by Phil Price
“I’ve just had a flashback. Well, I think I have. Something about all of us walking towards a shimmering light. I could see three figures, standing motionless in the field.”
“Really? Well, I don’t remember anything,” Caroline said as she removed her black framed glasses. She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue before placing the glasses back in place.”
“Yes. I remember. I remember dragging my feet across the grass. As if something was pulling me towards it.”
“Sounds a bit scary if you ask me,” the other woman replied, an anxious knot forming in her stomach. Silence descended over the two women, thoughts of loved ones flooding their minds as they headed into outer space.
Nine
“Are you okay?” Kyra asked as Torben paced his quarters.
“I was until we spoke to them. I never thought about their families. Are we doing the right thing, Kyra?”
“I’m not sure. But as you said, we have our orders. The Lomogs have provided for us when we needed it most. We need to remember that. Without them, we would be teetering on the brink.”
“I know,” Torben said, sitting on a white couch. “It still doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Kyra sat next to him, taking his strong hands in hers. She held them gently, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “It’s all very raw at the moment. They are in shock. As a species, they are very unevolved, unlike us. Let’s get them to Valkash. Let them settle in.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. We leave them there I suppose. I am sure that we will have other assignments.”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Torben said. This all came out of the blue. My friend Ark and I were just bumming around the galaxy, delivering supplies to outposts. When this came along, we both jumped at it.”
“Where is your friend now?”
“He’s out there somewhere. Several light years from here, rounding up his own group of species. Although, if I know Ark, he’s probably trying to get some of them into his bunk.”
“Oh right. Are all freighter pilots like that?”
“Some are. We travel across space, which can be a lonely place. I’m not like Ark though. I don’t feel the need to have a girl in every outpost.”
“Good to hear it, as you may have snared one on this journey.” She moved closer, kissing him tenderly. Torben returned the kiss, pulling Kyra into his embrace. She came to him willingly, the first stirrings of warmth coursing through her body. Breaking the kiss, she looked into his eyes. “You’re the first person that I have kissed in a long while.”
“Likewise, Kyra. I am sorry if it brought up emotions and memories.”
She kissed him again, her hands unbuttoning the front of his tunic. “I think it is time to make some new memories,” Kyra said as she pushed him gently onto the couch.
Sometime later, Torben and Kyra sat down in the cockpit. Rex looked at them, trying to discern the expressions on their faces. He smiled, noting the warmth that seemed to be radiating from the humans. “Everything alright?”
“Yes,” Torben said a little too quickly. “Although our passengers are not happy. And who can blame them? We’ve taken them from their families, to live out their days on an alien planet.”
“I suppose so. Although, skipper, I’ve been watching their newsfeeds. It seems that the planet could be on the brink of all-out war. Many different factions are opposing each other. We may have spared these people.”
“What kind of factions?” Kyra said, suddenly curious.
“They worship different deities. It seems that this has caused wars to rage for centuries. Millions have perished. And it looks like there are other factions that are developing nuclear weapons, to be used against others.”
“Nuclear. They really are unevolved,” Torben said.
“Yes. They have only made landfall on their closest satellite. Many years before. They have limited technology, which is nowhere near to what the Biflex had up until recently. I don’t think they will be chasing us anytime soon.”
“Good. How long until we reach the safe zone?”
“At this velocity, roughly fourteen hours, skipper.”
“Can we pick up the pace? I want to get to Valkash as soon as possible. These people need to be settled into their new environment.”
“I can increase throttle, which will save us some time.”
“Good. Let’s do that, Rex. Kyra, shall we take a walk?”
“Of course, Captain,” she said readily. “Let’s go.”
Rex sat at the controls, increasing the power until the ship was almost at full velocity. He switched to autopilot, letting Shimmer050 guide them out towards the safe zone. On the screen in front of him, the co-pilot watched more information coming through from the world they had just visited. He sat watching intently as a large red planet appeared on the horizon. A deep scar running across its surface.
They lay in the bunk, a thin sheet covering their naked bodies. Kyra’s head rested on Torben’s chest, her fingers tracing lines across his toned stomach. The captain stared up at the gently pulsing ceiling, a serene expression on his face. During his lifetime, Torben had taken several lovers, but only one serious partner. The memory of her face was starting to fade. It had been several years since they had gone their separate ways, with Torben focusing on his work. Now, however, he lay in his bunk with another. Someone who he wanted to forge a partnership with. He knew that she was coming to terms with the loss of a loved one. Torben only hoped that she was ready. Because he was.
Ten
Belbroughton
Hugh walked from the kitchen, checking on his two sons. They sat there quietly, munching on biscuits as a children’s program kept them mildly entertained. The man turned back to the kitchen as the kettle announced it had finished boiling. Shuffling across the quarry-tiled floor, Hugh prepared himself his fifth coffee of the day, noting that it was closing in on noon. A small television in the corner of the room projected itself silently across the kitchen. Hugh had turned the volume down as the story of abducted villagers continued as the main story of the day on the news channel. He sat heavily at the table, running a hand through his thinning brown hair. Where the hell you babe? he thought as he sipped at his milky drink. You can’t have gone far. It can’t be terrorists. Can it? His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the front door. He grabbed his coffee, heading down the hallway towards the front of the house. Opening the door, Hugh was greeted by two men in long, dark coats.
“Mr Andrews?”
“Yes,” Hugh replied tentatively.
“My name is Lewis,” the taller man said. He looked a good ten years older than Hugh, with sandy blonde hair and wardrobe-like shoulders. “This is Mr Hendry,” Lewis said with a nod towards the other man. He stood there, ram-rod straight. His dark features giving nothing away. “We’re from GCHQ. Can we take a few moments of your time?”
“Sure,” Hugh replied, noting the tension the men exuded on his doorstep. “Come in.” He led them back to the kitchen, turning towards them. “Would you like a hot drink?”
“No thank you, Mr Andrews, we are both fine,” Lewis countered smoothly. The man looked over at the television, his brow creasing. “I take it you have been watching the news this morning.”
“All morning,” Hugh replied.
“Have you heard of GCHQ?” Lewis asked as he surveyed the kitchen.
“Yes, I’ve heard of you. Government Communications Head Quarters. A bit like the NSA.”
“Correct, although we’re not quite like our American cousins. They are aware of the situation though.” He paused. “One hundred and seventy-two people are missing, your wife being one of them. Can you walk us through the events of last night?”
“Sure,” Hugh said sitting down at the table. He took a swig of the cooling coffee, his mind clear. “Gemma left about seven-ish. She was helping out at the fete in the village. We were all supposed to go with her, but our boys are not feeling too good. So, I stayed home wit
h them. She said that she would be a few hours. That’s the last I heard from her. The first I knew that something was wrong was early this morning. I was wiped out last night, as you can see,” he said indicating his red nose and watery eyes. “Helen from the village had sent me a text around ten-ish, but my phone was on charge in the kitchen.”
“We have spoken to Helen,” Lewis said, his tone neutral.
“So, what the hell has happened to my wife?”
“Honest answer, we simply do not know at this point, Mr Andrews. We’ve checked traffic cameras. There was little movement in or out of the village last night. It’s not easy to move over a hundred people without someone knowing about it. Even if it was terror-related, it would be almost impossible to abduct so many people in only a few minutes, with no sound made.” The mention of terror made Hugh’s stomach start churning. “Although all lines of enquiry are being followed at this point.”
“So, what do I do? Just sit here and wait?”
“You have no other option, Mr Andrews. Believe me, many agencies are on this. If your wife is out there, someone will find her and the others.”
“What happens if you can’t? I have two boys who are missing their Mummy.”
“Try not to worry too much. We are doing all we can.” A few minutes later, Hugh was sat at the kitchen table, twirling a small card in his hand. He absently looked at the name embossed on the front, wondering when Mr Lewis would be in touch.
“Are we set, Rex?” Torben asked as he sat down at the controls. Kyra sat just behind them, looking out at the expanse of space in front of them.
“We are, Captain. Coordinates are locked in place. Just say the word and we’ll make the jump.”
“Execute,” Torben said. They sat there as the ship gently started to rotate in silence, a beautiful red planet coming into view on the horizon every few seconds. Flashes of lighting strobed around the cabin before they dropped through the void, coming to rest on the other side, Thirteen billion light years from Earth.
“We’re here,” Rex said in awe, looking towards the horizon. A large gas cloud filled their view, a few thousand miles from their position.
“Good job, Rex. How long until we reach Valkash?”
“If we put the throttle down, we can be there in a few hours.”
“Good. Get us there. Let us unload our cargo and celebrate.”
“Are you buying?” the little hominid said curiously, a mischievous expression playing out across his face.
“Yes, Rex. Drinks are on me. We just need to find a bar. I’ve never been to this planet before.”
“None of us has,” Kyra chirped from behind the two pilots.
“If our message arrived on time, their village will soon be finished. It will be like home from home, just without their loved ones.” Torben instantly regretted his statement, a pang of guilt spreading through his chest. He looked at Kyra, who squeezed his hand, a knowing smile on her face.
They sat in silence as the ion drive propelled them forward briskly. After an hour, a small moon appeared on the horizon, its pock-marked surface staring back at them from its blue surface. “The moon is called Yarveld, the only moon of Valkash.”
“Doesn’t look too inviting, Torben said as he shifted in his seat.
“It looks like it might even be too sparse for you, Captain,” Kyra joked, punching his shoulder playfully.
He turned to her, a smile transforming his features. “You just think I’m a real rough-neck.”
“All adds to your charm, Captain,” she said smiling. Rex sat there, smiling too. He had known Torben for a long time and was happy that he may have met himself a mate.
An hour later, their eyes were all collectively focused on Valkash. The planet hung in front of them, low clouds framing the blue orb. “Rex, take us down to our docking bay,” Torben said, sipping at the graff that Kyra had brought from the ship’s mess.
“Initiating descent. We should be there shortly,” the Hominid stated as the ship broke the planet’s orbit. Dropping swiftly, an amazing vista presented itself. Huge glass domes rose out of the land, almost touching the low clouds. The entire horizon was filled with the objects, save for a mountain range that ran across the globe like a fractured spine. “Wow, what a place! The Lomogs have been busy.”
“Yes, they have,” said Torben, his eyes taking in the strange planet below them. “They have terraformed each individual enclosure to match the atmosphere of its inhabitants. That is some feat of geological engineering. Biflex technology had started experimenting with Terraforming. But not on this scale. This is incredible.”
“Indeed, it is,” Kyra added as she absently twirled the lock of hair between her fingers.
The ship dropped lower until it was hovering a few hundred feet from the planet. “There she is,” Rex said as he pointed towards a low hangar, nestled against a small wooden hillock. “I hope they have somewhere I can grab a drink.”
“I’m sure there is somewhere, my friend. Let’s get our passengers offloaded. Then we can get some refreshments.”
“Aye-aye, Captain,” the Hominid said, a jovial expression etched on his furry face.
The ship landed smoothly, its vertical thrusters placing it in the centre of the landing pad. Jets of smoke spewed from ports along the length of Shimmer050 as the rear doors opened silently. Torben and Kyra descended the ramp and saw a tall figure standing a few feet away, smiling warmly. “Welcome to Valkash,” the man said. They appraised him cautiously. He stood a full head over them, four arms hanging loosely by his sides. His head was black, with silvery tattoos adorning his skull. White eyes peered back at them above a nose that consisted of two small slits in his face. “I am 2104, Commander of the northern quadrants. But you can call me Ash. You must be Captain Fraken?”
“Yes,” he replied. “But you can call me Torben. This is Officer Zakx, Kyra to her friends.”
A long black arm, rippling with wiry muscle extended towards Kyra. “Welcome to Valkash. You must be in need of refreshments?”
“Our co-pilot is,” Torben replied readily.
“Well, our landing party will take care of your cargo.” 2104 turned, pointing towards a large door in the corner of the hangar. “If you head through there, we have something that we think can accommodate yourselves and your crew. Just say Ash sent you.”
“Thank you, Ash,” Kyra said, her stomach beginning to rumble. “That is very kind.”
“Think nothing of it. After all, you have travelled far to get here. It is the least we can do for you.”
Five minutes later, Torben, Kyra and Rex were walking through the door in the corner of the hangar. “Wow,” Rex said as he looked at the collection of stalls and outlets in front of them. “That place has my name all over it,” the hominid said, pointing to a small cantina with the name Rex emblazoned across the front in green blinking neon. They made their way to a small bar, with chrome stools lined up against the dark wooden counter. They seated themselves and watched as three drinks appeared from recesses in the bar. “Wow,” Rex said, his green fingers encircling the tall glass in front of him. “How did it know what I wanted?”
“We are here to serve, Rex,” a computerised voice echoed through the cantina.
“Woah,” Rex said. “I could get used to this.”
“Don’t get too comfy, my friend,” Torben said as he sipped at his drink, liking the cool tang it gave off. “We will be leaving soon, heading back to Biflux.”
“I know, skipper. At least I can enjoy the moment.”
“Yes, you can,” Kyra added, wiping froth from her lips.
Torben looked at her, smiling as the woman blushed slightly. “My kind of woman. Who can sit at a bar and drink suds with the best of them.”
“Well, when I was growing up, we had the largest brewery in Cantis at the edge of town. From an early age, I was sampling my Father’s beer. Not that he knew that of course.”
“Does your family still live in Cantis?” Torben asked inquisitively.
Torben knew of Halycon. It was where the Lomogs tested their new technology, in partnership with the Biflex people. “Sounds an interesting job. Especially now with all the advancements that are being made.”
“It sure is. My brother, Max, will soon be heading off on assignment to a nearby star system.”
“Sounds great,” the Captain said, liking the fact that he was finding out more and more about the woman sat next to him. He looked at Rex, who was finishing his first glass. The counter slid back silently, another tall glass of beer appearing from below, along with three plates of local delicacies. They all looked, their mouths starting to salivate at the sight on display. Freshly cooked bread held dark meats, covered in a sticky paste. The aroma made the threesome forget about their drinks as they tucked in.
“Oh my,” exclaimed Kyra, a dark smudge of sauce smeared across her cheek.
“Here,” Torben said, offering her a napkin from the counter. “Watch those fingers.”
She leaned over, playfully nudging him with her shoulder as she took another bite.
Rex reached for his own napkin, the sandwich all but devoured. “That was something else. skipper, can we not stay here forever?”
“Sure. I will have a word with Ash. He can put you on kitchen duty.”
The hominid smiled as he reached for his beer. Thoughts of unhappy souls from the other end of the cosmos, forgotten. For now.
Eleven
The doors hissed open to reveal a trio of strangers walking into the room. Caroline and Gemma stood up stiffly, eyeing up the new arrivals. The leader stood in the centre. His black head almost touching the ceiling. His main set of arms lay crossed over his considerable chest. The other two limbs lay by his side, motionless. “Welcome to Valkash. I am 2104, your guide and commander from this moment onwards. You have questions. Please,” he motioned with his smaller arms.