"The transportation of interplanetary passengers is usually done in three kinds of ships: interstellar police cruisers, space shuttles, or alien scout ships," Sopeha explained.
"Scout ships?" Dylan asked.
"The ships used in abductions," Bjorn said.
Karen opened her mouth to protest, but Sopeha beat her to it.
"Abductions are an extremely disruptive approach that we Guardians do not use or approve of; therefore, I do not recommend it. Plus, if Robin is alien, he's not eligible for abduction."
"Oh, of course, your probes you only do them on humans."
"Karen" Dylan intervened. Sopeha displayed a show of self-control as she quirked a frozen smile.
"Like I said, we do not approve of, let alone practice abductions. If we were to use a scout ship it would be for what we call 'unofficial abduction'. Meaning Robin, being an alien, would not be subjected to the usual procedures, although, in the wrong hands, he might be the subject of some not dangerous, yet somewhat… unpleasant tests."
"Unpleasant is bad enough, same as 'test subject'. No way do I approve, Juliette wouldn't forgive us," said Karen.
"Juliette?" Sopeha asked.
"She's our daughter, Robin's girlfriend," Dylan replied. "Karen's right, Juliette wouldn't like it. We've heard that abductions are kind of… traumatic, I can't let Robin go through that, so I don't approve of it either."
"So, scout ship out," Bjorn sighed.
"What about the other option, the interstellar police cruiser?" he asked next.
"That's the one I would choose," Sopeha replied. "However, you say that Robin is a fugitive at large, wanted by the Oasis Landing 2054 authorities. If so, and he turns out not to be alien, the Interstellar Police would have to arrest and deport him."
"That's heartwarming," Karen said drily.
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"What if we reveal to them that he's alien? We have a… mm, friend in the Interstellar Police, if we talk to him, maybe he can stop them from arresting Rob, even arrange for them to help him make the trip." Dylan suggested.
"You forget that friend of ours is Juliette's ex-boyfriend, I doubt he'd want to help Robin," Karen snapped.
"If you tell them that Robin is alien, they would no longer arrest him, but neither your friend nor anyone else in the corporation could take him to Lunar Lakes. Their higher-ups wouldn't let them, since aliens are not the IP's concern," Sopeha said.
"So, bad if you do, bad if you don't," Dylan sighed.
"Sadly, yes."
"You mentioned a third option," Bjorn continued.
"The space shuttles. I wouldn't recommend them either," Sopeha was quick to reply.
"Why?"
"Well, most of them are driven by intergalactic bounty hunters, criminals looking for fugitives or other crooks to hand in to the authorities for money".
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"Usually, these are stolen and refitted vehicles. The cost of the ticket is not high, but the ride is not pleasant at all, the pilots usually sedate their passengers and put them in cryogenic chambers so that they resist the trip or to avoid problems with them".
"It doesn't sound good," Dylan said.
"I know, that's why I don't recommend it."
"Well, I vote against that option too," Karen jumped in.
"So do I," Dylan seconded her. "Rob is just a kid, if something bad happened to him with those guys, I wouldn't forgive myself," he concluded.
"I wouldn't risk my kids traveling with those scoundrels either," Bjorn sighed.
"Then, I'm afraid we're out of options," Dylan concluded grimly.
Sopeha went silent this time, which seemed to encourage Karen.
"What about your 'Guardians Alliance' - why can't they make the trip? Didn't you say that their mission is to 'help their own kind'?" she demanded.
Dylan and Bjorn were speechless. The Guardians Alliance! Of course, how had they not thought of that, and why hadn't Sopeha named them as an option?
Sopeha remained deep in thought. Of course the Alliance was an option, the best, if not the only one. And it was the choice that she liked, that was why she had ruled out the others, one by one. The Guardians certainly had the power and the means to complete this quest; and her boss, the head of Moonbase Beta, would be the most interested in helping, more so when he found out who the passenger was. But before proposing him to take over the mission, she would have to prove that Robin was - who he said he was.
While she was in her thoughts, Dylan, Bjorn and Karen watched her, she seemed genuinely concerned, as if this whole thing had become personal to her.
After a few seconds and a deep breath, she turned to look at them again. She no longer seemed worried, on the contrary, she looked animated, her eyes deeper and brighter, and her face lit up as she spoke, addressing Karen specifically.
"I too believe that the safest way to take Robin to Lunar Lakes is in an Alliance ship. And right today I can ask my boss to authorize the trip, but…"
"Of course there would be a but'", Karen complained.
(To be Continued)
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