Program Erin

by Alex Fall

  "Just give him a chance. He's a very capable fighter too. Word is, he was trained similarly to Arty."

  To Arty? So he fights like he's protecting someone? There's no way this newbie could do what Arty has done. "If he slips up once, I'm coming for you Gus."

  He smirked. "You're the best Erin. Have fun. Oh, and try to be back by the prescribed two months..."

  I walked back to the ship and stood in the doorway. I heard 'Gar' laughing inside. The sound of his voice irritated me. I brooded on the turn of events for a while, sorting things out in my mind and cooling off a bit before having to be stuck in the same vessel as my forced new recruit for some time. I glanced up to see Reggie coming, late as usual.

  "Sorry, I got caught up! What did I miss, captain?"

  "Inside...now..."

  * * *

  Pain.

  The pain was so intense, but it still didn't work. Why? Why doesn't it work?...

  My tiny holding cell was now blackened inside. The only door, specifically around where a handle should be, was glowing a low cherry red, and quickly cooling. My body was so exhausted, in so much pain, I had collapsed on the ground, slumped against the door. It took all of my strength to lift one arm and brace it against the unmovable door, but my hand just slowly slid down the slick surface. Even though the door had just been scorched, it still felt cool against my injured skin. Voices on the outside suggested THEY were monitoring me, to make sure I don't kill myself. I wanted to, but the pain stopped me. Please stop the pain. If I could do anything, ANYTHING, to get out, to be free, please allow me to do so. I just want to get out. I just...want to rest. The latch squealed as THEY opened the door.

  I twitched slightly as light poured into my room in the real world. Reggie peeked in the door he had opened to check on me. Apparently I had forgotten to lock my door. "Captain, just seeing if you'll be joining us for breakfast."

  I squinted at the light and sat up in bed to check for the time. Eight forty two...

  "Maybe," I groaned. "Give me a minute...and shut the door!"

  As the door shut, darkness returned to my room. My eyes refocused and everything became visible for me, despite the apparent lack of light. Only two hours and fifty six minutes of sleep last night.

  A slow pulsing light on my comp told me I had a message waiting. I was surprised to see that it was from Elly.

  'Six pounds and nine ounces boy. Arty and I are now parents!'

  How about that...

  I stumbled over to the sink in the tiny bathroom off to the side. My head was still waking up and my body worked to drown out the tiredness while I washed my face. I dried off and stared at the mirror. The face that stared back was that of a young woman, with thick, naturally straight, brown hair, small features, and as someone else put it, eyes that redefined "piercing." But her skin tone was in a way, nonexistent. Every centimeter of her body was covered in smooth, discolored patches. Old, healed over burn scars rendered her skin tone as unidentifiable. Even though her skin was smooth, dozens and dozens of patches covered her all over, every patch a slightly different color depending on the severity and age of the burn that caused it. In the darkness, the only thing that really stood out were her pure light aqua blue eyes. The irises actually gave off a glow, as if they were backlit. Why did they shine like that? Was the low level glow a side effect of my better eyesight? Was it purposely designed like that? Either way, it was an interesting but pointless touch. Green would have been better anyway. I looked away from the mirror so I wouldn't have to see my face anymore. I don't like my face. I don't really like mirrors either.

  I changed into something warmer, as the crew always kept it so stinking cold in this ship. I opened the door again and paused to let my eyes adjust to the intense daylight coming through the windows. Reggie, Lori, and Wyatt were in the kitchen area talking to each other, while Vick ate in the cockpit with his feet up. All of them were wearing short or no sleeves. Maybe it just felt cold to me.

  All of them fell silent on seeing me. I quietly fixed myself a plate without interrupting them. Wyatt, however, stood up and announced, "Good morning captain!"

  I stopped what I was doing to stare at 'Gar.' After he noted my irritation, I finished gathering my meal then sat down at the table without saying anything. He nodded and turned away while muttering, "Got it. Not a morning person."

  A few moments of silence passed. When I realized that my presence finished the last conversation, I started a new one. "How long ago did we hit our old boundary?"

  Vick turned his head while still looking forward to respond. "About half an hour ago, we passed our old boundary and began a new scanning course."

  I nodded. A moment later Wyatt spoke up. "What exactly are you looking for out here?"

  "The De'mus board didn't brief you?" asked Lori.

  "They did, but what are you looking for?"

  The question made everyone pause. Reggie answered first. "I'm out here to see the world. It's the only chance I might get."

  Vick chipped in with his smooth voice. "Similar I suppose. I don't like the noisy scene of the Decapolis anyway."

  "I like the idea of travel," Lori said. "Besides, maybe I'll find something that'll help me build a good back up fund."

  A moment passed before Wyatt took his turn. "Well me, I like excitement. I was told this was a good place to find it."

  "You're a thrill seeker?" Lori asked with a touch of disdain.

  "Maybe a little. But I like more so the thrill of new stuff. Before you guys started pushing the boundaries of the Jenji back, I used to be a scavenger."

  "For the money?" Reggie inquired.

  "And the excitement. Didn't I just say that?" Wyatt looked down at me while I was eating. "What about you?"

  "What about me?..." I asked.

  "Um....what are you looking for out here?"

  I paused for a moment to answer as succinctly as possible. "Purpose."

  He looked at everyone else to see if he missed something. "Purpose? What does that mean?"

  Vick spoke up. "That's the real reason all of us are on this ship. Those that don't join for that reason don't last too long." It seemed that Vick understood. A quiet beep that sounded like a wrist watch alarm reported in the cockpit. Vick sat up and read a few displays. "Captain, we have a few life signs. Still a couple of kilometers out though."

  I downed the rest of my breakfast and stood. "Pursue. Everyone else, suit up for ground patrol."

  A few minutes later found me and the three others in light tactical armor and standard weapons, standing in the airlock chamber. With our comms synced, we heard Vick counting down the seconds until we made touchdown.

  "Nine. Eight. Seven."

  I slipped on a white hoodless jacket over my dark gray suit. I was still cold.

  "Four. Three."

  I glanced quickly to find an identifying mark on everyone. Reggie's armor plating was deep green, Lori had a small chrome emblem on the sides of her helmet, and Wyatt wore Templar units on his arms, which I noted to ask about later.

  "Two."

  The shipped lurched as we made contact with the ground. "What happened with that countdown?" I asked.

  "Not sure. Seems the altimeter was lagging, captain."

  I glanced over at Lori. "You're fixing that when we get back."

  "Yes captain."

  The exterior door slid open and Reggie was the first one out, with the rest close behind. He had a rifle out and ready, while Wyatt carried a heavy energy pistol. Lori had a heavy pistol out as well, but kept it down. Only I walked out with no weapons drawn.

  "Copy Vick. Take to the skies and watch from above. Alert me to changing conditions." The ship thrusters whined and it quickly left the ground and hovered over the aged city we found ourselves in.

  Great...all kinds of places for things to hide.

  "Life signs, one to your ten and two to your one." Vick's updates came in periodically, to fill in where we couldn't see. We advanced with caution, but also surety.


  "What kind of life readings are we reading?" Lori inquired.

  "Inconsistent. Could be leftovers."

  "Lori, Wyatt, on the ground advancing. Reggie, cover the rear and watch the buildings. I'm headed up to the roof for visual lookout."

  A clear "Yes, Captain" came in from Lori and Reggie. Wyatt retorted with "I told you, it's Gar..."

  I ran to what looked like an old fuel station on the left side of the street and made my way up top via a ladder. The rest hung around the left curb, advancing down the abandoned road. Up ahead was a crumbled ruin of a small high rise and several one or two story buildings in between us and the ruin. No movement that I could see though...

  I made my way across accessible rooftops with my crew on the streets until we came to the husk of the building. All was quiet except for radio chatter, and the slight sound of the ship meaning Vick watching from above.

  "Movement. A lone target is advancing into the city, to your left."

  "Copy Vick," I replied. "Everyone follow me!" I hopped onto a dumpster then to the ground and we ran down an alley and into a parking lot until we came to a chain link fence behind a building. The fence had a section that was scorched and missing, with a path where something big clearly hit and dragged. We passed through to find a very old, small pre-war fighter vessel that had been shot down and crushed into the rear wall of a strip mall building. Whatever we were chasing had jumped into the hole the ship left behind and was running out the other side of the building.

  "Pursue!" I ran to the hole and glanced in. Though it had no power, I could see well, and there was nothing alive in here. I jumped in and ran toward the missing front window. A ghastly roar sounded off about eleven meters ahead of us.

  "Two more life signs detected, to your three, very close to you. The other two are now converging on this point also," Vick said calmly.

  "My, my we're popular," Wyatt commented.

  "Quiet. Lori, watch our rear. Everyone else, watch our three as soon as we go out the window."

  I jumped through and landed in a sprint. Apparently this area used to be a mall, as it had large paved areas, benches, and old fountains that no longer worked. The creature ahead of us stood up on two inverted legs. It was big, muscular and dark, with a mouthful of teeth visible even this far away. It faced me, roared again and turned to run. The window about five meters to my right burst and another biped muscular monster landed, though this one looked to have bony structures protruding from its joints. One more emerged from behind it, though this one had a long thin body and eight solid hardened legs like hooves and a face as ugly as its body.

  "What the Holy Lord is--" Wyatt began to shout.

  "Confirm leftovers!" Reggie shouted. He drew and shot two gunpowder backed darts at the eight legged creature as he began to back away for cover. The biped slammed its arms down at him, causing him to dash out of the way before firing again.

  Lori turned the corner and took aim. Wyatt didn't wait. His energy pistol fired a few quick globules of energy into the two legged one, but the only effect seemed to stun and anger it. He too was forced to dodge and take cover when the eight-legged leaped over the first monster in an attempt to crush him.

  I didn't stick around after that. Lori's heavy sidearm sounded off several times. The heavy dart gun fired a few more more rounds, then Vick called in, "They are reading non reactive."

  "Terminate them!" Reggie yelled. His real gun began to fire bursts in between Lori's pistol, but I kept in pursuit of my target.

  "Reggie!" Lori said quickly. Several more shots and the gunfire ceased.

  "You like that, huh?" Wyatt said in between breathing. What was he doing? I hope he doesn't get himself killed. I don't feel like making calls to the De'mus board this early. My target ran into a large two story clothing store. It was lit up inside on account of sky windows, but still dark enough to leave shadows everywhere. Where was this thing going? I swung an SMG around to my hands and slowed my pace down. I heard the thing stepping on hangers, but it was hard to pinpoint exactly where it was. Somewhere in front of me...and slightly to my right.

  "Gar, what's your status?" Lori asked.

  "I'm good. Target down, or terminated, or whatever."

  "That escalated quickly," Reggie said. I was about to silence this comm in case it got me killed.

  "Captain, two more life signs entering your structure. Exercise caution."

  I stopped moving around. "Copy Vick. Reggie, man the gun. Lori, Wyatt, meet up on my location. Vick, find an opening and provide cover. Confirm reactive or nonreactive on the two new targets before opening fire."

  I silenced all comms except for Vick and listened. All I heard was my breathing. Why am I so loud right now? My target also went silent. It was listening too...

  I crept on the carpeted floor, being sure to stay in areas that wouldn't draw attention to my bright blue eyes. A pungent combination of taste and smell hit me. It was very faint, but it suggested my target, only seconds ago, was where I was standing. Nothing on the ceiling. I'm clear on all the racks around me. Nothing directly in front of me.

  The sharp high pitch noise of something small and hard hitting tile floor ripped through the silence. Swiftly, it was restored and all was quiet again. This creature moves fast for being so silent. I stealthily walked over to a desk in the middle of the tile walkway and noted a pen that had rolled off onto the ground. I squinted my eyes and followed very slowly the scent trail. This was not a human way of tracking, but for me it was possible, no thanks to the Directorates that were. However, even for me, it was still crude and not entirely reliable.

  The soft crunch of a single piece of glass came from under my foot. I glanced down to see remnants of what used to be a thick glass half wall at my feet, to keep people from falling off the second floor down into the main lobby of the first floor. All of the benches, flowerpots, clothing racks, everything had been pushed away from the lower lobby to make room for something else. I wasn't sure what I was looking at, but there was machinery, cables, and loads of high technology, even things I wasn't familiar with. That's not normal for me to find something unfamiliar. Its also very unsettling.

  A very soft, very high pitch noise picked up, much like when a TV screen turns on. I noiselessly dropped and hid behind a remaining piece of the opaque white glass wall and watched from around the corner.

  "Confirm non reactive," Vick said. The loudness of his voice against the quiet inside left my ear ringing.

  Several more high pitch noises started up, then a latch was pulled, and machinery began powering up. Who was doing this? What...is all this? A large mechanical, bulky loop, with several equally bulky half loops behind that one were lined up near the middle of the lobby. The main loop starting crackling with energy around the outside of the circle.

  "Captain!" Lori shouted, though distant. I turned to see one creature leap over me into the lobby area and the other preparing to leap. I fired a few shots, but given the half second I had, I only had time to hit the second one in the leg. It had a more labored, but still successful landing, on account of its four legs.

  A deep boom sounded and shuddered the floor, then sustained at a volume that wasn't so loud as when it began. Lori and I glanced down to the ground floor to see the first loop filled with a strange pale yellow energy that faded to pale blue on the outside. The half loops were lined on the inside of the loop with pale blue also, and yellow energy bits occasionally shot from the first loop down the line of them and disappeared by the last half loop.

  "Where's Wyatt?" I shouted above the roar of the technology. Lori pointed below us, and a tinge of irritation greeted me. We watched as the injured monster got trapped in a spherical force field and Wyatt crouched at the edge of the lobby in his own sphere with both of his Templar units shining with small white lights that meant it was currently being used. He tagged my original target with a dart, then took aim at another, but stalled when something clipped his shield.

  Small debris was being lifted and sucked i
nto the loop. As it passed through, arcs of blue electricity came out the other side where the object SHOULD have been, dissipating away before the last half loop. The sky window blasted apart and heavy gunfire slammed down onto Wyatt's force field and another leftover. Above the room we were in, my ship hovered and rained cover fire from a turret.

  "Cease fire! Cease fire!! We don't know what we're dealing with!" Seconds later, the bullets stopped.

  We watched as my original target dashed into the energy pool that had collected in the first loop, being transformed into blue lightning, then nothing. Wyatt released his force field on my command, and the second leftover followed suit. Being that the third had died from turret fire, we gathered to watch the tech until it went on auto standby and the yellow energy stopped collecting. The noise significantly lowered, but the loops still emitted a low rumble as long as the blue was there.

  We all stared at the foreign technology in awe. "Did you get the tracker on there?" I asked.

  "Yeah..." Wyatt said in shock.

  "Signal is lost, captain. It claims to be out of scanning distance," Vick informed.

  "Tech op? What the *cuss* did we just see?" I asked Wyatt.

  He shook his head slowly. "I'm....not sure."

  I stood in front of him and locked gazes. "Take an educated guess..."

  "Um....maybe a warp gate?"

  "Did he just say warp gate?" Reggie asked. "Since when do those exist?"

  "And since when do Leftovers know how to work them?" I said. Something about this situation made me uneasy. I wanted answers. In truth, I knew a way to get them...but it wasn't an advisable plan.

  Part 2

  "Are you kidding me? You actually spent the time to process that idea in your head?" Wyatt asked in a fluster.

  "Actually, I have to agree with him captain," Reggie added.

  "The leftovers might be fierce, and perhaps insane, but they aren't suicidal. And the fact they defaulted to this machine means that it's reliable." My logic caused a break in their comments, except for Wyatt.