Page 41 of Neverwylde 6
Chapter 19
Demand
“You know, it’s possible Duruk was given carte blanche to do whatever he saw fit to protect that planet,” Kelen mentioned. They were headed back to the living quarters to call a meeting with their fellow crewmembers.
“I am assuming the term ‘carte blanche’ means the freedom to do what he deems is the best choice of action without the need for prior approval,” Kyber stated.
“It does.”
He thought about it for several strides. “It is possible, considering they received the distress signal from theIst Umberuprior to entering the tegris.”
She grabbed his arm and stopped in the middle of the corridor. He turned to face her. “Then Duruk may not be going rogue. Maybe he was assigned to investigate the signal because it was discovered to have occurred near the tegris. Near the wormhole they knew led directly to Neverwylde. And he was sent with their permission to do whatever he felt was necessary to prevent news of the planet from becoming known.”
“It would account for him coming after us in a damaged ship,” Kyber agreed, then turned to continue on their way.
She glanced up at his face, hoping to get some clue as to what he was thinking. When they reached the elevators, they entered an empty car. She took that moment to ask what had been on her mind ever since hearing Colonel Pfeiffer’s proposal.
“Do you think you’ll take the colonel up on his offer?”
“We need to discuss this with the others first.”
“You’re hedging, damn it, and you know it.”
He turned to stare at her. “You know my heart, my one. So you know my answer.”
The doors opened. They exited into the corridor.
“Yes, I know your answer. And you know mine,” she added as they approached room F27.
Kyber tapped the panel below the room number. A few seconds later, a familiar voice drawled, “Friend or foe?”
“It’s us, you old cuss guzzard,” Kelen quipped.
The panel opened to reveal Fullgrath’s beaming face. “Hot damn, it’s good to see you! Come on in!”
Cooter got up from where he was sitting at the monitor and came over to shake Kyber’s hand, as well as give Kelen a quick hug. “We were wondering why we haven’t heard from you two in a while.”
“We’re in room twenty-four,” she informed the men.
“I need to know how quickly we can gather everyone together,” Kyber mentioned.
“I’ll go let the others know,” Cooter informed them, and vanished out the door.
Fullgrath stiffened. “Why? What’s going on?”
“A lot,” Kelen admitted. “And, unfortunately, not all of it is good.”
“Oh?”
She grinned. “Never a dull moment. How have you guys been doing?” Like herself, he and Cooter were wearing clean but unembellished uniforms.
“Doing a hellacious amount of sleeping and eating.” He gave her a quick head-to-toe examination and smiled. “You two look pretty good.”
Cooter rushed back in. Behind him came Mellori and Dox. “The others are on their way.” No sooner had he said that than Massapa, Kleesod, and Gaveer appeared.
“The physician and Jules will be here shortly,” Gaveer noted.
Dox walked over to give Kelen a hug. Five chittered happily and climbed up her arm to sit on her shoulder. Kelen scratched under the furry’s arm where she knew he liked it. “Good to see you, Ikko,” she whispered. The little creature peeped happily and rubbed his face against the back of her hand.
