Page 22 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Persuading the Zookeeper of Apadat

A scattering of suppressed giggles escaped from the group of
cadets. Kaga heard a staccato outburst of creaking noises behind him,
and he himself struggled to keep a straight face.
Admiral Borjug glared at them. “Silence!” he bellowed. “This was
no laughing matter! The situation called for strong countermeasures.
I immediately began broadcasting back to these insects in their own
language that we were members of the most advanced race in the
cosmos, and that they had better start getting used to the idea. By the
time we left the planet for the socio-economic representative, those
creatures had it well drummed into their slimy purple shells that we
humanoids do not appreciate being called garbage!”
He glared at the young officers as if challenging them to question
his behavior. Despite some fidgeting and heavy sighs, there was no
response. The Admiral had the power to wash out any cadet in this
final phase of their training, and they all knew it.
Satisfied, the admiral concluded, “Now return to your quarters,
men. After we’ve checked out the planets in the most promising star
system, I’ll let you know the plans for a surface mission, if any.
Dismissed!”
Admiral Borjug strode from the room. Kaga turned to look at
Ploon. The Urmite hid his face with his wings and shook
convulsively. Lugo came over to them.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry after that speech,” he said.
“I wonder which Ploon is doing,” mused Kaga, as they left.
A few hours later a planet showing signs of habitation had been
located. The Jai Singh maneuvered into orbit around it, and a variety
of scans were made of its surface. The image analysis program found
a small locus of construction on the coast of the major land mass,
consisting of roads, buildings, and a patchwork of cultivated fields.
No other region of the globe appeared to possess similar features.
Accordingly, the group of new officers prepared themselves for an
expedition to the surface. Properly outfitted for such a mission, they
reported to the admiral at the space lock. He had an unnatural gleam
in his eyes, and his normally sallow skin was flushed.
“Gentlemen,” he said in a voice trembling with excitement. “I have
just seen the geophysical profile for this planet. There is an unusually
large deposit of gorkalon two hundred kilometers inland from the
settlement we are about to visit. We must definitely lay the
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