Honestly he�d never understand why human�s had to make everything a size that was exactly the most annoying size possible. Their tubules were just too small to stand up in, and just too big to make you feel comfortable crawling. Their tools were just too heavy to be comfortably held but just small enough to make one feel one ought to be able to carry them without the help of a mechanoid.

Perhaps, he mused, the human�s felt they had to make everything else an annoying size in anger of their own unnatural shape.

Mak opened the toolbox and pulled out the part he needed. A small square shaped object to be plugged into the system after he�d made a few tweaks. If everything went as planned the station would have a better upgraded defense and attack grid weapon�s wise thanks to their Dbren friend Hooey.

Down the tunnel there was a strange squeeky chirp. Mak looked up and blinked. His mouth set into a firm line.

Damn quail. Now that they were let loose across the ship they were everywhere. They replicated in between hyperspace jumps and pecked holes in the wiring where they could.

There was a quibble, closer this time, and he drifted a hand towards a small gun-like weapon beside him. He picked it up gently. A glazed look came over his eyes.

A flicker of movement to the right caught his eye and Mak swiveled. A thin green beam shot out of his gun and splayed into a nearby wall. The metal absorbed the ray as if it were not there.

Damn quail. He held the weapon ready and waited.

�Well, look who it is,� Doctor Jenkins murmured with a hint of sarcasm. Soo gave him a �look� and urged the Trez in.

�Now, which one are you?� she asked it and bobbed down to look at the creature more closely.

�1468,� a mechanical voice replied from the Trez�s voicebox. The green blob looked up as mournfully as a green blob could.

�Want to explain to us exactly what happened in the fuel room?� the well informed doctor interrogated.

�Virus,� a mechanical voice droned in reply as the Trez shivered, �christmas virus, local. Local christmas virus.�

The doctor raised an eyebrow, �Perhaps one of the symptoms is speaking gibberish.�

�Local christmas virus,� the Trez insisted.

�What about that silver substance we found?� Soo asked the doctor, �Could it be a virus?�

He pondered it for a moment, �Doubtful but not impossible. Not many living creatures can survive in the fuel room� but then it could also be mechanoid in nature. But what does it mean by local, if it�s not as I said, speaking gibberish?�

�Local,� 1468 encouraged.

Soo pursed her lips, �Local, I would assume, means it was manufactured right here, on the Arboreal.�

The alien craft, piloted by Perrin, must have suddenly noticed it was being pursued. It dodged left, forcing Corbin to do the same at his ridiculous speed. The fighter�s hull groaned in response.

�So that�s the way we want to play it is it,� Corbin murmured, still grinning. Perrin might be a fighter pilot but he was about to meet his match.

Several high speed missile weapons shot out of the rear of the alien vessel and sped towards Corbin�s fighter. His grin fell and he twisted the fighter to the right, narrowly missing the weapons and swearing in the process.

�You fool!� he yelled as he slammed the communications on to Perrin, �slow down now and get your ass back to the Arboreal.� The ship dipped downwards and out of sight of the viewscreen. Corbin glared and followed suit.

�Let�s see how good you really are,� he growled through gritted teeth. More missiles flew out but he dodged them gracefully and pushed the acceleration to the max. There was a wild glint in his eyes. Corbin pushed the fighter upwards, above Perrin�s alien vessel.

�Warning,� the fighter crowed, �this vessel is currently exceeding recommended speeds. Please slow down or the hull may be breached.� He ignored it. Who made these stupid human messages anyway? They didn�t know how to really handle a ship. They were approaching an asteroid belt and if he didn�t get Perrin before it he was likely to lose the idiot or crash.

Perrin was counting on getting there first.

A giant asteroid loomed before them. He was heading straight for it, playing the game of chicken � who would pull out first. But Corbin wasn�t one to give up the challenge.

�Computer,� he commanded, �read me the seconds till time of impact with celestial body at location six, zero, five.�

�Time to impact is fifty six seconds.�

�Continue countdown,� he continued, �let�s see what she�s got left in her. Ready grapple hooks.�

�Warning, this vessel is currently exceeding recommended speeds�� A panel exploded to his right. The tip of the fighter nudged over the end of the alien vessel.

�Time to impact is thirty two seconds.� The panel continued to fizzle and crack and then another on the left followed suit, exploding so that the panel top crashed into the opposite wall.

�Please slow down or the hull may be breached,� the automated warning�s tone went up a notch.

�Time to impact is nineteen seconds.� Corbin slammed his palm down on the giant black button to initiate a separation procedure. The entire rear of the vessel flung back behind him � weapons, most of the engines, almost all of the fighter leaving only a small shape similar to a large evacuation pod.

But the speed he had built up, followed by the sudden loss of weight gave Corbin the extra edge he needed. Grappling hooks whipped out and lodged themselves onto Perrin�s ship. There was a sucking motion as they pulled what was left of the fighter to stick to the other vessel�s hull.

Perrin veered upwards, missing the asteroid by seconds.

Corbin looked down angrily towards the area where the bottom of the fighter�s hull met the top of Perrin�s vessel�s hull. With an almighty wham he forced his fist downwards. The hull creaked and bent beneath it before finally splitting. He ripped the metal up creating a passageway between the two vessels and peered down. Everything was still.

With a sigh, he put his arms on either side of the hole and jumped down. Landing with a thump, he stood and turned towards the front of the ship only to meet with a closed fist in the face.

Corbin rubbed his face irritatedly, �That hurt you fool.� Perrin was clutching at his right hand in agonising pain and rolling off a line of swear words in his own language.

�You have a face of iron,� he growled, hugging the hand.

Corbin grimaced, �You�re an idiot Perrin. I don�t know what you�re trying to accomplish but I promised Aara I�d bring you back in one piece.� Perrin dropped his hand and scowled.

�I made no such promise,� he said and started forward. Corbin ducked the swing easily and brought an elbow into Perrin�s back, sending him stumbling towards the rear of the ship. Nervous chittering broke out to the left and Lambut bounced out from behind a panel door and attempted to climb the slippery walls in panic. What the hell was the monkey doing here?

For the moment Corbin was distracted by the appearance of the Urmay so that he did not see Perrin picking up a loose pipe and swinging it towards the Kaat. The pipe smacked him in the back and he doubled over with pain. Perrin swung the pipe again to hit the Kaat over the head but Corbin brought up a hand to clutch at the pipe behind him, stopping it in its tracks.

Oh if he hadn�t promised Aara�

Corbin heaved the pipe over his head and it crashed on one of the front panels then dropped to the floor. Something beeped desperately but he ignored it. Annoying computer messages must be catching. Instead he turned and took the traitorous Geykeng by the shirt, lifting him from the ground.

�I�ve just about had enough of you,� he growled and heaved Perrin to the front of the ship. Perrin crashed onto the panel top where the pipe had landed and slithered down. The beeping became even more desperate and Lambut shrieked repeatedly at the top of his lungs. Corbin looked up and for the first time realised a huge orange planet was looming on the viewscreen. He stared at it in surprise.

Perrin blinked as he tried to keep himself conscious. He dragged a hand across the ship�s floor in an attempt to stand. His fist closed around something long, smooth and cold. He smiled and raised the pipe. With the last of his energy he flung it at the head of that annoying Kaat. It connected with Corbin�s head with a clunk, knocking him to the ground.

A chuckled burst up Perrin�s throat but before he could finish laughing, his eyes rolled back into his head and he blacked out.

In the middle of nowhere, a lone alien ship plunged towards a planet surface.

�Thanx Hooey,� she replied and decided not to add that she already knew this. There was something in the air, the way things moved, that distinguished hyperdrive from normal drive.

�How many more jumps do we have left?� she added as she stood. She�d taken quarters elsewhere in the station, unable to bring herself to take the Captain�s. Someone had lived in these quarters once. But at least she didn�t know who. And at least it was somewhere that didn�t embody the huge responsibilities that the Captain�s quarters did.

�Two,� Hooey replied neutrally.

�Ms Manor,� the Doctor said at the same time. Aara was thankful that there was at least someone on board who didn�t address her as Captain.

�Have you got good news for me Doctor?� Aara pleaded as she exited the comfy quarters to the Arboreal�s corridors.

�Wish I did,� he replied, �but I maybe able to explain our Trez�s strange behaviour.�

Aara sighed with relief, stopping in her tracks, �Please.�

�We think it might be some sort of virus,� he replied, �I�m getting samples of the substance in the fuel room as we speak. It�s not easy but the other Trez is helping me. If it is a virus, I need to contain it soon.�

�A virus, a virus can do that?� Aara asked perplexed.

�Look I�m doing my best,� the Doctor replied irritatedly and cut the line. Aara rested her head against the wall. She was so sick of this. She didn�t know these people and they didn�t know her. Who was she kidding? It was time to pack up and leave this place behind. Go home. Get another job. A safe job, on a safe station.

Maybe not a station. Mars was supposed to be nice.

She needed something familiar. Suddenly her jaw dropped. Where was Lambut?!

�Hooey!� she called frantically.

�Can I help you?� it replied calmly, as always.

�Where�s Lambut?� There was silence on the other end of the channel.

�Lambut�� he hesitated.

�That�s right. Small urmay type life-form,� she waited in anticipation.

�He�s not on board,� Hooey finally admitted.

�What?� Aara growled. Why hadn�t he told her earlier? Like, whenever and wherever her pet, no friend, had left.

Hooey sighed, �He�s not on board. The best I can think of is that he slipped of with Perrin or Corbin without me noticing. I�m sorry Aara, I should have noticed.� It was the first time he had called her by her name.

�Well,� she said through gritted teeth, �Let�s all hope that we are fortunate enough to have here a Kaat that actually keeps its promises, shall we.� She didn�t even bother to shut down the line before she thumped the walls with her fists.

�You know,� a deep voice said nearby, �if the Humans only ever did one thing, one thing, right in their entire existance, it would be to include a bottle of brandy in emergency rations.� Perrin opened his eyes and immediately flinched at the sight of his surroundings.

�Brandy?� he groaned as his eyes managed slightly to adjust to the brightness around him. It was dusk, wherever they were. Dusk in a place that looked as a vast desert. It was not sandy, but a long plain of flat earth, with the exception of the looming alien vehicle to his left, and the long, lone log he, and the Kaat Corbin were lying against. Behind, in the far distance, Perrin thought he could make out the dark shapes of mountains, but they were certainly a fair distance, perhaps too far on the low supply of water they would have from the emergency rations.

Corbin was on his right, sitting slightly more upright than the slumped Perrin, and putting the lip of a large dark bottle to his mouth. The Kaat drank, nodded his approval, then warmed a hand on the fire he�d built in front of them, which had been the bright light overwhelming Perrin�s eyes a moment earlier. Now the fire seemed to barely pierce the shadows that were falling across them. A moment later he noticed Lambut on his left, scratching something in the dirt with a stick. Perrin wondered where the Kaat had found the driftwood, then decided not to ask.

�Give me that,� he growled, snatching the bottle from the Kaat�s hands. If he�d thought about it, Perrin would have recognised what a potentially fatal, overwhelmingly stupid move that was. Strangely, Corbin just seemed to shrug his shoulders of the action, and let Perrin take the bottle.

Perrin scowled at the Kaat as if it would take away from the throbbing pain he was feeling in his head, and took his own swig from the bottle. He coughed as the alcohol burned down his throat.

�What is this stuff?� the Geykeng hybrid gasped, handing the bottle back to the Kaat with a disgusted look on his face.

The Kaat brightened, �Brandy of Donovre. Good stuff, I mean, it doesn�t beat a good Kaat ale � not strong enough, but damn near close.� The Kaat burped loudly, finished off the bottle and threw it lopsidedly over the fire. Evidently, the Kaat was drunk. Or at least close to, which insinuated that the brandy was more potent that Perrin would have dared to guess. He felt his own senses whir for a second.

�Well that was silly,� Perrin announced tipsily, after only one mouthful, �we might have needed that.� He chuckled as though he�d made a joke and Corbin joined it. Lambut squinted at the two strangely and chittered.

�Are we waiting for something?� Perrin asked, squinting at Corbin. Suddenly he could barely remember anything that had happened before here.

�Death,� Corbin nodded seriously, then smiled in amusement, �actually, it�s a really funny story.�

�Yeah,� Perrin grinned and laughed drunkenly with the Kaat.

�You idiot,� Corbin began in began gasps of laughter, �crash landed us on a desert planet,� he laughed again, �no one knows where we are, communication is down, and Aara is going to kill us when she discovers you kidnapped her monkey.�

His laughing subsided and Corbin frowned, �Actually that�s not very funny.�

�No,� Perrin agreed. Lambut screeched angrily at the two of them.

�Sorry,� the drunken Corbin apologised to Aara�s friend, �Uuuurmay.� For some reason it didn�t seem to calm the creature down. It continued to shriek in a high pitched noise.

�What�s it going on about now?� Perrin asked. He looked up but everything had gone decidedly blurry in his intoxication.

�I don�t know,� Corbin replied. Something shiny and metallic reflected the campfire light into his eyes and he winced. Then there was a strange thump, as Lambut�s shrieking only increased in pitch, and suddenly everything spiraled away. In his half-unconscious state, Corbin could only recognised that something, or someone, was dragging his body across the desolate wasteland of a planet.

�Fantastic,� Aara said encouraged, stalking into through the bridge doors towards the lift to the Captain�s office.

�Wait,� she stopped and looked to the Dbren, �what�s the bad news?�

Hooey swiveled in his seat, �There�s still no sign of Corbin or Perrin.�

�Somehow that doesn�t surprise me,� Aara sighed, �as soon as possible I�ll get a few of us out there looking for them, but we�re too short staffed at the moment. She turned to leave.

��and,� Hoeey continued as though Aara were still paying attention, �there has been some peculiar weapons fire from the tubules around level three.�

Aara frowned, �Weapons fire? Level three? Mak�s working on the weapon�s system down there�..� Realisation swept over her face, she immediately activated her communications link to the Lumina.

�Mak? Mak, it�s Aara. Mak, are you there?� The only response was a few more blasts of weapon fire and swearing in a foreign language. Then the link went dead. Aara felt her frown deepen.

�Have Ingrid meet me outside the tubule entrance on level 3, corridor 9,� she told Mak, already stalking back towards the bridge entrance.

�A station full of crazy people,� she muttered angrily as she left.

�What was that you said about it not being strong enough,� he asked the unconscious Kaat beside him. At least, Perrin thought the Kaat was unconscious. Corbin groaned himself and moved.

�I�d swear that bottle only said 80% alcohol!� the Kaat exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing his temples. Considering Perrin felt terrible after only one mouthful, he hated to think how the Kaat was feeling right now.

�Where are we?� Perrin groped forward around until he found a wall. This insinuated they were in a room somewhere. He frowned as he felt across the wall.

�The walls are made of metal,� Perrin told Corbin, who was also shuffling around behind him trying to find an exit.

�That�s impossible,� Corbin argued, �out here in the desert? This thing would heat up faster than a Moquar laser beam.� Still, he couldn�t deny the feel of the wall.

�A mo-what?� Perrin frowned at the Kaat, �you know what, don�t worry,� he paused, �I don�t think there�s any way out of here.�

�Well that�s just great,� Corbin gave up his searching angrily, �honestly, what were you thinking. I�ll never understand human behaviour�� The Kaat sat back in the hay they�d woken up in and Perrin plonked himself next to the alien.

�I don�t know,� Perrin replied, realising Corbin was talking about Perrin�s recent strange actions. Now he could only remember everything in a daze, as if he�d only just been there, �� and I�m part Geykeng.�

Corbin nodded, �But it must be your human side muddling your brain � I understand Geykeng.� The Kaat grinned ludicrously at his own joke, showing a broad expanse of sharp teeth. Perrin dragged his fingers through his hair in agitation.

�Why are you helping anyway?� he asked Corbin, �it should have been you stealing the ship, not me. Going back to Kaat space, or something.� Corbin laughed.

�Three reasons,� he explained, �firstly, I know a challenge when I see one. Secondly, I know a fight when I see one,� here he paused for effect, �and lastly, I know a beautiful woman when I see one.� Perrin couldn�t keep the surprised look from his face.

�Aara?� he asked, �I didn�t know Kaat�s were interested in humans.� He flicked some hay across the room and Corbin stood, continuing the investigation of the otherwise empty room.

�Species don�t matter,� Corbin replied absent-mindedly. He was reaching upwards, possibly having identified something in the dark. Kaat eyes were supposed to be better than most species.

�What happened to war over beer and sex?� Perrin asked in amusement, recalling the well-known saying �Kaat�s like war better than anything, beer and sex included.�

Corbin, still stretching up for the ceiling, turned back to Perrin and grinned, �But when you can have all three��� Suddenly there was a loud grating sound and bright light spilled down into the room from above. Perrin winced as the light hit his eyes, but spared enough time to wonder how the metal enclosed room managed to remain cool.

Above them, something small, round and metallic began to fill the opening. Actually, several of them did. Corbin and Perrin squinted up at them.

�What are they?� Corbin growled, eyeing the bobbing orbs.

�V, I think,� Perrin replied in surprise, �I didn�t think they�d be the type to inhabit this planet, assuming I�d thought anything would inhabit this planet.� At that moment, a ladder appeared out of nowhere and descended into the pit, allowing the two to exit.

�What are V?� Corbin pressed as he climbed up the wood and rope ladder behind Perrin, �Are they�. Hostile.� His eyes gleamed, apparently with the thought of a fight. They reached the top, in the middle of the sun�s heat. Perrin realised the two of them must have been unconscious longer than he would have suspected. They were in a small clearing. Mountains surrounded them on all sides at there were other strange metal structures dotting the mountain sides around them. A great many small round orb � V - surrounded them, beeping and flashing little red lights at the two strangers.

�No,� Perrin finally replied, giving the Kaat a dirty look, �V are known to be peaceful. They usually keep to themselves, but they are intelligent.� It was then that Perrin noticed Lambut, he was in a large metal cage north of their position, sitting glumly on the ground and poking at the dirt again. Perrin nodded in Lambut�s direction to show Corbin where their friend was.

Out of nowhere, a small V streamed through the air whirring like an angry bee, launching itself at the Kaat. Several little nasty extensions protruded from its smooth surface. Corbin plucked it out of the air and managed to hold back the strange extensions.

�They don�t look too friendly,� he grumbled, peering at the little agitated sphere. Perrin looked surprised and Corbin frowned, noticing something strange on the surface of the V creature.

�Perrin�� he began, but before he could finish, a whole swarm of V flew at Corbin and Perrin. Perrin lurched backwards in shock, and reached for a weapon he no longer had.

�Suggestions?� he barked at the Kaat in surprise, but Corbin had already leapt his way across the gap between himself and the cage Lambut was held within. With a horrible wrenching sound, he tore one of the metal bars from the cage and whacked a V with it like a baseball. The V careered away in a lopsided arch, continuing it whirring clicks in irritation. A moment later, a second machine crunched under the weight of the bar.

Perrin ducked as several V flew at him, then dodged his way over beside Corbin, batting at the small orbs as he went.

�Aara would never go for you,� he told the Kaat seriously, slamming a fist into one of the orbs that had flown at him, �Kaat�s are too warlike.� Corbin looked the Geykeng up and down and smiled, still continuing his battle with the flock of annoying metal creatures.

�Don�t worry pilot,� he addressed Perrin, �Kaat have their own saying; �Don�t take another man�s woman�. Unless it starts a war.� He moved off into the air filled with V, leaving Perrin behind looking muddled.

�What the hell did that mean?� the Geykeng called after Corbin, but was then forced to duck again as another angry V flew at his head. He realised Lambut, who�d been in the cage the whole time, was jumping up and down inside it madly, once again resorting to his high pitched squeels. Then very suddenly everything stopped, literally. The V moved away from the intruders as a flock, and there was a louder whirring noise as one lone V ventured out from behind the swarm.

�What�s going on?� Corbin asked Perrin from a few paces away, still holding up his section of pipe threateningly.

�I�m not sure,� Perrin replied, his eyes following the single V, �but this one has a vocal attachment.� A strange device attached to the larger than most orb looked similar to the vocal attachments worn by the Trez. The V beeped and flashed and spinned slowly as if looking between the three of them; Corbin, Perrin and the now silent Lambut.

�You bring virus,� it finally spoke in a monotone voice, �You bring cure. Please explain cure.� Perrin and Corbin looked to each other; Perrin was puzzled and Corbin with a raised eyebrow.

�I�m sorry,� Perrin told the V, �we have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.� The V flashed and whirred in response.

�Virus,� it pressed, �you bring virus, and cure. What is virus cure?� Perrin threw his hands up in the air and looked to Corbin.

�Virus, what virus?� he asked the V. Honestly he was beginning to worry they�d landed in a group of dangerously unstable V entities.

�I think I might know what it�s talking about,� Corbin suddenly interrupted, �you see that silver stuff on some of the V�s bodies.� Perrin followed the Kaat�s gaze and looked towards the angry mob still whirring away behind the long V. It took him a moment but he finally saw what the Kaat was talking about and nodded.

�If you�d been paying any attention to your duties on the Arboreal,� Corbin continued, �you�d know we found the exact same stuff in the fuel room there.�

Perrin frowned, �So we�ve brought some sort of virus with us� and they think we�ve also brought the cure. Why would they think that.� Corbin shrugged.

The V creature span violently on the spot, then stopped before interjecting, �Saw cure. Saw cure bottle.� It flittered questioningly. Realisation swept across Perrin�s face.

�It thinks the alcohol was the cure,� he told Corbin in a half whisper, �what are we going to do.�

�How should I know,� Corbin replied calmly, �maybe it�s right.� He seemed unconcerned about their current plight.

�We�ll just have to tell it we don�t have the cure,� Perrin surmised and Corbin�s eyebrows shot up.

�Of course; we could tell them what was in the bottle and let them find out for themselves if it�s a cure, but that would spoil the opportunity to continue our wonderful fight.� Perrin glared at the Kaat, but realised he was right. Sighing, he turned back to the V leader.

�The bottle you saw contained brandy, alcohol, ethanol,� he threw out a long list of descriptives, hoping the V would understand. A long row of lights across the surface of the creature lighted up and it began to click soothingly, then it did a complete three sixty degree turn and disappeared behind the flock of V behind it.

�Well?� Perrin asked no one in particular, �What happens now.�

�I don�t know,� Corbin agreed, �but I have a feeling it�s not up to us."

Mak was beyond, crawling about the tubules angrily with a weapon in his hand, firing off into the distance at odd intervals.

�Mak,� Aara said quietly down into the tubule, then shouted more loudly, �Mak!� The Lumina turned and looked at Aara and Ingrid in agitation and glared. Then slowly he lifted his weapon up to point at the two and began to press his finger so as to fire it.

Aara�s eyes widened and she slammed a palm to the button to close the tubule door and threw herself to the side just in case. Ingrid mimicked her action, though fortunately the door closed in time so that the fire crashed harmlessly onto its inner surface. Aara swallowed nervously and placed a hand to her comm wrist badge.

�Doctor,� Aara replied, �do you have any news for me yet regarding the virus.�

�Actually I might,� Doctor Jenkins replied, analysing a sample of the silver substance and the dead Trez. He�d had the live Trez bring them back from the fuel room, which had taken some time.

�I can confirm that it is a virus,� he told Aara, peering at the computer representation of the substance, �but it�s strange, like nothing I�ve ever seen before.�

�Do you think it�s what caused the Trez strange actions?� Aara asked, slightly worried that any moment now Mak was going to burst forth from the tubule entrance.

�That would be my guess,� the Doctor agreed.

�Well Doctor, it looks like you just got a new patient. I think Mak has the virus too.�

? Can Perrin and Corbin escape the desert planet?

? Will the Doctor find a cure in time to save Mak?

? Exactly how angry will Aara be when she find out Perrin kidnapped her monkey?

? And what happens when a shitload of fast-reproducing annoying quail get infected with a violence-inducing disease.