“Oh my, it does feel good to move again,” he said to the empty cell.
He lifted an unshod foot towards the crackling energy bars around him. He touched it with his big toe. The crackling energy wasn’t an issue for him thanks to his internal energy stores. They re-routed the normally deadly energy into two storage tanks that would supercharge his auxiliary systems for hours. He pulled his foot back from the energy bar and sat back down. His skin tingled.
He closed his eyes and waited for his arms to arrive. Once he had his arms back things were going to get very interesting.
Finally, for the first time in their history, he would have the upper hand over Draco Goldwing. That knowledge felt good. If he still had a human heart, it would have warmed at the thought.
Chapter Seventeen
Draco closed the channel to Nook and told the crew of the situation.
“We have a Vartalen attack cruiser on our tail. It’s running silent at the moment. It probably doesn’t even know that we know it’s there. It’s not hostile, but we need to be ready if they change to an intercept trajectory while we’re towing the Metropolis Seven back into safe space.”
“I knew those bastards wouldn’t be able to keep their noses out of this. It’s too big a prize,” Ava said.
“It’s also much too big for them to actually do anything with. One little attack cruiser can’t overpower a ship with one hundred thousand people on it,” Raze said.
“I think we need to operate on the assumption that they’re just looking to make sure we get this ship out of their space. Once it’s gone, they’ll leave,” Draco said.
“It’s not like we can do much anyway, trapped in here.” Vynce shook his head.
“If we need to respond, we’ll change our strategy,” Draco said.
Jaxon laughed quietly to himself.
“Got something you want to add, stranger?” Draco asked.
“No, not at all,” he replied.
“Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut while we figure out our next move.”
“Yes, sir,” Jaxon said.
Draco turned to Aloysius, who was still seated at the engine diagnostic console. He interfaced with it directly. He was completely still as he plumbed the depth of the system, looking for information that might help them.
“Do you want the good news or the bad news?” Aloysius asked.
“Bad news first,” Draco said. Once you knew how bad things were you could at least start making a plan.
“Unfortunately, the majority of the data was still inaccessible. Someone has put blocks on almost every area of the system. Maintenance files are off-limits, as are surveillance, life support and security protocol information. But I found what we needed. I have the schematics of the Metropolis Seven. I’ve taken a copy of them for future reference. The mainframe of the system is located in the central tower in the middle of the downtown district. All systems across the ship could be controlled from that central tower.”
“So, whoever has access to the mainframe would have access to all the other systems, right?” Draco said.
“That’s correct.”
“Including navigation systems?”
“Yes. That’s where our anonymous director is located, I’m sure of it. I’m sure they’re at the control hub.”
‘Thankfully, that’s exactly where I wanted you to go,’ the voice over the loudspeaker interjected.
“I have a question for you, whoever-you-are. Why should we play your games now that we have access to the schematics of the ship?” Draco asked.
‘Because those schematics don’t show you where the nests are. Those schematics will likely lead you right into the jaws of the monsters in the bowels of this ship. Without me, your chances of survival are slim.’
Regardless of the schematics on Al’s system, the voice over the loudspeaker was right. The ship was huge, dark and unknown. Even if they had the plans, it wouldn’t stop them from stumbling into a trap.
“What’s your game plan here? What do you hope to achieve by playing us like this?” Draco asked.
‘I want to keep our surviving passengers alive. That’s all.’
“I can’t blame you for that, but if we’re to continue working together, you can’t keep blackmailing us. You understand that, right?”
‘It’s the only way. You have no choice but to trust me.’
“We’re the ones with options here, and I think you’re the one who’s all out of options.”
‘Think what you wish, Captain Goldwing. It makes no difference.’
“Al, plot us a course to the central tower. Lead the way. We’ll follow. Whatever stands in our way, we’ll overcome it.”
“The quickest way to the mainframe is to go through the grazing lands where they rear the animals they use for food. Once we cross it, we can go through the Residential District and into Metropolitan District. Metro Tower is right in the heart of it,” Aloysius said.
“Wait a second. Are you saying that there are farmlands inside the ship?” Vynce asked.
“Yes, as well as a beach front and a simulated rain forest. This ship has everything it needs to survive a ten-year long vacation and keep the passengers entertained.” Aloysius responded and motioned for them to follow.
“How many do you think signed up to be dissected and turned into monsters?” Vynce asked.
“Probably at least one,” Ava said.
Draco looked at her.
“What? There’s always one!”
Chapter Eighteen
Ava didn’t like how things were playing out. The man over the loudspeaker knew the Captain somehow, or at least knew who he was enough to manipulate him. In all the years that she’d known Draco, she’d never seen him on the back foot before.
She didn’t like it one bit.
And that new guy who appeared out of nowhere, Jaxon, what was his deal? His gear and weapons were advanced like nothing she had ever seen before. He was definitely from somewhere else, maybe from somewhen else, but nothing in the human Alliance was that sophisticated. He also knew who Draco was. Ava hadn’t realized that the Captain was some sort of galactic celebrity.
Ava imagined Draco, decked out in a traditional New Earth suit and tie, on the purple carpet of a movie premiere in the Hub. The mental image was so ridiculous she couldn’t stop herself from snorting with laughter. Draco, in a suit, schmoozing and posing for stills. She’d pay good money to see that.
“Something funny?” Vynce asked.
“Oh, if only you knew,” Ava replied with a wave of her hand.
They continued back through the corridors they had been herded down before. They came back to the maintenance crew quarters and took another branching corridor leading towards the farmlands.
The farmlands inside the ship were not as large and sprawling as open farmland on a terrestrial planet. Instead of having a huge expanse of open grazing land, the animals were given a six-level grazing field where they could roam between levels which were stacked on top of each other. Most of the feed was synthetic but indistinguishable from organically produced feed in nutritional value.
The quickest route across the farmland and into the main Metropolitan District of the ship was across the very bottom floor. If they could cross it quickly and without incident, they would be one step closer to finding out who their mystery director was and try to save the rest of the survivors of whatever biohazard had taken control of this ship.
A door slid open, revealing a large bay filled with stalls. Each stall had a wooden gate across the entrance with a food trough attached to it. There was also a milking machine hanging from the roof of each stall.
In the distance, they heard a mooing cow, which was answered by another cow. Their calls echoed.
“I hate cows,” Vynce blurted out.
“What? How could you hate cows?” Ava asked.
“I don’t know, all right? They just freak me out. Those empty black eyes, and the way their mouths always look wet…” Vynce shuddered.
“Do you have a horribly traumatizing cow-related experience from your childhood that profoundly affected your mental state into adulthood?” Ava asked with a feigned gasp.
“You know what, you can shut the hell up.”
Ava made the mournful sound of a cow mooing and laughed as Vynce visibly slowed his stride and tensed up.
“Aww, poor little Vyncey,” she laughed and clapped him on the back.
“Enough,” Draco said.
Raze opened the shutters that lead from the bay out into the farmland. As they slowly rolled back up into the roof, a bright light spilled into the milking room.
“Why is it so bright?” Vynce asked.
“They use an artificial sun in the middle of each floor. It allows the grass to grow and gives the livestock the simulation of being in their normal environment. When night comes, they just dim them. They use the same technology in the main habitable area of the ship. They have a simulated day and night cycle too,” Aloysius said.
Ava laughed and said, “The passengers are treated just like the cattle. That’s too funny.”
As they stepped out into what felt just like the harsh light of day, Ava realized just how gargantuan the ship truly was. It looked just like a grazing field from back on New Earth. There were trees for shade, rocks in seemingly natural formations, and even a stream that flowed through the center. There was a gentle sloped incline in the corner of the massive room which led up to the next level. Unlike the level they were currently on, there was no light on the second floor. The gentle grassy slope seemed to lead into a dark nothingness.
Draco was the first to begin the march across the farmland. He strode into the open field, and Ava followed. A simulated wind generator blew the grass around her feet as though she were on the surface of New Earth. Ava wondered how ridiculous they would look to an outsider. They were a troop of heavily armed and armored grunts crossing an idyllic piece of farmland.
But the farmlands were empty.
There were no animals in the whole expanse.
“Al, do a search for life forms. Something feels wrong,” Draco said.
“Yeah, where the hell are all the cows?” Ava said.
“I don’t care, as long as they’re not here,” Vynce added.
After a moment’s pause Aloysius spoke. “The only life forms I can detect are on the upper floors, where it’s dark.”
“I would suggest that you all exercise caution, folks. There’s no telling what’s going on above us,” Draco said.
They continued across the grassy expanse until they reached the small stream. There was no bridge in sight, but further along the stream there was a shallow area that the cows normally used to cross.
Their suits were completely airtight, so crossing the clear shallow stream was no more than an inconvenience. Draco waded first into the chest-deep water. He held his pistol above his head and crossed carefully to the other side. The rest of the crew followed, except for Aloysius.
“What’s the problem buddy?” Vynce asked.
“I don’t need to breathe, so a sealed chassis is not usually a concern of mine, but water damage is another matter entirely. But fear not, I have my own way around this,” Aloysius said as he backed up a half dozen steps and ran towards the bank of the stream.
He jumped into the air. At the same time, his shoulder blades expanded outward and into the air. They turned into jump boosters, which fired to life the moment his feet left the ground. He engaged his thrusters on the underside of his feet as well, which lifted him across the stream while the others still waded across.
“You’re such a showoff,” Ava said as Aloysius landed heavily on the far side of the stream. Aloysius began to speak but was cut off as the artificial sun above them dimmed and then finally faded to black.
‘I’m sorry to do this to you Captain Goldwing, but this is what happens if you don’t comply with my requests. I do hope you survive this,’ said the anonymous voice that had plagued their traverse of the ship.
“We’re no help to you if we’re dead!” Draco shouted.
‘Please know that I sincerely hope you live through this,’ the voice said.
“Oh no. It appears that he has deactivated the containment gates on the other five levels of farmland. The life forms are currently migrating downward to our location,” Aloysius said.
“Are they cows, or those other things?” Vynce asked. “I can deal with pieced-together body parts with extra appendages, but I can’t deal with a herd of stampeding cows.”
“Impossible to say without confirming visual sighting. I have switched to night vision and will keep you informed of any visual contacts. I would highly suggest that you refrain from using your personal light apparatus. They would be able to pinpoint us in a heartbeat.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have any visual contacts, then. Double time it everyone,” Draco said.
Ava’s augmented low-light visibility engaged. I let them to see in low light, but it was nowhere near as effective as Aloysius’s actual night vision. She could only see a couple of yards in front of her.
She pulled herself out of the stream and broke into a dead sprint in the direction of the exit. As Ava ran through the darkness, it was impossible not to feel as though she was going to be swallowed by it.
Large creatures moved around in the floors above them. Natural bovine sounds were mixed with other unrecognizable noises. Something that just didn’t belong. Something alien.
“I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I would suggest haste,” Aloysius said and broke into an even faster stride.
“Do we have incoming?” Draco asked.
“Yes.”
“Are they cows, or those other things?” Vynce asked.
“Both, I fear.”
“Oh God damn it!” Vynce double-timed it, outpacing Ava.
Faster again, Jaxon strode ahead of everyone. He was running faster than any human was supposed to run. He ran directly towards the exit bay from the farmland.
“I’ll have the door open for you by the time you get here,” he said through comms.
“How the hell can do you run so fast?” Ava asked.
“I’m part cheetah,” he responded as the disappeared into the darkness.
“There is something new coming,” Aloysius said.
“Please tell me it’s good news,” Draco said.
“I’m sorry Captain, but I don’t want to lie to you.”
Draco cursed.
“They appear to be canines, affected by the same affliction as the crew,” Aloysius said.
Ava could hear them now. Small, quick footfalls. Predators in pursuit of prey.
Then, Jaxon came into view. He stood poised behind the open door with his rifle held against his shoulder, ready to fire.
He squeezed the trigger once and a single high caliber bullet fired from the barrel of his rifle. The bullet passed between Draco’s calves on the way to its target. Something yelped in the darkness. Jaxon fired twice more, which were followed by two more surprised yelps.
Ava looked back over her shoulder and saw the pack of dog-creatures following them. There were dogs once, but no longer, and there were more of them coming. Jaws split in wrong directions, and tumorous growths covered their patchy fur.
Aloysius squeezed through the door, and Ava followed immediately after, while Vynce and Draco covered their backs. Once the others were through, Vynce and Draco followed.
Draco called out in shock.
Ava looked back. One of the dog-creatures had latched onto Draco’s left shin. Ava pulled her pistol from its holster and shot the dog-thing through the eye. It let go, and Draco kicked it away before hauling himself through the door.
Jaxon and Raze worked together to push the door closed again, but it didn’t look like Raze wasn’t helping at all. The door was eight inches of thick steel. It was clearly made to withstand a charge from a raging bull. Jaxon wasn’t just faster, but also stronger than all of them. The door screeched as the meta
l ground against metal. The door closed slowly, but not before two of the dog-creatures leapt through the opening and into the small room with them.
Draco promptly put a bullet in the skull of one of the creatures, but the other immediately leapt into Vynce’s chest, pushing him to the ground. As the door slid completely closed, the lights came back on and they saw the horrific, twisted creature straddling him.
It had once been a dog, but something horrifying happened to it. Something like a tumor grew from its back. The growth was hairless, like a bad burn and it was moving. Ava engaged her buster pods and launched herself at the repulsive canid creature. She slammed her fist into the creature, which went flying off Vynce’s chest. It flew across the room and smashed into the wall with a wet thud. Blood sprayed out from the growth when it hit the wall.
The growth on the creature’s back split open. Long prehensile tendrils writhed out of the wound as the creature got to its feet. It snarled at them but didn’t advance. Whatever intelligence it had possessed as a dog had been either preserved or heightened. It didn’t attack, because it knew that it was outnumbered. The prehensile tendrils whipped around in the air as it growled.
Suddenly it grew silent, and the tendrils stopped moving back and forth. It tilted its head in the direction of the door just as a booming sound erupted from the door. Something else was outside, and it wanted in.
Aloysius raised his hand at the creature. His palm opened to reveal a small repulsor cannon. He fired a super-heated blast of energy at the creature, which exploded into a mass of twisted flesh. The prehensile tendrils kept writhing about the corpse on the floor.
“That thing was communicating with the others on the outside of the door. It was feeding them information about us,” Aloysius said.
“I trust you, Al,” Draco said, “It just puts me off guard when you shoot first and ask questions later.”
“My apologies, Captain.”
“No need to apologize. You did the right thing.”
The pounding the door continued. Even though the creature had been destroyed, the things behind the door knew where they were.
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