Etaine and Greyla had fastened their eyes on one another. They sat up straight, motionless as if in a trance.

"I have to ask, "Hal said. "Is this a glitch or a staring contest?

"We both feel it," Greyla said, "The devourer is still out there on that ship. I don't know how viable the situation may be, but for the moment he is very much alive."

"If he's like the ship, Widhbo told me it can eat solid metal," Etaine said.

"Great. Now I have two empaths to contend with," Hal complained. "It might work as long as you both agree on things."

"I warned them. I tried to warn them," Etaine wailed. She tore her gaze away from Greyla, jumped up from her chair, and flew in circles below the ceiling.

"Not so loud, Etaine. What's wrong now?" Hal asked.

"I overheard the elders planning to salvage the ship." Etaine whispered. "They don't believe in demons like I do. He could devour this ship too."

“So, we escaped, only to have that demon get the last laugh,” Greyla said.

"I don’t know what else we can do," Hal said. "You're making me dizzy, Etaine. Please come down."

As if on cue, the door opened and Lotee entered.

"Did you tell them not to salvage our ship?" Etaine implored, dropping to the floor.

"I tried, but something more important has come up. You'll be glad to know they've abandoned the salvage operation."

"Well, that's a relief!" Greyla said.

Tajlon had been napping on the sofa and was stirred awake.

"But not because they believed us," Etaine said. "What's so important to make them change their plans, Lotee?"

"Enemy ships have been detected," Lotee explained.

"Are we in a war now too?" Hal asked. He pulled Etaine back before she could float up to the ceiling again. "Please stop that for now, sweetie."

Greyla smirked and shook her head. "Here we go with that ghost thing again. But Hal has a way with women. I'm sure he can sweet talk her into behaving."

Lotee cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "In answer to your question, Yes, we are in a war. Admiral Bethon did not find it necessary to inform you, but this is a battleship. Hostiles have entered the area."

Tajlon turned to face Lotee. "I thought your kind had evolved past all that nonsense. You know, using advanced technology to hurt others."

"We have serious differences with another sector of the Tor Galaxy," Lotee replied. “They won’t come to terms with the magitons. They steal resources and technology from us.”

"Isn't that what Widhbo is accused of doing? Having his technology stolen by factions who couldn’t resolve their differences in a civilized manner?”

"I understand your position," Lotee said. "It won't matter to the elders."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Tajlon said, "I just like holding a mirror to their face."

"You tried that with Jejliard," Hal said, "And you see where that got you."

"Objectivity is a bad habit of mine. I hold everyone to the same standard. They shouldn't be above their own laws."

"The elders are the law here," Lotee said. "Consider them as gods. You are to obey, not question them."

"I get that. Are we all prisoners, Lotee?"

Lotee flickered. It was what he did when he faced conflicts in his programming.

"That would be a yes?" Tajlon surmised.

"Essentially," Lotee answered. "They don't really trust any of you. That is, your behavior is not sufficiently predictable. Your programs have too many soft variables... "

"Like me?" Etaine said, breaking into a shrill laugh. "I'm quite pleased that I was refractory to their methods. If their murderous little nanobots had succeeded, they would have killed me. Oops! Not nice."

A soft warning bell began to sound, gradually growing in intensity.

"What does that signal mean?" Hal asked. "What happens now?"

"We are on standby for battle mode," Lotee explained. "Power will be diverted to the shields and weaponry at any moment, forcing us into hibernation."

"Our ride could get a little bumpy." Etaine fretted.

The door opened again and Widhbo joined them unexpectedly. He was still surrounded by the restrictive energy field, causing him to walk slowly.

"Widhbo!" Hal exclaimed. "What is that around you anyway?"

"It's my leash, Hal. Far better than a tiny cell. Much more humane. I'm so grateful," he said looking at Lotee. "Tell them I'm so very grateful for this crumb of kindness."

"Don't tell them any such thing, Lotee," Hal said. "Between Tajlon's objectivity and Widhbo's mockery, we'll never be free again. Do you know what free means, Lotee?"

Lotee flickered again.

"Not in your vocabulary? Damn! We're getting good at reading your flickers," Hal said.

"Don't be mean," Etaine said settling beside Lotee. "He's our friend, here by invitation. Leave him alone."

"Sorry, Lotee. I'm just in a foul mood."

"Take it out on me," Widhbo said. "I deserve it. I left you all to die, after I translated the alien beacon and arranged your rescue. I murdered everyone on Sora including Jejliard, after that demon creature corrupted them beyond all recognition. I destroyed your planet, after everyone who had hated one another for centuries stole my technology and blew it to dust. I brought the spaceship into your dimension which apparently carried this miserable thing along with it. I was so intent on getting back home that I failed to recognize the danger or destroy him. I deserve to be punished."

“It’s all nonsense, Widhbo. Don’t internalize their lies,” Tajlon said. Widhbo cast a kindly look in his direction.

“I’m just sorry they have locked my friends up. All I ever wanted was to set everyone free,” Widbho lamented.

“The magiton elders can be very generous. They will take care of all your basic needs," Lotee said.

"Yeah, there’s a difference. Define free for Lotee," Hal said.

"Free," Widhbo began. "There will be no charges levied for our stay on the Moz Lidule. Our needs will be met without expectation of recompense. There are other definitions, Lotee, but they don't apply to us. Don't clutter your mind with such drivel."

"I know what it means," Lotee replied. "Only I would say there is no definition of free which applies to any of us. If you will excuse me, I feel my usefulness has expired." He flickered and disappeared.

"No! Oh, Lotee! Come back!" Etaine cried. "Blast you! You've run him off. He was my friend!" She turned a sickening shade of green, scales popped out again and blood began to ooze. Etaine drifted up to the ceiling and stuck there, wailing between sniffles.

"Now look what you've done. She could be like this forever," Greyla said.

"I thought she wasn't stable," Widhbo said. "If she isn't stable, then she has to change eventually."

"Wrong definition of stable, Widhbo," Greyla said with a scowl.

"We may be better off without Lotee hanging around," Hal said.

Tajlon intervened, "Etaine, you promised not to do that. We'll get Lotee to come back. And I would remind you to keep the enemy close, Hal."

The warning bell was replaced by a siren that drowned out Etaine. The power to their room was cut off and they were plunged into forced hibernation. All of them but Widhbo, who had his own power supply. He rolled up in his cocoon and slept.

When they powered back up, Etaine found herself lying on a new sofa covered in a velvety green fabric with her name printed in ornate gold letters on the frame.

There was a note pinned to it which read, "For Etaine, from Lotee. I'll see you soon." She took the note and ate it before the others awakened.

Hal woke up and saw the luxurious new furnishing. “Whoa! Look at that. Someone has friends in high places.”

Etaine ran her hand across the soft fabric of her sofa then reclined in the soft tufted pillows, pretending not to hear.

Widbho was awake, still in his favorite corner. “Here’s a clue. It has Etaine’s name on it. Lucky you!”

Etaine gave him a smug smile. “Feel free to borrow it when I’m not using it, Widhbo.”

He gave her a couple of cheerful clucks in thanks.

The others roused and tried to make sense of what had happened.

Greyla pointedly ignored Etaine and her new sofa. "I guess this means our ship won," she said.

Widhbo unfolded his feathered wings. “Not necessarily. I think someone retreated. The real question is who, the enemy or Admiral Bethon? There was no perceivable military action while we were asleep.”

Hal shot him an accusing glance, “How exactly would you know that if you were asleep?”

“I’m a light sleeper. I’m sure lasers blasting against our hull would have woken me up.”

"Where's your leash?" Tajlon asked.

"No idea. They must have diverted the power. I don't doubt they'll collar me again. I'm far too dangerous to run loose once they can spare the energy. I'm shocked I didn't run away. That's what criminals do."

"The door opened and Lotee entered.

"You're back! Oh, how I missed you!" Etaine ran to Lotee and swirled around him.

"I missed you too, Etaine," Lotee answered not protesting her show of affection. "Widhbo is correct, we avoided conflict. The rescue operation and beacon divulged our position to some enemy ships who were pirating in this sector."

"Pirates! Doing what?" Etaine asked.

"I'm not allowed to discuss any sensitive details or military operations with you."

"Apparently things aren't going very smoothly for any of us," Tajlon said.

"I'm glad you're back Lotee. Etaine was a total mess," Widhbo added. "I feared the Admiral would have her put down like a rabid dog."

"I think it best you stay away from the Admiral, Etaine." Lotee said.

"I will. I promise."

"I mean it, Etaine," Lotee said. "Admiral Bethon has requested another audience with you, Tajlon. Please follow me."