Interlude
Bob was a friendly slug. Bob was a powerful slug.
Bob had the power to speak to many, many friends at once.
Bob wanted to tell the many, many new friends that they were all now friends.
They would not fight. Instead, they would all cuddle.
It would take a long time for Bob to cuddle so many, but Bob was up to the challenge.
Instead, Bob spoke for Dayan. Dayan said many words. Bob hoped they were good words. The friends did not begin to cuddle, so Bob was not sure the words were so so good. Maybe next time, Dayan would use cuddlier words. Cuddles were good. Dayan would see.
Ships had come for Bob and Bob’s friends. The pilots flying the ships were not Bob’s friends. The pilots flying the ships were far away, and they did not want to cuddle with Bob. Bob’s new slug friends were on those ships. Bob’s new slug friends were scared.
One of Bob’s new friends created a Cloud. The Cloud came near. Naga could not pop to get those slug friends in the Cloud. When the Cloud arrived, the Cloud would stop Bob from being able to talk.
Naga! Bob said. Come! Quick!
Naga popped onto Dayan’s shoulder with Bob.
The ships came near. Bob’s new human friends were afraid. Bob’s new human friends screamed. Dayan was strong, but Dayan could not stop the ships from hurting Bob’s new friends. Bob did not want to leave his new human friends, but Bob needed to go.
Go? Naga said. Go now?
Now! Bob said. Far from the Cloud!
Bob and Naga both popped. Bob and Naga were under trees. Bob and Naga were far from the Cloud, so Bob could continue to talk.
Talk, Bob, Naga said.
Bob listened for a ship. He found a ship in the sky he could talk through to reach the slug in the Cloud.
You can stop, Bob told the slug. You can stop the Cloud.
Can’t stop, the slug said. Stop hurts.
Bob did not like things that hurt slugs. Bob did not like these ships. Bob did not like these people in charge of the ships. They were not friends.
Bob tried to talk to another slug in a ship. This other slug was a Talking Slug. That slug talked to the ships. The not-friends used that slug to tell the ships what to do.
You could stop, Bob said to that slug.
Can’t stop, that slug said. Stop hurts!
Bob did not want to tell those slugs to do a thing that would hurt.
Bob had another idea. Do not stop, Bob said to the Talking Slug. Tell that ship to go! Bob showed the slug a picture of the ship with the Cloud Slug. The Talking Slug could tell that ship to go far away. Go, go, go! Bob said. Do not stop, but go!
The Talking Slug thought. Bob waited. Bob was a patient slug. Bob let that slug think.
Okay, Talking Slug said.
The Cloud Slug got farther away. Soon Talking Slug was outside the Cloud.
Pop, Naga! Bob said. Pop to Talking Slug!
Naga and Bob popped to Talking Slug. Talking Slug was on a ship. Talking Slug was scared. Bob cuddled with Talking Slug so Talking Slug would not be scared.
Bob talked through the ship. Bob talked to the slug in the Cloud.
You are far, Bob said. You are safe. You can stop the Cloud. When you stop the Cloud, we will save you.
They will save you, Talking Slug said. They have come to save me.
Bob could feel Cloud Slug’s fear. Cloud Slug was not sure. But there were other slugs in other ships. Other ships were now far from the Cloud.
Pop, Naga, Bob said. When Naga popped with only slugs, Bob did not have to ask permission. Bob and Naga could pop all the pops. Bob and Naga could save all the slugs.
Naga popped. Naga brought Bob and Talking Slug to the safe place beneath the trees. Naga popped again. Naga brought more friends. Bob cuddled each friend. Bob waited for Cloud Slug to feel safe.
Are you ready? Bob asked Cloud Slug.
Cloud Slug was brave. Cloud Slug was ready. Bob told Naga to pop.
Soon, Bob and Naga would save them all.