Chapter 197: The Stolen Technology
"Maybe if we started from the beginning, we could come to a reasonable conclusion that everyone can accept," suggested Tha’juen. "Do you know how the technology was stolen in the first place and exactly what it was? Because all I am aware of is that technology was stolen, but not what it was."
"How do you want the list? Alphabetical or by year stolen?" asked Jun Li from the overhead speakers.
"Is that an AI?" cut in Cruz’uts. "Are we really on an AI controlled vessel?"
"Yes," shrugged Midnight. He leaned back and looked around the entertainment lounge where they were meeting. It was really different than any other space he had been in, and he had been on his fair share of Sisalik ships. It must have been Star Beam who changed things around to suit her. Every small detail had her signature on it. Even down to the small pots of plants on random tables.
"Shut up, Cruz’uts," hissed Tha’juen. Being in an AI ship was the least of their worries. It was the males sitting in front of them that gave off the most significant threat. "A list sorted by the year it was stolen would be appreciated," continued Tha’juen.
"Electronic or paper copy?"
"I’m sorry, what?" asked Tha’juen, confused. He had never heard of the terms electronic or paper copy before. Was this like fish?
"He is asking if you would like a list sent to your wrist unit or printed out for you to hold and make notes as needed. Jun Li, I’ll take five paper copies of the list, please, and thank you," explained Ye’tab before turning his attention to Vraev’ox. "Are you aware of what items were stolen?"
"No," replied the other male flatly. "Just that I needed to find those that had Saalistaja technology and get it back."
"Ah, and now the truth comes to light. You weren’t told to kill those that stole it; that was your own addendum to the mission," smirked Midnight, taking a sip of his coffee. He had left their mate watching something called a movie in the next room, but he didn’t know how long that would keep her occupied. He also hated the fact that she was alone at the moment.
"It is just you three, right?" he asked, suddenly remembering something important.
"What do you mean?" hissed Cruz’uts. "There were originally five of us, but you seem to have converted two over to your side. So yes, there is only the three of us."
"What are you thinking?" demanded Au’dtair, turning to the male beside him.
"I am thinking about you and Ye’tab," answered Midnight, not saying anything else, but it was clear to the other two males precisely what he was implying.
"Jun Li?"
"I am not reading any other signatures," came the clipped voice of Jun Li. "Scans indicate six Saalistaja, one Njeriuujk, and 19 voragyvis."
"Understood," said Midnight just as Vraev’ox shot to his feet and yelled, "Voragyvis?!? You have voragyvis on this ship? Are you fucking crazy?"
"So much for the calm and collected tribal chief’s son," chuckled Da’kea. He didn’t know what had happened before he arrived. Still, if Midnight and the other two were concerned that there were more people here than originally believed, he trusted their judgment.
"Night?" asked Da’kea, not needing to say anything else. There was a light chirp, and the doors to the entertainment room opened and then quickly closed.
"Better?" asked Da’kea, turning to look at his nest mates.
"Thank you," grunted Midnight. At least he knew that Night would kill anything that entered her quarters that didn’t belong there. Well, hopefully.
Vraev’ox sat back down, more sure than ever that the males in front of him had something happen to them. There was no way any sentient species in any of the known universe would not panic over the idea that they shared a space with the voragyvis. Let alone 19 of them.
The door opened again, and instead of the giant creature Vraev’ox was expecting to come in, there was a robot carrying a large pile of...something... in its arms. It rolled over to Ye’tab and deposited the stack on the table in front of him.
"Thank you," said Ye’tab, picking up Mei Xing’s habit of talking to the worker bots.
"Welcome!" said the bot back, once again startling the three newcomers.
Ye’tab picked through the stack and divided it into five smaller piles. He then handed one to Da’kea before giving one to Tha’juen, Cruz’uts, and Vraev’ox. Only one pile remained in front of him. "This is what the ship had complied in regards to what the Sisalik, who was originally in charge of the ship, stole and where they stole it from."
"What is this material?" asked Tha’juen, intrigued by the feeling of the sheets in his hand. It also had everything neatly written on it in the Saaja language.
"Paper," answered Ye’tab before turning his attention back to the male sitting across from him. "As you can see, they have been stealing our technology for the past 12 planetary revolutions, culminating in the loss of 58 ship-mounted plasma cannons, over 13,000 handheld laser blasters, and one nano suit. Jun Li has noted how many weapons of Saalistaja design they have, but since they don’t count as technology, he put them in a different list."
There was nothing but stillness on the other side of the table as Vraev’ox made his way through the list. This was so much worse than what even the Elders were aware of. How could a ship be able to take so much for so long and not be caught?
"And you claim that it was the Sisalik on this ship that stole everything?" he asked calmly.
"Yes," replied Jun Li. "They then modified both my interior and exterior weapons according to what they managed to get their hands on."
"You will be required to remove all modifications," said Vraev’ox very clearly. He needed to let his father know just how bad the problem was.
"No," said a female voice walking into the room. "Jun Li will not be removing any of the modifications. And if you have an issue with that, well, I suggest that you don’t."
