The Ultimatum

Peppy was watching the battle up on the monitor. He witnessed that these "new toys" of Oikonny's were really pathetic as opponents. Andrew was no pushover, but this display showed he still wasn't very bright. The team was shredding through them quite easily. As a matter of fact, everyone had forgotten about the stranger, Mantikis. While out, Coyote sent a message. "Cid! Private channel; you know the one."

"Yesssir," Cid replied. Once they were in a private channel, he asked, "What isss it, amigo?"

"Ya heard the telepath, Cid!" Coyote growled. "How'd he find out? I thought I trained ya ter keep yer mind away from those types!"

"Pleasss undersstand, Jefe," Cid explained. "He issn't like any other! He wasss too powerful for me!" Unknown to them, Krystal began trying to read their minds, but something far more noticeable bothered her. She could read Mantikis's brain waves. As a matter of fact, she could see them!

Where are you… Mantikis communicated. …There you are, Vincent.

I thought you were to report in three days, "Vincent" grumbled bitterly. I'm in the middle of a very important meeting.

I know, Mantikis retorted, but I'm kind of in a jam.

What are you doing? Krystal interjected.

Who is that! Vincent demanded to know. They have a telepath?

Don't worry yourself, Mantikis assured him. She is inexperienced; far too young to be a threat to me. Now, getting to back where I was, I have been made prisoner.

What an insult to our kind, Vincent muttered.

Don't you think you're being rather harsh? Krystal asked.

Stay out of this, dog! Vincent snapped. Mammals… Anyway, how did you get caught? They couldn't have possibly overwhelmed you.

Remember the cur that routed us 73 years ago? Mantikis inquired.

The coyote still lives? Vincent coughed in shock. But that would make him 87 years old. How could any mammal be fit to battle at that age, let alone trounce you?

I do not know how, Mantikis grumbled. His age has only manifested in his outward appearance. He looks too old to be of any use to them, yet he fights like the very whelp that defeated us all those years ago.

Offer them an ultimatum, Vincent instructed. Tell them to hand you over to me or we shall go to war with them.

Thanks, Brother… Mantikis replied sensitively.

I thought I told you never to call me that! Vincent snapped.

Fine, Bigfoot, Mantikis retorted childishly.

Brother? Krystal asked.

That's not for you to know, yet, Mantikis told her.

Will you tell me who the Kantina raiders are? she inquired.

I wish I could, honestly, Mantikis sighed, but I forgot. Sensing her disbelief, he added, It can happen during an intergalactic telepathy session, especially if it isn't relevant to the telepath.

Is your brother a telepath too? she asked him.

No, Mantikis answered, but we have a special link. I think it's magic, because no telepath can communicate from that distance otherwise.

I see, Krystal sighed.

You wish to try and learn from me, Mantikis sensed.

How did you… of course, she realized mid-sentence. Yes, I would.

Very well, Mantikis chuckled. It gives me something to do until Vincent arrives.

You know, Krystal suggested, you could also help us find our culprit.

Yes, I suppose I could, Mantikis agreed. …Of course, I remember now! Oh, but that means I can't tell you.

What? Why not?

Because I want to expose him with the proper evidence. No one would be able to base this on my opinion alone, and your's would never be believed simply based on status.

Tell me and we can find the evidence together! None of them are telepaths. Speaking of which, I caught a thought about teleporting. Telepaths can't teleport.

That is because I am also a telekinetic. I can teleport myself and my vessel short distances, and I can do phasing.

Phasing?

When I disabled the frog's vessel.

Oh.

"Krystal!" Fox shouted. She severed their link and dodged an incoming missile. "What happened?"

"Sorry, Fox," Krystal explained. "I was caught up in a conversation with our prisoner."

"…The prisoner?" Fox asked. "Why him?"

Don't let Coyote know anyone is on to him, Mantikis warned.

What! Krystal nearly yelled aloud. You can't possibly mean Coyote did it!

Him and the monitor, Mantikis uttered seriously. In disbelief, Krystal read Cid's mind.

…Jefe is screwed up. Nobody knows we did it, the paranoid bastard…

I don't believe it, Krystal said to Mantikis.

"Hey, everybody!" Coyote shouted, celebrating. "We showed those lily-livered varmints what bein' a man's about! Let's celebrate over a keg!"

"Here here!" Tex agreed.

"Sure…" Cid mumbled, stewing over inner thoughts.

"Cid, private channel please," Sally requested.

"…Okay," Cid agreed.

"Okay, what's with all the private channel crap?" Falco suspected.

"Coyote's a bit… paranoid," Boulregard explained. "He's always lecturing how reconnaissance is a risky job."

"Is that smart calling your captain paranoid?" Slippy warned.

"It's okay," Tex shrugged off. "He's too busy preparing a celebration."

"By the way," Krystal interjected, "I have a message from our guest…"

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Meanwhile, the private conversation between Cid and Sally took place:

"Okay, Sssally," Cid sighed tiredly. "What isss it?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Sally warned. "I know something's wrong. What is it?"

"Pleasss believe me," Cid said, "when I sssay I can't tell you."

"You've been open with me before," Sally reminded him.

"Thiss isss… different," Cid explained rather vaguely.

"How so?" she pushed stubbornly.

"If I told you…" he began, "you would not think of me the ssame way. It issn't ssomething I can talk about."

"You're scaring me, Cid," she whispered.

"Well, for one, I got ordersss from the jefe not to ssay…"

"Coyote isn't exactly the sanest man."

"Ssecondly, according to him, it'ss all for our benefit."

"Who do you mean by 'our'?"

"Well, mostly him, but partially for me asss well."

"Please tell me, Cid. Just so I don't have to worry."

"Well… … …fine. I'll tell you. The Kantina raid…"

"…No. You can't be-"

"I'm completely ssserious, Ssally."

"Why?" her voice was beginning to crack.

"I don't know… He sssaid it would be for the greater good; that I jusst had to help him by that and he'd take care of the resst. I don't know what he meant by it, but-"

"Never mind, Cid," she stopped him. "I can't hear any more. We gotta tell them what you and Coyote-"

"No!" he snapped. "We have a duty to the jefe, and he sssaid not to ssay a word."

"Cid!"

"Trusst me, Ssally. It'll all be fine in the end…"