Chapter 10: Let's get this show on the road
The cargo shuttle, as they called it, was larger than the Federia. "You reading me, Captain?" A voice said.
"Yes. Who is this?"
"Ensign Makhra Juthandi. Pilot of this tub. I understand I am to deliver you one interstellar diplomat. Given we're talking people here, there's no paperwork."
"Is that supposed to be funny?"
"Actually, yes. I guess you've got to see the number of forms we usually have to fill out to understand. I am also under strict instructions from the Admiral not to, quote, initiate any action that could be considered threatening, endquote. I guess she doesn't want another fight so soon after the first one. Now I've just got one question."
"What's that?" Kara asked.
"Is our man going to have to hook onto the hulls of your little stubbies, or are they going to go on that big ship?"
"You could hook onto one of our Vipers?"
"I could," A new voice said, sweet and melodiously female, "Since they're ferrous, and our suits come with the option of magnetic boots. Or I could just find the airlock on your, ah, Federia, and use that. It's much the same to me. How much space is there on your cargo ship?"
"Very little," the captain growled.
"Alright, I'll just hook on a line to something on the outside. It's really no trouble. I've travelled under worse conditions in my time." The huge sleek white craft disgorged a tiny red figure from an airlock indistinguishable from the hull so far as Lee could tell and used suit jets to head straight for them. He hoped someone had a camera rolling. "Which one of you is in charge?"
"I am."
"I know that, Captain, which ship are you in is what I meant."
"I'd rather not say."
"That's alright, I'll read the name-plates. Ah." Seeming to spin in space as she arced over the top of the squadron, some kind of panel attached to one sleeve and a bag towing behind, she altered her vector to do a perfect landing beside his cockpit with barely a wobble conveyed. She might have been out for an evening stroll before squatting down on the hull so their eyes were almost on the level. Or presumably they were. It certainly looked human - two arms, two legs, a head, all in the right places. The helmet was opaque; he couldn't see any details.
It waved. "Morning," she - she? - said cheerily. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
"All Vipers, head for home," he said. "And would you mind…"
"I know, I know, I make a better door than a window." She slid down to rest behind his cockpit, her boots staying stuck to the hull. "Nice paint job back here."