by Phil Maxey
“Snuck away did she.” He sighed. “That’s…that’s disappointing. Getting down here was not easy. What with them—” He pointed upwards briefly. “And some of the animals around us not being so, shall we say accommodating…Well let’s just say Abbey was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And now I hear she’s not here.” He lowered his feet to the floor. “You can tell your men to lower their weapons. I’m not actually here. I’m talking through this fool, who has just enough brains left for me to control him. So even if you shoot me, I’ll still be alive. Except I’ll take it as a sign of bad faith and my artillery will finish what they started.”
Hoxted looked at the soldiers next to her, and they lowered their guns. She then looked at the man puppet.
“So this is Erin I’m talking to?”
“Yes!” He shook his head. Blood started to trickle down his face, which he dabbed with a finger, then licked it. “Hmm tastes like strawberry.”
Hoxted’s stomach turned but she resisted showing it on her face.
Clovis got to his feet suddenly, making everyone in the room but Hoxted step back. He walked slowly forward until he was just a few feet away from her. “Do you have a way of contacting her?”
Hoxted shook her head. “She’s gone and we don’t know where. She just took off.”
“You’ll never find her,” said Brad from the bottom of the stairs.
Clovis whipped around. “And who might you be?”
“Someone who knows you’re a coward.”
Clovis walked unsteadily across the room until he was face to face with Brad. “You’ll soon see how much of a coward I am old man.” He then turned back to Hoxted. “So are you—”
The loud bang rang around the room. Everyone ducked while raising their guns back into the air, although not being sure what to point them at.
Clovis fell to the ground dead, a large red hole in the back of his head.
Brad lowered his handgun then looked at Hoxted. “We better get ready, he’ll be coming.”
*****
Zach looked up at the blue skies that were fighting for space amongst the rain clouds above the Core’s parking lot. A cool wind blew past him.
No weather in space.
He placed his backpack on the ground, checked his rifle’s magazine and the few spare ones he had, then looked at the trees and fields that surrounded what used to be a popular tourist spot. His mind took him back to when thousands of people were using the cold concrete to camp out on, and the Core was one of the last refuges against the onslaught from the Hell fire gang.
Come a long way.
He couldn’t help but feel that the journey he was about to go on, would be the final chapter. Either they would defeat the Hulathen or the aliens would wipe out humanity, there wasn’t much room for compromise. He was going to do whatever he needed to, to make sure the people of earth were still around in a year’s time, and the Hulathen were just another footnote in human history.
A noise made him turn around.
“Thought you’d be first here,” said Fiona.
Zach smiled. “And I knew you’d be next.”
She walked forward, laden with her combat gear, dropped her pack onto the ground and breathed in a lungful of air.
“Looks like summer isn’t far away,” said Zach.
“Yeah, it has been a while since I’ve experienced one of those.”
Zach nodded.
“Any news from the outpost?”
He shook his head. “I tried before I came out, but we couldn’t get through. Appears comms is down up there…”
Fiona put her hand on his shoulder. “There’s no way Erin is going to get the better of her, or Brad. And they got a whole company up there. Once we get back from Epsilon 566b or whatever it’s called, we’ll be on our way to Kentucky.”
Zach nodded and she stepped back.
“How was it yesterday? You saw Stephanie?”
“Yeah, I finally managed to get to bunker four. She’s fine. Growing. She’s same height as me.” She smiled.
The entrance doors opened once again. A woman appeared, her long brown hair in a ponytail. She walked timidly forward to Zach and Fiona.
She smiled without saying anything.
Zach had already been introduced to Agatha, the Cascader that never spoke. Nobody knew her surname, and most just called her Aggie. “Good to have you with us, Aggie.”
She smiled and nodded.
Next came Sam with Mary.
“And you got enough water, right?”
“Stop fussing woman, it’s not like I’m going into space or anything!”
She smiled, slapping him on the back.
Her expression then changed to one of emotion, and she threw her arms around him. “You have to come back.”
“You really think I’m going to miss telling Isaiah about what space is like for the rest of his days?”
They both smiled.
“Talk of the devil,” said Sam looking back at the main doors as Isaiah appeared on crutches. “You know I have to go to space to get away from you right?” He said to the big man.
Isaiah smiled then hobbled forward and put his arm around his friend. “You gotta come back. I want to know if all the sci-fi shows I watched as a kid are true.”
Sam laughed. “I’ll take pictures.”
The doors clattered again and Sean appeared, complete with combat gear. With him was general Trow and some of her officers. Just behind them came the last human member of the team. Michael. Fiona went to talk to him while Trow walked forward to greet Zach.
“Still no word from the outpost. We’ll keep trying and when we get through I’ll let Abbey know you have left. The C-130 left an hour ago and should be touching down with the platoon and supplies in another hour,” said Trow.
“Thanks. So I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”
Trow stood to attention, as did the other offices and she saluted, Zach did the same in reply.
Two Humvees pulled up and the six person team got into them and left.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The room around Hoxted shuddered as another shell hit the house above her. One of the soldiers was visibly shaking. She put her hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “This basement has steel supports, even if the house collapses on top of us, we should be fine.”
One of the comms officers looked over his shoulder. “Ma’am, we have lost all comms with the outside world, they must have taken the radio towers and radar dishes out. We should still have local comms though.”
She nodded and clicked on her radio. “How’s it looking to our south Wallace? Over.”
Crackling then a fury of noise came from Hoxted’s radio. She pulled it slightly from her ear.
“Still fighting, major! We’ve lost both of the light tanks. We’re down to a few Humvees and small arms. We’ve stopped the bastard’s progress. They are about a mile from our position. Captain Cruz is still fighting to the east, but is retreating. Over.”
“If you can, combine your forces with Cruz, and then try and hold your ground. If you can’t, retreat to what defenses you can still find around the outpost. Over.”
Wallace acknowledged.
Hoxted held her radio to her mouth again. “Brad we have lost external communications. What’s the situation in the hanger? Over.”
“We’re snug as a bug in a rug in here—” He looked around the large space at the twenty seven civilian staff, including some soldiers and some injured, huddled against the concrete walls. “— It seems to be quietening down outside? Over.”
Hoxted took a moment to listen to the noise beyond the room she was in. Brad was right, there was now only the occasional distant clatter of semi-automatic fire. The big guns that were pounding the outpost had stopped.
She clicked on her radio. “I think you’re right. I doubt that means anything good. Over.”
As soon as she had lowered her arm, Wallace’s voice came from her radio. “Sir, we got movement over here. Lo
oks like a Humvee with a white flag coming towards us. Over.”
“Keep a close eye on it. Over.”
“Yup, we are…its…just driven past us, not even sure they know we’re here. It’s joined the road to the gate and is driving up to where they used to…Its stopped just short of the gate. Doors are opening. Few soldiers getting out and a civilian…”
Hoxted’s radio came alive with a male voice she had not properly heard before but instantly knew who it was. “Major Hoxted. I am Erin Santiago. We spoke via Clovis some hours ago before the line of communication was cut short. I presume he was killed?”
“Yes,” said Hoxted.
Erin stood on the asphalt of the country lane which ran to where the outposts main gates used to be. Now them, along with most of the front walls, were either lying in a heap of splinters and concrete on the ground, or were half the size they used to be.
He and his guards stepped over the pieces of wood and steel and walked onto the track which originally weaved its way to the main house. Now only ruins, some burning led towards the once grand house, which itself was only half standing. The right wing had completely been destroyed, while the middle and left parts of the house, had massive holes where windows and bedrooms used to be.
He went to raise his radio again when he sensed a creature to his right. Before he could reach out to it, it stormed across the mud covered ground, bounding over flames and descended upon him and his soldiers. Erin dived to the ground, while desperately trying to get hold of the bear like E.L.F’s mind. One of the soldiers was not so quick and was sliced apart by one swipe of the creature’s huge claw.
The other soldier immediately started firing his semi-automatic rifle and the E.L.F roared in pain, its head whipping around to face him.
“No!” Shouted Erin at the soldier, who looked at him with desperate eyes. “Do not kill it!”
As the six-legged beast bore down on the soldier, he started shooting at it again, each successive shot only partially slowing it down.
Erin closed his eyes and felt out with his mind at the creature nearby. He knew it had already been imprinted by Clovis and must have again, to have been used in this fashion. He concentrated harder, and then opened his eyes. The second soldier lay dead, but the E.L.F was standing on its hind legs looking at Erin with an inquisitive look.
A momentary flash of anger at not sensing the E.L.F passed as he walked towards the beast which towered above him and held out his hand, which the creature sniffed, then dropped back down to the ground. “You wouldn’t hurt me would you?” Erin could sense the creature’s pain from the gunshot wounds.
Not going to be much use to me.
He clicked on his radio changing back to his own frequency. “Get some more people over here, the two I had have served their purpose.”
He then changed the radio back to the outpost’s frequency. “Nice try with the bear. Unfortunately it did not work and now he has become part of my family.” He spun around with his arms out. “So your precious outpost has now been destroyed, and for what? Abbey is not even here. You could have just surrendered, and all these new buildings that have been painstakingly constructed, wouldn’t all be lying in bits or burning.” He nodded to himself. “There will have to be some major reconstruction. It would be a shame for this place to go to waste.”
“What do you want?” Said Hoxted.
Another vehicle pulled up near the gate and five more soldiers ran through the gap to Erin’s side, each one pointing their guns at the few structures that remained standing.
“We are beyond the point of you asking me anything I’m afraid Major. But I’m not an evil man. I will spare the lives of any Cascaders you still have here.”
*****
Zach, Fiona, Sam and the rest looked up at the three cubes that were hanging in the air, above the powerhouse at the back of the dam.
“That just don’t look right,” said Sam.
“Like they’re going to fall out of the sky at any moment,” said Sean.
“Like a Magritte painting,” said Fiona. The two men looked at her. “Hey I’ve been places.”
Behind them sitting silently in the parking lot was one of the Ultor’s saucer shaped craft, its rim spinning at a high velocity.
The group of humans heard the footsteps behind them and turned. Klept as well as another Ultor emerged from the craft. They were wearing the same one piece silvery suit they always wore, but now it had a form of backpack on their backs as well as a belt with boxes attached to it. Most strikingly though was the device across the lower half of their faces, which looked like a form of breathing apparatus.
Zach walked forward and held out his hand, which Klept briefly shook.
The alien pointed to his face. “This is a device we created with your human scientists. It allows us to communicate.”
“Great,” said Zach.
Klept briefly looked at the Ultor next to him. “This is Jogron. He will assist us on our mission.”
“Thank you for coming with us Jogron.”
Jogron bowed his head slightly.
“Are you ready to ascend?” Said Klept.
“Umm you mean go through the gate?” Zach looked at those around him, who all straightened their backs.
“Yes.”
“We’re ready. When will—” Zach felt the weightlessness before his brain registered the scene in front of him had changed.
“What…” Said Sam, floating and trying to absorb what was in front of them.
Zach and Fiona recognized the almost perfect symmetry of gray cubes, while the others were mostly feeling disoriented by the lack of reference of up and down.
Fiona grabbed hold of Sam who looked worse than most. “Just concentrate on the furthest point you can.”
Sam nodded then regretted moving his head.
Zach realized Klept wasn’t with them and spun around. The tall alien and his comrade were already tens of feet away, tapping away at the side of one of the cubes. He looked back to those around him. “Everyone listen up. If you don’t already realize it, you’re in space and more importantly we are in enemy territory. So stay alert.”
Michael looked at his rifle. “Will this even work up here?”
“Yeah, but without holding onto something, you will be pushed back by the same velocity as the bullet leaves,” said Sean.
Michael nodded. “Good to know.” The others looked at Sean.
“Hey I’ve been places.”
Sam took a deep breath. “I’m feeling…a little queasy.”
Zach tapped him on the shoulder. “There’s no going back, so you need to get your head straight.”
Sam nodded. “I got this.”
Zach floated over to the silent member of the group. “You okay?” He said to Aggie, she nodded and smiled. “Are you sensing any Hulathen?” He also looked back to Sean who shook his head. Aggie did the same.
“Hey that weird box has disappeared,” said Sam.
They all looked to where the Ultor’s were standing. The cube cell next to them was no longer visible.
Zach floated towards it. “No, it’s still there.”
They all followed using the cells around them to propel forward.
Klept pointed into the center of the cell and they all began to move beyond the invisible wall. As they passed over the threshold gravity took over and they each fell to the ground. Finally Klept and Jogron also moved into the cramped space.
A clanking sound rang out around them and the cube cell shuddered.
“We can see out, but those on the outside cannot see in, so do not be alarmed,” said Klept.
The scene outside the square room they were in then started to move, sliding away as the cube left its lodgings and flew down one of the open channels dividing the huge space.
“Okay this is weird, are we moving or is the outside world,” said Sam. “There’s no G-forces.”
“There is a dampening field around the cube, it cancels out any inertia,” replied Klept.
<
br /> They all watched as the maze of perfectly aligned boxes flew past until they were beyond the edge of them, into a larger space. A wall, with no ending or boundaries flowed by just a few feet away.
“This is the external shell of this facility,” said Klept.
“How big is this thing?” Said Sean.
“Approximately one kilometer cubed.”
Images from one of Fiona’s favourite books as a child jumped into her mind and she smiled, relaxing slightly.
“What are they? up ahead?” Said Sam.
“We are nearing the exit point, where we will enter space.”
“No I mean—” His words stopped in his throat, as columns of twelve foot high Hulathen sat motionless with their eyes closed, all attached by machinery to each other and the facility. “There’s so many of them,” said Sam.
“Do not be alarmed, they are currently in stasis,” said Klept.
Zach turned to the tall alien. “Do not be alarmed? Are these heading to earth?”
Klept looked down briefly. “Yes, I’m afraid they are, but our mission is still of vital importance.”
The cube was still flying alongside the hordes of aliens.
“The camp won’t be able to withstand that many of them!”
“Zach. If we succeed with our mission, all of these might also become infected, and therefore will be easier to defeat.”
Fiona put her hand on Zach’s shoulder. He nodded to her.
“Look!” Said Sean.
An even darker space started opening up in the distance, like they were about to be swallowed.
“We are about to enter the domain of space. Prepare for a j—”
The cube whooshed through the opening, out of the facility and they emerged into the silence of space. All the humans hearts missed a beat as they marveled at the myriad of points of light all around them.
“The cube will now accelerate to a sub-light speed and travel towards the anti-matter gate.”
“Do what now?” Said Sam looking at Klept.
“Do not be alarmed the cube will shield us from any ill effects.”
“Okay…”
“How long until…” Before Zach could finish, he could see for himself the intense blue-white ring that was rapidly approaching them.