on its side.}” He gestured with his paws as he swooped them forward, mimicking the maneuver which Driver had performed with alacrity during that all-too-terrifying chase.
“{The opening is still too small,}” said Bgrarh with finality as he set Driver down next to him.
Jevnar looked up at him in surprise. “{Wait, what?}”
Now the white Dorarizin spoke up. "{We have measured this opening to the nearest [millimeter], in all its dimensions,}" she said, waving her datapad at the rock formation as if the stone had insulted her ancestors.
The Captain bowed a little towards the two outsiders. "{May I introduce you to Engineer Egwreh-of-Grhraf. She has spent the last twenty-four hours running continuous computer simulations, attempting to determine if there is any possible angle at which your shuttle could fit through. She cannot find one. In any possible orientation, your shuttle is too large by at least [half a meter].}"
Jnsnrnan’sn’ah waved an arm in the general direction of the arch. "[Oh come on! It went through without damage, your man said so yourself. So maybe your engineer is mistaken. Or it went around instead of through.]"
The Captain shook her head. "{No, I'm afraid that the tracking by Traffic Control is simply too precise. We know the shuttle went through this arch, not around. And yet, according to all of our data, it could not have done so without sustaining significant damage...which it did not.}"
She then fixed the Jornissian lawyer with a steely eye. "{I should also add that my engineer does not make mistakes.}" Behind her, Egwreh's frowning expression relaxed for a moment into a smirk.
Jnsnrnan’sn’ah held up a hand. "[I'm not claiming incompetence, but perhaps there is one particular angle which would allow this, er, feat and [Egwreh] simply hasn't found it yet.]" He gestured to Driver. "[Why not ask him?]"
"{We did,}" said Egwreh with grating fangs. "{He didn't answer.}"
The Captain looked over at the small alien, whose white jumpsuit almost glowed in the desert sun. Driver stood a little apart from the others, looking at the stone arch with his fists on his hips. Jevnar could feel the waves of smug wafting off of the tiny-chomper. Driver ignored their combined scrutiny while he regarded the place where he'd done a fine bit of driving.
"{Well?} the Captain asked.
Driver, with clear reluctance, turned away from the arch to face the group with crossed arms.
"{Do you have any information which will resolve this conundrum?}" Rgrarshok continued. "{We can have you draw for Egwreh the angle you used, as it appears you're...not in the mood for talking.}"
That black, featureless visor looked at each of the larger aliens in turn. Jevnar suddenly felt the same as he had the first time he'd met Driver, as if he was being weighed in the balance and found wanting. A little prickle of fear ran down the back of the butler's neck as he suddenly recalled Harry's worried conversation after their visit to the Karnakian cathedral. The conversation about how a certain feathered lunatic believed that tiny-chompers could bend reality to their will. What if that were so? Given Driver's rather intense focus of his life into only one aspect of existence, perhaps the tiny-chomper could accomplish such a feat more easily than his brethren. Perhaps through sheer force of will he'd somehow...enlarged the stone opening’s dimensions? Shrunk those of the shuttle? Perhaps...
Perhaps that insane Karnakian was more right than wrong.
The moment stretched out, and still Driver didn't answer, didn't move. Now his visor fixed right at Jevnar, as if he knew the butler's suspicions and dared him to say a word. Driver dropped his hands to his sides, it seemed as if the entire universe held its breath...
Ping.
The soft chime broke the silence, and Egwreh looked down at her datapad in surprise. She examined its screen for a moment before beginning to shout. "{What? No, I checked that angle, I know I did!}"
"{Engineer Egwreh,}" said the Captain gently. "{Please, be calm. I take it the computer found a solution?}"
The engineer straightened up and nodded. "{If their shuttle was almost perfectly on its side...but not quite fully so, and with a slight yaw upwards, it could fit. Well, it would fit within our measurement error.}" She looked down at Driver. "{It's still a one-in-a-million chance. You either carry the luck of all your ancestors, or you pulled off the best feat of flying which I've ever heard of.}"
Driver's entire demeanor softened. He no longer held himself with a prickly rigidness, and even bowed towards Egwreh upon hearing her reluctant praise.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The Captain was now much more relaxed as well. She even gave Jevnar a comradely clasp on his shoulder. "{Excellent. I can now say that this case is entirely wrapped up...well, I should say wrapped up as far as you and [Jnsnrnan’sn’ah] are concerned. }"
For his part, Jevnar was not relaxed at all. Something had just happened; he was sure of it. But in the interest of getting the Senate team out of his fur he kept up a calm and measured front. "{Excellent. Then may I assume that you are therefore going after the instigators, madame?}"
"[Indeed. We have quite a bit of forensic accounting left to do, but we already have enough to make a certain white [Jornissian] regret ever emerging from her egg.]"
The butler wanted to take part in that chase, he wanted that badly enough to make his claws itch. However, he knew just how competent this particular team was. Because of that knowledge, and because he wanted to keep his proper place next to his Sir, he merely bowed. "{That is wonderful news. I shan't keep you, madame.}"
The Captain smiled. "{Before we depart orbit, would you mind if our crew pay a brief visit to your vessel? Don’t worry, they’re all certified in tiny-chomper training.}"
Jevnar thought about begging off, claiming that his Sir was too traumatized to meet anyone at the moment. But in the end Jevnar’s curiosity won him over. After all, he'd be there during the visit. "{I shall forward your request to Sir, madame. I cannot answer for his response.}"
The Captain nodded her thanks, and then she and her subordinates trouped off towards their shuttle. All the while, Egwreh not-so-quietly ranted to the Captain about how she knew that she'd already checked that particular angle, and all the while the huge Dorarizin laid a friendly arm over the engineer's shoulders and made soothing replies to the former's protestations.
Jnsnrnan’sn’ah sighed once the Senate team were out of sight. "[Unbelievable. We were dragged out here for no reason at all. Ordinarily I'd file a complaint, but right now I just want all this nonsense well and truly behind us. Shall we, gentlemen?]" He slithered off in the wake of the departing Dorarizin, leaving just Jevnar and Driver staring at each other.
Jevnar waited until the Jornissian lawyer was well out of ear-shot before speaking. "{Did...did you just do something?}"
Driver tilted his head like a Karnakian sizing up a potential prey animal.
The Dorarizin’s mouth became dry with alarming speed. "{I know that particular Senate team’s reputation. They are far too competent to make such an error. If they said that [Thunderbird Three] could not fit through this archway, then they had good reason to think so. And yet the moment they raised their suspicions in your presence, suddenly they found that they were indeed in error.}”
The tiny-chomper tilted his head the other way, as if thinking of the best angle of attack towards the Dorarizin’s neck. Jevnar’s little tingle of unease now became a full-on, mane-frizzing fright. That fear was nonsense; it was an obvious fact that Jevnar could take Driver in a fair fight.
But what if that fight wasn’t fair in the slightest? What if Jevnar drew his gun, only to have it fail to fire? Or what if he tripped over a rock that wasn’t there a moment ago? Jevnar quelled the sudden urge to run and kept his voice steady. “{You must understand, sir, that I find this coincidence quite disturbing.}"
The resulting moment of silence stretched out until Jevnar's brave facade crumbled. His ears sagged as he stretched out an imploring paw. "{Please, I just don't...I don't want anything to happen to Sir. He's my friend. I haven't had a friend...I mean, a real friend, in such a very long time. If you are a possible danger to his person, then I need to be aware of it.}"
Driver's head straightened back up, and he moved up towards Jevnar with a bounce in his step. He laid a gloved hand on the butler's furred forearm. The physical contact made Jevnar jolt as if electrified, and suddenly he knew exactly what Driver was trying to say.
You don't have to worry about me, friend. Everything's going to be okay. Now…let’s Go!
With that, the tiny-chomper moved past Jevnar, almost skipping in delight as he made his way back towards [Thunderbird Three].
The butler took a moment to re-compose himself and followed. He wondered, not for the last time, if something odd had truly happened…or if he'd just been around tiny-chompers for too long.
----------------------------------------
The ‘brief visit’ by the Senate team turned into something more like a multi-hour excursion as Harry escorted the crew of the good ship Furious Claw of Inquiry through his own, much larger vessel. After the first couple of hours, he felt the need to ever-so-gently inquire about their sense of urgency.
“We’re glad to have you, of course,” he said to Bgrarh as the group strolled into the observation lounge. “It’s just that I thought you’d want to get after wossername, the Jornissian, as soon as possible.”
On the opposite side of Bgrarh stalked a lean Dorarizin woman with dark brown fur. Her name was…Myra? No, Myyreh. She spoke up in reply. “[Wouldn’t do any good. Turns out [Whrnsnnanth’nan] vanished right after the initial alerts went out. Tracking her will be more about cunning than speed.]”
“[But we will track her down,]” said Bgrarh with finality. His serious tone shifted into an almost childlike glee as they entered the amphitheater-like space. “[Ooooh! That’s so cool!]”
Before them stretched the lounge’s huge transparent window; on the planet below it was now night-time, and the temporary encampment of the speed trials formed a big swirl of glittering lights on the otherwise black expanse of desert.
Harry smiled as the rest of the Senate crew emitted similar exclamations of excitement and crowded forward to stand next to the window and peer out. But then he noticed Myyreh, who stood apart from the others. She held a finger pressed to the window, and from her drooping tail and ears he figured she was lost in some sad reverie.
He sidled closer. “Ma’am? Are you okay?”
“[He would have loved this view,]” she murmured, almost to herself. Then her ears rose as she turned to Harry. “[Sorry. Just remembering someone of my pack who’s now gone.]”
“No need to apologize, you have my sympathy for your loss.”
“[It was a long time ago,]” she replied with a shake of her head. “[I’ve done my mourning for him. We all did.]” She motioned towards the rest of her crew.
Then Myyreh turned fully towards him and fixed him with a stare. “[Jevnar told me of your ambition. To capture the wonders of the universe for everyone.]”
“Oh yeah…that.” Harry didn’t meet her eyes as he looked out at the sparkling encampment lights below.
She twitched an ear up in curiosity. “[What’s the matter?]”
The human sighed. “I’m having second thoughts about this whole scheme. I mean, I know it’s a noble cause and it’ll help keep my cash burn up where it needs to be. But…”
Myyreh leaned over and placed a gentle paw on his shoulder. “[But you’re worried about your own safety?]”
Harry snorted. “That’s not the bloody problem. When my number’s up, it’s up. I’m more worried about everyone else. Did you know that one of my bodyguards became near suicidal after I was nabbed?”
The Dorarizin gave his deltoid a gentle squeeze. “[I think they should be given the benefit of the doubt. Wouldn’t you agree that your crew chose to be here?]”
“That was before this whole mess. I was expecting to deal with a pirate band now and then, not a conspiracy like this.”
Myyreh’s face remained serene. “[That was only because you had a bad actor on board. She’s removed now, plus Jevnar has performed another background check on everyone. He’s satisfied that the crew is clean.]”
She dropped her paw from his shoulder. “[Not to mention, [Whrnsnnanth’nan] had access to significant technical resources. Resources well beyond those available to some scrapyard pirate crew.]”
“So you’re saying I should keep at it?” He leaned against her, feeling somehow comfortable in being this physically close. They both stared up and out into the infinite black. “I’d love to,” he continued, “but I don’t want to be selfish.”
“[I know what he’d tell you to do.]”
“Your departed pack-member?”
Her smile was sad but genuine. “[Yes. I neglected to mention he was a [human].]”
“Really? Brilliant!”
“[He was a cheeky little thing. Much like your friend Driver, although much more talkative. He stared down danger with not a care in the world. I know he’s watching over you with approval.]”
“You think so?”
“[I know so. Make him proud, [Harry]. Make all of your species proud.]” She gave his shoulder another, final caress before turning and walking away.
----------------------------------------
Harry slouched in the bridge’s central chair with one leg thrown over an armrest. He looked over a smaller copy of the handwritten list he’d made what seemed like ages ago. “Right, next is the Fnnsnanhn Nebula…there are two different star systems that give very different views of that, so no need to go planetside for either of those…”
From his usual post next to Harry, Jevnar made a throat-clearing sound. He was getting better at imitating the human version of that sound; now it only sounded like someone trying to pull-start a lawn mower rather than a buzzsaw cutting through bone. Harry looked up and over at his butler, who made a small but imperious twirling gesture with one claw.
The human sighed and slung his leg off of the armrest, then sat much more upright and posture-proper. He continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “After that, we visit the city where they had the final siege of Malshak-V. It’s a significant historical landmark, but reports say it’s turned into a real tourist trap-“
“[Tourist trap,]” murmured Jevnar, and his tail wagged slightly.
“-so we’ll need to be extra cautious. Lots of unfamiliar faces around.”
“[I assure you, Sir, that we shall do our utmost,]” said Jevnar with a more audible volume.
Kant’nat turned from his panel. Harry smiled as he remembered the Karnakian’s confusion when the human suggested that the comms officer wear a red miniskirt and black go-go boots. “[Traffic control has cleared us to leave orbit, Harry.]”
“Lovely, lovely. All right helm, take the old girl out.”
Driver turned and gave his boss a thumbs-up. Ever since the clusterfuck on Gnranth-Eight, the silent human had been a lot less of a pain in the arse. He’d become more cheerful to those on board, especially towards Jevnar. But somehow Driver was now even more smug, as if he’d gotten away with something.
Harry had tried to find out what that ‘something’ was, up to and including questioning Jevnar. If something weird was afoot, the butler would be the one to know. However, the only thing that Jevnar mentioned regarding Driver was that there had been a slight confusion raised by the Senate investigation team. However, Driver then resolved that confusion to their satisfaction. So that couldn’t be it.
As Gnranth-Eight slewed out of view on the screen, Harry mentally ran through what else Driver might have done. A joyride in Thunderbird Three? Seducing the entire engineering staff? Immoral relations with the warp drive?
A distant whine/rumble sounded through the deck as the dreadnaught’s warp engines started up. The stars in the viewscreen wavered as the navigational computer system almost seamlessly replaced the ‘true’ view with a projected one.
Harry leaned back in his chair with a sigh of satisfaction, and the little irritation at the back of his head eased away. There were so many more lovely things to be seen and experienced, an entire galaxy’s worth of wonder to explore.
Whatever minor misdeeds Driver had gotten up to were surely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
----------------------------------------
Many, many light years away there is a place. It is an out-of-the-way minor asteroid, and it’s been hollowed out to make a somewhat comfortable (if rather small) living space. A living space which, most importantly, does not appear on any official Senate colony register.
There are many such places strewn throughout the galaxy, an inevitable result of a high population and an almost limitless space to get lost in. Most of these unregistered sites are involved in nefarious activities of one sort or another; the least unpleasant act as mere pirate bases, while the more unsavory places are those where unfortunates can become…disappeared.
This particular place, however, has a very specific purpose. Namely, to serve as a place to hide. Hide, while disseminating the teachings of the Karnakian who nominated himself as the absolute ruler of this tiny fiefdom.
This self-appointed religious leader sleeps at the moment…but not for long. If you, dear reader, could somehow be present in his modest chambers you would behold the figure of a dozing Karnakian, one with sparse white feathers and cream-colored scales underneath. The large alien lays curled up on his side, breathing with the long, slow rhythm which indicates utter peace.
That peace does not last for long. The Karnakian’s body twitches uneasily, and his foot-claws twitch as if preparing to defend himself from some even-larger predator. A few peeps and chirps emanate from his fanged muzzle, just before two pairs of red eyes slam open.
Ter'yeik, the former and now utterly disgraced Under-Patriarch of the [Thirty-Second] Path, wets his thin scaly lips with his tongue. He stares out…not at any hypothetical reader floating about their disembodied viewpoint, but at something only he can see. Something far out there in the galaxy, something now moving about through Jornissian space.
What he sees is a bright flare of ability, one that he’s been dreading to see…and yet for a long, long time he knew that one day he would witness it. Witness it and despair.
“|Oh Great Spirit, watch over and preserve us poor mortals…,|” Ter’yeik whispers in a desperate prayer to an entity in which he no longer believes...
“|…the Smol has awakened.|”