It was early morning and the light fog had not yet lifted from the bay. Hal gave a shout over the radio to Captain De'Marc to pull the lines tight on the wreck. They were each driving a tug with the alien ship stretched securely between them. They headed out of the dock across the bay into the morning light that shone diffusely across the waves. There was an island, known to the locals as Turodey, a few miles east of Novaland that was newly developed and being used as a dry dock. Plans were to build a university there next year and a rudimentary facility had already been installed.

Nova had accompanied Hal on his tug while Tajlon attended the conference back on Novaland. The big leopard lounged near the front of the tug where he had a good view of the sea.

"Turodey will be the perfect place to hide the wreck," Hal said. "What do you think, Nova?"

"I think we should throw it back in the rift like Mara said, not that anyone is really asking me." Nova gave Hal a blank look and a long slow blink, then turned his gaze back over the bow.

***

Koutou was perched on the bow of the tug De'Marc was driving. He feigned a big yawn.

"You find this boring, do you?" De'Marc asked.

"Rather."

"A spaceship with an alien on it doesn't interest you?"

"Not if we aren't doing anything with it. Let me know when the water's pumped out and I can examine it in detail. For now, I'll fly back home and take a nap."

"I knew you couldn't stay away from the scientific meeting. Why not just admit you want to go?"

"I might attend a few sessions."

"You should go to all of them, learn about the latest research."

"I don't need to go to the conference for that. Novaland's the source of any significant developments on Beldora. They come here to learn what's new." Koutou said and cackled with pleasure.

"Why go at all then?"

"I find it amusing. I like to see them struggle with the evolution of new ideas. Their petty arguments and irrational conclusions are entertaining."

De'Marc adjusted the tug's speed to match Hal's. "You can be a prick at times, Koutou, but I have to admit you're right. It can be amusing."

"The only topic of interest to me is the Raemolles' deep space model and their observatory plans," Koutou said. "I've already seen those."

De'Marc kicked back in a deck chair near the controls.

"Don't let your trophy escape," Koutou said.

"The tugs have the wreck under good control."

"I wasn't referring to the wreck, Captain, but its contents."

***

Koutou flew back to his perch on the Casgora Wind, moored at the dock, before the tugs were out of the harbor. Widhbo left the minacaw in a sleep pattern again and used what energy he had left to teleport to the wreck in tow. He merged into the ship, basked in its energy, and recharged. He knew Gengor would find him soon enough, so he didn't bother looking for him.

"Widhbo! You're back." Gengor said, eager for any scrap of information. "Where are they taking me?"

"They are taking my ship to an island to be pumped dry and possibly restored to some purpose. You happen to be along for the ride. Effectively you aren't going anywhere. Nothing will change for. you."

"I'm desperate for any company. It sounds splendid."

"You may watch, that's all. I expect you to be on perfect behavior," Widhbo said. "Translation, you are to remain invisible. No lurking in the corridors or snatching people."

"I promise. I'll do exactly as you say."

"See that you do. Now leave me alone, I want to check on my ship."

Gengor reluctantly projected himself out into a corridor. He was a creature known as a daglyr on his home planet of Corrudi. He had grown to his full height of eight feet tall. His body was covered in leathery skin and spotty coarse hair. He had a bossed forehead with bulging eyes. Scaly appendages which sprang from the back of his head and neck completed his ugly countenance.

Widhbo checked to see if any of his master files had been hacked. He looked for signs of corrupted or missing data. Everything seemed to be intact. He locked the ship's computer down and scrambled the code. He should have done this before to keep Gengor out but didn't anticipate the daglyr would know enough to access or use them. Now he was protecting the ship's pogram from Jejliard and Hal. He couldn't let them figure out how to pilot his spaceship.

***

Hal and De'Marc maneuvered the wreck close enough to the dock to attach two big winches and hoist it part way out of the water. They dropped bilge pumps into the gaping hole. Turodey was being prepared as a dry dock for large vessels. Huge wenches were mounted in concrete pilings and the dock stretched almost across the entire southern shore of the small island.

Hal whistled at the size of the wrecked vessel. Its diameter was the length of a fifty ton schooner across. The metallic domed top glistened and shimmered in the few rays of light starting to break through with sunrise.

"I suggest you should seal the hull as soon as the water's pumped out," De'Marc cautioned.

"If we put it in dry dock, it'll be fine. The opening will provide easy access."

"Yes, and if we can get in, who knows what might get out." De'Marc said. "That would be a courtesy reminder from Koutou."

"Okay. Good point. I don't know if I can get it sealed quickly enough now that you mention it." Hal said. "I carved off a little piece from the frame when we were exploring this thing underwater. A voice spoke to me saying 'Get off my ship or die."

"Jejliard know about that?" De'Marc asked.

"No. I didn't think he needed the distraction at the time, and we've been too busy since rescuing Greyla. I plan to analyze it when the scientific assembly is over," Hal said. "We'll need to build some skids for this thing and get it out of the water so we can examine the damage to the hull better."

"You’re the engineer," De'Marc said. "How do you plan to conceal this operation?”

“For that we’ll need a much bigger building," Hal said. "I also will need a fully equipped lab out here to analyze the ship's operating systems."

“Well, that won’t be conspicuous at all," De'Marc said.

“You have a better idea?”

“This is also going to be a construction site for the new school so we can use that project to disguise our work on the wreck. We can set up your research lab inside the warehouse over there,” De’Marc said. “I suggest you erect a new building on that flat piece of ground to the right and bring it inside. The sooner it's out of sight the better.”

“I’m pretty sure Jejliard will be willing to turn loose of some money to make it happen,” Hal said. “He seemed more than a little interested.”

While they discussed the wreck, Nova roamed the beach looking for a stray crustacean or two. He liked the black crabs best. He stopped when he caught a whiff of something cooking. A tantalizing scent was trailing down the mountain side. There was a plume of smoke visible through the lifting fog and a faint, but delicious odor of fish cooking on a wood fire filled his nostrils.

“Nova, time to go,” Hal shouted after him. “I have to get back in time for the luncheon.

Nova noted the position of the fire and went back to the tug. Oh, how I miss having Tajlon along. I've become spoiled to conversation. There's someone camped on this island and I need to investigate," he thought.

Nova sat back on his haunches in the sand and refused to get on the tug.

"What?" Hal raised both hands in frustration.

Nova lay down in on the beach.

"You want to stay here?"

Nova nodded.

"Fine. But I doubt Tajlon or anyone will have a chance to come back for you until tomorrow or the next day. You know we're busy with the scientific assembly."

"What's wrong?" De'Marc asked.

"Nova wants to stay here."

"Not a bad idea. Somebody should keep an eye on our new find."

"Tajlon won't be happy about it."

"It's Nova's choice," De'Marc said. "He'll be fine. Nova knows how to take care of himself."

"Okay buddy. We're off."

Nova waited until the tugs were out of sight to head up the island trail.

"This island is supposed to be uninhabited and if someone's living here, I need to find out who.

'Hello, your relocation ambassador has just arrived'."