The Agathon: Reign of Arturo

by Colin Weldon

  “Hello there,” the creature suddenly said to Carrie.

  Carrie was stunned. The softness of the strong voice was not what she was expecting at all. Not to mention that it spoke English.

  “Eh ...” she said looking at Tyrell, “Hello?”

  “How wonderful of you to join us here,” the creature said.

  Carrie had not realised that her mouth was hanging open in astonishment. She was genuinely lost for words.

  “Okay then?” she said realising that she must have sounded like an idiot.

  She suddenly realised that if Chase Meridian were to find out that Carrie’s first words to an alien life form were ‘Eh … Hello’ she would not be happy, so she tried to muster up some words. It was hard considering the dire situation they were in.

  “Who are you?” she asked the creature.

  “So inquisitive, how refreshing. You have developed well. You are still too early, however, and we must send you on your way,” said the creature.

  “What?” Carrie said, “what do you mean too early? For what? Who are you?”

  The creature blinked what looked like two sets of eyelids before turning to Tyrell. It placed one of its long arms on his shoulder and formed what looked like a smile, revealing a set of sharp pointed teeth. It had three digits attached to a long hand. There were no fingernails. The hand was covered neatly in a thin layer of skin. The grin gave the creature a sinister look that unnerved Carrie.

  “Welcome back, it is so wonderful to see you return. You are the first, you know. But you are too early, we must send you on your way,” it said to Tyrell.

  Tyrell looked the creature in the eyes and said nothing.

  “I see,” the creature said looking back at Carrie.

  Carrie opened her mind to try and sense something. She was getting frustrated by the clearly telepathic communication between the two. The creature suddenly looked at Carrie and shot its long arm out in her direction. Before she could react, she felt like she had been hit by an invisible boulder that sent her flying backwards through the air. She landed hard on her hip and tumbled head over heels onto the hard floor. She felt the air being knocked out of her lungs and placed her hands onto the ground to stop herself from rolling. The sudden impact made her head spin as she took several large breaths to counter the shock of the sudden attack. She lay on the ground and looked up at the creature as it took several slow steps towards her. Tyrell remained still, just watching her.

  “What the fuck!” Carrie said getting to her knees and trying to get up off the ground. She felt a tingle of electrical energy make its way up her spine. The creature approached her and shot its arm out in her direction. Once again a powerful force lifted her off the ground and sent her tumbling through the air. The world began to spin as her body was tossed like a rag doll through the open spaces of the grand hall sending her crashing down on the hard marble floor. This time she hit her head on impact, sending her into a blurry spin. She felt a warm trickle of blood seep through her hair and travel neatly down her cheek. Her anger intensified. She lay flat on her back trying to get her breath and stared at the intricate ceiling a hundred feet off the ground and thought about her mother. Turning her head, she saw the alien approach her calmly. She lay there. Unmoving. Waiting for the creature to get closer. She turned on her side and slowly got to her knees. She was injured. She felt a sharp pain in her ankle as she rose to her feet, so much so that she had to shift her weight onto the other foot. She looked furiously at the creature and felt the electricity pour through her spine and into her arms.

  “Stop it!” she screamed stretching her arms out suddenly and letting the energy release through her fingertips.

  Her hands exploded into a fireball of blue electricity which travelled in the direction of the creature. The great hall lit up in blue light as Carrie counter attacked her opponent. The alien raised its arms and fought back. The two opposing forces met in the centre of the chamber. The bolts of blue light shooting from Carrie’s fingertips seemed to meet the invisible energy being created by the alien. Carrie felt herself being pushed backwards. She took a step forward and bent her knee, leaning into the opposing force. Screaming, she increased the force of the arcing bolts of electricity and felt the alien power losing its strength. She felt herself break through a barrier and watched as the bolts of lightning made contact with the creature, lifting it cleanly off its feet and sending it flying through the air in the opposite direction. She smelled the burning of flesh as the alien hit the ground, landing close to where Tyrell was still standing peacefully.

  She pulled back her arms and reduced the force of energy from her fingertips. The bolts of lightning dissipated as she drew the energy back inside her body. She felt her knees buckle and she collapsed onto the floor, planting her red hands on the hard cold surface. She felt like she had run for miles and struggled to get her breath back.

  There was silence in the grand hall. Steam rose from the alien creature now lying on the floor. She looked up at Tyrell and frowned as she tried to get to her feet again. Her ankle was twisted. It ached as she applied pressure to it. She began to hobble towards the alien life form lying still on the ground.

  She approached Tyrell, still delicately applying weight to her injured leg. The alien started to move slowly. It turned its head towards Carrie and rolled onto its side trying to right itself, slowly getting to its feet. Carrie stopped and raised her hands getting ready for another attack. The alien raised one of its long arms and looked at her revealing its vicious looking teeth.

  “Do not attack me, Carrie Barrington,” it said standing up.

  Carrie’s mind was suddenly open to the creature and she felt something from it. Something that felt like pleasure. The alien looked over at Tyrell.

  “How marvellous,” the creature said.

  Carrie looked at Tyrell, still with her arms raised in a defensive posture. The alien looked back at Carrie.

  “Welcome to my home,” it said “I can see quite clearly now that we have much to discuss, you and I.”

  “What are you and what the hell just happened?” she said still getting her breath back.

  “I am so very happy to see you both, please follow me, you must meet the others, they are waiting for you,” the alien said, turning on its heels and heading away from the pair.

  It stopped suddenly and turned back to Carrie, walking slowly over to her. Carrie looked at Tyrell. The alien stood next to Carrie and knelt down next to her and suddenly placed a hand on her ankle. Carrie took a step backwards.

  “Do not be afraid, Carrie,” the alien said softly.

  Carrie felt a warm sensation on her ankle as the pain suddenly disappeared from it. The alien stood up again and began walking away from them. She felt no pain and suddenly realised that her injury had been healed.

  “Tyrell?” she said looking for answers.

  Tyrell looked at her.

  “Let’s go,” Tyrell said following the alien.

  Carrie looked around the empty hall and back at the pair making their way across the floor.

  “Shit,” she said quietly.

  18

  The Agathon

  ‘NOT ... GOING ... TO ... MAKE ... IT ... HELP … DAVID … CREATURE ... ENORMOUS … GET … SHIP ... OFF ... ICE… USE … DATA … IT … IS … PLANET … SIGNAL … MAKERS … UP … TO … YOU … NOW … DYING … XXCKFDJEEJHSHSO’

  “Transmission has been severed, sir,” said Kevin Ferrate from behind Barrington.

  The bridge was deathly silent.

  “Try to re-establish the connection,” Barrington said.

  “No good, sir, its gone dead,” Ferrate said with a quiver in his voice.

  Barrington was on edge. The death of Jerome Young was a blow he had not expected. He only had a few seconds to process the sudden shock of it as the comm system crackled.

  “Chavel to Agathon,” came the young lieutenant’s voice.

  “David?” Barrington asked.

  “Yes, sir, I have an emerg
ency down here. I think Young is dead. Sir, there is a huge creature down here and I think it is making its way to the surface. You have to get the ship off the ice!” Chavel said, “Life support is failing and I’ve lost thruster control, Captain. I’m taking on water too. I am approaching hull crush depth,” he said through a crackled connection in the comm system.

  Barrington was standing in the middle of the bridge, listening to the lieutenant and running what options he could through his mind.

  “Sir, this thing is massive, I’m not going to make it. I’m sorry, sir,” Chavel said quietly.

  “Captain, I am picking up a signature on the sensors. It’s big and moving in our direction from under the ice. Three hundred meters and closing,” Boyett suddenly said from her station.

  Barrington moved quickly back to the centre seat and sat down clicking his comm link to the engine room.

  “Bridge to engine room,” he said.

  “Tosh here, Captain,” came the reply.

  Barrington held off telling Tosh that his friend was dead. He needed him focused.

  “Fire up the dorsal thrusters, Tosh, we have to get off the ice,” Barrington said.

  “Yes, sir,” came his quick response.

  “Charly, get us up,” he said to Boyett who sprang into action straight away.

  She grabbed the flight controls and activated the main thrusters of the ship. A low hum filled the bridge as the ship’s engines came to life.

  “Get me a visual on the exterior, Charly,” said Barrington.

  Boyett flicked on the overhead screens and an image of the exterior came to life. Barrington saw cracks forming on the surface of the ice in front of the ship. Large sections of the ground began to break and split apart.

  “Charly!” Barrington said.

  “Got it, sir,” she responded with her hands on the flight controls.

  The ship began to rise.

  “We’re up,” she said briskly.

  Barrington rubbed his jaw as he watched the ice crumble from under the ship.

  “Give me a view from under the ship, Charly,” said Barrington.

  One of the view screens flickered before showing the captain an image from beneath the dorsal section of the ship. Barrington gripped the sides of his chair at what he saw. A huge set of teeth attached to a gaping mouth approached. It must have been half the size of the ship.

  “Jesus Christ,” said Kevin Ferrate from behind the captain.

  The creature rose from the ice as it leapt out of the sea towards the ship.

  “Charly, higher!” Barrington shouted at his first officer.

  The creature’s mouth grew closer in the view screen and Barrington felt the surge of power as Boyett brought the ship up using full thrusters. It looked like the teeth were about to make contact when they suddenly dropped away and the creature crashed back into the ice with so much force that it sent a wave of ice and water into the air. In a spectacular explosion of steam and water, it sank beneath the waves. The ship continued to rise.

  The bridge crew let out a collective sigh of relief.

  “Hold us here, Charly,” said Barrington through gritted teeth.

  “Yes, sir,” said a shaken Boyett.

  “David, you still there?” said Barrington looking at the broken ice.

  “Yes, sir. Everything alright up there?” asked Chavel.

  “Give me your status, David,” said Barrington.

  “Still descending, sir, I am flooding pretty bad. I would say I have a few minutes left at best. You gotta go, sir. I think I’m done down here,” he said flatly.

  Boyett turned around and looked at the captain. They exchanged a knowing look before Barrington tapped the comm channel on his seat.

  “Bridge to engine room,” he said.

  “Tosh here, what’s going on up there, bridge?” said Tosh.

  “Daniel, what’s the crush depth of The Agathon?” Barrington asked.

  Boyett looked at him and frowned.

  “Eh … as in?” said Tosh.

  “As in under water,” Barrington said.

  “I have no idea, sir, the ship was not built to go underwater,” Tosh replied.

  “The thruster housings are sealed though, Tosh, right?” Barrington said.

  “Yes, sir, in theory the ship could function underwater, but as you well know it has never been tested. I can’t guarantee any of the hull seals will resist extreme depths, not to mention we have only just repaired the outer hull,” Tosh said.

  Barrington looked at the image of the broken ice down below.

  “Boyett, what is Chavel’s current depth?” Barrington said.

  “Fifteen hundred meters, sir,” she said, looking shocked at what the captain was suggesting.

  Barrington rubbed his cheek.

  “Captain, don’t do it,” Chavel suddenly said down the static of the comm link, “You can’t risk the safety of the ship on one man. Boyett, back me up.”

  Boyett looked at the captain. He saw her eyes begin to well slightly as she fought her instinct.

  “He’s right, sir, the numbers don’t add up. There are too few of us left to man a rescue like this, you risk the whole ship if something goes wrong, not to mention there is a huge creature down there that could do catastrophic damage to the vessel,” Boyett said.

  “This is not me trying to be a hero, sir, you have to go,” Chavel said.

  Barrington looked at his first officer. Then back to the comm on his seat.

  “Tosh, I am sorry to tell you this, but Young is dead,” he said.

  “What?” Tosh said shocked.

  “Chavel’s shuttle is damaged and he is taking on water. Young was killed by an indigenous animal,” he said.

  There was silence down the comm.

  “I understand, John,” said Tosh.

  His voice was shaky. Barrington did not know why he had chosen that moment to tell him. He supposed it was to rationalise what he was about to do to himself and to Tosh. He stood from his centre chair and looked around the bridge.

  “I know this risks the ship, so I won’t order any of you to do this. We are the only ones left. We are all that is left to protect the souls on board this ship. We have lost so many. I for one don’t want to lose any more. Do you?” he said looking around the bridge.

  “John?” said Tosh’s voice down the comm system.

  “Yes, Tosh,” Barrington said.

  “Let’s go get him,” he said.

  He turned to Ferrate who nodded. He walked over to Boyett and put a hand on her shoulder. She was shaking, but she looked into his eyes and nodded.

  “Let’s go get him,” she said quietly to him.

  Barrington smiled and looked back at Ferrate.

  “Open a comm link to the rest of the ship,” he said.

  “Open,” said Ferrate.

  “All hands, this is the captain. General quarters. We are about to attempt a rescue mission. One of our own is in trouble beneath the surface of the ice. I won’t lie to you, this is going to be dangerous, but I won’t leave anyone behind. If we are to survive, you have to know that I will not leave any of you behind. Please use harnesses where you can and strap in. This is the captain,” he said.

  “Charly, prepare to dive the ship,” he said slapping her on the shoulder, “we are going to have to evade that creature, so nose first into the surface. Lock the FTL ring and seal all external bulkheads.”

  Barrington returned to his centre seat and sat down. The forward facing view screen changed as the angle of the ship altered to face the ice nose first.

  “David, hold on, we’re coming to get you,” Barrington said, “engage full thrusters on my command.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Boyett taking a deep breath.

  There was a moment of silence on the bridge as the captain looked at the broken ice below the ship.

  “Ready, engine room?” he said down the comm system link to Tosh.

  “Ready,” Tosh replied.

  Barrington could hear how up
set the man was. He was close to Young, but he needed everyone focused, so the sooner they did this, the better.

  “Lieutenant. Fire thrusters,” he said forcefully.

  The ground began to approach.

  There was a loud crunching sound as the ship hit the ice. Barrington gripped the sides of his chair as they broke through and crashed into the water below. The view screens turned momentarily blue before going to black as the ship sank into the depths. Barrington was glad that the transition from the surface into the sea was a lot smoother than he had anticipated. The bridge fell silent as the vessel began its descent into the depths.

  “Lights,” Barrington said from his captain’s chair.

  Boyett activated the forward facing lamps and the underwater world lit up.

  “Scan for the creature,” Barrington said.

  “Scanning,” Boyett said, “located, sir, two hundred meters off the port bow and closing.”

  “Full ahead,” Barrington said before touching the control panel on his chair, “Engine room, how’s my ship?”

  “Holding up down here, John, we had a breach on deck eight, but it’s contained. You are a go,” said Tosh.

  “Distance to the shuttle?” Barrington asked Boyett.

  “One thousand six hundred meters,” Boyett said.

  “Lock a view screen on the animal and track it,” Barrington said.

  The view screen on the far right of the bridge lit up. A large black shadow began to grow as the creature approached the ship.

  “Sir, we can keep ahead of it, but we are going to have to slow the ship to get the shuttle craft back on board. At this range it will be on us in less than a minute when we do so,” Boyett said.

  Barrington rubbed the grainy stubble on his face.

  “Chavel, you there?” he said.

  “Yes, sir. Barely. Water level in the shuttle has risen. It’s at my shoulders now. I am sitting tight, waiting for you to pull a rabbit out of your hat,” Chavel replied.