Chapter 17

"A code for what?" Relda interrogated. "Who painted it?"

Aks froze in his tracks. He hesitated while Relda made a rotating motion with her wrist, pointing with her finger.

"Usually in our quadrant, yellow means betrayal, or that an enemy has taken over from inside. That sort of thing. If there's a creature plotting against them...I don't know how he or she convinced them to paint those yellow. It's a home ship. Not just a personal transport, so I can guarantee no one just commandeered it. Makes it all the more weird."

"Couldn't it be someone else's ship?" Relda guessed. "And the creature just painted the emblem with...changes?"

"Not with a whole big ship," Ty said. "Ship production in Quadrant 3 will be squelched by the Dialorians."

"More likely he took it over, or pushed his way into leadership by deception," Raylay added.

Three pairs of eyes fixed on Aks.

"What did the database say?" Relda wanted to know.

"Say what?" Aks played ignorant.

"Who it was," Relda was getting practice with counting and breathing exercises. "Did it say who took over that ship and took the medallion?"

Aks rocked back and forth, sucking on his teeth before answering, "Nothing. It said nothing."

Relda growled under her breath and nodded to the boys.

"We'll just chase them," she boasted. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Ty clutched his side.

"It can be discussed in the ship," Raylay concluded the discussion.