“Use Paul or Drax,” he said. “Either one can work. Or both. Though I think we’re being highly optimistic in thinking that any of us acting like royalty will have any impact on the natives of the planet.”
“It might,” Tito said. He was looking intently at the screen at his station. “If, you know, we can find any. I see no signs of what we’d call human life down there. I don’t see life that appears sentient in any way. I just see a ton of green.”
“Well, let’s get down there and find out. How do we tell if we can breathe on the planet?”
“Scanning planet now,” Mother said. “Results shortly.”
Chose not to ask how this wonder was achieved. “Just be ready to book it out of here, chlorophyll or no chlorophyll, if things go badly.”
Mother confirmed that we could breathe the air safely, so, while Jerry, Joe, Randy, and Brian actually got to do the jobs they’d trained for, the rest of us on the away team trotted off to grab those members who hadn’t been on the command deck and get ready.
Spent some time with the kids, presumably so we could listen to them whine about not getting to go along. Got whined at by Team Tough Guys, too, so allowed Wruck to join us. Was grateful that the shuttles held twenty, since we were, by now, at sixteen. Airborne whined at us over the intercom, but were overruled based on all of them actually being able to pilot the ship.
“I suppose it’s a good thing that everyone wants to visit, right?” I asked Jeff as we all got into the body armor that was standard on all Drax Industrial ships.
The first time I’d put on Drax Body Armor, Patent Pending, I’d been impressed. Not as impressed as I’d been by what the Alfred in Bizarro World had created, but still, impressed. But now? Now I was officially enthralled.
For the Distant Voyager, Drax had pulled out all the body armor stops. Now, it not only conformed to your entire body, but allowed you to look as if you were just wearing your normal street clothes because it went on over them and conformed to them as well. Though the armor didn’t cover my purse—that I had to carry over my neck and let it risk itself without protection. So Alfred on Bizarro World was still ahead in the game.
But it was hard to complain because Drax was definitely winning in this universe. Had no idea how he’d done it—despite him having told me countless times—because my ears just didn’t want the rest of me to have to know and, frankly, I didn’t really care how he’d done it, just that he had.
“I don’t know if I’d call it good, baby,” Jeff said. “But it really seems as though all our civilians on board think we’re on some sort of vacation.”
“Like the Grand Tour, only of space, not of Europe.”
“Yes,” Chuckie said. “Very much like that. I’m with Jeff—I don’t think most of the civilians see being out here as the very dangerous thing it is.”
“We’ll be ready for the danger,” Claudia said.
Mahin nodded. “No one is going to ruin the trip for everyone.”
“And we know it’s not a vacay,” Abigail added. “But I don’t see any reason to panic the others—right now, I feel pretty great.” Since an aspect of Abigail’s exceptional A-C talents was that she was sort of a reverse empath—meaning if someone near her was angry, she got angry, and so on—her feeling good was a very positive sign.
Jeff grunted. “I agree that the level of excitement is high. But that’s why they all want to visit this planet with us.”
“We’ll worry about it once we see what’s down there,” Christopher said reassuringly. “Amy, Denise, and Doreen are riding herd on all the kids, and Kevin’s got the rest of the security personnel assigned throughout the ship where our people are. It’ll be fine.”
“Do we take weapons?” Lorraine asked, as Rahmi and Rhee pulled out their battle staffs. They were the daughters of Queen Renata, who was both our close ally and the ruler of Beta Twelve. They were also Amazons. And somehow, they always had their battle staffs with them, even if no one else could see them. Had often wondered if it was because the Amazons were shape-shifters, but had never found the right time to ask, and now was certainly not it.
“Hells to the yeah,” Reader replied. “I don’t want us down there unarmed. It sounds great to say that you come in peace, but it helps to be loaded for bear, just in case.”
“What James said, tenfold.” I liked Drax’s laser guns. They were big and effective, but light to carry.
“I agree, as well.” Mister Joel Oliver was in da house, and he had all his cameras on.
“What are you doing here?” Jeff asked.
“And where’s Bellie? And before you try to say she’s back home, I already know that she’s on board.”
Oliver shrugged. “I asked Bellie to remain in our quarters, which she agreed to do because I’m going down to the planet with you. This is the first time any of us will land on this world. From what Prince Gustav has said and the star charts show, this area of the galaxy isn’t well traveled. For all we know, we’re about to be the first contact for whatever sentient race or races are down there. As such, a trained and seasoned journalist will be an excellent addition to the landing party. Also, it’s me or Miss Kristie, take your pick.”
“You,” said in unison by most of those in the room.
“Having a cyborg along wouldn’t be a bad thing,” I pointed out. Not that I wanted the Kristie-Bot over Oliver, but still, she could take far more of a beating than he could. “Or an android,” I added for loyalty’s sake. The Kristie-Bot had proven her worth, but I still preferred Butler and Maurer.
“Which is why Colonel Butler is also joining us,” Oliver shared. “He doesn’t feel that he needs body armor or weapons. He’s familiarizing himself with the shuttle’s systems while waiting for the rest of us.”
“Who isn’t going with us might be the better question, but fine.”
“Think of it as if it’s Beta Eight,” Serene said, as she slung her chosen laser onto her back. “Maybe we’ll get along with most of the inhabitants and it’ll be beautiful and wonderful.”
“I echo my half-sister’s optimism,” White said, eyes twinkling. “The portion of the White Family that’s going along is ready for the excursion, come what may.”
“Then let’s do it,” Tim said. “Before anyone else demands to join us.”
Shuttles were able to launch from a variety of areas around the ship. From the command deck, we could go through doorways to the right or left of the main command area. Per Wruck, Butler had chosen a shuttle on the left side, for no reason other than he’d been closer to that side when the decision to go had been made.
“Did you guys check the shuttles for stowaways?” I asked Wruck, as we entered the shuttle bay.
“No,” a new voice said. “They didn’t.”
CHAPTER 29
WE ALL JUMPED AND stared at the Dazzler standing there, looking amused. “You all really like to make things interesting.”
“Camilla, what the hell?” was about all I could come up with as a reply.