The Dead Zone
Unnamed System: DZ206,145
Aboard ISS Belfast Windfall

Lieutenant Arella Newark ran down the corridor in a tank top, Interstel sweatpants and bare feet. It was 0214, shipboard time and she was scarcely awake. She stumbled to a halt outside Commander Biggs Hilsfar's quarters at the head of the lodging bay and started smacking the hatch. After a few seconds, a confused voice drifted out. "It's open, damn it, do you have any idea--"

Arella burst into the room, "I know where it is, Biggs, I know where the Nomad relay is!" The Commander sat up in his bunk and hit his head on the roof of the inset module. He groaned and she continued, only slightly more coherent than he, "plasma bolts, Biggs! Where else would they have been able to pull it off? It's the plasma bolts, we've got to get out of orbit in lay and a course." While she raved on, Biggs Hilsfar attempted to roll out of his bunk, but something went terribly wrong and he ended up on the deck. Of two considered actions since his rude awakening, both had caused him considerable pain. He thought carefully, planned each motion, and then reached into a drawer for a bottle of aspirin.

New Scotland
The Vell Bralis Nova Orbital City
Commerce and Transport, Temporary Facility

It had been a rough couple of weeks. Never mind the destroyed facility, there had been six friends to bury. Elizabei Hurgumsa was working feverishly to get her part of the Staff-Pythagoras project up and running again. She looked up to see Rixxa-bzrg coming into the room and she turned on the translator. "Elizabei, we finally made contact with ISS Reply, said the Veloxi, "some of their systems scrambled when we went off line during the attack." Elizabei let out a sigh. Laying the NavComm buoys on the trade route between New Scotland and Earth was one struggle after another.

Elan
Teshbulr City
Coreward Plowshares Suite

Halura and three colleagues had been in a conference about the message from ISS Belfast Windfall when the alert came in from the defense net. It had sent a shock of acid through all of their systems. The most frightening bit of news was that the assaulting Thrynn force had included an amphibious dock ship. It had been a long time since they had actually landed their
rabid shock troops on an Elowan world. When the battle group had abruptly turned around, a great relief abounded. It was quickly replaced by suspicion. Now Halura and those same compatriots were considering the logical question and its implications for Coreward Plowshares. What were the terrible lizards concocting?

Uftursh, a retired professor, was perplexed. "Perhaps only the Thrynn can probe the logic of it. They seem to have gained nothing but the destruction of two of our patrol ships." His leaves and vines rustled gently as he absorbed a measure of distilled water from a basin near his lower extremities. "In any event, there is a spot of good news. New Scotland Commerce and Transport still exists, though a bit worse for the wear. We can all be glad of that. It really is of key importance." He reflected briefly, then added, "certainly, we are fortunate to have the Humans back from the brink, are we not?" They all agreed.

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Next: "Law and Nuance"

Grz'nnnnnzzzzzz picc! Gooz brfffn hix'pvka nz pozf-pozf covsgrsh xxenko d'sheshz'p-- rbfg! Gozm'vbookupko grm'hooooooooo-k'poovka. Brsh vikry xxenko boof kribx n'magga-toh.

"Hilsfar & Company: Because Biggs Is Cheap"