Space Bunnies!

Chapter 32: Solo

Kai was somewhat familiar with navigating vent systems; unlike most Omeocoon, he didn't particularly enjoy being in goo form, which is why he slept like a solid; he was pretty sure that this ship was like most he'd been aboard for some reason he had trouble navigating the complexities of the hallway, but in here, he could sense the environment in a way that no solid could when he moved in his gel-form. Omeocoon had a very sophisticated nervous system capable of sensing environmental stimuli, and it's how he 'saw' while utilizing this particular form. But something unique to Kai was the ability to sense thermal radiation. Like a snake, he could see the world like a thermal camera. It wasn't as helpful in solid form, but when he was trying to locate specific areas, such as a computer control junction, it made his life somewhat easier than his counterparts.

The one downside to this power was the stress; he had to be somewhat relaxed and collected to utilize this ability, which is why he was running around like a headless chicken outside of the corridor whenever it came to trying to run after his brother. But sure enough, he found solid ground to stand on. He could panic about Bruce, he could panic about the door sensor, the one which inevitably alerted the crew to his escape, or he could panic about being stuck on this ship. But he eventually convinced himself that it was useless to panic; what was done was done. Bodi did not inherit such powers; the younger brother seemed to lack a 'unique' ability. Compared to other Omeocoon, Kai's power was pretty dull, but it had its moments. Kai often kept this power hidden; it wasn't worth mentioning randomly, so it was usually restricted to a 'need to know.'

Kai's journey led him to another vent when, in observance, he couldn't sense any other people in the area, but he knew that they had to be doing some chase for the 'dangerous' prisoner by now. He hadn't encountered any resistance in this vent. However, that could change at any time, primarily since it had been known that he had tripped the door sensor. Kai could feel the warmth radiating from the vent as he approached. He paused right over the vent, and then, after ensuring that there was a lack of personnel in the area, there was no way he would make the same mistake with the door. His security was guaranteed, and slowly he started to ooze out through the slits in the vent.

He regained solid form on the other side. And he was in some server room. It was a tiny 10 x 10 room with really hot servers and two workstations on each side. This was some auxiliary computer junction. Kai knew a little about computers. While his solar sailor did not possess a massive computer core with 600 trillion terabytes of storage available, it did have a computer that needed to be rebuilt every time it flew through a plasma storm or took a collision with an asteroid. Kai tiptoed through the space. He was afraid of triggering some alarm, but then again, they knew that he'd already beat up a security guard and passed through a security sensor on his door. So that was pretty much answered already; he stopped tiptoeing. He was instead settled on a more brisk approach, making his way towards one of the workstations. The hum of the servers and the rhythmic blinking of status lights created an almost hypnotic atmosphere in the confined room.

Kai's fingers danced across the console as he accessed the ship's computer system. There was a great deal of information in the way, but he was focused on what he could remember. The goal was to find incriminating information without wasting precious time... even though there was so much info in this system. He pulled up the ship's schematics first, rubbing his chin; a 3d view of the vessel indicated nothing special... a small ship. Yar said that this one was new... it was just as unsophisticated as the previous DP ships that Kai had seen, but he could find the quickest way to the escape pods.

As he delved deeper into the ship's database, Kai couldn't shake the feeling that time was not on his side. The distant footsteps and muffled voices echoed through the door... thin walls. It didn't sound like it... but Kai was paranoid that the crew was actively searching for him. The situation's urgency weighed on him, but he remained focused on the task at hand.

Finding the relevant data, Kai discovered that the escape pods were located on the far side of the ship. It was a risky journey, considering the increasing awareness of his escape among the crew. He also learned that the ship's security systems had been heightened, making each step more dangerous. They knew he was out of his cage. With another press of a button, he could track the entire crew, and they were all spread across different decks of the ship, with each colored dot seeming to represent a different department color..? Kai wasn't sure.

With a sense of curiosity, he wondered... he pushed a few buttons on the console. If he read the graphics correctly... he'd just rerouted the ship's internal sensors to generate false signals, and the pink dots closed in on whatever fake alert Kai had just given. Kai smiled brightly, his tail even moving a little; he laughed at the thought of the security team arriving at a room that was reported to have an issue only to find that it was nothing; he wondered what else he could do from here... as he continued to manipulate the ship's controls, he was still looking for information— incriminating more than anything else, but he found... nothing. It was very frustrating. He supposed... Bodi was right after all, and these people were trying to help.

But sure enough... his brother was right. Kai prepared to leave the server room but couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety and... regret. He knew what he had to do. He moved toward the door. He exited without hesitation; the corridor was empty, Kai. Going to the server room, Kai felt the weight of his actions settling in. The distant sounds of footsteps and chatter reminded him that he couldn't run forever. An internal struggle waged within him as he debated the best course of action.

With a resigned sigh, Kai made a crucial decision. He knew he couldn't evade the crew indefinitely, and perhaps there was more to gain by facing the consequences. Slowly, he walked toward the direction of the approaching sounds, making his way to the corridor with a newfound determination.

As he turned a corner, he was met with surprised expressions from the crew members actively searching for him. The realization of his surrender spread among them, creating a momentary pause in their pursuit—pink uniforms just like Bruce.

Kai, his demeanor a mix of defiance and acceptance, spoke up, "Alright, I'm here. No more running." He held his hands up in preparation to be shackled by handcuffs. The crew, uncertain of how to proceed, cautiously surrounded him. One of the crew members stepped forward, questioning Kai's sudden change of heart silently.

"I've done enough damage, and running won't solve anything. Let's talk about what happens next," Kai said, his tone steady. The leading petty officer tilted her upward to look up at Kai. As she was Dena'vi and, therefore, much shorter than him, she tilted her head in concern. "What made you change your mind?"

"There's no conspiracy... I want to go home. Back to my planet, and I don't want to cause more trouble."

"A wee bit too late for that init? You've already caused trouble for us. Now, it cannot be undone. We know you were in the server room. So now you've got to see the Captain. He'll figure out what to do with you."

Kai nodded in resolve; not like he had much choice. But at least he did get to choose to turn himself in.