Wrath of the Carnelians (Europa)

by Jason Gehlert

  “Stop right there,” a man’s voice demanded the Senator to cease his action.

  The aged man held a scraped, silvered pistol entrenched in his hand and instructed the Senator to give in to his demands.

  “I can’t do that Riley.” Perry turned around. “I can’t let everybody and their mother on board Athena. I am on very strict orders from the President himself.”

  “Wrong answer.” Riley waved his men to surround the Senator. “We are getting on that ship one way or another. You promised me a golden ticket, remember?”

  “Over my dead body,” Perry agitated the rogue citizen.

  “Listen, we are not here to fight with you.” Riley reached for something behind his back.

  The door’s closed directly in front of Nolan Drake. He could see the back of the Senator as Perry continually argued with the fractured survivors.

  “Storm the elevator!” Riley demanded his team to carry out the order.

  Senator Perry tucked his hands back inside each of the jacket pockets. With his left hand, Perry pressed the remote control once more.

  “What are you doing?” Riley furiously asked. The older man couldn’t grasp what the Senator was attempting.

  “Like I said, you are not getting on that ship.” Perry took a full breath in and pulled out a small grenade tucked firmly inside his right hand.

  “Your persistent stubbornness will be the death of you.” Riley fired off a pinpoint shot into the Senator’s torso.

  Senator Perry took the force of the shot in his chest, letting a plume of down feathers scatter about the air. His right finger clipped the pin of the grenade and tossed it at the direction of the rogue gathering.

  Riley again fired off shot after shot at the defiant Senator, riddling the politician with a maelstrom of bullets.

  The cargo bay slowly entered the Athena’s docking station, allowing safe retrieval of the floating piece of steel.

  Drake pushed in the intercom button and alerted Logan and the rest of the team of their discovery. Within a few minutes, the entire team was back together again.

  “We’ve discovered Abagail’s cargo hold floating around Europa’s northern pole,” Drake hinted at the odd discovery. “And it might be the safe harbor for one our survivors.”

  “Really?” Logan peered through the doors of the docking station. “Was it a distress beacon?”

  “Yeah,” Tommy added. “It’s possible we have some survivors from Europa and the space station explosion,” Tommy brought Logan up to speed. “It’s hard to tell until we have the cargo hold within our own ship.”

  “The space station explosion?” Logan inquired.

  “Yeah, the space station’s flapping all over the place. Scattered debris, steel rods, and chunks of machinery coasting throughout space.” Drake meandered and then pointed out the window.

  “We need to see who’s in that cargo bay.” Logan gained access to the docking station, raising its doors, entering the password on the virtual keypad,

  Inside the magnificent room, [twice the size of the previous designs] the battered and scratched cargo hold lay immobile, still attached to the mechanical arm that had brought it inside from the frozen reaches of space. The crew carefully approached the clouded, smoking bay. A wave of frost gathered around the stranded cargo hold, smothering it underneath its protective blanket. The door slowly cracked open, scattering the icy frost about, adding another layer of eerie anxiety to the escalating situation.

  “Who is it?” Tommy asked, peering around Logan’s shoulder.

  “Perhaps a survivor of Amity, or Abagail,” Logan responded with earnest promise.

  A shaded individual lurked just behind the mist, waiting to emerge through the icy wall.

  “I can see a shadow, a distorted shadow.” Donny peered in closer.

  The awe-inspired crew simply stood several hundred feet away from the cargo’s position and stared in tranquilized anticipation.

  Donny in fact, had eagle-eye vision. “The individual’s leaning to one side, perhaps limping about. They are in need of medical attention.”

  “What’s your name?” Logan directed the question at the possible survivor. “We are from Earth and mean no harm.”

  “Why did you say that for?” Tommy slapped Logan on the shoulder.

  “It always works in the movies,” Logan added.

  “Yeah, right before the alien monster sucks your brains out from your nostrils,” Tommy said with a shiver.

  “And I watch too much television?” Logan countered back. “I think you have a problem with corny science fiction movies.” Logan grinned.

  “Anyway,” Tommy retorted with a sniff.

  “Do you see that?” Donny fingered the approaching entity.

  “Yeah, I do.” Logan took a closer look at the approaching survivor. “I know that face,” he said while shaking one of his fingers.

  The man teetered back and forth, slouched over seemingly dragging his knuckles across the floor. His skin ripped and jagged, hung loosely from his beaten frame. Drake could see several bullet holes littered the man’s wrecked body.

  “It’s..” Logan began his sentence of revelation.

  “Adrian Blakely,” Drake cut in as the body collapsed mere feet away from the crew member’s position.

  There laying spread out across the dank, cold silver tiles, the rutted remains of the opportunistic billionaire, Adrian Blakely, visible to all. His entire body drained of color, his skin splattered with blue freckles and several small pocked marks were strewn about his torn suit. Adrian’s fingers vividly twitched about as if he were attempting some sort of a last ditch heroic act. His eyes flittered about in eerie wildness, his mouth gushed several pools of blood that streamed down his chin, licking their way across the smooth, glassy tiled surface.

  The Return of Adrian Blakely

  “We need to get him to the medical infirmary,” Logan said, bending over attempting to grab Adrian squarely by the elbow. “Well, is anyone going to help me?” Logan stared at his peers, trying to arouse some sort of teamwork.

  “Uh, I suppose so,” Drake talked his way into helping the doctor. He shuffled across the floor, careful not to slip in the bloody residue beneath his feet, and simultaneously nursing his slow recovering left leg.

  “Tommy, get the bed ready, and Donny help him get the Swarm ready,” Logan barked the orders.

  “Taking charge are we now?” Drake riddled the doctor with questions.

  “I don’t mean to, but we have no other choice,” Logan said.

  “Still taking the medications aren’t you?” Drake stared over Logan’s sweating forehead.

  “It’s hot in here,” Logan defended his addiction.

  “Stop playing me.” Drake adjusted his grip on Adrian’s slick body. “This bastard weighs a ton.”

  “I’m surprised he’s still alive,” Logan, still amazed Adrian’s body absorbed the litany of gunshots.

  “He’s potentially the last survivor of Europa’s colonization attempts,” Drake noted Adrian’s battered look. “He definitely doesn’t get points for looks.” Drake sized up Adrian.

  “Look, I’m tied by the Doctor’s Oath that no one will be denied medical attention. The Swarm technology will revive his injuries and then we can determine what exactly happened out there.”

  “I don’t mind if you are addicted to pain killers, or whatever you are popping.” Drake looked down at the medicine bottle jingling about in Logan’s pocket.

  “Can we continue this at another time?” Logan purposely attempted to avert the odd dialogue.

  “Yeah, we can. But, I will bring it up again.”

  “I thought you didn’t care?”

  “I care because you are working on patients,” Drake pressed the issue.

  “Anyway,” Logan said while they both dragged Adrian inside the medical bay. “Tommy, is the table ready?” Logan skipped around the room with his eyes trying to fixate on the patient’s needs.

  “Here, let me take over,
” Drake waved over Donny and Sammy to assist him.

  “We are taking over for the Doc?” Sammy asked staring at Logan’s sweaty skin. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so. I need some water and rest,” Logan responded, relinquishing control of the situation.

  “Just tell us what to do,” Drake said. Two other crew members assisted him in lifting Adrian’s comatose body onto the cold metal table.

  “Okay,” Logan said while sipping from the water bottle. “Make sure he’s flat like a board. Arms and legs completely straight. Undress him for maximum regeneration. His eyes remain closed and check his pulse before we begin the process.” Logan’s thirst unquenchable, his fingers reached for yet another bottle of water.

  “Hey, slow down,” Tommy cut in taking notice of Logan’s excessive thirst. “We need those for the entire crew. The water’s in short supply ever since that whack job drained our supplies.”

  “His pulse is weak, but still there,” Drake responded.

  “We can begin then,” Logan added. “All you need to do is press that red button right over your head.” Logan pointed upwards over Drake’s right shoulder.

  “And then?” Drake asked with his finger inches away from the button.

  “Stand back and watch science’s greatest medical marvel at work.” Logan polished off the water bottle.

  “Is that what you used on me?” Drake asked.

  “Yup. And, it worked? Right?” Logan questioned the revived scientist.

  “I still have some pain in my left leg.” Drake swayed his body back and forth trying to recapture his lost balance. “Tommy, can you hand me my stick?” Drake motioned his head over in the direction of the cue stick.

  “Yeah, sure thing,” Tommy said, tossing over the stick.

  “Now, watch.” Logan raised his head and twisted it to the right.

  The crew watched in amazement while the Swarm technology inched its way up Adrian’s bloody legs, covering them completely in silver metallic nanocells. Within a few moments the Swarm snaked its course up Adrian’s hips and over his bloodied chest. Another final surge had covered Adrian’s neck and face, until the billionaire was completely covered underneath the metallic blanket.

  “And now, we wait,” Logan said rising from his chair.

  “For how long?” Donny asked Logan.

  “It took Mr. Drake here just under an hour,” Logan said approaching Nolan with caution. “And, he seems quite alright, wouldn’t you say?” Logan sized him up and down.

  “For the most part I’d agree with that.” Sammy took Logan’s side.

  “So, Adrian will wake up brand spanking new?” Tommy curiously stated.

  “If everything goes according to plan.” Logan walked around Adrian’s body. “His vitals are good,” Logan noticed the heart and pulse rates on the screen.

  “How can you tell? He’s not hooked up to anything?” Drake searched around, looking for any tubes, wires, or special equipment.

  “The Swarm sends out the patient’s vital statistics to the computer.” Logan tapped the monitor with his curled finger. “Yup, it looks like Adrian here will be just fine.”

  “That’s a relief,” Drake replied. “Now, we can find out what happened on Europa, and why they left for New Earth.”

  “We are only passing by Europa,” Logan addressed the crew. “Our mission was to find any survivors, which we have, and move on forward with our mission. Our objective states that once we land on New Earth, we are to meet up with the other teams, and begin to orchestrate our own survival.”

  “Does our nut case count as a survivor? Or, a likely candidate to be a casualty?” Drake offered his own opinion.

  “I think that counts, contrary to everyone’s opinions,” Logan added to the conversation. “Our new friend roaming about Athena, definitely warrants our undivided attention for the remainder of the trip.”

  “I agree with that philosophy,” Donny conjectured.

  “Speaking of that, where’s our philosophical friend?” Tommy noticed Kennison’s absence from the group.

  “I’m sure he went somewhere quiet to stroke that ego of his,” Sammy said. “He’ll be back once the grimy water rat smells food.”

  “We will watch over Adrian until he wakes up,” Logan lectured the group. He felt his hands growing clammy and slick. He started to rub them over his lab coat. “We still have a few more hours until we enter hyper drive again and finish our trip to New Earth.”

  “Can we crack open some food?” Tommy motioned over to Drake’s standard military issued knapsack.

  “Yeah, we will break up small rations for now.” Logan waved over Donny. “Donny, break up the rations in quarters for the rest of the crew.

  “What do we have in here?” Donny sifted through the backpack, eager to find out what was inside.

  “Granola, freeze-dried packs of fruits and vegetables, dried cereal and some water,” Drake cut in. “I grabbed what I could before Rambo began shooting up the kitchen.”

  “Tommy gets the granola bar, Sammy gets some cereal, and Logan you can chew on some dried fruit. Drake and I will share the veggies for now. Cool?” Donny motioned to the crew.

  “It’s good for now,” Logan stated.

  “It’s chow time,” Sammy and Tommy walked over for their rations. “It’s not sirloin steak, but it’ll do for now,” Sammy added.

  “You’re lucky there’s any food left.” Drake swallowed some peas and carrots.

  “We’re lucky the mental patient out there hasn’t resurfaced yet,” Logan responded while he watched the door. “He could be anywhere on the ship.”

  “I suggest we all stay in here for the remainder of the trip.” Sammy raised his box of Cheerios.

  “We will have to make our final rounds before we embark again. We can’t stay in here.” Logan once again monitored Adrian’s condition.

  “How is he?” Drake asked taking comfort in Logan’s vacated chair.

  “Stable. He’s almost there.” Logan watched over the monitor.

  “How can you tell?” Drake stared over at the fancy monitor.

  “Well, when his entire body’s covered in green, that’s a good thing. Any existing red area’s does not bode well for the patient. They might be minor injuries, or possible internalized bleeding that couldn’t be rectified.”

  “Does he have any red areas?” Drake asked.

  “There’s one left in his chest.” Logan noticed the red area on the screen. “It’s a pretty decent sized, but definitely not life-threatening.”

  “Shall we give him another few minutes?” Drake rose from the chair and headed over to the monitor.

  “We don’t have to,” Logan said turning around to face Drake, taking his eyes off the screen. Logan did not notice the red area growing in size. “He’s all done with the process.”

  They looked down at Adrian watching as the Swarm retreated back down his body and within a few moments, Adrian was once again visible to the stunned crew.

  “Okay, let’s back up and give him some breathing room,” Logan instructed the team to step away from Adrian’s body.

  “So, is he alive?” Drake ignored Logan’s orders and circled around Adrian like a hungry vulture.

  “I’d say so.” Logan placed his finger on Adrian’s wrist and took his pulse.

  “What now?” Drake asked while he stared over Adrian’s comatose state.

  “We will know in a few minutes once he starts to wake up.” Logan released his fingers from Adrian’s wrist. “Weird,” he mentioned to Drake who by now was standing beside Logan.

  “What’s weird?” Drake replied, unsure of Logan’s logic.

  “Adrian’s pulse is very strong, in fact, it’s like he never had any injuries.”

  “Perhaps he’s a fast healer,” Tommy added.

  “In that case, he’s a very lucky man.” Logan turned his head and peeked down at his pocket. “We all would love to have a recovery time like Mr. Blakely’s.” He stretched out his fingers trying to grab
the medicine bottle for one more dance with heaven.

  Adrian felt it growing within him, empowering the billionaire to open his eyes. The voice seemed to echo within his mind, stirring Adrian to lurch open his beady, black eyes.

  Adrian wake up, you have work to do.

  Drake was caught off guard by Adrian’s quickened reflexes, freezing in place. Adrian lurched at Drake, grabbing the unsuspecting scientist by the throat, digging his fractured fingernails against the side of Drake’s neck, drawing instant blood.

  “Hey!” Logan’s words fell on distracted ears. His fingers had the last remaining whitened pills clasped loosely.

  Adrian turned, forcing Drake back against the far wall, pinning him with his renewed strength underneath his left hand.

  “Hey, you can’t do that,” Logan said walking up behind Adrian.

  “I beg to differ,” Adrian growled, raising his right hand and flicked it to the side sending Logan flying across the room. Logan’s body smashed into the nearby medicine cabinet, shattering glass and the medication all over the tiled floor.

  Donny, Tommy and Sammy raced over to help the stunned doctor.

  “What do you want?” Drake forced the question, his windpipe crumbling underneath Adrian’s supreme strength.

  “My ship.” Adrian’s face was still lowered to the ground. “Where’s my Abagail?”

  “Abagail?” Drake couldn’t make any sense of anything. He coughed violently, forcing a pocket of blood to form inside his esophagus.

  “Did I stutter?” Adrian remarked with a snide crack of his neck.

  “The Abagail left for New Earth with her team,” Drake finally spat out the sentence mixing it with small traces of blood.

  “Her team?” Adrian slowly raised his head.

  “Did I stutter?” Drake mocked.

  “I am the team.” Adrian’s sinister eyes infiltrated Drake’s fearful pupils. “They left me for dead out there in that cargo hold.” Drake noticed something slithering underneath Adrian’s skin, worming its way up the left side of his neck. “They were left to die in the cold reaches of space.”

  “I’m sure they had a reason.” Drake managed to take the opportunity and wriggled free from Adrian’s taut grasp. “But, your new team found you, and saved you.” Drake attempted to play to Adrian’s wicked ego game.