Homestar Saga

Chapter 53: Civilians

"Warmaster Scathach?" Shock registered on the human's face, but his voice was calm. "Does this mean the hunt is on?" The last time they'd met, the Warmaster had promised to hunt the human. He'd seemed excited by the idea.

The Vrrl chuckled. "Your scalp will make a fine addition to my hissis, but today is not the day I take it. No, I wish merely to speak with you."

Mims grunted. "Well, here I am. Say your piece."

"Not over the comms," said the Vrrl. "This is... a private matter. We will need to speak muzzle to muzzle, as the humans say."

"I don't see that happening," said the human.

"It will," said the Warmaster. "Or I will slaughter your mechanic and his people. I will take their meat, destroy their ships, and reduce this station to molten debris. Then I will come for you. We will speak one way or the other, human. The only question is how you want that conversation to come about."

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "Threatening me is not a good idea, Scathach."

"I am not making threats," growled the Vrrl. "I am saying what will be. Make a choice Scargiver. Will you come of your own accord, or will I be forced to hunt you?"

Mims looked over at Yvian, considering. She stared back, trying to keep her breathing even. The last time they'd fought the Vrrl had been a bloodbath. The only reason they'd survived was that Warmaster Scathach had decided he didn't have the time to pursue them further. To meet the Warmaster face to face would be Fucking Dangerous. Suicidal, maybe.

On the other hand, Migo needed them. While the Captain found the mechanic annoying, she didn't think he wanted him to die. Not to mention the four hundred other people living in the shipyard. Yvian couldn't let them get eaten if she could help it. They had to go. Yvian gave the Captain a nod. Grim faced, he returned it.

"Are Migo and his people unharmed?"

"We're ok!" squealed the mechanic. Yvian realized the Warmaster was probably holding him by the wrist to speak into his console.

"Silence, softpaw," snarled the Warmaster. Migo shut up. The Vrrl continued. "We are here for information, Scargiver. Not food. Give it to us, and we'll leave these... morsels untouched."

"Alright," said the Captain. "We're in the middle of something right now, but I'll head over as soon as I can."

"You have seventy one minutes and twenty seconds," rumbled Scathach. Yvian assumed he'd given the Vrrl equivalent of an hour, but her translator converted it to to a time table she could understand. "To arrive in this sector. After that, we will..." a low growl thrummed through the comms. "Grow hungry."

The transmission ended. The Captain cursed.

"Do you think..." Yvian swallowed. "Does he really just want to talk?"

"I don't know," said the human. "Sounds like he does, but I've never heard of the Vrrl behaving that way. We're food to them. Would you have a conversation with a grib?" He cursed again. "If this happened a month later I'd have an entire fleet I could throw at him, but right now all we've got is this ship. If it comes down to a fight, I don't think we can take them."

"That's..." Yvian paused. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that before."

"I'm skilled." Mims told her. "I'm the best. I'm not fucking magic."

"So what's the plan?"

"Don't know, yet." Mims checked his wrist console. "But first things first. We've got civilians to deal with. Come on." The Captain opened the door and walked back into the med bay.