Alien Lockdown

by Vijaya Schartz

  Captain Riggeur acted as if these men and women dressed in the pink color identifying their detention level did not exist. Walking beside him, Rhonda watched her every step.

  In the Pink Zone, special wards accommodated the particular needs of some species of humanoids, like dim cells for the Juzzaar, and adjustable temperatures to match various species’ preferences. But on the deeper levels, Rhonda knew that the inmates had to adapt or die.

  The guard’s footsteps echoed on the shiny pink floor as they walked briskly along the cell-lined corridors. Consulting her pad, Rhonda took a turn and strode along the pink sameness.

  The design of the prison had confused Rhonda when she’d first started working here, but she could now appreciate its efficiency. No short or direct easy way in or out of this facility. The huge underground fortress, a three-dimensional maze, could be locked down at any level. Each level had a totally different layout for its seventy-seven hundred cells of nine square meters each. A true labyrinth.

  Without a blueprint, security codes, and the DNA of two guards on duty, no prisoner could ever work his or her way up to the surface. Even for the guards and in the best of conditions, the way down or up always seemed long and fastidious, with square turns and double-backs along several kilometers of staggered corridors on each level.

  Repeating the security routine at the next elevator, Rhonda entered the metal-lined cage in silence, followed by her Captain. It would take hours to get down to the nuclear generator. Stuck with him for the duration, Rhonda needed a distraction from the growing feeling of doom she felt. Small talk might take her minds off the stressful situation. “Did you see any escape attempts during your time here?"

  Captain Riggeur shrugged. “A few. Usually it happens during transfers. Prisoners tend to see any change as an opportunity.”

  “How far did they go?" Rhonda knew no prisoner had ever escaped Zurin Five in the facility’s five hundred years of operation. A perfect record.

  *****

  Level Eight - Lilac Zone

  The elevator door slid open and they exited on Level Eight, the Lilac-striped zone. Consulting her compad, Rhonda led the way again along rows of cells, each containing one lilac-clad prisoner. “So?” she asked. “How far did the prisoners ever escape?”

  “Only once during my time here, an escapee made it all the way to the surface,” the Captain said grudgingly.

  “Were you in charge then?" Rhonda feared the question might infuriate him.

  “Not a chance." The Captain looked so proud. “When I took over, I modified the procedures. It will never happen again.”

  “How did he get loose? Or was it a she?”

  “It was a human male." As Riggeur walked beside her, the overhead lights projected changing shadows in his blond hair and on the strong planes of his square face. “That guy had seduced two female guards, persuaded them he was innocent. Imagine that!”

  Here it was again, a blatant distrust of women. Could that isolated incident account for the Captain’s misogynist attitude? “Two rotten guards do not make a whole gender liable, you know? Besides, a female prisoner could just as easily seduce two male guards.”

  Captain Riggeur smiled disarmingly. “That’s why I never pair two guards of the same gender." He remained silent as they opened the next elevator door and went in.

  “How did the escapee get caught?”

  “He made a mistake." Captain Riggeur looked down at his boots as the elevator started down. “They all do." Then he clammed up.

  Rhonda found it particularly difficult to get information out of him. Unlike her, he didn’t seem to enjoy that social skill. She released a slow, calming breath. “Not prepared for the frozen conditions on the surface?" It seemed a logical mistake for an escapee.

  “No, that one was smart." Cole Riggeur grimaced. “He’d stolen an arctic parka and an oxygen mask on his way out. After the stupid female guards helped him out, he bound them, stole their weapons, and stuffed them in the lockers.”

  Rhonda chose to ignore the anti-feminist slur.

  *****

  Level Nine - Lavender Zone

  The elevator door opened on Level Nine, the Lavender-striped level, and Rhonda stepped out to start another long walk toward the next elevator. “So, how did you find your guy? You zoomed in on his locator chip?”

  Captain Riggeur shook his head as he caught up with her. “The prisoner had removed the implant with a knife. But in doing so, he’d left a trail of blood.”

  “So, you followed the blood trail?" Rhonda found the story confusing.

  “Nope." Riggeur smiled devilishly. “But a bearcat did. By the time we found our man, a whole pride had feasted on his remains.”

  “A bearcat? Those beasts really exist?" Rhonda wondered whether the Captain made fun of her then she remembered his total lack of humor. “I thought these stories were only myths.”

  “Oh, they are real enough. I saw a bearcat once from a flyer." The Captain paused and his eyes narrowed, as if he could see the animal in his mind. “A white furry creature that blended with the ice, with saber claws and jaws full of fangs. They sure can run on that frozen ground. They use the low gravity to leap high and pounce with incredible speed.”

  The description made Rhonda shudder. “And here I believed the guards invented these stories to discourage the inmates from escaping.”

  “Obviously, that guy thought so, too." Riggeur shook his head. “Served him right.”

  Although shocked at her Captain’s lack of pity, Rhonda didn’t mention it. “What had he done to be here?”

  “Don’t know and don’t care." Riggeur turned ahead of Rhonda. So, he did know his way around. “All our inmates are here for a good reason.”

  The comment annoyed Rhonda who knew differently. “How can you be so sure?”

  “I’m not paid to judge them but to keep them locked away, keep the universe safe from their evildoing,” he said with conviction.

  “You treat them as if they didn’t have a soul. They are people, you know?”

  “Not here, they are not." His jaw tightened. “The atrocities they committed stripped them of that title.”

  “How can you be so cold?" Rhonda glanced at him as they reached the next elevator and applied their hands on the twin scanners at the same time. The door opened and they stepped inside.

  “You are too soft for this kind of job, Rhonda." The Captain held her gaze. “These people are the scum of the galaxy. They do not deserve your compassion. Never forget that."

  “What about those on the low-security levels? Not all of them deserve to be here. Some simply trusted the wrong people and are paying for the evil deeds of others." She wanted to add, ‘like my sister’ but stopped herself.

  “None of them is innocent, believe me.”

  Rhonda boiled inside and couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you let Duran test the Styx on the prisoners? That drug eventually kills them, you know?”

  A small grunt escaped Captain Riggeur. “You make it sound as if I had a choice. But you are right. I do prefer my prisoners calm and docile, and the Styx makes this facility safer for everyone.”

  Upset at his shrewdness, Rhonda bit back a sharp comment.

  “If it were up to me, I’d reinstate the death penalty for all these hardcore criminals.”

  She offered a sardonic smile. “Without all these prisoners to look after, you wouldn’t have your precious job anymore.”

  “It’s only a job.”

  The matter-of-fact comment surprised Rhonda. The seriousness the Captain applied to his job had led her to believe he had a passion for it.

  *****

  Level Ten - Violet Zone

  The doors opened and they exited the elevator on Level Ten, the Violet Zone. Rhonda glanced at her compad for directions. Still annoyed at the Captain, she started at a fast clip, ignoring a few crude comments from the convicts watching them go by.

  Captain Riggeur followed her along row after row of perfectly aligned cells and co
nnecting corridors. Close behind Rhonda he said, “We’ve all done something we regret in our lives. I know I did, you did, too, but hopefully we didn’t cause anyone’s death, and we regret our mistakes and try to make up for the hurt we caused.”

  Rhonda almost stopped in her tracks but caught herself and resumed her brisk walk. Did her Captain know her secret past? Did he know she’d crossed the line once? Impossible.

  In any case, he was dead wrong. Rhonda didn’t regret breaking the law. She’d do it all over again, given a chance. Duran had killed her sister and deserved all the damage Rhonda had inflicted to the company. But no one, absolutely no one could ever know.

  They walked silently along staggered rows of violet-striped cells for a while then reached the next elevator and down they went.

  “So why are you here?” the Captain asked, as he checked the overhead camera.

  Rhonda almost jumped at the question. “I beg your pardon?" Did he really know something? Never before had he started a social conversation.

  “Obviously you are not a professional guard." The Captain stared straight ahead, as if fascinated by the brushed metal casing of the elevator. “So why in hell did you hire on at the Garrison?”

  “Oh, that?" Rhonda must watch herself, here. “Lost my job at Duran labs. Cutbacks. I wanted to get back to Banoi, but it’s a long way across the galaxy. I need more credits to pay for my transport home." She hoped he would believe the cutbacks story. In truth, she’d resigned after almost getting caught. “High risk jobs pay the most, as you well know.”

  The Captain nodded. “Few want to work in this frozen hell hole, even for a nice sum of money. You must be desperate to get back home.”

  “I miss Banoi." And that was the truth.

  Afraid of saying something she would regret, Rhonda remained silent, and the Captain didn’t try to start another conversation. Strangely, she felt relieved.

  It had taken them almost an hour to get to Level Eleven, the Indigo Zone, then they crossed Level Thirteen, the Turquoise Zone, Level Fourteen, the Aqua Zone, and Level Fifteen, the Green Zone.

  Everything seemed fine on these levels, and Rhonda started to feel more comfortable, except for the thirst. The running made her drink more than usual from her canteen. Despite the potential gravity of the situation, this mission didn’t look so bad and might even prove exciting. She wondered why Thrower hadn’t called them back, yet. The repairs in the engine room must have gone slower than expected.

  As they traveled in the elevator down toward Level Sixteen, the Captain surprised her by smiling. “I’ve never been to Banoi,” he said. “Was raised on Upsilon Three.”

  Suddenly, the elevator shook with a metallic grind. Rhonda stepped sideways to compensate and keep her balance. The cabin stopped for a few seconds then resumed its downward course. Rhonda’s heart raced as she looked up at Riggeur. “Tremor?”

  “Probably an aftershock of the big one earlier." The Captain looked worried.

  Although she knew the facility to be indestructible, Rhonda started to worry as well. The last two tremors had felt stronger and more dangerous than any of the previous ones that went mostly unnoticed.

  *****

  Level Sixteen - Yellow Zone

  The elevator door opened on Level Sixteen, the Yellow Zone. Any trace of friendliness in the Captain’s expression disappeared as he tensed up like a leopard ready to pounce. He glanced right and left before stepping into the corridor.

  Nothing looked amiss as Rhonda ventured after him on the yellow floor. Then she remembered to breathe and regretted it. “What’s that smell?”

  The Captain drew his phaser out of his thigh holster. “You’re the medic, you of all people should recognize it.”

  Then Rhonda identified the sweet coppery stench. “Blood!" And not just human blood. The smell reminded her of a wartime emergency ward. She drew her phaser with a trembling hand, trying to remember her training. So, that’s what it felt like to face real danger?

  The Captain pointed to her phaser. “Set it on kill.”

  “Kill?" Rhonda had never killed anyone and doubted she ever could. As a medic, she’d sworn the Hippocratic oath.

  “Stun doesn’t affect the Monacks or the Juzzaar. Whoever spilled that blood, by whatever means, found a way out of his cell and could probably eat you alive. Let’s not take any chances." He patted his boot under the uniform pants as if to check his dagger.

  Rhonda swallowed hard. She’d seen a few Juzzaar, hulking humanoids with pale gold skin. They had sensitive retinas from having evolved on a shadowed planet and thrived in dim places, wearing dark glasses against any kind of light. “How could one prisoner spill so much blood?" The stench was overpowering.

  “There must be more than one on the loose." The Captain glanced right and left along the corridor then un-clipped his com-pad.

  “Could they have weapons?”

  The Captain shook his head. “Unlikely. The only armory is on Level Six. This is probably the work of a Monack. You don’t want to meet him.”

  A chill of dread traveled from Rhonda’s head to her toes at the thought of these shape-shifters, who could grow razor-sharp claws, attacking with stealth and great speed. She gladly set her phaser on kill. “What now?”

  Captain Riggeur tapped the external communication chip at the base of his neck. “Thrower, are you there? Come in, Control Room. We have a serious situation here." He indicated Rhonda’s comimplant.

  Rhonda tried to activate her chip as well but shook her head as she only heard static.

  “The tremor disrupted communications." The Captain sighed.

  Her throat so tight she couldn’t speak, Rhonda nodded instead. How could the Captain remain so calm?

  Captain Riggeur went to the wall panel opposite the elevator and punched in his code. “Thrower? Control Room? Skipper? Anyone there?" The panel didn’t light up as it should.

  Panic threatened to overcome Rhonda, but she struggled to remain calm, at least on the surface. It wouldn’t do to lose her countenance in front of her boss.

  Captain Riggeur punched more keys on the control panel. “Ordering total lockdown from Level Sixteen down to Level Nineteen. Execute order. Riggeur code two eight five alpha zero.”

  The control panel remained dark and silent, refusing to comply. Both stared at the panel in silence then at each other.

  Rhonda understood. Cut off from the rest of the Garrison, she and the Captain could only rely on each other now. “I’m sorry, the circuits are down,” was all Rhonda could say.

  Captain Riggeur pounded the wall with his fist and leaned his forehead on the glass panel for a second or two. Then he squared his jaw and took a deep breath as he faced Rhonda. “Guess, it’s up to you and me, kiddo. I hate to ask you this, but we have to go down the hard way.”

  Rhonda despised being called kiddo, mainly since he was only three or four years older than her. But given the gravity of the situation, she didn’t make an issue of it. “What do you mean, the hard way?”

  “When a prisoner gets out of his cell, the rule demands that we lock down each level manually, to prevent whatever happened here from spreading to the other levels. Help me disable this elevator.”

  Rhonda knew the routine but had only done it as an exercise. She applied her trembling hand to the scanner then Captain Riggeur entered a code only he could identify to render the elevator useless. Without that secret code, not even other guards could unlock it.

  Cole motioned with his chin toward her compad. “Where is the next staircase? We’ve got to do the same thing to all the stairs and elevator doors on this level, whether they’re going up or down.”

  After consulting her pad, Rhonda pointed with her phaser. “That way.”

  “Keep your eyes open, and your ears.”

  Rhonda felt light on her feet, her senses heightened by the adrenalin rushing through her blood. She’d never felt more scared and more alive at the same time, except maybe once, just before she resigned her position at Dura
n. But that had been more triumph than fear.

  When they reached the first row of cells, Riggeur stopped. Rhonda halted beside him.

  “Sweet Heavens!" Rhonda saw the otherwise empty corridor strewn with flayed corpses in yellow overalls among pools of dark blood. She suppressed the urge to heave. She’d done autopsies during her medical training, but this was fresh, bleeding meat on the bright yellow floor, and she didn’t want to think about what kind of claws could have inflicted such wounds.

  Obeying her medical training, Rhonda went from one body to the next, trying to find a pulse, a sign of life. Apparently the killers had done a thorough job. Rhonda found no wounded, only cadavers.

  The Captain checked a few cells. “We may have more than one Monack on the loose. All the cells are open."

  On both sides of the killing field, Rhonda noticed the open cells devoid of their shimmering veil. Inside, more dead prisoners... “Where are the surviving prisoners and the murderous escapees?” she asked then regretted the dumb question. “Never mind.”

  When Rhonda pushed the locator key on her compad, red dots appeared on the black screen in uneven groups between the green lines of the floor plan. The population of the whole level had congregated on various blocks. “All the prisoners are loose." She felt her blood grow cold. “That’s what? Five to seven thousand escapees on this level alone?"

  On the compad, she and Riggeur showed up as two blue dots. The red dots representing the dead prisoners around them did not move, but the various bands of prisoners loose on the floor seemed highly mobile.

  Riggeur looked tense as he activated his own compad. His eyes switched rapidly from the pad to each end of the corridor. “There is one group between us and the closest stairs. They are probably looking for a way out, but with no floor plan they don’t know where to look."