"Well, let's just kill that thing." Of course, it was Videsse speaking.
Cotrel held up a small electric torch that pushed the darkness away a couple meters. "We don't even know what that thing is, let alone how to kill it," he snapped back.
"Well, we can shoot it can't we?" Videsse quipped back just as quickly. "Who cares what it is?"
"Weren't you listening to what he said?" Noes asked nervously, as he waved his hand toward the Rodian. A bead of sweat fell down his forehead. "Mistok's blaster didn't even touch it!"
Cheedo looked restlessly into the distant darkness when he realized Noes was referring to him. Cheedo glanced back to the warm light where the others were talking. "Just sitting here is a bad idea," he said with discerning forethought, although the rest interpreted it as fear.
Deep in contemplation, Terrah spoke up. "Cheedo, you saw it best. What do you think it was?"
Cheedo rubbed his scaly head ridge. "Haven't a clue. Some kind of hound, I guess. Maybe a small katarn or a vornskyr."
All of those animals were known to be deadly hunters; however, they could be harmed by blaster fire, which made his guesses unlikely.
"Why are we even listening to this informant," Cotrel grunted malignantly. "He probably brought the thing here, for all we know. It may just be another Third Republic backroom deal he made!"
Cheedo did not reply to the accusation.
Terrah brought the conversation back to the point. "Whatever that thing is, the more time we spend trying to figure out what it is and how to kill it, the further we sail into nowhere. The primary thing we need to do is get that hyperdrive off. If we bump into that . . . thing on the way, then we'll deal with it."
"Easy to say," Noes jumped in. "Hard to accomplish."
"So, what's your plan then," Terrah countered. "Just hide from it until the core dies?"
Noes did not have a reply.
"We got these, don't we," Videsse argued as she held up one of her anti-armor grenades. "I bet they'll work." Her arrogant tone added to the Duros' embarrassment.
"Yeah, let's just let the kid blow us all up," Cotrel replied, as a spray of spit flew from his mouth.
"Enough," Terrah said with annoyance. "Let's get these power cells to the motivator and shut it down. We just need to keep an eye out for the hound." She did not know what to call it, but hound fit.
"Fine," Cotrel agreed. "But if that kid's going to flash her grenades, she'd better stay clear of me. Last I figured, blasters will work on her." He removed his blaster to make his point clear and walked to the front. "Noes, you're going to lead the way." He sharply shoved the Duros to the front of the line. Noes stumbled but regained his stride after a few steps.
"I'll get the power cells," Terrah said, touching her helmet to activate her headlamp. "You keep an eye out behind us." Terrah felt confident that Videsse would shoot or blow up anything that moves—a great watchman if there ever was.
"Of course, I'll do the dangerous work. Don't worry, you won't have to kill anything," Videsse replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She pivoted her head antenna over her viewport and activated the antenna lamp.
Terrah shook her head, but did not reply to her. Instead, she muttered to herself, "This kid doesn't make anything easy, does she?" Terrah activated the hover lift and began to push the cart.
Cheedo, weaponless, scurried his way to the center of the line. They headed back through the hangar bay on their way to the lower engine room, walking single-file in the lamp lit hallway. Their procession was silent and tense, as if they were carrying the dead to their burial, an armed Honor Guard walking in front and behind the power cell coffin. Noes and Videsse held their weapons at attention, ready to fire a salute at anything disquieting.
The group arrived at the hangar bay, and they cautiously passed through. Although the lights were out, the bay was lit with the ghostly blue-gray light from hyperspace, causing their shadows to flicker beside them in long, spectral streaks.
Videsse closed the blast door behind them as she exited the corridor.
Terrah turned her head to look back. "What are you shutting that for?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Videsse replied. "The more doors we shut, the less that thing can get around."
"And what if you shut us in with it?" Terrah countered.
Videsse shrugged as if Terrah was being absurd. "Whatever." She broke ranks to rush off to her PZ droid who was still standing sentinel over her ship. "You okay?" she asked him.
"Ye-Yes. Nothing to com- comment on. I am keeping the ship sec-secure like you said," PZ-85 stammered.
Videsse put her hand on his arm. "Thanks. You're doin' great."
"Di-Did you want me to follow you? You know my pro-programming can be useful," he offered. "I do not like the looks of your com-company."
Cotrel looked over at the two of them with veiled interest.
"No," Videsse said. "I need you here. Protect Blade-4, and you are protecting me. Got it?" She was referring to the Kom'rk-class ship.
"Ye-Yes," PZ-85 stammered with his electrical voice. "But, my a-assessment of your-"
Videsse interrupted with a soft rebuke, "Shut up, PZ. I need you here."
"As you wi-wish," he replied.
"Thank you," she said and returned to the end of the line.
Terrah wavered on whether to inquire about the interaction; but ended up asking, "What's wrong with your droid?"
Videsse's haughty facade returned. "Nothing," she snapped. That was the end of Terrah's inquiry.