Zoo

by Phil Price

  “Okay, skipper,” the hominid said, turning the ship away from the devastation that was unfolding below them. They headed through the ionosphere, the cockpit window becoming dark as they headed into the black expanse of space.

  “Head towards the wormhole. I will brief the passengers. Keep an eye out, Rex. Whoever dropped that bomb may be close by, looking for trouble.” Rex nodded, taking a sip of graff as he deftly piloted the ship away from Valkash. Torben headed away from the cockpit, walking into a white rectangular room that was filled with frightened humans.

  “Where are we heading?” Kyra asked expectantly.

  “For the wormhole. I will contact Commander Spelk to get an update. I’m sure he won’t be pleased that I disobeyed his orders. But looking at it now, it was the right thing to do. Valkash is gone. The Lomogs are under attack.”

  “From who?”

  “The Resistance. Barajan may be dead, but his factions appear to have realigned.”

  “What do we do, Torby?”

  “We wait. We’re a few days travel from Biflux and Lundell. If things go bad, we can use the singularity drive to make the jump to another part of the cosmos.” He walked amongst the villagers, suddenly feeling weary. “Listen up. You’ve met me before. My name is Torben. I brought you here. And for that, I am sorry. This was a bad idea, but I was only obeying my orders.”

  “What is happening?” Gemma asked.

  “The war that we thought was over, looks to have restarted. Countless millions have perished. I will contact my command post on the moon of Lundell and await further instructions. In the meantime, the crew are preparing you something to eat and drink.”

  “Can’t you just take us home?” Gemma asked, her voice pleading.

  “That’s not my call. Let’s see what is happening in the Biflux system first. Please, get comfortable and take some food. Our destination is two days travel from here.”

  On cue, a crew member walked into the room, pushing a chrome trolley laden with provisions. Another crewmember followed, a tall reptilian being with bad breath and horizontally slitted eyes that made the children shy away, hiding behind wary parents. Torben took Kyra’s hand, leading her out of the room towards his quarters. Once inside, they embraced, tears falling freely as recent events caught up with them. “I can’t believe what’s happening, Torby!”

  “It’s hard to take in. We were all foolish enough to accept that peace had returned to the systems. Now it looks like chaos will reign. I’m so sorry about your parents, Kyra. They were good people.”

  Hearing the mention of her family made Kyra buckle in Torben’s arms. He led her over to his bunk, lying her down gently. Slipping off his boots, he snuggled in behind her, enfolding the woman into his embrace. They lay there as the ship propelled them away from Valkash, the ion drives gently thrumming. After a few minutes, Kyra spoke. “Have you heard from Ark?”

  She felt his body stiffen for a split second before he let out a long sigh. “Nothing. He was at Lomax when the bomb went off. There is not much hope that he’d survive. Such a waste. He had his whole life ahead of him.” He sat up, wiping tears from his eyes before activating his pilot. “Commander Spelk.”

  “Fraken. Where are you?” the digitised voice replied.

  “On our way back from Valkash?”

  “Valkash? But I thought-?”

  “Change of plan, Commander. Kyra Zakx called me from Valkash a few days ago. It seems that I was just in time. We barely made it out of there before the whole place went up.”

  There was a pause on the line. “Very well. After all, with no Valkash, your mission would have been pointless.”

  “What news from Biflux?”

  “Not good. Over a hundred enemy ships are in orbit above Lundell. We’re pretty sure that it’s Barajan’s woman, Hameda. She is leading the Resistance.”

  “Oh no. What will you do?”

  “We are mobilising craft as we speak, monitoring the skies. If they decide to attack, we will be ready for them. Torben.”

  “Yes, Commander.”

  “Do not come back here. You’re a civilian ship. You’d not last five minutes if the enemy decided to attack. Stay in touch. I will keep you updated.”

  “Okay, Commander. You take care.”

  “Over and out,” was the clipped reply before the line went dead.

  “What shall we do?” Kyra said as she sat up next to her captain.

  “Let’s continue to the wormhole. I will inform Rex about the danger. If anyone tries to attack, we’ll make the jump, wherever we are.”

  “To where?”

  “We have a group of humans that need to get home. Whatever happens, the least we can do is return them to their loved ones.”

  Twenty-Nine

  “The chatter on the wires is that the attraction was completely destroyed,” Zowie said from his chair.

  “That’s good,” Hameda replied. “Our ships are in formation above Lundell. Once we’re through the wormhole, we will be joining them for the final assault.”

  “Okay. We’re not far from the wormhole. In a few hours, we’ll be in position above the moon. We’re flying at full velocity. I don’t see much point in concealing our identity. All of the military craft in the area are heading for the Biflux system. At this speed, our travel time will be cut considerably.”

  “Very good, Zowie,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Very soon, this will all be over. The metal bastards will be wiped out. Only then can we begin rebuilding.” She walked out of the cockpit, heading towards her quarters, limping slightly. Damn leg, she thought. The years are creeping up on me. Minutes later, Hameda was standing naked in the shower, lukewarm water cascading over her. Her hands slathered a rich blue gel over her body, sliding over the numerous purple scars that she had collected over a lifetime of toil and fighting. Towelling off, she padded across to her bunk, collapsing on the soft mattress. The gentle thrum of the ion drives quickly took her, sending Hameda into a deep, fitful sleep.

  “Captain Fraken. Come in, over.”

  “Commander Spelk. I hear you.”

  “What is your position?”

  Torben relayed their coordinates, the line crackling for a few seconds as his superior digested the information. “Standby.”

  “Okay.”

  “We’ve received information from a reliable source. The craft carrying the perpetrators of the attacks are not far from your position. They are heading for the wormhole. Be careful.”

  “Is it a military craft?”

  “Negative. It’s a freighter. It’s heading towards the wormhole, moving quickly.”

  “What do you want me to do, Commander?”

  “Track it. Keep us informed of its position. If Hameda is on board, we want to take her out before she reaches Lundell. If she manages to make it to onto the moon it will be hard to displace her, let alone kill her. We think that the gathering ships are waiting for her to arrive.”

  “Do you have their signature? I can ask Rex to lock onto their position and keep close behind them.”

  Commander Spelk relayed the data, Rex punching it into the ship’s computer. “I have them, skipper. Off to our starboard side, 10,000 miles ahead. They are travelling at 0.05 of light speed.”

  “Match their speed, Rex. How far to the wormhole?”

  “Five hours.”

  “Okay. Keep on their wake, Commander Spelk. We are following them, hanging back far enough so that they do not detect us.”

  “Good. I will contact you in a few hours, Captain. Good work. Over and out.”

  “Rex,” Torben said. “Anything strange happens, contact me immediately. I’m going to see Kyra and the humans.”

  “Okay, skipper. I won’t lose them.”

  Torben walked along the corridor, his mind a tumult of thoughts. He knocked on Kyra’s door, waiting as a few crew members walked past, greeting him warmly. “Torben. What news?”

  He moved past her, sitting down on the bunk. She joined him, holding his
hand. “The craft containing the rebels is 10,000 miles in front of us, heading towards Lundell. Commander Spelk wants us to follow them. Hameda, their leader, may well be on board. It looks like they’re going to hit Lundell, possibly using it as a command post.”

  “Can they do that?”

  “Anything is possible. Commander Spelk is getting his ships ready to intercept her. It won’t be easy. She has allies in position above Lundell, waiting for her to arrive. It could get ugly.”

  “Hameda. Is that Barajan’s woman?”

  “Yes. She has taken over the resistance.”

  “She killed my parents. Your friend too, along with millions of innocents.”

  “Yes. And I am sure that she will pay the price.”

  “I hope so. If I get my hands on her, I will do it myself. The murderous bitch!”

  Torben kissed her tenderly on the forehead, squeezing her briefly. “Come on. Let’s go and see the humans.”

  They walked into the stark room, the villagers looking up expectantly. Torben addressed Gemma and Caroline as they walked over, beakers in hand. “How are you all doing?”

  “We’re okay. We’ve done a headcount. We lost three people during the evacuation. I saw one die, the other two were an old couple. They may have been asleep. So, we’re five people down from when we were abducted. Such a shame.”

  “Yes, it is. We are sorry for putting you through all this. And for what? A war is about to begin again.”

  “Oh fuck. What is happening?” Caroline asked.

  “The leader of the resistance is responsible for an attack on an orbital station a few days ago. Millions were killed. Then the same leader set off a nuclear warhead on Biflux, our home planet. Kyra lost her parents and I lost my best friend and countless others that I have known and worked with for half my life.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Caroline said, her shoulders sagging.

  “We plan to take you home, Caroline. But first, we are to track their ship. They are making their way to Lundell, which is Biflux’s moon. If they take control of the command post there, the war will be over before it has begun. All our lives will be over. The Lomogs are strong in technology, but weak when it comes to warfare. Their military is depleted, their resources scant. It will be over quickly.”

  “What will you do if it goes tits up?”

  “Tits up?” Kyra asked, confused.

  “Sorry. Earth talk. I mean if the resistance wins the war. Where will you go?”

  “Honestly, we don’t know. I still have the ship. The ion drive and singularity drive can take us anywhere we choose. But it’s not that simple.”

  “Why not?” Gemma asked.

  “You Earthlings are primitive when it comes to understanding the universe. You have probably only scratched the surface regarding habitable worlds. Yes, there are billions out there. But it’s not that simple. Many are still very primitive, with pack animals and no infrastructure. The advanced races, of which there are billions, may be hostile. The universe is a savage place. If we did have to leave, finding a new home would prove difficult.”

  “There is always Earth,” Caroline said hesitantly.

  Torben smiled. “I think not. We’ve plundered your planet, abducting several of its citizens, some of whom have died. That is on me. I am sure that your leaders would want my head on a block.”

  “But you were under orders. We would vouch for you,” Gemma said, smiling at them both.

  “Maybe. But we also have to think about the consequences of arriving at your world. I am sure that it would cause much upheaval.”

  Both women looked at each other, accepting the captain’s words. “Yes. I suppose you’re right. Earth is not ready for that revelation. There must be another option.”

  “There probably is. And if the worst comes to the worst, we will find that option. We both have much to live for, despite the events of the last few days.” Kyra linked hands with Torben, placing her head on his shoulder. Both women knew there and then that the man and woman were an item. They could see the love and tenderness that they exuded towards each other.

  “How long until we get to where we’re heading?”

  “A few hours until we reach the wormhole. Then probably about twelve hours to reach Lundell. The ship is almost at full velocity. We are making good time. I will speak to the crew, ask them to bring more food for you all. Along with something to sleep on. I’m sure we can accommodate you. After all, you’re not prisoners, just guests. Could you relay what I’ve told you to your friends? I’m sure they want an update,” he said, looking over at the villagers who sat watching the exchange.

  “Will do. And thank you. I know we didn’t get off to the best of starts. But we know that you were just following orders,” Caroline said, putting the record straight. Torben and Kyra exited the room, leaving the villagers sat in clumped groups as Caroline and Gemma gave them the latest update. And the hope of returning home.

  Thirty

  “Just lie down. Both of you,” Hugh said as he stood over Oscar and Finn. They were on their sofa, fluffy blankets trying to cover their bodies.

  “Daddy, we want Peppa Pig.”

  “No, we don’t,” Finn said. “Can we have our iPads?”

  “In a minute, guys,” Hugh said as he placed the black bucket next to the sofa. “You both need to lie still. If you don’t, you’ll be sick again.”

  “Daddy,” Oscar said. “I don’t want to be sick. It not nice.”

  “I know, champ. Finn, I will get your iPad and headphones. Oscar can watch Peppa Pig. Okay?”

  “Okay, Daddy,” Finn replied. He returned a minute later, handing over the iPad and headphones for Finn, before putting a Peppa Pig series on the television. As Hugh walked into the hall, the door was rapped on twice. He opened the door, being greeted by two men. Another two men, looking official in dark suits with solemn faces.

  “Mr Andrews?”

  “Yes.”

  “My name is Spencer. This is Hargreaves. We’d like to ask you a few questions,” the man said, producing a black warrant card. Hargreaves followed suit, two sets of identification on display.

  Hugh looked at the cards, MI-5 clearly displayed in the top left-hand corners. “Okay. But we need to talk here on the step. I have two sick boys inside. They both have the Norovirus.”

  Both men exchanged glances, Hargreaves taking a precautionary step backwards. “That’s okay, Mr Andrews. We can talk here if it’s more convenient, for now. I take it you know what this is in relation to?”

  “My tweet?”

  “Yes. I would like to know how you obtained the CCTV footage that you posted on the internet?”

  “I’m not sure I want to do that.”

  “Why not? Your post has created quite a stir. Many agencies across the globe are analysing the footage. Our government are very keen to understand where the images came from. We’re not here to make things difficult for you, Mr Andrews. However, having looked at the images, I could deduce that it came from a property in the village. It would not take us long to figure out the origin. You could just save us some time.”

  Hugh let out a sigh, leaning against the doorjamb. “I was walking around the field where the abduction happened. I noticed a gap in the conifers at the side of the field. That’s when I spotted a security camera. So, I found the house and spoke to the owner. She’s an old lady, guys, so go easy on her. She only had it fitted because she’d been broken into a few times.”

  “You can relax, Mr Andrews. We’ll not cause her any concerns. We would just like to take a copy of the footage. Could you please tell us where the lady lives?”

  Hugh gave them the road name, feeling guilty for doing so. “I wish I could come with you, to soften the blow. But I cannot leave my boys.”

  “That’s understandable. But we’ll take it from here.”

  “What do you think about the footage?”

  “We cannot speculate as to the authenticity of the film at this point. It appears genuine, but until we hav
e definitive proof, we would rather not disclose our opinion.”

  “Is there any news on my wife and the other villagers?”

  “Nothing new, I’m afraid. Believe me, there are more people looking for them than you’d think. I'm sure we will find them. We may need to ask you further questions, Mr Andrews.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll be home for a few days by the looks of it.”

  “Okay. Good day.”

  The front door closed, both men heading out onto the pavement.

  “I’m sure we’ll find them?” Hargreaves said.

  “I had to say something to keep him on side. We both know that they’ll never be found, Nick.”

  “If the footage is genuine, there is no way in hell that they will be found. But where are they?”

  “Who knows? They could be anywhere. The universe is a big place. Right, let’s find out where the little old lady lives.” They headed off along the pavement, the crisp autumn sunlight warming their skin. As they skirted the centre of the village they noticed the playground, devoid of life.

  Hours later, Spencer’s phone started chiming as the two men sat opposite the playground, as the sun touched the top of the trees near the field to their right. “Spencer,” he said efficiently. He listened for a few moments, nodding in agreement with his superior back in London. He ended the call, blowing out a breath.

  “Well?” Hargreaves asked impatiently.

  “It’s been confirmed. The footage has not been doctored.”

  “So, it could be an alien abduction?”

  “They are calling it an unexplained occurrence at this point. That will be the official line. But we know it’s probably is an extra-terrestrial encounter.”