<Here we go.>
Reli strode out into the hallway, adopting the casual arrogance she'd learned from her brother, who had been a military officer. Her body language and facial expression said "I am supposed to be walking down this hallway with these Hork-Bajir; carry on."
Their entire group moved without obstruction. Reli noted with a relieved surprise that none of the armed cameras seemed to be swinging their way at all. I guess Ferush was the one in charge of monitoring us.
Soon the hall branched, with a side-hall on either side. Reli noticed painted strips leading down both halls, along the walls. The main hall had no strip painted at all. <I believe this hall passes the entire length of the ship; that is why there are no colour indicators: it is the primary path. Let us go left.>
The left path had a fluorescent green stripe and a red stripe. The right path was marked with fluorescent orange and dark blue. Green is the Skrit Na warning colour, and red is standard for most other species. If we are going to find escape pods, surely they would be this direction...? There were no other beings in the hallway Reli chose. If there is no danger, of course there is nobody headed toward the escape.
The group turned left and kept moving down the hall Reli selected. Sure enough, nobody approached them here, either; the hall was devoid of other beings.
Five steps later, HISSSSS a pneumatic hatch appeared from the walls and closed off the hall behind them.
<That... may be a very bad thing. Keep moving.>
The hall widened out into a large, domed room filled with control panels, lights, a large whirring and glowing machine, and not another living being. Some large cubic structures stood against one wall.
<We appear to have found an engine room.>
To the back of the room was another smaller extension of the space, containing a well-stocked large transport pod of some sort, not equipped for atmosphere, but well-outfitted for as many as six occupants.
As the group walked toward the pod, Reli took a closer look at the machine in the middle of the room and the boxes along the wall.
Not boxes. Cages. Three very tall, empty cages, clearly strong enough to withstand a struggling Kelbrid or Hork-Bajir... or Andalite... and the air around the bars humming with the tooth-itching whine of the Gleet Bio-Filter.
Her hearts started beating more rapidly, a surge of deep loathing and anger rising in her gut. No.
<Correction: we appear to have found a Kandrona.>
Reli drew her Shredder and powered it to a higher level, taking aim at the Kandrona's power source.
<Gentlemen, I suggest you board the escape vehicle. We will have some very unpleasant company very soon.>
Reli opened fire on the power source.
