Page 48 of Experimental Voyage
Delta shook his head. “We don’t need safety gear for this venture. We will do an atmospheric check to confirm that nothing has changed, but this ship can handle the work in an hour. I made her install a new system on all our ships, especially after your incident on Melody.”
I could work with that. “And I can do botany work?”
Both Veloc cooed at me, and Fogali scratched behind my ear before saying, “You will get to work in a way that allows you to shine, never fear. And we have brought a present that you should love. It is a fully contained terrarium, and you will be able toconduct a botany experiment with plants and mosses you would like.”
“That sounds like an excellent way to transfer the fungus to other worlds,” I replied, turning to glare at the Veloc. “You do not take contaminated soil from a hazardous world and just put it in a terrarium to see what happens!”
“We can kill the fungus and leave everything else alive.”
“We will make a terrarium from a habitable world. No terrariums containing potentially lethal botany!” Well aware the Veloc enjoyed whenhomo sapiensgot uppity with them, I placed my finger on the end of his nose and pushed. “You will behave. Your brother will behave. We willnotbe traumatizing Waldren or his sister with native plants from their failed colony.”
The Veloc refused to meet my gaze, and I narrowed my eyes. “You two are up to something. What are you planning?”
“Why do you think we’re up to something?” Yulgali asked.
“You’re breathing. You’re also a Veloc. Either one is all the reason I need to think you’re up to something.” I gave Fogali’s nose another push. “You are just as bad as Yulgali, possibly even worse. We will go onto this planet in questionable safety and do everything we need to purge the fungus upon our departure. There will be no traumatizing ofhomo sapiens, myself included. We certainly won’t be traumatizing Waldren and his sister. Frankly, if I have my way, neither will learn we’ve made this expedition.”
Viva snickered. “It didn’t take you long to figure them out.”
“Are these Crimson Feet as bad? If so, I’ll end up having to take them over to teach them some manners!”
The Veloc snorted, their crests snapped up, and their eyes widened. Then both gave Viva their undivided attention.
“I am not getting involved,” she informed them. “If you can convince the Crimson Feet to take her, understanding they’rewelcoming a tyrant into their midst, so be it. But having actually met Waldren, I understand he’d absolutely stage an invasion trying to lure her back onto his ship with no intention of giving her back. I’ve already had to suggest to him, several times, that he needs to give her a chance to finish her schooling. It’s not like we’ll be able to keep her beyond the semester as it is.” Viva shrugged, glanced my way, and sighed. “Are you aware that you’ve essentially crammed an entirety of four years of education into a single semester?”
“It’s not my fault they wanted to teach me what I already knew. Sure, I had to adjust some things, but it’s notthatmuch different from what they were teaching me on Schwana Major. And Ilikethe engine work.”
“Yes, your aptitude with space mechanics and engineering has been noticed. You have Delta’s enthusiasm but my natural inclinations, which means you’re better at engines than both of us at this stage. My inclinations are all about survival. Yours is founded on a love of the machinery, determination to survive,andnatural talent. Frankly, I’m jealous.”
“You have two ships. I have zero ships,” I reminded her. I waggled my finger at my fellow hybrid. “You also have a piloting license!”
“We’ll work on getting you a piloting license,” Viva promised. “I’ll help slip your starter lessons on piloting into your classwork after we get back to Cremora Delta. You’ll have to knock off one of your classes, though.”
I could think of at least two classes I could eliminate with extreme prejudice through taking an early test. “I’m sure my teachers willlovethat.”
Delta snickered. “I’ll make the alterations to her schedule—or have Dad do it. The school will rightfully accuse you both of causing trouble. If we’re doing it, there’s a good reason for it, and that’ll help contain those convinced of upcoming calamity.Camellia, at least try to pretend you aren’t actively trying to escape the planet.”
Had my forays to the spaceport been that obvious? I scowled, turned my ears back, and lashed my tail. “But Iamactively trying to escape the planet, Delta.”
Viva snickered, shook her head, and left the fitness room. “I’m going to start getting the ship ready for landing after I get the coordinates of the failed colony. I expect you’ll have thirty minutes before everyone needs to be at landing stations. Camellia, come to the bridge. Delta, sulk in our quarters. You can’t betray what you don’t know.”
“That’s fair. All I will ask is that one of youattemptto make use of common sense.”
“I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises,” she replied in a solemn tone. “After dealing with half a semester at that prison, Camellia needs fun. Common sense impedes fun.”
“Common sense keeps us alive,” Delta replied, engaging his wife in a staring contest.
“That’s why I said I’ll try. I’m only going to apply common sense as much as survivability demands.”
After bowing his head and sighing, the man headed off, muttering curses beneath his breath.
“I don’t think he likes your plan, Viva.”
“When I’m in this mood,nobodylikes my plans. Why? Because I don’t have a plan. Everything tends to go just fine when I bother with a plan. We don’t need a plan for this. We’re going to a planet devoid of humanity. We have two Veloc with us. We’ll be fine.”
“Those are famous last words,” I warned her.
“We’ll be fine.”
