Chapter Four

"Echo, how's our pilot feeling?" He called out as he reached the door to cell A.

"He's good enough to fly, still isn't sober though." Echo chimed over the speakers.

"Have you ever seen him sober?" He looked at the nearest camera with an inquisitive glance.

"You're a funny guy." Echo chuckled. "Hydroponics had a good harvest earlier, section twenty. Head up to the observation deck when you're free." The speaker powered down; leaving only the smooth purr of the ship, echoing through the stoic hallways.

Dru raised his hand to a circular plate beside the door, he pressed his palm against it, forming a connection with the nanites. After a moment the door opened, silently, revealing a man with short brown hair, pale white skin and a scruffy beard. He was sat on the bed, swigging from a large glass bottle in his right hand; the floor was littered with numerous empty bottles, each one identical to the last.

"What you on this time Warlock?" He mused to the man, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh…boss, this here's some cider from them apples in 3-28. You want some?" Warlocks' words were as slurred as usual; despite being a drunkard, he was a damn good pilot.

"Gi's it 'ere then." Dru stepped away from the door frame, and slowly raised his arm in anticipation.

Warlock hurled the bottle at him with a menacing grin, he grinned back. With a flick of his hand he caught the bottle, he nodded towards the drunkard and took a swig.

"Damn that's' good" He exclaimed before taking another swig. "Got any more?"

"We got a few hundred bottles from this batch, it was a good harvest." Warlock wandered over to him, staggering from side to side as he went.

"There's a prisoner in cell B, the medi-bot's having a look at him now. On top of that I found the professor, with any luck we'll be launching tomorrow. If not then we'll probably be stuck here until the translator's done." Dru turned and made his way towards the main door into the corridor.

Warlock stumbled out behind him "I gonna get that bottle back?" He called out, coming to a halt in the centre of the open room.

Dru turned, taking one last swig. He lobbed it back to Warlock, who nodded in thanks, and left the brig. The door slid shut as he rounded the corner; making his way to the workshop.

By the time he reached the workshop, he was anxious to get to work. As the door slid open before him, he saw Zeth'an staring wide-eyed at a device floating over a bench.

"That Professor, is the translator." He announced from the other side of the room.

"It's already complete?" Zeth'an sounded almost afraid, for some reason.

"Mostly, it just needs to have languages inputted. I've already put Galactic Standard onto it.

"Is that how you've been able to speak it?" Zeth'an tilted his head to the side, revealing his curiosity.

"I've got another one built into this body. It took a long time to find you Zeth'an, I hope it was worth my time." The Vah shuddered, obviously unsettled by the veiled threat.