"Still here?" a voice said. Coyott turned to see Kappa, another Starlen Captain, standing in the door. She was tall, taller than him, with numerable scars on her front paws, chest, and and muzzle, marking her career in explosives.
"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be here," Coyott said, as Kappa walked to stand by him.
"I'm pretty sure that your shift is over," Kappa said, flashing him a short-lived smile. He could see she was worried.
"Come for news of Aster?" Coyott said. Kappa nodded. Coyott knew she and Aster had went to school and training together, and were pretty close. But their responsibilities as Space Captains kept them from seeing each other for months at a time. Aster and Kappa mostly communicated through Coyott, asking for news and leaving messages for the other.
"Haven't seen her for almost half a year," Kappa said.
"Well, you're going to get a kick out of this," Coyott said. "As much as I'm worried, I sure am annoyed Aster can get herself into these Impossible situations." He shook his head. "The goverement is not happy."
"What did she do?" Kappa said waving her tail side to side slightly.
Coyott explained how Aster had crashed on Relical, and the strange Vacors. "I can't do anything more without consulting my superiors."
"Well, you could put me on a rescue mission," Kappa said sweetly. "You needn't tell the government."
"If you were caught, the results would be disastrous for your career," Coyott said, tapping the screen with one of his claws.
"I've broken the rules much less then Aster," Kappa protested. "I'm the one who does things by the book."
"The mess at Bella-4," Coyott said. "Pretty much makes it so if you cross the line one more time you'll be working in a factory for the rest of your life."
Kappa grimaced. That incident had been worse than everything Aster had ever done. "Ug, it wasn't my fault."
"Actually, it was," Coyott said. "You didn't stop to read your info, just made assumptions. Didn't stop to wait until the non-infected citizens were evacuated. Thirty-two non-infected citizens killed."
Kappa closed her eyes. "Don't think I don't see it in my sleep every night." She opened her eyes. They were angry. Maybe Coyott had pushed her too hard to make his point.
"Look, what's the worst that could happen to Aster in there?" Kappa said.
"Indefinite. I don't have enough info. The Vacor leader demanded that we let his race punish Aster for her crimes. I have the impression they won't do anything to Aster until someone high up in our government talks to their leader. They want recognition." Coyott paused, tapping a few button on the computer screen. "Here, I'll show you the transmission, I recorded it."
"Recognition for what exactly?" Kappa said, leaning over his shoulder. Before Coyott could answer, an alarm rang on his control board. He looked at the screen, then back at Kappa.
"It's Aster's emergency transmitter," Coyote said.
"Well, open a link, or whatever you do to answer it!" Kappa exclaimed.
Coyott answered it. A thin voice, distorted by light-years of space, but still recognizable, said "Coyott? Are you getting this? It's me, Aster."
"Coyott?" Aster said into the transmitter. "Are you getting this? It's me, Aster."
"Aster?" Coyott's voice was muffled by static, but she could hear him.
"Who else?" Aster said.
"Fine mess you got yourself into," Another voice came through the transmitter. Aster couldn't believe her ears.
"Kappa?" she exclaimed.
"The one and only," Kappa replied.
"Are you okay?" Coyott asked.
"Yeah…" Aster said. "At least mostly. I don't get what I did to offend these creatures so much."
"You CRASHED in one of their cities," Kappa said.
"That's true," Coyott said. "But what offended them most is that you violated their oldest, most sacred rule."
"Which is?" Aster said.
"You killed Sacrenians," Coyott said.
"Those purple things?" Aster said, confused.
"When the Vacor leader contacted me, he said that the Sacrenians were the empire that Uplifted them into a Space-faring race," Coyott replied.
"But- aren't the Sacrenians non-sentient?" Aster said.
"Yes- but apparently at one point they were sentient," Coyott said. "I don't know, exactly. But they point is, you're in big trouble."
"I kind of figured that out," Aster said sarcastically.
"It's worse than that," Coyott said. "The Vacor leader demanded that the Starlen Empire drop any ties of responsibility with you, and let them deal out punishment to you. I fear that our Empire will comply."
"WHY?" the exclamation came not from aster, but from Kappa. "Is our Empire so weak that it is afraid of new comers to space?"
"I don't think the Vacors are new to space," Coyott said grimly. "They knew how to speak Starlen. I think they have been able to go into space for centuries, but have been waiting, observing through satellites or something." Coyott paused. "I think they could make very powerful enemies."
"What should I do then?" Aster asked. Coyott said something, but there was too much static to hear him. The connection failed.
Coyott sighed as the burst of static cut him out. The frail connection had been severed.
Kappa stared at the transmitter. Neither of them spoke. Minutes passed. A loud beep broke the silence. Coyott checked one of the computer screens. His heart plummeted.
"The Starlen Empire says we cannot risk inflaming the situation," Coyott said. "We are ordered to comply to the Vacors."
Kappa let a long, angry hiss escape from her mouth. She turned away abruptly, and stalked to the door. "I'm going after Aster," she said.
"If our Empire finds out, which they probably will-"
Kappa cut him off. "Don't, DON'T for a second think that my reputation or job is worth more than my friend's life just because I usually stick to the book, because neither of them is."
"I was just suggesting you not succumb to the same recklessness as Aster," Coyott said angrily. "You'll wind up dead or captured, and that won't do anyone any good."
Kappa took a deep breath. "I will, Coyott. But not now, I'll plan on the way," Kappa said. "I'll contact you if I need info."
She was halfway out the door when she said one last thing. "Oh, Coyott? Please tell the spaceport security not to come after me, or else I can and will shoot them down."