Chapter 12

--I suppose we should demorph again,-- said Sam wearily. --According to the clock, we've been in morph for nearly two hours.--

Although we'd spent the last five or so hours listening in on the crew's conversations, it had been necessary for us to find somewhere for us to de- and remorph every two hours. We'd so far made do with toilets, cupboards and various other nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, we now had a bit of a problem.

--Er, where, exactly?-- asked Maggie. --Didn't the officer guy close the door behind him?--

Sam shifted her wasp body so that she was facing the door. --God, I don't know - I can't see far enough in this wasp body! Maggie, I don't suppose you can do any better, can you?--

--Sorry, no can do,-- she replied. --My beetle eyes are probably worse than your wasp eyes.--

--Ok, everyone, you guys stay where you are. I'm going to fly over and see if he shut it all the way.-- I sensed her power her little wings and buzz along, close to the ceiling, muttering as she went. A moment later, she returned.

--Typical,-- she said. --Shut. Bolted. No way we can get out. We've only got about ten minutes left in morph - we'll have to do it in here!--

--What the hell? Are you taking the mick, Sam?-- said Ferdie. --Could I just point out that there are one or two nasty looking Controllers lurking about this room? I'd rather get trapped in morph than get spotted and infested by that Lord-Scary guy!--

--For once Flawless might be right, Sam,-- I said. --Not to interfere with your leadership or whatever, but there's no way we can demorph in here.--

--Fine, we'll just have to wait for someone to leave the room.--

--Didn't he say that young officer has to go and brief his team or do some kind of analysis?-- said Maggie.

--Think so,-- said Sam, --but that might not soon enough. And probably, with our luck, fifteen minutes from now.--

--When we'd all be stuck as insects,-- I said wryly.

Sam sighed. --Just when my backside's on the line for you guys, irony has to shove it's nose in and start messing things up.--

This got a laugh out of Ferdie.

--Shut it, Flawless,-- I said. --Look, Sam, this was my idea. I persuaded you to come this far, even though you didn't want to. You wanted out. Don't blame this on yourself.--

Of course, Ferdie had to go and ruin my tender moment.

--Absolutely,-- he said, trying to keep any trace of humour out of his voice. --If irony is sticking it's nose up anyone's bum, it's Philip's.--

--Flawless, I don't think you've quite grasped the seriousness of the situation yet, have you?-- I said impatiently. --We are stuck in a room full of Controllers with no means of escape, with less than ten minutes left in morph!--

--Actually, I've got…--

--Just because you morphed thirty seconds after everyone else doesn't mean you can't get trapped as a wasp. So why don't you engage that long lost part of your brain of yours, used for thinking, and help us find a way out of this?--

That shut him up.

Two minutes later, fate was finally on our side.

--Sam - someone's coming through the door!-- Maggie yelled.

Sam leapt into action.

--Philip, Ferdie - this might be our only chance to get out,-- she hissed. --Get out the door! Quickly! Hurry!--

I powered my wings, like an helicopter pilot raring to go, and flew towards the door. My wasp body was light and speedy, and infinitely agile, but it seemed as if the door was miles away. Ferdie buzzed in front of me. I flew to catch him up, hoping that we were both headed in the right direction. Our wasp eyesight wasn't all that spectacular for seeing across long distances.

--Maggie! Get moving!-- shouted Sam. They were still a few feet behind us.

--Sam - you go!-- called Maggie. --It's just my beetle body - it's not as good a flier as you!--

--I'm not leaving you, Maggie - come on!--

I reached the door, with Ferdie in front and Maggie catching up. I saw the vast shape of a human Controller just inches below me. And then, for no apparent reason, he looked up.

--Guy's, move!-- I head Sam call. --Just get out! He might not have noticed you!--

"What the hell are wasps doing below deck?" said the Controller.

--So much for not noticing,-- said Maggie.

"What did you say, Carlok?" asked Lort-Strelitz, clearly annoyed at not being properly addressed.

"Sub Visser - there's some bleeding wasps in here! You don't get wasps on a ship!"

Lort-Strelitz was silent for a moment. Then he pushed past Intrid and strode towards us.

"Shut the door - lock them in!" he bellowed.

--Ferdie - Maggie - Philip - out! Go! Get on deck!-- I heard Sam shout. --Don't demorph until you're out of sight!--

The huge steel door slammed shut behind us, as we flew out into the corridor. But I could still hear the voices from the warehouse.

--Arrgh!-- Maggie yelled, nipping though just as the door shut.

--Maggie - you ok?-- I asked.

--Yes…but, I think I might have yelled in public though speak…--

--Public? You mean…-- I said.

"Fugitives!" Lort-Strelitz shouted, putting two and two together. "The fugitives are here on this ship! And you just let them get away!"

--Guys, lets go!-- I called, desperately trying to remember the way out. I could hear the Controllers shouting something behind me, although they were getting more difficult to make out as we left them behind us.

We raced down the corridor, a pathetic group of insects. Up the stairwells. Down corridors. Up more stairs and round corners and down hallways. Finally, we reached the deck, and flew behind the lifeboats where we'd crouched before. It was dark, now - it would be very difficult for the Controllers to see us.

--Demorph!-- I cried.

I felt the changes happening before I even had the chance to think about it. My body grew upwards and outwards, expanding, elongating. Long, black antennae were sucked into my forehead like spaghetti. My six multi-jointed arms fused together to form human arms and legs. The course yellow and black hairs dissolved, melting together like wax, to form my familiar human skin. My face flattened, my mouth replacing mandibles, regular human eyes emerging out of the ugly bulbous compound eyes of the wasp. My normal eyesight appeared.

"Sam - I think I agree with you at last! Jump overboard? Sharks - now, right?"

I looked around, waiting for Sam's answer.

"Sam!" I glared at Maggie. "Maggie - where's Sam?"

Maggie looked around, wildly. She was as white as a sheet. "She…she was right behind me! Right before the guy shut the door!"

"Sam! Oh, god! Sam!" Ferdie cried, the truth dawning on him.

We had left her down in the warehouse.