The inside of the Manessa Kwi was almost as silent as the vacuum of space outside.
K’storpo sat on the floor of the lower deck feeling helpless, sometimes turning his head this way and that to determine if any of his eyes worked. He listened as M’palta regained consciousness, but could do nothing to assist.
Ilika offered to deal with the remains in the airlock, and K’storpo nodded.
A few minutes later, Boro sat down beside the mission leader. “Hi. We moved the ship back to eight kilometers. M’palta’s mate and Sata are with the other beetle, and the Ti’ias are taking care of Filia. I’m gonna be your eyes, help you with anything you need.”
The blind leader was silent, then managed to mumble, “Th . . . thank you.”
Boro and Kibi witnessed Ilika carry a large bag from the airlock to the utility room, but didn’t say anything to K’storpo and M’palta.
Eventually M’palta felt ready to join her mate in the passenger area, so Kibi guided her to the lift.
K’storpo sat for a few more minutes, then requested, in a sad voice, that Boro help him into the lift also.
After everyone was comfortable at the big table, Kibi brought out frog legs, three kinds of worms, and everything else she could find that would comfort the stricken mission team. Sata remained with the grieving beetle, and Boro with K’storpo. The two spiders, one bandaged and one blind, sat together
NEBADOR Book Seven: The Local Universe 31
with legs touching.
“Mati, you’re on duty,” Ilika said. “Rini has some information to report.”
Kibi took a bowl of snacks to the pilot as Rini came up to the table.
“Um . . . I analyzed the explosion. It was just light and heat, little ultra-violet, and no high-frequency gamma or x-radiation.”
K’storpo nodded and whispered, “Thank you.” After a long moment, the mission leader took a deep breath. “We made a big mistake. There’s plenty of blame to go around, and so no reason to speak of it at this point. We will begin by getting some sleep, while the crew keeps watch over us.”
Ilika sent half his crew below, and Kibi rearranged the passenger area and dimmed the lights.
Many hours later, warm foods and tasty drinks succeeded in somewhat lifting spirits all around the table.
During a moment of silence, Ilika spoke. “We’ve come a long way into deep space to find this ship, and there’s another ship, and perhaps a planet, ahead that will probably tell us even more. I offer myself and my crew as your eyes and hands to complete this mission.”
All five monkey-mammal crew members grinned, nodded, or both.
K’storpo’s mandibles twitched. “That creates a danger.”
“It does,” Ilika agreed. “I will always leave someone on duty here.”
K’storpo thought about it, and finally nodded.