The fighter was on its final approach as Dylan and Charlemagne, minus his herd of Nietzscheans, reached the hanger bay. Dylan could see Rommie's slipstream fighter flying point just behind.
"Captain, I have Admiral Pashtun on the comm." Andromeda's voice sounded small coming from his communications link in the vastness of the bay.
"Put him through."
"Captain Hunt." Zhukov's voice came crisply over Dylan's comm.
"Here."
"I have been informed that an unauthorized Nietzschean fighter of Sabran registration is in route to your ship. Why wasn't I informed?"
"Admiral. Your seem rather well informed already."
"Captain. I must expect that you have ordered demolition to start as this does count as a change in the status quo."
"Boss!" Harper's voice erupted from the comm. "We have EM and particle signatures from a ship in the XD's fleet. Andromeda says it's in the quadrant that the fighter came from."
"Pardon me Admiral. I'll contact you when I have something more. Hunt out."
"Harper what are the scans reading?"
"They are showing a ship with similar readings as the ones we were getting at closer range. But they keep fading in and out like it can't decide what dimension to be in. It's only the one. It could be a coincidence-"
"After this last year, I don't believe in coincidence, Mr Harper. Is everything set with the demolition crews?"
"Yep Boss, Val is ready to rock and roll.'
The Sabran fighter screeched to an ungraceful landing as Rommie pulled up exactingly at its side. Her black clad figure quickly sprung from the cockpit of the slipfighter before the engines had fully wound down.
Dylan and Charlemagne met her at the craft as the cockpit cracked and the hatch lifted slowly on its hydraulics. Dylan caught Rommie and Bolivar drawing their weapons in his peripheral vision. All they could see over the lip of the hull was top of dark ridged pate and a hand struggling with the five-point harness.
Rommie sheathed her force-lance and bounded up the ladder to the cockpit. "Ambassador Orgo! Captain, it's Madam Prevor. Trance we'll need two gurneys-"
At that moment a maintenance droid with two gurneys entered the bay making a direct line for the fighter. Trance hopped up the far side of the cockpit and help Rommie disentangle the two delegates. The gurney rose up to Trances height on her signal and she eased Madam Prevor onto it.
Dylan watched, as Rommie seemed to be discussing the second gurney in rumbles and chirps with Orgo. The little delegate seemed to be refusing assistance. Soon as the avatar helped him down he shuffled toward Dylan arms waving with urgency.
Rommie struggled to translate the continuous stream of words, "He says that they were rescued by our people! They were set free on the fighter. The human and Nietzschean said many things but Orgo says his Commonwealth is very poor and the human talked too fast. He understood the Nietzschean better. He said …"
Orgo continued, waving his hands. Rommie shook here head. "Something about fresh enemies and fantasy eggs. My database isn't sufficient."
"Maybe I can be of help, Captain." Charlemagne stepped forward into Dylan's field of vision. He pushed his teal satin sleeve back and tapped on the display on his right bracer. "Panthera. Please send the Andromeda all data we have on the Utgans and their language." He gave the avatar a slow appraising smile. "You will find all the modern courtesy protocols and regional dialects as well."
"Captain." Andromeda interrupted. "I'm being hailed by the Drago's Blade Skiff. Admiral Pashtun wishes permission to land."
Dylan pinched the bridge of his nose and drew a deep breath. He let it out in a long sigh as he nodded to Rommie. He took a second before jumping back into the fray. "Harper, I want you to take the fighter and retrace the flight path and confirm where that ship came from. Rommie, I need you in command in case other ships reappear. Archduke," Dylan turned to the Sabra-Jaguar leader, whose calm languid posture was out of place amidst the chaos, "if you would, please greet the Admiral. I'm going to take the Ambassador to medical and check on Madam Prevor. Andromeda, keep me posted. Hunt out."
