“I was too young,” Eazi said. “I wasn’t aware of how they got me up into space, but the Levron class battleships the Tecran used have more power than the Garmman’s ships. Unless they’ve made some changes.”
“I’m betting they’ve made some changes. If they’re flirting with war, they’d have had to, surely?” And she wondered how long they’d been doing just that.
Probably since some of them made a deal to hand over the plans for the Class 5s to the Tecran.
“Admiral Hoke has sent two runners out here to get you,” Eazi told her. “So you only need to get somewhere where they can pick you up.”
Fee straightened. “Oh, that’s very good to hear. I made it all the way down to the entrance to the tunnel earlier, but the grate over it is locked and this time I didn’t have you to give me the code. I ended up having to come back and pretend I never went anywhere.”
“I’ll look for the code,” Eazi said. “Bunny told Paxe something neither of us can understand. That there was a creature just like him down there with you. Do you know whatthat’s about? Do the Garmman have a small drone that’s self-aware like Bunny?”
Fee frowned, about to shake her head, when she put a hand to her mouth in shock. “The grahudi.”
“The grahudi?” Eazi sounded astonished.
“It’s still here. It was badly hurt when you blew up the base, but it survived. Barely. We met it down in the tunnel. Bunny wasn’t at all interested in attacking it, and it wasn’t interested in attacking us, either. I would like the Fitali to come get it, actually. It’s only just holding on down here.”
“The grahudi is not a drone,” Eazi said.
“I know, but it’s more than just an animal. Imogen told me the Fitali hid its existence because the grahudi were already using tools and headed for higher sentience, and they didn’t want to admit it and lose access to the planet it’s from.”
“Bunny saw himself in a biological creature on the verge of higher sentience.” Eazi wasn’t asking a question, he sounded like he was stating a fact that he could scarcely believe.
“It makes sense,” Fee said. “There are many parallels.”
“It’s . . . fascinating,” Eazi admitted.
There was a beat of silence, and she wondered if he was conversing with Paxe.
“I just had a comm from the admiral’s office. Your ride will be there in about two hours.”
Fee stood, got some more water, because it might be the last she would get for some time, and filled the cup to take along with her.
“If Bart comes to get me, he’ll probably freak to find me gone, but if he’s here to take me to see the frame being lifted, then they’ll probably be too busy to do much about it.”
“I’ve got the code to the tunnel door,” Eazi told her. “And Hal is on his way, now he knows the Garmman are here.”
“Okay, let me out of here, then. And tell Hal to be careful not to damage the Class 5,” Fee said as she walked to the door. “Paxe can use it.”
“Oh, he knows.” Eazi said. “He’s almost beside himself with excitement. He wants that frame like he’s never wanted anything before. He’s salivating. This will wipe out all the delays up until now and then some.”
“What’s Bunny doing, by the way? He raced off to the frame as soon as the Garmman arrived.”
“He’s trying to make sure they can’t lift it off the ground,” Eazi said. “Even a drop from a small height might damage it.”
Fee heard the locks disengage and smiled as she pushed the door open. “Heaven forbid.” She was sure Bunny would do his best to stop any kind of lift off, although she was a little bit sorry that she wouldn’t get to watch the frame hoisted into space.
That would have been a sight to see.
CHAPTER 38
“There they are!”Chel leapt to his feet as their scanners registered the battleship up ahead.
“Go wide, come in fast,” Hal ordered. He already knew what they’d find here.
Eazi had let him know a Garmman battleship was hovering over the old Tecran base.
Chel ramped up the speed, slid them sideways, and rounded on their prey.
