"Changing Ink"
Written by: Erin Weinstock
Novelization verison by: Reba Grayladyfalcon

I don't hold any of the copyrights in this story, and this story was made without profit.

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teaser...

"I've heard numerous transmissions and seen a few video reports plus I've already talked with Buck and Wilma more than once about the events that took place on Zacaw," Huer said. Huer looks down for a moment before returning his eyes to looking forward again. "I want to hear your reasoning behind your actions. I want to hear every detail behind them. Why you violated your prison sentence for this," Huer said.

De-Pas, standing in front of Huer with Nuisance as always sitting on his shoulder, starts to open his mouth.

At the Defense Directorate Main Entrance, people are going about normal day-to-day business on the sidewalk and in the street.

An Enour, a shining-skinned with rainbow color that moves across it, on the top of her head. She has layers of large thin flakes that look like they're the lower part of a butterfly's wings, with crystal-looking eyes, enters the Defense Directorate. After looking around the interior with awe she starts to head past the "Welcoming Center" desk with a guard behind it.

"Sorry madam, you can't go any further without checking in," the guard said.

"Why?" The Enour, Millie asked.

"For records, we just need it. Are you meeting someone here? Did a recruiting office send you here?" the guard asked.

"No. Nothing like that, I can't sign in," she said as she continues her path which is towards a large Phasoft-door on the wall behind the desk.

The Guard leaps up from his desk. "Madam, you can't go in..." the guard shouts. She hits the door's access panel and runs through. Then the Guard hits a button on the desk and shouts, "All Directorate security, we have a code F in progress I repeat a code F in progress!"

In the hallway of corridor A-1, Millie is running down the hallway which is lined with nostalgic pictures of past victories the Defense Directorate has had.

"Be on the lookout for an Enouran female!" the guard said over the com.

Millie rounds a corner. She comes back walking backwards with a fearful look on her face. "I don't want to go back, I can't sign my name in!" Millie said, with fear in her voice. As Millie continues backing up, she backs her into a wall. A couple of guards and four Vireis-series ambuquads approach her.

"Either sign in and state your business here or leave, there's no other way," the guard said.

"I can't sign my name in, they'll take me back, I'm here to stay here!" Millie shouted.

"That can't be done miss, I'm sorry," the guard replied.

"I'm not leaving!" Millie said almost in tears.

One of the guards gives a knowing look to a Vireis ambuquad that's hovering close by him and then returns his gaze to Millie. The Vireis ambuquad takes its silently given order and flies to in front of Millie, who stares at it with a look of fear. Then it takes a quick drive for her face and stabs.

Huer is sitting behind his desk as the Guard and Millie stand before him.

"She refused to sign in, state her reason for being here, Dr. Huer. I'm only allowed to show little force in my job. What are we going to do with her?" the guard asked.

Huer leans over his desk towards Millie. "If you don't tell us why you’re here, I could have you arrested," Huer said, calmly.

"I don't want him to know," Millie replied, glancing over at the guard.

"Why not?" Huer asked.

"He'd note my presence here, I don't want to sign in," Millie replied.

Huer looks to the guard.

"She's not carrying any weapons sir," the guard said.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, you may leave now," Huer said.

The Guard leaves the room, Millie watches as he does so.

"Why don't you want any record of you being here?" Huer asked. Millie snaps her attention back to Huer.

"I don't want to go home, they'll put me in jail if I go back," Millie replied.

"You’re a fugitive?" Huer asked.

"To some, to my government," Millie said.

"What did you do?" Huer asked.

"I read a non-logic book," Millie replied.

"A non-logic book, what's that?" Huer asked.

"They teach of ones who are not of Marwa faith. Of science, math, nature from seed, the development of my species and others," Millie replied.

"This is an arrestable offence on your world?" Huer asked.

"Plus to the fact when I was caught I was teaching others of the book's contents," Millie said.

"Not telling them you’re here I'm going to contact the Judicial branch of the Porteal government to confirm what you’re saying. If it's true then I'll see to it you’re given a new home here on Earth, they'll never be told of your whereabouts," Huer said.

Millie smiles.

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Chapter 1

Just outside of De-Pas'es living quarters, a Vireis series ambuquad flies up to the door and starts making chirping noises and whistles as it is buzzing around in the air.

Inside, the faint sound of the buzzing of the Vireis series ambuquad in the background. De-Pas is lying on his stomach studying from a pad computer with Nuisance watching the computer's screen on his shoulder. One of his feet, hanging off the couch with the sock off. De-Pas flexes the long toes on his bare foot. Beu-Pas is staring at De-Pas'es hanging foot. Her mouth is shivering and her eyes are wide open. With De-Pas'es foot still hanging off the couch, Beu-Pas starts to move out a little from behind the plant with a very determined look on her face. De-Pas still studying his computer, then the slap of a collision. De-Pas furrows his brow then clenches his teeth.

"Honey, she did it again," De-Pas said.

"No harsh-sounding words remember?" Ge-Ja said.

"I know," De-Pas replied. Nuisance gets off De-Pas'es shoulder and starts moving down his back.

"What's that noise?" De-Ja asked.

De-Pas slides his foot back on to the couch. Nuisance is on it staring at something. Nuisance gets on to De-Pas'es toes still with its attention fixed on something else. Beu-Pas laughs then slaps Nuisance on its head. Nuisance, recovering from the hit, flies off De-Pas in the direction it's been staring in. At the door to De-Pas'es living quarters, Nuisance flies up to it and puts its head to the access panel which a moment later lets in the chirping Vireis.

The two little bots face each other, the chirping one's face-eye has all its light shrink down to a small dot in size and it shines into Nuisance's face-eye. After this is done the other bot's face-eye returns to being fully lit and Nuisance gives a tiny shake of its head.

De-Pas, getting into a sitting position on the couch turns off the pad computer. Beu-Pas climbs on to the couch to join De-Pas as Nuisance lands on his head. "Nuisance, off the head now," De-Pas orders.

Nuisance shakes its head no, then after a moment Nuisance's face-eye does the same trick as the other Vireis bot only this time it's into De-Pas'es forehead.

De-Pas'es mouth drops open.

Outside a very elaborate looking skyscraper, a protest by a large crowd of Enourans mixed in with a few other alien species in the minor, their raised signs and voices all speaking of the same thing. "Prayers aren't our only answers”, “Truth now," "Unban the writings", "Enlightenment today!"

In the Skyscraper inside of a Meeting Room are four well-dressed Enours. One of them is looking out the window with his gaze fixed downwards. This Enour with his gaze fixed downwards is the Preacher. "Have them all arrested. I don't want the ones from the Defense Directorate to see them this way when they arrive," the Preacher said.

"But won't the ones from Earth make a fuss when they discover they're gone?" Giver asked.

Expelling through one of the star-ports, a Defense Directorate shuttle.

"Over the past 160 years since we first came in contact with Earth, there's been very little information exchange with them. They don't know what to expect from us and therefore shouldn't suspect us of anything," the Preacher replied.

The Star-Port expels another ship, an Z-87.

"Wilma, Buck, did you catch what that transmission was saying?" Huer asked.

"We didn't receive any transmission, sorry Doctor Huer," Wilma replied.

"Did it sound important Doctor?" Buck asked.

"All I could make out of it was that it was Major Dantin saying something in regards to De-Pas, but as far as what that is, I don't know," Huer replied.

"If it's about De-Pas then it can wait till we're back on Earth since it has no importance to this mission," Wilma said.

"That man overreacts too much," Huer said.

"Tell me about it," Buck said.

Down below on the city street. The crowd of protesters are still waving their signs as best they can. Only now as they're trying at the same time also beating off and running from the local cops. A few minutes later in the middle of this confusion, De-Pas with Nuisance shouting in protest at a cop beating him off.

Inside the Preacher's Office, it's shaped like a cone and all but its floor is made out of panes of misshaped shaded glass. In the center of the room is a wooden desk with elaborate carvings covering it and three hovering screens meant to work with a keyboard sitting before them. The Preacher is sitting in his chair at the desk typing. Only one of the three screens shows in alien type what the Preacher is typing. The other two, one shows the non-altered text and the other shows the non-altered text with some words highlighted on it.

Huer enters the office through a Phasoft-door in the floor. The Preacher looks up from his work, stopping what he's working on. "Has everything met with your expectations satisfactorily? Is there anything I can get for you that will comfort your stay better?" Preacher asked.

"I haven't been here very long so I can't say just yet anything has met with my expectations satisfactorily. Tell me Preacher, where is everybody? I've barely seen a soul since I got here," Huer replied.

"This is a holy day for us Terran, they're all at mass," Preacher replied. The Preacher presses a couple of keys on the keyboard and the screen goes blank. "Our Star-Port detected a second ship of yours, when you entered Zacaw's territory. Huer Terran, to what purpose is it you felt the need to send a fighter here to this peaceful planet?" Preacher asked.

"They're not here to start anything, just wanted to do some sightseeing and the shuttle didn't have the room for them," Huer replied.

"More than one fighter is on Zacaw now?" Preacher asked.

"No, just the one ship. My fighter, the Z-87s can hold only two people. They're friends of mine, civilians," Huer replied.

"Do they honor Marwa's teachings?" Preacher asked.

"They have never spoken of Marwa's teachings if they know of them," Huer replied.

"They are Human?" Preacher asked.

"Yes," Huer said.

"I'll have a Giver educate them of Marwa's teachings. They are not fit to walk on Zacaw's soil without knowing their true god," Preacher said.

The inside of the jail, it looks like it could also be used to cage large animals. Straw on the floor doesn't do much to give it a loving feel for the crowd that got arrested earlier. On the bars, Nuisance is working away, melting it with its mouth-pick.

"What are you? I've never seen your species before," Bertson said.

"I'm a Candos," De-Pas replied.

"Well this is a lousy place to pick for a vacation spot," Bertson said, jokingly.

De-Pas sits cross-legged, watching Nuisance working away at the metal bar that helps hold the door shut, with four Enourans in the same jail cell with them.

"Oh Bertson, the Candos came here to help us with our protest. I doubt he had jail in mind when planning his trip here. Speaking of which, Candos, what planet are you from? Bertson and I have never been off world, so we don't know many aliens," Moiss said.

De-Pas sits his head in one of his palms. "I came here from Earth," De-Pas repled.

"So Candos are fuzzy Humans?" Moiss asked.

De-Pas takes his head out of his hand and looks back to Moiss. "What? That is the world you Humans come from. I'm not a native," De-Pas replied.

"And you chose Earth, why?" Bertson asked.

De-Pas stands up. "Living on Earth wasn't exactly a choice for me how it happened," De-Pas said.

De-Pas looking back and forth from Bertson and Moiss. "How can you let your government do this to you?!" De-Pas asked.

"We're used to it, it's the only way to bring about change," Moiss replied.

"BUT IT GOT YOU THROWN IN..! Oh who am I to talk," De-Pas said. Nuisance stops melting the bar and starts tugging at it. "There are other ways to bring about change!" De-Pas said.

"And the punishment for using other ways is far worse than this!" Bertson replied.

"What, a re-imaging!?" De-Pas asked.

"A re-imaging, what's that?" Bertson asked.

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Chapter 2

"A psychic re-imaging, changing your mind," De-Pas explained.

Nuisance tugs off the bar and falls to the ground with it. Moiss puts a hand on one of De-Pas'es shoulders. "We will win, they'll let us out of here after we've been told a lesson of one of Marwa's teachings," Moiss said.

"Or we could leave right now," De-Pas replied, as he starts for the door which Nuisance helped open. He swings open the door, standing in the doorway turning his attention back to the cell. "Well?" De-Pas said.

"We can't," Moiss replied.

De-Pas shakes his head, squatting down to let Nuisance crawl on to him then standing back up, "It's your choice, education or ignorance," De-Pas said as he leaves the cell.

Bertson and Moiss look at one another. "Maybe the Candos has a point," Moiss said.

The Impound building is small but the lot behind it for confiscated space ships is ten times its size.

"There wasn't a sign saying we couldn't park there!" Buck said.

"The black marked it," the impound person replied.

"Typically it's normal to park on tarmac," Buck replied.

"Buck, calm down," Wilma said.

Buck turned to Wilma. "I'm not going to pay 200 dollars to get our ship back, Wilma!" Buck said, loudly.

Buck turns his gaze back to the Impound Person. "It's a Defense Directorate fighter, doesn't that fact mean anything to you?" Buck asked.

"Yes it does, now that you mention it," the impound person replied.

"Wonderful," Wilma said.

"Now that I know it's a military ship of non-Zacaw origin, you owe 500 dollars in order to reclaim it," the impound person said.

Buck jerks himself forward as much as he can across the counter that separates him from the Impound Person, and motions his hands in a look like he wants to grab him, gritting his teeth in a mean expression.

Wilma quickly takes hold of Buck and tries to pull him away from the counter. "We're guests here remember? We don't want any trouble!" Wilma said.

A Giver comes though the door behind Buck and Wilma.

Buck backs off his rage and Wilma lets go of him. Buck, glaring at the Impound Person. "I have a credit chip, do you take them?" Buck asked.

"Yes we do sir," the impound person replied, with a smile.

"You two Human?" the Giver asked, as Buck takes what looks like a data chip out of his pocket, then looks backwards towards the Giver with Wilma.

"We're Human," Wilma replied.

The Impound Person takes the chip from Buck. "And very rude Humans at that, Giver," the impound person said.

"They don't know any of Marwa's teachings, that's why they're so rude, and that's why I'm here," the Giver said.

The Impound Person swipes Buck's chip through a cut on the business side of the counter and a screen pops up from it showing the number of 1928. "I see you have more than just the 500 dollar credit needed to get your ship back. Tell me, would you like it if the ship was checked and cleaned for hard water build up? It would only cost 200 dollars," the impound person asked.

Buck makes a mean face at the Impound Person and Wilma puts a hand on one of his shoulders. "Buck, just the 500 dollars, then we'll leave with our ship and.. " Wilma started to say. Wilma looks to the Giver.

"Not only is it my title but it is also my name," Giver said.

Wilma turns her attention to the Impound Person. "Only the 500 for the ship, please," Wilma said.

The impound person with a raised finger, flicks it downwards a few times fast on the image of Buck's credit limit. As the impound person does this the number quickly drops down to 1428. "You may take your ship back now," the impound person said.

"May I accompany them?" Giver asked.

"Oh bless you Giver, you can," the impound person replied.

The Z-87 is among many alien ships that all have one thing in common, chains. They're all bolted in to the ground. Wilma and the Giver are standing near Buck, who's giving a tug at the chain holding down the ship.

Buck looking at Giver. "You can help with this?" Buck asked.

"Only in a spiritual manner, not physical," Giver replied.

"I'll try to find someone," Wilma said, she turns and leaves.

"So what are you, a hospitality welcome?" Buck asked.

"On this planet, we do not like having ones here that are not of the true faith. I was sent here to educate you of the teachings of your true god," Giver replied.

"And what about of other things like this planet's culture, history?" Buck looks back to the chain bolting the Z-87 to the ground. "Where not to park a space ship?" Buck asked, as he yanks on the chains.

"Sir, by Marwa's teachings those subjects are forbidden to be taught, I beg you never ask of them again while you’re here," Giver said.

"Where not to park a space ship? Why not?" Buck asked again.

"Not the space ship, the others. Because if you question Marwa's teachings you might be sent to a very bad place and I don't want to see that happen to you. You and the female are the first Humans I've ever met, and I don't want you to be the last," Giver replied.

"Oh well tell me Marwa's teachings, I'd like to know why they're of such high importance to your people," Buck said.

Wilma walks back with Helper holding a hand toll with two points on its tip. Giver gives a nod to Helper as he bends down to an area of chain that holds the Z-87 in place but has nothing touching it. "We of Marwa faith believe in charity to our Preachers to be of a greater good than prayer. That outside influencers to the faith should be condemned to punishment because it's with their word that they take Marwa's good followers to a place of deep sorrow and cold when they die," Giver said.

"What are outside influencers?" Wilma asked.

"Please, your male friend already asked me of such things, I don't want to hear them spoken of again," Giver said.

Buck and Wilma glances at one another. Helper touches the tool onto the chain on its tips.

"If this fact disturbs you about my faith, I..I suggest you leave," Giver said.

The tool glows and the link on the chain it's been touching turns to liquid metal and falls away.

"It doesn't disturb us, is there anything else we should know?" Wilma asked.

Helper pulls the chain off the ship. "Our High Preacher is busy with your representative, but I'd like to show you to a sermon that's going to be done by one of his apprentices," Giver said.

"And we'd love to see it," Buck replied.

"Wonderful," Giver replied. Helper holds the tool to the broken link on the chain and the tool glows and makes the metal reform.

Chapter 3

Outside of the Worshiping Place, a family of three is packed together outside of a very large marble building. A child and her parents, the dad looks to be in horrible shape and the mother not much better. The child which looks to be five or six years old is holding a sign that says, "Forsaken, please help." People walk past the family into the marble building. The ones who notice the little child which looks to be in desperation make noises turns and walks away from the sight.

The inside to this place is vast with very little in furnishings. A crowd stands looking towards a tall podium that almost looks like a piece of art, and on which stands one of the apprentices Giver was speaking of. Little children sit on their parent's shoulders with more of a look of delight than those they're upon.

"We were all created as equals: Enours, aliens alike, which I don't see any of here today," the Apprentice shouted.

The crowd gives a roar of laughs, after that has died down. "They may be our equals in body, but mind? No, no, no, my friends, they are not our equals in mind. Unless they follow Marwa's teachings, which most do not and that brings me to the point of why I asked for you all to come here today. We NEED, we all need to help out a friend that's very dear to us all, our state's High Preacher. He NEEDS all the help we can give him, because you know why?" the Apprentice asked.

"To help the uneducated!" an Enour woman shouts.

"Thank you, We are an educated people, well-versed in Marwa's teachings. But the ones who come here from other worlds are not. They believe in other teachings, dangerous things, dangerous things that when one who has strayed from Marwa's teachings will lead them to miserable suffering in this life and the next beyond. Our Preacher NEEDS you through donations! These donations will help those who have strayed to relearn how wonderful their true god is!" the Apprentice shouts.

A large donation basket starts getting passed around, some of the ones donating look very poor and fish around to find money to give. After the basket has been past though six or seven pairs of hands De-Pas'es hands take it and he leaves with it.

Back outside of the Worshiping Place, the family is still there. The child is no longer holding up the sign but is hugging her dad and the mother to her. They've had garbage throw on them, some of it messy, and the child looks fearful.

De-Pas hands the donation basket to the family.

The child is the first to take notice of this by looking at De-Pas a little confused at first but then smiles. The mother takes on a smile like the child's but the father takes no notice of it as his mind seems to be in another place. "Here," De-Pas said.

"Thank you," the mother said, softly as she takes the basket from him.

De-Pas beams with pride in the act he's just done, but the pride in his look quickly turns to anger as he turns behind himself to find some of the crowd from the interior of the building is there with angry looks on their faces.

"It's not theirs, it's the High Preacher's, give it back!" an Enour woman yells.

"Woman, do you have any morals?!" De-Pas asked.

Just beyond the crowd, Buck, Wilma and the Giver are approaching the scene De-Pas has caused. "What is going on over there?" Buck asked.

Giver moves to see what has caught Buck's attention. "Seems someone has violated Marwa's teachings," Giver replied.

The three of them, with Giver in the lead, push their way into the crowd that for the most part is enraged.

De-Pas is crouched before them in a defensive look baring his teeth. "I don't think you can keep them away," the mother said, with fear in her voice holding tightly to her child.

"Maybe not, but I can give it my best shot," De-Pas replied.

"We need to get daddy to the hospital," the child said.

De-Pas turns to look at the Mother. "Do you have any weapons?" De-Pas asked softly.

Buck and the others have now pushed their way through the crowd. "De-Pas, what the hell are you doing here?!" Buck asked.

De-Pas turns away from the Mother who has a shocked look on her face due to De-Pas'es question. "Helping these people," De-Pas replies.

"Stirring up trouble. I heard in the crowd, you stole from the high preacher!" Giver said.

"They need help!" De-Pas shouts, pointing towards the family.

"They do not deserve help," Giver replied.

Buck turns to Wilma. "I think we should have requested Yogurt to resend his transmission," Buck said.

"One thing you have to give De-Pas credit for is his heart always seems to be in the right place in doing acts to cause social revolt," Wilma said.

Giver still with his attention on De-Pas. "Only the High Preacher can give an ill one admittance to medical treatment. You had no right to give these people his money and make his judgment for him," Giver said.

De-Pas snaps in his anger and goes for Giver. In the same moment Buck tries to get in between De-Pas and Giver to try to stop De-Pas from beating Giver senseless. De-Pas does give one good hit to Giver before Buck holds him back. Wilma takes the place of De-Pas in protecting the family with the stolen money.

"De-Pas!" Buck shouts.

"Why not!?" De-Pas asked with anger.

"Good point, but it won't help things," Buck replied.

De-Pas'es limbs lose their look of impending rage and Buck lets go of him. De-Pas turning to Buck. "Then what will?" De-Pas asked.

Giver gives a good hard punch to De-Pas which nearly knocks him off his feet.

Inside the Preacher's Office. The Preacher sits at his desk with his head in his hands. The computers still show a very similar display to what happened earlier, listening to a radio news report.

"The visitors that have arrived here from different worlds today are causing what most are seeing as an unwanted stress on the local public's actions and conscience. One of these visitors who's being helped by the other two which we've been told are Human, is a Humdos, that's a fact I'm not too sure on folks. Humdoses are amphibians by nature but this alien appears to be a mammal. Guess the report could be wrong that I've been told the alien is from Miahgo. ANY WAY what has caused this disturbance is the quote unquote Humdos stole, I'm not kidding here, the Humdos stole the High Preacher's money, from the building of worship no less," the DJ said.

The Preacher slowly rises from his desk and stares at the computers. "The Humdos is claiming the family he gave the money to needs it more than the High Preacher. And the Humans are helping keep what has become an angry mob of people at bay from attacking the family and also the Humdos." The DJ hesitated for a moment. "What has made this scene something to toll on the public's conscience witnessing this is the family being defended by these outsiders, believes that there is more to life than Marwa's teachings that our whole socially has itself centered around. The parents have been teaching their child of things that aren't part of us. They've been to, well who knows how many lessons of being retaught Marwa's teachings but it doesn't seem to be taking them back on to the right path," the DJ said.

The Preacher shuts off the computer which makes all the screens go black, still listening to the DJ to the radio

"Due to their actions the High Preacher has deemed they receive no money to help them in combating any illness they take on. The Humdos, I repeat who I'm sure doesn't live by Marwa's teachings stole the money for helping them, intent to have them get treatment with it."

The Preacher heads to the door in the floor. "This listener raises questions about how good a people we are. Is it right to deny help to another because they don't believe as we do? To let them suffer and then that leads to more suffering? One of the Humans, the male I believe, asked if anyone in the mob knew the answer to the question, "what's two plus two?" Well I'll be darned if I know, but it makes me wonder if to the rest of the universe, we, a people well versed in Marwa's teachings, are considered to be dim?" the listener said.

The Preacher disappears down into the door.

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Chapter 4

In of the Radio Room. The DJ, still on the air is sitting in a nicely padded chair with the layout seen in a real radio station. Only instead of the machine taking CDs, it takes data chips and has a screen floating in mid-air showing in alien type what is going to be broadcast next. The DJ not seeing Preacher enter continues speaking.

"One of the High Preacher's apprentices was there when the Humdos made its initial action, but said and did nothing about the thief till after the Humdos had left the building," the DJ said.

"Stop your babbling now!" the Preacher, shouted across the room.

The DJ turns to see the Preacher then after a moment to acknowledge. "Folks I have a treat for you now. The High Preacher himself has just decided to enter my presence to make comment on the situation going on right now," the DJ announced.

The Preacher quickly turns off the DJ's work equipment. "I said stop your babbling!"Preacher repeated.

The DJ with an annoyed look. "It's news, it's my job, it's what I hope will be a change for the better," the DJ replies.

"You’re fired and in your afterlife you'll suffer for this!" Preacher said.

The DJ gets up from his chair and walks towards the door. "Go ditto yourself," the DJ said, as he left the room.

The Entertainment Lounge, looks like a room that has been well-groomed to entertain any guests who enter it, with numerous large TVs coating one of its walls showing videos of many exotic looking locales around the planet. A business-dressed Enour stands before the TVs talking to Huer, who's in front of him sitting on a fine leather couch, watching the whole thing with a look of extreme boredom.

"And our deserts aren't like the ones you'd normally find on many other planets, um Earth included in that," the Enour said.

Huer continues to show no look of life till Preacher bursts into the room. "You’re at fault for it!" Preacher shouts.

Huer turning to Preacher. "For what?" Huer asked.

"The other Humans that came with you, and that Humdos, I bet he's with you too!" Preacher replied.

"Humdos?" Huer asked.

"There is a Humdos downtown that stole my money to give it to a family that Marwa has forsaken. Your fellow Humans are keeping my followers at bay from taking back my money and hurting the Humdos," Preacher said.

Huer gets up from the couch. "There aren't any Humdoses working for the Defense Directorate, he isn't with me," Huer replied.

"The fuzzy thief has no respect for Marwa's teachings. Doctor Huer, I swear if you don't make your fellow Humans stop what they're doing right now I'll make sure your Defense Directorate is banned from this planet," Preacher said.

"A "fuzzy" Humdos?" Huer asked.

"Are you listening to me!?" Preacher asked, loudly.

"I am and you know what? Colonel Deering and Captain Rogers are good people. I trust them in their actions. Preacher, we came here to investigate a cold belief told to us by an Enour from this planet. That Robin Hood act the fuzzy Humdos has done, and the fact my people are helping it, I believe their actions here have helped confirm what I was told," Huer replied.

"Leave this planet now!" Preacher shouted.

Huer starts walking towards the door. "Preacher, I'll leave but I won't rush to stop Deering and Rogers from what they're doing. I don't care if this act gets the Defense Directorate banned from this world but I think you should know that the Galactic Council is going to be hearing about this," Huer said. Huer steps up to the door he turns back towards Preacher. "Have a pleasant day, Preacher," Huer said as he left the room.

In Huer's Office, Huer is sitting behind his desk with De-Pas is sitting in front of him.

"That was a pretty noble act you did back there by helping that family, helping open up people's eyes. Buck didn't tell me how the riot ended, guess he's afraid I'll fire him or something. Tell me what happened?" Huer asked.

De-Pas shifts a little in his chair. "Buck pointed out how morals were being used as it was going on. I...I didn't know you heard about this," De-Pas said.

"I'm not sure, but I did hear of a broadcast that upset the High Preacher. Of being told in it people were being asked to question if it was all really right," Huer replied.

"The Child cried after being yelled at by the Giver, it broke them, it made the people let go of their hate," De-Pas said.

"A sad way to bring about change, but it has been done and nearly with no violence. De-Pas, I've heard of how you acted when the Thorcomen Defense Administration visited here, how you dealt with encountering your first Humdos since living on Miahgo. How would you like to give Beu-Pas and your wife a better home?" Huer asked.

De-Pas looks to Huer with wonder.

De-Pas and Ge-Ja are packing suitcases as Beu-Pas sits on the bed watching them with Nuisance.

Ge-Ja holds up a baby-sized sundress to De-Pas. "When did you pick that up?" De-Pas asked.

"I picked it up back on Miahgo," Ge-Ja replied.

"I thought you had everything stolen from you there," De-Pas said.

"One of our friends felt Beu-Pas could use something to go along with her jewels," Ge-Ja replied.

"I've never seen a dress this pretty made for any Candos," De-Pas said, smiling.

"The dress wasn't made for a Candos," Ge-Ja said.

"Buck wasn't there when you got this dress was he?" De-Pas asked.

"No, he wasn't," Ge-Ja replied.

De-Pas still smiling, Ge-Ja shows the dress to Beu-Pas who feels the material with a grin.

"It will look even better with her in it on green grass," Ge-Ja said. Nuisance takes hold of it as Ge-Ja starts moving it towards the suitcase she's working on.

"Nuisance," De-Pas said.

Nuisance makes some chirps towards De-Pas.

"You’re not assigned to me anymore, you can go now," De-Pas said.

Nuisance shakes its head no and does some more chirping.

"You don't want to leave me?" De-Pas asked.

Nuisance makes a chirp that indicates "yes".

"You do know what your name means right?" De-Pas asked.

"De-Pas!" Ge-Ja said.

Nuisance does more chirping.

At the main entrance of the Defense Directorate Buck, Wilma, Huer, Dantin and Jade are giving a send-off to De-Pas and his family, Nuisance included, with all their belongings packed by their sides.

"I never liked you but then again I never got to know you like your friends did. Stay out of jail, okay?" Dantin said.

"Stay cool, wolfman," Jade said, putting out a hand for shaking.

"It won't be the same here at the Directorate with out you. If you ever need help with anything just call me," Wilma said.

"I hope greatly I haven't made a mistake in letting you go, don't make me regret my decision about this," Huer said.

"Nuisance is staying with us, you guys don't have to worry," De-Pas replied.

"But Nuisance was assigned to you to keep you in your place, you still need that?" Huer asked.

"The metal flee has grown on us, besides it doesn't hurt Nuisance when Beu-Pas bites it as compared to my husband," Ge-Ja said, smiling.

Huer quickly takes on a look of wonder.

Buck turned towards Huer. "Her little play mate," Buck said.

"I see." Turning back to De-Pas and his family. "I have a feeling Goodfellow never envisioned Nuisance's series of ambuquad being put to this use, but if it fits..." Huer said.

Buck pats De-Pas on his shoulder. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Buck said.

"But that takes the fun out," De-Pas replied, laughing.

Buck gives De-pas a look.

"Just kidding," De-Pas said.

The End

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