Norby`s Other Secret

12. Hostage

When the airlock closed, Jeff quickly settled the Hopeful behind the large alien ship while Mentor First watched.

"How was that for adventure and drama"' Fargo said jubilantly as he and Norby came into the control room.

"Listen, Fargo, when did you send for the fleet?" asked Jeff with a scowl.

"At the very start, little brother."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was going to take time for the ships to get here. They don't hypertravel, and I had to jolly the pirates along till then. And you're no actor, kid. You'd have given it away and they'd have shot us down and taken off in their ship."

Norby went immediately to the Hopeful's computer and began to work.

Mentor First shook his odd-shaped head ponderously and made a sound like grinding gears. He said in Terran Basic, "It is important that the wrecked ship be taken back to Jamya."

He was holding Oola, whose loud purr changed into a snarl.

"Doesn't anyone approve?" Fargo asked. "The pirates are beaten and the Command ships will have prisoners. "

Jeff said, "Yes, but you heard Mentor First. We have to go back to Jamya with the Jamyn ship in tow. We can't allow the fleet to take it. That ship is the supply ship the Others had prepared for Jamya, and it has the material needed to rebuild all the inoperative Mentors."

"My world," said Norby, "my people. We can't let the fleet have it."

Fargo looked from one to the other and then shrugged, "I suppose you're right. Jeff, if you and Norby want to link minds with the Hopeful's computer and hyperjump us with the Jamyn ship, I'm willing."

Norby was holding out his hand to Jeff when Admiral Yobo, encased in a regulation fleet spacesuit, opened the control room door and walked in. He stopped, stared at Mentor First, who was even larger than himself, and said, "Someone may have to leave and make room."

Fargo's jaw dropped. "How did you get in?"

"Sorry, Wells, but surely you're not surprised to know that I have the combination of every airlock in the fleet. You've brought us three of the worst renegades on our wanted list and it seemed only right that I thank you in person…"

"That was not necessary, Admiral…"

"And," Yobo went on severely, "I've come here alone to find out what kind of illegalities you're engaged in. You've got a large-sized alien robot, I see, and an alien wreck next to your ship."

Norby jiggled forward and backward on his two-way feet. "We've got to go home, Admiral!"

"Yes, home," said Mentor First.

Yobo looked at the large robot with interest. "It speaks our language, too, and I suspect it belongs to the wreck. Identify yourself, robot."

Jeff quickly stood between Mentor First and the admiral. "This large robot is Norby's father, and we have to take them both home."

"What are they talking about?" Yobo asked Fargo.

"Just what they said."

"Now see here…" Yobo thundered.

Jeff sighed and closed his eyes, reaching for Norby's small hand, while Mentor First's large one came to rest upon his head. Norby must have been touching the control board, too, because Jeff could feel the ship's computer becoming part of the linkage. The augmented force grapple reached the alien ship.

Then, through the sense organs of the computer, Jeff could see the flagship of the fleet, hovering in space near the slowly turning asteroid on which the Hopeful rested.

The admiral was saying something in an indignant shout, but Jeff tuned it out, linking his mind to Norby and Mentor First, visualizing Jamya. The Hopeful trembled slightly and left the Terran solar system with the alien ship in tow.

"Ah, well," said Admiral Yobo, leaning forward to take the last cookie-after being assured that they were cookies-"one can't have everything. I was thinking only this morning that I need a vacation badly, and I suppose a picnic on this lawn can count as one."

Jeff grinned at Fargo with relief, but Fargo did not smile. Oola was reclining on Mentor First's lower arms while Zi talked animatedly to him. The Grand Dragon hovered near Admiral Yobo with a sparkling red smile because she had put ruby caps on her fangs in honor of the occasion. On the other side of Yobo, little Zargl nuzzled his chest under his medals.

"Oh, Admiral," gurgled Zargl, "you are the largest and most magnificent human being I've seen. Surely you are the leader of them all."

"Dragons or not," Fargo said, "that's women for you."

"You didn't mind when she switched from me to you," Jeff said.

"That was just good sense. This isn't. And look at Oola making up to Mentor First."

"Come on, Fargo. He designed her and he was her original master. Don't be so jealous."

"I'm not," said Fargo. "I'm devoted to Albany Jones and she's allergic to cats and that probably included modified smilodons."

"You're devoted when you remember to be," Jeff chided.

"I can't help distractions. I'm young, handsome, musical, brilliant-and, if we don't get the admiral back to Space Command soon-unemployed again."

Admiral Yobo rose splendidly from the cushions which had been brought hastily from the palace for the enjoyment of the Terran aliens. "Gentlemen! Ladies!" He bowed to the Grand Dragon, whose emotions caused her to breathe so hotly upon his uniform that Yobo was forced to move back a trifle.

He continued, "This has been a delightful repast and I am proud to be considered as acting ambassador from the Terran Federation, but I'm afraid that we Terrans must return to our own solar system. By now, our fleet must be convinced I have been somehow destroyed."

Mentor First, after some hesitation, held out his top right hand to the admiral, who, after an equal hesitation of his own, took it with his right hand.

"It is generous of you," said Mentor First, "to agree so readily to leave the wrecked supply ship with us after it became clear that you had no way of taking it with you."

"It's called practical politics," said Yobo, "and is much practiced in the Terran solar system."

Mentor First said, "Now that you three have consented to the Jamyn bite, and therefore understand our language, we make you honorary Jamyn, co-equal with the dragons and the Mentors, the two intelligent species on this planet."

"Thanks," said Yobo, "but…"

"Furthermore, we will work on our wrecked ship, and when we understand its hyperdrive mechanism, we will bring it to the Federation as our gift for the start of trade between our two civilizations."

"And that means, Admiral," said Jeff eagerly, "that Norby would be able to stay with me. He won't be in danger from the Inventors Union once the Federation understands that we will be getting hyperdrive soon."

"We also want miniantigrav," said Yobo, his dark face solemn.

"Sir," said Jeff. "I don't want Norby to be put in danger of destruction…"

"Cadet," said Yobo, "I don't either: In fact, you'll remember that I came to warn you against the aims of the Inventors Union. That, however, was before I traveled through hyperspace. It's a spectacular achievement, and the Federation should not be deprived of this technique simply because of one unimportant robot. We will do everything we can to inflict no permanent damage upon him, but Norby must be examined by our scientists."

"No," said Jeff, I don't trust anybody with Norby!"

Mentor First put down Oola, whose strange fur was standing on end. He stood up, taller even than Yobo. The atmosphere of the party suddenly chilled.

"Norby is my son," said Mentor First. "He can trust only me. Jamya is his home, and I need him here to work on the wrecked ship."

"But Mentor…" began Jeff, only to stop as the Mentor's eye patches flared red.

"Norby will stay here!"

The Grand Dragon, abandoned by Admiral Yobo, puffed out a cloud of smoke that set everyone to coughing except the two robots. Then she turned to lean heavily upon Fargo's shoulder and began to stroke her claws gently through his hair.

"You are silly, all of you," she said. I have a plan."

"Ma'am?" said Jeff, hopefully.

"Have you all forgotten that none of you Terrans can go home unless Norby adjusts your ship to go through hyperspace? You cannot go to your own planet if you leave Norby here, so he must go with you. In that case, we Jamyns must take precautions to make sure that Norby is returned to us unharmed, and before very long."

"What do you suggest, madam?" asked Yobo with an impressive roll to his deep voice.

The Grand Dragon put her claws around Fargo and lifted him off the ground as she rose on her antigrav. "Fargo will stay here on Jamya as my hostage until Norby returns safely."

Before anyone, even Fargo, could object, the Grand Dragon flew rapidly over the trees and disappeared with Fargo in the direction of her palace.

"Norby!" said Jeff, "take me to the palace so I can get Fargo back."

"No," said Mentor First, holding Norby. "The Grand Dragon is quite correct. If Norby must leave, then Fargo must stay here till he returns."

Oola was acting strangely, her fangs lengthening and then getting shorter as she changed shape back and forth from tiger to beagle. Finally, she barked, whined and rose on her own antigrav. She licked Mentor First's bulbous head, and as he reached for her, evaded his grasp and flew off in the direction of the palace.

Mentor First folded all four of his arms. "So! Divided loyalty!"

"Father," said Norby. "Oola and I are both mixed up. She was made from animals that originated on Earth, but she was made by you, a Jamyn robot. And I am part Jamyn-and part a Terran robot. My loyalty is divided, too."

"Good," said Yobo, "then listen to your Terran part and come back to cooperate with our scientists, Norby."

"No," said Mentor First, "listen to your Jamyn part and, after you return these Terrans, come back to help me."

Norby closed all four of his eyes and withdrew into his barrel.

Jeff wanted to say, "Please stay with me, Norby," but could not. Norby had too many beings wanting him for their own purposes.

— You want him not for any purpose but your love for him. The thought was that of Zi, who was touching Jeff's arm gently, and who had apparently sensed his thought.

Jeff smiled at her and nodded. He noticed that Mentor First's eye patches were still red, and that Admiral Yobo's chin was sticking out grimly.

— Zi, we were all so friendly for a while!

— The friendship is still there. As is my friendship for you.

— But Mentor First and Admiral Yobo seemed filled with hatred of each other. Look at them!

— Then do something about it, young Terran. Find a solution!

— That is so easy to say, Zi, but I can think of nothing.

Jeff felt very young and very unhappy. Admiral Yobo wants Norby's miniantigrav and hyperdrive, he thought. Mentor First wants his son, and to restore the other Mentors. Fargo wants the freedom to have adventures. And Norby?

Norby wants to be with a robot he considers his father, and that's worst of all. At least, for Jeff it was worst of all.

"Mentor First," said Jeff, "how is it that only Norby can fix things for you? He's not really good at it on Earth, and when you first realized who he was, you called him 'the Searcher.' He was designed to find the wrecked ship, and he has now found it. His job is over. Why can't you repair the hyperdrive and work out its mechanism without him?"

"I cannot do that."

"But you gave Norby his hyperdrive mechanism. How was that?"

Mentor First seemed to be trying to remember. "I installed Norby's device for refueling from hyperspace. I know that. It seems to me, though, that one of the other Mentors, just before he became totally deactivated, was the one who actually installed the search mechanism that enables Norby to travel through hyperspace."

"But you were the Mentor leader, with the best mind among them. If the other Mentor understood about hyperspatial drive, you must have, too."

"I cannot remember," said Mentor First.

Jeff tried again. "Well, then, what about the replacement mechanisms for all the Mentors? Now that you have them at last, and can bring them all back into existence, why not do so and have them help you?"

Mentor First said sadly, "Thinking is not easy for me-I have been half-demented for so many years. Perhaps you are correct, young Terran, but Norby is my creation-like a son-and still belongs here."

Jeff bit his lip, while Norby stayed in his barrel. Zi's thought came again.

— Courage. We dragons will help the Mentors heal themselves. It is time for you Terrans to leave.

— But when we are back home, Norby will come here again and stay here. He will leave me.

— After all, that is his choice, is it not?

Norby's legs extended and he bobbed up and down. His arms came out and rested on his barrel. Apparently he had come to a decision.

"All right," he said as his head popped up, "I'll just take these Terrans home, and then return."

Already, thought Jeff, we are nothing but a bunch of Terrans to him and he doesn't care about being my partner. Aloud he said, "What about Fargo?"

"He must stay as hostage," said Mentor First. "I am sorry, but I cannot trust you, Admiral.".

"Nor can I trust you," said Yobo, starting for the Hopeful, "On our way, Cadet. On the double!"

Jeff ran. Norby stumbled after, complaining loudly until he evidently remembered that he had antigrav, for he withdrew his legs and sailed past Jeff into the Hopeful just after Yobo.

He didn't even look at me as he passed, thought Jeff. He doesn't like me anymore.

"Good-bye, Jeff," said Zargl.

"Take care of yourselves," said Zi. " And take this as my gift."

She spread her wings, caught up with Jeff, and tossed him a gold collar.

"Don't try to keep Norby," said Mentor First, his four arms folded against his heavy body.

Jeff stopped at the airlock of the Hopeful and glared back at the Mentor. "Just you remember to tell the Grand Dragon that Fargo is my brother-and my best friend."

The airlock door closed behind Jeff, and he heard a small metallic voice say, "I used to be that."

Jeff gulped. Past tense. Could he change it?