Alien Caged

by Tracy St. John

  The percussion blaster in the first officer’s hand did not tremble even minutely. He looked around at the men, his previously wan face as resolute as Robards had ever seen it.

  In a cold, controlled voice, Chase told them. “I will have order. No one abandons this ship. I will send every deserter straight to his judgment, right here and right now.”

  Robards waited to see if anyone would attempt defiance. No one did. They all watched Chase. It seemed no one even dared to breathe.

  Seeing order somewhat restored, Robards went back to his readouts, tapping for more information. The first officer taking control of the situation had settled his own nerves.

  In an even tone, Robards told Chase, “There are only seven alien signatures in the engine room. There are a few more, groups of four, scattered about the ship. I would hazard the guess those are to create diversions. The main group of Kalqs are two levels below, in one of the cargo holds. There are two smaller signatures, obviously Earther.”

  Chase nodded. “Excellent. Take whoever you feel will be men of faith and kill those bastards in the engine room. I’ll lead a team after the ones on the cargo level. Destroy the vermin, Robards. Whether it’s Kalquorian or Earther, if a man opposes us and the Holy Leader, he dies.”

  His voice was loud enough to carry through the room. Chase was putting the crew on notice: there would be no mercy for traitors or cowards.

  Suddenly Robards didn’t feel tired at all. He felt invigorated. At last he could do work worthy of an upright Earther officer, without the compassion of a weak captain standing in his way. He gave Chase a grim smile. “Yes sir.”

  He pointed to several men who’d helped him fight his way in here, men he knew would stand true despite their current wide-eyed stares. “Follow me to the engine room. Your orders are simple: kill them all.”

  “Yes sir!” Their response was appropriately enthusiastic, especially since they saw Chase mark them with his hectic stare. He still held his blaster ready to fire.

  Robards led them out, ready to do battle for the last time.

  * * * *

  Oret was happily mangling the contents beneath the hatch of the last conduit when a percussion blaster went off close by. He turned to see the guard at the nearest door firing at something in the corridor outside.

  The guard stopped firing long enough to yell, “Armed hostiles coming, Commander! We’re discovered!”

  Blasts sounded from the hall, forcing the guard to duck inside the room. The Nobeks watching the other doors rushed to his side to help him return fire.

  Oret and his helpers leapt down from the smoking pipes. The head of security waved the pair towards the service tunnels. He followed them, though the instinct to join those fighting felt overwhelming. Still, he’d made a promise to his clan that he would return. He had to protect Elisa.

  As Oret went, he yelled back to those defending the door, “Fall back to ductwork! We’ve done all we can here.”

  The first guard yelled to the others, “Lay down suppressing fire and get out of here. Kanhak and I will go last.”

  Oret entered the tunnels and ran behind the other two. He heard others of his team behind him, their usual silence somewhat defeated by the hurry they were in. The group wove in and out of tunnels until Oret judged they were deep within. He signaled a stop. The team stood silently, listening for pursuit. For the moment, they seemed to have outrun their enemies. Quiet stretched for nearly a minute before Oret decided it was safe to talk.

  He was delighted to see his entire team had made it out alive and without injury. No doubt the men had wanted to stand and fight, the same as he’d been tempted to do. However, they all knew the bigger battle was elsewhere. His men were as eager to be a part of that as he was.

  Oret asked, “How large was that attack party?”

  “No more than six men, Commander. They came right at us, ready to fight.”

  Oret said, “If they sent only that many, then the rest are attacking elsewhere. We’ll move back to our group in the cargo hold.”

  Nobek Kanhak nodded. “It was no accident that the Earthers came straight to us.”

  Oret said, “I think the ship’s crew has gotten computer tracking back on line. The rest may already be engaging Captain Zemos’ group. If there’s a fight, we’ll join it. If our people have evacuated, we’ll head back and keep the Earthers busy in Engineering.”

  The men snapped nods and chorused, “Yes, Commander.”

  Oret allowed himself a grin. “You’ve done good work, men. Whether we leave this ship alive or not, it isn’t going anywhere for some time. Our fleet will no doubt find the Earthers before they can escape. This is one less enemy for the Empire to worry over. You have all served with honor.”

  The men took a moment to slam fists into each other’s chests, taking a measure of joy in their victory. Then Oret took the lead, heading for the cargo hold where they’d left most of the crew. He hurried, worry for his clan replacing pride in his men’s efforts. Now that he’d scored a win for the Empire, it was time to keep his own alive for as long as possible.

  * * * *

  Elisa and the Kalquorians sheltered behind their wall of bins as the battle raged. On the other side of the containers, the cruiser’s crew blasted at them. It was obvious the Earthers had no intention of re-taking their former prisoners. They were shooting to kill.

  Miragin stood on one side of Elisa, not content to hide and let Zemos and the others defend them. The quiet writer had turned fighter in this last ditch stand, popping up from behind their barricade from time to time to fire. Zemos stood on the other side of Elisa, also shooting over the bins. From his yelled commands and the deafening reports of percussion blasts, she knew the cruiser’s crew was spilling into the cargo bay. The Kalquorians were moments away from being overwhelmed.

  Captain Walker crouched near the end of the bins. His guards were busy shooting at the incoming Earthers, leaving him unrestrained after the first few moments of the attack.

  Walker’s guard Almon had reminded him, “You said they will kill you along with us.”

  “They will. You might as well shoot me now.”

  Almon had not shot Walker. Indeed, the one time Joseph had poked his head up to see what was happening, the scarred Nobek had shoved him back to the floor. “Stay down or I’ll stand on you, boy!”

  Walker had made no move to attack his captors, though they were pretty much ignoring him in the heat of battle. He crouched at Almon’s feet, staring up at the howling Nobek as the fight wore on.

  One of the men leaned out around the end of the bins to shoot. The Dramok, a man Elisa knew as Sevo, took a glancing hit on the upper part of his chest. It sent out a spray of blood, and Sevo went down with a scream. He writhed on the floor, lying out in the open. More blasts shivered the air over his body.

  Unarmed, Walker darted to the fallen man and started dragging Sevo back behind the bins. Elisa heard the familiar voice of the cruiser’s first officer yell out.

  “Captain Walker has turned traitor! Take him down with the rest!”

  More shots wavered over Joseph’s head, so close Elisa could see his hair move as if in a breeze. She was sure the captain was about to die. Almon was suddenly there, standing before Walker and Sevo, shielding them with his body as he returned fire. Elisa yelled in horror as one leg of the Nobek’s pants shredded and blood appeared on his suddenly naked thigh. It was only a grazing shot however, and Joseph doubled his efforts to drag Sevo behind the barrier. Almon followed them to the relative safety of the bins’ cover, screaming defiantly at his enemies as he went.

  Elisa was about to crawl over to Joseph and Sevo to see if she could help tend the Dramok’s wounds when Miragin suddenly cursed. “Damn it, here come more Earthers. Is that the tactical officer? The one named Robards?”

  Zemos didn’t pause in sending off deafening blasts as he yelled to the Imdiko. “That’s him, all right. I’ll buy you a new shuttle if you take off his head.”

  Miragin sc
reamed laughter. “You’ve obviously noticed what a shitty aim I have. You’re making a safe bet.”

  “You might get lucky.” Zemos grinned despite the mayhem.

  “I’ll do my best, but I don’t think we’re going to live long enough for you to reward me.”

  Zemos’ smile turned into a snarl. “We’re done for, all right. I’m sorry, my Imdiko.”

  “Fuck it. No man wants to live to be the last of his clan.”

  As if to underscore his statement, Miragin suddenly jerked and shrieked. He went down in a heap, and Elisa cried out to see blood soaking through the fabric of his shirt’s shoulder.

  Zemos’ roar shook the air along with the blaster shots. “Miragin!”

  Elisa tore at the Imdiko’s shirt, ripping the sleeve off along the seam to expose the ugly wound. It looked like a chunk had been taken out of Miragin’s arm. He grimaced as she put pressure on, trying to stop the bleeding.

  Miragin managed a pain-filled smile for her. “It’s not so bad. Not compared to a shot to the head, I suppose.”

  Elisa nodded. She couldn’t speak for crying. He was hurt. Her Imdiko was hurt.

  Miragin kept trying to talk and comfort her, as if she was the one who was badly injured. “Tell Oret when you see him that it was the first officer who got me, not some youngling grunt. There’s got to be some honor in that, right?”

  He fainted before she could answer. Elisa sobbed as she tore at his sleeve to make a half-assed bandage. She glanced at Zemos, looking for some hope. She saw none in his grim face. His expression told her better than anything that the fight was lost. Being shot in the arm would soon be the least of their worries.

  She managed to tie the sleeve around Miragin’s shoulder. Blood immediately soaked through the fabric. There was nothing else she could do for the still unconscious Imdiko.

  Elisa picked up the blaster he’d been using. She’d already chosen sides anyway. Chase and Robards were among the worst. Maybe Remington was out there too. She owed those men for all the harm they’d done to her clan.

  It told her just how desperate the situation was when she stood to fight and Zemos didn’t tell her to get back down. Instead he gave her a proud smile as she pointed her blaster at her first target: Commander Mitchell Chase. She sighted on his arm and fired.

  She scored, and he screamed. It was a little justice for Miragin. Didn’t the bible say an eye for an eye?

  Elisa kept shooting at others, aiming for their legs. She was not a killer, especially not of her own kind. She showed mercy though she knew she would receive none when they got to her. All Elisa wanted now was to die with an easy conscience.

  * * * *

  Oret heard the blaster fire coming from the cargo bay long before his team reached it. His first instinct was to fly out of the service tunnel, his weapon ready to take the enemy down. After all, his clan was out there fighting for their lives. Experience won out over emotion, however. The battle-hardened Nobek eased the hatch open a crack to take a look at the situation.

  The Kalquorian crew was pinned behind the row of bins with Earthers pouring in from the entrance on the other side. Oret’s heart stuttered when he saw Miragin flat on his back, a bloodsoaked rag tied around his shoulder. However, his Imdiko was still alive, his pain-filled eyes watching Elisa as she shot at her former crewmates.

  Elisa. Oret could barely credit what his eyes told him as his sweet Matara popped up from behind the bins, squeezed off a couple of shots, and ducked back down to avoid getting blasted herself. She fought at Zemos’ side, doing her best to keep her fallen Imdiko alive, just as Oret would have done.

  Love filled Oret’s heart, the emotion so profound it nearly choked him. Elisa was a woman worth having and keeping for a lifetime ... even though this lifetime was apparently only minutes away from ending. Their campaign to escape the battlecruiser had been lost. Oret could think of no better way to die than fighting at the sides of his clanmates, including his Matara. They would all fall, and he would be there to defend them to his last breath.

  He looked at the Earthers filling the bay, their attention zeroed in on those shooting from behind the bins. No one had spied him assessing the situation. Oret noted the faces in the fray.

  While in captivity, the officers of the ship had visited his cell early on: Captain Walker, his first officer Chase, and tactical officer Robards. Oret spied Chase, bloodied and injured similarly to Miragin, propped up against the far wall. He was clearly out of the fight, but he was still in command of this group. He would have to be dealt with.

  Robards was also among the fighters, thus far uninjured. The tactical officer was in the middle of the attackers, part of the fighting but not chancing himself in the front line. From Oret’s vantage point, he had a clear shot at the man, who was screaming orders at his men as he fired over their heads.

  Oret turned to his men. “Go in fast and blasting. They’ll be taken by surprise and may even fall back for a moment until we get behind cover. For honor and Empire.”

  At their nods, Oret returned his attention to Robards. The man was still open.

  Oret shoved the hatch wide open and took his shot. He didn’t wait to see Robards’ torso splatter from the percussion blast. He was already running to join his clan as he sighted and fired on Chase. The first officer, farther away from Oret than Robards had been, did not take as profound a hit, but he took enough. He slumped over.

  Oret and his team screamed like crazed animals as they joined in the fight, firing at everything in their sight. The Earthers were startled as Oret had predicted, and a few ran out of the bay while others ducked and looked for cover. Some stood fast and shot back, and Oret felt the pulses of percussive energy barely miss him. He made it to his clan in one piece.

  Zemos did no more than glance at him before fighting on. He did yell, “I’m glad you could join us, my Nobek.”

  Oret grinned at Elisa and Miragin’s welcoming smiles. His Matara was obviously scared and his Imdiko was in a great deal of pain, but they still managed to be happy to see him. In fact, his presence seemed to have renewed their strength. That, more than winning any battle, counted a great deal to the Nobek.

  He stood shoulder to shoulder with Zemos and fired at the re-assembling attack force. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything. The ship is dead, by the way.”

  “Along with the leaders of this group. Good work, though the rest seem to be rallying in response. I think you pissed them off.”

  Oret snorted and blew away two men in quick succession. “Good. I see our Matara is making her presence known.”

  Elisa grinned with pride and popped up to shoot. She had terrible aim at such short range, Oret thought as one man went down clutching his leg. Then again, it could be that she wasn’t shooting to kill.

  He yelled to his Imdiko, “Miragin, congratulations on your mark of honor. How are you holding up?”

  Miragin yelled back, “It’s too loud, my arm fucking hurts, my head is pounding, and I don’t care much for the entertainment.”

  Oret heard Elisa laugh in a screamy voice. “I myself think you Kalquorian space jockeys know how to throw a great party.”

  The Nobek couldn’t get the grin off his face despite knowing he was about to die. Elisa might be terrified, but she had a hell of a lot of heart and courage. Damn, he loved that woman.

  * * * *

  Elisa’s relief to see Oret made her giddy, and not because she thought he might save them. The battle was going against the Kalquorians, and she was sure there was no way out alive. Yet having the Nobek close, as fierce and wonderful in his larger-than-life persona as she’d ever known him, gave her courage.

  He had kept his promise to her. He had come back.

  If Elisa had been granted a future with Zemos’ clan, she knew she could trust them forever. They had only minutes left from the looks of things with the Earther crew pressing closer, taking more and more of the Kalquorians out. As far as Elisa was concerned, those few minutes would be enough. Miragin had bee
n right about accepting the good in the here and now. Even with blaster fire raging, even with more and more falling dead around her, Elisa could appreciate his words. She had been given the greatest gift of all.

  Now she had a promise of her own to keep in these last seconds.

  “I love you, Oret,” she called as she ducked down to avoid a shot from only feet away; a shot that would have disintegrated her head.

  He didn’t look at her, too busy firing at the enemy. However, he did smile, transforming his craggy face into something beautiful.

  “I love you too, my Matara. These last months have been the best of my life because you were in them.”

  Zemos also grinned, and Elisa thought she heard Miragin chuckle despite the din that tried to deafen her.

  Zemos ducked a shot. “They’re right on us. This is it,” he said before rising to shoot again.

  Elisa took a deep breath and readied her blaster. She prepared for the end.

  She stood up straight, popping out to face the men on the other side of the bins. Before she could fire, wild sounds like dogs howling rose in the air. The Earthers in front of Elisa, the ones who would kill her and her clan, turned as one towards the maddened sounds.

  Battle-armored Kalquorians Elisa had never seen before burst into the room, firing a barrage that mowed the cruiser’s crew down. Many died right away, while others were left screaming on the floor. A very few fired back and were taken down quickly. As if obeying a silent order, the rest threw down their weapons and raised the hands in surrender. They were immediately surrounded by the growling invaders, but their lives were spared. Hover cuffs snapped around wrists of the stunned Earthers.

  Zemos’ surviving crew cheered their rescuers, Oret loudest of all. From his position on the floor, Miragin asked, “What happened?”

  Zemos sagged, his expression one of disbelieving relief. Elisa stared at the newcomers. Where the hell had these men come from?

  A badly scarred but handsome Kalquorian stepped forward. He looked as ferocious as any Nobek but also carried the commanding aura of a Dramok. He reminded Elisa of Zemos, though they looked nothing alike. He looked over Zemos’ embattled crew and grinned.