Repo Earth

by Jeff Walsh

  Anthony scrambled, looking for anything to grab onto. There was nothing but trash all around him.

  “Wait,” he yelled.

  “Can't,” Taam replied.

  The two ships collided with a huge thud. The ship's main display lit up with white hexagonal shapes.

  “Shields at 24%,” the computer said.

  “Computer,” Taam said. “I know you can access the Platnium system, initiate docking. A light from the Platnium enveloped the Zorg vessel and spun it allowing the two ships to dock.

  A hiss sounded throughout the Zorg vessel and before it was over Anthony knew what it was. “This is going to hurt.”

  He slammed to the floor with a thud as gravity reestablished.

  Taam and Bartl turned to look at him.

  “Why are you on the floor?” Bartl said.

  “That was payback for scaring you both during the boom box thing wasn't it?” Anthony responded. “Speaking of which, where's that boom box? I've got a sequence I'd like to try.”

  “Too late, the time for going boom has passed,” Taam said; he jumped to his feet and helped Anthony up. “But we do need to get out of here and fast.”

  The three made their way through the Zorg vessel and reached the docking door.

  “Computer,” Taam said. “Once we're inside disengage the dock and wipe yourself clean. We can't have you falling into the hands of the Attillians.”

  “Of course,” the computer replied. “With your permission, may I download myself into the Platnium?”

  “Yes,” Taam answered immediately.

  “Are you out of your--” Bartl said.

  With a loud click Taam pushed the docking door open. Bartl just looked at him for a second. He shook his head and shrugged.

  The three made their way onto the Platnium. Alarms were going off.

  Anthony heard a loud click and hiss he assumed to be the Zorg vessel detaching from the Platnium.

  “Computer, report,” Taam exclaimed as the three were dashing through the Platnium.

  “The Attillian vessel Starfaller is forming a vortex rift thirty two dranecs from engine three,” the computer said.

  All three burst onto the bridge and Taam darted over to a panel, pressed it, and slid it open. He dropped the black energy destabilizer and matrix touchpad into an alcove and pushed the front of the panel shut again.

  Anthony watched as a flash of white light lit up around the panel's edges. He dismissed it and bolted for his seat on the bridge. In one smooth motion he plopped down, smacked the big red button, and sat back as the seat strapped him down.

  “Looks like you're getting used to that,” Bartl said.

  “It's practically standard operating procedure at this point,” Anthony replied.

  “Computer,” Taam blurted out. “Bend us, light drive us, I don't care how or where, but get this ship out of here, now.”

  The Platnium shook violently for a moment, the display flashing red. Bartl spun and looked to Taam. The ship shook again and again. “We aren't going to make it; the impact from the Zorg vessel nearly wiped out our shields.”

  Taam bolted across the room and opened the panel once more.

  Anthony slapped the red button and jumped to his feet. “What's happening?” He asked.

  He watched as Taam's vac-suit formed a pouch that slung from his shoulder. Taam slid the tablet and black box inside. He turned and made eye contact with Anthony.

  The bridge of the Platnium went white; a moment later the three were standing on a different bridge.

  “Hello Taam and Bartl,” Tira said.

  Anthony looked around. They were on the bridge of the Starfaller. Soldiers were everywhere, and on the display was the Zorg vessel floating dead in space.

  Tira walked over and flipped open the pouch Taam had crammed the tablet and destabilizer into.

  “You believed you could still escape with these,” Tira said and chuckled.

  With a look of superiority on his face he reached down and took the items from the pouch. Tira handed them to one of the soldiers on the bridge who then walked them off the bridge.

  “Did you truly think we were unaware of how the Zorg actually communicate?” He laughed. “Why would such a smart creature risk giving up all that information audibly when he could just force it into your mind with a quick touch? Unless, of course, he knew we were monitoring your cell and everything he said was meant to be a trap. A trap we were most certainly prepared for and expected. This is why we allowed things to play out as they did. It was Attillian superiority that prevented his AI from restoring engines to the vessel. Everything that took place, we allowed for our benefit.”

  Tira strolled across the bridge and placed his hand across the back of the empty captain's chair.

  “Surprised Vex isn't here to enjoy this triumph,” Bartl said.

  “As you know Vex doesn't enjoying being in the presence of lesser species,” Tira replied. “But he's enjoying every moment of this, including the apex of our triumphant victory, which is still to come.”

  The doors to the bridge slid open and a group of scav soldiers stepped inside.

  Taam and Bartl recognized them immediately. A crew of highly trained and skilled bounty hunters known as the Urumaruu.

  “Here they are as promised,” Tira said.

  “Just like that?” The captain of the crew asked.

  “Just like that Captain Oosun,” Tira replied. “I do not wish for a repeat of what Sir Halen went through. Therefore, take my advice and understand that I give it with full knowledge of your crew's skill. Unconsciousness is the only safe way to transport the Heezarians. The remaining bars of star heart will be payed once you deliver the four of them to the Central Core. ”

  “Four?” Anthony aired out. “What happened to Sir Halen? To Genny?”

  Tira grinned menacingly.

  “As for your little adventure,” he said looking over the three once more. “I'm afraid you've reached your end.”

  The Starfaller's display shifted from the Zorg vessel to a view of the Platnium IV.

  Tira stared Taam in the eyes. “Fire.”

  Anthony, Bartl, and Taam watched as the Starfaller unleashed a torrent of pulse canon fire. Within seconds the Platnuim broke into pieces, then erupted into a burst of white and orange light as it exploded.

  Taam fell to his knees as he watched.

  Chapter 19

  Anthony watched as Taam and Bartl were handcuffed with large, thick metal restraints that enveloped both their hands. One of the Urumaruu crew snapped an energy cuff around Anthony's wrists and pushed him forward. They were escorted off the bridge of the Starfaller and a moment later were warped onto the scav vessel.

  The entire Urumaruu crew escorted them through the ship. Four scavs, with rifles at the ready, were in the front leading the way. Another six, with pistols drawn, were directly behind. Eight more stood further back, each of these were carrying much larger weapons, all of which were glowing and humming indicating they were fully charged and ready to be fired.

  Neither Taam nor Bartl gave the slightest hint of resistance. The devastation of having watched the Platnuim IV destroyed sat deep in their eyes. They looked broken.

  A door ahead opened, which lead into a much longer hallway with three doors: one on the left, another on the right, and the third at the end of the hall. The walls were metal with thick metallic straps bolted in a crisscross pattern across each. There were thin vents covered by a fine grating intermittently spaced along the ceiling, in-between hung short elongated lighting fixtures. The door at the end of the hall opened and two Urumaruu crew broke off and stood guard, weapons aimed and at the ready.

  The trio was pushed along the hall. The door on the right had a large view window, and as they passed by it, Anthony looked inside. Therein, he saw Genny strapped and chained to a think metal wall. A blue mist drifted about completely filling her cell. Genny's form looked limp, almost lifeless as she hung there. Her arms were locked into a much thicker and l
arger version of the restraints they'd placed on Taam and Bartl. However, her's were held aloft, floating in the air, by a stream of electrical energy. The electrical stream darted down from two orbs hanging from the ceiling and connected to two similar orbs on Genny's restraints. Across her feet and legs were thick bars of metal clamped and bolted to the wall.

  Anthony paused for a second; the sight of his friend chained up like a wild animal left him in shock.

  A searing pain flashed on the back of his head; the room spun for a moment before he felt himself slam to the ground.

  One of the Urumarru stepped back and slung his rifle back into place.

  “He's in shock,” Taam said. “You didn't need to crack him on the back of the head.”

  “Don't you think a neural bath with dirillium chains and bars over a grav control board are a bit much for a human?” Bartl asked. “Although looking at this lot I can see why you're all so terrified of a human.”

  The same Urumaruu stepped over to Bartl and raised his rifle. He struck him across the face. Bartl staggered for a moment but remained on his feet.

  “Sorry pal,” Bartl said. “I'm a little harder to drop.”

  The Urumaruu raised his rifle again.

  “Stop,” Captain Oosun said. “You were warned of this tactic. He's attempting to provoke you in the hopes of lifting something he can later use to escape. The Heezarians go in the cell at the end. Set their neural bath to max. They're to remain unconscious for the entirety of the trip. Toss the human in the other cell, and don't waste a bath on him; he's harmless. Slide his cell's view window open; let him stare hopelessly at his friend from across the hall.”

  Anthony pushed himself to his feet. A small bead of blood ran down the back of his head.

  “Why are we both here?” He wheezed out. “They don't have Marcus; I thought they needed one of us.”

  The captain stepped forward and grabbed Anthony by the face. “We have all we need.”

  “He's not talking about your needs, sunshine,” Taam said. “If he was he'd probably start with mouthwash. However, the Attillians need one of the humans.”

  “Not my concern,” Captain Oosun said as he pushed Anthony away. He turned toward Taam. “My concern is getting paid. And that only happens when we deliver you lot to the Core.”

  “Still trying to recover your losses from the Scimar War?” Bartl said.

  Captain Oosun turned to Bartl. “Are you trying to provoke me Sergeant? Maybe get me to make a mistake that'll give you some opportunity to escape?”

  Bartl stared at the captain.

  Oosun smiled. “I'll admit, I never thought we'd be hauling the elusive Heezarians across space to collect on a couple Core bounties. I mean sure your combined bounties are nearly the highest out there, but you aren't worth the hassle. But who would dare pass up the opportunity when you're hand delivered, all wrapped up like a gift.”

  “From the looks of things, that's the only way a group like this could grab us,” Bartl said. “Everyone who's capable isn't stupid enough to try.”

  Oosun backhanded Bartl. “I can't wait to see how witty you are when we're dropping you at the Core.” He turned and walked to the end of the hall. “Initiate ship-wide protocol Gamma; we're not taking any chances. I want this ship locked down and the bridge sealed.”

  Bartl peeked out and around one of the Urumaruu. He caught Oosun's glare. “See you in a bit.”

  Oosun glared at Bartl and walked out of the hallway.

  Anthony was ushered into his cell and watched as Taam and Bartl were tossed into theirs. He looked across the hall; Genny hadn't moved.

  The Urumaruu rushed out of the hallway and Anthony heard another door slam shut. From the vents above he watched as the same blue mist that filled Genny's cell begin to fill the hallway. He stepped back expecting it to drift in through his window, but tiny speckles of light flashed across the opening. The blue mist was held at bay by an energy field.

  “They'll bathe the whole walkway,” Bartl said. “Ten tryls before its flooded, and less than five before we're flooded in here.” Bartl pointed to the vents in the ceiling, and the two watched as the blue neural mist began to seep inside.

  “Even if we get out of here,” Taam said. “With a full neural bath running the length of the hall we'd never make it to the end.”

  “Forget making it to the end, we won't even get these shackles off before they get us to the Core,” Bartl said.

  Taam just stood staring at the closed cell door. Bartl looked at him then to the door as well.

  “We don't know what happened to her,” Bartl said.

  “It wasn't good,” Taam replied.

  “No, it seems like it wasn't.”

  “You don't lock a Class A species up like that,” Taam said quietly. “Maybe a war starved Rhon, or some spliced up bio-mech, but she's a human. They locked her down like she could rip this ship apart with her bare hands.”

  The blue mist floated just above their heads now.

  Bartl looked up then back to Taam. “I know what you're thinking.”

  “Do you?” Taam asked.

  “You're thinking that all of this is on us,” Bartl said. “That if we had just stayed out of it, they would've locked Earth, snagged a couple humans, grabbed Volja and set Earth spinning once more, no fuss no muss.”

  “Isn't that what would've happened?” Taam asked. “We made it personal. We're always so determined to jam the Core at every little turn. Wouldn't their planet be spinning by now, without so much as a hint that anything happened?”

  “Yeah,” Bartl said. “That's part of it. But what about after? Once the Attillian's claimed Volja as their own and settled their trade agreement with the Core. What happens when the Attillians are absorbed into Prime Command? Who stops the hundreds, if not thousands of battleships, outfitted with Attillian weaponry all at the Core's command? One galaxy after the next would be conquered. There wouldn't be so much as an asteroid belt that'd be safe.”

  Bartl crouched and pulled Taam below the mist. Even below the thick of it the effects were starting to take effect. Bartl could barely keep his eyes open.

  “We weren't just sticking it to the Core,” Bartl said. “We were trying to prevent another universal war. That's why we did what we did. The Core has to be stopped. I know that, and you know that.”

  “And now I know that,” came a voice from the other side of the cell door.

  With a loud creak the cell door swung open. The neural mist started to get vacuumed out of the cell and the hallway, back up through the vents. Standing in the door was a tall skinny man with a shaved head. His dark rimmed glasses could be seen through the view shield of his gas mask. His black and gray vac-suit covered him from head to toe.

  “Now, how about you two get up off the floor so we can get out of here,” Marcus said.

  With one hand he reached behind him and pulled two more masks from a bag slung across his back. With his other hand he pointed a small remote toward Taam and Bartl. With a click from the remote their hand restraints fell to the floor with a thud.

  Bartl and Taam just stared on, dumbfounded. The masks landed on the floor nearby and slid across the floor.

  “Probably want to put those on in case they get the neural gas pumps working again,” Marcus said. “Also, it seems that you've allowed my wife to get chained up like a monster. Now if you'd be so kind, I'd like to get her free and neither myself nor Omnis know how to do that at the moment.”

  The floor of the Umuaruu ship shook violently.

  “Omnis?” Taam said sliding his mask on. “How do you know Omnis?”

  “I'll explain once you all stop being prisoners on a scav vessel,” Marcus said. “But for now, Omnis snuck me on this ship and is currently firing at it, causing a lovely distraction for us to get out of here.”

  Bartl slid his mask on and darted out of the cell. He peered around Marcus and saw Anthony standing at Genny's cell door.

  “Don't go in,” Bartl yelled. “Don't even touch an
ything.”

  Anthony put his hands in the air and froze in place.

  The ship shook once more. Energy blasts rang out from the other end of the hallway. The Urumarru were attempting to blast their way back into the hallway.

  “Sealed us in?” Bartl asked Marcus as he ran down the hall to Genny's cell.

  “Yup,” Marcus replied.

  “You've been busy,” Taam said as he patted Marcus on the back. “And Alvin?”

  Marcus and Taam locked eyes; not a word was spoken. Taam put a hand on Marcus' shoulder and nodded. He darted down the hall and joined Bartl who was still examining the door.

  “Blatnard,” Bartl said. “I don't think I've ever seen someone sealed away this badly before. This room is dead locked with four separate panels of encryption.” He peered around the edge. “Each of which is rigged to a bio-phaser that sweeps the entire hallway.”

  “Anything else?” Marcus asked.

  “Anything else?” Bartl asked. “Was that not enough?”

  “What about you?” Marcus asked Taam. “What do you see?”

  “Bartl's right,” Taam replied. “They have her locked down worse than anyone I've ever seen. If we could just get past this--”

  Marcus pressed a button on his wrist unit and started to speak, “Four encryption pads, dead lock, and something called a bio-phaser. Does that help?”

  “Who are you talking to?” Bartl asked.

  “I told you,” Marcus replied. “You're friend, Omnis Zept. I met him on the Qynn-9 space station.”

  “Qynn-9?” Bartl blurted out. He looked Marcus up and down. “Where else have you been?”

  Marcus smiled.

  “Got it,” Marcus heard Omnis say from his ear comm.

  The cell door snapped open and the mist was vacuumed out.

  Taam swung the door open and the group rushed inside.

  The Urumarru continued their assault on the sealed door.

  “They'll be getting through that seal any moment,” Bartl said. “We need to secure--”

  Marcus tossed him two guns. Bartl caught them and looked at Marcus who was closing his bag once more.

  “You brought me OM Particle Pistols,” Bartl said and smiled. “And I didn't get you anything.”