elstrom99 | The Communicator, Chapter 15

screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU!

Brevix rolled away from Hourna who as usual was unwilling to release his grasp on Brevix. Lying on his back, he threw off the covers, and started to get out of bed.

"Hou, sweety. I love you grasping me like that, but I need to go answer this. You know it'll be the Overlord."

"I know, but I love doing this as much as you enjoy me doing it! Does he always have to call at the worst time?"

screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! Screee

Down the hall he heard Powrlen talking to someone, he assumed this would be the visiting specialist, Trafferthus, and then more loudly as the connection opened. "Good evening sir..."

"Choorllargh! Markhta Brevix!"

Brevix flopped back on the bed. "I know, I know. I..." Just then Powrlen knocked on the door, then opened it and walked in. Simultaneously, the comm screen on the wall in front of his bed flashed, and the scowling face of the Drragh Overlord peered out at him.

"yek’anyewi redati ... yihi maleti mini maleti newi be’inē fīti ‘irak’usi bemehonē k’iri yemīyasenyi āyidelehumi, kefurēni bemagaredi yedoragonini āmalikitochi mak’aleli ālebiwoti? yihi āyitagešimi!"

"Powrlen, I'm not going to wait for the Overlord to eat you!" Brevix yelled furiously at his Communications Officer. "I'm going to kill you and feed you to the... uh... I... for.... Hourna! Stop, before... uh."

Hourna released his hold and Brevix jumped up as Powrlen spoke out. "But skipper, I didn't transfer the call here! I didn't! And we had it fixed. The new one worked fine!"

At that moment Trafferthus ran in to the room. "Skipper, I... I... oh shit! I accidentally transferred the call and..." he trailed off seeing the state Brevix was in.

"You're a specialist and you accidentally transferred the comm. I'll deal with you... and YOU, Powrlen... when this call is over. Overlord, I will call you back in a few minutes." He killed the comm and scrabbled for his uniform. Looking towards Trafferthus and Powrlen, he rolled his eyes. "Gentlemen, my eyes are up here."

Five minutes later, having composed himself somewhat, he stood before the vispad in the Media Center and nodded. Trafferthus poked at the console, and the screen erupted in a flash of red light, revealing the countenance of Overlord Chklarna who began speaking before Brevix could open his mouth.

"I'm glad to see you dressed, keiran male. Your display, whether intentional or not, and for some reason I'll accept that it was not, is an affront to our Gods."

"I was unaware same sex..."

"Sex of all sorts. The Gods care not who you have it with, they only expect it to stay behind closed doors. And though I am shocked to my very core, I shall overlook it. IF you have an acceptable report."

As they had been speaking, Chief Investigator Nautewlus had stepped up beside Brevix. He held up a hand. "I don't need to know what he said. It doesn't matter. He wants a report. I can give that." Turning to the vispad, he addressed the Drragh. "Overlord, since your last communique with us, we've had a major breakthrough. We believe we have accounted for all of your crew except two. Only your captain and his first officer are unaccounted for. We have just investigated part of this world where we believe at least fifteen..."

"You keep saying 'we believe', Captain. This doesn't sound very convincing."

"I'm saying this, sir, because what we are finding in the reports are names that sound similar to the names of your crew, but may not be at all related. What we know is this. In this last region of Earth, there were reports of at least fifteen beings that are referred amongst the locals as dragons. Sir, you can, of course, see that there is similarity between 'dragon' and 'Drragh'. We read in the reports of fifteen names similar to your crews, or at least many of the names are similar. On top of that, sir, sensors identified huge quantities of vakorianite. You may not be aware that this is not found naturally on Earth."

"I am aware, captain, that vakorianite only occurs where Drragh are or have been. What is your next step?"

"Overlord, more and more, it seems apparent your crew are here and still alive. We will keep following up on leads until we find them."

"Very well. And Captain. I shall pray for you. I shall pray that you are as tasty as you appear, for I intend to eat you as well as that useless Communications Officer of yours. I shall pray that the gods of Drragh will forgive you your effrontery." The screen went blank.

"That went" he paused. "Well."

"Sir," Nautewlus began, "You didn't mention the stories of the Drragh being killed by human warriors."

"You saw how furious he was. Would YOU want to report that to him?" He turned towards the communications specialists. "Gods of Drragh be blasted, Traffertus! Why the hell are you staring at me like that? And down there, to boot?"

"I was just wondering in what way he found you tasty looking, sir. Because you certainly look tasty to me, and not as food."

At this, Hourna, who was standing in the doorway bellowed out a guffaw. "Well, lover boy, why don't you invite him to find..."

"Shut up, Hourna. Or I'll replace you. And fix the blasted Communications gear!"

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