"Very good, sir." The buzz stopped.
The levers were just in front of him. Gingerly, he reached out and gave the left-hand one a twitch, then yelled and let go of it as they shot upward. They stopped, and he tried again gently. They rose more smoothly.
He experimented with the other and moved forward, backward, and to the sides. He lowered to a height where he was less frightened. "Er—Fley?"
"You spoke, sir?"
"I can go wherever I want?"
"Except into obvious danger, sir. I'm programmed to avoid that."
Alyar flew toward where he'd left his companions. They lay face down, lamenting, Janee loudest of all. He eyed her posterior, and Bru's, with some misgivings. The Fley's seats were a little skimpy.
He landed beside them, cleared his throat, and waited until they raised dumfounded faces.
"Get in," he said.