Next morning, after Zarah had for a half an hour cackled at Warp's black full-beard, they took early a lift to the main flight deck of Xatagah. It was filled with large, star cruiser-type transportation ships and private vehicles of the community members. For her amazement, her own speeder was brought also here, parked beside a larger vehicle that indicated to be Warp's.
"How can this be here?" she uttered.
"The guards tend not to let abandoned ships lounge around. They hinder them to flit away..."
"Well that's the question that has pretty much caused me puzzlement. How is it possible that ya take flights outside an' come back just like that? This is in the area of the Galactic Alliance, a Space Ranger Control in the other moon... how can ya stay so invisible? Don't tell me ya have invited a way to play The Hollow Man?" she looked at him her head atilt.
"Ya dunno how right ya are! Along with the radar-cheater, the ships all have a shield generator that produces an energy coat, which interferes the reflecting light so that it cannot be seen from outside! It's just based on that trick that the wave-motion of the electromagnetic vibration will be turned upside down... flop, the interference cuts the scenes away! That's the groove, babe!"
"Cool! I guess this is some heritance from the race that once lived here?"
"Yep, Za..."
----Trade World----
Very late, last night, the couple had arrived from Xaneda and taken a hotel room for to rest. It had been way too late to step in the office of P'Osankka. However, now Warp and Zarah both sat in massive armchairs in front of a large desk. The boss, a descendant of the native Xanedians, was a mid-aged, grey-skinned, very bony man with white thick hair, wide forehead and sharp eyes. He was on a very cheerful mood, though, as the brain-racking problem of the nanocapacitors and delayed device transportation from Xatagah was now cleared up. He had changed the topic to far something else as Warp was quite a good friend to him.
"I see from those bracelets, young lady, that you have gone through something quite singular, lately." P'Osankka warmly noted to Zarah.
She got some redness to her cheeks as Warp took her hand. "When I was here last time two weeks ago, I could hardly have imagined suddenly entering xaret¨a! Well, peculiar things happen. Blop, she falls out of the sky and becomes mine."
"Well, any plans for the future?" the boss smiled.
"At least I got a place to spend the rest of my holiday." Zarah giggled. "Don't have to think about burning my skin on Mahombus 6, 'cause I can nicely relax in murky caves!"
"I'm giving you my best congratulations, community member Darkmatter, it's exceptional that someone takes such a big liability as this union. You know it's not the same what they call 'marriage' out there." P'Osankka shook Warp's extended hand.
"I know", he said with wrinkled brows. "I know what my responsibility as her owner is. If I'd be that stupid that I'd whack her, I'd sit the rest of my days in jail because of that, unless I'd train myself to some cratery Houndini."
P'Osankka looked at him with an impressed expression. "You are definitely a changed man, Darkmatter. I guess I couldn't have heard those words from your mouth a year ago!"
"My past is gone and I don't want to think what I was", he looked at the floor with shadows in his eyes.
---------
"Righto... now where we gonna go? Home?" Warp took Zarah under his arm when they left the office.
She nuzzled to him and purred: "I'll go anywhere with my big, strong hero."
"See, Za? Nothin' has happened, no jackals of Mr. Cheerful Kublai Khan around" he grinned down to her.
She got more severe. "I don't want ya to play with that thing. This place ain't safe at all. I guess we better go home."
"Okey-dokey, babe, but we're now gonna go to take some snack in a restaurant? I think I heard a li'l croak from your tummy... is there a puny frog livin' there or are ya hungry... what?" he cuddled her under her chin and got her titter.
----------
Two sharp eyes inspected Zarah and Warp among the swarming crowd of a business street. The couple walked there enjoying each other's company, heading to a luxurious restaurant. A shabby, pudgy man slowly waddled past a couple of aliens and left himself behind a corner to spy them more. This skunk was Rentwhistle Swack. Long time he had been a successful con artist, but businesses had now gone a bit upsy-daisy. Because of some serious mistakes he had done, he had got the most dreadful mafia of Trade World after him, for a short while ago. He had used all his this far gained property for to pay himself out of his trouble. For his luck, he had money. If not, he would be now dead as a doornail. Then, four months ago, he had found a new master to work for. Money was the snare, of course, but this new employer had the possibility to pay anything. Now, with a complacent smile on his face, Rentwhistle opened his wrist communicator and hissed to his comm. link.
"Boss, this is Swack, from Trade World, ya hear me? I think I got som'thing suspicious over here. I wuz walking home and passed this one guy... looking too much like the one we're after."
"Explain." was the answer.
"Tall, very sturdy, dressed in a long coat, a hat on, mirror sunglasses... guess I distinguished him having a full-beard, but still... wait, I'm walking forwards. And... he's got a gal with him. I'd say some teenager, can be elder."
"A woman? What does she look like?" the answering voice became inspired.
"A real shortie, that's why I ain't saying it's an adult. Has red, very long hair... and kinda strange he's holding hands with her... if she's a..." The miscreant was interrupted by a yell.
"Go after them, now! You clutch the man's sleeve and physically be assured he's the one. Once you see the arm, you cannot make mistakes about who's who. And remember what is the price if you proof me something crucial! Jim-kraken-dandy!"
"So, what's the place we're gonna go?" Zarah asked Warp while walking forwards.
He raised his gloved left hand and pointed at a jubilant building in the end of the block. "It's one bad gambling place, but we're gonna get there delicious stuffing for our stomachs."
She went somewhat nervous. "Are ya sure it's safe? If someone knows ya there?"
"Bah. It's fine, now, babe, let's go!" he spurred her and gripped the handle of the restaurant door. Behind them, Swack cursed. He would have to wait outside until the lovebirds would end their meal, before getting to be sure about one crucial thing.
Zurg had been amusing himself with holo-game for a few hours. One of the brain pods had programmed it for him, just to be able to kill some time. The latest weeks had been very boring, no new Zurg-o-zealous Z-rays had been invented nor new evil imperial plans had been intrigued. So, now he had eagerly steered a plump, happy-faced hopping zucchini that had to collect stars and flowers to get to the next level. In wicked merriment, he had been twisting and turning his joystick when a call from Trade World had come.
"This is IT. It must be he! And if it is not, there's nothing to loose if Swack rips a coat of someone pathetic mortal And that woman... there is surely no other one in the near universe that satisfies the examiners of that outer appearance. In the best case, I'll catch two mice with the same mousetrap...", he walked nervously a circle in his throne after closing the comm. link. "As soon as it's sure, I'll order 20 hornets ready and an attack to Trade World shall begin. I leave no loopholes. Evil and super-intelligent Emperors do not take anything for granted. They have a plan. They always have a plan. And I'm the one that is never without a plan!"
He went back to continue his game. But an angry laser flame was there soon to grill a couple of grubs. "Why did no one tell me that I can't save the game? I had just collected 99 dandelions to get to the bonus level and now I have to start it all over again? Quasars!"
Swack had been leaning against a wall, pretending to be a dull loafer, for an hour, now. He guarded the door of the restaurant some ten metres distance. When Zarah's delighted figure stepped out of the gateway, he winced and bolted like a weasel in the middle of the crowd despite his fat appearance, towards his aim. He was soon behind Warp. For a moment, he evaluated the tall man in front of him with his regard, as if taking the last confirmation and then with a nauseous voice blurted: "Ohoy, Darkmatter..."
For his misfortune, Warp winced and turned about. That was the end of his walking incognito.
"Nice to meet ya, mister traitor!" the spy of Zurg smirked to him.
Zarah gripped the hand of Warp and began to pull him away. "Run, now!" she gasped.
But Swack started to keep more noise. "Where do ya think you're going? I think there's someone that eagerly wants to meet you!"
Warp got in a total panic. He had not prepared to this at all. He somehow got so locked up for sudden fear that did not obey Zarah's command.
Next the spy clutched the right sleeve of Darkmatter's coat.
"Go away!" Warp hissed and tried to push the pest away, in a way that would not gather too much attention of the passing-by people. For the while, Zarah in the verge of despair jerked and twitched his flesh hand and ordered him to take a hike and fast.
Very soon the behaviour of Swack started to interest some aliens that were near Zarah and Warp. The spy kept repeating Warp's name aloud and finally, with a powerful effort, got his sleeve ripped away.
"Run, now!" Zarah interjected for the last time and got some life into her husband. She took as her job to punch Swack and then began rushing, holding Warp's hand.
The fight had unfortunately drawn even more attention. A group of space rangers was holding a coffee break at an outdoor café, calmly sipping their hot drinks. Some yells soon reached their ears, powered with the word 'Darkmatter'. A lean, tall ranger stood up to see what the hazzle was about, there over the business street. His eyes happened to see just the occasion when Swack ripped Warp's sleeve off and his robotic arm was revealed.
"Boys, put yer coffee away! We have a big problem, if I'm not seeing a hallucination. That a guy over there, now running away, is Warp Darkmatter", he interjected.
"What?"
"After them, now!"
"No time to lose!" An interfered mess of shouts was heard.
The five rangers took their legs fast under them and got the crowd make room for them along the street.
"Stop it right there!" the leading ranger hollered after the fugitive.
"He is Darkmatter!" another one noted. "See that arm?"
"Look, he's got someone with him, he's dragging her by hand!"
For the moment, the parts between Zarah and Warp had changed: he was a way much faster runner than a woman 40 centimetres shorter.
"My goodness, he has captured someone! He's taking a woman as a hostage!"
"Maybe he is going to bring her to Zurg? We need to hinder that!"
Warp was in a real alarm, now. He quickly grasped Zarah and put her on his shoulder. There was no time for reflection, he had to get out of the crowd and FAST! Where had he parked his city speeder? It was behind the corned. He took a long jump and accelerated his run, jostling the aliens that were on his way and laying low miscellaneous objects.
Both the space rangers and Swack were after him, although the latter stayed in the shadows.
"Stop! In the authority of Star Command, stop!" the police officers shouted. Laser beams whizzed by as Warp bolted and panted forwards.
"No, no, don't shoot! You may hit the hostage!" one of the rangers scolded another one and prevented the fire.
"You, rookie ranger, go to the office and alarm help immediately! And go to check out whether there could be any information of the captive available!" an elder man commanded a freckle-faced youngster.
While this, Warp had found his vehicle and started the engines. He got a bit in the air, but an explosion out of the blue shook the speeder and it crashed down to the pavement.
"Didn't I order NOT to laser? If the hostage gets hurt, it's the end of your career!" a ranger scolded the one that had fired without permission.
"But sir, I just stopped the ship! If we're after Darkmatter, isn't it..."
"No talk! We don't know who the woman in his fingers is! She may be someone very important person. You end up in jail if she gets injured because of a miss!"
"Now, run, we gotta get him!"
Warp survived from the crash-landing, took his wife again on his shoulder and ran towards some factory grounds that looked abandoned. He had no idea where he could find a place to hide, cold fear filled his heart. He had to get out of here; he had to find a way to whiz back to Xaneda. It was not only he that was in a terrible danger, but the little loved one he had with him...
---Space Ranger office---
"Star Command, coming Star Command? Emergency situation in Trade World!" a ranger shouted to the comm. link.
Commander Nebula appeared to the vid phone. "What is it, ranger Tealc?"
"We need reinforcements, now! Warp Darkmatter is here and he has captured a young woman. We have a patrol of foot soldiers after him, but that is not enough! I'm afraid that there may be troops of Zurg in front of us, soon!"
Commander's face turned grave. "Darkmatter? No one has heard from him in a long time! Are you sure it was he?"
"Positive! And as I said, he has a hostage! We could not find information about her, but here are the descriptions: race is human, very short height, long, red hair..." he was cut short by Nebula, who anxiously shouted to the comm. device.
"I know who she is! Zurg is after her again! She's an engineer working for Star Command, Miss G'Deneb, I'm sure you know her! I send Team Lightyear to handle this, you go back to track Darkmatter!"
"Yes, sir, over and out!"
...to be continued...