Serfin

The task to get the chitinous creature back into the cabin is way more difficult than it sounded on paper.

Serfin has found the creature around some of the upper storerooms, where the kitchen-staff keeps the rations. In there the small creature has opened a few tin-cans and are their contents. Way more than it should even be able to eat considering its somewhat underwhelming size. At least it wasn’t difficult to get the creature out of the storeroom. The real challenge is to get it to safety without walking into someone else.

It helps that everyone usually hangs around the entertainment-deck. Only the guards on duty and those of the facility-staff, like cooks, medics and mechanics run around the ship on various errands. Yet even those few can pose a problem. Even more so because they can lurk around every corner. And not to forget the psychics who can detect other lifeforms.

At least the creature seems to understand the situation and takes Serfin's hand once he has pulled it out of the storeroom. In order to minimize the chance of being spotted Serfin uses the less frequented corridors. For a very long time he manages to avoid any encounters but luck is fickle and likes to run out in the most dire of times. And thus, after turning around a corner Serfin walks right into a small Menkar, who lets out a surprised yelp. Frightened the chitinous creatures jumps behind him, seeking shelter, while Serfin fumbles with his hyperspace-bracelet to get one of his arrows out. But before the situation can escalate he recognises the one he walked into.

„Topasa?“, he asks confused.

„Oi!“ she says after a moment of bewilderment. „Didn’t expect you around here! What’s up? You're all nervous and sweating like a Slimesnail… Wait a sec! Who’s the small guy?“

„That’s… actually…“ Serfin stutters — he can’t think of anything to say.

„An Insectoid?“ she asks and crouches down facing the creature „Don’t be afraid, little one. I won’t hurt you.“

„You know what it is?“ he asks baffled.

„I once found a strange text in the Cetusean Archives,“ she explains and stands up again, while the Insectoid walks up to her. „It was a compendium of some of the known sentient species to Menkarkind.“

„What did it say?“ he asks while pointing at the Insectoid, which seems to look at both him and Topasa at the same time.

„Among other things it said they’re extinct. But since the little guy’s here, I guess they’re not entirely extinct. Poor baby… Perhaps it’s the last of its kind,“ she says full of sympathy for the creature, but her gaze becomes worried once she looks up to Serfin. „What do you want to do with it?“

„I want to take it to Respin. He worries about it,“ Serfin answers truthfully.

She’ll might be another ally, he thinks somewhat hopeful. Respin will be surely happy about it.

„But what do you want to do afterwards?“ she asks concerned. „You can’t hide it forever. Sooner or later someone will notice it and then what? What will you do?“

„I - we haven’t thought that far,“ he admits. „But I think we should speak with Respin first. Will you help me? Gettin’ this Insect-whatever to Respin and our cabin?“

„Of course!“ Topasa replies excited and reverts back to her happy-go-lucky self. „Also it’s called Insectoid.“

—

Together they walk along the walkway in silence. The only sound the regular tap of six feet on cold metal. Serfin is the first to break the silence before it starts to get on his nerves.

„What were you doing back there?“ he asks Topasa.

„I was on my way to break into Slicers cabin and see what he’s up to,“ she says as if it isn't a big deal to break into the commanding captain's cabin. „He plans something that’ll mean no good to all of us. I can feel it!“

„Is that why you have lied to him about…“ Serfin says and looks for better words but doesn’t find them. „About Nethra going crazy?“

„He’s an asshole, but he’s not stupid,“ she replies worried. „I guess he knows that I’ve lied to him but what worries me the most is the fact that he has taken it without protest. I have the feeling that this faked report we both have given him will serve him better than the truth. And don’t forget those rumors about him actually hating all of us Terrestrials.“

„I’ve heard of it,“ Serfin muses. „Some say it was the reason he had been forced to transfer to this ship,“ Suddenly he gets the point. „Wait! Does this mean he wants to use this pale creature weapon-thingy against the Empire? Against all Cetus?“

„I’m afraid he will,“ Topasa admits with her round ears pulled back. „And in the end, we will all be executed for it if his weapon doesn’t obliterate us first.“

„Then we need to do something!“

„I know, but we can’t attack until we know more. A brash act will cause too much ruckus and trouble. Besides, we are only three against Slicer, and the Void knows how many allies he has. That is if your Bondmate plays along.“

„For that matter… How is Nethra?“

„They’ve sedated her and put her under surveillance. They don’t know what happened and wanted to kill her for safety reason since she could carry a dangerous mind-hazard. I talked them out of it, naturally.“

„I see… Wait a sec? They wanted to kill her?“

„Usual protocol but I bullied them into performing a test first. Besides, it’s always better to remain healthy. The medics on this ship like to kill and cut open their patients if they have more serious ailments.“

—

A conversation in the dark…

Hello.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

The lap-rat has told me about his boss. Slicer wants to use her as a weapon for his own means. Attacking the Empire and so on…

BAD NEWS. WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

He told me that we are back on Cetus in about two weeks top. I have to give him a point. If I free her now, it’ll most likely cause an uproar that’s never seen before and will compromise our plans. I’ll stay down and watch how things’ll unfold. On a side-note… I’ve seen him eavesdropping on Slicer and Lappor. I suspect he now has plans of his own regarding the situation.

LAY DOWN LOW AND DON’T DO ANYTHING RASH AND/OR STUPID.

Understood. I’ll lie low and contact you again if something changes. Bye.