They had no choice. One by one, they followed: holding back their anger and bewilderment, adrift in thought, swamped by emotion. Last in line, Dev glanced back at the control center. None of the automatons were following them, either physically or with their oculars. From the time they had arrived in the company of their Olonean minder, the single Kaijank had been oblivious to the humans’ presence. Aside from a few quick glances, so had the far more numerous A'jeii and the pair of other Olones. Though their continued presence on board surely must be unanticipated it did not seem to have unduly upset the aliens, Dev thought. Was what he and his companions were presently suffering a common occurrence? Did the A'jeii and Olone commonly invite representatives of other species on board their vessel only to make an excuse for absconding with them? Or were they presently the unwitting witnesses to some truly unforeseen and unexplained circumstance? One that might sooner or later end with them being regarded as a nuisance that needed to be chucked out the nearest port? The latter was a possible fate at which Vantolos had already hinted. Better not to dwell on such possibilities.

There was nothing they could do about it in any case. There was nothing they could do about anything.

They were lost. To their world and possibly to themselves.

The quarters to which Vantolos directed them were in stark contrast to the ominous tone the Olone had taken in the control room. Pavesi peered warily into the first compartment, made accessible by their guide sliding a tentacle tip across an apparently solid gray barrier. Dev and the others crowded behind her for a better look. At least, he thought as he scanned the interior, initial appearances did not suggest anything so disheartening as a barred prison cell.

Within the characteristic curving walls, an assortment of cuplike pods of varying size and shape protruded from the walls and floor. Each was lined with the same black, rubber-like material that had padded the shape-shifting seats on the shuttle craft. There was nothing resembling a button, a knob, a dial, or a lever anywhere in the room.

“How are we supposed to live in this?” Reed looked in vain for anything resembling a chair, a bed, or hygienic facilities. “What’s the purpose of all these bulges and extensions? They just look like variants of the seats we arrived on.”

Vantolos had started back up the corridor in the direction of the control room. As he progressed, he dragged one tentacle tip along the near wall. At identical intervals, four more portals appeared. Then he was gone. Something shoebox-size zipped silently along the deck toward the mystified humans to study them for a moment before rushing silently past. Several lights glowed within its arched ventral side.

Pavesi looked at her colleagues. “What now?”