by Jay Cannon
“My name is Pura,” the lady said shyly.
“Standup Pura and talk to us. We won’t bite. Anyway, we’ve already eaten.”
A laugh came from the crowd as Dexin’s words were translated. Pura could not resist a smile after hearing the laughter.
“Come and join us,” offered Dexin, “You’ll see we can be a lot of fun.”
She’s clear, a guard nodded to Dexin.
“You are not going to kill or enslave me?” Pura responded.
“Of course not. As long as you are not going to try to kill or enslave one of us.” Another burst of laughter came from the crowd, which elicited another smile from Pura.
“No, why would I do that?”
“Your friends sure wanted to.”
“I really didn’t know them that well. We only met this morning. Everyone I knew had disappeared. When I met them I thought it would be safer to be with them than to be on my own. They attacked you because you kidnapped our people and you are stealing our resources.”
“We are taking some of your resources, but there will be plenty left for you. As for the kidnapping, we have all the people we need. The rest we will leave here unharmed as long as they don’t attack us. Take my arm and let me get you a drink. I can also get you some food if you are hungry.”
Dexin put out his arm and Pura took it. They walked towards a bar where a Euclidian was serving drinks. It looked to Pura as if they had taken over the pool bar and replaced all the standard alcoholic beverages with strange bottles containing even stranger liquids. Some glowed, some sparkled, some changed colors and some moved on their own as if they were alive.
Let me have two Tammarian grogs, stated Dexin to the bartender. Dexin took the two drinks and handed one to Pura.
“Are you sure this won’t make me ill?” Asked Pura.
“Yes, I’m sure. Some earthlings have already tried it,” replied Dexin.
“Oh really?”
“To your health Pura,” said Dexin raising his glass.
“Cheers,” replied Pura. “Wow, this is yummy. “What is this?”
“It’s Tammarian grog. Earthlings tend to like it.”
“So you know other earthlings?”
“I’ve seen a few here and there.”
“How is it you speak English and know about our culture?”
“I’m a Majorellen and our race has a natural ability for picking up languages. We work as translators and interrogators on the ship. When we planned the mission here I was required to learn your planet’s languages.”
“All of them?”
“No just the major ones. Do you mind coming over to our table? Several of the crewmembers are interested in meeting you. I’ll translate for you.”
“I guess. As long as it’s safe.”
Pura followed Dexin over to the table. Dexin made a gesture to those seated as if he were introducing her to them. They sort of nodded and smiled at her. Pura smiled and nodded to them.
“Pura the first thing they would like to do is just touch your skin and hair if that is okay. I promise they won’t hurt you. They are surprised that humans don’t bleed to death more often from wounds to your delicate skin. Of course you are free to reciprocate.”
“Okay, I guess. As long as they are not going to hurt me.”
“Don’t worry, they have no intention of hurting you.”
Dexin gestured towards Pura and they all walked over and started touching her. Pura was afraid at first, but relaxed and eventually worked up her nerve to touch one of them. She was surprised at the variations in skin texture. All mostly reptilian like. Stiff or scaly or bumpy or leathery.
A person in the group squeezed her breasts and said something to Dexin.
“She wants to know what purpose the lumps on your chest serve.”
Pura pushed her hands away. “They are used to feed our newborn offspring,” Pura responded.
“Where are your babies?”
“I don’t have any. They are in case I do have them.”
Dexin translated for the group.
Seems like a horrible waste, one of them stated, and they all laughed.
“Are you all from the same planet?”
“No not at all. We represent three different planets, but we all live on Euclidia for now.”
“You all seem to get along so well. People here don’t get along and they are all from the same planet.”
“It takes time to learn that everyone benefits when you all get along. Our civilizations are thousands of years older than yours and we still have the occasional war with other planets, but not amongst ourselves,” stated Dexin.
“Where are your planets?”
“Many lights years from here beyond your galaxy.”
“How were you able to get here so quickly?”
“We travel in inter-dimensional space. While there we can travel much faster than in normal space and we don’t age.”
“Wow, that must be nice. I guess your planets are extremely different from ours?”
“Yes indeed. Here have a look,” said Dexin showing her his UCD. “This is what my planet looks like from space. When I zoom in you can see the city, vehicles, people much like on your planet.”
“Yea, I see roads and traffic signs. How fascinating.”
Dexin took a moment to translate their conversation to everyone.
“Robin wants to know why everyone wears so much clothing all the time.”
“Mostly to be comfortable, but it’s also a legal requirement. You can be thrown in jail for walking around naked.”
Dexin translated to the group and they all started laughing. One person in the group made a statement to Dexin.
“So he says,” Dexin started, “that participating in things that can cause joy like nudity and drugs are illegal, while things that can destroy civilization like guns, pollution and nuclear weapons are okay. At some level you will be better off now that your nuclear weapons and overcrowding problems are gone. I think everyone here will be too busy putting your planet back together to start a war in the near term. Though I’m sure you will focus on rebuilding your militaries before addressing any infrastructure issues. Those with guns will take food from those without guns not understanding that when you work together everyone can get fed.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing to us?!” Pura snapped.
“Yes, with one small difference. You are an inferior race of beings on a distant planet and your existence or nonexistence would have no bearing on our home planets. Trust me if your planet attacked ours we wouldn’t be screwing each other over for the remaining scraps.”
“Is there such a thing as abortion on your planet?”
“Not in the way that you perform them. If a person doesn’t want to carry a fetus to term we are able to remove it without harming it and place it into an artificial womb until it is born.”
“Then who are its parents?”
“No one, unless someone adopts the child. Orphans are placed in a school where they will grow up alongside others like them. They are assigned guidance counselors which take on the duties of standard parents.”
“You mean they are placed in orphanages.”
“Trust me; they are nothing like your orphanages.”
“Pura, this is Goron. He is a Euclidian officer on our ship. He would like to escort you to our ball tomorrow and afterwards spend the evening with you having sex.”
“Why would I want to do that? Is it even possible between our species?”
“I’m sure your two species will be able to manage sex somehow. Goron says if he enjoys his evening with you, you can be his companion for the rest of the mission. Afterwards, you can return here or go to any planet that you like. They all have to be better than returning here.”
“How would I survive on another planet? What about the air and germs?”
“Most of the planets will have enough oxygen. If not you can get implants placed in your nostrils to compensate for any atmospheric deficiencies.
As for germs, once onboard we will modify your genes so germs won’t be an issue for you anymore.”
“Can I bring my sister?”
“He hasn’t agreed to take you yet.”
“He will. Trust me. He will. If I can bring my sister then he has a deal.”
“Goron has agreed to your terms, but she will have to work as a crewmember. When you are ready he will beam you aboard our ship and get you your own room where you can prepare for the ball. He will make sure that you have something to wear and get assistance with your hair and makeup.”
“I’m afraid. I’m afraid to leave and I’m afraid that he might hurt me.”
“There is no reason to be afraid. You will enjoy being at the ball. Goron will not force you to do anything you do not want to do. At any time you can say enough and he will send you right back here.”
“Okay, I’ll do it.”
Chapter 18
The Holding Cells
Each of the cells aboard the Andrea housing the humans held about one thousand people. The cells contained water, food and bathrooms with showers. All disturbances between people were immediately quelled by ceiling-based weapons. Repeat offenders were sent into space in full view of the other captives on monitors placed along the walls throughout the various cells on the ship. One moment a person might be fighting with a cell mate and the next he would be floating in space with a momentary look of terror on his face because the next moment he would be dead. His eyes would bug out, skin rip apart and then he would be a frozen, lifeless corpse. Watching the images of the corpses on the monitors encouraged the cell inhabitants to behave.
Once a holding area became full, the screens located throughout the area would make an announcement. The image on the screen was an animated version of a human. It expressed the announcement in ten major Earth languages.
Please remain calm. You will not be harmed. This is only a temporary holding area. You will be released in a matter of days. During that time we ask that the following rules be followed: No physical activity is allowed between each other. No loud and disruptive behavior. Only one person allowed in each bathroom at a time. Do not switch beds. Failure to follow these rules will result in punishment up to and including death.
In response many of the inhabitants yelled at the monitors and threw their shoes or other items they had with them hoping to get a response from the monitors or whoever might be watching, but none came. Some captives attempted to damage the monitors, but were immediately subdued by the weapons in the ceiling. The rooms holding military personnel were the ones that caused the most amount of trouble. The Euclidian used that as an opportunity to train the Ossies aboard the ship who often worked as crowd control at planetary outposts. Their challenge would be to keep the inhabitants of a cell under control without using the automated personnel control systems and minimizing harm to the precious cargo.
Rean was an Ossie who was assigned to a holding area that housed a platoon of U.S. Marines along with a group of prisoners. When he arrived he was cloaked, invisible to the occupants. Ossies have the ability to make themselves invisible to non-Ossies. He took the advantage of his powers to see what people were planning. There were several groups combing the walls looking for an exit.
“There has to be an opening in here somewhere. How else would people and equipment get in and out?” Stated a marine.
“They also have to be able to enter to replenish the food and repair things that get broken.” Stated another marine.
“Marines, just keep pushing, pulling and tapping on every possible surface. I’m betting there’s a way out through the top since we keep getting zapped when we try to climb the walls. We need to figure out a way to take out those devices. They seem to be protected by some sort of force field. Every time we throw something at it, the object just gets blocked and we get zapped,” said Colonel Roberts who was the senior person in charge. “Does anyone remember how you got in here?” The colonel asked. The room remained silent.
Rean walked over to a group of prisoners to hear what they were planning.
“If we stick together we can get out of here. As soon as a door opens or someone enters we rush them. If one of those marines gets in our way we just take them out,” stated a prisoner.
“What do we use for weapons?” Another prisoner asked.
“How about the night sticks from those MPs over there feeling up the wall?” Nine of you join me. First we’ll ask nice then we’ll punch their faces in if they say no. Lets’ go.”
Rean appeared in front of the prisoners cutting them off from their targets holding a two meter staff above his head.
“There will be no fighting in here. Now go back to your beds before I am forced to use force against you.”
At first the group was frozen in place at the sudden appearance of the strange looking being before them. Then they decided to rush him.
“Let’s get him,” a prisoner shouted charging at Rean.
Rean crouched down and thrust the tip of his staff into the chest of the oncoming prisoner. He spun the staff to the left and clubbed the prisoner on the left side of his head knocking him to the ground. He spun the staff back to the right taking out three more prisoners. One prisoner came at Rean from his left side. Rean dodged his punch, grabbed him in his chest and flung him over the head of the remaining prisoners. Rean barred his sharp teeth and growled at the remaining prisoners.
“Get back to your bunks or I’m going to start killing people.”
The prisoners ignored him and continued to come at him.
At that Rean vanished into thin air. A moment later he dropped down from the ceiling crushing a prisoner’s skull with his staff. Before he hit the floor the prisoner was transported out into space in full view of those in the cell from the monitors along the wall. The prisoners hesitated, but then attacked Rean. Again Rean disappeared and then fell from the ceiling crushing the skull of another prisoner sending him towards the floor before he was transported out into space. This time the prisoners did not hesitate, but ran for their bunks.
Rean appeared in the middle of the room hanging from the six-meter high ceiling with one hand and holding his staff with the other hand. He yelled at the marines scanning the walls for an opening.
“Listen to me!” Started Rean. “There are no doors or exits out of this room. Even if there were you would be dead once you stepped outside this room. Just relax, remain orderly and enjoy the ride. Though you won’t see me I will be here the entire time. If you step out of line I will have the pleasure of disciplining you.”
“Excuse me. I’m Colonel Roberts of the Seventeenth Fighting Infantry,” the colonel said walking towards Rean and looking up at him. “I demand to know where you are taking us and what you plan to do with us once we arrive.”
“I am not here to answer your questions and your demands mean nothing to me.”
“Fine, then we marines will fight you to the last man. We refuse to sit idly by while you take us to God knows where and do who knows what to us!”
“Did you not learn anything from the others who came after me? Do you really find these accommodations or lack of information intolerable?”
“We are marines not prisoners. We are battle hardened and will not be as easy to defeat.”
“That is of no consequence to me. You will die all the same. Go back to your bunks or feel free to attack me. I will be happy to kill you before you are sent into space. You will find that I do not tire easily. Killing you will be an honor.”
There was a moment of silence in the room then Colonel Roberts shouted, “Marines attack!”
All at once a large group of the marines pounced on Rean pinning him to the floor. Rean jumped up from the floor towards the ceiling grabbing one marine around the throat. Rean crushed his head against the ceiling. He quickly released the marine letting him drop to the floor dead. The marine was quickly transported into space.
Rean looked down and noticed two marines holding on to his staff. He flicked his lef
t arm sending the two marines flying against the far wall. Rean twisted his body and fell from the ceiling spinning his staff above his head like a helicopter rotor. The marines watching him fall leaped to get out of his way. Those that did not make it out of his way had body parts crushed and broken. Those that were not killed attempted to crawl out of the striking range of Rean’s staff.
As the marine’s continued their attack Rean began to swing his staff like a baseball batter knocking marines to the far ends of the holding area with bone-crushing blows until they chose to stop coming at him. Rean stood there in the center of the crowd panting and baring his sharp teeth. He gave a signal and the dead and maimed marines were sent into space en masse. The people in the room shuddered to see so many of their comrades become frozen relics floating in space before their very eyes.
“Now get to your bunks unless you want to join your friends in space,” Rean growled.
The crowd reluctantly broke up and headed towards their respective bunks. The occasional marine would make a run at what appeared to be Rean’s blindside only to be cut down and transported into space. They were unaware that Ossie’s ability to see from the sides of their head gave them amazing three hundred-degree vision, which left little room to sneak up on one.
Once the marines were back in their bunks Rean approached Colonel Roberts.
“Keep your men in line and you will keep them alive. Where you are going is not home, but it is a lot better than this place.”
“I could do a lot better job of calming their fears if you could tell me more about where we are going and what happened to our homes and families.”
“I am not here to calm fears. I am here to keep the peace. Your entire planet as you know it is gone. If you’re lucky your family is on this ship somewhere and you may see them again in the future. Otherwise, consider them dead.”
With that Rean turned and disappeared into nothingness.
***
At another end of the Euclidian ship a holding area full of regular civilians is in turmoil. The inhabitants are not nearly as disciplined as the marines.