Is That A Monster in the Closet, Charlie Boone? - 3. Chapter 3

They had had no difficulty at all in locating Engris. Or, rather, the planet had let itself be found, shortly after they had wished to go there. For Charlie it laid to rest any last doubts he might have been holding about Ragal and why the alien was there among them. Charlie trusted Pacha's instincts, and the little Kift had shown nothing but acceptance for Ragal and the things the alien had told them. Charlie's own heart seemed satisfied that Ragal only meant to help, and that the alien truly had no idea why he was among them.

But Engris was not the same as one of them. Living beings were fallible. Whatever motivated the planet's instincts, it was far older and far more experienced than any of them could ever be. The proven fact was that no one with malice in their mind or heart would be allowed to find Engris, and that they had been allowed to reach the dark world and land there with Ragal aboard ended any worries Charlie might have been having about the reasons they were again out in space. Yet it wasn't until after they had arrived at the port by the main city that Charlie had considered the idea that Pacha might have chosen the ancient world as a rendezvous just for this very reason.

A test, now passed.

"You're getting to be a cynic in your old age," Kippy had said, when Charlie had confided his thoughts to his boyfriend. It had been during a quiet moment together in what served as the bathroom aboard the Moth ship, and Kippy had been surprised when Charlie had mentioned what had been on his mind. "The ring convinced me that Ragal was okay before we even left home," Kippy continued, smiling, and then placed a kiss on Charlie's cheek. "But I know you're just being careful."

"I am," Charlie agreed. "Some of the people I care the most about in the whole universe are here. I don't want anything to happen to them."

Kippy had nodded, and rubbed his cheek against Charlie's. "My skwish tells me we need to be careful. But I don't sense any disasters ahead just yet. Now take a piss, and let's get back to the others."

Illia had used the ship's facilities to provide Ragal with clothing, manufactured to the alien's specifications. The result was modest, a basic long-sleeved shirt over a pair of somewhat baggy pants, both a warm gold in color. Shoes had been provided that fit the alien's feet, though Charlie would have more likely termed them 'moccasins' had he seen them on a pair of human feet back home. They were soft and leathery-looking, yet were certainly tough enough to take whatever might come. Charlie had developed a great deal of respect for the materials sciences of those that traveled the stars. The things they made, no matter how comfortable and luxurious looking, were more durable than anything made back on Earth.

During their day-long wait for Murcha to arrive, they visited the pirate market. Though Ricky was wearing the vibratory blade he had purchased there during an earlier visit, no one else had brought their treasures along with them. Pacha was happy to let them look around again, saying that there was more than enough surplus spending credit in his ship's account to cover anything they might want to buy.

Frit and Pip immediately headed off together, pulling Keerby along, saying they wanted to show the elf around the market, and that they'd be back. Charlie called after them to be careful. He wasn't worried about the elves starting any trouble, but he was worried about what they might buy. Frit and Pip were somewhat unrestrained, and Charlie could imagine them returning with just about anything.

"Would you like me to monitor them?" Kontus asked, as Charlie watched the three elves disappear into the crowds.

"Would you? I mean...they don't really need monitoring. Just make sure they don't buy something too big to fit inside the ship, or something crazy. Or let someone take advantage of them. I don't think that will happen here on Engris, but you never know."

The big Trichani laughed a booming laugh. "I have already learned of their exuberance. I would not mind at all." He turned, and started after the three elves.

Charlie sighed in relief, and Kippy patted his hand. "Be careful, Charlie. You're starting to act like a worried parent."

Charlie laughed at that, and offered Kippy a heartfelt kiss.

"Well," his boyfriend murmured, as they parted. "I guess I was wrong. That was about as unparent-like as you can get!"

Mike carried Pacha, and Ragal followed along, taking in the sights with obvious fascination.They wandered among the stalls and shops in a loose grouping for most of the day, looking over the loot of a thousand worlds, some of which had been dead for longer than even Charlie could imagine. Time spans among the stars seemed different than the measures used back home on earth. Human history was poorly documented beyond about three thousand years past, though there were sparse records that had survived from as far back as six-thousand years. Some of the cultures now traveling the stars had been doing so for even longer than that, with recorded histories going back to a time when anatomically modern homo sapiens were still just beginning to spread as far as Europe. And it was even a little scary to realize that a race like the people that had constructed Engris had been mastering advanced technologies at a time when humans were still taming fire.

Pacha laughed good-naturedly when Charlie brought up the subject, and patted his arm fondly. "It is the way of the galaxy, Charlie, and very probably, the way of the universe, everywhere. Peoples come and go. Even as we speak, there are races somewhere that are struggling through the last days of civilization, while elsewhere there are those just beginning to look at the night sky with wonder. It is the same with races as it is with individuals. Everywhere you go in life, you will encounter those that are older and wiser, and those that are younger and more innocent. Neither state is a measure of quality, but of experience. And that grows as we do, every day of our lives."

Charlie nodded, feeling a little better about it. "It's just a little intimidating, some of the things we've seen out here. Our planet seems a little old-fashioned to me now, sometimes."

"Your kind will have their day among the stars," Pacha reassured. "Technology builds at an ever-increasing speed the more you master it, and your people have reached the point where the stars are not so far away any longer. Give them time, and they will be voyaging out to join in with the community that exists here. Especially with people like you and Kip and Mike and the others to lead them on."

Charlie had smiled at that, and felt better afterwards. A lifelong reader, called Britannica Brain by his friends since grade school, Charlie was used to knowing things. Their recent adventures had driven home to him plainly the fact that human knowledge was but a drop in a very large bucket, a far cry from being complete. He was coming to realize how much there was out here in the universe to know. It had made him feel a little small sometimes, and a little unsure of himself. But Pacha's words had reassured him. Everything, including knowledge and the wisdom to use it, took time to acquire.

I'm just a kid, he reminded himself, smiling.

Kippy seemed to have no such reservations. He moved from booth to stall to tabletop in the marketplace, oohing and aahing over everything he saw, each new treasure just one more reason to smile and wonder. Charlie held his hand as they walked, absorbing some of that wonder, until he, too, was smiling at everything they examined.

"What do you think those are?" Kippy asked, when they stopped at a stall offering basketball-sized globes. The globes hovered in the air above the countertop, uniform in size but varying widely in color. Within each globe swam or floated strange small creatures that seemed to be all eyes and fins, and which gazed unblinkingly outward at them as they stood there.

The stand's proprietor was a tall, gangly fellow, with pale skin and sunken eyes, and thin, waving tendrils in place of hair upon his head. He was dressed all in black, and was as good an approximation of an alien mortician as Charlie had ever seen. But he greeted them with a cheerful smile, and waved a large hand with six fingers on it at his stock. "Greetings, hominids. To look about would be my wonderful wish."

Charlie smiled at the translation. Some alien tongues arrived into English with little in the way of trouble, because the original languages were constructed along patterns that were similar to human languages. Others made the transition with varying states of compatibility and completeness, while still others were hard to get at all. It was no fault of the Kifta technology, which was quite excellent. Some alien thinking was so truly alien that only basic exchanges could be made, while others simply were not expressed in spoken languages as humans understood them. And another group of languages were accompanied by accents, like generated smells, non-verbal sounds, pheromones, colors, or so called 'body flags', which could be any part of the body that moved, stilled, changed color, or otherwise displayed in a certain way as an accompaniment to speech, and the nuances of which the translator could not always decipher and take into account.

Kippy was enchanted, as always, by the globes, and reached a hand towards one, though fell short of touching it. "Ooh. What are these?"

The alien's smile widened into something that would have been impossible for a human to duplicate. "Your moods they sense, and would show you. Examine, please."

Kippy took that as permission to touch the nearest globe, a rose-colored orb, and laid his fingertips upon it. The creatures inside eyeballed him intensely, and the globe suddenly softened in color, and miraculously flowed into a gentle, peaceful shade of blue. Kippy aahed, and Charlie instinctively squeezed his boyfriend's hand.

"Calm, you are," the alien intoned. "Happy. Wonderful state."

"I get it," Bobby said, from Mike's side. "It tells you what your mood is, by the color."

Mike nodded, and leaned up against Bobby's shoulder. "Like one of those rings they sell back home are supposed to do."

Bobby looked uncertain. "What rings?"

Mike laughed. "Probably before your time, Bob. They're mostly sham, anyway." But then he nodded at the globes. "But these, if they really work? Holy Dooley, would these sell well back in Brissie!"

Kippy pulled the orb into both hands, turned, and offered it to Charlie. "You try it."

Charlie smiled, and took the globe into his own hands. It was lighter than he had expected, for he'd figured it was full of a liquid that the swimmers inside moved about in. But that was plainly wrong, and the orb could only be filled with air or some gas, instead.

Again the eyeball creatures inside turned, this time to inspect Charlie. The color of the globe intensified to an almost sky-blue, causing Kippy to ooh all over again.

"Calm," the alien said again. "With much curiosity. Affection for someone there, too."

Charlie smiled at Kip. "Yup."

"Is there a chart for that thing?" Mike wondered out loud. "Every shade must have a meaning."

Pacha asked to be placed on the countertop, and Mike set him there and went back to stand next to Bobby. The orb was passed around, and continued to display shades of blue, signifying peace and happiness. When it got to Ricky, a light gray halo formed around the calm blue center, and Ricky looked surprised. "What's that mean?"

"Calm, fortified, protective," the alien described. "You care much for someone's safety."

Ricky sighed happily, and smiled sideways at Adrian. "You got that right," he agreed.

The orb was passed to Bobby, who gazed expectantly into the eyes of the creatures within. Again, the orb was mostly blue; but then little green waves appeared inside and washed from one side to the other. Bobby looked amazed, and his gaze sought out the alien proprietor's. "What's going on?"

The alien looked somehow amused. "Calm there, too. But also much interest in procreation."

"Procreation?" Kippy gasped, and then suddenly laughed. "I think he means you're horny."

Bobby's cheeks reddened immediately, and he looked at Mike with fear in his eyes. Bobby thrust the orb away from himself then, and it sailed briefly towards the crowds around them before making a left turn and flying immediately back to hover above the countertop.

Mike sighed, and put an arm around Bobby's waist and tried to pull him closer. Bobby resisted, and looked frantic a moment, his eyes darting wildly about at the others.

"It's okay," Mike said softly. "It's not like they don't know already."

Bobby turned back to look at him then.

"It's okay," Mike repeated, smiling. His gaze was patient and fond. "These are my mates. Our friends. Relax."

Bobby licked his lips and turned his eyes back to Charlie and Kippy. Charlie nodded, took Kippy's hand in his own, and squeezed it affectionately. "We're happy for you, Bobby."

"Yes, we are," Kippy said, emphatically. "And about time, too."

Bobby bit at his lip a moment, and Mike managed then to pull him closer. "Are you sorry?" he asked then.

Bobby looked stunned, and then he and Mike watched each other a moment.

"No," Bobby whispered. "I'm not sorry."

"We're not, either," Adrian said. "You two are great together."

Bobby looked around again at the eyes upon him, and must have seen the truth of what he was hearing. "I'm...sorry. It's hard for me. It wasn't like this where I came from."

"We know," Charlie said, nodding. "But you're here now, and free to be who you were meant to be. Never be ashamed of it." He smiled at Kippy. "We are who we are."

Mike took Bobby's hand in his, and Bobby let him. He looked down at that clasp, and finally smiled. "I'm not ashamed. Just a little scared."

"That much is okay," Ricky said. "We've all been through that."

Mike sighed, looking playful then. "It's not like they know we've been bumpin' uglies, or anything."

Bobby gave a startled laugh. "Mike!"

"Aw," Kippy breathed, smiling. "How romantic." But then he frowned. "I think."

Bobby's cheeks were red again, but this time he was smiling. "It sounds worse than it was."

Mike smiled. "I'll say."

Kippy looked from one boy to the other, and then smiled again. "Aw. How romantic."

The humans laughed, and Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. That Mike and Bobby were together now was something that needed to be out in the open. Charlie had been afraid that Bobby's upbringing in a past age might have ruined that; but now it seemed that the boy was strong enough to make the adjustment to a different mindset.

Pacha, still seated on the countertop, reached out and laid his fingers against a bright yellow orb. It immediately flowed into another peaceful shade of blue, but with tiny flickers of gold in it, almost like microscopic lightning bolts. The stand's proprietor looked interested then. "Power user."

"Just so," Pacha agreed. "These are not living creatures inside this orb?"

"No. Biological constructs. No need food or drink. Powered by gas mixture within. Last long time."

Pacha gave his version of a nod. "Thought so. They don't read like living creatures."

Bobby stepped forward then. "Could I get one? I mean, to take with us?"

The little Kift tchick-tchick-tchicked. "Of course. Select one."

Bobby's eyes went to the orb he had thrown away, which had resumed a place above the countertop and gone to a soft yellow. "That one."

"Come," the proprietor said, motioning to Bobby.

Bobby grinned at Mike, and then went to the counter.

The seller took the orb in hand, waved something over it, and then handed it to Bobby. "Will go with you now. Account will be charged. Thanking you!"

Bobby looked delighted, and gazed down at the globe, which had gone blue again. Somewhat tinier green waves were still present, though, and Mike came to stand with him. The two of them smiled at each other, and then turned back to the others. "This should be interesting," Mike said, laughing.

The proprietor of the stand bent and retrieved something from behind the counter, which proved to be a small, flat sheet of what looked like glass, but with a dark rim about it. He offered it to Bobby. "This, too. Is the color guide, so you know. Hold in front of orb when is reacting, and will tell you emotions within." The alien frowned then. "Not know your language, but can display Trichani and many other galactic tongues. You can translate?"

"Yes," Pacha assured. "Thank you." He turned to Bobby. "I'll have Illia add English to the device's memory for you."

They moved off as a group, Bobby holding his orb before him, which remained a peaceful blue, but with the occasional green wave running through it, which made both Bobby and Mike laugh. Charlie smiled at that, and squeezed Kippy's hand.

They circled the market, and came upon Kontus, standing with Frit and Pip and Keerby. The new elf was standing still, his arms raised at his sides, while a small alien danced about him, taking measurements, and doing things to a bright red, green, and gold garment that Keerby was wearing. Kippy grinned at Charlie and sprang ahead, pulling him by his hand. "This I've got to see!"

Nearby Keerby, what looked like a tiny rain cloud floated in the air. On it's side was displayed an exact likeness of Keerby, moving as he moved, smiling as he smiled, and also dressed in the colorful outfit that was part Shakespearean play, and part clown college. It reminded Charlie of a uniform worn by the Swiss Guard at the Vatican, except this one seemed to be alive somehow. The colors crawled and danced across the material of the outfit as the tailor worked. The finish of the suit had the sheen of satin about it, and a strange life to it as it moved to conform to Keerby's physique. The little alien tailor sang and chortled to himself as he manipulated the fit with two tiny, glowing eggs held in his hands, which he waved about like a maestro before an orchestra.

The boys watched in wonder as the suit continued to conform to Keerby's body, tucking in here, making accommodation there, until the fit was absolutely perfect. The result modeled the elf's body without showing off too much, yet also suggesting quite plainly that the body beneath was in a fine state of physical condition. As the alien tailor stepped back with a satisfied sigh, the colors that had been running riot over the surface of the material began to blend together, forming lighter and lighter shades, until, quite suddenly, the outfit was a pure and snowy white.

"Wow," Kippy breathed, tossing a smile at Charlie. "Was that something, or what?"

The small rain cloud now also displayed Keerby in the white suit. The elf inspected himself in the surface of the misty viewer, and smiled. "I think I'm feeling magenta today."

The suit of clothing briefly flickered, and was suddenly a vibrant shade of magenta. The raincloud also showed Keerby attired in similar fashion. The elf turned slowly, eying himself in the mist, and then nodded. "Not bad."

"It's wonderful!" Frit said, grinning.

"Gorgeous!" Pip added, nodding.

Kontus frowned. "It's a little hard on the eyes, but I'm not one to judge another's taste in clothing."

"Any color you wish, just say," the alien tailor said. "You like?"

Keerby grinned. "It's perfect."

The alien seemed pleased, and waved a hand at the little rain cloud, which contracted and disappeared. "Thank you. Account charged when you leave. Please come again."

Keerby walked over to Charlie and Kippy, and turned slowly in front of them, showing off the new suit from every angle. "What do you think?"

Kippy immediately smiled. "Beautiful! And the clothing is nice, too."

Charlie hooted, and gently elbowed his boyfriend, who looked pleased with himself. "Well," Kippy said unabashedly, "I'm being totally honest."

"Waste of time," Pip whispered, sliding over beside Kip. "Keerby has a girl back home."

Frit grinned. "Can't win 'em all!"

Kippy sighed, and gave a little shake to his head. "Beauty has no gender, guys."

Charlie was about to comment when he looked to their right, and saw the proprietor of another stand watching them. He felt an immediate sense of recognition, though could not remember where he had seen the alien before. He was a small, quite hairy fellow a little shorter than they, with very large, liquid brown eyes that managed somehow to look both interested and bored at the same time. Charlie stared a moment, feeling he was being rude, but certain he had seen the alien before.

The other settled it for him. He reached down to the countertop before him, lifted a coppery square of metal, and waved it at Charlie, offering a crooked variation on a smile to go with it.

Of course! This was the vendor that Charlie had bought his treasure from, the square of alien metal that showed whoever held it the place he or she loved the most. Home!

Charlie turned to the others. "I want to stop by that stand there next."

All eyes turned that way, and the alien looked momentarily surprised, but then offered up the crooked smile again. Charlie headed towards the next stand with Kippy in tow, and the others followed along behind.

"What are we doing?" Kippy whispered.

"This is the guy that sold me that metal square that shows anyone that holds it his home."

Kippy increased his pace and came up along side Charlie, his face displaying renewed interest. "Hey, that thing was great. I wouldn't mind having one for myself."

They crowded together before the stand, gazing down at what lay on the countertop before them. There were a dozen or more of the copper-looking plates, each with a satiny finish that suggested red gold. Kippy pointed at one, and then gazed questioningly at the proprietor, who immediately looked even happier. "To pick one up," the fellow said. "To hold in hand."

Kippy did pick up a plate, and smiled as it darkened and colors flowed across the surface. In a moment his house came into view, and then the view moved forward, through the front door, and climbed the staircase to Kippy's bedroom. Kippy sighed, and leaned up against Charlie. "I love this thing." He turned to Pacha. "Can I get one?"

The Kift emitted a small laugh, and waved at the entire group. "All of you, feel free to purchase items here in the market. Do not be shy, please."

Mike gave out a soft laugh of his own. "We're loaded, especially after the Tower of Arimides deal. Have fun, gents."

Kippy placed his plate in his pocket, and Adrian and Rick each got one, too. Bobby examined one, waited for it to show him his home, and then carefully placed the plate back on the counter. "I don't think so."

Mike put an arm around his shoulders. "I can understand that. You sure?"

The other boy nodded. "Yeah. There's nothing there for me now."

Charlie was saddened by that, but knew there was no going back for Bobby. Time was a complex thing, and once it had made its decisions, the results were often irrevocable. Too bad there wasn't some sort of arbiter for time, someone or something you could go to when life handed you a lemon, and complain to about...wait. Charlie suddenly froze, stunned, as an idea hit him, one he should have seen all along.

Max had a knack for handling time, though the elf had never made any mention of being able to move backwards or forwards any great length within it. Slowing it down or speeding it up was one thing, but traveling in it was another matter, entirely. But there was a person who Charlie knew who could do both of those things, and do them well: Nicholaas.

What if Nicholaas were to send Bobby back to just after the moment in time when he had been kidnapped by the flying saucer? A loop in time would be created, but one that returned Bobby to the age in which he had originally lived. His grandmother would still be alive, the people and places that Bobby knew would still be there...Bobby's life would still be there, waiting for him to pick it up again. He need not lose it all, as he had done now. He could have his life back, if he wished it.

But...what, then, of Mike? That the Aussie boy had developed feelings for Bobby seemed clear, and Charlie was certain that those feelings were reciprocated. The idea of separating them with an unbridgeable gap in time seemed horribly unfair. And Bobby would not be free to be himself if returned to the era in time from which he had come. The idea that he might never otherwise find love was just too painful to consider.

"Charlie?" Kippy whispered, peering closer. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Charlie nodded. "Just thinking about something."

Kippy watched him a moment, and then frowned. "Well, stop thinking so hard, will you? It looks painful even from here."

Charlie smiled at that, and nodded. "Love you, Kip."

Kippy broke into a smile, and leaned forward and kissed Charlie's cheek. "Me, too. Now stop looking like you're constipated. We're supposed to be having fun, right?"

"Right." Charlie relaxed his shoulders, and sighed. The thing about moving in time was that Bobby could spend as much of it here, in this present, as he liked, and then still go home if he wanted to later on. So perhaps Charlie would discuss the boy's situation with Nicholaas at some point...or not. There would be no use in getting Bobby's hopes up if Nicholaas knew a reason it could not be done. And Charlie couldn't talk to Nicholaas right now, so there was no use dwelling on it and worrying about it.

Kippy watched him a moment longer, saw the decision to relax appear in Charlie's eyes, and then smiled. "Look at the other stuff this guy has for sale."

Charlie nodded, and let his eyes roam across the countertop. The right side was covered with the coppery-looking plates, with gaps here and there among them now that the others had purchased theirs. The middle of the counter was a jumble of oddball items, none of which immediately attracted Charlie's eye. He moved to the left, looking over what was there. The left side of the counter was covered with neat rows of flat metallic ovoids, also a coppery color, and Charlie was suddenly struck by the similarity in appearance to the plates that showed one his home.

"Oh...these look like they were made by the same people that made the plates."

Kippy nodded. "They do have the same look, don't they?" He glanced up at the proprietor, who had taken notice of their interest and moved over to face them. "What are these?" Kippy asked.

The alien's brown eyes looked amused. "Most unusual toy. To take one in hand. To try one."

Kippy grinned, obviously seeing it as a dare, and dropped a hand and picked up one of the ovoids. He held it in his hand and looked down at it, obviously waiting for it to do something visual. Charlie watched, too, expecting almost anything to happen.

So, after a full fifteen seconds in which nothing at all happened, Kippy looked disappointed and cocked his head at the proprietor. "What's it supposed to do?"

The alien pointed at Charlie. "Friend?"

Kippy smiled. "Well, of course."

The alien bobbed his head. "Good friend?"

Kippy's smiled widened, and his eyes sparkled at Charlie. "The very best."

The alien nodded. "Touch friend."

Kippy looked surprised, but then grinned again, and reached his free hand towards Charlie. "What will it do, give him a shock or something...?"

The moment Kippy's hand landed on Charlie's arm, both of them gasped. Charlie stared at his boyfriend, who had suddenly changed magically in appearance. It was as if a bright, silvery light had sprung up behind Kippy, outlining his form, and a gentle breeze arisen to tousle his blond hair. His boyfriend's eyes were large and luminous, and full of love and desire for Charlie. Kippy's skin glowed a beautiful golden brown in color, the most perfect summer tan ever, and his flesh looked sooo smooth, sooo soft, sooo appealing...

Charlie leaned forward, at the same time that Kippy did, and they grabbed each other. The hand with the ovoid in it got pressed between them as they kissed. Charlie opened his mouth and met Kippy's tongue as it thrust forward, and immediately there was a titanic rush between Charlie's legs, and the boner of all boners popped upright in his pants. He could feel the solid press of the same thing in his boyfriend's pants, and Charlie thrust one hand up inside Kippy's shirt, determined to rub and caress that beautiful, inviting flesh...

He felt hands grab hold of him, and suddenly he and Kippy were being pried apart. Charlie resisted, could also feel Kippy doing the same thing. But more hands grabbed Charlie's shoulders, and then he and Kippy were yanked apart.

Charlie blinked, suddenly feeling the incredible lust he'd been feeling just drain away. Kippy stared at him, his chest rising and falling, as if he still wasn't sure what had happened.

Charlie turned his head. Ricky and Adrian had him by the upper arms, and were watching him with a combination of worry and laughter in their expressions. Across from him, Mike and Bobby had Kippy restrained in the same fashion

"Apologies," the alien proprietor said immediately, looking quite concerned now. "Could not imagine the strength of feelings between two. To turn down the power. To limit the force."

Kippy raised the ovoid and stared at it. Everyone stared at it.

"I could make a bundle selling those things back on Earth," Mike said, under his breath.

"Would sell well on Roorapynta, too," Kontus rumbled, laughing.

"This thing did that?" Charlie asked, turning now to the stand's proprietor.

"Only amplifies feelings already there," the alien said. "Works small with most species." The alien couldn't seem to help smiling then. "Works large with yours."

"I'll say," Ricky said, shaking his head. "Another few seconds and you two would have been ripping each other's clothes off."

"How terrible," Kippy said, smiling. But his eyes conveyed to Charlie that he didn't think it was terrible at all.

Charlie couldn't help laughing. "Yeah, I'm not sure I'm ready to be doing that in public."

"Only amplifies feelings already there," the alien repeated. "Must be strong already, you two."

Kippy gave a little tsk. "Well, duh."

Charlie sighed, letting his gaze go back to the alien. "You say there's a way to turn it down?"

The proprietor extended a hand, and Kippy reluctantly handed him the ovoid. The alien took it between two thick fingers and squeezed it. There was a click, and the two halves of the ovoid came apart. The proprietor leaned forward, and showed them a small rotary dial now exposed within. "Was turned to half power. To turn it down, I think."

Charlie merely gaped at that. Half power!

Kippy clapped his hands together, grinning. "Ohmigod, Charlie! Could you imagine what that would have been like turned all the way up?"

Ricky laughed, and held up a hand and moved it as if he were tracking a newspaper headline. "Teens destroy neighborhood in fit of passion."

"I like it," Adrian said, rubbing his shoulder against his boyfriend's. He waved a hand at the alien proprietor. "Can we get one of them, too?"

Bobby immediately leaned over to Mike and whispered into his ear. The Aussie boy grinned, and held up a hand. "Yeah, us, too."

Frit appeared out of nowhere, Pip right on his heels. "We'll take two!"

Everyone laughed at that. "You only need one," Kippy explained.

Pip shrugged, his eyes merry. "Won't know until we try two!"

Even Kontus got one, his expression suggesting that a use would be found for the device when he eventually returned home. Charlie laughed at that, and at the apparently universal appeal that being royally horny seemed to have for everyone. His imagination stopped at Trichani sex, though, the term 'breaking the furniture' taking on a brand new meaning there.

The purchases were made, and the vendor looked quite happy. "To enjoy, please."

"We will!" Frit said, grinning.

Pacha'ka and Ragal had watched everything with apparent good humor. "I would suggest we return to the ship now," the Kift said. "We will want some rest before Murcha and Onglet arrive." He looked pointedly at the boys. "So put away your new treasures until you get home."

Everyone laughed at that. Ragal came over and smiled, and nodded to Kippy and Charlie. "This is great. I'm having a wonderful time."

Charlie smiled at Kippy, who smiled in return. "I'm not doing too badly, myself," Charlie said.

 

* * * * * * *

 

The Lollipop landed on the field nearby Pacha's ship at the end of their first day on Engris, just as Murcha had promised. Charlie couldn't help smiling at the transformed ship, disguised by Max on their last adventure together to look like the yacht of a rich playboy, an illusion that Murcha had decided he liked and had kept in place. Gone was the sinister black hull studded with the many Moth devices of inspection and destruction. The vessel now seemed smooth and golden, circled by several rings, and bore a charming logo that depicted a sun rising above the curve of a blue world. It looked like the sort of vessel you'd see bringing in master bakers to a chocolate chip cookie convention, perhaps to Mars, or maybe even to Neverland, instead of a scaled-down version of a Moth battleship. It was the perfect disguise for a craft that was far more lethal than its size would lead one to believe possible.

They moved from Pacha's ship to their own, taking the small orb that contained Illia with them. There was room in the special drawer beneath the central display in the Moth ship for all three artificial intelligences, and Illia seemed pleased to join Murcha and Onglet there. Pacha's ship was secured, even though they knew that no one would bother it there on Engris, not even if it sat there for an eternity. While those possessing both the nerve and the talent to possibly breech the ship's defenses might make their way to Engris, no one with the will to commit the crime itself would ever be allowed to land there.

"The course is set, and if there is no further business to tend to here, we can depart," Murcha said, as everyone found a place to sit or lean. The pylon-seats arranged around the central display were too few in number for the size of their party now, and Murcha had the vessel provide additional seating for the others. Kontus lowered himself carefully into the rather fragile-looking chair provided for him, as if expecting it to collapse immediately beneath his weight. But Moth technical superiority extended to materials as well, and the seat gave no indication whatsoever that it might be overburdened by the Trichani's considerable mass.

"I think we are through on Engris for now," Pacha said, looking about at everyone. "Shall we depart?"

"I'm good," Mike said, nodding. He smiled at Bobby, who smiled and nodded, too. Mike pointed at the overhead. "That way!"

"This will be fun!" Frit said, looking overjoyed at the idea of another journey with his friends.

"The best!" Pip added, rubbing up against his boyfriend.

"I think we're all ready," Charlie said, looking around at Kippy and Ricky and Adrian. "Guys?"

"Let's roll," Kippy returned, with an enthusiasm that made Charlie smile.

"We can look around the market again on the way back," Adrian put in.

"Yeah, we only saw a little of what was there this time," Ricky said, patting the hilt of his vibratory blade. "I'd like to find that big guy who sold me this and see what else he has."

"And we want to try to see Billy and Will at the spirit dome," Kippy reminded. "It wouldn't be Halloween without seeing them."

"We can do all that on the way home," Charlie agreed.

His gaze went to Ragal, who nodded at him. "I'm ready, of course. I am interested to see what clues Erenar holds for us."

"And you're having a good time, too," Charlie added, smiling.

"Of course." The twinkle of good humor in the alien's eyes was pronounced.

Kontus issued forth a rumbling laugh. "Another great adventure in the offing, I think." His muzzle wrinkled in good humor. "Grand was the day you and yours came to visit Roorapynta, Charlie Boone."

"There does seem to be a fortunate chain of circumstances in play that continues to bring us together with those of like minds and spirits," Pacha agreed, giving the equivalent of a nod. "It has strengthened us considerably." He gave out a small laugh. "But if our group gets any larger, I'm afraid we'll need a bigger ship!"

Everyone smiled at that, and Charlie knew that the Kift was kidding. They could double the size of their party and still have plenty of room inside Lollipop for everyone.

"We could always borrow a larger vessel from the Moth," Onglet said, apparently missing the humor. His voice was softer than the intense baritone that Murcha possessed, offering an impression of a milder character. Yet the two artificial intelligences were equally easy to get along with, and both seemed to have a positive opinion of the universe now that they had been released from the restraints imposed by the Moth.

Illia was similar in spirit, though could be a bit feistier, and she wore her freedom as a right, since she had never borne the collar that had restricted the Moth intellects. Knowing Murcha and Onglet had been beneficial for her, illustrating quite clearly that such freedoms were not a guarantee everywhere in the galaxy. Once a bit possessive of Pacha and his ship, she had come to accept the idea that accomplishing a great goal was a much easier task with more hands to guide and guard the experience.

Charlie smiled at Onglet's suggestion, and especially at the idea of borrowing from the Moth. The Moth were not the sort you casually took from. "Nah. I can't see us cruising around in one of those big Moth battlecruisers. Someone might sneeze and vaporize a city or something."

"It would be perfectly safe," Murcha said, also missing that Charlie was kidding. "There are multiple safeguards in place."

"I think we're good with this small ship for now," Charlie went on, grinning. "And speaking of that, I think we can head on out now."

The central display showed the port city off to one side, artificially lit beneath a black and imposing sky. In an instant that vanished, and so did Engris, and they were off to find their fortunes in the vast Cooee.

"Any idea of the subjective time we'll need to get there?" Charlie asked of Murcha.

"It's a respectable distance," Illia offered, instead. "Even by galactic standards. As far as our recent voyage to the...the Crab Nebula, you call it, although in a different direction in the sky. Slightly more than six-thousand light years. It will take us approximately a week of ship time to arrive."

Charlie whistled. "Wow. I think that's the farthest me and the guys have been yet."

"What about the Beltracian arsenal planet?" Adrian asked. "That was far away, too."

"Not quite as far," Mike said. "And that was in a different direction yet again."

Bobby gave out a soft sigh. "I still can't get over being so far from home. I never even dreamed anything like this could happen to me."

Mike smiled at him, and leaned his shoulder against his boyfriend's. "I don't think any of us ever imagined something like this. I've spent an arvo now and then reading space tales when I was a little tacker, but I never thought I'd be out here roamin' the back of Bourke, either."

Bobby laughed, his eyes widening. "You're regressing, Michael."

Mike nodded. "I'm an Aussie, bub. I've been learnin' to talk like a Yank, but it doesn't make me one, and never will."

Bobby bumped his shoulder gently. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

Mike grinned, and then looked around at everyone watching them. "Buck's night out, this is. I got no wucking furries. Time to nick off, I say, and have a squizzy at this planet Erenar."

Everyone laughed, even Ragal. "And just when I thought I understood the language, too."

Mike laughed at that. "Aw, most people back home don't talk that way. I was just havin' a little fun with you."

Kippy gave Charlie a plaintive look. "A whole week until we get there. What are we gonna do with ourselves?"

Ricky and Adrian grinned. "I'm not telling," Adrian said.

Kippy scoffed. "Remember, there's no privacy here."

"If you require privacy, arrangements can be made," Murcha said then.

Kippy brightened, his eyes going to Charlie's. "We'll let you know."

* * * * * * *

The first system they inspected was a wash. There was only one rocky planet, and it was at the furthest limits of the Goldilocks zone, cold and icy, showing blue hints of water and green traces of life at the equator, only. The other four planets in the system were gas giants much further out, and devoid of the requirements for life as they knew it. Murcha moved them on to the next system, a day-long voyage in which they pored over the countless images taken by the ship's sensory gear of the ice planet, looking for anything that might resemble animate life in the warmer equatorial zone.

The resolution of the images was phenomenal, and they easily picked out herds of large, shaggy beasts as they roamed the tall grasses of the temperate plains, along with smaller animals that seemed to be hunting the larger animals in packs. At the end of the day they had identified several dozen different animate lifeforms, but none that seemed to carry anything like a tool or weapon. There were no signs of intelligent habitation, nothing that might indicate that even a very primitive society was in the making.

"Might be too early yet," Charlie supposed, just before they called it quits and headed off to bed. "Or, maybe this planet will never know civilization. Just because there's life there doesn't mean that one species will become ascendant."

Kippy sighed, and pulled his boyfriend towards the enclosed space containing their bed, that had been provided by Murcha. "That's enough, Charlie. Can't you think of something else you'd rather do?"

Charlie grinned. "Like what?"

Kippy pouted, and only smiled again when they were inside their private space, and Charlie had gathered him close.

They awoke to a gentle tone playing in the air, an indication from Murcha that they were about to emerge into the second system. The boys quickly got dressed and used the bathroom, and finally everyone assembled near the center command display. Ricky and Adrian were all smiles, and Bobby and Mike looked very pleased with themselves, too. Apparently, the decision to allow private sleeping quarters to those that desired them had been a popular decision.

The boys exchanged quick greetings, a few jokes, and then everyone found a seat for the coming show.

"Emergence in five," Onglet said, apparently driving the bus that morning.

All eyes focused on the center display. The gently flowing darkness of the Cooee lightened, and then vanished altogether, leaving a bright yellow sun in the middle of the view.

"Energy signature detected," Murcha said immediately. "Terrestrial planet identified at suitable coordinates."

"This could be the one," Pacha said, looking pleased. "The generation of energy must be considerable to register this far out."

"I am halting us at this point," Onglet spoke again. "The system ahead is full of debris, some of which is displaying energy signatures of its own, although at extremely low levels."

It soon became apparent that much of the space near the target planet was littered with junk of every imaginable size. Something huge and awful had happened here at some point in the past that had left the entire inner solar system a junkyard, and perhaps, a graveyard as well.

Charlie was standing near Ragal as he watched the display. The alien inspected the view in the display, and closed his eyes. After a moment, he nodded. "This is the place. I sense we are near our goal."

Charlie watched the other quietly a moment before speaking. "Are you a power user, Ragal?"

The alien smiled at him. "No. I am unable to manipulate energy in the way that Pacha does. That is not my gift."

"But you have some sort of extra thing going on, don't you?"

"Yes. My kind are sensitives, able to read the subtle clues of the universe that underlie all things. This is how I know we are near where we need to go."

Charlie smiled. "Got your own skwish going on, huh?"

"A proper analogy, actually. Your Kippy and Adrian possess early signs of this same quality."

Charlie turned and looked over at his boyfriend, who was smiling and talking softly with Ricky and Adrian. "I thought something special was going on there."

Ragal's eyes seemed to look inside Charlie for a moment. "You have your own...thing...going on, Charlie. You and Ricky, both. And even something special is happening between Mike and Bobby. I suspect that your minds are adapting themselves to the new circumstances of your lives, due to your travels about time, space, and the dimensions that support both."

Charlie blinked at that. "I don't feel any different."

Ragal laughed. "You won't. These talents are already a part of you. How they will eventually emerge, only time will tell."

"I have been analyzing the debris between us and the planet," Illia said, sounding excited. "Much of it would seem to once have been part of a vessel of some kind. Or many vessels, that is. Perhaps even hundreds, or thousands of them."

"The leftovers from some big space battle?" Ricky asked, shaking his head. "That's terrible."

"Agreed. What I have examined with my sensors indicates mid-expansion era technology, consistent with that used by the Athonar and the Karchee."

"Pretty old stuff," Mike mused. "Is it dangerous to us?"

"I would say not. Murcha? You know your vessel's capabilities better than I."

"I agree with your assessment. Everything I have examined thus far indicates a level of technology incapable of breaching the Lollipop's defenses. I feel it is safe to proceed at a reasonable speed. However, this will change our planetfall from two hours hence to eight."

"Start us moving again," Pacha instructed. "Highest speed possible consistent with safety."

A faint change in the sound of the machines beneath their feet signaled compliance with that action, and the Lollipop began a slow voyage into the debris field.

"I don't really see anything," Adrian said, after a few minutes. "Where's all this junk you were talking about?"

Murcha emitted a sinister-sounding laugh, causing everyone to smile. "There is a large amount of debris all about us, but space is a very roomy place. I would imagine that the scene here directly after the battle was extremely chaotic, with collisions between debris resulting in even more and smaller objects, and with some debris taking paths that ejected it from the system altogether. There has been time for this chaos to sort itself out somewhat. Each chunk of debris occupies a unique orbit, and there has been sufficient time since events transpired here for them to organize into something coherent. No doubt collisions still occur, but I would say they are not common any longer."

"What is all about us are the survivors," Illia put in. "Some chunks of debris are as large or even larger than our vessel. To impact one at high speed could be dangerous. So we proceed at a speed that allows us time to detect these chunks and still maneuver to avoid them. We are currently moving at the maximum safe speed for such a situation, about twenty miles per second."

Charlie couldn't help laughing at that. "That's, um...what, seventy-two thousand miles per hour?"

"A crawl," Onglet returned, just a hint of disgust in his voice. "It will take eight hours to cover the half million miles to the target planet."

"Enough time for breakfast and some pleasant conversation," Ricky said, offering his arm to Adrian. "Shall we adjourn to the breakfast room, my love?"

"Yes, we shall."

Charlie grinned, and moved over by Kippy and offered his arm. "Accompany me to the dining hall, my sweet?"

"Do we have one?" Kippy asked, smiling and linking his arm with Charlie's.

"Murcha, a dining hall, if you please," Charlie said, waving a hand in the air.

A long table was produced, and seats sufficient for all of them, and the treaded crawlers that served as an interface with the ship's kitchen facilities took orders and brought them their food. The time passed easily, as they talked about what they didn't know about their current situation.

"No one knows anymore what started the Athonar and the Karchee to fighting," Mike said, between bites of his food. "History says that the Athonar were a fairly serious bunch of traders specializing in exotic weaponry, while the Karchee were a rowdy lot of troublemakers, who seemed to have their fingers in all sorts of things. But you know how histories are. They're never written by the people involved. The Karchee apparently bit off more than they could handle with the Athonar, who had some weapons that nobody had seen before in these here parts of space. The Athonar were able to chase the Karchee all over the stars until they got tired of it, and then they simply challenged them to a duel, more or less."

"A duel?" Bobby asked, obviously enchanted with the tale. "You mean, like with swords?"

Mike laughed. "Yeah, except these swords had a real bite. The Athonar found this solar system, with the uninhabited planet Erenar in it, and built it up, and then dared the Karchee to come and take it away from them."

"Challenged them, huh?" Ricky said, shaking his head. "That's amazing. And the Karchee showed up?"

"Yep. And with about fifty times the ships anybody thought they had. It was a hell of a battle, by all accounts, of which there are a few. It was such a huge battle it kind of knocked both of them out of the fight, and there was no real winner."

Bobby sighed. "That was real smart."

"Uh huh." Mike shrugged. "Both sides got picked off by others afterwards, because they were so weak after the fight."

"That sounds like a nasty time," Kippy said. "It seems pretty peaceful out here now by comparison."

"Those were the expansion days," Pacha interjected. "Everyone was building an empire. And everyone was quick to guard what they thought was theirs."

"And everyone thought everything was theirs," Mike added. "There were a lot of races travelin' about the stars then - the same stars, too. It was an unusual period of time, in that a lot of races achieved star travel about the same time, and they were all close together. It didn't take much for people to feel threatened by others."

Kippy frowned. "It's not so different out here from back home, really. People fight over anything."

Bobby nodded. "And it's never the people that start wars that get killed in them. It's always guys like my dad, who was very happy raising a family and being a mechanic. Someone started a war, and took him away from us forever."

There was a bitter note to that, and Mike tightened his arm about Bobby's shoulders a little. "I'm sorry, love."

Bobby turned and smiled at him. "Oh...I'm not even sure where that came from. I'm the one that should be sorry."

Mike shook his head. "You never have to be sorry about the way you feel, Bob. There's always gonna be blokes out there starting trouble. You just have to do the best you can with it." He gave a little sigh. "It seems like the good people finally get together at some point and smack down the ones causing trouble. But it's usually pretty late by then, and the hoons have caused a lot of misery by the time they get theirs."

Charlie looked over at Pacha. "The centers of power today are much farther apart?"

"Yes. And boundaries have had time to become clearly defined. Even though there are still many problems within the empires of today, those we know of are very stable by comparison to those in existence at the time of the Athonar and the Karchee. And those two races are really only remembered today due to their conflict, and the one very great battle they shared here at Erenar. Little else is really known about them. Even the locations of their home worlds have been lost over time."

"That's a little creepy," Kippy said. "Doesn't someone keep records?"

"Many do," Pacha returned. "But our galaxy is a very active place. We only know a very small part of it, and even then, the part we know is far from fully explored. The number of stars is staggering, and life arises in the most surprising places. Peoples come and go, empires rise and fall, and records are often lost in the chaos of the aftermath. There have been a considerable number of sentient species that have made their way to the stars in just the last million years. Considering the vast distances, and the vast periods of time, we know quite a lot about the past, actually. And we are learning more, all the time."

Charlie turned to look at the display. The tiny dot of a planet was visible now, centered in the view. They had yet to see a single piece of floating debris with their eyes, though Murcha assured them that they were passing through a very thick field of it. Only the powerful defensive technology of the Moth had kept the ship safe from harm.

"I never asked you, Mike - how long ago was this battle fought?"

"'Bout twelve thousand years?" Mike looked over at Pacha. "That right?"

"Approximately. Perhaps a bit more. It occurred in the interval between the disappearance of the Beltracians, twenty thousand years past, and the rise of the present five empires, seven or eight thousand years ago."

"Wow," Bobby said softly. "Wow."

Charlie nodded. Wow was the correct word.

Kippy stared at the distant world. "Do you think there's anyone left living there?"

"I have detected no life at all, though there is something odd about the planetary scans. We'll need to get a little closer to determine the reason for this anomaly."

When they were within five hours of travel left to reach planetary orbit, the world of Erenar was more than large enough to study, appearing even larger than the Earth did from lunar orbit. To say that this new world was peculiar looking was an understatement. Where the earth, as seen from her moon, was a large blue ball wrapped in the white swirls of clouded weather systems, and showing the distinct browns and greens of land masses, Erenar was a milky white orb with no features visible whatsoever.

"It's huge," Charlie said, staring at the image. "Much larger than Earth, isn't it? I thought it was supposed to be an earth-like world?"

"It is," Murcha returned. "What we are seeing is not the planet itself. It appears to be some form of defensive layer."

"What's up with that?" Kippy asked. There was a shine to the white orb, almost a hard look about it, making the world look like a giant pearl floating there in space.

"The planet appears to be shielded," Murcha announced then. "What we are seeing is a planetary defense barrier."

Charlie stared at the world in the display. "You mean, like an energy screen or something?"

"Yes. It reads as a polyphasic barrier, consistent with the defensive technology available in mid-expansion cultures."

Mike shrugged. "So...what? It's pretty primitive compared to what you have available?"

"Yes. It would be relatively ineffective against modern weaponry, and make a poor defense for a vessel. However, on a planetary scale, driven by ground-based power sources, it remains an effective physical barrier even today. The ship will not be able to break through it."

Charlie felt the first touch of disappointment. "You mean we can't land?"

"Not at this moment. Given time to diagnose the phasing pattern, and then to build the proper neutral pole, we could poke a hole in the shield and enter."

There was something unenthusiastic about that response. Charlie frowned. "I'm guessing that might take some time?"

"The phasing patterns are layered, and each is encrypted to the point of almost pure randomness. It's a fairly primitive defense by current standards, but the numbers that need to be crunched are huge. A larger, purposed encryption mind could probably break it in a few hours, but we don't have such a mind here. Onglet and I will have to tackle the job ourselves. I would guess it will take as long as a month to arrive at the correct solutions for all layers."

"That sucks," Ricky said, stating the obvious. "We came all the way out here, and now we can't land?"

"Wait one moment," Murcha said then.

The view in the display suddenly zoomed in with incredible speed, causing everyone to gasp. Kippy's fingers tightened reflexively around Charlie's wrist, making him laugh. "Whoa!"

"Sorry." Kippy flashed a smile his way. "I wasn't expecting that."

"You and me, both." Charlie peered at the display, which was now showing a strange, eight-sided construction of some sort that actually seemed to be resting atop the white shielding. The thing was heavily damaged, scarred and blackened, with whole sections missing, through which the white of the shielding showed.

"What's that?" Adrian asked, just before Charlie did himself.

It was Illia who answered. "It would appear to be the terminus of a ground to orbit transport system. A space elevator."

Charlie gaped at the screen. He had read about such things, which had been theorized back on earth. Humans were still working on a material strong enough and light enough to construct such a device, though with the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and diamond nanothreads, it would not be long in coming. But...

"I know a little about this," he said. "There's supposed to be a huge counterweight at the space end, and it's supposed to be well above geostationary orbit."

"The shield itself supplies the necessary tension to allow the elevator tube to function," Onglet replied. "Although a construction of energy, the shield's polyphasic nature gives it the solidity of matter. A null collar about the base of the terminus pierces the shielding, through which passes the tube of the ground to orbit carrier. The actual terminus station rests atop the shielding, and provides the anchor for the upper end of the elevator."

Charlie shook his head. "The shield would have to rotate at exactly the same rate as the planet for the elevator tube to work."

"It does," Illia said. "The shield orbits with the planetary equator, in precise alignment. There appear to be other terminals spaced about the circumference of Erenar, all above the equator."

Charlie blew out an excited breath, once again amazed at the sort of technology he was seeing out here in the galaxy. And according to Murcha, this was primitive by modern galactic standards!

"Have you detected any life below?" Pacha asked.

"No. The shielding tends to attenuate the scans somewhat, but the surface seems barren of life."

"They must have abandoned the place after the battle," Ricky suggested. "I mean, it was just built as a lure for the Karchee, right? They wouldn't have had much use for the place after it was all over."

"Perhaps," Murcha agreed, although the shipmind did not sound completely convinced by that reasoning.

"Why is the shield still working, then?" Charlie asked. "I mean, if they all left the place, why is it still running after all this time?"

Murcha sounded fascinated himself by this new experience. "Even mid-expansion era power technology was quite advanced. Ground-based systems of the sort that could power a defensive shield like this one would be enormous and redundant, and certainly built to last. The space elevator system was dependent on the shield for support, and the planet required it to keep at bay unwelcome visitors. I would think the shielding here was designed to be permanent."

"Agreed," Onglet said. "Each terminal was probably shielded itself at some time, though that shielding was weaker than that of the planet itself, and evidently breached in the battle. The terminal structures themselves were damaged or destroyed. Certainly they were weak points, and indicative of a defect in defensive planning."

Kippy's eyebrows went up. "You think all the terminals were destroyed?"

Charlie grinned. "Can we circle the planet, Murcha, and see if any of them have survived?"

"Proceeding." The terminal in the view slid away from their sight, leaving the hard white face of the shield to dominate the view.

Pacha gave out a small laugh. "Are you hoping to find a working elevator down to the surface, Charlie?"

Charlie shrugged. "Well, we can't take the ship through the shield. I don't see any other way down. Do you?"

"No. But your daring consistently amazes me."

Charlie laughed at that. "You mean if we find one that works, you're not coming along?"

"Oh, I'll come along, definitely. Once on the surface, I can always teleport us back to the ship, if the need arises." The little koala offered him an almost-grin. "I am just thinking about the advisability of trusting a twelve thousand year-old elevator car in an unknown state of repair to safely carry us the approximately twenty-two thousand miles down to the planet's surface, without killing us in the process."

Charlie smiled. "Well, when you say it that way, it doesn't sound like much fun!"

Everyone laughed. But Mike turned to the Kift, a shade of doubt apparent on his features. "It will either work or it won't, right? I mean, if we get inside and it starts down, it should get us to the surface. I've yet to see any tech out this way that didn't have so many safeguards built in that it would just sit and rust rather than put someone in danger."

"That's the technology we know," Kontus offered. The Trichani waved a hand at the screen. "We don't know anything at all about the things these people built."

"It will be moot if we do not find a working car," Pacha offered. "Let us wait until then to decide."

The next few terminal stations were like the first, soundly beaten by whatever forces had assailed them. But the seventh one they approached was noticeably different than the others. There were a few black weals across the armor of the outer structure, but they seemed not to have cut through. The terminal looked whole to a preliminary examination.

"This terminal is registering a power signature," Murcha told them. "It has also made a query of some sort, which I take to be a 'what ship?' request."

"Can we answer that?" Adrian asked. "Does anyone know the Athonara language?"

"Some bits survive," Illia answered. "But this terminal will be looking for a specific military handshake of some sort. I doubt there is anything we can say that will cause it to open up and be friendly."

"Well, what will happen if we don't answer?" Ricky asked. "Could it be armed?"

Almost as if in response to his question, a white lash of fire whipped out, briefly washing out the image in the display. Charlie and the others flinched, but the ship didn't even vibrate, and in a moment the display cleared again.

"An inconsequential hit," Murcha said. "I have disabled the weapon, and four others like it on the roof of the terminal. I have overpowered the safety protocols in the communication link and am making a direct call on the mind the runs this facility. It's defenses are minor by current standards, and it is...there."

A vast section of the roof of the terminal slid back, revealing a large bay beneath, more than adequate to accept several vessels the size of Lollipop. In fact, there was already one ship inside...at least, that's what Charlie assumed it to be. It was boxy and slightly clumsy looking, and a far cry from the sleek ships of war that one would expect from a great galactic power.

"Cargo module of some sort," Illia decided. "Still emitting a faint power signature, though at a level perhaps too low for operation."

Their ship settled to the deck nearby the other craft, and the great door above them slid closed again.

"I am pressurizing the bay," Onglet said. "The heat there is operative, but at a low level. You will need to dress warmly."

Charlie looked around at the others. "So we're going?"

"Should all of us go?" Kippy asked then.

Ricky laughed at that. "Who would you suggest stay back?"

"You'll need us!" Pip said immediately. "Right, Frit?"

"We're going along," Frit said, firmly. "You'll need us to look out for you."

Charlie smiled at that. "And you'll need us to look out for you! So I guess we're all going." He turned to look at Ragal, who had been watching and listening to everything with a big smile on his face. "And you, don't say anything about how much fun this is. Just come along, okay?"

The alien laughed. "It's what I'm here for, Charlie."

Charlie grinned, and then looked up at the overhead. "Murcha? What have you got in the way of space suits that would fit a crazy bunch of humans and elves, a Kift, a papa-sized bear, and a guy who came from a ring?"