“Is the corridor clear?” she asked.
Jackson let the door close and the corridor image came up, showing no one was outside. He again opened the door to Alexis. “Let’s go.”
“Pulling the power fuse,” Alexis said. The sound of kicking was followed by a loud grunt of exertion. The power flickered for a few seconds but came back on as it switched over to the reserve. “Got it!”
“Come on,” Jackson ordered.
Alexis hurried to him. She dropped the fuse on the floor. “Let’s go.”
Jackson glanced at the woman in the chamber. The syringes still injected into her. Steam misted over Blue from above, obscuring her.
“We’ll come back to check on her. This process might take a while.” Alexis let the door shut and as soon as the corridor image appeared, she pushed the blinking button to open it. To the woman, she said, “Good luck, Blue.”
Jackson looked out of the corridor. The lights were flickering, but brighter than before. The power diversion seemed to be working just like Raisa said it would. He listened for footsteps. Not hearing any, he ran as lightly as he could toward the medical booth. Raisa didn’t move in his arms. She didn’t moan or indicate she knew what happened around her.
Jackson felt as if he couldn’t breathe. He paused at a corner to listen.
Alexis grabbed his arm. “Let me lead.”
He nodded. She stepped around the corner and motioned him to follow. She ran ahead of him, leading him down another corridor. She stopped at the small room holding the ship’s medical booth. The lights turned on at her presence. “Get her inside.”
Alexis stood guard at the door as Jackson placed Raisa in the medical booth and closed the lid to lock her in so she didn’t slide down from the angled, upright position of the booth. Her head was exposed so he could watch her for movement.
Jackson went to the console and activated the device. It automatically tried to focus on her healing ribs, but he overrode the directive. Instead he made it analyze her blood.
“Someone is in the corridors,” Alexis whispered. “I hear footsteps.”
Jackson alternated between staring at Raisa’s motionless face and the console. The results appeared, and he kept his voice quiet as he said, “It injected her with some kind of enzyme.”
Alexis stepped back into the room. Her voice soft, she said, “Medical booth protocol. Relevant to situation. Humanoid. Circulatory system. Blood additives. Clean.” She blinked several times, coming out of her trance as she hurried to the booth. She began pushing buttons at a rapid rate as she programmed the unit to override the automatic functions. Lasers lit over Raisa’s body, illuminating her face with a green light.
Jackson hurried to the door and peeked out. He too heard footsteps in the corridor. They didn’t appear to be moving quickly, but they did appear to be approaching. He concentrated on the pattern of the steps “Someone is coming. It doesn’t sound like one of us.”
“It’s working,” Alexis said. “The second it’s done, get her out of there and hide.”
“What are you going to do?” Jackson asked, not liking the look on Alexis’ face.
“What I’m programmed to.” She took a deep breath, changed her posture, and stepped into the corridor. Jackson watched her, torn between pulling her back into the room, and protecting Raisa. He trusted Alexis knew what she was doing.
“Hello. Welcome.” The docile tone of Alexis’ voice sounded odd, and a little too high pitched. She moved with a deliberate stiffness as she turned out of his eye line. “I am Alexis, pleasure droid companion model nine-point-seven.”
“Whoa, check that thing out,” a deep voice said. “Honar, come here.”
A second set of footfalls sounded. “Arte, this better be something. This place is a hellhole.”
Jackson willed the unit to hurry. He could hide Raisa behind the booth where she couldn’t be seen from the outside hall and then help Alexis.
“Look,” Arte said. “They got one of those pleasure dolls.”
“How in the galaxies do a bunch of drifters afford something like that? They can’t even keep their lights from flickering in this tin can,” Honar said. “Hey, you, who is your controller.”
“Her name is Alexis,” Arte inserted.
“I belong to the captain.” Alexis managed to keep her voice calm. “Please, it is my duty as hostess to offer refreshments. Let me escort you.”
Jackson stayed as quiet as he could, as Alexis tried to lure the soldiers away.
“Alexis, lift your shirt for me,” Arte ordered.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed, and his fists tightened.
“What are you doing?” Honar asked.
“I want to see how real she is,” Arte answered.
“Warning,” Alexis said, her tone changing. “I belong to Captain Lochlann, of the ship Bound Virgin. Any attempts to remove me from the ship or tamper with my program directives will result in a self-destruct that will harm those within my immediate vicinity.”
“Leave it alone,” Honar said. “I heard they can blow a man’s penis off if you mess with a doll that’s not yours.”
“That’s just an old ship tale,” Arte dismissed.
Raisa moaned softly, her head turning. The medical booth was working.
“Shh,” Jackson whispered into her ear. She blinked, not seeming to focus her vision as she looked around in confusion.
“Unhand me.” Alexis’ tone changed.
“She feels real,” Arte said.
Jackson sprang into action. He came out of the medical booth room. “You heard her.”
“Blast, it’s him!” Honar cried.
Arte had Alexis pressed up against a wall, his hand on her shirt. He tossed her at Jackson and reached for a blaster on his waist.
Jackson caught Alexis and pushed her into the room with Raisa, and out of harm’s way.
“We’re going to get a stripe for this one,” Honar said in excitement, also pulling a blaster pistol.
“I will give you one chance to leave,” Jackson said, hoping they’d take the opportunity yet knowing they wouldn’t.
“The Federation doesn’t enlist cowards,” Arte denied.
Jackson frowned. “Do you even know who you are chasing?”
“Pirate scum,” Honar blustered.
Jackson stood ready to defend himself. He glanced to the side. Alexis was pulling Raisa from the booth. She looked dazed, but alive.
When he glanced back, he tensed in surprise.
Blue stood in the corridor. Her shimmering gown hung around her thin body. Her long brown hair framed her beautiful face as it fell to her waist. She tilted her head one direction and then the other, as if trying to assess what was happening. Her movements were jerky and strange. He willed her to hide.
Before Jackson could disarm his captors, Blue lurched her body forward. She ran barefoot toward the soldiers. At the sound, the men turned.
Her yell sounded half human, half screech. She slashed her hand, cutting Honar’s neck, before she latched her teeth into Arte’s throat. Blood sprayed over the corridor, staining her gown and pooling on the floor.
Arte thrashed about in shock. Yelling as he tried to throw the surprisingly agile woman off him.
Alexis appeared in the doorway. Raisa swayed groggily behind her. Jackson backed away from Blue and motioned that they should get behind him. Arte fell to his knees, no longer screaming.
“Run,” he ordered the women quietly.
Raisa grabbed hold of his arm and he met her eyes briefly. She looked like she had a hard time standing. Alexis pulled on her arm. They weren’t moving fast enough.
Blue’s eyes lifted as she unlatched her mouth. They swam with the color of blood. Her features had filled out, as if the blood gave her health.
Jackson turned and rushed a few steps to catch up with the women. He lifted Raisa over his shoulder like the first day they’d met and ran with her down the corridor. He heard bare feet chasing them, recognizing the dull slap of skin to me
tal. For a woman who just woke from a deep sleep, she moved with surprising dexterity.
Alexis led the way into the captain’s quarter and slammed her hand against the door scanner, instructing the door to lock.
“Computer, show security footage from outside this room,” Jackson ordered, as he lowered Raisa to her feet.
“Yes, Grumpy Warrior,” the computer answered. Alexis went to the viewing area behind the cage.
Jackson studied Raisa’s face. She blinked slowly and he could tell she was fighting to stay upright. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Yes, the booth cleaned the enzyme from her blood, but she’ll be weak from the blood loss,” Alexis answered.
“I’m fine,” Raisa insisted.
Jackson pulled her close. The fear of what had almost happened hitting him. “I can’t lose you.”
“Then let go of me and let’s see what this blood-drinking banshee is doing,” Raisa answered, pushing at his chest. “You can hold me after we save the ship and then say all the sweet things I want to hear.”
He couldn’t help the half smile that twitched the sides of his lips. “It’s a promise.”
“What in all the galaxies did we wake up?” Alexis asked.
They joined her behind the couches to look at the screen. Blue stood close to the door, her head moving slowly back and forth like a predator trying to smell through the metal barrier. Her hand lifted, and she silently pet the frame with her long nails.
“I’m starting to rethink my stance on waking Blue from hypersleep,” Raisa mumbled. “Alexis, do you know what kind of alien that is?”
“The doctor’s recording didn’t say anything about his wife being a psycho blood hunter.” Alexis took a deep breath.
“We should get on the comms and try to warn the rest of the crew,” said Raisa. “If they’re on board, they need to hide. If they’re not, they need to stay off and lock the hatches. She can’t be allowed onto the fueling dock.”
“I have no idea how we’re going to explain the two dead soldiers in the corridor,” Alexa said.
“What is she doing?” Jackson frowned at the screen as Blue walked her fingers slowly upward before turning to look at the camera. She appeared more intelligent than a mindless creature searching for food. “Raisa’s right. We need to warn the others.”
“Computer, locate the members of the crew,” Alexis ordered.
“Yes, Captain’s Boss,” the computer answered. “Locating. Life signs are detected in the cargo hold—Crewmember Angry Pants, Captain Please-let-us-go-to-the-Galaxy-Playmates-show, Crewmember Beautiful, with unknown entities. Life signs detected in the cockpit—Pilot Rocket Boy with unknown entity. Life signs detected in the engine room—Crewmember Lady’s Magnet, Crewmember Victorious Lord. Life signs detected in the corridor—unknown entity.”
If they made it out of this, Jackson was going to have words with Viktor and Lucien about their programming jokes. Angry Pants had to be Dev. So Dev, Lochlann, and Violette were in the cargo hold. Rick was in the cockpit with soldiers. Lucien and Viktor were in the engine room.
Raisa counted out the names on her fingers. “They’re all on the ship.” She grabbed hold of his arm.
“And they’re not alone. It’s only a matter of time before the Federation soldiers stumble across the dead bodies,” Jackson added.
“Or worse, her.” Raisa let go of his arm. “Computer, contact Rick.”
“Please state your identity,” the computer answered.
“Computer, input Raisa. Full command.”
“Yes, Captain’s Boss.”
Computers were useful, but sometimes they were a pain in the backside. They had no sense of urgency.
“Computer, connect me to Rick,” Raisa said. Lower, to Jackson, she added, “We need to see if he’s all right after that beating.”
“This is handsome Commander Rick of the Bound Virgin, standing with Space Cadet One and Black Hole Two,” Rick’s voice answered, the connection filled with static. He sounded as if he had no care in the galaxies. Jackson suspected that wasn’t the case.
“Rick,” she answered. “You need to lock yourself in the cockpit.”
“What’s that, baby cakes?” Rick asked. “I’m sorry, I can’t play games with you right now. I’m entertaining guests.”
“We have a visitor, and she’s not looking for a date,” Alexis interrupted.
“Rick, stasis lady is up and she’s drinking blood. Get your ass to safety,” Jackson ordered. They didn’t have time to try to send coded messages. Ship safety had always been his concern, and right now the Federation might help. “Computer, connect us to Lochlann.”
“This is the captain,” Lochlann sounded hesitant. “I think there has been an error in the computer coding. No one unaccounted for is on the ship. Computer, reset your system.”
“No!” Jackson and Alexis yelled at the same time.
“Lochlann, danger, ru—” Alexis yelled through the computer comm system at her husband.
“Attention crew. All systems reset. Goodbye.” The computer cut her off.
Blue smiled at the camera. It would have been a pretty look if blood didn’t stain her chin. Suddenly, her head whipped to the side and she stared down the corridor. Seconds later, she pushed away from the door and ran. The viewing screen went dark as the computer reset its functions.
“Computer, connect me to Lochlann,” Alexis demanded. The computer didn’t respond. “Computer!”
“Stay here,” Jackson ordered. “I’ll find the others. Figure out what in the blazes that thing is and how we stop it.” He unlocked the door and waited as it slid open. “Lock this behind me.”
“Remember your promise.” Raisa lifted her hand, shutting the door behind him.
19
Raisa took a deep breath and didn’t turn away from the door. “Are you ready to go? I say we give him thirty more seconds before we follow.”
Jackson would have argued if she’d told him she wasn’t going to sit in the captain’s quarters while everyone else was in danger. She’d advocated to wake Blue from stasis. This was on her as much as it was on the other two.
“How did you know I wasn’t staying put?” Alexis joined her by the door.
“Because your husband is out there.” Raisa saw the love Alexis had for Lochlann. It was the same way she felt when she looked at Jackson. His nearness made all the craziness happening around them seem right. It made spending days locked in a secret alien medical chamber seem like the thing to do. It made running after a neck-drinking devil woman seem rational.
“And why are you going?”
Raisa glanced briefly in her direction and then away.
“I suspected as much,” Alexis said, clearly guessing Raisa’s true reason. “You chose well. Jackson is a good man.”
Alexis handed her a blue scarf. At Raisa’s questioning look, the woman wrapped a green scarf around her own neck and said, “Hey, protection couldn’t hurt. That banshee has bite.”
“How do we stop her?” Raisa asked, hoping the woman would have the answer somewhere inside her fantastic brain. She wrapped the material several times to cover her throat.
“Luck.” Alexis lifted her hand to the scanner, looked at Raisa, who nodded that she was ready, and then opened the door.
The sound of the sliding metal felt ominous. Fear crept into her stomach, and her hands shook as they stepped into the corridor. Of course she was frightened. That she-creature was terrifying.
“If you see something you can use as a weapon, grab it,” Alexis instructed.
They stayed close to the wall as they crept down the corridor. The silence made every brush of her arm, hitch in her breath, and step of her foot sound like a dinner bell. The lights flickered and they both stopped. The corridor lit with a subdued red. Raisa really hoped that was the computer resetting the electrical system. She also hoped that it would be done soon.
Though they walked quickly, each leg of their journey felt like an eternity. They tu
rned the corridors, leading the way toward the back of the ship. Finally, Alexis stopped and lifted her hand. The sound of voices could be heard coming from nearby.
“I have explained this ship has power issues. That’s why we were looking for parts on Torgan, and why we docked here.” Lochlann sounded annoyed. “As a courtesy, I have allowed you to search every inch of this ship multiple times. The man you are looking for is not here and our cargo checks out. Given that this ship is registered to the royal family on Qurilixen, we aren’t under Federation jurisdiction and are not required to cooperate further. I request that you let us carry on with our repairs, or I will be forced to file a complaint with the Qurilixen reigning family.”
Jackson clearly had not gone in there. And, since there was no screaming, she could assume Blue also hadn’t wandered in.
Raisa touched Alexis’ arm to get her attention and motioned that she was going to find Viktor and Lucien to warn them.
Alexis hesitated a moment before nodding. She then straightened her shoulders and walked stiffly toward the cargo bay. “Hello. Welcome.” Alexis’ gentle voice drifted. “I am Alexis, pleasure droid companion model nine-point-seven.”
Raisa didn’t wait to hear more. She took a deep breath, mustering the courage to go on alone. The heavy clank of striking metal rang from the engine room.
“Who the hellfires is that?” Viktor yelled. Metal stuck again, then the sound of skidding as if a tool slid over the grated floor.
Lucien cried out, “Get off me!”
Raisa wished for a weapon. She knelt close to the floor and slowly peeked in.
Blue held on to Lucien as he thrashed to escape. Lucien screamed. Blue’s back was turned toward the entryway as Viktor threw tools at their attacker in an effort to force her to release his brother.
A wrench slid close to the door. Part of her wanted to run away and hide. But then she thought of Jackson’s face as he’d gone into danger. She thought of how he’d saved her life. How he loved this crew. Flashes of memories filled her—Blue in stasis, the blood covering the halls as the soldiers died, the fear of being buried alive in the desert.
Raisa leapt into the engine room before she lost her nerve. She reached down to grab the wrench, only to come up swinging.
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