Space Bunnies!

Chapter 44: Prototype

 When Kai ran, he didn't stop running— he ran until he was out, ran until he couldn't see the hallways, bumped into people, blew past them, and his stamina was no longer a concern. He didn't know where to go... he went... to medical subconsciously at least. Narr was already on her way out, around her neck, a leash towing a large metallic-looking suitcase; she didn't have hands, so she had to figure out some way to carry things. And from the looks of it, she was in the middle of quitting. "Kai! Thank god!" She was exasperated; Kai wasn't in the best position to greet a woman; he was sweaty, disgusting, and out of breath; Bodi was no better; he had a dead thousand-yard stare. His body is present, but his mind... questionable. "What's wrong with him?" Narr inquired, her caring instincts kicking in immediately. "There was an accident. We have to get off this ship."

"Ugh, tell me about it! I found this file... Kai... it's horrible." From there, Narr explained everything, but in the interest of time, condensed the information to the big topics, like the enslavement and the enzyme, and Kai and Bodi's purpose for Narcit's plan. Then, Kai informed Narr of the crew's situation, including the incident with the guards and how they were actively being hunted. Bodi snapped back into reality. "I didn't do it on purpose." He strained. The bags under his eyes were trying to well up with tears. And Kai placed both hands on his brother's shoulders, "I know Bode... they did it to themselves." Kai offered Bodi a brotherly kiss on the cheek and then a hug; this stopped the tears as Bode buried his face into Kai's chest. Narr felt strangely out of place; she was sure she felt like a third wheel. "Narr. Please tell me you've got a way out... we have to help those people."

"I do... but we'll only be able to help ourselves now. But after we get out. We can signal the Trinity to help us. I made a flight plan. We'll be cutting it close, but if we push the engines. I think we can make it."

"Engines?" Bodi asked; he blinked, looked at his brother— and Kai stared back. Equally intrigued. "Yeah! I was digging in Destiny's schematics and found a small craft... almost like a life pod for Yar and the most senior crew; she's a prototype like the rest of the ship. But I think she'll do the job."

"How will we get down there?" Kai asked.

Narr reached into the metallic baggage being towed behind her and, from one of the cases, whipped out a device using her beak. She set it on the deck. It looked like a calculator with all the bells and whistles, but it was much more. "What is that?" Bodi asked; his need for science never relaxed, not even when he was in a state of depression.

"Well, it just so happens that the Xalorians have quite an affinity for teleportation... at least, that's what I looked like. This device is like a site-to-site transporter... it beams solid molecules from one space to another. But the range is short, and it only works one time after; it'll be burned out. And I hate to add to the fire, but the targeting system isn't precise, so I'm more targeting the general area of the bay. It won't put us there. I think it's used to transport troops on a battlefield. I fabricated it just now, so I hope it works." Narr activated the device, and it trilled. She went to use the tip of her beak to tap away at the controls.

"Wait? So, in theory. Could it put us on the bridge...? With Yar?"

"You don't want to know," Narr insisted as she continued to press away. "Wait? It beams molecules. So, we will get sliced into a billion pieces and reassembled somewhere else? That doesn't sound very safe." Bodi twiddled his thumbs; although Bodi didn't have a heart, he knew that if he did, it would be beating profusely. He was so terrified and partly disgusted. He still couldn't believe that the Xalorians were the ones responsible... of course it was them, they were always cruel, and no matter how old he'd gotten, he could never singe the memories from his mind, the horror stories his father and mother had told him, to warn him and his brother of the danger that lurked in their backyard... the experiments they did. And to learn that they were responsible for an entirely new generation of Omeocoon..? Suffice to say, he did not want to go through one of their machines... but something told him he didn't have a choice.