Chapter 26: To Uv’ek

“I don’t know exactly, but we estimate several thousands of our years,” I said to Lieutenant Nefi.

She tried to sit up in the stasis capsule.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

She reached out her hand and I helped pull her to a sitting position.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said.

We both looked around the sick bay at the other stasis capsules. She noticed one was empty.

“We awoke your crew member earlier. He warned us of a bomb in cargo bay four,” I said.

“He did?” she asked.

“Yes, he saved our lives,” I replied.

“I didn’t know about a bomb,” she said.

“Fortunately, we found it and disabled it,” I said.

“Once again, thank you,” she said.

By now, the other two crew members were sitting up in their stasis capsules. Nefi spoke to them in Uv’ek and they nodded in reply.

I wondered what she said, but I didn’t pry. The quiet voice of my paranoia was whispering to me. Many had died aboard this vessel long ago. They’d offered no answers about what happened or which side had won. She hadn’t offered me any explanation. I didn’t want to take sides in their conflict.

Shortly, I got a call from Ship.

“Captain, I have completed repairs to the outer hull, using material from the hostile vessel. It should be enough for their journey home,” said Ship in Ori.

“Excellent, Ship! How goes repairs to the hyperspace engine?” I asked.

“The repairs to the hyperspace engine are complete,” replied Ship.

“Good. Please recall your maintenance bots and unhook the probe supplying power. We will return via the shuttle soon,” I ordered.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

I closed the call and turned back to Lieutenant Nefi.

“The repairs to your vessel are complete. If you can walk, I will escort you to your bridge and you can confirm for yourself,” I said.

She reached out her hands to me and I helped her to stand. It impressed me she could even stand after such a long time in stasis.

I helped Laine with the other two crew members and soon we had everyone standing. Laine gathered up her equipment.

We left their sick bay, perhaps for the last time. Nefi led us to an elevator.

“We haven’t used your elevators, because there wasn’t enough power,” I said.

She pressed the open button, and we all stepped in, once the door opened. She pressed another button, and it took us up to the bridge level. It seemed easy enough, since the buttons for each level were in a vertical column on the panel.

We stepped out of the elevator and turned towards the bridge.

“We should call Saria and have her join us,” suggested Laine.

“Yes,” I said. I called Saria with my communicator.

At first there was no response. Then she responded.

“Captain, we have a slight issue...” said Saria.

I turned to Laine.

“Laine, can you keep our guests busy here? I have to see Saria,” I said in Ori.

“Sure, you go ahead,” she replied with a smile.

I turned back into the elevator and called Saria back on my communicator.

“Saria, I’m on my way. Where are you?” I asked.

“We’re down one level from sick bay. I’ll meet you at the elevator,” She replied.

I pressed the button on the elevator, and in no time I met with Saria and the other crew member. He looked worried.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“He’s terrified about meeting his crew mates,” she replied.

“Did you find out why?” I asked.

“He thinks they will kill him. That’s all I got out of him so far. I used Ship to help me translate,” she replied.

I sighed.

Fixing their ship wasn’t difficult. Now we had to stop them from killing each other.

I turned to the crew member.

“Do you speak Baglogi?” I asked in Baglogi.

“A little,” he replied.

“Why are you scared?” I asked.

“They bad,” he replied in Baglogi. Then he said a bunch of words I didn’t understand.

“Captain, he said they are mutineers. They killed the Captain and others. He fears for his life if he remains here,” said Ship.

“Thank you, Ship,” I said. I didn’t know he’d been listening.

“We will protect you,” I said in Baglogi.

He nodded vigorously.

“Lieutenant, our role is peace keepers. I need you to stop anyone from harming anyone else. We’re going to the bridge and sort this out,” I said in Ori.

“Yes, Sir!” she said as she held her weapon in a ready pose.

I gestured at the crew member and the elevator. We all stepped in and I pressed the button for the bridge level.

I stepped out of the elevator, and Saria nudged the reluctant crew member who followed me. With her weapon at the ready, we entered the bridge.

Laine and the three other crew members turned as we arrived. Lieutenant Nefi smiled at us.

“Captain, I see you have found him. He is a criminal, and we should detain him,” she said in Baglogi.

I couldn’t tell who was who. They were both convincing. The crew member we’d returned with looked worried. No doubt he understood several of her words.

“Lieutenant, first I want to check with you. Is your vessel working again?” I asked.

Her colleagues were examining output on the display. I already knew that it was working. Ship wouldn’t leave it any other way.

They nodded at Nefi.

“Yes, our vessel is functional,” she replied.

“And where are you headed, with a working vessel?” I asked.

“Back to our home system. We’ve been away a long time,” she replied.

I nodded.

“That sounds reasonable. I will escort your vessel back to your home system, for your safety. After the effort we put in to rescue you, I want to make sure you arrive,” I said.

“That isn’t necessary. We can take it from here, Captain,” she said. Her response triggered my paranoia...

“I’m sorry, but I insist. A long time ago there was an armed conflict. I don’t want to see that conflict resume and kill more of you,” I said.

Suddenly, one of the three crew members reached for something that looked like a weapon. Before he could do anything with it, Saria had stunned him. He crumpled to the deck.

Lieutenant Nefi turned to me with a bitter look on her face.

“But you don’t understand!” she said.

“I don’t want any accidents to happen. When we get to your home system, we can sort this out. Until then, I need a cease fire,” I said.

Saria continued to watch the three standing Uv’ek. Laine had pulled out her stun gun. She made sure their weapon was out of reach.

I called Ship on my communicator.

“Ship, if we don’t return soon you are to open fire on this vessel,” I said in Baglogi. Nefi’s eyes widened at that.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship in Baglogi.

“We will take this crew member to our vessel, for his protection. We will travel with you to your home system. Lieutenant, please escort us to the airlock. I don’t want to be late,” I said.

“What about my crew member?” she asked.

“He’s only stunned. He will recover soon. Come along,” I replied.

She seemed defeated for now, but I wouldn’t feel safe until we were off this vessel.

We cautiously moved to the elevator. Saria and Laine kept the Lieutenant and the crew member separated. I pressed the button, and we descended to the airlock level.

We reached the airlock without incident. Both the Uv’ek said nothing. Saria pressed the button to open the airlock and everyone except Nefi entered. She didn’t smile at me anymore.

“When we get to your home system, we can sort things out with the Uv’ek authorities,” I offered.

It didn’t seem to comfort her.

The airlock door closed, and we made quick work of transferring to our shuttle. I moved to the pilot seat and did my pre-flight checks. Saria kept her weapon at the ready and her focus on our guest.

Soon, we undocked and moved back towards Ship.

I called Ship.

“Ship, you know the home system of the Uv’ek?” I asked in Ori.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

“We will escort the vessel there. Watch for any course deviations,” I ordered.

“Confirmed. I will coordinate with their vessel,” replied Ship.

I turned back to face our guest.

“What is your name?” I asked in Baglogi.

“I am Zune,” he replied.

“He said his name is Zune,” I told Laine and Saria. They both nodded.

Our shuttle reached Ship and entered the shuttle bay. The outer door closed, and the bay re-pressurized.

I led everyone through the airlock and to decontamination. Zune was a quick study, and we quickly finished there. Saria kept her weapon and Laine kept her stun gun as we left for the main bridge.

“Welcome back, Captain,” said Jem.

“Thank you, Commodore. This is Zune. I had to separate him from the other crew members to avoid injury. We are to escort the Uv’ek freighter to their home system,” I said.

Jem looked at Zune.

“Does he understand Ori?” she asked.

“No, but he speaks a little Baglogi. I’m sure Ship can prepare a translation device,” I replied.