by Mark Tufo
“Sometimes, my friend, you need to not only listen to the words that are being spoken but also the manner in which they are being delivered.”
“What? Are you going Buddhist on me?”
“There are a lot of qualities within the Buddhist religion that I find very similar to my own. Look.” Dee physically turned my head.
Iserwan looked like a whipped dog. He was sitting heavily in the Commander’s chair. His gaze shifted downward. Then he spoke. “I admit it, Drababan. I never understood what your kind saw in the need for religion and the praying to a God you could neither see nor hear. Yet right now, I inexplicably feel that I would like to talk to your God. Would you show me how?”
“What is going on?” I whispered to Dee.
“Sacrifice, Michael.” Dee walked over to Iserwan and clasped hands with the Progerian. “Kneel with me.” Iserwan did.
“Oh,” I said softly. Iserwan was planning on piloting the ship himself. I had a surge of hope flood through me. Drababan and I were about as useful as horns on a gerbil at this point. Cool looking, maybe—useless, definitely. I’m all for going down with the ship if the need arises, but apparently right now, there was no need. Dee and Iserwan spent what seemed like an inordinate amount of time praying. I was debating how rude it would be to interrupt them when they finally stood.
“Thank you, Drababan,” Iserwan stated with a slight bow. “I feel better now, my heart is lighter somehow. Will God forgive me my actions against my own people?”
“You are helping to preserve an innocent species against the wrongful acts of our superiors. You will be heralded as a hero both on Earth and in Heaven.”
“I will be labeled a traitor.”
“Only by those committing these travesties.”
“There is not much time, Drababan. You should get any remaining personnel off of this ship.”
I was in total agreement. My heart nearly bottomed out when Dee spoke.
“I will stay with you.”
Goddammit, if Dee stayed then I was honor bound to stay as well. Damn honor, I’d like to go shove it up a donkey’s ass. Is that a redundant statement? Think about it.
Iserwan turned to look at Dee. “You would truly do that? I was a fool for so many years to look down upon your kind. You could have taught us so much if we would have only listened.”
“It is not too late.”
“Perhaps not. No, my friend, I will not have you sacrifice yourself. You have given me so much I will do this in return. I will beg at Gropytheon’s feet for his forgiveness.”
“He does not want your groveling, Iserwan, just your love.”
“That I can do. Now go…and take the puny hu-man with you.”
“It has been an honor, Iserwan,” I said as I strode towards him and extended my hand. He gripped my hand in his large paw.
“Likewise, Colonel Talbot. You are all that your species should strive to be.”
“Oh, I would wholly disagree, but thank you for the compliment.”
“Please tell the General that I am sorry that I will not be able to return to my duties.”
“That is not a conversation I am looking forward to. You will be sorely missed.” And I meant it. His expertise would be difficult to replace. I felt for the creature. He was being torn in two inside. He was helping what was once the enemy to defeat his own kind, it couldn’t be easy.
“Go, time is short.”
Dee bowed. “Let us go, Michael.”
We were halfway to the hangar when the suspicious side of me reared its ugly head. “Is it possible he’s lying?”
“I have thought of that as well.”
“And just now you are figuring to voice your concerns? He’s been around humans long enough, he could have easily picked it up.”
“Perhaps if we had not prayed. It matters little either way, Michael. With or without this ship we cannot defeat that Destroyer.”
I wanted to go with the classic “comforting” retort, but it didn’t seem to have the kick I was hoping for.
“Come, I am confident Iserwan will do the right thing.”
“But for whom?”
“That is a much better question.”
The techs and a pilot (thankfully) were waiting for us when we arrived at the hangar. The place was like a wasteland. I half expected tumbleweeds to go rolling by. Iserwan’s voice came over the system.
“I can see that you have not left yet. There are only seven minutes until contact.”
Seven minutes. That was not that long a time, whether you were trying to save your life or were racing toward its end.
“This is it? Everyone else is off-ship?” I asked.
“The last prisoner ship left about ten minutes ago, Colonel,” one of the techs replied.
“What of the Commander? He will need help piloting this ship,” our pilot said.
“Not where he’s going,” I said vaguely. “Let’s go.”
We were off ship and had the Guardian in sight within a minute.
“Guardian, this is the shuttle Patriot, permission to land?” the pilot asked.
“Patriot, this is General Ginson. Is Mike aboard your vessel?”
“Shit, time to face the music,” I said softly.
“I hear no music.” Dee was looking around.
“Just a saying.”
“It does not make sense, this saying.”
“Yeah, it really doesn’t. All the same, here goes nothing. Yeah, General, I’m here.”
“What the hell is going on with the Cruiser? Iserwan will not respond to my hails.”
“You sitting?”
“No, dammit, I am not sitting, now tell me what is going on!”
“You remember the movie, The Enemy Below?”
“Mike, do not go getting all ambiguous on me. What does a World War Two Destroyer and German u-boat movie have to do with anything?”
“You remember how it ended?”
There was a pause, and I know it wasn’t because Paul was trying to remember how exactly the movie had finished. We’d both watched it about four or five times. I think he was probably trying to figure out how not to blow a major blood vessel in his head. For those of you who may read this and have no clue, the Captain of the American Destroyer had no choice but to ram the German U-Boat. It results in the destruction of both. If, by chance, the habitat you live in is actually up and running or you have a generator and can spare a few hours from surviving you should definitely check it out.
“Just report to the bridge when you get back,” Paul said tersely.
I wasn’t expecting a marching band when I got back but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting an armed escort either.
“Nice gun. Want me to shove it up your ass?” I asked the Sergeant who told us to follow him.
“Michael, I am detecting elevated levels of stress coming from you.”
“You think, Dee?”
Paul did not turn when we entered the bridge.
“Sir, I’ve brought Colonel Talbot and Drababan,” The sergeant at arms announced.
“General, imminent arrival in two minutes, twelve seconds,” the radar operator spoke out. Although to be honest, I’m not sure if it’s actually radar, but that’s beside the point.
Paul finally turned. I was nearly frozen by the look of disgust he sent my way. “You see that big Battle Cruiser sitting there, Mike?” he asked, pointing towards the viewing screen.
“It’d be hard to miss,” I answered honestly.
“I’ve talked to my officers. They said ramming the Destroyer would do very little damage. The Cruiser, however, will most likely be a total loss. You want to tell me how that is a good idea? With the combined fire power of the Guardian and the Cruiser we might have had a chance.”
“Two rifles against a tank, Paul.”
“It’s General.”
“Fine. Two slingshots against a machinegun nest, General. That better? And just so we’re clear, Iserwan is planning on meeting the Destroyer in the buckle.”
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There were gasps among the Genos and Progs on the bridge.
“What does that mean?” He made sure not to ask me.
“Sir, the ships are traveling near to the speed of light. This causes space to fold over, making traveling vast distances...”
“Did I ask for a physics lesson? I just want to know what is going to happen.”
“Sorry sir, both ships will be reduced to the atomic level from the resulting collision. It is a practice banned in the known universe.”
“Well, look at you, Mike. Your crime has gone universal. You know what’s screwed up, Colonel? That Destroyer will be here in under a minute yet MY CRUISER is still sitting there in space. You ever think that quite possibly Iserwan snowed you? That maybe he’s going to hand that ship back over to his superiors? Did that ever cross your fucking mind?!” He was damn near to shrieking. I hadn’t seen him lose it this bad since that one time in college when he thought one of those sorority girls he screwed around with was pregnant.
“Yeah, I thought of that, right up until Dee and Iserwan prayed.”
“Oh, that’s rich, buddy.” The “buddy” part came out as sarcastically as I think he could manage. “They prayed. I can’t tell you how much better I feel now. Damn, you put my mind at ease. How long do you think we’re going to last as soon as the Cruiser AND the Destroyer turn their guns on us? Maybe you should go pray on that.”
“Paul you weren’t there...”
“I know I wasn’t because if I had been, I’d be getting ready to target the Destroyer, not the Cruiser.” He turned back to the crew on his bridge. “I want everything we have targeted on that Cruiser. If she’s not fighting with us then she sure as hell isn’t going to fight against us.”
“General, you cannot!” Dee spoke and stepped forward.
Paul whipped his head around. “Sergeant, detain the prisoners.”
“Prisoners? Are you kidding me! You lay a fucking hand on me I’ll tear it off and shove it up the General’s ass,” I told the Sergeant. He stopped his movement. Dee looked just as mad as I was and he was probably the real reason why the Sergeant wasn’t approaching. “It’d really be nice, General, if you took me out to dinner before you tried to fuck me. How about a nice little thank you for disabling the Cruiser and saving your ass? How about that?”
“Save? You didn’t save shit. Near as I can tell the Cruiser will be blowing Toyota sized holes in us soon enough.”
“Sir, ten seconds until the Destroyer arrives.”
“Sir, we have a confirmed firing solution.”
“Fire on a five countdown.”
“Nine for Destroyer.
“Five for fire.”
“Eight for Destroyer.”
“Four for fire.”
“Seven for Destroyer.”
“Three for fire.”
“Six for Destroyer.”
“Sir, the Cruiser is gone!” the radar operator shouted.
That was easy enough to confirm by looking at the void of space where the ship had been.
“Brace, Michael,” Dee said quietly as he moved towards a railing that encircled the entire bridge. “Gropytheon’s speed, Iserwan,” Dee muttered.
“What he said,” I repeated solemnly.
What I saw next is difficult to put into words. I have nothing to base it on and I will never be able to convey the vividness with which it burned itself into my brain. I think a poet might be better able to capture the moment. Space ripped open. At first it was a hole, definable only because it was darker than the space around it. Then it began to grow lighter to the point it became painful to look at. The sphere was an iridescent blue which glowed and pulsed. It was beautiful. If I stared long enough I was positive it would yield all the answers to the universe. An angry red blotch appeared in the center of the vision before me. It was easy to tell it was something that was completely out of place to the grandeur of the event, like someone had splotched paint across the Mona Lisa. Not that I’m an art buff but I still recognize beauty and am saddened at the needless destruction of it.
The blue pulsed one more time brilliantly, but, like a spectral balloon that had been popped, it collapsed in on itself to be replaced by that angry red, that in its own way had answers but those were all laced in anger, pain and death. Dee grabbed my hand and placed in on the railing; I’d completely forgotten. My eyes were as big as my jaw-dropped mouth. I’d seen God, I was convinced of it, and he was pissed!
Alarms blared all around us. “INCOMING!”
Paul sat at the ship’s main console and strapped a harness over himself. The wave of whatever it was hit us, rocking the ship. My feet were horizontal to the floor as I held on for dear life although if I remembered correctly the Sergeant was right behind me and was sure to break my fall whether he wanted to or not. The ship’s systems tried desperately to stop the spinning and bouncing we now found ourselves in. I felt like were one of those lottery ping-pong balls in that air-blowing machine. We were bouncing around like a super ball on espresso shots.
The sound of groans and broken bones reached my ears as those not lucky enough to find a safe haven slammed into just about everything. And almost as fast as it started it was over. The red-eyed demon closed its massive eye and the gyro-scopic motors in the Guardian once again placed our feet solidly underneath us. Alarms still rang as widespread damage throughout the ship was soon to be assessed. But first, the many wounded were going to need to be tended to.
The bridge crew came through relatively unscathed. The Sergeant who had escorted me looked a little worse for wear but other than that, we were in good shape. Paul looked as pale as a snowflake, well, that was right up until he turned slowly to look at me and then his face flushed with anger.
“That,” he said, pointing to the screen, “Was the useless destruction of valuable assets.”
I was going to say something like “prove it”. There wasn’t so much as a sprocket of evidence. I, at least, had sense enough to not open my mouth.
“You will be held accountable in a military tribunal. Sergeant.”
“We’ve had this talk before, Sergeant,” I said, spinning on him, my finger nearly popping him on the cheek. I spun back to face Paul. “You know what, General? I quit. I renounce my commission, take all this shiny shit,” I said, ripping my Colonel silver leaves off, “and melt it down. Go make yourself a little tin man that does whatever you command him to do. I’m taking my family and going to find a little corner of the world and enjoy it while I can.”
“I am ordering you, Colonel Talbot...”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m not playing Marine anymore. Oh, and I know what you’re thinking. Yeah, you’re thinking you can still toss me in the brig. But you know what, pal? What do you think is going to happen when the Genogerians find out what you did to their liberator? Shit, man, you’ll have a mutiny on your hands in a matter of minutes and then if you’re lucky enough you’ll end up in my now vacated cell. I mean, if they don’t tear you apart that is. So this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to grab me a pilot and a shuttle and I’m going home where I’m packing up and finding as remote a place as I can and do my best to completely forget all of this. And one more thing, General. If you ever fucking disturb me I’ll destroy you. So are we clear?”
Paul was glaring at me. I had gotten so close to him our noses were nearly touching. When I figured I’d made my point I turned, nearly colliding with the Sergeant who had come up behind me. I didn’t even think as I grabbed the barrel of his rifle and twisted it with enough torque that he released his grip. He was grabbing his wrist in pain as I slammed the flat of the butt stock up against his skull. As he recoiled to the side I kneed him in his jewels. He fell over quickly, having a difficult time trying to protect all the areas that now hurt.
I leaned down. “I don’t think I could have been any clearer.” I tossed his rifle to the ground.
“Sir?” the other two guards asked Paul. They were barring the exit.
M
y back was to Paul and I was as tense as a coiled snake.
“Let him go. Drababan, what of you?” Paul asked.
“Where Michael goes I will follow, General.”
Initially I was happy because it was another triumph over Paul. Plus, I would miss the jolly green giant if I were living out the rest of my life in the Himalayas without him.
“Let’s go Dee. I think there’s about a case of beer back home and I’d really like to go work on that.”
“I would rather have Moxie.”
“Yeah, we’re going to have to work on that,” I told him.
I wondered while we were on the shuttle if Paul would just blast us from the sky. Maybe he would have if it wouldn’t cost him a shuttle and a pilot. Both were in short supply and he couldn’t afford any more losses. There was another Destroyer out there and according to the Geno pilot, they would be able to tell what happened to the first one and would not make the same mistake.
“Meaning what?”
“Now that they know, they will pull out of their buckle early and come here using their more conventional drive system. They will not spare their fury. They will reduce this planet and its inhabitants to ashes,” the pilot said, in that arrogant way pilots deal with just about everything in life.
“What’s the range on this shuttle?” I asked Dee.
“The day of our death is of little concern, Michael. It is how we are prepared for it that matters.”
“Dee, your wisdom is invaluable and I appreciate it greatly. I care not much for my own life—it’s Tracy’s and Travis’s that I want to preserve.”
“Then we must find a way.”
The shuttle dropped us off and barely waited until we were clear of the back blast before he lifted off, presumably to head back to the Guardian. I snagged a Hummer without even thinking about it, been doing it for a few years now. I had two ‘uh-oh’ moments within a few seconds of each other.
“Shit!” I blurted out.
“Are you meaning that you need to defecate or is this an expletive to signify a problem?”
“The former, wait I meant the latter.”
“I am unsure of which I would rather it was.”
“Dee, I quit the Marines so that means I pretty much just stole this ride.”