Part 22 (1/2)

”Maybe, but I'm tired of waiting for them to come get us. I'm going out there to them.”

Eli thought about it, found it to be a good suggestion. ”Good idea, Jonah. I'll wait here. Tell them it's safe and to send my Uncle Mouse.”

Jonah nodded and walked to the edge of the platform. The jump down was only a little over a meter, but he hesitated. He finally turned toward Eli.

”What you did in there,” he began, looking at the ground. ”That was brave, Eli. I don't think I could have done that.”

The praise from the older boy made Eli feel good. He had always known Jonah didn't like him very much, but had never really understood why.

”Yeah, you could. I just got to the weapon first, that's all.”

”No. You're just saying that to make me feel better, but I know the truth. We're alive because of you. If you hadn't shot that Minith, we'd be just dead just like your mom's friend.”

”Her name was Ceeray.”

Jonah just nodded. Then he turned away and jumped to the ground. A cloud of black ash surrounded him and he began jogging toward the army vehicles parked in the distance. Eli watched him for a minute, then went back inside the s.h.i.+p.

As expected, Treel was in the command center. The remaining six Minith soldiers on the s.h.i.+p-including the guard who had first captured them-had been rounded up and were busy cleaning up the red and purple pools of blood. The bodies, including Ceeray's, had already been removed from the room.

”They didn't have a problem following your orders,” Eli asked.

”No, little one. It's the Minith way-what your people would call a 'law.' Their leader has been defeated, so they follow the one who defeated him.”

”So they work for me now?” Eli grinned at the thought.

”Not really, Eli, though they should. They are following my leaders.h.i.+p now.”

”That's good, because I wouldn't know what to do with a group of big green boogers. You can keep 'em.”

”Is your army on its way here?”

”No. For some reason, they're still keeping their distance. But Jonah went out to get my Uncle Mouse. Hopefully he'll be here soon.”

”I hope so too. There are three other mothers.h.i.+ps on the planet and we need to gain control of them before one of them does something stupid.”

”But wasn't your brother the boss? Don't the other s.h.i.+ps have to listen to us now?”

”I wish it were that simple,” Treel replied. He waved toward the six alien warriors working at the pools of blood. ”Here on this s.h.i.+p, it is an easy thing to control. Unfortunately, if one or more of the commanders of the other mothers.h.i.+ps dispute our leaders.h.i.+p, there is little we can do about it.”

”But it's your law, right?” Eli didn't understand. It was either law or it wasn't.

”Unfortunately, Minith are not very good at following others. We're selfish and are always looking to improve our individual standing. It is difficult to describe, but there are many other... laws... that come into play. Like our games of chess, there are many moves that can be made at any one time.”

”Chess has rules. And everyone has to play by the same rules,” Eli argued. ”If they don't, then there's no reason to play. Anyone can do whatever they want, and no one ever wins.”

”I think you're beginning to understand now, little one.”

Mouse strode quickly along the corridor to the command center. He was followed by a unit of twenty earthies in full battle gear. Another two hundred had been ordered to search the rest of the mothers.h.i.+p. He wanted no more surprises.

The first surprise of the day had been the landing of the mothers.h.i.+ps directly on top of his forces. Right behind that, and almost as large in its impact, was the appearance of Eli and Jonah on this mothers.h.i.+p. However, the story that Jonah had told him, if true, would easily eclipse either of those two events.

Eli had killed the commander of this s.h.i.+p and his crew? That was truly unbelievable.

This was the second Minith mothers.h.i.+p he had ever entered, and he was not surprised to find that this one looked just like the first. He reached the entrance to the command center, paused briefly to glance inside, and then entered.

Eli and Treel were in the center of the room. Treel loosely held a Minith rifle in his right hand and-surprisingly-Eli held one of the alien pistols. Six of the tall aliens were standing against a wall to the right. All were unarmed.

Mouse immediately walked to Eli, nodded toward the pistol, and held out his hand.

Eli turned the b.u.t.t end of the weapon out and placed it in his uncle's hand. He did not complain, but the frown on the boy's face indicated he was not happy with pa.s.sing the gun over.

Mouse pa.s.sed the weapon to one of the troopers standing behind him, then held out his hand to Treel. The Minith hesitated and looked like he was going to protest, but ultimately gave the weapon over without comment.

”Now that we've got that out of the way, can either of you tell me what the h.e.l.l is going on here?”

Eli started with how he was just trying to help Treel get back home to his family. Treel ended with how Eli had killed the s.h.i.+p's commander-who happened to be his brother-and the rest of the crew in the room.

”Master Shan, I think I have it.” The announcement interrupted Shan's thoughts.

”Have what, Tcho?”

”The video from General Soo's mothers.h.i.+p, sir.”

Yes! Shan had forgotten about the request almost as soon as it had been made. He had not expected results, but was suddenly pleased that it looked to be turning out for the positive.

”Can you bring it up now?”

”I believe so, sir. Just a moment.” The corporal fiddled with the controls and entered a few more commands. Suddenly, the vid-wall, which had previously been focused on the rooftops they controlled, was replaced by a view of Soo's command center.

”This is Master Shan, leader of the Minith forces in Urop. Who is in charge of the human forces occupying General Soo's mothers.h.i.+p?”

Activity halted as the words blared from the speakers set into the walls. The unexpected question-delivered in Earth Standard-was accompanied by a flash of light from the view screens to Mouse's left. The flash quickly dissolved into a view of another room just like the one where he stood, and Mouse found himself looking into the command center of another mothers.h.i.+p.

No one spoke; they just stared at each other. Mouse felt a tug on his arm and looked down to see Eli pulling his sleeve.

”He means you,” Grant's son said.

Right. Me.

”Um. I'm in charge of Earth's armed forces, Shan. General Mouse.”

”Ah, a general. Very good. When I was on Earth some years ago, there were no generals. No armed fighters, either.”

”Well, things have changed.”