“Yeah, but we have to give Kurtis a hefty cut for staying on board.”
“Well, Kurtis isn’t your foreman anymore; you are...mine lots of minerals…make lots of money.”
“Precious metals…” Hargrove said, in his best Gollum impersonation, ringing his hands together.
“I’m worried about you, Hargrove.”
“What, you don’t appreciate Lord of the Rings?”
“No, that’s a timeless classic…I don’t appreciate your attempt of the poor little demon.
“Come on Tucker!” Cass shouted, “I’m about to send out reinforcements already!”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, I’m coming.”
Tucker rolled his eyes at Samuels and Hargrove, then turned and disappeared inside the cargo bay of his ship.
He made his way through the cargo bay, checking every strap ensuring they were secured, “Okay, people. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“It’s about time,” Cass said under her breath.
“I heard that…” Tuck answered, “Cass: raise the bay door and seal us up. Rhodes: make sure you’re all set up there.”
“I’m ready, Colonel.”
“Cal, you all strapped in?”
“All set, Tuck.”
“Sam: start engine prep. I’ll stay back here and crank up our skid for ya.”
“Thanks, Commander,” Sam said, busily going over the pre-engine start, “Engines online and ready for take-off.”
“Samuels, do you read?”
“Samuels here,” he said through the wireless.
“Evacuate the landing bay and open them doors,” Tucker smiled.
The swoosh of air escaping through the bay doors opening only lasted a moment, then the crew could only hear the whine of the engines as they ran up to full power.
“Savage, prepare our departure message and transmit to HQ on my command.”
“You got it, sir.”
“Bay doors fully extended, Commander,” Samuels said, “You’re clear for take-off.”
“Captain: Z plus 20 meters at 25 KPH…take us out.”
Aye, Commander. Z plus 20 meters at 25 KPH,” she answered, inching the throttle forward, “in 3…2…1…mag-locks released…we’re off.”
The Salvage-5 ship lifted off the landing pad of the CSMO, leaving behind a cloud of dust from mining the asteroid.
“Holding 20 meters above CSMO 253 Mathilde.”
“Sergeant, we’ve cleared your landing bay, please provide the coordinates for the mag-ring to the Captain, and then fire that thing up.”
“Yes, sir. Coordinates are transmitted. I’m firing up the jump ring, it’s 5,000 kilometers out, so you’ll have plenty of time to get aligned. The ring will be at full power in five minutes…happy trails, Tucker and the crew of Salvage-5”
“Happy trails?” Tucker asked, as he finished cranking the skid to its upright and locked position. Then he pushed off toward the pilot house to strap in his seat., “Where do we find these people?”
“Commander, I have the coordinates. I’ve programmed our course and am ready for your orders.”
“Full power to engines, 20,000 KPH to mag-ring,” Tucker ordered, strapping himself in, “Aye, Sir, accelerating to 20,000 KPH. ETA to jump ring 15 minutes”
“Savage, your message to HQ?”
“…is ready to send sir.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. Send the message before the five minute mark. Otherwise, I’m thinking any closer and the signal will just get caught in the magnetic interference this thing seems to generate.”
“Aye, sir, I’ve set to auto-transmit to broadcast the signal at the six minute mark.”
“Very well, you all strapped in back there, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir…as ordered.”
“Colonel, jump ring is fully charged. You’re officially departing the Kuiper belt in ten. Be sure to send us love letters when you get home…It has been my honor to serve you, Commander…This is Sergeant Samuels signing off from CSMO 253 Mathilde…out.”
“Ahh, touching commentary, Sarge.” Tucker said, “Hang on everyone, we’ll be off shortly.”
“Savage, your message transmit okay?”
“Message is sent sir.”
A few minutes later Sam made her announcement, “Approaching the Mag-ring now…in 3…2…1…prepare for spatial distortion!”
The ship flew through the ring and again bolted out the other side at the one tenth light speed.
“Wooohooo!” Sam shouted.
“Humph, I don’t think I’ll ever get use to that spatial distortion thing…that’s just too weird for me,” Tuck turned to Savage, “Am I right or what?” but shuddered at the sight of her eyes.
“Uh, Rhodes… how you doin’?”
“I’m here Tucker.”
“Now would be a good time...”
“Oh, right…” Rhodes unbuckled himself and floated over to Savage.
“What’s the matter, Tuck?” Savage said with puzzlement.
“Your eyes…”
“What about my eyes?”
“They be green, Lieutenant.”
Rhodes pressed his hypo to her neck and injected a sleeping agent. Savage had tears well up in her eyes. Then her expression changed into the blank stare of the other cyborgs. But before she could act on the change, the drugs took over and she slipped into unconscious, floating in her restraints.
“That was close,” Tucker said.
“What happened?” Cass asked.
“Tucker here took me aside on our way to the CSMO,” Rhodes explained, “He thought that the mag-ring might present an issue with the alien tech and had me prepare a little cocktail just in case.”
“Why weren’t you and Gus affected?”
“Savage reprogrammed Gus’s chip, and mine was never activated. The Lieutenant’s chip was not reprogrammed and therefore could pick up the strong magnetic pulse as we crossed the jump ring,” Tucker answered. “That’s why Melissa here was affected…I wasn’t sure, but didn’t want to take any chances.”
“Tuck,” Cal wondered, “If the magnetic pulse from the ring activated Melissa, what do you suppose it did to the box?”
“Good point, Cal. Why don’t you go below and find out?”
“It’s secured in the Sarge’s locker…”
“..And that’s stopping you how? Mister I can crack and hack anything?”
“Right,” Cal answered, removing his harness.
“Gus, Cass, help me take Melissa in back where the good doctor can ensure she slumbers for the trip.”
“Fifteen days? You’re going to keep her knocked out for fifteen days?” Cass protested.
“You got another idea there, smarty pants?”
“No, I suppose not,” Cass answered, removing her harness, followed by Gus.
They maneuvered Savage to the lower crew area where Rhodes was preparing Melissa’s cabin with a special chair she could be tethered to for the trip home.
He thought she needed the best of comforts to minimize her sore muscles of not moving for two weeks.
Cal easily opened the sergeant’s locker and removed the sealed case, “Hmmm, I think I can get this one open in a few minutes. Then we’ll have a look see at the box.”
“Great!” Tucker shouted to Cal.
“Melissa is tied down and out of it,” Rhodes reported, “Her vitals are normal.”
“Normal?”
“Yeah, normal, Commander.”
“I’m not sure what’s considered normal anymore. How long before you have to give her more drugs?”
“She should be good for several hours.”
“Can you maybe narrow that down a tad?” Tucker asked, squeezing his finger and thumb closer together.
“Five hours, maybe six.”
“I want her dosed every four…just to make sure.”
“Tucker…” Cal said with slight apprehension, “I got to the box…you better come and have a look for yourself.”
“
On my way.”
“I ain’t missing this,” Cass said, pushing off toward the Sarge’s cabin.
The two poked their heads in, “What’s up Cal?” Tucker asked.
“See for yourself, Tuck.”
The box floated in the air from the weightlessness and had a blue green glow that pulsated, revealing strange lettering which now appeared through the new illumination of the box.
“Hmmm.” Tuck said, “Look at the pretty colors.”
“Hmmm, Tuck?” Cass said with a more serious look, “That’s all you got?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” he answered, studying the floating box.
“Aren’t you going to do something about this?” Cass asked.
“And what do you suppose I do with it, huh Cass? I hoped you might have some insight, or an idea, or a hypothesis, or something to go on here, cause I gotta tell ya, I’m all fresh out of ideas here.”
“It’s getting brighter, Tuck,” Cal pointed, “I think it’s charging up or something.”
“Yeah, ya think?”
“Commander,” Tucker’s ear rang with Gus’ voice, “I don’t like the looks of this...”
“What now?”
“Melissa, she just opened her eyes…I got ta tell ya, she’s not lookin’ real happy through those bright green eyes either.”
“Rhodes!” Tuck shouted.
“It’s only been an hour, that’s not possible!” the doctor exclaimed.
“Prepare another shot! Now!”
“Tuck, I think it’s going to be a little too late…” Gus said, backing up out of her cabin. He floated into the ship’s galley in complete dread.
Tucker and Cass arrived at the cabin entrance and saw Savage lying, strapped to the chair. She looked down at the straps and they began to untie themselves. She looked over at Gus and furrowed her brow and shot out a wave of energy, pushing Gus into the bulkhead and knocking him out cold.
“Everyone out, Now!” Tuck shouted, “Lock yourselves in the pilot house, except Cal…” he said turning to his friend, “You’re going to plug this thing into me.”
“Tucker! Are you nuts?”
“Hey, I’m trying to come up with a plan here, and this…seems…like a good one.”
Cass, floated over to Gus and tugged on his sleeve, bringing his momentum toward the front.
“Are you sure about this Tuck?”
“No!” he shouted, “but unless you can come up with something else, this is our best shot at stopping her.”
Savage untied the rest of her straps and floated into the common area. She floated there, looking at Tuck, then at Cass and Calvin. She paid no attention to Gus. However, the doctor was her first target she would try and eliminate.
She extended her arms and sent another wave of power, hitting Rhodes. He spun uncontrollably, striking his head. He lost consciousness and flopped in the weightless environment about the cabin.
Cass grabbed Rhodes and flung him through the airlock where he was strapped in by Sam. Then she kicked off straight at Savage.
“Cass! No!” Tucker shouted.
She caught Melissa off guard as she punched her in the abdomen at full speed. She flipped backward end for end, while Cass caught herself on the bulkhead, “Sam open the hatch to the cargo bay…now!”
Sam instinctively operated the automatic hatch, opening it just as Melissa fell through and into the cargo bay.
Gus came to and shook his head. He saw Savage, through the open hatch, regain control of herself. She was about to push off and head back into the main crew area when Gus kicked off first. He flew through the open hatch and ordered Tucker to close it behind him.
“No, Gus…Don’t do this.”
“There’s no time, have to!” Gus shouted through his headset.
He connected with Savage, wrapping his arms around her, they tumbled end for end in the cargo bay.
“Cal, plug me in now!” Tuck ordered.
Calvin looked down at the back of Tucker’s neck and then jammed the end of the cable from the box into the jack. The box began to spin and glowed brightly. Tucker yelled out and winced as the signal from the box flooded his brain with gamma waves, then the box stopped and returned to its once inert state. Tucker collapsed momentarily with the surge of the new feeling that raced through his body.
“Blow the airlock! Do it now!” Gus begged as he continued to wrestle with Savage in the weightlessness.
“Nooooo! Tucker shouted, “We’ll vent the entire cabin!”
Sam punched the emergency cargo bay release, causing the floor to pop unlocked and lower into the open position, sucking Gus and Savage out into space. Air began to whirl past them, taking each of their breaths away, as the cabin depressurized from the open bay.
Tucker sucked in as much air as he could and performed the squeezing maneuver to prevent passing out from the air evacuation. Cass was pulled toward the hatch, but grabbed on to the opening. Her grip began slipping as the force of the escaping air tugged on her.
Tucker gritted his teeth, not able to scream. He saw Cass’s grip fail and she began to fall toward the cargo bay opening. He reached out in desperation, but just missed the tips of her fingers, and no longer could contain his screams at what he was about to witness, “Noooooooo!”
An energy wave left Tuckers arm toward Cass, as if an extension of his own hand left his body, stopping her from exiting the ship. She remained suspended as the cargo bay rolled back into the closed position and the environmental controls brought the air and pressure to normal.
He looked through the hatch into the cargo bay and saw only Cass spinning softly…limp, “Cass,” he whispered, pushing off into the bay.
He came to her side and oriented himself with her spinning. He brought her up to his face and looked into her closed eyes.
“Cass…Cass…come on…wake up already,” he said nervously.
Then she slowly opened her eyes and smiled, “Tuck?”
“Cass! You’re alive!” and then he locked lips with her.
Cass fought him off at first, but then quickly melted into his arms and kissed him passionately in return.
“Hey you two,” Calvin said peeking his head into the cargo bay, “Is everyone accounted for?”
Tucker and Cass released their lips and just smiled at each other, “I’m here,” she said softy.
“Where’s Gus?” Calvin asked.
“Gus sacrificed himself to save us,” Tucker said somberly, “He repaid me for saving him down there. He wanted to die an honorable death, so I guess he did.”
“Tucker,” Cass said, stroking his cheek.
“It’s okay, I was about to do the same.”
“That’s why you amped?”
“That’s why I activated my chip, yes.”
“What about your son, Tuck?”
“I would have hoped that the box would have been enough…and I definitely wanted to save yours.”
“Ah, Tuck…I didn’t think you really felt that way about me…you know…just the other way.”
“Hey, what do you take me for anyway? Besides, I only really knew once you were about to die…and I didn’t want that to happen.”
“That’s how you grabbed me from twenty feet?”
“That…and my new amped chip inside my head.”
Sam came through the pilot house, “Okay, guys. We’re set to arrive at Earth in fourteen days.”
Cass looked at Tucker, “What ever shall we do for all those long days?”
Tucker returned her devious look, “Same thing you’re thinking,” he said, then locked lips with her again.
* * *
EPILOGUE
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Flight Line
Earth Date: Sept. 24th, 2064 0830hrs
Mission Objective:
CSMO RECOVERY
INVESTIGAT ALIEN CRASH SITE
AQUIRE ALIEN TECH
FIND & RECOVER SURVIVORS
DESTROY ALI
EN VESSEL
RETURN TECH TO EARTH
All mission objectives completed…
The Salvage-5 ship hovered over the landing site. Sam gently lowered the craft to its landing position after being authorized by the tower.
“Touch down in…3…2…1…mission complete,” Sam announced, “Shutting down engines and securing all stations.”
The crew heard the turbines in the engines slow down with a whirring sound, “Commander, permission to open the hatch,” Cass requested.
Tucker looked over at Cass and smiled, then he took out a brand new cigar he’d been saving for this moment. He lit it and took a huge drag, then blew it out over their heads, “Permission granted, Major.”
“Major? My, my aren’t we formal today? Wait, you said Major?”
“Why, yes, I did indeed…you earned it Major, now just keep it professional.”
“At least until we’re alone, right?”
“Okay, you guys,” Calvin said, rolling his eyes, “knock it off already.”
“Whattya mean, Cal?”
“Commander,” Rhodes added, “You are aware of how long the last fourteen days have been…really?”
Cass smiled at Tuck, “I don’t know what they’re all talking about, it wasn’t that long for me.”
Sam unlocked the cargo bay door and lowered it down to the tarmac, “I’m just glad to be home, time for a long vacation.”
“Come on Cass, we’ve got an appointment with the General,” Tucker said, stepping out of his seat.
He grabbed the alien tech and carried it by its bundle of wires letting it dangle as he clomped down the ramp of the ship.
Cass quickly caught up, followed by Sam, Calvin and Rhodes who stood on the ramp watching a jeep speed up to the ship.
“I’ll bet this would be our ride,” Cass said.
“I’ll bet you’re right…come on, let’s go debrief with McKenzie.
The two hopped in the jeep which then quickly sped them down the flight line toward the general’s building.
Tucker leaned over to the general’s aide, “So, how’s the general’s mood today?”
“Since when have you been concerned with the general’s mood, Colonel?” the aide asked over the noise of the open air jeep.
“Because I need to know if he’s already in a mad mood, I want to know how bad so I know what to tell him first.”
Salvage-5 (First Contact) Page 17