Twinks in Space: Fantastic Voyage - Part Two - 16. Chapter 16 - The Second Message

“Quigley,” Phentrom cried out, “did the location of the Cometskipper come through?!”

The bounty hunter was punching information into his ship’s computer. “The Burn Throne is decoding the message. Hang on, just another… done. It has a star map point, and we’re locked onto the Cometskipper’s position!”

Quigley activated his ship’s cavitation engine, and it rocketed into the void as the message finished processing and played through the Burn Throne’s speakers.

“This is Captain Disigorth of the Olotarian battleship Scorched Atmosphere. Prepare to be boarded.”

“Who is Captain Disigorth?” Phentrom asked.

Quigley adjusted some settings on the console in front of him as he explained. “He’s a tyrant and a war criminal. He’s responsible for the collapse of the Olotarian Planetary Conglomerate and the subsequent rise of what is now their small empire.”

Phentrom and Quigley fell silent for several minutes, but then the computer in front of the bounty hunter beeped.

“What is it?” Phentrom asked.

“The Burn Throne’s picking up another message from the exact location we’re headed. I think it’s being sent to the Cometskipper, and we must somehow still be connected to Fonith’s ship.”

The next thing that flashed onto the screen in front of Quigley caused his face to go ashen. He activated the Burn Throne’s speakers, and a voice crackled with static. Phentrom and Quigley remained quiet until the second message ended.

“Captain Disigorth, this is Admiral Gniack of the starcraft Deathian. I picked up your ship’s auto-distress call, and my destroyer will be dropping out of hyperspace at your position in less than two minutes. If you have coms, respond.” The voice paused. “Battle cruiser Scorched Atmosphere, are you receiving me? Do you copy?”

“That’s the whole message,” Quigley whispered.

Phentrom could hear the fear in Quigley’s voice. “Who is Admiral Gniack?”

Quigley shook his head. “I don’t know; someone above Captain Disigorth.”

He and Phentrom were silent for a moment.

“What are we supposed to do?” Phentrom asked.

Quigley took a breath. “They have my family.”

“But what are we going to do?” Phentrom asked again.

The bounty hunter turned to the mandroid. “We need a vampire ship.”