probably be easier to crack the mysteries of the FTL engine
than to decipher why the Ship’s most senior officers did the things they did.
Zax kept his eyes scanning back and forth to check both ends of the passageway
while he listened intently for the slightest noise. A min later the Boss
returned shaking his head.
“Nothing. I thought there was something a little too random
about the way the tools and such were scattered around the compartment, but I
didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Let’s get moving.”
The next compartment appeared to be nothing but more of
the same. Zax had turned to leave when he caught movement out of the corner of
his eye. A shadow darted out of an impossibly small hiding place near the
hatch, and Zax froze not knowing whether to flee or reach for the blade in his
boot. The Flight Boss did not suffer any hesitation. He pounced and tackled the
figure to the ground. A moment later he stood up with what appeared to be a
tiny civilian gripped in a vicious, suffocating headlock. The body was so small
its legs flailed wildly at least half a meter above the deck. The Boss shifted
his position and Zax got a good look at the threat.
“Nolly!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It was delicious, sir.
“Sir —I
know him! Don’t hurt him! Stop! Please stop!”
Zax was on the verge of striking the Boss when the man
finally reacted to his pleas. Nolly sank to the floor and sobbed between gasps
for air. The Omega looked back and forth between the civilian and Zax a couple
of times before retreating a few steps to stand with his arms crossed and a
bemused expression.
Nolly scampered away as Zax approached but stopped when
he felt a gentle hand on his back. Zax knelt and stroked the boy’s head for a
few mins until his tears had almost entirely subsided. Nolly finally looked up
and Zax gave him a warm smile.
“I’m sorry you got hurt, Nolly, but you scared us. We
didn’t know it was you. What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go back to your
quarters along with everyone else?”
Nolly opened his mouth to speak, but another spasm of
coughs triggered another bout of tears. Zax rubbed the boy’s back until the
crying was gone again. Nolly drew a couple of final large breaths to cement his
calm and then finally spoke.
“I’m s-s-s-s-sorry, s-s-s-s-s-sir, but I didn’t see it
was you and just wanted to g-g-g-get away.”
“Take another minute to breathe, Nolly. It’s OK. You’re
safe. No one is going to hurt you again.”
The Flight Boss cleared his throat and started to tap
his foot impatiently. Zax couldn’t care less. The man must have realized
he had a child in that chokehold. What would possess someone to continue to
harm an innocent kid like that—regardless of their current circumstances?
“It’s OK, sir,” Nolly whispered. “I’m better now. Thank
you.”
He sat up and Zax took it as the cue to rise and give
the boy some space. A min later Nolly started his story.
“I listened to Imair’s advice, sir, and took the apple
you gave me to my favorite hiding spot. I come here sometimes if I need to get
away from everyone for a little while. It was delicious, sir. Thank you so very
much. My mouth felt amazing after eating it, so I decided to close my eyes and
enjoy the feeling for just a few mins.
“I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes
and started walking around, I realized I was all by myself. It was spooky. I
heard a group of people talking in the distance, but when I peeked around a
corner I saw it was a big group of angry-looking civilians who all had
blasters. I got scared and turned back to try a different route, but then I
heard more voices approaching so I came back in here to let them pass. It was a
group of three Crew—one Marine with white hair and two cadets.”
Zax glanced at the Boss who raised an eyebrow. Nolly
continued.
“The Marine had a blaster out which made me scared all
over again, so I decided to just stay here and hide in my
than to decipher why the Ship’s most senior officers did the things they did.
Zax kept his eyes scanning back and forth to check both ends of the passageway
while he listened intently for the slightest noise. A min later the Boss
returned shaking his head.
“Nothing. I thought there was something a little too random
about the way the tools and such were scattered around the compartment, but I
didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Let’s get moving.”
The next compartment appeared to be nothing but more of
the same. Zax had turned to leave when he caught movement out of the corner of
his eye. A shadow darted out of an impossibly small hiding place near the
hatch, and Zax froze not knowing whether to flee or reach for the blade in his
boot. The Flight Boss did not suffer any hesitation. He pounced and tackled the
figure to the ground. A moment later he stood up with what appeared to be a
tiny civilian gripped in a vicious, suffocating headlock. The body was so small
its legs flailed wildly at least half a meter above the deck. The Boss shifted
his position and Zax got a good look at the threat.
“Nolly!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
It was delicious, sir.
“Sir —I
know him! Don’t hurt him! Stop! Please stop!”
Zax was on the verge of striking the Boss when the man
finally reacted to his pleas. Nolly sank to the floor and sobbed between gasps
for air. The Omega looked back and forth between the civilian and Zax a couple
of times before retreating a few steps to stand with his arms crossed and a
bemused expression.
Nolly scampered away as Zax approached but stopped when
he felt a gentle hand on his back. Zax knelt and stroked the boy’s head for a
few mins until his tears had almost entirely subsided. Nolly finally looked up
and Zax gave him a warm smile.
“I’m sorry you got hurt, Nolly, but you scared us. We
didn’t know it was you. What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go back to your
quarters along with everyone else?”
Nolly opened his mouth to speak, but another spasm of
coughs triggered another bout of tears. Zax rubbed the boy’s back until the
crying was gone again. Nolly drew a couple of final large breaths to cement his
calm and then finally spoke.
“I’m s-s-s-s-sorry, s-s-s-s-s-sir, but I didn’t see it
was you and just wanted to g-g-g-get away.”
“Take another minute to breathe, Nolly. It’s OK. You’re
safe. No one is going to hurt you again.”
The Flight Boss cleared his throat and started to tap
his foot impatiently. Zax couldn’t care less. The man must have realized
he had a child in that chokehold. What would possess someone to continue to
harm an innocent kid like that—regardless of their current circumstances?
“It’s OK, sir,” Nolly whispered. “I’m better now. Thank
you.”
He sat up and Zax took it as the cue to rise and give
the boy some space. A min later Nolly started his story.
“I listened to Imair’s advice, sir, and took the apple
you gave me to my favorite hiding spot. I come here sometimes if I need to get
away from everyone for a little while. It was delicious, sir. Thank you so very
much. My mouth felt amazing after eating it, so I decided to close my eyes and
enjoy the feeling for just a few mins.
“I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes
and started walking around, I realized I was all by myself. It was spooky. I
heard a group of people talking in the distance, but when I peeked around a
corner I saw it was a big group of angry-looking civilians who all had
blasters. I got scared and turned back to try a different route, but then I
heard more voices approaching so I came back in here to let them pass. It was a
group of three Crew—one Marine with white hair and two cadets.”
Zax glanced at the Boss who raised an eyebrow. Nolly
continued.
“The Marine had a blaster out which made me scared all
over again, so I decided to just stay here and hide in my
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