Chapter 26: Awakening

Slowly Bedros became aware. Without opening his eyes, he began exploring his surroundings. He was in some type of bed, he felt things attached to his skin, and scalp in different places.

Cracking his eyes open and carefully looking around, he saw leads plugged into some type of monitor when suddenly, two bipedal beings, apparently human female, but at the same time not of his race, rushed in.

The one with dark hair began to speak in a language he did not understand while the other one, the one with light colored hair studied the monitor. The dark haired woman spoke into an object she wore on her wrist. Suddenly from the air around him, a voice spoke in his language.

"Do not be afraid we do not wish to harm you. You have been rescued from your crashed ship and are onboard our ship that is called Seeker. Please help us to further your recovery by sharing information with us about yourself. My name is Sonya a computer and I am translating for Katelyn the woman who is holding your hand. When you are ready to talk just speak and I will translate," Sonya paused to let him absorb her words.

Bedros looked around at his surroundings, this time turning his head from side to side. Next to him, in another bed, Becka lay but he could see none of the others. Finally, he began to speak.

"My name is Bedros and I am a member of the crew on the Swiftfire. I see Becka but where are my other crew members?" He asked.

Kate hung her head, "They did not survive the crash."

The memories began to flood into Bedros's mind. He remembered finding a new solar system and a habitable world. As they had approached, a Wiggan ship had suddenly shed its invisibility field and attacked. In the ensuing battle, they destroyed the Wiggan ship but their own ship also suffered great damage. Dallan and Ganit the two pilots were already dead, killed in the battle. He remembered Becka desperately punching buttons to transfer control of the craft to her station as they had plunged into the atmosphere of the new planet. That was the last he remembered until now.

They consulted with Bedros and soon restored Becka to consciousness. They had just started to question her when Remi burst into the med bay.

"So they are alert and can answer questions?" she asked raising an eyebrow at Kate as she spoke.

"See for yourself," Kate said as she swept her arms toward the two fully awake Silvans.

"Hello My name is Remi and I am captain of this ship, the Seeker. I have a lot of questions to ask and not much time to ask them. Where does the ship and those beings that you fought with, come from?"

"Their race is called Wiggin but why do you wish to find them?" Bedros replied with suspicion written on his face.

"Because three of their ships came here and captured two of my crew. We need to pursue them and get my crew members back," answered Remi.

"Three ships you say. Describe these ships," Becka said as she spoke for the first time.

With the description given, Becka and Bedros looked at each other, "Nighthawks," they said almost together and then Becka addressed Remi, "They did not spot your ship? You must leave this system quickly in case they return. We were very lucky to destroy one of their smaller ships but Nighthawks are much larger and very deadly by themselves let alone three of them together," Becka finished.

"Do the, Wiggins, you call them have larger craft than the Nighthawks?" Remi asked.

"Not that we know of but they are much larger than anything we have and they have a lot of them. Why do you ask?" Bedros questioned.

"First of all by this system I presume you are referring to the solar system in which we found you and, if so, then relax for we left that system a long time ago. Secondly if the Nighthawks are the largest the Wiggins have you better look at the Seeker more closely before you start trembling in fear," Remi laughed and reflected a certain amount of pride in her words.

"The Seeker is easily twenty times as large as the nighthawks and, if their weapons are similar to the ones we studied in the wreckage of the ship you destroyed, they have much to fear from us. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a little pissed off that they took two of my crew. I intend to get them back even if I have to destroy a lot of Nighthawks and kill a bunch of Wiggin in the process. They will soon learn that the Zaflan can be either good friends or deadly enemies," Remi finished.

"Did you say twenty times as large as a Nighthawk? This I must see. Please remove these monitors so that I may get up and look around," Becka said.

"Whoa. Not so fast Becka you still need time to recover your strength," Kate cautioned.

"Still," Bedros spoke, "Even if the Seeker is as large as you say if the Wiggins attack in a swarm your ship will be overwhelmed and destroyed for they have deadly weapons much like the teeth of the great Hetapuma they will rend this ship into tiny pieces."

Remi scoffed, "Let them try and they will discover that the Seeker, besides being much larger has some deadly teeth and claws of her own. Now I must ask you to show me where the Wiggin system is so that we can convince them to return my crew members."

Becka whistled, "You intend to fight the entire Wiggin race by yourselves?"

"If we have to, then yes, I want my people back and they better not be harmed," Remi answered and a frightful expression came to her face. "If they have been killed or harmed then Zol have mercy on the Wiggins because I sure won't," Remi finished with her voice appearing to drip poisonous venom.

"I would like to suggest a slight detour," Bedros stated, "If you go to my system first, I believe I can get many valuable allies to join you. Even if the Seeker is as fierce as you say it would not hurt to have additional firepower. We would be happy to help clean out that nest of vermin." The face of Bedros took on a fierce look of its own.

At first Remi politely refused the offer but her, other officers finally convinced her to accept, sighting the wisdom of the saying, "Strength in numbers." Their cooler heads also realized that the Seeker alone could not win the war against an entire world's resources. The Seeker came to a new course as she headed for the Silvan system. Becka assured Remi "That the deviation would not delay their arrival at the Wiggin system by much, and it would be well worth the extra time it took," she added.

Once Stan and Kylee were aboard the main Nighthawk, which they later learned had the name Raptor; their bonds replaced with much stronger shackles on both their arms and ankles, the two of them were thrust roughly into a cubicle that was completely devoid of furnishings of any kind. The cubicle was the size of a closet and the two prisoners barely had room to sit together shoulder to shoulder.

After they had sat in the cramped quarters for several hours, one of their captors came to the door and opened it. He spoke in their guttural language for some time but was unable to make himself understood. Finally, he went away.