The Star Traders: The Star Traders Series Volume One

by Gary W. Feather

  Escape!

  The robot opened the door to the Clitoris for them. Erica followed them back to the cockpit. Captain Mason jumped into her seat. She pressed buttons.

  "Let's get this bi’ch out of ‘ere," Captain Mason said.

  Erica belted herself into her seat. She looked around. Captain Mason turned back and waved her weapon at Erica. "Best use of a vagina, Erica!"

  "You’re crazy!" Erica said.

  Captain Mason ignored her. Erica looked at her mother. Alberta shrugged her shoulders.

  Erica quietly prayed to Maitreya, the future coming Buddha.

  The Clitoris launched out of the alien starship. Erica forgot her prayer as the ship shook almost as bad as before. But they were free of the aliens.

  "I was hopin’ they had turned off the tractor beam," Captain Mason said. "Seems they did. It might take them awhile to turn it back on aga..." The Clitoris shook again. This time Erica saw sparks fly across the room. Some debris fell from the ceiling.

  "What's happening?" Erica said.

  "They shot us," Alberta said.

  "Not too bad," Captain Mason said. "She can take i’."

  They were hit second time.

  "Oops!" Captain Mason said.

  "What? Oops what?" Erica said.

  "Looks like we will make an emergency landing," Captain Mason said.

  "Back to that damn planet?" Alberta said.

  "Yes," Captain Mason said. "Unless you know somewhere else we can go?"

  "Will this thing be able to take another reentry?" Alberta said.

  "Yes."

  Erica wondered whom she should pray to now.

  They were pulled into orbit. Almost yanked. At least, that was how it felt to Erica. The Clitoris zipped around the planet. The cockpit shook like it had when they launched, but now it was hot too. The temperature increased as the spacecraft came down at supersonic speed.

  "Okay," Captain Mason said. "Just fire forward thrusters to slow descent. And we'll be fine."

  "Is it working," Erica said. She had no idea what was going on. She wasn't a pilot like her mother Alberta. Erica was a member of security on her ship. A trainee actually.

  "Oh Goddess!" Captain Mason said. "Come on! Open!"

  "What?" Erica said.

  "She means the parachute, Erica," Alberta said.

  "Oh thank you, Goddess," Captain Mason said.

  "Our descent is slowing, Erica," Alberta said. "Don't worry. I thi—"

  "Fuck me!" Captain Mason said.

  "Mother?"

  "The parachute tore," Alberta said. "Hold on. Just try to relax."

  "Motha’fuckes!" Captain Mason screamed.

  Erica shut her eyes. Her stomach exploded. Erica tried to keep down whatever was there. Her bowels released. And guessed that someone else had done the same.

  The Clitoris slammed into the planet. Erica lost consciousness.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Prepare for a Journey.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Erica?"

  She opened her eyes. The pain hit. Her mother's face was looking down at her. Erica shook her head. The pain increased.

  "Hold still," Alberta said. "You hit your head. Swallow this."

  Erica swallowed something. Pills? Erica saw where they were at: in Captain Mason spaceship. Everything smashed and tossed around.

  "Is this the cockpit?" Erica said.

  "No," Alberta said. "This is the medical room. I think."

  "What happened?" Erica said. "We crashed?"

  "Yes. Captain Mason is dead. I tried to contact her robot, but it didn't respond."

  "What are we going to do?"

  "Hide," Alberta said. "Somewhere. We need to collect supplies. Things we'll need. Food, water, and weapons."

  "So they'll be after us. They won't give up," Erica said. She sat up.

  "How are you feeling now?"

  "Better. The headache is gone."

  "Can you remember anything about before?" Alberta said. "How you arrived on this planet. Where my ship is?"

  "No," Erica said. "Sometimes I see something. But it's gone. It comes in and out."

  "Okay." Alberta sighed. "We need to get to work."

  They searched. Erica found a knife and a machete. Both had sheaths. Alberta found a stun gun similar to what security guards carry on board a ship like the Guinevere. It fired a low powered particle bolt. When the bolt hits someone, that person is hit with a high voltage low-amperage electrical charge to stun the person.

  Erica took the stun gun. She stuck it in a front pocket. They stuffed supplies in two backpacks.

  "Wait, we need to disguise ourselves," Alberta said. "We should dress like the locals so no one will notice us."

  "Okay." Erica removed her coveralls. Alberta handed her a dress with a belt. Erica slipped it on. Erica stuck the stun gun into the belt. "Now how do I hide this? They’ll know it’s a weapon or something. Won't they?"

  "Huh?" Alberta looked and then turned to grab something. "I've seen this worn around the waist by some women. Alberta wrapped it around Erica's waist and belt. "There. Now you can't see it."

  "Great," Erica said.

  "Let's get going, Erica. We have no idea how soon they’ll be here looking for us."

  "We have enough water?" Erica said.

  "Yes," Alberta said. "We also have salt pills. Salt is something else you lose out in the desert."

  "Really?"

  "Don't worry." Alberta walked out of the spaceship. There was no need for a ladder now since the Clitoris had crashed on its belly. Luckily it hadn't landed on the door. "I've done this before. I mean, desert travel."

  Alberta wrapped a scarf around herself like Erica's so they would look similar.

  "Don't forget your hat, Erica." Alberta put on a red straw hat and handed Erica another one.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The Other City.

  Erica stopped beside her mother. In front of them was a city. Not the one they had been prisoners in, but a different one.

  "I hope they're friendly." Erica took off her red straw hat. She wiped sweat from her forehead.

  "All we can do is go and find out." Alberta patted Erica on the back. "You never know until you say hello."

  "Or when they chain you up and sell you at the slave market," Erica spit.

  "Come on," Alberta said. "Maybe we can make some from friends."

  They walked into the city. Erica saw chaos everywhere. Humans walking and running. Children too. Some in fancy clothes. Others in dirty rags. Many giant birds, with bags and boxes tied to their large backs, were being pulled by people.

  "What's that horrible smell?" Erica said.

  "Their sewage," Alberta said. "That is, if they actually have a sewage system."

  Erica noticed that everyone here openly carried a knife. Erica adjusted her sash so her knife's handle could be seen. Alberta walked towards a house with a sign on it. Erica couldn't read the local language, but her mother could.

  "This is an inn. We can get food and place to sleep here." Alberta walked inside before Erica could respond. Erica followed.

  Inside was noisy. Some kind of band playing. Guitars, drums, and a saxophone. A man sang loudly through the room. Erica smelled tobacco and marijuana smoke. The smoke burned her nose. She sneezed. She smelled fried meat and vegetables. Several spices excited her nose. Human sweat came from amateur dancers on the floor. Alberta sat at a table.

  Erica joined her mother. "What kind of music is that?" Erica said.

  "I have no idea," Alberta said. "I've heard it before in the other city. Some local noise."

  A waiter came by. Alberta ordered food and drink. He left.

  "Are we supposed to dance or mingle?" Erica said.

  "Let's eat first," Alberta said.

  "Sounds good to me." Erica watched the dancers. They had seemed like amateurs to her at first. Now Erica wasn't sure about them. Their clothes were see-through robes or dresses that showed off their bodies rather than hid them. Th
ey all had muscular bodies you would expect a dancer to have. Their movements were elegant and powerful, the way they twisted, leaped, and cartwheeled around the dance floor and each other. Erica was starting to enjoy it, especially the beautiful women dancers. Suddenly bowls of meat and vegetables were placed on the table with mugs of flavored water. There were no silverware or chopsticks.

  "You eat with your hands here." Alberta picked up a green root to eat.

  Erica picked up a white root of some kind. She tasted it. A juicy turnip taste. Erica's hungry stomach turned off her cautious brain. She stuffed her mouth with the unknown vegetables and meats. The water tasted spicy hot, but refreshing. Bread was tossed on their table. Erica dipped it in the water for a good swallow.

  "Damn, I was hungry!" Alberta said.

  "So was I!" Erica laughed.

  Alberta laughed. "I haven't laughed for a while."

  "Me neither," Erica said. "I guess we needed it."

  Erica took the pitcher of spiced water to full their mugs.

  "Can we pay for this?"

  "I found some local coins in the ship," Alberta whispered. "I think we have plenty for now."

  "Good I want to sleep in a bed tonight." Erica laughed.

  "So do I."

  Alberta paid the waiter and gave him a tip. Alberta asked about rooms. The waiter pointed her to an old woman sitting on a high stool by a desk.

  "Room?" the old woman said. "How many?"

  "Me and my daughter," Alberta said.

  "Hmm,” she replied. "One room. One bed."

  "Okay." Alberta paid for it.

  The old woman shouted. A boy appeared. The old woman gave Alberta a key. The boy led them up to a room with a bed, a blanket and nothing else.

  "No pillow?"

  "No," The boy said.

  Alberta tossed the boy a coin. He ran off.

  Erica dropped her backpack on the floor. Alberta tossed hers beside it. Alberta locked the door. Erica pulled off her boots. Then the socks. Erica looked at her tired feet. The toenails needed to be cut. Erica undressed, as did her mother. Erica laid her head down. She was asleep.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Monsters!

  Erica woke up with her mother shaking her arm.

  "Wake up, Erica!"

  "Okay. Okay." Erica shook her head. She blinked her eyes several times and looked around. "Not a bad dream? We're still here."

  "Yes."

  They dressed to go downstairs to eat something. They left their bags in the room. Alberta locked the door.

  Erica sat at a table with her mother. Alberta ordered some fruit and spiced water. The purple fruit look like pineapples. Erica cut one open with her knife. Inside were red seeds and white mushy stuff.

  "It’s good, Erica," Alberta said. "The white stuff is sweet and the seeds have a sour taste."

  Erica tried it. The white part was sweet and juicy. It was all very good. The seeds can get stuck in between your teeth, but not bad. Very chewable. Erica swallowed some spicy water.

  Then there was shouting outside the inn. Everyone in the eating area—no one was dancing—looked in the direction of the door.

  It opened. A man ran in. "There's monsters out there!"

  Everyone was quiet. Then they started laughing at him.

  Another man came in. "There's these lizard monsters running around the city!"

  No one laughed.

  A woman ran inside. "The monsters! They can talk! They’re looking for someone! They killed people! Many of the city guards are dead!"

  Everyone started screaming.

  Alberta grabbed one of the fruits. "Come on! Let's go to our room!"

  Erica followed her mother upstairs. Erica hand hovered near where her stun gun was hidden.

  Erica shut the door after they were inside their room. "Now what do we do?" Erica said. "Damn. We should have filled our water containers."

  "I thought we had time," Alberta said. "They’ll probably search the inns first. Checking all the rooms. We need to get out of here. Fast."

  They grabbed their backpacks. Alberta put the fruit in a ration container in her backpack. They looked outside. Erica saw people running from room to room. All of them terrified. The natives screamed about monsters or demons. Erica led the way downstairs with a hand tightly on her stun gun. She pulled it out just in case.

  "Let's check the door," Alberta said. "Maybe this is the best time to get out of here."

  Erica peeked out and saw people running around the streets in terror.

  "It looks like total madness out here."

  "Great." Alberta gently shoved Erica out the door. "Let's go."

  "Where to?"

  "Not sure," Alberta said. "But I'm sure they’d find us in here."

  They ran down the street like everyone else. Maybe with a bit less panic. Or not.

  As they turned a corner, Erica saw two aliens beating a man. The aliens were shouting at him in the local language. Erica didn't know what they were saying, but she guessed he was begging for mercy.

  "Quick," Alberta whispered into Erica's ear. "Back the other way."

  Erica dashed off in the other direction with her mother. Stay calm, Erica. Don’t panic. We are at peace with the universe. Oh fuck you! Erica cursed herself. Suddenly she felt her arm yanked by her mother.

  "This way, Erica!" Alberta said.

  Erica was dragged into a building.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Hide!

  Erica scratched her short hair. It was the inside of a storage building full of wood and furs.

  "I think we can hide in here," Alberta said.

  "I hope so." Erica pulled out her stun gun.

  Erica looked around the place. She saw another door on the other side of the building. It was partly open. There was also a loft with feathers. Erica watched the place for danger. Alberta found a ladder. Alberta went up first. Erica followed. The feathers were about two feet long. They were tied together with string. There were bundles of them in the loft. Erica sat on one. It was nice and soft. I wonder if our bed at the inn had been full of these things. Erica sighed.

  "There is no reason to give up, Erica," Alberta said. "They haven't caught us yet."

  "True," Erica said.

  Someone screamed. They looked down. A little girl and father were pointing at them. The father said something. Alberta shouted back at him. The father and girl ran out of the building. They were yelling. Erica didn't like it one bit.

  "What are they..."

  "They're telling the aliens where we are," Alberta said. "We need to get out of here."

  "There's another door that way," Erica said.

  Erica led the way to the door. On the other side was aliens. Erica pushed her mother back into the building. Two more aliens were waiting for them in the building with the father and little girl.

  "We have you again,” one of the aliens said in English. "Our captain happy with us."

  Their weapons were taken away. The aliens marched them through the streets of the city. Other aliens joined up with them. An alien spacecraft was parked outside of the city. It was easily seen. Dammit. Here we go again. The aliens dragged them inside their spacecraft. Their leader stuck a metal rod against Erica’s head.

  "What is that?"

  "Just be quiet, Erica," Alberta said. "They’re punishing us. They’ll hit you with electricity. I'm sorry. It’s going to hurt."

  "Oh fuck!"

  Erica's body shook before she even felt the electrical volts going through her body. It stopped. Then Erica was hit again. And again. Luckily she lost consciousness after that.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Alien Prison.

  Erica awoke. Ah! My head hurts. Her mother lay beside her.

  "Mom?" Erica checked her mother for a pulse and a heartbeat. Erica found her mother alive.

  "Alberta is fine, Erica,” a familiar voice said.

  Erica looked at the people in the room. One was her mother's old friend, Captain Emily Zhou of the Spirit. />
  "Hi," Erica said. "So this is the prison on the alien starship?"

  "Right," Zhou said.

  "One of them is awake?" One of the other prisoners came over. The rest followed.

  They were all of the people who had been kidnapped on the spacestation Bombay.

  Alberta awoke. "Looks like everyone is here," she said.

  "I thought you were trying to escape," Emily Zhou said with a smirk on her face.

  "It didn't work." Alberta laughed. "I did find my daughter though."

  "I noticed," Zhou said.

  The other kidnapped humans asked about where they had been and if there was any help coming. Their hope was quickly dashed as Alberta told them everything.

  I remember something. Erica didn’t say anything, but sat on the floor. She concentrated. It's important. I know it is. What am I forgetting?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Weird Questions.

  "You will answer my questions,” the alien captain said for the hundredth time.

  "I don't know what you are talking about," Alberta said. Why don't they understand?

  Alberta was tied to a table. The alien captain and other aliens were looking down on her.

  "We call it trade," Alberta said. "I asked for something you have. I give you something I have. You accept it and give me the thing I wanted."

  "What is give?" the alien captain asked. "This is not logical. What I want. I take. You accept that I take it."

  Dammit. I need a first contact expert. Someone who could talk to them. I don't know what I am doing. Alberta continued to explain, but couldn't get through. The aliens believed trade was a way to invade what they saw as their territory. Alberta continued to try.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Confessions.

  Erica awoke. Her mother was gone. "Mom?"

  "They took her, Erica," Captain Zhou said. "I'm sorry."

  "No."

  "There's nothing we can do. They do this to all of us. Try to force us to answer questions."

  "You'll be next,” a man said.

  "Leave her alone," Captain Zhou said.

  "Well. Okay,” he replied.