It had been nearly two months. The Gedd -- we had taken to calling him “Councilor” -- survived thanks to an amazingly small Kandrona Ray. At first, it had made me nervous.
(If you have one of those, couldn’t any Yeerk?) I said.
“Don’t worry, Lee,” Councilor replied, “I actually invented this. And it used to be my business to keep secrets.”
We also managed to keep ourselves occupied. Councilor kept up his duties and Tom and I kept with our lessons thanks to messages the station sent us twice a week.
Writing letters home, and reading the ones we got, also kept us busy. Tom had temporarily given up on his language project, instead turning his attention to a letter that War-Prince Jake had given him before we left. I had sent my mother a letter asking for reading material of my own, as I was nearly finished with my own project.
One day I noticed Tom crying.
(What is wrong?) I said.
“Huh? Oh, Lee, it’s just you.”
(Yes.)
“It’s this letter.”
(May I see it?)
“NO! Sorry. It’s just, you know, personal. My uncle, the other Tom, wrote it.”
(I didn’t know he wrote a book.)
“It’s short. He kinda rushed through it right before he died.”
I nodded. Very few people, all family members, knew the whole story of Tom’s death. What people do know, however, is a story of sacrifice and freedom that is best suited to be told by someone who knows it better than I.
The ship shook. I am not sure how we noticed it, as the only gravity present in space was the gravity created by the ship. I am digressing again.
Councilor rushed to the control panal.
“Computer, who is our attacker?”
“Attacker is -- unknown.”
(UNKNOWN!!??) I shouted, angry and afraid.
Tom let out a low whistle. “Houston, we have a problem.”
To be continued...