Tajlon checked out the new weapons lab. Colberton had brought in his top military specialists and everything one could possibly need to accelerate work on Tajlon's nuclear weapon project.

"This is too good to be true," Tajlon looking over the packing list of supplies. "I may never leave this place," he said for the benefit of anyone listening.

"Literally," Hal said too low for security to overhear. "Time to go meet your new friends." A group of scientists were clustered off to one side of the lab where something heavy was being unloaded.

"It looks like a lead box," Tajlon said. He could see a sign on it warning of radiation danger.

"So, I hope that's what you wanted for your birthday," Hal said.

"It looks like this is what I'll be getting. I won't be able to put on my demonstration now."

"I don't doubt it would have been spectacular, but seriously, this is better," Hal said.

"I can't believe we agreed to do this," Tajlon said. "Annihilation of the planet? I pass."

"Nobody said you had to build a working model," Hal said under his breath.

"I've told them how to do it."

"In theory only. They aren't the electronics wizard you are kid."

"What are you saying?"

"You are to put on a show for the general, so give him one. Big and loud, move a few decimal points. That's all."

Tajlon smiled. "Okay. I'm ready to get started.

* * *

Jejliard used the combination Hal had given him and felt the steel bolts slide back. The heavy safe door swung open, and he stepped inside the wreck. Hal had installed a string of battery powered lights that stretched in a straight line to the main control deck. They would have to get a better seal on the door before it would hold up in space. He figured their submarine technology would be useful and cursed the fact that Mara had banned Tajlon from stepping foot on the wreck. He wouldn't encourage his son to violate his grandmother's wishes, but this was damned inconvenient.

Jejliard hoped to access the ship's power core and eliminate the need for an outside source. He decided that could wait on Koutou who was apparently more than a little familiar with the spacecraft after what Tajlon had explained to him earlier. For now he needed to be certain the alien on board would still honor their shaky truce from the day before, if he could find him.

He didn't have long to wait. A voice called out as he approached the desk.

"Oh. You again," Gengor's voice came rasping over the speaker.

"Good. You're awake."

"I'd rather be asleep for an eternity that closed up on this ship again. I want off."

"We can discuss that when Koutou gets here."

"Who?"

"Koutou. You probably know him as Widhbo."

"Widhbo's coming?"

"This evening hopefully."

"I'm in trouble, aren't I? That's why he's coming."

"I don't know what he thinks. I've not had a chance to speak with him about any of this."

"He'll be mad at me. He's always mad at me."

"Your behavior may cause some of your trouble. Try to settle down and act civilized."

"Is shooting someone civilized?"

"No, but you weren't exactly in a social contract with us at the time. You were about to hurt those men."

"I'll admit I was a little excited. I was hungry, that's all."

"We don't eat people here."

"I was after the rabbits. Truly I was."

"Okay. I'll take your word for it. We misunderstood your intentions. My name is Jejliard Castonea, or just Jejliard. What's yours?"

"Gengor, just Gengor."

"Do we still have a truce?"

"I suppose that would be the civilized thing."

"It would. But I'm going to ask you to refrain from interacting with anyone else here. They don't need to know you even exist."

"You sound like Widhbo. Don't play on the ship. Stay in the walls," Gengor groaned. "I get to watch, that's all. Nobody likes me."

"I don't trust the others to be civil to you. It's for your own safety, Gengor."

"I'm a daglyr, you know. Not that you'd care, but I'm a very smart daglyr. It's Widhbo's fault. He brought me to this ship and educated me. I learned about what lay beyond my old life. I was so bored of living on Corrudi. Nothing would make me happy except to leave. I wanted to see other worlds. Next I crashed here and spent an eternity on this ship in the bottom of your ocean watching fish swim by. I finally think I've been rescued, only to have Widhbo sentence me to the rest of eternity on this ship. It's my punishment for stealing it. I'll die here. I don't care about safety any more."

"Perhaps you could earn your freedom again. I can't speak for Widhbo, but eternity seems like a long punishment for a finite deed," Jejliard said.

"You don't know Widhbo. He has no mercy."

"I can't believe that."

"Then you don't really know him. He's the monster. Not me."

Jejliard didn't have an answer for that, so he pressed on. "I plan to get this ship operational again. Perhaps you could help me, and I'll put in a good word for you."

A loud yawn was emitted from the speaker. "Promise me if I can't leave that you'll at least bring me enough of that marvelous drug to help me sleep forever."

"Don't you want to go home?"

"That blessed paradise called home? No. They'd terminate me."

"Why? What did you do?"

"Nothing much except guilt by association with Widhbo. I'm a nobody. Widhbo is infamous back home."

They were interrupted by voices announcing the approach of a work crew coming to finish the lighting job.

"Quiet, Gengor, and whatever you do, stay out of sight."

"I know. Invisible."

* * *

Hal and Tajlon said good night to the work crew who were being dished up a hot meal from a portable food cart. It honesty didn't smell so bad though the plates full of beans and meat didn't look very appetizing. Hal grabbed a hunk of bread and bottle of beer as he passed by a serving table near the door.

"Hey, we're about to have a gourmet meal," Tajlon said.

"Appetizer," Hal said, opening his beer.

"You never let anything bother you, do you?"

"I'm not as transparent as I look. I might even miss Greyla more than you miss your new girlfriend of what... two days now?"

"I miss Greyla and the others too," Tajlon said.

"Uh huh. But you're in love with Soshe. I can tell."

"So?"

"So, a man will do stupid things for love. Really stupid things..."

"I'm waiting until tomorrow night to see her."

"Yeah. Well now that's a real sacrifice. I might get to see Greyla again in a few weeks. Who knows where her head will be by then."

Here's the skiff," Hal woofed down his bread and chased it with the rest of his beer before the skiff got to the dock.

They motored out to the ship and went aboard. A uniformed officer led them to a private dining cabin. It was simple but elegant with a polished steel table and modern swivel seats. A drawing board and projection screen were at one side. The place settings were positioned across the table so the guests would be facing the display. General Colberton and Jejliard were already present.

"Have a seat fellows. Wouldn't want to start without you," Colberton said with a nod toward the empty charis.

The meal started with some crusted shrimp appetizers, a light soup and green salad followed with grilled lamb, steamed vegetables and small potatoes all seasoned to perfection. Hal waved away the cream stuffed pastry at desert.

"Full already?" Tajlon asked.

"I'm a light eater."

Everyone laughed. Colberton motioned to an aide to turn down the lights and began the presentation.

"First let me say how valuable your contributions have been. We have made technical advancements in the past few years that I might have guessed would have taken decades to realize."

He started the projector and a detailed diagram appeared. "Having said that, however, we have been doing some research of our own, not suited for a civilian operation such as Novaland. This is the point at which we have arrived and the time at which we need your assistance."

"That's looks like a explosive device," Tajlon said.

"Indeed, it is my boy." Colberto said. He beamed at Tajlon's quick understanding. "And this is as far as our experiments have taken us. We can make things explode but we can't yet make them implode properly."

"I can fix that," Tajlon said. "Are you telling us you already have weapons grade uranium?"

"We do. In a limited amount and some plutonium."

"What's your delivery system?" Jejliard asked.

"The fastest way is lobbing them from a missile from a war ship. Ground delivery is too slow."

"Rather limited all around. You can't reach far enough inland.," Jejliard added. "If we had a few more months, we could get you airborne"

"And on remote control," Tajlon said.

"That would be great if we had the time. We don't," Colberton said. "Have you heard back from our little party in Rassel Glades?"

"Nothing yet. The radio apparently wasn't in working condition when they left," Jejliard said. "I expect they might be able to put in a call in from Catspaw."

Tajlon got up and went over to the drawing board. He sketched out an explosive device that could deliver a charge in such a way to detonate the weapon."

"Interesting," Colberton said. He clasped his hands together and steepled his fingers to study Tajlon's diagram. "How would you make it work exactly?"

"It would have to be timed electronically. That's not a problem."

"Not a problem for you apparently. I've had my best men on this and in less than five minutes you have a solution. Quite the genius you have here, Jejliard."

"Thank you. I'm quite aware," Jejliard replied.

"Halston, you've been quiet over there. Do you have to add to any of this?"

"I'm as amazed as you are, General," he answered. "If I were to add anything, it would be to say Tajlon's got this. I should focus my attention on helping Jejliard get the spacecraft operational and suitable for human transport."

"Absolutely. That is equally exciting, perhaps even more so from my standpoint. It's hard to imagine where that might lead us."