The Communicator, Chapter 18

[elstrom99]

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU!

 

Hourna growled in irritation.

 

“Didn’t we just call them?”

 

“Yeah, and they weren’t available.  So we left a message, and they called back.  After our sleep cycle began.  As usual.”

 

screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! screeeeeeEEEEEUUUUU! Screee

 

Brevix crawled out of bed, extricating himself from his lover’s arms.  He reached for his uniform.

 

“You too, lover boy.  I want you there, in uniform.”

 

Down the hall they heard the voices of his Communications Officer, Powrlen and the visiting technician, though the voices were too muted to know what they were saying.  Then he heard the sound of Powrlen’s slap, as he killed the claxon and opened the channel. 

 

“Choorllargh! Markhta Brevix!”  

 

“I’ll get him sir.  One minute.”

 

Before Powrlen could get to the door, Brevix pulled it open and stepped out, followed by his First Officer.

 

“Good, you’re in uniform, Powrlen.  Get Nautewlus, I want her in uniform too.”

 

Powrlen nodded, and returned to the Media Center with Brevix and Hourlen, tapping on his tablet as he went.

 

As he entered the Media Center and approached the vispad, Brevix was momentarily caught off-guard.  Not only was the Overlord glaring at him from the screen, another Drragh was with him, and in a sub-window he saw the countenance of his employer, Syndicator Strogonar.  He took his place, and motioned his First Officer and Communications Officer to stand behind him.  He heard the sound of running from the corridor, and a moment later, Chief Investigator Nautewlus slid in beside him.  He turned to the vispad.

 

“Overlord Chklarna, Syndicator Strogonar and…?” he left the greeting hanging, hoping the Overlord or the other Drragh would provide him a name.

 

“Commander Brevix. bizge koşulup, saga jana senin ekipaj Demek, jakşı. Men sen h jok menen alektengen emes, körö. Andan da maanilüüsü, siz kiygen! Körünüp turganday, meni menen, men senin Syndicator Strogonar bar, oşondoy ele Under-Overlord Phkrena ... jana dagı dele jaman pikirleşüünün negizgi ala elekpiz!”

 

Brevix turned and faced Powrlen.  “What in the…”

 

“Skipper!  I swear.  For the last two days, Trafferthus and I have been working with Under-Overlord Phkrena there.  Not once in all that time…”

 

“I’ll deal with you later.  You too, Trafferthus.”  Brevix turned back to the vispad, and opened his mouth.  But before he could speak, the Under-Overlord leaned forward and adjusted a control on the Overlord’s communicator panel.

 

“Oh by the putrid clouds of Vzeflaban, Your Lordship.  You’ve been fiddling with the controls again!  I’ve told you to leave the settings alone!  Here, try it now.”

 

The Overlord cleared his throat.  “I said, Commander Brevix.  So nice of you and your crew to join us.  And I see you are not engaged in copulating.  Even better, you are dressed!  As you see, with me I have your Syndicator Strogonar as well as Under-Overlord Phkrena... and you still haven't gotten your worthless communicator fixed!  Alas, now I am disappointed.  I had so looked forward to watching my crew, should you ever find them, devour your communications officer!”  He turned slightly to face Powrlen.  “Communications Officer Powrlen, you are off the hook.  And the menu.”  He turned back to Brevix.  “Do you have anything satisfying to report, Commander.  Your Communications Officer is off the hook.  You, however, are not.”

 

“Well, Overlord, we do have something rather satisfying to report, as it turns out.  Chief Investigator Nautewlus, would you do the honors?”

 

“Indeed, Skipper.  Overlord Chklarna, Under-Overlord Phkrena, Syndicator, following up on information we discovered about your crew’s First Officer, Lagarfljótsormur,” She was interrupted by the Under-Overlord.

 

“Oh, very good missy.  You pronounced that like a Drragh!”

 

“Ahem, yes.  Thank you Under-Overlord.  I’ve spent many hours practicing!  Anyhow, following up on this information, we found the location where rumor had it that your crew had recently performed an 'Eshal-Kuvargh'.”

 

“A celebratory sky dance?  That would imply they all survive?”

 

“Yes, sir, a celebratory sky dance.  From that location we traced them through under water tunnels…”  Again, the Overlord interrupted.

 

“That explains the ridiculous stories about them hiding underwater!”

 

Chief Investigator Nautewlus took a deep breath.  “Yes.  Sir if… well, anyhow, we followed these tunnels using a sensor drone, as we tracked from overhead.  As we passed over one of the local land masses, we got a reading on a live Drragh.  It was our first real evidence, sir.  Until this time we had been following clues only.  We spotted your crew’s captain, Neskaupstaður….”

 

“Again, very good young lady.”

 

She sighed again.  “Thank you, Under-Overlord.  As it turns out, the locals had known of her, they called her ‘Nessie’.”

 

There was silence for a moment.  Then the Syndicator spoke up. 

 

“Well done Commander Brevix!  You and your crew will be getting bonus for this!”

 

“Indeed Commander.  You, too, are off the hook.  I shall have a transport in your area very soon.  May I speak with Neskaupstaður?”

 

“My Communications Officer will patch you through, Overlord.  They are still on the surface, but we have a comlink open to them.”

 

A moment later, after appropriately signing off from the Overlord and the Syndicator, the vispad faded to black.  Everyone sighed heavily.

 

“So, Skipper, can I please get my hands on your lovely bottom parts, now?”