by John Walker
Victoria lifted a brow. “What kind of information have they leaked? Anything classified?”
“They mentioned the glitch on your ship,” Jacks replied. “And we both know what that does to our credibility. Right now, this was the worst time to air our dirty laundry and yet someone did it. I want to know who, why and what they got out of the deal but that’s not your problem. You’re on containment.”
“Yes, sir.” Victoria didn’t think it was as big of a deal as Jacks made it sound but it also wasn’t a battle worth fighting. He was obviously passionate about it and wouldn’t let go. The best thing to do was just comply and move on. She had enough happening that she didn’t want to deal with his foul mood. “I’ll make sure it happens right away.”
The line disconnected just as the elevator opened. Victoria took her seat, wondering how Warren would’ve responded to the various challenges she faced in his absence. He certainly didn’t have more patience than she did but he knew Jacks longer. They might’ve even been friends, though she had a hard time believing the Colonel had any.
“Did ground control respond?” Victoria asked.
“Yes, ma’am. They are on board and the countdown is back on. We’re looking at fifteen minutes.” Nicolas paused. “Yes, fifteen minutes as of now.”
“Alright, I’ll cross my fingers and hope we don’t encounter any other issues.” Victoria crossed her legs and tried to relax. It wasn’t likely to happen but she gave it a shot anyway. The next couple of hours would be the most tense of her life and would make the challenges getting into space look like a vacation.
Chapter 7
Warren ushered everyone into the antechamber between the shuttle and the main craft, ensuring they were all inside. Those who needed help were taken to the back of the room with the hope they’d be safe when the aliens attacked them. He kept an eye out for any of the civilians that had been in the shuttle with him and he was relieved to see the guy who had been rocking in the corner.
“What happened to the others?” Warren asked him. The man shook his head, wearing a haunted expression. “I see. Go ahead, get to the back of the room.”
Dex joined him. “I think everyone’s secure.”
“We’ll need a lookout,” Warren said. “Someone who’s got some nerve. It’s dark out there and God knows they won’t see much before they get attacked.”
“I’ll do it myself,” Dex replied. “Just make sure that alien lady gets her part of this handled, okay?”
“Will do.” Warren scanned the crowd, finally locating Avania amidst the crowd of people milling about. The room seemed a lot smaller with all of them in it and he had to shove his way through to get to her. With so many stuffed into the dense chamber, he realized the aliens wouldn’t have to try hard to shoot people.
They’re going to have to stay down, practically lying on the floor. That’s going to go over like a fart in church.
“Hey.” Warren decided on talking rather than touching the woman. She had quite the attitude about her, which surprised him since they effectively saved her life. “What’s the deal? What do you need to do?”
Avania stared at the wall then pressed her hands against two different sections. “I’m about to breach into the shuttle itself. There’s a panel within that I’ll need to access. That’s where the real work begins. I’ll be in position to launch so you might want to have someone near me to relay our readiness.”
“So we can fall back into the shuttle.”
“Exactly.” Avania stepped back as the wall dropped, revealing the familiar chamber Warren woke up in earlier. Even though it was a different cell, he still shivered at the memory and backed away. “Good luck. We will both likely need some fortune over the next several minutes.”
“Don’t take too long,” Warren said.
“Only as long as I need.” Avania hurried in. “Don’t forget to send someone in here!”
Warren called for everyone to get down. Many crouched but those closest to the walls went prone. He joined Dex at the door, peeking out. The hallway seemed entirely too quiet. The enemy had to be gathering somewhere. They couldn’t possibly allow so much profit to waltz off the ship without a fight.
Which means they need to capture their targets. Dead people won’t have any value. The grim thought was one he decided not to share. The cruelty and casual disregard of these aliens disgusted him, to the point that he looked forward to their attack. He wanted to put as many of them down as he could. They’ll hopefully learn not to come back.
Of course, that wasn’t the likely outcome of their current actions. Truth be told, if they blew up that ship, they needed to prepare for a counter attack. It may not come for a while but it would certainly happen. And if they weren’t ready, the Earth would not stand up to a real assault.
Warren only saw a fraction of their technology and knew they were up against giants. The beam weapons alone spoke of that. Their transference process added another piece to the puzzle. Arriving as they did. Intergalactic travel. Every fact pointed to an intimidating enemy that made their intentions quite clear.
They were there to harvest human beings and if Earth didn’t push back, there’d be nothing to stop them.
“I think I heard something,” Dex said. “Just down that way.”
Warren risked another glance before pulling back into the room. “I didn’t see anything.”
“It was there,” Dex insisted. “I guarantee it. Here. Watch.” Warren complied as Dex fired his weapon. The blue beam illuminated the hallway, revealing a gathering of aliens marching on their position. They both fell back into the room. “I told you! They’re practically right there and did you see how many there were?”
“I couldn’t count them all,” Warren turned to the other armed survivors. “We’ve got incoming folks! You!” He gestured to one of the unarmed individuals. “Get to the back and wait for Avania’s call. You’re there to relay her success to us so we can get aboard the shuttle and get out of here. The rest of you, get ready! They’re coming.”
Warren and Dex each took a side of the door, moving diagonally away. Footsteps pounded the metal outside as the aliens approached. They didn’t dash in, didn’t throw themselves into the fray but rather paused, probably stacking on the door and preparing for a breach.
If they have grenades, we’re in real trouble. The thought made Warren frown. These guys aren’t soldiers. They’re like … game hunters more than anything. Heavier weapons aren’t likely to be in their repertoire. Their goal is to bring targets in alive and whole. The process probably doesn’t get as much from a crippled subject.
The more he thought about their converter device, the angrier he became. Warren took a deep breath and allowed himself to let it all go. The next few minutes needed to be about survival, getting his people home in one piece. He couldn’t do that in a rage filled state of mind. Maintaining a clear head would save their lives.
A weapon peeked inside the room, firing a random shot that splashed off the wall. Dex’s weapon buzzed and the enemy pistol hit the ground, part of the smoldering hand clinging to the handle. A scream echoed in the hall, a mix of pain and fury. It acted as a horn of war as several of the aliens poured through the doorway, igniting a wild battle.
Dex popped the first one in the chest and another in the shoulder. His fellows filled the doorway, laying down an impressive amount of fire but there were simply too many of the enemy to kill them all. Human screams filled the air. Warren was forced to dive to the side, hitting the ground hard enough to jar his shoulder.
He kept shooting, unwilling to give up. They’d die to the last man before giving up to the alien scum. Regardless of who won, the collectors would walk away with a small haul after that fight. Even as the bodies littered the area and cries of pain became louder than the humming weapons, Warren still felt the drive to push on.
We don’t have a choice. Hurry up, Avania! We need to get the hell out of here.
***
Avania crawled into the tiny p
ilot section of the shuttle and had to take several deep breaths to remain calm. She hated tight spaces, especially when she could barely move. Thought slight, she still had to wiggle to turn. The cockpit, if indeed the cramped area could be called that, was only for emergency use.
They counted on remotely controlling them. If only I had a tablet, I wouldn’t have had to crawl around in here. She popped a panel off to her right, catching her bearings in the electric system. Several modules were plugged into a main board. One of them provided remote access to the shuttle but she couldn’t recall which.
And I have no way to scan through these. Avania frowned, looking about for inspiration when her eyes fell on the back of the panel. Someone attached a diagram to it, showing the purpose of each module. Smart … convenient for me, but smart. I doubt anyone could remember what all of these things do.
As she examined the chart, violence erupted behind her. Muffled buzzes barely made it to her but she knew what was happening. The collectors launched their assault and if she didn’t hurry, they just might win the fight. And I’ll be back in that cell. She found the module she needed but had a hard time figuring out which was which, mostly due to two empty spaces.
Please don’t tell me we picked one that happened to be in maintenance mode. The thought made her heart sink. Wait. I think it’s this one. Avania gripped it firmly and started wiggling. The thing was securely in place and as she pulled, her sweat soaked fingers slipped, making her nearly smack herself in the face.
Wiping her hand on her pants, she tried again, pinching so hard her fingers ached and went numb. Shaking from exertion, she felt the tiniest amount of give. It was coming loose! Another couple gentle motions left and right and it came free with a tiny pop. A spark made her wince and she held her hand in front of her face, waiting to see if it might happen again.
Avania turned to the controls and clicked a red button to her left. The engines came online and the whole craft began to rumble. Turning in her seat, she shouted at the person behind her. “Tell them we’re ready to go! They should get on board now! We can leave in less than twenty seconds!”
“Got it!” The voice replied. Avania took the moment to familiarize herself with the setup. She hadn’t flown such a vehicle in years but hoped it would come back to her. There wasn’t much to it, at least until they broke atmosphere. At that point, she’d need to remember how to land but hopefully, it had some pre-programmed maneuvers.
Of course, it wasn’t meant to set down on the surface of planets so there was that small problem …
All this pessimism is going to drive me insane. Avania shook her head. Hurry up, humans. I’d like to get out of here before I think of more reasons none of this is going to work.
***
“We’re ready!”
The shout gave Warren hope again. He fired his weapon as he climbed to his feet and started back toward the shuttle. Carnage reigned in the area with bodies from both sides covering the floor. Dex charged after him, leaping over corpse obstacles on the way to what promised to be their escape.
As his allies fled, the door began to close. Some of them had to leap over it and others were gunned down before they arrived. Dex and Warren pulled a couple through but not everyone made it. At least six were unable to cover the distance before the shuttle sealed up, stranding them on the other side.
“God damn it!” Warren shouted. “We’ve got people out there! What the hell happened? Why’d that door close?”
Dex grabbed his arm. “Because we couldn’t help everyone! Look around, there’s a lot of wounded in here. Those guys weren’t slowing down and if we would’ve waited any longer, we might all be dead.”
Warren knew he was right, even as he struggled with the horror losing yet more people to the bastards out there. Would they surrender and be executed with the converter or die fighting? He hated himself for having to leave people behind, alive or dead. Those bodies deserved to be buried at home, not left to rot on some alien spaceship.
“Are we leaving then?” Warren turned and saw an open panel. That must be where she is. He approached, leaning in to shout, “hey! When are we going?”
“Just as soon as I leave them a little present,” Avania replied. “I assume you still want a chance to take this thing out.”
“You’re damn right!”
“I’m certain they’ll come down but … just in case, I think I can make them pause.” A tremor shook the ship and Warren leaned against the wall to remain standing. “There we go! Time to leave!” The floor began to vibrate, just as before.
We’re free. We made it. Warren turned to look at the others. Those with medical skills helped the wounded. Dex made people as comfortable as he could. They walked out of there with twenty people. Such a small number compared to what those assholes took. What a monumental loss.
Warren called to Avania, “can we talk to Earth yet?”
“Yes, we can,” Avania replied. “We’re outside the range of interference. I’ll … toss you back a com unit. There’s barely enough room for one person in this thing, let alone two. Here.” A black orb bounced onto the floor and Warren collected it. It felt plastic and was perfectly round without any holes or protrusions.
“Um … what do I do with this thing?”
“Press it against your ear and talk when I tell you it’s live.” Avania paused. “I’m going to blast the signal because I do not know how to target it. You might get anyone down there so be prepared.”
“Let’s just hope you don’t get someone’s house,” Warren muttered. He pressed the orb to his ear and waited for it to connect.
***
Dirk finished an interview with one of the astronomers, a man who explained how devastating it would be if the large object crashed into Earth. Revelations in the bible had nothing on that guy. He went on about boiling oceans, rising tides, massive devastation, dust blotting out the sun and a whole bunch of other catastrophes.
Pretty much the opposite of what people needed to hear just then. No one wanted horrors. They wanted to know they were going to be okay. Assurance. But would they get it? The safety he felt in the newsroom suddenly didn’t hold much value. Especially after Doctor Catastrophe finished his tale of terror.
Even when the Doctor made it clear that the object overhead wasn’t large enough to destroy the planet, the damage had already been done. People were afraid. Good job, jerk.
He looked at his tablet while they replayed a segment from earlier. Breaking news from around the world involved additional riots, mass suicides, and protests. Radicals used the opportunity to air their agendas, sometimes fatally. Others simply chose to die and still others used their time to loot stores and other homes.
Better to die surrounded by things I suppose. Dirk wondered if their building would fall under siege, if anyone would drum up the courage to get all the way through the building and into their area. He knew they tightened up security, putting men with guns in the lobby but what he didn’t know how loyal they would be.
After all, they had families and friends. Wouldn’t they rather be protecting them? What would they do with the money they received if civilization as they knew it ended? Chances were good that anyone who stood by as a mercenary wouldn’t likely stick around when the chips were down.
Dirk’s tablet began to flicker just a moment before an incoming signal reached him. Who the hell would be calling me right now? He didn’t have family to worry about him, no significant other waiting at home. His friends all worked with him and they were all present. Someone must’ve reached the wrong line.
Still, he figured he might as well answer it. He wasn’t on the air at that particular moment.
“Um … hello?” Dirk hoped there would be a video connection but the screen remained blank.
“This is Captain Warren Miller of the Space Agency.” The voice made Dirk smile. Now I get it. Someone’s pranking me. “I need a direct connection to Colonel Wyman Jacks. This is an absolute emergency. I can give you a number to call
but we need to make this quick. I’ve got a lot to tell him.”
“Captain Miller, is it?” Dirk chuckled. “Space Agency? Next you’ll tell me you were one of the people who were kidnapped by the aliens. This is a private line, sir, and I don’t appreciate being pranked during such a dark time. We all have our problems, but they won’t be solved by harassing people.”
“Who is this?”
“I’m sure you already know,” Dirk replied. “I’m hanging up.”
“Don’t you dare! This is dire, you idiot! Take down this number, I’m dead serious! We don’t have a lot of time.”
Dirk started to say something flippant but the man’s tone made him hold his tongue. It can’t be possible. “Listen, I don’t know why I should trust you,” he said. “How do I know you’re on the level?”
“When you call the number I give you and Jacks answers, you’ll know!” Miller shouted at him. “Here, take it down and reach out. I swear to God, we do not have time for twenty questions. Do it. Now!”
Dirk wrote down the number and pulled out his mobile phone. He dialed it in and leaned back in his chair, feeling uneasy. He assumed it would ring through to some silly voice mail or just never end but after a few moments, a gruff voice answered the line. “This is Jacks. Who is this? How’d you get this number?”
Oh my God! Dirk’s mouth dropped open. He looked around, wondering if anyone else saw his predicament. They all seemed to be busy. This really is happening! “Hello, sir. This is Dirk Reidel … I’m calling on behalf of Captain Warren Miller.”
“What?” Jacks shouted, making Dirk wince away from the phone. “How? It doesn’t matter. Get him on my line! Transfer him over.”
“Um … he’s on my tablet.” Dirk scratched his head. “I … oh! I know how to do this. I have to hang up. Bye bye now.” He disconnected the phone and went back to the tablet. “Mister Miller, I got a hold of him and he wants to talk to you. Give me a moment to make that connection.”