The Centurion at the heart of the ship said, "She is an abomination and she should die!"
He had picked Deana to go with the eight worm-hunters to rescue the Queen, even though both the Centurion and Deana knew the Queen was already dead. However, this particular Centurion was almost a good guy, which was very different from most Centurions. He didn't believe in abducting humans for slaves or experiments. He had rescued SSSaa a year earlier from his Centurion brothers and had asked the Lizardian captain to help with the rescue of more than 400 human abductees. He also had given SSSaa the ship he was on after the previous owner died from fighting the Centurions. The previous captain was the one that had documented the Houston captains because they seemed promising for first contact.
SSSaa said in his mind, Last chance for mission. Protect both ships.
He heard, I will. There, they are gone now. The flying saucers disappeared outside the two ships.
The Oners had come up with several ideas before Qworn explained that his father had sent a message that the saucers were gone. Austen wanted Qworn to elaborate, but Qworn couldn’t. He had no idea why the Skinnies had left, and his dad never explained anything to him. He did not know that what the humans called Skinnies were Centurions. Besides SSSaa would not have told him or anyone else about them.
In preparation for taking on the aliens again, Will and Kirk finally came up with some more passwords, but only a few. Qworn’s English came along pretty good over the next few weeks. It was a shame the only translator had been pulled into a portal.
SSSaa had a new Second, and JR had released Derek from the infirmary two weeks after the attack.
Deana filled in for Derek as captain, and she accepted the fact she was to stay away from Derek, mainly because of JR. She would just wait until Earth. She had done it before, and she would endure it again for as long as she could, but she wouldn’t give up!
The lizards took tours on the human’s ship. Right then Austen and the kids were on the alien’s ship looking out their windows at an unusual sight. Qworn explained what they were looking at. “They are called crystalline ants; they go from place to place devouring everything in sight. They could wipe out a planet, but my dad and I have never heard of it happening yet. Though we are safe and cloaked, we will have to be quiet and shut down all nonessentials. It would be wise for your ship to do the same." Qworn said all this through Kirk’s lap-top. Kirk was in shock that anything could live in space. He had never heard of such a thing, ever.
Austen went to his ship and ordered the same thing done as all the cadets held their breath until they were far away from the ants.
Chapter 6
THE PLANET KESS
Captains Derek and Austen were sitting on the bridge of the One-Oh-One when Will notified them that their crews were ready in the lounge for the meeting. Austen asked his brother if he could go into the past or the future, which he would choose.
Derek said, “Definitely the future because I know that there will be bathrooms. They don’t have bathrooms in most of our planet's past.”
Austen told his brother that that was a good call, and then he told Will to stay on the bridge because somebody always had to stay on the bridge for multiple reasons he didn’t want to go into right then. Will was thrilled to be in charge of the evacuated bridge; it felt good. He was smiling ear to ear when Captain Austen put him in charge. Captain Derek said to him, “No parties while we’re gone either.” His demeanor was a façade.
He said, “Yes, Captain,” and saluted Derek.
The two captains got up at the same time and the older one said, “Well, let’s get this over with.” They vacated the bridge.
The ship’s lounge was very elaborate and spacious, but at the moment it was crowded with forty-eight members of both crews. They were all seated in the chairs or on the couches, or at the tables. As the captains entered everybody who was talking slowly came to a hush. Derek looked everywhere for a place to sit down. He only saw one barstool available, so he hurried to snag it before his brother did.
Like most of the crew, he was wearing a silver spacesuit that most astronauts wore. He was looking at his fingernails as his brother approached and gave him a stern glare, probably for taking the last seat in the room. He gave his brother a mischievous grin.
Since Austen was the only captain standing, he realized that he would be addressing the crew on today’s number one problem, which was food. “As you all know, we never intended to stay interstellar as long as we have been, and God knows it’s not like there is a space station out this far. Also, you know we were headed back to Earth when we were quite abruptly turned around by space pirates. Even our own Earth Defense ships thought that we were space pirates and took a shot at us, but here we are now and our food rations have become … ” he looked over at Derek who was eating an apple, and holding up one finger, “down to one week left, according to my esteemed colleague,” Austen finished.
The crew wasn’t shocked to hear that because that was all they had been talking about for days - well that, and water, and oxygen, and maybe Earth. Sometimes destiny just reaches out and chooses you. What are you going to do?
Austen continued, “The good news is that according to Qworn we are only about a day and a half out from a planet that is abundant and rich with food supplies. He is certain that it has food we can eat and enjoy.” Austen turned to locate his nephew who was right next to him and asked, “What did he say the name of the planet was?”
Quorn spoke for himself before Kirk could answer. He said one word, “KSSESSS.”
Derek thought, You've got to love extraterrestrials.
Austen looked to Derek who was shrugging his shoulders, and then he turned back to the crew. “Yes, the planet Kess.” He wasn’t sure if he said it correctly or not, but Qworn was shaking his head yes so he continued, “We’ll have Will launch one of Kirk’s probes at the planet to get some air samples and see what kind of life on this planet we can eat.”
Just then Qworn took Kirk’s laptop and started typing a brief message as Derek said, “I bet you never thought you would ever say those words before today, Captain.”
Kirk said, “Qworn says there is no reason to launch a probe, because he has been to this planet many times before. His father said that we eat the same things they eat, Sir.”
Captain Derek interrupted and said, “Tell Qworn that it is procedure that when we go to a planet, we learn whatever we can about a planet before we set foot on said planet.” He winked at Austen.
As Kirk was explaining all that to Qworn, Austen came closer to Derek and said, “We have procedures?” He turned his head sideways to get an answer. Then he said, “Just bear that in mind for later.”
Derek smiled and said, “No, but I think it is a good time to start. It could come in handy someday.” Austen agreed, and in a whispering voice Derek said to Austen, “No one has ever been out this far, because nobody has ever wanted to.” Then he said in a not so conspiratorial tone, “It might be a good idea also if JR could break out his stash of food and share it with everybody, and not just who he is dating this week.” In humor he said, “It would be nice to have a good meal before going planet side. You know, never go shopping on an empty stomach,” but he knew JR was unreachable. Austen said that he would talk to JR, but he couldn’t promise anything.
So far, JR had proven to be an asset to their mission. He was an excellent fighter. Who knew that talent would have been needed in space? He was also the closest thing to a doctor onboard simply because of the medical supplies he had commandeered. He had a good bedside manner with the ladies,