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he made, “‘Mekichak Zainal obli. Tik escag eridi. Tikso tag.’” He removed his hand to speak less growlingly. “Which, I think, translates into, ‘Moves Zainal much. Hear he returns soon. Report then.’” Leon raised an eyebrow at Zainal.
    It wasn’t often that the big Catteni burst out laughing as he did now, grinning broadly and obviously also enjoying some sort of a personally satisfying private joke. “You don’t know it, Leon, but I am always moving a lot. You said exactly what they will believe. Where is the unit?”
    Leon slid it out of a chest pocket. “Since I’m the only one who knows enough Catten to answer, I’ve been in charge of it.”
    The communicator looked much smaller in Zainal’s large hands and could be slipped into a pocket or down a boot. He examined it carefully, his smile broadening again.
    â€œThis is very good. Very good,” and Zainal’s eyes sparkled with amused triumph.
    â€œThese were found in a boot,” and Dane very carefully laid the other three items on the table.
    Zainal held one vial up to the light and snorted. “Vikso. In very small doses, it will be useful to you, Dane. Makes muscles weak,” and he pretended to sag like a limp string puppet before he handed it back to the surgeon.
    â€œSo, they knew they’d have to knock you out,” Chuck Mitford said, tipping back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. “Care to tell us why they’d go to this much trouble over you?”
    Zainal chuckled again, still very pleased, and seeming to ignore the question. “This will be useful,” he said, and waggled the unit before he replaced it carefully onthe stone slab that was the sergeant’s worktop. “Now we can set traps. Two would be the most we could get.”
    â€œTwo ships?” Kris caught on first, though Mitford’s chair returned to all four legs as he leaned across the desk, looking so eager and hopeful that Kris caught her breath.
    â€œTwo?” Worrell exclaimed, amazed at the audacious prospect.
    Zainal nodded, leaning across the table toward the sergeant. “You have captured me. You, Kris, will speak this in a message, but I have fought hard and killed two. You need fast scout before vikso,” and he tapped the vial, “wears off. They must land where Emassi scout met us. They must land silent,” and he dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper, “with no lights and walk to edge of field to help you move captured Zainal.”
    â€œBut I don’t know enough Catten.”
    â€œYou will when you send message,” Zainal said, and the look he gave her told her she was in for it now. After all, she’d been teaching him English: turnabout was fair play. “
You
will have made my capture.”
    â€œMe?” Kris looked around the room at the others, grinning at her almost maliciously. “Cut it out, you guys,” she said with an edge to her voice.
    â€œAt ease, Kris,” Mitford said, understanding her flare of resentment, and then focused his attention back on Zainal. There was no question that the sergeant would do much to possess a useful spaceship but he was not totally reassured by such sketchy details. “So you get them out of the scout, and preferably disposed of by the night crawlers, and then what?”
    â€œWe have one scout vessel.”
    â€œAnd no reprisals?” Mitford was extremely skeptical.
    â€œNo reason because the ship will take off…” and everyone exclaimed at that, and Zainal glanced about, grinning again. “It leaves to make them believe what will happen next.” He turned to Kris. “You will manageto make one more message…and then…” He slid one finger across his throat and grinned.
    â€œYou overpowered us again?” Kris rolled her eyes incredulously. “Boy, will they buy that?”
    â€œBuy it?” Zainal asked. His