Illegal Aliens by Nick Pollotta Read Free Book Online

in pique. “How much longer, Squee?”
    “Three hundred seconds.”
    Void. “Is everything ready for the broadcast of the tests?”
    “Of course, my Leader.”
    “Fine. Oh, did Trell ever get around to replacing that broken camera in the Test Chamber?” As he spoke, Idow's viewscreen shifted to a different angle of the humans. “Acceptable. Gasterphaz?”
    The mighty Choron rotated his head without bothering to move his shoulders. “Yes, Idow?”
    “Do try and keep your warobot under better control this time. We only have so many of those cameras with us, you know.”
    “Affirmative.”
    “Why, only yesterday Trell was telling me,” Idow paused and glanced about the room, noticing the absence of the Technician for the first time. “Where is Trell anyway?”
    Boztwank muttered something inaudible.
    “What did you say, Engineer?” Idow asked, eyeing the fungi.
    “Maintenance. He's doing some maintenance.”
    “Oh really?” Idow inquired, swiveling about. “Just what is broken on my starship?”
    “Broken?” Boztwank hedged. “Why, ah, nothing is broken. He's just doing some minor repair work, you know, here and there, a ship this big . . .”
    “Where is Trell,” Idow asked using his throat of polite conversation. Again Boztwank answered vaguely, so the blue being switched to his throat of command. “WHERE IS TRELL?”
    “Core. He's in the reactor core.”
    “WHAT?” Idow double-throated, rising from his chair.
    Talking fast, Boztwank had his pot retreat from the furious humanoid. “No danger! Trell is in no danger, Leader! The power levels are at 9/9 and steady. He's completely safe! As if he was in his mother's mandibles!”
    Idow considered the statement, knowing that the cowardly mushroom wouldn't dare lie to him, and grudgingly sat back down. True enough. Nine over nine was well within the Technician's radiation tolerance level. It would merely be very uncomfortable for him. But why would Boztwank send Trell to the reactor just as they were about to start the all important tests?
    “You’re still angry about that mistake he made last trip,” he accused.
    Visibly, the mushroom steamed. “He confused my pink for the window cleaner again! I won't stand for that!”
    Lizard and rock roared with laughter, while Idow openly smiled.
    Yes, it had been a near tragedy and only time had made the incident funny. “Okay Boz, you may do with Trell as you wish, but there are to be no mysterious power surges through the core which would fry our Technician into carbon ash. IS THAT CLEAR, ENGINEER?”
    The fungi heard the change in throats and got the hint. “Yes, my Leader, of course my Leader, whatever you say Idow.” Boztwank then stealthily turned down the power dial on his control board that he had been inching upward.
    Satisfied that Trell was safe for the moment, Idow returned to the business at hand. “Time?” he asked.
    “One hundred seconds,” Squee replied.
    Close enough. “Squee, please activate your translator, I wish to converse with our . . . guests.” A slim rod extended from beneath the viewscreen at his station and Idow cleared his throats. “Attention, your attention, please.”
    The translator hummed to itself, and relayed his words to the Test Chamber. Startled by the voice from nowhere, the six humans jumped off the floor and started shaking belligerent fists at the ceiling.
    “They wish to know what you want of them,” Squee said, his instruments whispering to their beloved master.
    “Nothing more?” Gasterphaz asked, shifting position in his steel slab of a chair which groaned in protest.
    “Well, I am simplifying it a bit,” Squee admitted with a shy smile.
    “So I would assume,” Idow added coldly. “What else do they say?”
    “Ssss . . . challenges to show ourselves, demands for immediate release, numerous death threats and multiple references to procreating with our own mothers.” The latter confused the lizard. Didn't everyone love their