He whispered,"If your Erhlutian Secret Police boss found out you were a double agent, he'd kill you! You were in an op this afternoon?" Afora laughed,"It was against a ship from that planet your people hate so much,Balaam." "BALAAM?" His shout caught him by surprise. "Balaam? That place is insanely dangerous! They fought off attacks by us, and other attacks by the Scourge! They've already made a name for themselves intergalactically!" She smiled,"Rumor has it they even have people on their ship who have TALKED WITH CHIMERS!" Broo paled. "Chimers? Everyone is terrified of those hydrogen-breathers for good reason. No wonder people are taking notice of the Balaamese! What possible edge does their culture have over everyone else?" There was a loud pop as three people teleported in behind them.Toxic exclaimed,"TAH-DAH! Hey, wait! Where are we this time? MI'I! I ought to knock ya in the head, ya goof! At least we're back on Tapponok!" Mi'wenzi exclaimed,"IT'S NOT MY FAULT! I got deflected-ized! We're close. Just a couple of thousand kilometers away." Lime said,"They must be running the anti-teleportation device that Narchi built after examining what my mom can do! Guys... we aren't alone!" Toxic turned and looked at the two others. She sighed,"There's Comander Broo of the Asuran Armada and Afora, a Klopt." Lime exclaimed,"An ASURAN? HERE?? Mi'i smiled uncomprehendingly and said,"Everyone has got to be somewhere!" Toxic said behind her,"We're at war with these clowns!" Broo asked,"Are you from Balaam?" Toxic said cagily."I'm from all over the place it seems. My mom was raised by Tyyee the white of the Naga worlds in the Sururin Enclave." Toxic thought about some things Jin taught her and exclaimed,"She sure would be curious as to why a Klopt and an Asuran are out walking together on an evening like tonight!" They looked alarmed. Lime said in a mild voice,"I thought the Klopt and Erhlutians are...in bed together? And they HATED the Asurans like they were wild animals without any manners? AND loathed the Scourge like the Blight?" Afora exclaimed,"NO MIND-READING! It's rude and the Tapponok will kick you off-world if they catch you!" Lime lost her smile. "LIKE ESPIONAGE? What have you been up to concerning our ship?" Afora paled. Toxic looked at Lime and then glared at Afora. "We have ways of making you talk." She whistled into the park woods a shrill, haunting tune. She held out her arms, and a flock of bird flew down to perch on her arms. some of them were huge eagle-like raptors. She said,"Don't make me turn into a big bird and attack you with my big pecker. Though one or both of you might like that!" Afora said,"This is neutral ground! No violence is permitted! Telepathy of hearsay evidence isn't grounds for attacking anyone! Beside what I said to HIM might have been empty boasting to get a reaction!" Toxic waved her arms. The birds flew off at great speed."That's reasonable, I suppose. How ever I'm not. Let me give you a warning. If you and your little friend try anything to our ship or the people on it, I will track you to the end of the universe and hurt you so much, you can NOT imagine it. Now look on the face that beat Kali the Druaga!" They looked. Toxic seemed to change and grow darker and larger and her eyes glowed like blood red embers and she gave them the gift of terror. Broo shrieked and fainted. Afora shrieked and kept shrieking as she dropped her dress and ran with all her might away into the twilight forests of the night. Toxic smiled,"I always wanted to try that!" Lime laughed,"You are so bad! We need to tell the captain! Mi'I try to get us as closs as you can this time!" She complained,"I want some eggs! I'm hungry!" She said,"We'll eat there!" Mi'I said,"I knew I should have stopped at that bazarre on that planet they think I'm a goddess at! They have given us anything. Even chicken on a stick!" Lime exclaimed,"LET'S GO!" --To be continued!--