AwayTeam

by Mark Alders

  "Seems to me that artificial light drains the natural flow of power through the engine." Ely switched off his flashlight. "But we'd need a light a lot more powerful than these flashlights if we're going to make any sort of impression on the functioning of it."

  "More like we'd need a starship's search light," Braden added with a sigh.

  "That's the one thing we have plenty of but can't get to," Kale said, but there was no sarcasm in his voice. What he said was true. Outside, in the black, there were three starships. All of them useless at this point in time.

  Ely turned to look around the room. Then something caught his eye. Something they had first encountered when they entered the engine room of this disease machine. The light source Commander Okinawa had been trapped in. "Hang on guys. What about that over there? Do you think that would be powerful enough?"

  Braden and Kale turned their attention to where Ely was pointing.

  After a moment of silence, Kale asked, "How the hell are we supposed to get that directed toward the engine?"

  "With a reflector, of course," Ely chimed. Pleased with himself that he had come up with such a good idea. "I mean, if we can get it directed over here, then that should be enough to darken most of this engine and hopefully turn it off for long enough to get Emerson out of there and free those trapped starships. What you reckon?"

  Braden cocked an eyebrow. "You know, I think you may have something there, Ely. Kale, you want to come with me to the shuttle? We'll try and scavenge as much as we can, strip the whole place of metal if we have to."

  Kale saluted. "Sounds like a plan, sir." This time he smiled, cheekiness only Kale could have added into that expression in good measure.

  Ely smiled, too. Braden and Kale were perfect for each other. "I don't want to leave Sonny. I'll stay here."

  At that moment Ely looked up at the tower that held his Emerson. His stomach turned. His man seemed to be in worse condition than when they had first arrived in the engine room. He was still screaming, but tears flowed, too. He was banging on the light so that it sparked yet remained intact around him, keeping him held within the glass. Ely knew he couldn't go up and comfort him, tell him that they were working on a way to get him out. He couldn't touch the engine for a start, not without some sort of reflector in place, anyway.

  "I'm coming for you, Sonny," he whispered as Braden and Kale left the engine room, hand in hand. "Just hang in there."

  Chapter Eighteen

  In the hour or so that Kale and Braden were gone, Ely sat in front of the massive engine. One that not only had the ability to bring the disease ship from wherever it came, perhaps thousands of light years, but fold space to trap others as well. He couldn't help but admire it, no matter how sinister its purpose.

  Many, many questions revolved around his head. Who made this ship? Why did they want to attack humans? Had they been watching us for eons, now considering us a threat? Why was there a breathable atmosphere inside? So far no other life had been seen. The place was deserted. Ely only saw the glass-like structures beyond the reflective metal-like substance of the hangar bay. Then again, perhaps there was an atmosphere so that humans would be lured inside a lot easier. Then, as Ely and the rest of them had already witnessed, one could be used as part of the engine for whatever purpose or design the aliens had in mind. Again, he thought of sinister intentions. Why trap someone inside an engine unless they were being used for something? But what? Information?

  Emerson had calmed. Did he sense that they were up to something? Or was Ely's presence soothing his anguish? It was hard to tell. Ely, on the other hand, was feeling as anxious as ever. His heart raced. His palms were sweaty. He just wanted Kale and Braden to come back as soon as possible so they could get out of this place.

  As Ely was about to stand, walk over to the engine and test to see if it still sparked with his touch, more for something to do, he heard a voice. Through the flower-like doors, Braden and Kale came. They were carrying what looked like the briefing table and a myriad of other metallic things.

  "Hey, come and give us a hand, Ely," Braden called out.

  Ely ran to them. Finally, some action. "Yes, sir."

  They had indeed taken the briefing table from the cockpit. Stripping it down so that the metal base was exposed. They also had panels from the engine bay that were used for shielding and the forward assembly sensors that got singed while the shuttle was in the wake of the Mandrake's engine plume. All in all, there was a lot of stuff.

  "We brought a portable welder, too." Braden came down to place his end of the briefing table onto the floor. "I'd say we need to make a dish or something like that. Whatever we do, make sure it has plenty of surface area. We want to get as much of this light over to the engine. Shut the thing down for good, hopefully."

  "I agree." Kale had set his end down, too. He was pulling out metallic part from the table recess. "We'll use the table as a base, extend out from there."

  Ely gave Kale a hand. Nothing more needed to be said. All three knew what they had to do. And Ely had to admit, his nerves had eased somewhat now that he was busy.

  Ely didn't know how long they shaped, welded and constructed their makeshift reflector, but the time seemed to go fast. Sure, he ached all over, the physical labour of lugging around metal wasn't easy. The end result was something they could be proud of. Yes, it looked exactly like it was, a hodgepodge of parts stuck together, some metal more reflective than others, but nevertheless it would be sufficient for their intention. They weren't out to get any design awards, just Emerson.

  The thought of Emerson brought reality crashing back. Ely turned toward the engine. His boyfriend still looked as though he was going through hell. Which proved one thing. Being a part of this disease ship's construction wasn't something a human would wish for. Ely would bet his left nut that Emerson was being probed for information, his mind scanned. Why else would this ship install him into the machine? That sealed it. They had been required all along.

  "We're just about ready," Kale said, knocking Ely from his reverie.

  Ely came so he was standing next to Braden, helping carry the reflector toward the light source Commander Okinawa had been found within. A few short seconds later, and Ely couldn't face his gaze toward the reflector, the light too intense.

  Braden said, "On the count of three, we tilt the table so that it's pointed toward the engine. Clear?"

  "Yes, sir," Kale and Ely said together.

  "One…two…three."

  All three of them tilted the table. Seeing the beam strike the engine was a thing of beauty. All of a sudden, the only light in the room was that being reflected off their haphazard construction. The glass of the engine had been dulled, just like it did when they directed their flashlight beams toward it. The light that struck the glass had been absorbed.

  Ely noted one big difference between the strength of what the flashlights did and this beam they had used to their advantage. The whole engine was incapacitated. Ely smiled. They had done it.

  "I'm going to free Sonny," Ely said, letting go of the table.

  "Just be damn quick," Braden barked. "This thing weights a tonne and it's getting mighty hot, too."

  Ely came around so that he could run toward the engine that was housed on the far side of the dark room. As soon as he was close enough to notice, his heart skipped a beat and he let out a yell. Words even he himself couldn't comprehend. His mind span and he felt as though he was going to throw up the little he had within him.

  Emerson was gone.

  "Braden! Kale!" Ely finally managed, still running as fast as his legs could carry him toward the alien engine.

  "What's up, Ely?" Braden questioned.

  But Ely couldn't answer.

  The tower had been smashed, the twisting, turning light within it no longer present. Emerson must have been able to force himself out of his prison once the holding field or whatever it was had dissipated when the engine had lost power. He was filled with delight at such a thing until he saw Em
erson upon the floor at the front of the machine. His heart sank and his stomach turned unlike anything he had experienced in his life.

  He came to his boyfriend, kneeling beside him, cradling his head in his arms. Emerson was covered in blood. His hands were cut and he was unconscious. "Sonny! Oh, fucking hell, Sonny!" was all Ely could manage through quivering lips. He kissed his boyfriend on his forehead, tasting his blood. He didn't care. All he wanted more than anything in the universe was for his Emerson to be all right.

  "What is it, Ely?" Kale called out. Again, Ely was disturbed from his thoughts.

  Ely stammered, but said, "Sonny's been hurt."

  With those words, the light being directed from the other side of the room was extinguished. Scintillating stars invaded Ely's vision. He knew that Braden and Kale had let go of the reflector and were now running toward him. Their footfalls echoing throughout the engine bay more than enough proof of that.

  Emerson's eyelids flicked open. "I told it too much. I couldn't help…it, my beautiful Ely. They know…all about us and unless…we can get out of here and…destroy this ship, they will come. They will…come and…kill us all. We have…" He then returned to his unconscious state.

  Before Ely could question the meaning of his boyfriend's words, many hands came to grab them. Braden and Kale had arrived. Thank God.

  Ely was pulled up onto his feet. He glanced at the engine. It was coming back to life. Starting at the base, the energy the ship must use caused the glass to blink back into existence, the many colours beautiful yet ominous at the same time. Ely wouldn't imagine that they would have long to get out of the disease ship before it was back up to full capacity, able to take another one of them for the engine. He even saw the glass of the tower begin to repair itself, the cracks melding to a smooth surface once more.

  "We'd better get the fuck out of here before the engine can take one of us again." Kale said, reiterating Ely's thoughts to perfection. "Then we'll be back to square one."

  Ely was shepherded toward the flower-like door. The thing was closing.

  "Fuck!" Braden screamed. He was carrying Emerson in a fire-man's hold. The man was a wall of muscle anyway, so such a thing wouldn't have been too much of a bother for him under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, this wasn't a normal situation, far from it. Running with a burden wasn't easy, the strain on his face clear.

  They had to run with all their might if there were ever going to get out of here, away from the alien machine that had captured Emerson. The thing was, Ely knew now after what Emerson had said, that the ship would try and capture one of them once more. Seemed it needed a human component to the engine, used by the machine to gain an advantage over the enemy.

  Ely glanced at the reflector. No wonder Braden had said the metal was getting hot. It was a melted, molten mess on the floor. The light had been intensified to such a point that it destroyed their efforts, the reflector no longer able to function. Seemed the light being there wasn't a blessing as they had first thought. Perhaps it was there to test the intelligence of whatever species the alien disease ship had been sent to disable. He shuddered at that thought, unable to help feeling like a lab rat in some sort of sick experiment.

  "Run!" Kale yelled at the top of his lungs.

  The flower-like door was almost shut. But then, Kale did something Ely wouldn't have thought of even if he tried. He unholstered his weapon and fired. The engine room filled with the sound of shattering glass. The door destroyed enough so that they could pass through it.

  Again, Ely saw the glass repair itself. That in itself sparked his curiosity. No metal or glass he could think of could do that, not by human design, anyway. The alien technology here was simply awesome. He couldn't help himself. As he passed through the hexagonal door, he plucked a piece of the broken glass up from the floor and stuffed it into his pocket. He'd want to study that later, when Emerson was back to normal, safe and sound in his arms, of course.

  They dashed through many corridors, Kale guiding the way. He held the portable comm panel, using it like a directional finder pointing toward the shuttle. The glass rooms they encountered seemed to be more intense. Many times they had to avoid beams of light. One or two coming so close, breathing in while pressed against a wall the only way to avoid being plucked up and sent into the heart of the engine. Ely swallowed hard at their last narrow escape. Seemed to him the disease ship was pulling out all stops to make sure they didn't get away. Or testing them some more.

  Finally, and with Kale shooting his way through the hexagonal flower-like door, the shuttle came into view. Ely turned to look behind him. He couldn't hear Braden's laboured breathing anymore. Braden looked terrible. He was sweating like a Martian piglet at high noon, his hair plastered to his forehead. But he still held Emerson, still ran as best he could toward the shuttle and their escape, even though his pace had slowed.

  The man was magnificent.

  "Did you want me to take over?" Ely asked, waiting for Braden to come close to him.

  He just shook his head in reply.

  No more needed to be said between them. But Ely came behind Braden, pushing up on Emerson to try and lighten the load Braden bore. Emerson was no better, looking worse now that the blood had dried and caked on his perfect white skin.

  "Quick. Into the shuttle." Kale shouted from up ahead. "We don't have much time."

  "Why not?" Braden wheezed.

  "The hangar bay doors are closing."

  Chapter Nineteen

  No formalities were observed once all were inside the shuttle. Kale gunned the engine, zooming as fast as the shuttle could take them out of the hangar bay, not even worrying about lift-off thrusters. Main engines were fired and that was that. The shuttle came within millimetres of the closing doors. Well, Ely assumed it was close, a couple of jolts, ones that rattled every housing around them, evident that they had probably lost a sensor dish or communications array.

  Still, Ely had Emerson back and that's all that mattered in the here and now. They were all in the cockpit. Commander Okinawa had taken up the only cot in the shuttle's med bay, so Braden had pulled a bed from one of the cabins so Emerson could be as comfortable as possible. Ely soothed his forehead, brushing his hands across his skin, whispering encouragement to him.

  Emerson stirred once they were in space. He opened his eyelids, those deep, brown eyes of his distant and dull. "Destroy it…destroy….it." He then slipped back into unconsciousness.

  "I heard that," Kale said.

  The communication screen shimmered into existence above the co-pilots station. It was fuzzy, static filling the image. Seemed they had lost a communication antenna during their escape. No matter. They were all alive and out of there. That was the main thing.

  The captain's face wobbled as the link between the Mandrake and the shuttle tried to maintain hold. "…the energy field has been disabled. Congratulations…my best to you…Okinawa…report to…"

  Kale pressed the panel that opened this end of the channel. "Didn't catch all that, sir. But I think it's best if you're free of the energy field, that you destroy the alien ship. We will explain everything later."

  "Didn't get…did you…destroy…on what…"

  Kale punched the button again. "Please, sir. Just open fire with everything you have. Before the disease ship fully recovers from what we did and can re-activate it's trap."

  "Deadly force…must authorise…"

  "Just open fire on the fucking thing!" Kale's face was bright red. His anger clear. That and the fact he was now screaming at the captain."

  The screen was shut off.

  From the window, Ely could see that the energy field had indeed been disabled. The Mandrake and the other starships free to manoeuvre around the alien disease ship. Seconds later, every missile, nuclear weapon and rail gun ignited the blackness around the starships as they were fired, their target the alien star-shaped ship.

  Ely smiled. At least the captain had listened to Kale. Sure, there would be reports and expla
nations and more reports, but in the end, they had achieved what they had set out to do. He sighed relief, grabbing Emerson's hand and gripping him tight, both to reassure his boyfriend and himself. Emerson remained still, yet deep down, Ely knew that he could feel his warmth, understand that he was there for him.

  The cockpit was lit up with more and more intense light. Another short moment after that, the alien threat had been neutralised. Its structure, most of it glass-like, was obliterated by the use of deadly force the Mandrake and the other two starships had unleashed. The disease ship was now nothing more than particles to be trapped by Neptune's gravity and used to create another ring. A reminder of what could have been.

  Emerson was rushed to the Mandrake's med bay, as was Commander Okinawa. Ely, Braden and Kale were told to report to the captain. After a few anxious moments, and while Braden explained everything that had transpired to the rather stern looking captain, he let out a chuckle, and said, "Seems to me you've all saved the human race."

  Ely hadn't thought of that. All he was worried about was saving Emerson, so much so it had consumed him. Sure, rescuing his boyfriend from within the machine had the added bonus of removing the threat for mankind, but again, that never struck Ely as a main objective. They were sent in to disable the energy field, that was their mission. Everything else had happened out of circumstance. Thankfully, they survived the ordeal, able to tell the captain what the purpose of the disease ship was. Which of course raised one big question. Would the aliens continue with their pursuit and try and conquer humanity again? At least they would now know that humanity wasn't a push over. Or was it all a test, as Ely suspected.

  Before Ely could continue to commit to such deep thoughts, the captain continued, "I think you three deserve some down time…" the rest of what the captain said, Ely didn't catch. His thoughts wandered to Emerson again. Down time suited him fine at the moment. Such a thing would mean that he could be at his boyfriend's side, wait for him to awaken from his unconsciousness. The medical staff said that his brain hadn't been damaged and that he should recover soon. Ely wanted to be there when Emerson woke, be the first thing he would see.