Harvester 7 Read Free

croaking and hissing, the mind was receptive to a point, but
would never be able to reply.
    "Never mind
boy," he thought while he stroked the scales flat and tickled the
glowing stomach as the lizard writhed in ecstasy, "We would
probably only argue if you could answer me back," he chuckled.
    "Are you
hungry boy?"
    The hiss and
chattering answered him clearly, that was one thing he could
understand, "Of course you are... you're always hungry," he grinned
before selecting a sliver of flesh from the refrigeration unit and
tossing it into the waiting maw.
    Patting his
pet farewell Maulik headed for the bridge, it was still over an
hour before Harvester 7 was scheduled to depart but he wanted to
get his diagnostics checked again, deep inside he knew that the
trip would be long, very long and he wanted every system in perfect
working order.
    "Lieutenant
Relik," he called as he strode onto the wide bridge, Relik stood to
attention and the flick of his mirrored eyes indicated that he was
open to direct and private mind contact, Maulik nodded and
established the link.
    "Re-run all
diagnostics, every system, I want this bucket in perfect working
order before we leave."
    Relik smiled,
"I've already run them twice, I guessed we were in for a long one
when I saw the provisions manifest, at least six months worth."
Maulik nodded, Relik was a smart officer and with another fifty or
sixty years of experience would probably make a fine harvester
master.
    "Any idea
where we're going this time?"
    Maulik
grinned, "You know as much as I do, you know the protocol."
    Relik nodded as Master Maulik cut the link, and returned to
his diagnostics. With the computer systems around the ship sending
their reports he had a few moments to study the inbound manifest
again, the stream of data on the screen reflected in his mirrored
eyes, suddenly he paused the flow and studied an entry, Classified blinked on
his display arousing his curiosity,
    "Well that's
not normal." he announced as he tried to access the files.
    "What's not
normal?" asked Maulik, "Is there a problem?" He hoped not, a
failing system now could delay departure for days, the jump gates
required huge amounts of energy to hurl two hundred million tons of
harvester to light speed and would take many hours to recharge, and
by that time 7 would have missed its departure slot
    "No problem
with the ship," replied Relik, "It’s fully functional, it's just we
have some classified cargo coming on-board and I can't get into the
files, the decryption is the highest level... Military level." he
announced but on a private link directly to his master and
commander.
    "Work on it,"
replied Maulik, "But don't set off any alarms, what hold is it
coming into?"
    "It's not
coming into the hold," announced a confused Relik, "Well some of
the consignment is going to Hold 32, but the rest... well, the rest
is coming here! it's coming to the bridge?"
    "Keep working
on that decryption." urged Maulik, maybe he hadn't gleaned even a
fraction of the information about the mission from Commander
Trulek, only personnel could be coming onto his bridge, but why the
secrecy, 7 wasn't a transport, command knew that, who was he going
to be carrying?
    "Maulik!"
cried the startled lieutenant, "Sorry Sir, Master Maulik." Relik
corrected himself, "I still can't get into the file but Hold 32 is
now full."
    "Full."
exclaimed Maulik, "Impossible!"
    "I know Sir...
but it's still full."
    Placing his
fingers on the glowing communication pad Maulik attempted to
contact Harvester Command.
    Trulek
responded, "Before you ask, yes I know your hold is full, Maulik,
this is beyond my control and certainly beyond yours, and before
you ask, no, I can't tell you anything, just continue prep as
normal, you will be briefed directly once you have made the
jump."
    "Directly?" he
questioned, this was not standard procedure, no master jumped
before he received his full briefing.
    "Don't
question me, just accept that you will receive your