Wrath of the Carnelians (Europa)

by Jason Gehlert

  “Where did you hear that Son?” Wilkes quickly pivoted about on his left foot and stared down the blond haired officer.

  “I accidentally overheard Commander Gordon chatting about it the other day before Dr. Drake arrived.”

  “The slimy situation is this,” Wilkes paused and caught the sight of the officer’s sewn name badge, hoping it wasn‘t who he thought it was. “Kennison,” Wilkes grumbled the name, rolling his tongue around. A few seconds later, his stomach agitated, churned at the thought of working with this snot-nosed punk once again.

  “Yes Sir. My full name is Andrew Kennison, the third.”

  “Lucky me,” Wilkes countered fully realizing the situation. He was well aware of the documented encounter between Kennison and Tommy some months ago when Kennison embroiled Tommy in a verbal fight and eventual lawsuit over Tommy’s penchant for women’s clothes. “Anyway, the crew of the Amity encountered some problems on their initial landing. However, I am sure everything is running smoothly with their mission.”

  “Where are we headed?” Kennison’s cocky nature became apparent.

  Wilkes had no patience to run a daycare. “To another Earth-like planet that we will call “New Earth.”

  “Interesting. It has water, sunlight and everything else we need to survive?” Kennison inquired. His strengths weren’t submersed in the competitive academic world, but rather in the military field. His overbearing masculine energy merely wore down Lieutenant Wilkes.

  “To our knowledge, it has a very young sun that will maintain it for several million years at the least. And this puppy is really close, something like 20.5 light years away. Well, at least by a spaceship that has hyper-drive capabilities, the distance is achievable.”

  “Will we be the first one’s there?” Kennison shifted his weight on the ramp. His right leg had cramped from standing for the last fifteen minutes chatting with the Lieutenant.

  “Hopefully the other ship has landed there and started to colonize the planet. Of course, there’s always that slimmest of chances that a native species could be residing there if the planet’s capable of maintaining life. I’m crossing my fingers that we either make friends or have the entire planet to ourselves. In the meantime, Athena will be the last ship leaving Earth’s orbit, and with a skeleton crew. We are traveling lighter compared to the first two flights due to the extreme circumstances we are under.”

  “And what about the crew on Europa?”

  “The Amity has a built in beacon that if activated will take her crew to New Earth if Europa becomes compromised. To my knowledge the last transmission was a hectic one at best, and the President sent Adrian Blakely and his team to Europa to uncover the mystery and re-establish contact with the previous team.”

  Back inside the control room at the request of Commander Gordon and Senator Bryce Perry, one of the monitors had the Cascade Region of the United States displayed across the LCD screen. Nolan Drake had consistently prophesied that this particular region would implode and detonate the entire Western seaboard of the United States with a series of shattering volcanic eruptions.

  “Captain Wilkes,” the engineer interrupted His eyes could follow their lips on the other LCD screen that had the docking station flushed out across the screen.

  “Yes Donny what is it?”

  “Do you remember that cute little bedtime story that Dr. Drake told the Senator?”

  “Oh yeah, the one about the Cascade Region going boom?” Wilkes shifted one of his eyebrows up in an arch.

  “That would be the one.”

  “Say what you have to Donny.” Wilkes impatiently pressed the ear piece firm to his ear to glean the engineer’s response. “Stop pussy-footing around.”

  “Dr. Drake’s prophecy was right on the money. There’s activity from Yellowstone through Volcano Alley, and along the coastline.”

  “Define activity,” Wilkes urged a response.

  Donny smacked his lips together attempting to formulate a response for the Captain. How could he formulate what was happening? And, put a positive spin on it?

  “Donny can you hear me?” Wilkes bristled with agitation. He was the type of person who always wanted the answer right away. He also was hard-wired to blow his shortened fuse frequently. Wilkes’ character never came into question, however, his hardened methods of extracting results consistently landed the fiery Lieutenant underneath the microscope.

  “The entire mid-west’s erupting, covering California in swirling, smothering pyroclastic clouds of ash,” Donny whispered, his eyes followed the imagery on the daunting 70-inch screen. A local news station had pinpoint coverage of Mount St. Helen’s and Mount Rainier exploding simultaneously.

  “California’s gone?” Wilkes again had some trouble hearing the young engineer.

  “Lieutenant, by the end of the day, everything west of Yellowstone will be completely obliterated, and the entire eastern coast of the United States, remains underneath damaging winds, ash clouds, as nuclear winter spreads across the entire hemisphere. The news station has both of the active volcanoes side by side on the screen,” Donny kept Wilkes informed.

  “We are running out of time.” Wilkes turned and motioned to Kennison. He motioned with a quick swirl of his hands for Kennison to start preparations immediately for departure. “Donny, you have five minutes to board the ship Son,” Wilkes urged the engineer to hustle his ass.

  Donny’s response was vacant on the other end, as his chair spun around in a wild circle in front of the control, bus and monitors as another wave of lava spurted from Mount St. Helens into the Pacific Northwest atmosphere.

  “Okay gang,” Wilkes introduced the situation to the Athena’s crew. “It seems that Mother Nature’s throwing another wild party back in the States.”

  Kennison moved about the cockpit making last minute adjustments as Wilkes continued on with his speech.

  “We are waiting for Donny, and then we leave and embark for New Earth.” Wilkes paced about the cockpit with a quietly building fury.

  “Is he bringing Marie too?” Tommy entered the cockpit.

  “Funny,” Kennison shot back.

  “That joke’s older than your jockstrap,” Wilkes cracked wise. “I think Donny has heard the gamut of jokes about the Donny and Marie reference.”

  “Yeah, he doesn’t chirp on you about your desire to walk around in women’s clothes does he?” Kennison moved about the room with a slick smile.

  Tommy turned beet red, his fingers reached up to his neck and stuffed the satin purple scarf back in his shirt.

  “What man wears women’s clothes? A faggot maybe. Do you like it in the ass Tommy?” Kennison’s harsh words bordered on the absurd line of harassment. He never liked Tommy and always mocked him at every chance. Kennison’s issues with Tommy were well-documented.

  “Listen, Kenny,” Wilkes chimed in. “Tommy saved our ass back there, so if he wants to dress up like Barbie, I could really fucking care less. He’s proved his loyalty and dedication to this regiment, and that goes the distance in my book. Fourth and inches, Tommy’s getting the ball.” Wilkes stood firm on Tommy’s behalf.

  “I bet you would like giving your balls to Tommy,” Kennison chortled off a sarcastic laugh.

  “The only reason you are breathing the same air as the rest of us stemmed from the fact that your father kept funding money into the President’s campaign run.”

  “I have very powerful and influential connections, Lieutenant,” Kennison again ruffled the crew’s feathers. He was becoming a cancer, infecting the crew with his immaturity.

  Wilkes fist formed a tight circle, knuckles facing out. “Well then, I will definitely earn my stripes for this one,” he growled, reaching out and grabbed Kennison by the collar. Wilkes defined power and versatility. His body was rock solid with superb definition. “This is my ship and my rules. Consider this your yellow card, one more peep from that pompous hole in your face and I’ll personally throw you off this ship and into outer space myself.”

&nbs
p; Kennison squirmed a bit underneath Wilkes’s powered grip.

  “Do you understand?” Wilkes violated Kennison’s personal space with a menacing growl.

  “You are making a mistake Lieutenant.”

  “Have you looked around lately?” Wilkes widened his eyes, showcasing his enlarged pupils. “Mankind has been decimated, and you think I’m worried about your connections? Embrace reality kid, everything’s gone on Earth, wiped out, barren. I’m your only chance of survival.”

  “I don’t,” Kennison fumbled for words.

  “Stay in line hot shot. And, one more word about Tommy and I’ll let him personally take care of you.” Wilkes released his grip on the young officer.

  Sammy entered the room just as the Lieutenant was finishing off Kennison. “He made fun of your penchant for beautiful colors?” He turned to Tommy who stood there with a broad smile.

  “Yeah, he tried to be a smart-ass, but the Lieutenant put him in his place.”

  “Tommy are you okay?” Wilkes shouted back.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “Any problems with Kennison here you can personally do whatever you want to him.”

  “You can’t authorize that,” Kennison brushed off the Lieutenant’s residue.

  “My ship, my rules, my team. I take offense to anyone who attacks my men, verbally or physically,” Wilkes again positioned himself for another round with Kennison. “I haven’t forgot about your checkered history with Tommy.”

  “Whatever,” Kennison brushed off the Lieutenant’s words.

  “Sammy?” Wilkes kept staring at Kennison throughout the conversation.

  “Yes Sir?”

  “Does the ship have a garbage room?”

  “Absolutely, a rather large concoction of ramps, an expansive incinerator, and hydraulics,” Sammy answered with more information than Wilkes needed.

  “Tommy, what do you think?” Wilkes maintained eye contact with Kennison.

  “I say we throw him in with the rest of the filthy garbage.” Tommy’s face sprouted a grin.

  Kennison’s emotions broiled underneath the surface and charged at Tommy.

  “I going to kick your fag ass into next week, you little bitch,” Kennison shouted, gaining ground on Tommy.

  “Is he ever going to learn?” Sammy asked Wilkes as the two men witnessed Kennison charging at their friend. Sammy stood a few feet off to Tommy’s left.

  “I doubt it,” Wilkes responded with a laugh.

  “You laughed.” Sammy noticed. “You never laugh.”

  Kennison was taken aback at Tommy’s casual stance. “I’m going hit you so hard you’ll be spitting teeth for the rest of your miserable life.”

  “Yup, he’s not going to learn.” Wilkes turned around and caught Kennison being sideswiped by Tommy’s jarring punch. Kennison’s mouth sent a cloud of blood hurtling through the air.

  Kennison staggered before attempting his own round of punches.

  Tommy just stood there, quietly, waiting for Kennison. The cockpit had become Tommy’s arena and his captive audience was eagerly awaiting the final act.

  “This is my favorite part,” Wilkes said, waiting for Tommy’s precise attack.

  “Oh yeah, when he throws a weak punch and Tommy...” Sammy’s sentence was broken off by Tommy’s actions.

  Kennison punch became entangled in Tommy’s hand. Kennison’s eyes winced as Tommy took splendor in crushing the bones in Kennison’s right hand. Tommy was very adept at fighting and his thin athletic frame always a tricky illusion for those that had pegged him for an easy target.

  “Mother fucker,” Kennison chugged back on his words. His cocky stature has been rocked by Tommy and brought down to his knees.

  “Do you have anything to say now?” Tommy asked in a calm tone.

  Kennison knelt in complete disbelief. His last altercation with Tommy was of the legal breed. No physical attacks, only verbal defamation.

  “See, I told you they never learn,” Wilkes said, walking by Tommy, giving him a slap on the shoulder. Wilkes noticed the purple satin scarf was askew and tucked it back in Tommy’s shirt. “I have to say that is a very nice scarf.”

  “Thank you Sir,” Tommy turned Kennison around with a forceful twist of his hand. “Let’s get going Kenny, I have a special place for you cool off.”

  “You can’t do this,” Kennison begged for his release.

  “You got this Tommy?” Sammy asked.

  “Oh yeah, piece of cake.” Tommy dragged Kennison by his hand across the floor of the cockpit. “Where’s the garbage chute?”

  “Down the corrirdor, to the right. The chute’s in the middle of the wall, about waist-high.” Sammy illustrated using his hands.

  “Thanks,” Tommy took the struggling officer down the hall.

  Donny approached the cockpit, catching the tail end of Tommy’s attack.

  “Hey Donny,” Sammy greeted the engineer.

  “I missed Tommy didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, it wasn’t pretty.”

  “Someone made fun of his lifestyle again?” Donny’s voice had sarcastic twinge to it.

  “Yup.”

  “Let me guess,” Donny paused, “Was it Kennison?”

  “Yup.”

  “Was it over the scarf?”

  “Yup.”

  “Well, it is a nice scarf.” Donny walked alongside Sammy down the hall.

  “Yes it is. Yes it is,” Sammy responded as the two men continued along the lengthy corridor , eventually approaching Tommy by the garbage chute.

  Donny’s eyes leered at Kennison’s crumpled body, wriggling on the floor. Kennison’s mouth had Tommy’s matching purple handkerchief stuffed in it, and duct tape wrapped around both his hands and feet.

  “Hey Donny!” Tommy greeted his friend.

  “Nice touch with the mouth.” Donny looked down at Kennison. “I think you might have broken his nose.”

  “Yeah, I think I did. I kinda heard his jaw splinter too,” Tommy responded with a victorious grin. “Can you give me a hand with this?”

  “Oh fuck yeah, my pleasure,” Donny dropped his bags and moved over to help Tommy with Kennison’s body. Tommy grabbed Kennison my his shoulders, while Donny scooped up his bent legs.

  “On three?” Tommy asked.

  “One, two,” Donny started the countdown.

  Kennison’s eyes widened as they approached the garbage chute. His muffled words were lost amidst the interaction. Kennison’s feet were brushed through first.

  Both men let go of Kennison’s body, watching the officer slide down the chute and disappear in the garbage room below.

  “What will happen to him?” Donny wondered. “Will he be okay?”

  “Yeah, we’ll get him out of there before we fire up the garbage room.” Sammy waved on his friends.

  Hell Is Burning

  “How’s our Doctor doing?” Lieutenant Wilkes approached the medical officer in the infirmary.

  “He’s stable, but in critical condition.” The officer walked around Nolan Drake’s listless body on the silver table.

  “Adrian Blakely installed this revolutionary medical technology aboard all of his ships.” Wilkes gazed across Drake’s body.

  “I have figured some of the new shit,” the officer replied with a healthy grin.

  “What’s your name Son?”

  “Logan Benjamin Voltaire,” the young brown-haired medic replied.

  “Your name strikes a chord. Is it a family name?” Wilkes took a liking to the officer’s name. “You have a very strong name. A natural-born leader.”

  “I get a lot of my strength from my grandfather, Dwight Stephens.”

  “You mean the Dwight “Bud” Stephens?” Wilkes referenced Logan’s diversified family tree.

  “Yes, he’s on New Earth as we speak with my grandmother, brother, mother and father.”

  “That’s a lot of people. Why did you stay behind?”

  “Commander Gordon’s a close friend of my grandfather and asked
me to stay and help his crew aboard the Athena.” Logan walked around the table taking frequent glances at Drake’s immobile body. He routinely took his pulse, taking notice of the quieted murmur. “He’s still alive.”

  “So, your grandfather’s on New Earth? I’ve heard many tales about his legendary marine career.”

  “He definitely has a decorated career,” Logan fondly spoke of his grandfather’s legacy. “I may be only eighteen, but I have an overwhelming respect of what he stands for.”

  “You should Son,” Wilkes answered back. “Dwight “Bud” Stephens is a hero. A Sergeant in the Marines, a rifle expert, and several good conduct merits. And his work in Afghanistan after the New York City terrorist attacks, well, there are days even I look to him for courage.”

  “We need to get to New Earth and help our people,” Logan said. “And as for the medical technology, we can now regenerate any part of the body using the Swarm technology.”

  “I’ve heard of it.”

  “Yeah, it is definitely cool stuff. Like the stuff you see in the science fiction movies, or read in the books.”

  “What does it do exactly?” Wilkes questioned Logan’s knowledge.

  “It uses nano-technology to re-establish healthy cells, limbs, and organs. Basically, it revives anyone to perfect health. It certainly doesn’t help keep the population in check.”

  “Well, right now it’s only offered on the high-end of society, and in the military.”

  “Mr. Blakely definitely has his hand in almost every cookie jar imaginable.” Logan took Drake’s pulse again.

  “Ain’t that the truth.”

  “Anyway, the Swarm technology, basically ‘swarms’ over the patient’s body, reads their DNA and using the patient’s cell history, restores the damaged areas. The whole process is super cool.”

  “Impressive.” Wilkes scratched his stubbly chin.

  “The President wants me to use this technology on Doctor Drake to restore his legs and health for this daring mission.”

  “Well then, let’s get to it.” Wilkes urged the medic to continue with his work. “Do you need anything from me?”

  “Water, fresh towels, and my medical kit over there by the cabinet, please.”