The Third Book of the Alienbutt saga. Emperor of the Universe. Part 84.

Frank brought the shuttle to a stop at the edge of dead space. In front of him, he could see the ships of the Ick fleet in the distance, trapped in dead space. The ships of the Ick fleet had entered dead space at just under light-speed and so were spread out at various distances into it. The faster a ship was traveling, the further into dead space it would go. At just under light-speed, the ships had continued their flight for just the fraction of a second it took for the time trap to claim them.
“I need to check the calibration of the probes; we need to ensure our calculations are correct. We only get one chance at this,” Frank said, getting out of the pilot’s seat and going back to the cargo area.
“We have checked the calibration and we’ve run over thirty simulations since we worked out the delivery system,” Kirk said to the retreating Frank.
“We only have one chance at this, Kirk. I want to ensure everything is perfect. Despite the amount of the active ingredient that Dribede Dagnabbit collected, we are limited in what we can use after we refine it,” Frank said and opened up a locker to check the probe’s payload.
“Our calculations are correct. You are just panicking. According to science, time manipulation depends on gravity and molecular manipulation. We are depending on neither in this and everything you know is being proved wrong by what we are about to do,” Kirk said.
“I’m a scientist Kirk, I need to understand why things happen,” Frank said in desperation.
“We have both spent time studying the Alienbutt digestive system and how it produces a number of bacterium and chemicals found nowhere else in the universe. The propulsion drive you built proves that we are dealing with a unique substance that bends all known rules of science,” Kirk said as he walked over to stand by Frank.
“That propulsion drive was a failure. It didn’t work in the way it should have and it almost killed us all,” Frank said bitterly.
“I would sooner go with the description Alienbutt used in his report on the events of the use of the drive and his return,” Kirk said giving his little hop that indicated he had just shrugged his shoulders.
“Did he use the phrase science stuff all the time?” Frank asked, giving Kirk an amused look. “Alienbutt could never bring anything to a conversation on science beyond the phrase ‘science stuff’.”
“He did use that phrase, but I was thinking of the section where he observed how your drive did the science stuff in the same way as the portals but was based around a ship’s engine rather than a temple,” Kirk answered. Frank stopped what he was doing as his brain kicked into gear and he began to mumble numbers. Kirk gently took the probe from his unresisting hands and placed it back in its case.
“I will go warm up a bowl of tomato soup for you,” Kirk said but Frank never noticed as the robot left him to his calculations.

Half an hour later, Frank returned to the cockpit and sat in the pilot’s chair. Kirk stood waiting with a bowl of tomato soup in his hands.
“I couldn’t see the woods for the trees,” Frank said absently.
“What woods?” Kirk asked.
“That apart from being disgustingly smelly and highly explosive, there is something in Alienbutt’s digestive system that can manipulate time,” Frank announced excitedly. “I could get to understand the science of the ancient’s portals, yet.”
“Should I warm up your soup?” Kirk asked.
“I need to get back to our laboratory and start studying this right away,” Frank said, grabbing the bowl of cold soup. “No need, cold’s fine.”
Kirk looked out of the windows of the ship to the Ick fleet still trapped in dead space. “Shouldn’t we launch the probes first?”
“Probes? What probes?” Frank asked.
“The ones we brought out here so we could release the Emperor and the Ick fleet.” Kirk said pointing at the windows and the trapped fleet beyond.
Frank looked out of the window. “We could come back in a few weeks once I’ve got a working theory, it’s not like they’re going anywhere. I promise, three weeks, six at the most.”
Kirk remained silent and looked at Frank. He was unable to give Frank a look that said anything apart from ‘I’ve got a fixed metal face that I can’t alter to show my displeasure’ but Frank began to feel guilty and finally gave in.
“OK, let’s sort out the probes first then. It’s not like waiting another two months would have made any difference to them,” Frank grumbled.

To be continued, a final time.
All images are mine.