As Sally predicted, there were four guards waiting for them when they docked. Sally had Ek invite them in so she and Cindy could stun them. They stored the guards belowdecks with the others. To Sally and Cindy’s immense relief, no other guards rushed to the scene. Perhaps Ek was partially right—his people were not experts when it came to security. Sally, Cindy, and Ek had time to work.
Unfortunately, Ek was making little progress with his plan. They had been in space dock an hour and he still hadn’t been able to locate Adam and Watch. He was searching through some kind of computer map that was projected on a three-dimensional computer screen located to the left of the saucer control panel. He said it was supposed to register all living creatures on the station.
“I do not understand why they do not show up.”
“It’s the way I told you,” Sally said as she paced behind Ek. “There must be restricted areas aboard this station. You have to forget about trying to find them. Just broadcast on your telepathic network what has happened. Maybe one of the thousands of fatheads—I mean, maybe one of your many network partners—will have an idea where they are.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Cindy said. “The moment Ek makes such a broadcast, more guards will show up.”
Sally was agitated. “I know that. I’m not stupid. But they’re going to come here anyway. At least we will have got our message out. Once they arrest us, there’ll be no chance. We’ll probably be put to immediate death.”
“Our culture does not have the death penalty.”
“You don’t know what your culture does behind closed doors,” Sally snapped. Then she paused, thinking. “How can we protect ourselves inside this ship? When they do come for us?”
“We can lock the door. But they will burn through it quickly, if they want to.”
“Can you fire the ship’s weapons while we’re in space dock?” Sally asked.
“That would not be a good idea. Many could be hurt.”
Sally rolled her eyes. “Like I’m worried about a few casualties. Listen, Ek, I am not a violent person by nature but you guys started this, and I intend to finish it. When your authorities show up, we need something to fight them with until we can get Adam and Watch back. Better yet, we need something to force them to give us back our friends. Even if we just use it as a bluff.”
“What is a bluff?”
“It’s what you do when you want to win at poker,” Sally said. She pointed to the floor beneath them. “This ship accelerated to near light speed in two hours. It must have a powerful engine or warp drive. What’s its source of energy?”
“Our space drive is powered by the decay of an element called Zelithium 110. It cannot be found on your periodic table of elements because it does not exist naturally, except in the corona of extremely hot blue stars. As the element decays in a chamber of Hyperzoid Quartz, it radiates subatomic particles we call Bostonians. They are very powerful but unstable, unless carefully controlled.”
Sally glanced at Cindy. “I got less than half that,” Cindy said.
“You say the Bostonians are unstable?” Sally said. “I like things that way. Instability brings out my finer points. Tell me, Ek, can this stuff be used to make a bomb?”
Ek looked as worried as an expressionless alien could.
“Yes. The Hyperzoid Quartz can be tampered with so that the decay of Bostonians builds toward a critical mass.”
“What happens when critical mass is reached?” Sally asked.
“There is a huge explosion.”
“Would the explosion be strong enough to destroy this space station?” Sally asked.
Ek hesitated. “Yes. And many stations and vessels in the immediate vicinity.”
“Can you control the decay of the Bostonians so that we don’t accidentally blow ourselves up?” Sally asked.
“Yes. But not well.”
“Can you stop the chain reaction once it has begun?”
“Yes. If I am lucky.”
“If you start such a chain reaction, will the authorities outside know what you’re up to?” Sally asked. “Will they be able to monitor it?”
“Yes.”
“Will it scare them?”
The alien lowered his big head.
“Yes. Very much. You could kill millions of my people.”
Sally smiled at his sad thought. “Ek, I don’t want to kill anybody. I just want to scare your people into giving us back Adam and Watch. But when it comes time to bargain, I have to give the impression that I’m a crazy chick from Spooksville who would just as soon blow up this space station as go swimming in our reservoir at home.”
“What is Spooksville?”
“That’s where we come from,” Sally explained. “And you and your pals are only one of the reasons it has earned that name. You’re not even the worst reason. Now broadcast your telepathic message about Adam and Watch and get your Boston bomb ready. Work as fast as you can. I’m still hoping to make it home in time for bed.”
Cindy shook her head doubtfully. “You’re playing with fire, Sally.”
“You don’t understand me, Cindy.” Sally rubbed her hands together, excited. “I’m playing to win.”