Slicer and Lappor head to the hangar in which Slicer's red Jäger stands. The spacecraft is sleek in build and formed in sich a way that it can not only handle the vacuum of space but also a large variety of atmospheres. Able to outmanoeuvre almost any other spacecraft of its size, it still got damaged by the debris of the Starblazer.

As they arrive in the hangar, Lappor goes to the K-People who have performed the repairs. Slicer on the other hand walks towards his Jäger and takes a close scrutinising look at the damaged places. Against himself he has to admit that the K-People have done a perfect job. The only way to tell the Jäger got damaged is to know where the damages were and notice the slight off-coloration.

„That's a military grade Jäger of the Gamma-Subclass,” says someone behind him.

He turns around and looks at a female Menkar. She is about seven feet tall and has the board shoulders typical for a female aquatic Drone. Her skin is the colour of sand with black stripes visible on her arms and her hair is of a bluish black color. Her horns rather short, nubby, and light grey. But what surprises Slicer is the fact that her bluish fins are still intact except for the webbing of her fingers. There is also a metal ring warped around her neck but as far as Slicer’s concerned it is just some form of strange jewellery.

„Didn't know this type's still in use”, she continues with a board smile showing her sharp double canines. „Was a pleasure to repair it.”

„You did the repairs?”, he asks with a frown.

„Sure thing!” she says bubbly and bobs back and forth on her feet. „The Imin‘tora, that's what the K-People call themselves, have a saying. Only Menkar can repair Menkar-Tech. It sounds kinda awful but in their language it has a nice poetic sound.”

Slicer doesn‘t bother to hide his distain. But she doesn‘t react. I hate bubbly people…, he thinks and looks for Lappor who takes his precious time to get to the Jäger.

„What's your name? Mine's Felrani Talliomere”, she asks and forces him to look at her again.

„Sl- Aranian Velten”, he tells her, since it is more likely the Fleet will search for him by his nickname to avoid getting the wrong Menkar.

„Nice meeting you, Aranian!”, she replies grinning. „Being on vacation or do you enjoy retirement?”

„There exists no retirement in the Fleet unless you get yourself killed”, he growls at her and looks again for Lappor. What in the Void takes the mudswimmer so long?

„So you're with the Fleet?”, Felrani asks enthusiastic. „Are you on a secret mission?”

„Even if I were I wouldn't tell you”, he replies dry. „Now leave me be.”

„But this is so interesting!”, she continues and follows him as he walks to the helm of the Jäger. „Other Menkar rarely come by around here! And now I've met a real agent! This's just like in the movies!”

„This is no movie”, grumbles Slicer and opens the see-through hull.

„Yeah, I guess you're right”, Felrani replies somber. „People die after all for real on such missions.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

„Then why are you bothering me?”, he asks feeling slightly disheartened.

„I don't know”, she admits and touches the metal ring around her neck as if it itches. „It… It doesn't matter.”

„Then leave me be.”

She nods and walks immediately away. But her pace is slower than Slicer’s used to. For a moment, it even seems like she is going to look back at him. In the end she doesn‘t turn around and vanishes behind his Jäger, presumably leaving the way she has come. Just a few moments later Lappor announces his presences with a wheezing breath.

„There's a problem, Sir”, he says and makes himself smaller once Slicer stares at him.

„What problem?”, he asks in a freezing tone.

„The Empress has declared us traitors.”

„So what?”

„So what?”, Lappor squeals and scurries a few steps backwards as Slicer walks towards him.

„It doesn't matter to me if we're considered traitors or not”, he growls and grabs him again by the collar of his shirt. „I will get this weapon, and then we'll see who's going to execute whom!”

„But the K-People! They know!”, he almost shouts.

Before Slicer can reply, something a handful of the K-People arrive beside his Jäger. They all wear not their usual soft dress-like clothes but combat gear. Still, they look puny and ridiculous to Slicer. He snarls and pulls his gun out of his hyperspace-bracelet. But before he can even aim, one of the K-People shots a pin into his arm. A mere second later an intense electric current zaps him. Before he knows what has happened, to him, he drops unconscious to the ground.

—

Slicer has a sour taste in his mouth as he wakes up. His head swims like some has slammed a baton against his horns. The next thing he notices are the shackles put around his wrists. The metal feels cold and cuts painfully into his skin. Miffed, he also notices that his hyperspace-bracelets are missing. Slow he sits up and groans. The place where the pin hit his arm still stings.

„You're awake!”, Lappor wheezes in a mix of shock and relief.

„Not so loud! My head hurts!”, he growls and closes his eyes for a few moments. „It smells disgusting in here… Where are we?”

„In one of the cells inside what the K-People seem to consider a prison”, he answers and shifts slightly in his cot. „It seems they intend to leave us in here until a representative of the Fleet arrives to take us to Cetus.”

„Take us?”, Slicer huffs in a malignant laugh. „They might execute you, but I won't wait in here for them to kill me.”

„I've already tried to break us out with my telekinesis, but the lock is secured via a computer. I can unlock it for about a millisecond before it snaps back into place.”

Slicer growls and stands up. For a moment, he feels like he is about to collapse again from the pain in his head, but he bears it. With intimidating steps he heads to the door and looks through the small window in it. He can barely see the row of doors in front of the cell as well as two of the K-People standing guard next to the door. They hold small weapons akin to the one which incapacitated him before.

I've never had the chance to test my psychics on another sentient species…, he muses and closes his eyes. Immediately he can feel the presence of the guards. Since he isn’t a mindreader he has no access to their literal, verbal thoughts, but he can feel their intentions.

Both are bored. The one on the left is even more eager to have something happen than his companion. Slow Slicer plants a special intention into the left ones head. He wants him to get the urge to free them.

Once he withdraws from the guards mind his victim turns to their colleague and says something in their native language consisting of clicks, whistles, and hisses. The other guard replies something in an amused tone before they step in front of the door and look in with a strange expression. Fairly certain that he is laughed at, Slicer slams his fist again the door and hisses. Without any success but with bleeding knuckles he steps back from the door.

„Did you manage—”, Lappor begins but gets interrupted by Slicer.

„Does it look like I did?”, he roars and punches his Chief of Science.

The impact of the punch is enough to send Lappor spiralling to the ground. While the small Menkar whimpers and presses his hand agains his bleeding nose, Slicer forces himself to calm down — with mediocre success.

„Don't you dare to mock me, Mudswimmer”, he snarls and begins to pace.