Everyone froze for a moment, Gabriel was standing with his hands in the air while the Igris leader groaned on the ground. The armed security squad’s helmets were shifting between the Igris and Gabriel.
“Uh,” Gabriel said, he probably should make it a catchphrase at this point. He looked at the squad trying to make out their race. They were not Igris nor Quizeaterans and all wearing full covering gear so he could only make out their general build and that they had a tail. “Sartau I might be in a bit of a pickle here”
“What does that?...oh I see, I’ll tell the Captain right away”
“Thank you very much, I’ll try not to get shot...again, in the meantime.” He carefully inspected his wound without moving his hands but it did not look that bad, but it still was beginning to hurt now that his adrenaline was tapering off. One squad member handcuffed the Igris leader and the rest aimed their weapons towards Gabriel while shouting in a language he did not understand. “Startau, what language does my translator have? The police are screaming at me and I’m getting nervous”
“Zilgi standard and Quizeateran, and the Captain and Madeline are on their way, and does police refer to the security guards?”
“Yep it does, thanks again” Gabriel tried not to move and to his dismay noticed he needed to use the bathroom now that most of the tension had left his body. The armed guards continued to shout and wave weapons and Gabriel could only shrug and point to his ear, which they could not see as he was still wearing the helmet he realized. Luckily before anything got further out of hand Kanthua and Madeline arrived. They both walked over slowly to not spook the guards and Kanthua started speaking to them in whatever languages it was. Madeline walked over a moment later to stand beside Gabriel.
The guards looked over at her and their weapons wavered, they shouted more and aimed at Gabriel. Madeline expression turned into surprise before shocking Gabriel by jumping in front of him with her arms to the sides covering him protectively. She shouted in the same language Kanthua spoke. A shouting match broke out as the armed security waved weapons and Madeline pressed herself to Gabriel shouting at them, her head feathers, or fur was flattened to her head. Probably a sign of anger Gabriel guessed, and he needed to find a better word for her long head fur, maybe crest? ridge? mohawk? But now was not the time for that.
He spared a glance at Kanthua who looked as confused as he felt, his head turned back and forth between Madeline and the guards. “What is going on?” Gabriel asked everyone in general.
“These infuriating people are from the Zilgi government, determined to mark you as kidnapper” Madeline almost growled.
“Uh-huh, why?” He asked.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to ask,” She said and shouted some more.
“Should I take off my helmet? or can I take down my arms, they are getting tired” Madeline stopped at the interruption and glared at him. “Sorry...please go on shouting”
She did just that and even waved her arms in frustration for a minute or so before turning her head to Gabriel, “Yeah, maybe you should take off your helmet, they think you are some Igris deceiving me or some such nonsense, they are telling me several different things”
Gabriel lowered his hands and reached for the helmet but the guards raised their weapons so Gabriel's hands went back towards the roof, “Maybe you should do it, I don’t fancy getting shot any more today”
“Alright, hold still” Madeline sighed and turned, making sure to shout a little at the guards before slowly lifting Gabriel’s helmet off and dropping it to the floor. She quickly turned back to cover him and shouted more at them.
“Have you told them I’m a rare alien and they might get into trouble if they shoot me? isn’t there some form of protocol for this?” Gabriel said quietly.
“Yes, I’m trying but they are not listening,” She said frustrated and growled something to the guards.
“Are they even guards? You know for this station I mean, and if not where are the real guards?” Gabriel asked both her and Kanthua. He got another glare for interrupting Madeline again.
“I’ll check,” Kanthua said and slowly walked into the ship, the Zilgi guards barely even noticed they were too focused on Madeline but to weary of Gabriel to advance. At least that’s what he guessed, or maybe it was Madeline’s shouting.
“So...what do they even want?” Gabriel asked when there was a pause in the argument.
“Well, I’ve maybe convinced them you will not try and attack and they just want me to go home with them.”
“That does not sound too bad”
Madeline turned enough to look him in the eye, “I am not leaving without you, not this ship and not this station. Not after everything you have done for me and the crew,” She said.
Gabriel was stunned for a second before his face cracked into a huge smile, “That means a lot, I would hug you if I could take my arms down...However, instead, I have to ruin the moment as I have been shot and to a lesser extent need to pee so we need to wrap this up somehow.” Madeline smiled back, both affectionate and with humor, her fur even stood on edge for a bit before flattening down again when she turned back. She did not shout rather sounded frustrated now but the guards did not back down, well they did lower their weapons a bit. Gabriel was getting frustrated himself, “We are getting nowhere fast” he muttered to himself. “Sartau can you connect me through the speakers again? and where is the button to close the cargo doors?” he said after another minute.
“Yes sir, if you step back two steps so you are inside the ship I can connect you, and the button is the lower green one on the console two steps to your left.”
“Thank you, please connect me,” Gabriel said quietly and after confirmation, he put an arm around Madeline’s stomach and pulled her back two steps. The guards twitched and raised their weapons a bit but did not aim at Gabriel, probably out of fear of hitting Madeline though the shouting escalated.
“What are you doing?” Madeline asked surprised.
“Alright, this has been fun,” Gabriel said as his voice sounded out from the speakers. “But I have been shot and need medical attention, you guys wait out here and we will have a talk later, maybe after I get my translator updated” Gabriel guided Madeline along to the button. “It’s been a pleasure talking, see you soon, take care!” He said unnecessarily cheerful and pressed the button. The doors closed in a few seconds and thankfully no guards decided to charge the door. “Sartau you can disconnect me now”
“Done”
“Now with that sorted, I need a bathroom and medical care,” Gabriel said to Madeline. “Preferably in that order, or I’m going to need a change of underwear as well.”
“They are not going to like that,” Madeline said but her fur was not flattened to her head anymore.
“Well forcing an injured person to stand with hands up for several minutes kind of takes away their choice in the matter” Gabriel put a hand to his wound and Madeline got under his other arm as he started towards the med bay. Not that he needed help but he didn’t mind. They quickly stumbled upon the two surrendered Igris held at gunpoint by several of the crew. “Oh hey, good job keeping order, have you heard if security is on the way, or are the Zilgi it?”
He got a couple of confused looks as they traded glances with each other. “We have been here since the attack...and please forgive us for not helping...we froze up when the light went out.” They all bowed their heads and folded their ears forward.
“It’s alright, guard them so I don’t have to and we are even” Gabriel smiled and waved as he headed past. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have several things that need to get out of my body” It was not a long walk to the med bay and Gabriel stuck his head inside. Alith was sitting at a monitor typing away, “Hey Alith, where is the closest bathroom I can use? and I need to get some scattergun pellets out of my stomach after that.”
Alith turned around and gave him a curious look, “Well...Your room has the only human replica, but your wound...”
“Be right back” He said before Alith could protest further.
Gabriel returned a few minutes later feeling refreshed, “That’s better” He said and sat on a bed. Alith had prepared more than the necessary amount of instruments and even put on a maks and apron.
“I’ll start by giving you a numbing agent and then I will remove the pellets, pull down the weight suit, and your clothes please,” Alith said and Gabriel pulled down both to his waist. He had plenty of small blue bruises when the handgun rounds had hit but Alith ignored them and smeared a gel around the wound. “It will take a minute or so to go into effect”
After Gabriel counted to exactly a minute or so he poked at his wound, “Ow, still feels the same”
Alith went back to the monitor and pulled up Gabriel’s scans, “I see, of course,” He grabbed a syringe from a drawer, “You have a higher tolerance than we do.” He injected whatever it was in a few places around the wound. “This we use to temporarily paralyze limbs.”
Gabriel's eyes went wide, “Excuse me?”
“Oh, don’t worry, it should just paralyze your pain receptors.”
“I heard a ‘should’ in there doc” But true to his word exactly another minute or so later, the area around the wound felt numb.
“See,” Alith said happily, apparently enjoying using Gabriel as a test subject. He carefully removed the pellets before disinfecting and then he smeared another gel on the wound and bandaged it up. “You are very tough, this wound would have a Quizeateran on the ground in pain, or severely limping. Not that we would survive a scattergun at that range without being very lucky”
“Thanks, doc,” Gabriel said and started to dress again, only to stop looking at the bloodstain. “I don’t want to walk around in blood-stained clothes, I need a change” He turned to Madeline, “Shall we find Taurana somewhere before yelling more at the Zilgi?”
She smiled but her head fur did not move, “Yeah, we probably should”
Gabriel tied both the weight suit and the coveralls around his waist making it feel like his legs and torso had different gravity. He stopped Madeline as they closed the door behind them, “Are you alright?” He asked her.
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She looked away and her expression showed shame, maybe. “I...I’m sorry Gabriel, I have not told you the entire truth...”
“You are a princess from a powerful space-faring race and only you can prevent an intergalactic war?” Gabriel said and nodded to her.
Her face said very clearly, What the hell are you talking about. “No, what?”
“Sorry, go on,” Gabriel said.
Madeline tried giving him a harsh look but her fur rose. “I am trying to feel bad here, stop with your humor.” She smiled slightly before taking a deep breath. “I have told you the truth, mostly. I am the daughter of an emissary. My father just happens to be the head emissary for the Zilgi race”
“And what difference does that make?”
“The head emissary is first in line for all contact with Xenos, appointed by our planets council. It is a very important and prestigious position...I knew my father would send someone to find me.”
Gabriel pondered that for a moment, while it would be nice to know she had people searching for her, it would not have made a difference until they reached the station either way.
“Alright, I forgive you,” He said, patted her on the back and headed down the corridor.
“What? just like that?” Madeline asked shocked.
“Yeah? I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, It made no difference in space” He shrugged. “Oh and I can even brag about seeing the head emissaries daughter naked.” He added with a grin.
She blinked a few times then shook her head and followed, her head fur standing up. “Nakedness aside, we might have been able to contact my father from the ship. Had I done so you would not have gotten shot...again.”
“Did you think of contacting anyone after the pirate attack?”
“No, but it should have crossed my mind...I was in stasis for six months and I knew how far we were from getting to space I...” She trailed of clearly frustrated.
“Well it did not cross my mind either, hindsight is 20/20 I guess,” Gabriel said and shrugged.
“I don’t even know what that means,” She said, still upset.
“It means when looking back at the past it is easy to see mistakes, I think.” Gabriel stopped and turned to her. “You told me emissaries traveled into space, six months is plenty of time for things to happen. Neither of us thought about the possibility and even if we did, do you have a number to call directly to your father?”
“No, but I could have called the station”
“Yeah, so could I, and Kanthua, and everyone else on the ship. And if they believed us then sure, the Igris might have been arrested outside the ship and all would be fine. But what if they didn’t? This situation sounds kind of strange, at least to me” Madeline looked down at the floor and Gabriel grabbed her shoulders, “Kanthua’s family is safe and I’m fine, relatively. All in all, I think this went down pretty well”
Madeline sighed and nodded slowly and then went in for a hug. Gabriel hugged her back, smiled, and stroked the longer fun on her head and neck, “What’s this called anyway, you know the fur you move showing emotions?”
“We don’t call it anything, there is some scientific name though. Emotive fur ridge or something” Madeline said into his shoulder.
“Ridge it is,” Gabriel thought to himself. “Alright, we have some important business to attend to,” He said and pulled away.
Madeline blinked a few times then took a breath and nodded. “Alright, clothes than more yelling”
Gabriel grinned, “And hopefully a translator update for me”
“Yes, and that, now where can we find Taurana?”
“Bridge?” Gabriel suggested as they passed their room. “Wait!, I’m an idiot, Sartau are you there?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Are you always listening in on what I'm saying?” Gabriel asked.
“The...communicator always on yes, but you can take it out of you ear it you don’t want me to listen. But I tune it out, honestly!”
“I’ll remember that, do you know where Taurana is? I need a change of clothes and I want my translator updated.”
“She is in the workshop, and I would guess your clothes are there as well sir.”
“Try and stop calling me sir, it makes me feel old, and thank you” Gabriel plucked the earpiece out and put in in a pocket. “Workshop, probably,” He said to Madeline as they headed that way. Once there Gabriel opened the door and peeked in, “Hello? Taurana you in here?”
“Yes?” Came a voice from behind a machine in the back. Taurana poked her head out with some sort of tool in her hand. “Oh good, the Captain said the fighting was over but I see you are not terribly hurt.”
“Yeah some tiny bruises and a scattergun shot to the stomach, I’ll be fine. Do you have any more clothes made, mine is a bit bloody”
Taurana looked at him with horror “Scattergun?”
“It’s a weapon that shoots many small projectiles at high speed, but that’s not important right now.” Both Madeline and Taurana looked at him like he was crazy. “Movie reference, never mind,” He said after a moment of awkward silence.
“What are movies?” Taurana asked as she brought out more coveralls from a shelf.
“Film, pictures are shown in rapid succession with sound. With actor playing roles, or maybe documentaries on whatever. Surely you have something similar? I hope.” Gabriel asked and was getting worried. Now that he thought about it he had not seen a tv of any kind on the ship.
“Yes,” Taurana said and handed Gabriel a coverall. “We have educational videos and documentaries.”
“We have that too, and what I think you mean by actors playing roles, a way of telling stories?”
“Yes!” Gabriel almost shouted and both Xenos jumped. “Sorry, I’m just excited to watch Xeno movies, and tv shows, and art for that matter. And I can’t forget about listening to music, please tell me you make music” Both nodded and Gabriel grinned. “Great!” He said and pulled off his clothes.
Taurana turned around but Madeline did not move. “I’m happy you are excited but we need to deal with the immediate problem first”
“Oh right, Taurana can you update my translator to include...” He looked to Madeline.
“Station standard,” She said.
“Station standard” He repeated, “Wait, really?”
“The language evolved on the first neutral space station and the name stuck,” Taurana said and then scratched her head, “I can give you the language but your translator can’t sync so no one will understand you until you give a copy of your language to the proper agency. Your translator was provided by the Igris and highly likely modified and illegal”
“Hmm, well that’s better than nothing, can I get a copy of my language to give away?”
Taurana nodded, “Yes, but I can get that fixed and delivered for you if we don’t get arrested for trafficking.” she added worriedly.
“Nonsense, we will convince them you let us out right away after getting our stasis pods or something,” Gabriel said zipped up his coverall, the weight suit he left on the table.
“But…” Taurana started and stopped when Gabriel put a hand on her head.
“Please update my translator, and then go work out a story with the rest of the crew. I suggest just telling them you freed me and Madeline right away when the Igris left and the rest probably as it happened. Apart from what we talked about earlier with the communications and all that.”
Taurana turned and gave him a nod, “Alright, I hope you are right.” She walked over to a shelf and grabbed a cable she plugged into her tablet. “Take this plate and hold it to your translator” She handed him the other side of the cable. Gabriel did so and heard a ping after a second or so. Taurana tapped a bit and just a moment later looked up. “Done, now you should understand station standard, I don’t have any other languages at hand. You will need it replaced for a legal one, same with Madeline.”
“Thank you, that’s probably enough for the moment, we should get back before the guards get any angrier” He walked to the door with Madeline, “I would like to know what story you cook up if it’s possible before I’m taken in by the guards or whatever will happen,” Gabriel said and nodded to Taurana with a smile.
“Of course, I will tell the Captain right away,” Taurana said and bowed.
“Could you please tell him to meet us at the cargo door after that?” Gabriel asked and Taurana bowed again.
Gabriel and Madeline walked back to the cargo hold, still the same as they left it. He replaced the earpiece just in case he needed something from Sartau and pressed the button on the door. Madeline stepped in front of him and he smiled, although he was a little worried someone would accidentally shoot, and he would rather take the bullet if he could choose. The scene outside had calmed down some, he heard no shouting as the door opened which was something. The Zilgi guards were still there talking to some other armed guards, these ones probably from the station, and also wearing full armor but with translucent faceplates. But from this distance, Gabriel could not make out details. Similar build to the Zilgi but no tails and it looked like they were walking on their toes. They all turned as the doors opened but no weapons were drawn.
“Progress” Gabriel thought as one of the station guards approached. “Sartau, could you connect me to the speakers again please?” He said as the guard stopped before him.
“Of course...done”
“Hello,” Gabriel said in as friendly of a voice he could manage, “My name is Gabriel Walker and I bet you have some questions. Unfortunately, my translator was implanted illegally by the Igris you have in custody and I have to talk through the ship for the moment. But we are working on getting you my language.”
“Greetings Gabriel Walker, my name is Kzanti Inokt Andoan,” the guard told him in a neutral tone, Gabriel could see three eyes looking back at him, two in a similar position to humans and one in the center just above the other two, all solid black. He saw no nose of any kind and the skin he saw looked smooth without pores and he thought he saw segmented plates on the jaw and side of the face. The mouth just visible through the faceplate had two mandibles attached to the jaw. “I understand you are from a race that has not yet achieved FTL, is that correct?” He or she asked.
“Yeah, that’s correct, as far as I know. I have been in a stasis pod for the last hundred years, I can’t tell you how many that is in your time though.”
“It is about ninety years,” Madeline said and moved to stand beside Gabriel now that it didn’t look like he was going to get shot anytime soon.
Kzanti’s three eyes widened, “I understand, do you have access to your stasis pod?”
“Yep mine and Madeline’s are on the ship, the science officer helped us with finding the information.”
“Mhadeleaine Nioni?” The guard asked. She nodded. “I heard from the Zilgi down there you were a hostage, but you don’t look it”
“No, I am not, I was kidnapped by the Igris same as Gabriel about six months ago, the exact date is on the stasis pod,” She said.
“Sounds like a lot has happened, I will want the full story at our headquarters,” Kzanti said.
“Of course, though Madeline would have to translate for me when we are off the ship, oh, and we have three Igris pirates in a cell, they damaged the communications on the ship before they were subdued. That was from an attack a few days ago. And two are alive from the recent attack excluding the one you have handcuffed down there.”
Kzanti nodded, “We will take them into custody as well and I need to speak to the entire crew and the Captain.”
“He is on the way officer,” Gabriel said and put a hand to his ear. “Sartau, the captain is on the way right?”
“Yes sir, a few more moments”
“He will be here shortly,” Gabriel told Kzanti.
“Great, then we can get this whole mess sorted. And while I talk to the Captain and handle the Igris you should handle your business with the Zilgi. And I want to remind you not to leave the dock without my permission, I have already told the Zilgi the same. Neither of you are at this moment a suspect but still, rules are rules.” Kzanti glanced around Gabriel as Kanthua entered the cargo hold. “Captain, may I step onboard?” after Kanthua’s permission they walked off to talk.
Gabriel stepped outside the ship to end the connection to the speakers. “So, how do you want to handle this?” He asked Madeline, “And I want to add, I hope I’m not mispronouncing your name horribly, to me it sounded different when the officer said it.”
Madeline’s fur ridge rippled, “It just sounds like an unfamiliar dialect, I don’t mind at all. I can’t be pronouncing your name correctly either right?”
“You are actually very close but If that is the translator or not I have no idea” Gabriel smiled at her.
“Might be, so on to the problem at hand. I need to convince them that I will not be going home right away. Thankfully the officer made sure that will not happen., but I don’t want to leave you on this unfamiliar station like I already said. You have gotten shot twice saving my life,” Gabriel opened his mouth but she gave him a look that made him close it again and continued. “Maybe indirectly, but even so I want to help you at least that much. And before you refuse I will be mad at you if you do” She said and crossed her arms. Then a small smile crept upon her face, “and I certainly will tell my father you forced me to undress and stared at my naked body” She said and her fur ridge stood up.
Gabriel burst into laughter and Madeline joined him chirping. “Alright, I get it, I will gladly accept your help.” He said chuckling. “And for the record, I was naked more than you”
“I’m sure my father will be relieved to hear that,” Madeline said still chirping slightly as they approached the Zilgi who, even helmeted, did not look amused.
Madeline sighed and crossed her arms standing a little in front of Gabriel. “Miss Nioni, please reconsider and come with us.” The guard had calmed down enough to sound frustrated and tired.
“I believe the officer back there spoke to you too, I have to stay until this is dealt with,” Madeline said with an icy voice. “And to repeat my previous statement, now that you are not aiming guns at my savior, Gabriel saved my life twice. Without him I would be captured by pirates or the Igris cuffed over there and who knows what would happen. I will repay that to the best of my ability, what kind of Zilgi would I be if I just left. Not to mention meeting him was first contact for his race, and I was taught better than that.”
The Zilgi grumbled but eventually nodded, “I will contact your father and tell him what you said. We will be on station for another three days so if you want a ride home, call this number.” He handed Madeline a plastic card and with a swift bow, turned and walked away, still frustrated.
“So, all it took to convince them was several minutes of yelling and a superior office. Piece of cake” Gabriel said.
“Don't forget calling them out on morality” Madeline added, “now shall we give statements for the rest of the day?”
“It’s a date,” Gabriel said as they walked back to the ship.