"Oh, that's just what I call him." said Toben, heading over to the box. "He's a skerbit. A harmless herbivore from my homeworld."
"Unless you have a vegetable garden." commented Jahv.
"Well, he did eat all the plants I accidentally killed, so they didn't go to waste entirely." remarked Toben. "Normally I keep him with me, but anytime I went to Garboris, I put him in his container. I'm afraid somebody on that station might try to eat him. And I don't want to leave him loose on the ship alone." Toben opened the lid and brought out the small animal.
Skerby was about the size of a housecat. His fur was long and white, and his face looked like a cat's with rather large blue eyes. But the critter had ears like a rabbit, and large hind legs like those of a rabbit, as well. But then it also had a long bushy tail that frankly looked like a squirrel's. There were two tiny antennae popping up out of the fur on top of its head. Skerby snuggled in Toben's arms and made sounds something like a dove cooing when Toben stroked his fur.
"Ohhh, cute!" said Martin, edging in for a closer look. "May I hold him?"
"Careful, Martin." said Niklas. "We know that Earth animals don't much care for aliens. If the reverse is true…"
"I don't think there'll be a problem." said Toben. "Skerby's been around all sorts of non-Botarans. He doesn't get bothered." Toben handed the animal gently to Martin, and indeed, Skerby wasn't the least bit bothered. He cuddled up to Martin as readily as he had to Toben. "His fur is so soft!" remarked Martin. "And he has antannae AND ears."
"The antennae are like sensors." explained Toben. "If we were on a planet, he could pick up tremors. In space, he's pretty good at knowing when a spacestorm is coming."
Jahv, who was still standing near the cargo container, cleared his throat.
"Ah, yeah, right. Sorry." said Toben.
"What's in the box?" asked Morik.
Toben turned a bit grim. Jahv already was. "Nothing, yet." said Toben. "I brought it here to pack up as much of my stuff as I could. We have a rather serious problem."
"Why am I not surprised?!" muttered Keith.
"The ship's taken a lot of damage." explained Jahv. "The last few shots from the Soluans nailed the shields and ruptured structural integrity. Given the construction of the ship, we're safe enough in hyperspace. But once we re-enter normal space, near Earth…"
"We're gonna have about fifteen seconds to transmat out of here before the ship destroys itself." finished Toben.
"Toben, I–I'm sorry." said Arion, much to everyone's amazement. "I know what this ship means to you."
Toben raised a hand. "It's okay. Yeah, I was born on this ship and lived practically my whole life here, but it's still just a ship. My life and all of yours is more important. And what the vrekt, its last adventure was certainly worth it. Get a corrupt Magistrate arrested, mess with a couple of Soluan dirtbags, rescue haul a bunch of kids home to an unknown world — there's worse fates."
"I don't understand how a ship could be safe in hyperspace and not regular space." said Davy.
"Think of the ship as a speedboat." said Jahv. "As long as you stay on the water, you're fine. Coasting along at a good speed. What would happen, though, if you hit land and tried to take the boat across that?"
Davy winced. They all got the picture. "Hyperspace is the lake. Normal space is the land. It's just the nature of the damage the ship sustained, which was all incurred in normal space."
"How much time do we have?" asked Niklas.
"About 45 of your minutes." said Toben. "I've already arranged transmat mats under a good number of my cargo containers which have some of the most needed stuff that Jahv and the rest of us — which I guess includes me now, not that that's a problem — will need to set up camp again in this forest Jahv has described to me. But I want to pack up as much of my personal stuff as possible."
With the help of the others, it went amazingly quickly. The datapads, action figures, several books, a holophoto album, some clothes, a few assorted souvenirs from various worlds, and of course, Skerby, all went into the cargo container in about half an hour. In fact, the quarters were scoured of everything that wasn't mounted to the walls and part of the original ship design, and of a few things that were. The box, need it be said, was of the same "larger on the inside" design as the backpacks. Jahv and Toben hauled the cargo container back to the cargo bay and placed it on a transmat mat, then ran the last few needed checks to make sure that the entire transmat system was linked and ready to go.
One additional transmat mat had been brought to the bridge/cockpit area, and the rest of the boys were already either standing or sitting on it when Toben and Jahv returned to the bridge. Jahv joined them, and Toben ran a few last minute scans. "Three minutes away from re-entering normal space. I've locked coordinates on the woods Jahv described to me. But I'm going to have to run a confirmation scan when we get there."
"You said we only had fifteen seconds!" said Niklas.
"Fortunately, the scan will take about three." replied Toben.
"I just thought of something, and I really hate to bring it up, but with all of us and as much stuff as I saw in that cargo bay beaming in, there's no way it's going to go unnoticed." said Keith. "Even if it's a quiet transmat, it's still a helluva light show."
"You'd rather stay with the ship?" asked Davy.
"I'm just saying we might be going from one problem to another." said Keith.
"I'll take my chances alive, thanks." said Toben, poised at the main bridge console and ready to move. "I always have. And I'm still here. Brace yourselves. We're about ten seconds away."
The tension on the bridge was palpable. The ten seconds seemed to go on forever. When the ship re-entered normal space, there was a scream of metal that reverberated through the entire bridge, and it was like being in the midst of an earthquake.
"Sensors locked!" yelled Toben over the fearful racket. He pressed a button and started running. "Transmat in three — two — one…
"I just know something's happened to them." said Mrs. Caulfield. She'd expected Davy and the other boys to return for breakfast, after exploring the woods, but they hadn't. She and Davy's father were searching the woods as best as they could. They were close to calling the police.
Suddenly there was an incredible explosion of light and sound off in the distance, followed by a loud splat and some less-than-polite conversation. "What was that?" said Mr. Caulfield.
"We'd better see." said Mrs. Caulfield frantically. "It might have — something to do with Davy."
"Is the entire terrain of your planet like this?" asked Toben. There were cargo containers all over the place, but somehow, the entire group of boys had landed in the mud pool, after having materialized about five feet above it. Needless to say, the entire group was covered.
"Hardly." said Keith. "I swear, this place must be a magnet for interplanetary beam-ins. Keyro landed here, we landed here — maybe we oughtta rig a net."
"What the hell —?!" came a new voice. Davy looked over and his face went pale beneath the mud. It was his father who had spoken, and both of his parents were standing a short distance away from the piles of cargo containers and the mud pool.
"Ohhhh, crap." muttered Keith. He looked around. The five alien members of the group were not so mud-covered that they could possibly be mistaken for humans, never mind all the cargo containers. And based on the stunned looks on the elder Caulfields' faces, they'd just figured that out, as well.
"Somebody better start thinking fast here." remarked Niklas quietly.
"Davy — boys — what —?" Mr Caulfield couldn't even think of a question to ask given what he was faced with. Finally he managed to sputter "What is this all about?"
Davy shook his head. "I don't think there's any way out of it this time, guys. All we can do is tell them and hope for the best."
The entire group slowly slogged out of the mud. It took the better part of half an hour to explain everything, during which time Toben was able to activate cloaking devices to hide all of the cargo containers. He did, however, bring Skerby out (who was more than content to stay on a small leash rather than get his fur muddy after getting a good look at his master), and offered the cargo container to the Caulfields for something to sit on.
Jahv dominated the conversation, with occasional comments from Davy and Toben. Finally Jahv concluded. "Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield — I — we — apologize. We never meant to put your son or anyone else in any danger. When I first left home, I had no idea even where I was going. Your son befriended us, as did his friends. But after today's events — maybe that was wrong. I don't know anymore."
Davy ran over to Jahv, gave him a brief, tight hug, and then stood back half a pace and took hold of his shoulders. "Hey, Jahv. Friendship is NEVER wrong. Even Arion's figured that out. Okay, maybe sometimes things got a little crazy, but we're all still here and we're okay, right? I'm GLAD to know you, all of you. I think everyone here would agree with that." And there was immediate agreement from everyone, even Keith.
The adult Caulfields looked stunned. "Give us just a minute, okay?" stammered Mr. Caulfield, more or less directing his comments to the aliens. He and his wife stood and walked a short distance away.
"What do we do?" he asked his wife quietly. "I mean, aliens?"
"They're also children." said his wife. "And based on what they've said, they're lost, and alone."
"I know, but — aliens?" said Mr. Caulfield. "Shouldn't we — notify someone?"
Mrs. Caulfield turned instantly serious and determined. "I am NOT going to have children turned over to some agency that'll do God-knows-what to them. Look at them. They're lost and scared. Clearly they haven't harmed Davy or the other boys, and have even helped them. And you know as well as I do how lonely Davy's been out here. There just aren't any other children right nearby. Now they need help and that's what they're going to get. No one lives that close to us. It's not like the neighbors will be looking over the fence."
Mr. Caulfield sighed. There was no arguing with his wife when she got determined. Besides, she was right.
Mrs. Caulfield walked back to the edge of the mud pool. "Well, the first thing we need to do is clean the lot of you up. Come on, get out of there. Then — Niklas, Martin, and Keith, we'll make sure you get some proper clothes before you get home, and we'll make sure your parents are given decent explanations."
"Maybe that we fell into the mud and ruined them." suggested Keith. "Although I'll probably get whupped for that."
"No, you won't, and I'll make sure of it." said Mrs. Caulfield, as the boys made their way out of the mud pool.
"What about the rest of us?" asked Toben. "May we stay out here?"
"You went undetected before," said Niklas. "Looks like you've got better stuff with you this time around, too."
Mr. Caulfield shrugged, still feeling overwhelmed, but figuring he needed to say something. "I don't own those woods, boys. As far as I know no one does. Well, maybe the state does. But I know we don't often see anyone out there. It's not like there's a lot of hiking trails or anything. If you can keep yourselves concealed, I — guess I don't have a problem with your staying."
"Well, of course you're staying." said Mrs. Caulfield. "I'm not about to abandon children no matter where they're from. You look like you could use a good meal, too. Now come on…"
Davy walked alongside his father, grinning slightly. "Mom's on the loose again, isn't she, dad?"
"Looks like." said Mr. Caulfield. "And you keep your distance until you're hosed off."
Davy frowned. Not exactly the 'welcome home' he'd wanted. "Am I in trouble?"
Mr. Caulfield sighed. "If I had the slighest idea what to punish you for, probably. But I don't. I don't see anything here that was specifically your fault, or anybody's. And — maybe I'm at fault somewhat, too. I know that living in a semi-remote area like this hasn't made it easy for you to make friends. I'm glad you've got these other boys to play with. And I guess if you have to start making friends from other planets, then maybe…
Davy laughed. "Dad, it's okay, really. I like it out here. And I'm not lonely — anymore."
And it all worked out quite well. Mrs. Caulfield, who was an excellent cook, prepared an immense meal for the entire group while Mr. Caulfield turned the hose on them in the backyard and cleaned them up enough to head inside and take more thorough showers, which was the most fun any of them had had in a while. Jahv explained to Mrs. Caulfield about certain food avoidances, and the meal, despite being served in the evening, essentially amounted to an immense breakfast consisting of several dozen pancakes, and plenty of bacon and scrambled eggs. Toben figured that the food alone was worth staying on this planet. Everyone was grateful. Arion, especially, and somewhat surprisingly given his usually caustic personality, was unfailingly courteous and polite to the adult Caulfields. He would explain later that respect for parents and elders was an integral part of his society.
Niklas, Keith, and Martin returned to their homes with sufficient explanations. Even Keith's stepfather accepted it. Besides, it had kept the boy out of the house for most of the weekend, and that was good riddance as far as Mr. Dillinger was concerned.
Within a day, the aliens had set up a new home, more sophisticated than ever, thanks to the cargo containers Toben had brought with him. They could keep track of their new world and remain totally undetected at the edge of the woods. Davy got to see a lot of them, mostly because Mrs. Caulfield kept inviting them in for meals or sending out plates of cookies. Mr. Caulfield accepted this quietly enough, but was not entirely at ease around the strange youngsters.
And a small newspaper headline caught Niklas' attention, the day after they had returned. His father was reading the paper, and Niklas saw the headline on the back page and borrowed the paper after his father was finished with it. Apparently there had been a massive power overload at the Keisner amusement park. No one had been hurt, but every ride had stalled, Mr. Keisner had seemingly vanished, and no one could get the place started again. It was closed indefinitely.
That, thought Niklas, was a nice little ending to this particular adventure, even as part of him wondered — what would happen next?