Supernova Blitz

Chapter 26: The Rescue In the Storm

~Sometimes, when caught in the middle, the smallest need only duck.~

Baskylla Jardzen Khla ponders everything Mrff just told him. The Zarrakyssn interdictors can be defeated. Perhaps not easily, but it can be done. And, the humans have either quickly become paranoid, or they are receiving counsel from certain prisoners.

Both revelations give Khla a boost of confidence that both his Zhi and Dzor are alive and well, as well as the semi-official ability to counter one of the Zarrakyssn's most deadly and effective technologies. Mrff's method is limited to the best pilots in the lightest ships the Fievegal has, but it highlights how the technology actually works. It was widely believed that the weapon was some kind of hull-blast or EMP, or a continuous field like a powerful gravity well or nuclear particle barrage. Instead, if Mrff is correct, it's closer to being a turret-based weapon, with a limited fire rate and operated by a crew.

He also looks over the location calculated by Helmdraavv Dzhonn. There aren't many worlds within a short jump range from the location. The Fievegal also doesn't have the best maps of areas around Zarrakyssn territory. They control an ever-growing empire of consumption, and they are consequently the only known threat to the Fievegal's superiority.

It just dawns on Khla like a writer having a sudden idea, that there is more than one reason to not let the Zarrakyssns capture the humans. If the ruthless annihilators find out the Fievegal is without a Saurmynnyka, they would be FOOLS not to launch a campaign against the Fievegal. And, though there aren't many tactical minds amongst the Zarrakyssns, they would quickly come to such a basic conclusion if they find out.

Laurel asks suddenly, ripping him out of his thought, "Are those the possible places my people went?"

Khla looks at her as she studies the starmap. He glances up at Mrff, who is nearby. Laurel isn't forbidden from the bridge, so long as she is carrying hope. Khla meant it when he said he sees her as royalty. But, he is no less surprised by the suddenness. He finally manages to reply to her, "Yuss. Billivv so."

Another realization. This is perfect. Who better to think like the humans than another human? She doesn't need the extra weight of the decision Khla was just pondering, but she may be far more useful to him than he ever imagined. He says brightly, "Hoomin Lorrill! Porfict teemeeng. Need yuu."

Surprised, the female mammal replies, "N-Need me? F-For what?"

Khla quickly steps out of his command chair, helping/pushing Laurel up into it. He explains, "Hoomin Baskylla lond here:" He points to the landing dot, depicted as a red dot. He continues, "Theess oll known words een short joomp ronj froom tharr. Need yuu tell wheech word eez moss leekly targit. {These all known worlds in short jump range from there. Need you tell which world is most likely target.}"

Still surprised, or even more so, Laurel retorts, "M-Me!? H-How should I know?"

"Moturls hoomins need sorveev. Oll theess words had wator lost we know. Need narrow down. {Materials humans need survive. All these worlds had water last we know. Need narrow down.}"

Khla's navigator, Nordzen Dzudich'chn, says respectfully, "Eef mah, Yarjen, Hoomin. Mooss be theess word. See? Goll. Loss goll. Hoomins need goll for sorveev, yiss? {If may, Jardzen, Human. Must be this world. See? Gold. Lots gold. Humans need gold for survive, yes?}"

Khla nods, "Mmm, yuss. Yuu hovv pont. Hoomins horde goll, war, ond trod weeth high volloo. {Mmm, yes. You have point. Humans horde gold, war, and trade with high valve.}" He adds, "Leekly dih weethout. {Likely die without.}"

Khla halts when Laurel suddenly bursts out laughing. Dzudich asks, surprised, "Whih eez foony, Hoomin? Wee see heestoree. Hoomins war for goll nurr-constont. {What is funny, Human? We see history. Humans war for gold near-constant(ly).}"