Chapter 187: Preparations
Irwin stood in his cabin, looking at Xi'kroak and his mate, wishing the cabin was larger and that he had a desk like he'd seen in Xi'kroak's cabin. It felt crowded with just four people: Xi'kroak, his La'suna, and Greldo.
"Captain Irwin, let me start by saying your fear is ungrounded," Xi'kroak began as soon as the door closed. "We are not here to lay claim to this world you have found. Now that we can speak more freely, let me say that I have a little more knowledge about how other species think, and I know how dangerous this situation can be with nearly any but Da'xi."
Irwin felt slightly relieved at the calm tone but didn't speak up. He sensed that Xi'kroak wasn't done, and he was curious about what else Xi'kroak had to say before the questions would come.
Xi'kroak waited for a few seconds before sighing. "That being said, I will have to request refuge for myself and my crewmen. I hope you will allow us onto the world so we can find food and rest. We have been traveling on very little, and I should have returned yesterday. We continued because of the portal opening flare we spotted."
Irwin had somewhat expected it, but the wary, sad tone of Xi'kroak still caught him off guard.
I could have used Daubutim here, he thought, but he also knew he would need to fix this situation himself.
There was no more time to get Daubutim; besides, if it did come to fighting, it would be better to have Greldo here. Daubutim still needed to learn how to use his skills, and even then, he was likely far less powerful than Greldo at this moment, no matter if he was more powerful than Greldo at the same point.
"I need a moment to decide what to do," he said as he realized how long he'd been quiet. "Can you tell me what happened at Sesnanser?"
Xi'kroak's mate let out a soft sniff, but Captain Xi'kroak's faceplates just rattled softly.
"The Nyzir and Galubs cordoned off the narrow area beyond Sesnanser. Due to this, we couldn't get reinforcements from the rest of The Daran, and when they attacked, we were outnumbered," Xi'kroak said. "In my estimate, it is unlikely that there will be any effort to free Sesnanser in the near future, if at all. This means that if we are to survive, we will either need to make a run past the blockade or-" Xi'kroak looked up at the ceiling where the portal was.
So they actually blocked the way out? Irwin thought as he realized why Xi'kroak needed a place to go. It also meant he didn't have to worry about someone else appearing soon. He glanced at Greldo, who was quietly listening, but his friend showed no interest in providing his opinion.
So, that meant it was up to him. He hummed as he thought about what the biggest problem would be, that Xi'kroak would head back out before the people of Giard had the time to create proper defenses.