Geh!aoa was looking over an engine report and trying valiantly to make sense of it when Dr. Vickall called the bridge. She was grateful for the respite. She knew that being a ship's Captain was an important job, but she had had no idea just how many different things she had to take care of. She said as much to the doctor. Sana put it in perspective.

"Captain, you're from a civilization two hundred years behind ours, and our captains have years of training and working their way up the ranks. You're doing an impressive job."

"Thanks, Doc. I just wish there were a few more trustworthy Goldaskians we could recruit—your people are spread pretty thin keeping things running aboard ship."

"That's actually what I wanted to contact you about."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I see on the schedule that we're going to drop off a load of foodstuffs for the Goldaskians on the surface at sunset."

"Well, now that our own food crisis is averted, we can afford to be magnanimous." Beep. "Generous."

"I was hoping to recruit a few more people from the exiles."

Geh!aoa hesitated. "Can you vouch for them?" Last time, the doctor had been cautious, and picked the six women of the crew she thought most likely to get along with the Ooafans. Those six, the doctor herself, the pilot, and the two engineers were all the Goldaskians aboard. Taking on any more felt very risky.

"Well, now that we have a different place to put them, potentially, I'd like to see if that's an option, first."

"You want to ship the other Goldaskians to the Arrurra System?" Geh!aoa's ears flared a bit, and she deliberately shook her head. "No. It's much too dangerous. I won't have a lot of Goldaskians aboard who could try to take back the ship."

I'm only tolerating dropping food off to them because we can land in a random direction a couple of kozegs walk away with no warning, unload, signal them, and leave just after sunset, and it gives them time to go pick up the supplies and get back to shelter before sunrise. Even landing the shuttle close to them would be too dangerous. Geh!aoa eyed the doctor.

"You have something else in mind."

"I do." Sana scratched her neck a moment. "I want to have them pick four people to be a set of ambassadors."

"We haven't even given them a radio," Geh!aoa pointed out. "I didn't want them begging constantly and wearing down the Goldaskians we have aboard."

"We can leave a note, telling them to have the four they choose walk south after the next sunset, and keep walking until we pick them up. That way there's no obvious place to set up an ambush, even if they could hide from the shuttle's sensors."

Geh!aoa turned that over in her mind for a moment. "That might work. But there are a lot of your Marines down there. Four of them could make a lot of trouble."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"The Marines are probably in charge of the survivors, since you killed most of the officers. I expect Harak Drivvoh has taken command." Sana tilted her head in thought. "How about, at most one of the four is a Marine? And two are women?"

"How do we enforce it?" Beep. "Make them do it?"

"We can do a visual scan before landing, and I can tell you who it is."

"Did you know everyone in your crew by sight?"

"I'm the ship's Doctor. It is part of my job. Besides, we have video records of everyone for comparison." It took Geh!aoa a moment to grasp that. Advanced technology has endless applications. I guess aliens never need to memorize much of anything, since their machines and automata do it all for them.

The Captain considered, trying to think of ways this could go wrong. This Harak Drivvoh was an unknown to her. He has training. He can probably think of something to make our lives difficult. She couldn't think of a sufficient reason to turn down the request, though.

"All right, Doctor. We'll try it."

"Thank you."

"I reserve the right to change my mind if something occurs to me."

"Just don't strand people at sunrise, is all I ask."

* *

The food drop-off went as planned, and they left a message from Dr. Vickall explaining the situation. A drone buzzed the Goldaskian bunker and got their attention. Several Goldaskians were already outside getting some fresh air, and they reacted immediately.

The next evening, the drone picked up four people heading south as instructed. Geh!aoa had Sana go over the shuttle before it left the ship, looking for any surprises. The doctor didn't find any. That's the best I can do, I guess, she thought, and gave them the go-ahead.

A kozeg later, one Goldaskian was escorted to a conference room. Geh!aoa had intended to meet him on the bridge, but thought better of it. A saboteur could do too much damage up there.

The newcomer stood at attention. "Captain Geh!aoa, I presume?"

"Yes."

"I am Sergeant Tallon Workav, Goldaskian Marines. Lieutenant Drivvoh beep me to lead the ambassadorial team." Geh!aoa didn't bother asking him to explain the missing word. "I have a message from the Lieutenant." He offered something that looked like a square pebble, and set it down on the table. Geh!aoa had no idea what it was, so she bluffed.

"Thank you, I'll listen to it later." She kept her ears mostly back and still, not that the Goldaskian likely knew what it meant. "What are your orders?"

"Captain, I am to keep my three charges safe, help the Ambassador establish peaceful relations with the Arrurrans, and not cause trouble, in that order."

Geh!aoa nodded gravely. That is both reasonable and honest.

"At my discretion, I am also to see about the possibilities for beep my shipmates from the planet," he continued.

"Doctor Vickall has already been advocating...speaking with me about that. I have no objection in principle, if a way to do it safely for everyone is found. Who is the Ambassador?"

"Bellisk Gohl. He wishes to speak with you as well, but I insisted on going first."

Geh!aoa permitted herself a small smile. "And have you determined that we are not barbarians about to eat the Ambassador?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the Sergeant replied with no change to his expression.

Geh!aoa's smile widened. "Good. We should have your team in the Arrurran System in a few kozegs, though getting them to set up accommodations for you might take a little longer. Meanwhile, your escort will see you to your quarters."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Good luck, Sergeant." Geh!aoa nodded, and the guards guided him out of the room.

"Shall I send in the Ambassador next, Captain?" Tan!koa asked.

"In a few zegs. First, I need to speak to Polla Mastook. Petra, comm her please."

Within moments, a display lit up with the face of the Goldaskian. "Yes, Captain?"

"Miss Mastook." Geh!aoa picked up the square pebble and showed it to her. "Tell me how to use this, please."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.