Alcantaran 1: Alien Abduction by Terry Compton Page A

was being put in their food.   She also needed to check on the stingerray to see if the computer had instructions on how to operate them.
    As Ron lay on his bunk, he was thinking of movies he had seen.   He started wondering about spying devices in their cell.   Tomorrow he would carry Tik again and try the thought transfer to have her check the mother ship computer to wipe out what went on in their cell.
    The next morning when the bell went off, Ron and Gus were quick to get out of bed.   Both felt better and it showed in their actions as they prepared for the day.   They both looked anxiously at their cell mate.
    Tik slowly got up and stretched.   She saw both of them staring at her and said, "What's up, big boys?   What are you looking at?"
    "We were just wondering how you felt this morning.   You went to sleep awful fast last night and we didn't even get a chance to ask you how the healer unit did on you," Ron answered.
    "I don't know if it did anything.   I felt something and I guess I was tired because I went to sleep before it actually did anything," Tik said.   "I do feel like I have a little more energy this morning."
    "Well, the unit said all three of us had a foreign substance in our systems.   It also gave a diagnosis of what you needed.   I'll fill you in more later on," Ron explained.
    The door swung open and Gus grabbed Tik's tool bag.   Ron scooped her up and started to carry her out the door.
    Tik growled, "Put me down, you overgrown hairless ape.   I am perfectly able to walk on my own."
    "Oh, but your sprained ankle might not be fully healed.   I'd hate for Wurden to have to take you to the medical facilities," Ron quipped.   "Besides I need to talk to you and I'd just as soon no one else hears."
    Tik settled back down but she didn't like it.   She thought Ron was trying to coddle her and she was not going to let that happen.   As soon as they started down the passage-way, Ron started whispering.
    "Tik, the first thing you need to do is get UV lights at your work station.   The reason you're so sick is that you need UV light for your body to properly digest your food.   Maybe you can convince Wurden that there are bad bacteria on the used parts and the Bugs might get infected if they don't install the lights.   The next thing is we need to get Gus somewhere he can touch sand or dust for at least two hours each week.   Are there any dust filters in the air ducts leaving the repair hangar?   Check on the computer and see if you can get Wurden to assign Gus to clean them.   Make sure he is assigned to clean any dirty equipment or space ships coming into the repair hangar," Ron stated matter of factly.
    "How am I supposed to do all of that by myself?   Do you think I am some kind of magician?" Tik snorted derisively.
    "Oh, I've seen how you have Wurden wrapped around your little finger.   You'll find some way," Ron teased with a grin.
    "Stick a finger out here and I'll show you something wrapped around a finger," Tik growled.
    "Every chance you get, you need to start checking out those two space ships in the incoming hangar.   We need to know everything we can about them so we can start planning on how to get out of here.   Also there are two other things you need to check.   Number one is, are we being spied on in our cell?   Can you erase it or change what the Bugs will see?   Number two is, the healer said all three of us had some kind of foreign substance in our systems.   Are the Bugs giving us more than food in our meals?   Is there a way to delete it from ours or to counteract it?"
    Tik stiffened as she considered for the first time that the Bugs might be spying on her in her own cell.   Ron could read the determination in her posture as she started planning on how to defeat any spying.   The meal this morning was especially unappetizing to all three since the question had arisen about drugs in the food.   None of the trio finished their meal.
    The work group filed into