My Friend is an Alien - Edlund Niklas. Страница 31

"Hyperwarp stabilizer coil for a medium-sized shuttle of Botaran design." explained Jahv.

"Lemme see specs." said Karak. Jahv withdrew a small device from his backpack, which displayed an image of the shuttle, and handed it to Karak. "Hunh. Built this yourself, didn't you?"

"Yes, why?"

Karak shrugged. "Overall, you did good job. Followed specs almost precisely. But I see problem. Your regulator coil to your stabilizer isn't tight enough. That's why your stabilizer blew. I can give you new coil and new stabilizer. If you need me to do work, that'll be extra."

"We can do the work." said Jahv.

"I think you can." said Karak, grinning. "But you still need parts. What you have for trade?"

"I can offer you a Botar-Tech Mark 5 Food Replicator." said Jahv.

Keith grabbed Jahv's arm and whispered, "You're giving him the food replicator? I just got that thing to do cheeseburgers and pizza!" "And we're on our way directly home after this, and there's still the replicator back in the dome tent." replied Jahv. The replicator on the shuttle was one which Keyro had brought with him, and they were working on building more such equipment. "Besides, we don't have any currency, and can you think of anything else to better offer Karak?"

Karak stroked his chin. "Hokay. I like you kids. I make you deal. Replicator for coil and stabilizer. But you better throw in some food programs."

Jahv grinned. "Deal!"

"You go get replicator. I will have parts when you get back." said Karak. "Hey, one question. You I know as Botaran, and him I think is Dorrian, though I haven't seen one since — well, in years. What you other three?"

Jahv smiled. "They're from a planet called Earth."

Niklas almost panicked. "Jahv," he whispered quickly, "should you have told.

He was interrupted by a derisive snort from Karak. "Earth. Silly name for a planet. Never heard of it. Whatever. You get replicator, I have parts."

The youngsters moved off and headed back towards the stairwell. "It's like I said, Niklas. Nobody on this station is going to care, and Karak's one of the nicer guys around here."

"I have to say, that deal went easier than I guess I thought it was going to." remarked Davy, as the group headed down.

"I'll just be glad to be out of here." said Keith.

"I gotta admit, I'm thinking that watching the universe through a telescope from now on might not be such a bad idea." said Niklas.

"Guys, I really am sorry about this." said Jahv. "But we'll be out of here soon enough."

"May I ask, do any of you know a Prince Arion?" said Morik abruptly.

Jahv immediately turned. "What? Prince Arion? Of Korras? Why?"

"Those two Soluans in the bar have him prisoner on their ship." explained Morik. "That's what they were talking about when Davy and Keith walked up. He's been giving them a lot of trouble."

"How could you know that?" asked Davy.

Morik brushed his long hair past his tapered, pointed ears. "Not much gets past these."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Keith impatiently.

"Korras is a gorgeous planet. Very mountainous. The people are a peaceful and elegant race, but not someone that you want to pick a fight with." explained Jahv. "They consider combat an art form as much as painting or dancing. And they can fly, on their own, so they're also pretty good at developing flying machines and spacecraft."

"They can fly?!" exclaimed Davy, stunned. Davy loved to climb in trees and up hills and pretend that he could swing through branches like Tarzan or even fly like a superhero.

"Prince Arion wouldn't be any older than any of us." remarked Jahv. "Taking him prisoner makes no sense. He can't possibly be a threat."

"He could be a hostage." said Keith.

"We should rescue him." said Morik.

"Whoa, hold it!" exclaimed Keith. "Do we look like a SWAT team!? Come on, guys, we're five kids with a broken-down shuttle that we'll be lucky to limp home in, and camo-face here wants us to go play commando!?"

"There may be a way that doesn't require us to actually go up against the Soluans." pondered Jahv.

"Guys, the shuttle repair?" urged Keith.

"It's going to take some time for Karak to get the parts ready, anyway." said Jahv. "And there's really not much to do here otherwise. Not for kids, anyway."

"I'm not sure about this." said Niklas gently. "I mean, suppose they come after us?"

"As soon as we've managed the rescue, we'll get the parts and be out of here." said Jahv. "I know Soluan ships. They rely on brute force. They don't have the subtlety to track us once we're in hyperwarp."

"I hate to say this, but this really isn't any of our business." said Davy.

Jahv frowned. "Look, guys, we're talking about a kid just like us. The Soluans' reputation tells me they're either going to execute him, imprison him indefinitely, or brainwash him."

Niklas and Davy looked hesitant. Finally Niklas said, "What's your plan for rescuing him?"

"Aw, for —!" started Keith, but a glare from Niklas and Davy silenced him, admittedly into a scowl.

"This station has a working transmat unit on the fourth level. It's similar to what Keyro and I used to arrive on your world." explained Jahv.

"I hope it's a darn sight quieter!" sputtered Keith.

Jahv nodded. "It is. That was an older unit, and we were using it over a vast distance. I'm even working on a mid-range unit for myself and Keyro back on Earth. But never mind that now. Anyway, considering the specifics of Soluan ships, they're not really well shielded against energy intrusions. If we find the transmat console, we can — I think you would say 'beam' Prince Arion right out of the Soluan ship, get our shuttle parts, and get underway before the Soluans even know what happened."

Niklas and Davy looked at each other, thinking about the rescue. Finally they shrugged and nodded. "Okay. We can try it."

Keith let loose a few choice expletives.

"But if it starts getting too messy, we'll have to break it off." added Davy. "One thing we're all agreed on — we want to get home. Safely."

The five boys found a nearby staircase and scooted up the steps to the fourth level and down a short corridor. As Jahv had recalled, there was a transmat station. There was also a guard, or operator, at the console. He wasn't much taller than any of the kids, and was in fact thinner. But his rather wrinkled facial appearance, which was moderately human through greyish skin, indicated that this was an adult. "Can I help you kids?" he said in a bored but slightly suspicious voice.

Jahv tried to bluff it through. "We have some cargo we need transported here."

"Yeah, I'll bet you do." said the operator, approaching Jahv as the five boys spread out somewhat. "G'wan, get out of here. I have no time for pesky kids. Whataya doin' on this station, any —!"

The operator's eyes bugged out, then closed, and he slumped to the ground, Niklas bracing him to keep from falling too hard. But it was impossible not to notice Niklas' hand on the alien's shoulder. "I'll be darned — it worked!"

"You gotta be kidding me." said Keith, trying not to laugh. "You pulled a Vulcan nerve pinch!?"

"Just don't think it's going to work on anybody else." said Jahv, not quite stifling a giggle. It was rather funny. "That race is known to be susceptible to that sort of thing."

"I hope I didn't really hurt him." said Niklas.

"Nah." said Jahv. "He'll wake up in about an hour with a headache. That's all." Jahv scanned for the Soluan ship. "Interesting. Two-man transport ship. At least those two in the bar are the only Soluans on the station. Picking up a life sign in one of the cargo holds. Locking on. Got him!" Jahv activated the console, and a humanoid form was coalescing on the transmat platform.