“There is also love and life and hope.”
“Very little hope I assure you. No. If a god of love and life ever did exist... he is long since dead. Someone... something rules in his place.”
“Commander Lovecraft,” McNeely said urgently.
Malory awoke with a start, springing from the couch in a near panic, gasping for air and tingling from the gooseflesh that covered every inch of her body.
“Commander,” McNeely said, worry evident in his voice.
She shook her head violently to clear the cobwebs, unnerved by a clinging sense of dread. She had been dreaming, about what she couldn’t remember nor did she especially want to. Her hands were trembling and she realized she was scared; shitless scared. Her eyes scanned the room frantically, searching for the spectre that she felt sure was stalking her.
“Commander,” McNeely called again. “If you don’t respond in the next fifteen seconds, I’m tripping the general alarm.”
The words had a soothing effect on her near-hysteria and her eyes focused in on the television. That fucking eerie Vincent Price! Reality slowly began taking hold and she shook her head again.
“Last chance, Commander,” McNeely barked, his voice serious.
She reached for her radio. “Go ahead,” she said shakily.
“Are you alright?” McNeely asked, his concern evident. “I’ve been calling you for the last ten minutes.”
“I…I’m sorry, Sergeant, I must have fallen asleep.”
“You need some time?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you,” she said slowly. “What’s up?”
“They’ve found something down here they want to bring up.”
A feeling of foreboding washed over her, making her shudder. She glanced again at the television and grabbed the remote, powering it off irritably.
“Commander?”
“What is it?”
“I have no clue, but its fuckin’ with my backbone.”
She closed her eyes. “Gimme the scoop.”
“It appears to be a container of some sort, reminds me of that little puzzle box from the ‘Hellraiser‘ movies but about the size of a washing machine. Know what I’m talking about?”
“Yeah, do we know what’s in it?”
“It’s a transparent box, holding some sort of large crystal suspended in the middle. Appears to be harmless but I gotta point out we found an identical container right next to it that is apparently empty.”
“Do you believe it presents a danger?”
“I would lean toward no, but like you, this whole thing bugs me a little.”
“Alright, let them bring it up but I want it stored securely in the lab and summon me when they get it stowed. I want to give it a look.”
“Understood.”
“Lovecraft, out.”
The radio took its place on her belt and she sat down hard on the sofa, running her hands through sweat dampened hair. She couldn’t remember experiencing such an intense fear at any other time in her life and it was still wreaking havoc on her composure. Her mind tried to rationalize it as having fallen asleep during a creepy movie, but a sense of sinister premonition insisted it was something else entirely. With a shaky, calming breath, she rose slowly and began the journey to the sanctuary of her office, wanting to be in comfortable surroundings while she waited to see what the hole in the ice had revealed.
———
The call came sooner than expected and Malory found herself in the lab, staring intently at a container that defied the laws of physics. McNeely had sized the object accurately for it was indeed about the size of a washing machine yet a perfect cube and almost completely transparent. A material, both gothic and technological in appearance, lined the edges of the container to present a visible outline but it was the item that resided inside that had Malory’s total attention.
Floating magically in the exact center of the box was a long and narrow octahedron that glowed a distinctive Caribbean blue, the intensity of which would probably illuminate the room if someone turned off the overhead lights. Closer inspection revealed the crystal to be a second container for a substance residing within, which was the source of its distinct color. A substance that flawed the outward perfection of the crystal with a multitude of grooves that resembled brain matter.
“I was informed there was an identical container to this one that was apparently broken,” she asked the audience in attendance. “What exactly was broken, the inside or the outside?”
“The outside,” Lenard replied. “Though not exactly broken, is was just missing the top panel.”
“Is it glass?”
“No, an unbreakable transparent epoxy from what we can gather at this time,” Lenard answered again.
“Is the crystal itself holding some sort of material? It appears that way to me.”
“That is our impression as well.”
“Could it be an explosive of some sort?”
“Unknown, but doubtful.”
“Can any of you tell me anything for certain?”
“The technological is not really our area of expertise, Commander,” Lenard said dryly. “The majority of people here at the moment are archeologists and geologists. Excavation was not expected to uncover anything like this in nature until the end of the winter. The team assigned to research and technological development won’t be arriving until summer.”
Malory grunted thoughtfully. “Did we at least think to bring the empty container up as well? I want to look at it.”
“They’re working on it as we speak, Commander,” McNeely answered.
She spared an approving nod. “Understandably, no one can tell me anything concrete, so I’d like to hear guesses. Do we think it’s a power source of some kind? It appears to me that the box holds the crystal in a sort of stasis, anyone concur?”
“We tend to believe its not a power source, Commander,” Lenard said, obviously the spokesman for the group. “The spacecraft we believe was of a ‘Y’ shape construction and we speculate that the center and most forward section was responsible for propulsion. In our estimation, any power source would most likely be found in that area. We assume this container to be nothing more than cargo.”
“That would be the section as of yet uncovered and buried deepest within the ice, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Why do we assume that the forward section would be responsible for propulsion?”
“It’s all theory at this time, of course,” Lenard said. “But the deepest section is buried a considerable distance from the others, suggesting an impact with an irresistible force behind it. The craft had to be traveling at an unimaginable speed to bury itself so deeply within the ice.”
“Forgive me for being a layman, gentlemen,” Malory said. “But if it was traveling at a speed anywhere near what you suggest, how did it survive so intact? I would think it would pretty much disintegrate on impact.”
“The material that the craft is constructed from is impossibly resilient. We’ve been unable to damage it in the slightest, barring of course, exposing it to a nuclear blast.”
“Alright, what do you make of this thing and do you believe it dangerous?”
“We’re still very much differing in opinions at this time,” Lenard said. “But we tend to think that the container is a kind of automobile airbag for the crystal inside.”
“Hmmm,” she grunted. “So you think the interior of the cube provides an impact cushion for the cargo?”
“Exactly, Commander,” Lenard agreed. “How, we don’t know or can even guess at this time.”
“Very well,” Malory said standing to her full height. “If the crystal inside this box was important enough to our alien friends that they felt the need to pack it in a safety box while gallivanting around in an almost invincible starship, we will follow their example. You have until tomorrow at noon to provide me with additional information. At that time, if opinion hasn’t altered radically, and you can manage to convince me otherwise, th
e container will be isolated and secured from further study until it can be examined or transported to the appropriate authorities for investigation.”
“But, Commander…” Lenard started.
Malory held up a hand. “You just stated that you’re not the people qualified to investigate a discovery of this nature,” she interrupted. “Honestly, I have a hard time picturing anyone that is, but I’ll not have a potentially dangerous artifact being subjected to casual experimentation. You have until noon tomorrow to study it, then it will be shelved until the right people either take it away or offer me irrefutable proof that it presents no danger.”
She paused and waited for her words to sink in. “Mr. McNeely, you will assign a guard to watch over the find until it is stowed.”
“Aye, skipper,” he said immediately.
“There will be no attempts to breach the interior of this box,” she continued. “The guard will have instructions to intervene immediately if my orders are disobeyed in the slightest. Have I made myself clear?”
She met every pair of eyes in the room to convey her resolve and when satisfied, she turned to the Sergeant Major. “Join me outside, Mr. McNeely,” she ordered and strode from the room.
———
Corky entered the mess that evening and smiled reflexively upon spotting Malory, a grin that quietly evaporated as she noted the Commander was conferring quietly with her non-commissioned officers and Lieutenant Ring.
Slightly disappointed that she couldn’t join her, she got her meal and chose a seat next to Clovis, who was so deeply involved in a discussion with his gathered colleagues that he didn’t notice her.
Feeling somewhat left out, she went about eating her dinner and let the surrounding whispers fly over her unheard as she was quickly immersed in her own thoughts. In fact, she had spent the better part of the day engrossed in the contemplation of her relationship with the infamous Malory Lovecraft. Where once the mere mention of the woman’s name was a death by torture offense, it was currently cause for an internal celebration. Now that she had fully indulged in her attraction to the Commander, she couldn’t deny the emotions the woman instilled within her. She still wasn’t ready to openly admit the depth of her feelings, but internally, she could no longer deny the power of her sentiments.
“Hey, Corky,” Clovis said pleasantly.
“Hmmm?” she said distractedly, emerging from her thoughts.
Clovis chuckled knowingly. “Are you feeling alright, Doctor?” he asked mischievously. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”
Quiet chuckles rumbled from a few of the men and she began to blush in anticipation of another round of teasing. Thankfully, Clovis took pity on her before it got started.
“Give her a break, fellas,” he said jovially. “It’s been an eventful winter.”
She smiled gratefully at her friend, her blush painfully obvious.
“I was just telling my colleagues here,” Clovis gestured to the surrounding men. “That as much as we regret the Commander’s decision it would be extremely foolish not to honor it.”
Corky was suddenly curious. “What decision was that?”
“To isolate our discovery from study until the arrival of the R and D team.”
“What discovery?”
“Where have you been today?” Clovis asked inquiringly. “It’s all anyone has been talking about.”
“In Medical, of course.”
“I’m surprised you don’t know,” Clovis said. “We were able to enter the section of spacecraft uncovered by the cave in the other day. We found a container with some sort of crystal floating inside.”
“Really?” Corky asked intrigued. “What is it?”
“We don’t know,” Clovis replied. “We hadn’t had it in the lab for half an hour when Lovecraft informed us that we only had until lunch tomorrow to study it before it went into storage.”
“Why did she do that?”
“Because we don’t know what it is or what it’s capable of and admittedly, there is no one present really qualified to make a determination on its safety.”
“That seems practical, what’s the problem?”
“A few among us feel that we’re here for investigation and study and to deny us that, defeats the purpose of our mission here.”
“Well, that’s a reasonable argument,” Corky admitted.
“That’s what I was telling my friends here,” Clovis said. “We have two opposing viewpoints with merit but the fact is, Lovecraft is in charge and she made an informed decision. And personally, after experiencing her ire firsthand, I can see why she was chosen to head our operation here.”
“Why do you say that, Clovis?” she asked, interested in his opinion.
“Because she’s no paper tiger,” he replied. “Some of the guys think that just because she’s virtually nonexistent in the day to day stuff around here that they can convince her to reverse her decision on today’s find. I’ve been attempting to persuade them from trying.”
“What would it hurt to try?” Corky asked.
“Because she’s made a decision and it’s final. Questioning that would only insure that the time we do have for study would be taken away immediately.”
“I guess I don’t understand,” she admitted.
“What we’re doing here involves a new frontier, Corky,” Clovis said. “Discovering technology a thousand years ahead of us implemented thousands of years before us is without precedent. We really have no idea how advanced these beings were and toying with that constitutes an unknown. Who knows how dangerous that could be? I agree with her decision.”
Corky grunted thoughtfully, recalling Malory’s thoughts on the subject from earlier.
“So how is Dr. Ballenger?” Dr. Tanaka asked, changing the subject.
Corky was in the middle of her answer when she saw Malory stand from her table to exit the room and she hurried through her response, anxious to be in the Commander’s company.
———
When Corky entered Malory’s quarters it was just in time to see her fasten the last button on a Red Sox baseball jersey that hung halfway down her thighs.
“Hey,” she said brightly.
“Hey yourself,” Malory said with a happy smile.
“You turning in early?”
“Yeah, but I was hoping you’d join me.”
“Of course,” she said thoughtfully. “You look kinda tired, is something wrong?”
“Just a strange day,” she admitted. “Has me feeling a little weird.”
“Want me to make you feel better?” she asked demurely.
“Is that a proposition?”
“Maybe,” she said teasingly. “Can I borrow a sleep shirt?”
“Sure,” Malory replied, bending to pull one from her footlocker and tossing it over.
“Thanks,” Corky said cheerfully, immediately starting to strip out of her clothes and Malory took a seat on the end of her cot to watch the proceedings attentively.
Corky noted the hungry look being cast upon her body and relished the attention. She removed her bra teasingly and let it drop slowly to the ground, smiling happily as pupils dilated starkly against a pale blue background. She had never been looked at with such an open and needy desire and it made her feel both attractive and special.
“You’re very beautiful,” Malory whispered.
Corky pulled the gray Navy T-shirt over her head and grinned. “Nah, I’m just cute, you’re the gorgeous one.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself,” Malory said quietly. “You’re the most beautiful thing in the world to me.”
Corky smiled and quickly came forward to gift her with a gentle kiss. “You’re sweeter than you let on, Malory,” she said tenderly, taking a seat on the other end of the cot and resting her back against the wall. “So tell me what’s got you feeling weird,” she added, patting her lap invitingly.
Malory didn’t need to be asked twice and immediately lay down to snuggle up next to her. “This whole thing I
guess,” she said softly. “Sometimes I think we’re messing with something that maybe we shouldn’t.”
Corky softly stroked the hair in her lap. “If we weren’t meant to find it, we never would have,” she said fatalistically.
“I wish I could subscribe to that.”
“If you had objections, why did you agree to come here?” Corky asked curiously.
“It was a last minute posting,” Malory said. “I really had no idea what is was you guys were digging up. I was dispatched overnight and never bothered reading completely though the textbook they gave me in lieu of an in depth briefing. Not that it would’ve mattered, I had already committed myself.”
“Are you sorry you came here?” Corky asked suddenly frightened of the answer.
“Not at all,” Malory said quickly. “I would have missed out on finding the rest of my life.”
Corky sighed. “I would’ve never figured you for such a romantic,” she said sweetly.
Malory just shrugged and nestled deeper into her lap.
“Are you bothered by that thing they discovered today?”
“A little. It’s kinda freaky and there’s no tellin’ what the damn thing actually is.”
“Hmmm,” Corky hummed. “So what’s the rest?”
“The rest of what?”
“You said it only bothered you a little, what else is on your mind?”
Malory grunted reluctantly.
“Come on, give it up,” Corky prodded.
“It’s dumb,” Malory said dismissively.
“What’s dumb?”
“I went to watch a movie this afternoon and fell asleep,” Malory mumbled. “I had some sort of awful nightmare I can’t remember and I woke up completely terrified. It’s been bugging me all day.”
“Ahh,” Corky soothed. “Were you watching a scary movie?”
“Not really scary, just kinda creepy,” Malory said. “An old Vincent Price flick.”
“There ya go,” Corky pronounced confidently. “Vincent Price always spooks me.”
“Yeah, well that’s what I keep telling myself,” Malory said bringing up an inquisitive hand to pull out the front of Corky’s underwear and curiously peeking inside.
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