All eyes turned to Groxl, who looked as stunned as the rest of them.
‘Any relation?’ Bache asked, crossing his arms across his chest and waiting for Groxl’s explanation.
‘My – son,’ he snarled, almost spitting out the two words.
‘Your son?’ exclaimed Ed.
Groxl bowed his head for a moment and stared at a spot on the floor.
‘Would he have known it was your ship he was attacking?’ Ed continued.
‘Of course,’ Groxl replied, as if it was a daft question and turned his head to gaze up at the Klatt vessel on the holomap.
‘Why would he do that?’ questioned Bache.
Groxl dropped his eyes from the holomap to the floor again and paused before he spoke.
‘We had a disagreement over his career prospects. He didn’t like a decision I made some time ago.’
‘We all have disagreements with our parents,’ said Andy. ‘But it doesn’t usually conclude with one party potentially murdering the other.’
‘Welcome to the Klatt Empire,’ said Groxl, lifting his gaze to glare at Andy.
‘Well, whatever the reason,’ said Bache, ‘you’re now a member, along with us, of the supposedly dead club. Perhaps you’d like to join in and find out who the hell is behind all this and maybe save your empire at the same time?’
‘And Earth,’ said Andy, giving Groxl a pointed stare.
Groxl nodded slowly and held his shackled arms up.
‘I’m not going to be much help bound up like a Dervian land beast,’ he said, looking over at Ed and then Bache.
‘As you’ve now seen that Ed wasn’t responsible for the loss of your cruiser, can you now admit that his unlawful detention was in fact a mistake and you’re no longer intending to pursue his prosecution?’ Bache asked, keeping his eyes firmly on the Klatt captain.
Groxl shrugged and glanced over at the holomap again.
‘If that ship orbiting Uskrre is indeed my old ship, then, yes, I agree my actions were somewhat premature – evidently we’ve all been deceived by persons unknown within our relevant organisations.’
‘And?’ said Bache, still staring.
‘And, the intended criminal prosecution of Captain Virr is forthwith rescinded.’
‘Thank you,’ said Ed.
Groxl held his hands up again, this time in a more placatory manner.
‘My apologies regarding your assistant,’ he said. ‘I honestly believed I was doing the little ship a favour by stopping the truck from ramming it.’
‘You can apologise to her in person in a few days,’ said Rayl.
Groxl sat back, a puzzled expression on his face.
‘You told me she was dead,’ he said, turning to stare at Ed.
Ed gave Rayl a withering look.
‘In that body, yes, she is,’ he replied. ‘She will be reborn shortly in a new body.’
‘But, what about brain function?’ he asked.
‘Intact.’
‘You can do that?’
Ed nodded.
‘How?’
‘Classified.’
‘But, that makes you almost immortal?’
‘Almost.’
Finally, Groxl stopped asking questions and just sat staring with an expression of either fear or shocked surprise, Ed wasn’t sure, but he signalled for Cleo to remove his restraints anyway.
Groxl nearly jumped out of his skin when they vanished into thin air.
‘How – who…?’ was all he could get out as Cleo materialised beside him; this time dressed in all her regal splendour.
‘Hello, Captain,’ she said, lifting his chin to close his gaping mouth with a clop. ‘You will be restricted to the bridge, the blister lounge and a cabin I have prepared for you. The crew will show you where these are, but remember, any deviation from those areas will result in my displeasure. Don’t disappoint me.’
Groxl just sat and stared at the space she had been for a few moments after Cleo disappeared again, only looking up when Andy spoke to him.
‘It’s best not to upset the ship that’s keeping you alive,’ he said.
‘She’s the ship’s computer?’ Groxl asked, almost dejectedly, the typical Klatt arrogance and pomposity he had arrived with now completely absent from his demeanour.
Everyone on the bridge nodded slowly.
‘And she’s omnipresent and sentient?’ he asked.
More nodding.
‘Captain, we’re going to need your input to help solve and thwart this thing – whatever this thing is,’ said Bache. ‘So, any information you may have on the Spleeta clan, no matter how trivial you think it is – don’t be shy.’
Groxl shrugged.
‘You know, it’s strange you used the word “shy”,’ he said, ‘because that’s exactly how I would have described the Spleeta. For centuries, they’ve been the least aggressive clan within the Klatt Empire. Quite the opposite in fact. Engineers, builders, artists, medical staff even, but not military. Not ever. It was as though those soldiers down on Uskrre had been brainwashed or drugged. It’s just so completely out of character for them to be even remotely aggressive.’
‘So, you don’t believe this could be their plan, originally?’ Ed asked.
‘Not a chance.’
Bache turned and stepped into the holomap, pointing to the new Klatt ship hiding within the rings of Proxima C.
‘That ship will have some answers,’ he said. ‘Is there any way we can disable it, make it look like an accident and get aboard during the confusion?’
‘I’m sure something can be arranged,’ said Ed.
‘Awesome,’ said Andy, grinning and cracking his knuckles. ‘Road trip.’
The smile disappeared from his face when he saw Rayl glowering at him.
‘Don’t even think about going on that ship,’ she said.
‘It’s not your planet that’s about to get invaded,’ replied Andy.
Ed got up from his control couch and stood between them as he saw Rayl bristling with intent.
‘I’ll go,’ he said.
‘You’ll be the only smooth-skinned human on the ship, you wouldn’t last a minute,’ said Groxl. ‘If anybody goes it has to be me.’
‘Won’t someone recognise you?’ Phil said.
‘Not if I wear a Spleeta uniform,’ said Groxl.
‘And smile a lot,’ said Andy, which just got him an affronted glare from the Klatt captain.
‘I’m sure there are helmeted personnel on that ship,’ Ed said, glancing at Groxl. ‘Especially during an emergency.’
‘Security and fire teams have visored helmets,’ said Groxl, nodding.
‘If we can show Cleo the designs, she’ll be able to produce duplicates,’ said Phil.
‘I believe we have the beginnings of a plan,’ said Ed, deliberately not turning to look at Rayl, who he knew was glowering at his back.