by C. R. Daems
"Good thing you didn't, Captain. If the Coaca Virus is active, your invasion force could have been infected and returned to infect your entire ship," Renata said. "It's not a trap. I know Commander Paulus. She wouldn't call for me if it weren't safe. Part of my team Admiral Webb sent is a crew to pilot the ship into orbit. The rest are specialists in dealing with Coaca Virus contamination. So if you can provide a way in, that is all we need. The virus can't live in open space, so if your people stay outside they won't be in any danger," Renata said.
Laplante spent the next ten minutes directing the colonel in charge of the Marines to open one of the shuttle bays but not to enter. A half hour later, Renata and her team were back in the shuttle and on their way to the FPU cruiser. They slid into the bay dressed in their encapsulated suits with expandable backs that held Self-Contained Breathable Apparatus, SCBA, units. They left the shuttle and made their way to the Bridge. Renata was surprised to see no bodies in the hallway. She shuddered. It felt eerie and she imagined ghosts floating up and down the corridors and in and out of the rooms. When they entered the Bridge, it too looked to be empty. But once inside, she saw Anna slumped in the captain's chair. Renata screamed. Anna looked like a shriveled old woman, with bones clearly visible against a thin layer of skin. "Captain Martinez, where is the dispensary on this ship?"
Martinez tapped on his tablet several times, then pointed out the door. "Down the corridor to the first intersection, take a right, and it's about halfway down on the left."
Renata scooped up Anna, ignoring the red-headed krait draped around her neck, and headed for the door, surprised at how feather-lite Anna felt. Several minutes later she found the area. It looked relatively modern. After a quick scan she located the Regen unit and hurried to it. "Anyone know how to use this machine?" she asked as she undressed Anna, tears mercifully clouding her vision. The woman helping her gagged and threw up. Anna's body was black and blue everywhere, infected areas had blisters which were leaking yellow puss, her genitals were swollen and torn…
Renata picked up Red and placed him in a glass container before lifting Anna's nude body and gently placing her in the unit. She looked to Dr. Seymour, who had been studying the unit. He lowered the lid which sealed it and hit the yellow button. The unit hummed to life.
"They are basically the same, as only two companies make them," he said. The yellow button was glowing. "The yellow button indicates the unit is running a diagnostic routine—" Just then the red button glowed and the yellow button turned off. Seymour frowned and puckered his lips before speaking. "Normally, the diagnostic routine produces a list of medical issues, and you can select which ones you want treated. But when the patient is considered close to death, it automatically switches on the red button, indicating it has initiated emergency procedures." He looked over to the snake. "Dead?"
"No, I think it's hibernating. It needs Anna's blood and since she doesn't have enough to spare, I think it went into hibernation."
* * *
While they waited, they roamed the ship. Signs of violence were everywhere: blood stains, skin and flesh, and scabs, but no bodies.
"Paulus was right," Dr. Koop said, looking at the handheld device she was holding. "Some of this…matter still has the Coaca Virus present and active. Captain Laplante could have caused an epidemic had he forced his way into this ship."
Eventually they examined the cargo hold and found the containers where Anna had stacked the bodies. The smell was overwhelming and they quickly sealed them.
"I'd say Commander Paulus had her revenge," Koop said after she had looked into one of the containers.
* * *
They left Anna in the Regen unit for two days, considering her wounds too serious to move her to Eden. Alexa was transported to the FPU cruiser to be with her daughter.
"Do you know what happened?" Alexa asked Renata after staring at her daughter through the external monitor. "She looks so…fragile. Is Red?" She paled and looked to Renata, who pointed to the glass container where Red lay curled and shook her head.
"Red is all right. I think he's hibernating while he waits for Anna to recover. But to answer your original question, they were monsters…" Tears dripped down Renata's cheeks.
The next day they transferred Anna to the Naval Medical Facility, Asclepius, where she spent another twenty-four hours in Regen.
* * *
I woke lying on a mattress, and began trembling as I awaited the next man. I didn't understand why I wasn't dead. The Regen unit could repair my body and maybe slow the effects but couldn't cure the Coaca Virus. By now I should be dead or at very least in the final stages, but there were no blisters on my arms and I didn't feel feverish. What if they had discovered a cure? They could keep me forever. I screamed.
"Anna, I'm here and you're safe. You're on Eastar at the Naval Hospital," she said over and over again. Her soft soothing voice penetrated my muddled mind and my eyes flew open. Alexa stood at the side of the bed, leaning over me so close I could feel her warm breath. I reached up and grabbed her in a death grip, afraid she would disappear.
"Hold me, Mother," I sobbed in desperation. She crawled onto the bed and lay there, squeezing me tightly and crying. I slept and woke to find Red wrapped around both our necks as if he understood. I dozed off again. When I woke, Alexa spoke.
"Anna, I need to use your bathroom." She stroked my head. When I nodded she kissed my forehead, rolled out of bed, and dashed into the small bathroom. I looked around the room, which looked like all the other hospitals I'd been in over the years and relaxed. Just then Dr. Renata walked in and smiled.
"I see you let your mother up to relieve herself. She refused to leave you until you woke and understood where she was." Renata walked to the side of the bed and began checking my vitals as Alexa emerged from the bathroom. "If your mother stays, would you mind a few questions?"
I hesitated, reaching my arm toward Alexa. She seemed to understand, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled me to her so my head lay in her lap.
"I'll try," I said, not sure I wanted to discuss what had happened. It might be like reliving it. "How are Adrian and Paul and the other guards?" I asked, suddenly scared, and began shaking. Alexa squeezed me tightly, with her face close to mine.
"The gas wasn't lethal and the kidnappers didn't hurt them. They grabbed you and left," Alexa said, to my relief.
"I didn’t recover until I was on their cruiser. I woke in a bag…just like when the doctors found me in the snow and brought me to you. Except this time Red wasn't in the bag," I said, remembering that four-year-old girl chiding what she thought a red Angel to take her to heaven. I noticed Renata smile at her own recollection of the events. "The captain, a man named Santo, wanted to know what I knew about their operation. He offered me a quick death if…" Over the next hour I gave a condensed version of what I could remember. In fact, what I remembered the most was the pain, not the many faces or what they did or said, or the numbers. I think watching my mother and Renata visibly sharing my pain and degradation helped.
"How did you get away? Alexa asked.
"That was strange…" I hesitated, worrying my lower lip. "Are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse evil?"
"As I remember it," Renata said, looking down, "they were said to be harbingers of the Last Judgment. So I'd say they were sent to punish wrongs."
"I lay on a mattress, feverish, consumed with pain, and undoubtedly hallucinating, when they appeared, floating in the air above me—the four horsemen. Death…gave me his scythe and I strangled the man raping me. They followed me as I wandered the ship, each giving me a weapon…to kill. I killed the men I encountered in the corridors and ones in rooms not quite dead from the Coaca Virus. Eventually I wound up at the captain's office, where I found Red. He had killed the captain."
"You were obviously hallucinating but it’s scary close to having been the harbinger of justice," Renata said, shaking her head. Mother pulled me close and I melted into her embrace and slept.
Alexa,
with Renata's backing, would allow no visitors and two days later we left the hospital and went directly home. I did notice two Marine shuttles following us and one stayed. For the next several nights I slept in Alexa's bed, needing her next to me before I dared close my eyes, and to grab on to when I woke from my many nightmares, disoriented and back on the Shark.
* * *
We sat on the couch after a delicious dinner. Alexa and the cook were doing their best to help me gain back some of the weight I had lost, and it was working.
"Anna, you can resign the Navy and we can move back to Oxax. We have plenty of money and there is no need for you to work. Lulltrel can get Adrian and Kris to continue the project—"
"No!" I shouted. "Sorry, Mother. But the thought of Kris or Adrian in the hands of those monsters… They couldn't stop me from dying, but with Regen they could keep them alive for years." I shuddered at the thought. "I might need to sleep in your bed for a while." I gave Alexa a hug and kiss on the cheek. "But I think you were right when you said Red and I were meant to chase bad guys. And these guys are evil."
Alexa hugged me, her face wet from crying. "You can sleep in my bed for the rest of your life if it helps."
* * *
I notified Lulltrel that I'd like to report for duty. She agreed if Dr. Renata certified me fit. I made an appointment for the next day and contacted Pannell to take me to her office.
"Hi, Paul. I'm glad the kidnappers didn't hurt you," I said and gave him a hug. Very unprofessional but I didn't care. He returned the hug.
"I'm sorry—" he began but I stopped him with a hand.
"They were smarter than us this time. I know who did it so you will have the last laugh," I said. His jaw dropped open in surprise.
"Who?"
"Marines from the Laelaps. But they will have to wait until we identify the Hijackers. So for now that's our secret." I placed my finger to my lips.
He nodded. "Your security has been tripled," he said as we exited the house and entered one of the two shuttles waiting. The ride to Eastar Naval Hospital was quick. Renata met me in the lobby and escorted me to her office.
"Are you sure you want to continue?" Renata said after she served me coffee and we were seated. "They would give you a medical retirement with full benefits. The space gods know you deserve it."
"I'm scared and have nightmares and sleep in my mother's bed, but they are evil and I'm the best person to chase them. I don't think anyone will want to kidnap me again." I gave a short laugh. "And maybe the four horsemen were my subconscious telling me they deserved judgment for the evil they are causing."
"All right. I certify you fit for duty on the condition you call me once a day and visit me once a week for the next several weeks," she said, making eye contact with me. I nodded.
"I'd like that, Dr. Renata. You're like family to me and Red, and I'm going to need anchors."
* * *
"Commander Paulus, reporting for duty, ma'am," I said as I entered Lulltrel's office, braced to attention, and saluted. I was surprised when she stood to return my salute.
"I can't believe you want to continue after what happened to you. I read Dr. Renata's report on your condition when they found you." She stood watching me and waited.
"They need to be stopped…and I might be the best person to stop them."
She nodded. "Admiral Webb has asked for you to meet with him when you report for duty. With your permission, he invited Dr. Renata and me. That way he can debrief you and you only have to tell the story once," she said while she stared. I felt like I was under a microscope. After I nodded, she led me to Webb's office and we were admitted immediately. Inside, I noticed Renata was already there. I braced to attention and saluted. Webb stood to return my salute.
"Welcome home, Commander Paulus," Webb said as he waved toward several chairs arranged in a circle. His aide fetched coffee for Lulltrel and me as Webb joined the circle. I noticed that Pannell was allowed to stay.
"Paulus, we will stop any time you feel you can't continue, either for a break or to continue another day," Renata said, looking from me to Webb to Lulltrel before continuing. I stroked Red, who was lying with his head on my shoulder, and took a sip of coffee before speaking.
"My first recollection was waking up in a body bag…" I tried to give a comprehensive description of the events while avoiding specifics around the rapes, and completely disregarding the four horsemen. I think it made it easier watching the three wiping tears from their eyes. Pannell stood off to the side, his face was space cold.
Afterward, Webb ordered lunch and the conversation was an update on what the investigation on Westar had discovered, which was very little—I knew or suspected more.
"Paulus, Admiral Lulltrel tells me you want to continue and Dr. Renata has certified you fit for duty. I would have thought you would have wanted to retire. No one would blame you and you would certainly be entitled to retire early with full benefits. What if…" he choked on what he intended to say and left it hanging.
"They may want to kill me, sir, but I doubt anyone will ever want to kidnap me again." That received a spike of emotions: mostly horror and fear, which slowly turned to satisfaction.
"What do you want, Paulus? The candy store is open for you." Webb gave me a lopsided smile.
"Unless you object, sir, I'd like your best cruiser system programmer and a directive from the appropriate section to conduct a system upgrade. Whoever is appointed will be doing it under P1A authority."
"I trust her," Lulltrel said, aware I meant to violate people's rights, which would normally require a court order and strong justification.
"You're going after the group you suspect are operating from UAS cruisers?" Webb asked, somewhat confused, probably wondering why I wasn't focused on the Hijackers.
"Although they aren't working directly for the Hijackers, I believe they are providing them information needed to avoid detection. And I think I can prove they are the ones who kidnapped me, proving they have a link to the Hijackers. I'd also like authorization for my staff and I to have exclusive access to the Shark and its records."
* * *
"Master Chief," I said when I saw Stamm rocket to attention as I approached. "My office, after you arrange for a staff meeting. I need an update."
"Yes, ma'am," he said saluting as I passed. Inside, I stood looking out the window at the city. I reached up and Red wrapped around my wrist and I kissed him. "Am I crazy, my friend? Or is my mother right? We were meant to chase bad people." I held him a few centimeters from my face. As usual he said nothing, just stared back with his small forked tongue flickering in and out. "Did you send the four horsemen and pull me to the captain's office? I certainly didn't know where the captain was or his office or you. And I wouldn't have killed the first man and escaped without the horsemen's encouragement." I laughed when Red gave no sign of understanding. "You're the galaxy's greatest liar," I said, letting Red wrap around my neck just as I heard a knock at the door.
"Come."
"Ma'am, they are running for your conference room as we speak." He smiled. "We are all glad you're back and…alive. You were missed."
"Thank you, Carl. It's good to be back. Let's go dispel some of the rumors which must be floating around," I said as I headed for the door. Pannell and four Marines fell in behind me.
"Attention," Stamm shouted and everyone braced to attention, although their eyes followed me instead of looking forward.
"At ease and sit. Sorry for the unscheduled meeting, but I'd like to catch up on what has been happening while I was on vacation." That generated jaw-dropping silence. "And before you ask, the accommodations were cramped, the food tasteless, and the staff rude. Not to mention, the entertainment was third rate. I wouldn't recommend traveling on a FPU cruiser." I looked around the table at the slight smiles that were emerging. "Why don't you start, Commander Newman?" I said as Stamm place a cup of coffee in front of me.
"Ma'am, we're glad you’re back and safe." He blushed slightly and
continued quickly. "We reviewed all the merchants who conduct business in the Northern Rim and narrowed the list to twenty-two we feel are equivalent to the ten missing merchants," Newman said and slid a chip to me. Then he and the others went on to explain their current cases.
"Thank you. Colonel Pannell will arrange for us to tour the Shark. That is the FPU cruiser currently in orbit over Westar. We will probably be gone for a day or two so pack accordingly. We are going to search the Shark for clues to their operating procedures."
* * *
"Ma'am, there is a Lieutenant Commander to see you. He said he was the system programmer you requested."
"Send him in, Master Chief," I said, a little surprised at how quickly he had been assigned. Stamm opened the door and a good-looking man in his early thirties with wavy brown hair entered. He braced to attention and saluted.
"Lieutenant Commander Odom, reporting for duty, ma'am," he said. Not used to being saluted in my office, it took a few seconds for me to return it. His angular face had a pleasant smile as he relaxed into a parade rest stance.
"Commander, get something to drink," I pointed to the sideboard, "and have a seat."
He fetched a glass of water and sat. "Admiral Webb told Admiral Tilley that he needed someone with cruiser systems expertise and that that person was to report to Commander Paulus, the Eastar NIA Station Chief, and here I am." He smiled and took a sip of water while watching me intently. I could feel his surprise and apprehension.
"I assume no one told you why or for how long," I said, realizing Webb probably hadn't even told his superior.