"Still alive," Alberta said. "No help from the aliens though. They don't like me."
Alberta tried to laugh. It sounded like a cough to Erica. She rubbed her mother's hair. Erica knew better than to judge her mother’s health by her appearance for she didn’t look much different from when she left. Captain Zhou had told Erica earlier that most of the torture was mental.
"You’re not going to believe this, Alberta," Captain Zhou announced. "We still might have some hope."
"What?"
"They're coming to help us!" someone shouted.
"Not so loud, you fool," another replied.
"I had a comm device implanted in my calf," Erica said.
"What?" Alberta replied.
"I had a comm device..."
"I heard you the first time," Alberta snapped. "Stupid idiot. Why didn't you say so before?"
"I..."
Alberta sucker punched Erica in the jaw. Alberta jumped on Erica and started swinging punches down on her. Erica held up her hands to guard herself. Then Erica grabbed her mother around the torso. She pulled her mother down to keep from her punching. Erica wrapped her legs around her mother. She locked her feet together so she wouldn't lose her grip. This was standard ground Jujitsu she had learned in the monastery on the planet Buddha.
"Alberta, stop it," Captain Zhou said. "Calm down. There is no reason for this. It’s stupid."
"Up yours!"
Erica felt some punching and elbow strike attempts from her mother. Remember what your jujitsu sensei told you. Relax. It takes time. Get into position. Find an opening. Be calm. Erica found her chance. She flipped her mother around. Erica got on top. She smacked one arm out of the way. Erica moved in close then put an arm under her mother's right armpit and around the left side of her neck. Erica gripped her left wrist with her right hand. Now she had the hold she wanted. Erica pressed down.
"Ah..."
"Just relax, Mom." Erica said. "Just calm down. I will let you go if you calm down."
"Humph," Alberta said. "Okay. I give up."
Erica let go. Erica jumped off her mother quickly just in case it was a trick.
Alberta lay on the floor. She was panting.
"You okay?" Captain Zhou said.
"Yes," Alberta said. "Just got my pride kicked in the balls."
"You needed it," Captain Zhou said. "Remember that Victorian man who kicked your ass in a bar forty years ago?"
"Yes." Alberta laughed. "That was a good fight."
"I think that was my chief engineer,” the Victorian man said who had spoken earlier.
"That was the guy, Captain Johnson!" Alberta laughed.
"You going be okay, Mother?" Erica said.
"Yes," Alberta said.
Erica listened as the prisoners gathered to plan their escape. Pretty much all of them were starship captains who had been kidnapped on spacestation Bombay. The Guinevere and many frontier trader starships had gone there with United Nations negotiators to form an international frontier trader union. It was attacked by unknown starships and kidnappers who had been using stealth suits. Now we know it had been the Lorkiiz aliens who were threatened by the human trader starships moving into their territory.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Getting Ready.
The comm device buzzed in Erica's front pocket. It had barely made a sound. Erica pulled it out. She turned it on. "Hello?"
*This is Guinevere. Sandy Gees speaking. Is this Erica? Are you okay?*
"This is Erica Williams speaking. I've located Junior Captain Alberta Williams and other kidnapped starship captains."
*That's great!*
"I've been imprisoned on the alien starship."
*Oh.*
"Give it to me," Alberta said.
Erica handed it over.
"This is Junior Captain Alberta Williams speaking. Is my mother nearby, Sandy?"
*Yes, Captain Alberta. Here she is.*
*Senior Captain Audrey Williams speaking. How are things with you?*
"Not great," Alberta said.
*How many are you? We can teleport some weapons to your position. Once we get close enough to lock onto the comm device.*
Erica, like everyone in the room, knew that living beings could not be teleported; ie, turned from matter into energy and back to matter.
"Understood," Alberta said. She looked around to count heads. "Twenty-one. Send hand blasters with holsters. Four or five rifle blasters. Also send some explosives, including one mini-nuke."
Erica's eyes widened.
*Nukes? Did I hear that right.*
"I plan to set it and get everyone out in time," Alberta said.
*Are you sure about this?*
"Yes. I am."
*Okay. We are on our way. Prepare yourselves.*
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Battle with Blasters and Mini-nukes!
Everyone stood away from the comm device and waited. With a shimmer of blue-silver light and a humming sound the weapons appeared. Erica grabbed a blaster and holster. She also picked up a blaster rifle. Erica snapped on the holster. Checked both her blasters. Everything loaded and ready. Erica looked at her mother.
"We'll divide into three groups," Alberta said. "I'll lead Alpha. Captain Zhou leads Beta and Captain Johnson leads Gamma."
Erica nodded. They had already picked who went with each group. Erica was in Alpha.
"Hopefully we won't need to divide up." Alberta said. "Now, I'm going to set the mini-nuke. I think we'll have plenty of time get out of here. Done. Let's do this! Erica, open the door."
Erica placed an explosive at the door and set it to go in a few minutes. She stepped back. Erica turned her eyes.
Boom!
We're free of the prison!
"This is just the beginning," Alberta said. "We have a long fight to make our way out of here. Come on!"
Everyone cheered.
The first Lorkiiz guard was shot down by Erica. Alberta led the way down the corridor. Hopefully they knew where they were going. Four guards appeared.
Erica fired her blaster rifle. Weapons fire went everywhere. Someone on their side went down with a giant hole in their skull. They killed the guards.
"Do we leave her?" Captain Zhou said.
"I don't know."
"We have no choice," Alberta said. "We can't stop or be slowed down. Come on! Run everyone."
Off they went with one less among them. Soon they lost two more people after a bigger shootout with twice as many guards as before. Erica was happy to see the last of that group of aliens die.
After a few more fights with the aliens Erica noticed that every Lorkiiz they crossed paths with was armed. There seemed to be no unarmed civilians on the ship. I should mention that later when were back in Guinevere. If we make it back. I mean when we make it back.
Alberta stopped near a large door. "I think this is where the flight deck is. Hopefully we'll find something to fly us out of here."
The door opened without the need of explosives. As they ran in, Lorkiiz saw them. They started firing. Erica fired back. She looked at her mother. Alberta pointed at one of the spaceships. It was like the one that had brought them into the alien starship.
Alberta ran towards a nearby spacecraft to hide behind. Everyone followed at a fast pace. One person got cut down. The aliens fired several more times at that person. Erica knew there was no hope for them. She tried to figure out where the aliens were.
"Where are those damn things?" Captain Zhou said.
"Up there!"
Erica ducked as some alien weapon fire hit nearby. Erica popped up. She fired at the first thing she saw. Erica hoped she got it.
"Okay," Alberta said. "Just a little further and we can get the fuck out of here!"
Everyone followed Alberta. She went down from alien weapons fire just inches from the spacecraft.
"Mom!"
"Alberta!" Captain Zhou shouted.
Erica picked up her mother. She pulled her toward the spacecraft. Capta
in Zhou opened the spacecraft. Erica and Zhou helped Alberta inside. Once everyone was inside, someone shut the door.
Captain Zhou and Captain Johnson worked to get the alien spacecraft started. They found it very strange, but there was enough similarities to human vessels that they could fly it.
"I think this is it."
"Are you sure? I thought that was this."
"Yes."
"That?"
"I think so."
"We could try it."
"And that?"
"I... Okay."
Somehow the spacecraft launched from the alien starship.
Erica looked at her mother.
"I'm okay," Alberta said. "I'm not dead yet, kid."
Alberta told her to call the Guinevere.
Erica took out the comm device. "Hello, Guinevere. This is Erica Williams speaking. Come and get us!"
*Hello, Erica! This is Guinevere. Senior Captain Audrey Williams speaking. Everyone okay?*
"We've had a few losses, but most of us got out alive. My mother is injured."
*What?*
"I'm fine, Mom." Alberta said.
"We're on our way."
They waited as Zhou and Johnson tried to get the spacecraft away from the alien starship. Erica felt the spacecraft shake as the starship fired upon them again. It seemed to be holding together so far.
"There she is!" Captain Zhou yelled from the cockpit.
"Hey!" Captain Johnson said. "It looks like something just exploded in the alien starship. It put a nice hole in their side."
"Yes!" Captain Zhou said. "The Guinevere is going to finish them off."
"Dammit!" Captain Johnson said. "The alien starship just jumped into hyperspace."
"Bastards!" Captain Zhou said.
"We're safe for now," Erica said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Home.
After learning her mother was fine Erica went to her quarters. She was in the brilliant care of Doctor Amy Menendez. One of Erica's aunts. When Erica opened the door, all of her friends were waiting for her.
"Erica!"
"We thought you were dead!"
"Erica!
"We missed you!"
As screaming and cheering continued on, Erica found a spot on her bed to sit.
Everyone was there Tilly, Keiko, Lynna, Gwen, Mindy, Isabelle, Cyma, and even Tea showed up. There was more food and drinks to go around. The music was loud and the conversations were shouts that were hard for Erica to hear. Tea left after half an hour.
At least I'm home. Really home. Erica hugged Tilly.
"Hey! What's the deal?"
"Nothing just glad I'm home, cuz." Erica laughed.
"I'm glad too."
"Hug!" Gwen shouted. She jumped on Erica. "I love you, Erica!"
"Thanks, Gwen," Erica said.
The door opened and Erica's mother walked in. Erica pushed Gwen out of the way for it was her other mother, Piper Williams, the Security Chief of Guinevere's second shift.
"Mom!" Erica wasn't able to control herself. She ran up and hugged her mother in front of everybody.
"Erica?" Her mother was surprised. "I'm glad you’re okay."
"Thirsty, ma'am?" Mindy handed Piper a drink.
"Thanks, Mindy." Piper looked at her daughter. "Well done. You did it. You brought them back, including Alberta. Thank you." Piper held Erica's chin in her hand for a few minutes to look into Erica's eyes.
Erica looked back and felt uncomfortable. She swallowed.
Piper let go and stood up straight. "Erica, don't forget you start work again tomorrow."
"I know, Mother." Erica said. "I'll be there. Knife practice at the same time as usual, Keiko?"
"Right!" Keiko pumped her hand in the air.
"Good. That's how it should be," Erica said.
"What?" Gwen asked.
"Back to normal, silly." Erica smiled and hugged Gwen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Paperwork.
Junior Captain Alberta Williams stomped on without paying attention to any poor soul that got into her way. Alberta's thoughts were full of what she had just been through. The representatives of her government and military, the Yin Confederation, asking, demanding, and complaining about her first contact with the new alien race Lorkiiz. They gave me a bunch of doublespeak and runaround.
"Goddess damned bureaucrats!"
"Eeek!" someone squealed.
Alberta looked down to see a little girl whom she didn't recognize. Behind the terrified child was a woman, probably one of her mothers. Alberta suddenly realized she wasn't the only human being in the universe. "Sorry. I didn't see you. I'm really sorry."
The mother pulled her child protectively away from Alberta.
Alberta looked around and saw a few people looking at her, though they quickly looked away. She sighed and looked at the security guards that had come with her. Their leader was Hilde Williams.
"Well, I just made a fool of myself, Hilde," Alberta said. "I wonder what else the universe will send my way."
"Now, Captain." Hilde's eyes automatically scanned the area. This action was due to her security training. Piper does the same thing. A security guard was always watching for trouble. "I'm sure the universe and the gods don't have anything personally against you."
"I guess you're right." The thought of her wife, Piper, made Alberta think of their daughter, Erica, who had recently returned to the family trader starship Guinevere after living in a Buddhist monastery for many years. Now Erica is home working for security again, as she should be. At least sometimes the Goddess smiles on us.
"Hilde is right, captain," Jo Grant Williams said. Alberta looked at the family's lawyer, who had just worked hard to protect the family's business against the bureaucrats and their lawyers.
"I suppose she is, Jo," Alberta said. "And thanks for all you did in there. You were a lot of help in there."
"It's all a part of my job as second shift lawyer," Jo replied with her briefcase in her right hand. It was full of papers, reports, and legal documents.
Papers and papers? How is it that we still need to file papers even today? You would think all we need is on a digital file. Alberta wondered if such things would ever go away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Amusement Park.
Spacestation Bobcat's amusement park reminded Erica Williams of when she was young and played at this same place so many years ago. When life was simple and easy. Erica sighed. Bobcat was one of two spacestations that orbited the planet Kentucky, the second planet from the sun Augustine XX. It was one of the star systems belonging to the Yin Confederation. Yin was the first planet colonized by Erica's ancestors, who had come from Earth thousands of years ago with the odd idea of creating a society where men and women both looked like women. Of course, to Erica it wasn't strange at all, or to all the little girls who played without a thought of how their ancestors on Earth would have looked.
There were other security women and mothers around the park from other starships and locals. Erica wasn't alone from Guinevere, of course, Gwen Williams was there. Gwen was seventeen and would be leaving Guinevere to go to college when she turned eighteen in two months. Now she was given odd jobs here and there on the ship to see what she wanted to do with her life. The family, the Williams family, wanted her to stay with the ship and not run off like Erica had tried to do. Stay with the family. The ship is family. Family is the ship. Part of Erica felt disappointed that she returned home. The failure.
Erica shook the depressing thoughts out of her mind and looked at Keiko Williams. Keiko was in charge of their security team here at the park. Keiko was also Erica's teacher, for like many of Yin's frontier trader starships, when you’re out in the middle of nowhere you educate your people yourself. Also Keiko was a cousin of Erica's, just like Gwen, the children, and most of Guinevere's crew. Stop it and pay attention, Erica. Security people can't sit around daydreaming. Our job is to see. To watch what others don't. You didn't want some pe
rvert snatching a child.
Erica counted the children. All there. Everything is fine.
A bright light flashed in front of Erica's eyes, causing her to turn away. The children screamed. So did some of the adults. Erica looked back to see a Lorkiiz with a strange suit covering its body. That's impossible. Teleportation kills living beings. Erica drew her stun-gun.
The Lorkiiz grabbed one of the children. Another blinding light enveloped the Lorkiiz and the child. Erica looked away. Where did that thing come from? She and her family recently came across the lizard-like alien race known as the Lorkiiz. Very little was known about them.
"Oh my Goddess!" Gwen shouted.
"Calm down, Gwen," Keiko said. "Gather our children."
CHAPTER THIRTY
Conference.
"Should we wake Audrey?" Piper said in the conference room aboard Guinevere.
"No." Junior Captain Alberta Williams of 2nd shift tapped the tabletop with her blue fingernails. "We can inform her later. She'll lose a lot of sleep later, so we just as well let her sleep for now. I know I'm not going to be able to sleep well for a while."
"Could she have wandered off and gotten lost?" asked Janet Williams, the XO of 2nd shift.
"Cameras would have seen it," Piper said. "What they did catch was the image of a Lorkiiz appearing out of thin air like a teleport. It grabbed the child and disappeared."
"Could that be possible?" Janet asked.
"Its not possible." said Chelsea Williams the teleportation specialist. "You cannot teleport a living being across the beams. They would arrive dead or possibly mutated. It isn't safe."
"There's been attempts," said the chief engineer.
"But they've all failed," Chelsea said. "Something is lost in the change from matter to energy. Maybe...a soul or something like that."
"I want facts, Chelsea. Not religion," Alberta snapped.
"Sorry, Captain."
"What if you didn't give a damn about safety?" Piper said.
"Well..." Chelsea said. "There have been attempts by, uh, unsavory characters who used prisoners, clones, and animals."
Starship Guinevere (Star Traders Book 1) Page 6