Lens of Time: Book 06 - Star Rover-Running Out of Time Read Free

He makes an excellent point that we are not equipped to push the Grillen off the planets they invaded. We could really use their help.”
    “I don’t know how he would fare against an armored warrior with a blaster though. He couldn’t penetrate the armor with his beak.”
    “I’m not so sure about that; he insists he’s done it before. Anyway, Katherine ordered me to take him to Belwen to see if he could come up with some toys.”
    Gresha tilted her head, “Now that should prove interesting.”
    “Tell me about it; what’s for dinner.”
    “Chicken and rice.”
    “It smells great. I’ll go clean up.” Gresha kissed Dat and went back to work.
    • • •
    Blacky had gone with one of Belwen’s engineers and picked up six other Madators. They were brought back to Belwen’s lab and had been subjected to an examination that was as long as it was thorough. Blacky was tired of extending his arms and legs. He couldn’t tell an arm from a leg by the time Belwen finished.
    Belwen was looking at a read out on his computer and saw the seven Madators lying on the floor, “Hey, it wasn’t that bad, was it?”
    Blacky’s head rolled off the floor and stopped on top of his chest. Belwen was amazed at the physiology of a species that could accomplish that. It was incredible. “If you stick one more thing in my hide, I think I’ll explode.”
    “No you won’t?”
    “I won’t?”
    “No, there’s nothing hollow in you to cause a blast. How do you keep things inside your body?”
    Blacky’s head started rolling off his chest and hit the floor, “I don’t know; I just wrap it up.”
    “I need you to demonstrate a few things before I can get started developing some things for you to use.”
    “Such as?”
    “Are you able to change the basic shape of your body?”
    “Yes, I suppose so; what shape do you have in mind?”
    Belwen turned his computer display around and showed a picture of an air foil, “Could you assume this shape?”
    “That looks like a wing on a warship.”
    “It is shaped like a wing; can you do it?”
    “Why would you want us to assume that shape?”
    Belwen smiled, “Have you thought about how we would get you on a planet that’s got defenses on it?”
    “I just assumed we would be transported in a ship and dropped off.”
    “That’s far too dangerous. We need to get you to the surface without you being seen.”
    All seven Madators sat straight up. Now this was something that interested them. “How would you do that?”
    “First, I need to know how small you can make yourself.”
    Blacky looked around and shrugged. Suddenly, he shrunk into a black ball not much larger than a baseball. Belwen was astounded. Blacky expanded and looked at him, “That’s about as small as I can do.”
    “How in the Creator’s name can you do that?”
    “I don’t know; like you said, my body isn’t hollow but the molecules that make it have a lot of space between them. I guess it’s sort of like a star after it goes nova and its gravity pulls it into a tiny space. I just pull all the molecules close together.”
    Belwen made some notes and said, “Come with me.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “To see if you can fly.”
    Blacky hooted, “Now that’s funny. We can do a lot of things but flight is not one of them.” Belwen shrugged and continued walking toward the exit. Blacky said, “You’re serious?”
    “I am, now come on.”
    The seven Madators along with Belwen and two engineers arrived at a lab that was situated on the coast overlooking one of the oceans on Belwen’s planet. They entered the lab and Belwen yelled, “DO YOU HAVE IT READY?”
    An engineer came out of the adjoining room with a light weight plastic form. The two other engineers went into the room and carried out four more. Finally, there were seven of the forms scattered around the room. Blacky looked at the forms, “What are these?”
    “You’ve told me you can move into various shaped containers. I want all of you to