Pew! Pew! - Sex, Guns, Spaceships... Oh My!

by M. D. Cooper

  Revco sat up, gasping, as if waking from a nightmare. A nasty gash had a garish cascade running down his face. Saverna swallowed the bile rising in her throat and hobbled over to him.

  “Revco?” she said. “We need you.”

  He stared at the red stains on his hands and clothes, his face growing increasingly pale.

  Saverna grabbed his shoulder. “It looks worse than it is. Get yourself together.”

  “Oh my.” He almost passed out from touching the gash on his head.

  “Heads bleed a lot. It’s nothing to worry about.” Saverna slathered wound cleaner to a bandage and stuck it over his wound. Before he could balk, she jabbed him with pain reliever. “All better.” She did her best to smile, but her mouth refused. “It’s only me and Qeb. Everyone else is injured or dead. . You have to help.”

  Revco rolled onto his knees and steadied himself on an overturned chair. “Let’s be brave.”

  Saverna raised her chin. “I have been so far.” She led the way to the nearest clump of moaning passengers. Three were dead. Revco grabbed the wounded and started pulling her to an open area. Saverna stopped him.

  “The injured shouldn’t be moved. It could hurt them worse,” she said.

  “Young lady, there’s little we can do except make them more comfortable.”

  A chill pulsed in her veins. “What do you mean? We can have medical bring gurneys. I know basic first aid, but this is beyond what I can do.” Her head swam. She had to sit down, plopping down beside a dead man.

  Qeb returned and cleared his throat. “There was a hull breach. We’re sealed inside the deck.” He said nothing new and licked at his swelling lips.

  Saverna clutched at his pant leg, shaking him. “What else? What’s going on?”

  “Life support is still functioning. Gravity is partially working.” He shrugged at the upside down observation deck. “The hull breach is contained.”

  “What’s the bad news?”

  “The collision took out the command deck, communications, and five passenger decks.”

  Saverna sat up straighter. “We’re on our own?”

  “For now. ORS was summoned. They’re on their way.”

  The hammering of her heart slowed, and Saverna inhaled slowly. “Which squad?”

  “Didn’t say. Just told us to hang tight.” He surveyed the walls. Saverna followed his gaze. Water ran down, pooling on the floor that used to be the ceiling.

  “We have to move to higher ground,” Qeb said.

  Saverna grasped his hand and pulled herself to her feet. “Are we flooding? How can we flood?”

  Chapter 12

  The transport carrying Saverna came into view. Nikili commanded Vulture to zoom in. A chunk of ice three times bigger than the ship protruded from the hull. The transport was upside down. Chairs, beds, clothes, food, and bodies littered the sky. The captain bumped onto the front view panel and stuck, his lifeless stare accusing Nikili.

  “That’s an unpleasant view,” Chaquita said.

  Nikili sent Vulture into a dive to shake the captain loose. He squeaked as if bloated.

  “Some people don’t know when to let go,” Hook said. He glanced at Nikili. “Huh, babe?”

  Jaw held stiff, she concentrated on flying Vulture. “What’s the latest on the transport? Can you raise Saverna, Chaquita?”

  “Communications are down.” Chaquita flicked her hair out of her face, glaring at Hook.

  It was nice to have her as an ally, but now wasn’t the time for family dramatics. Not until their family was whole and safe. Nothing else mattered other than saving her daughter. “Where was Saverna assigned quarters?”

  “She’ll be wherever there are survivors,” Lucy said. “I’ll ready the gear.” She handed an ORS spacesuit to Hook. “Get her dressed. Meet the three of you by the hatch.”

  Nikili did her best to cooperate as Hook clad her in her ORS suit. Vulture thwarted him regularly, requiring her entire attention. She eased the salvager out of Spaceberg’s wake. The salvager dipped and shuddered. Her knuckles turned white squeezing Hook’s joystick, but the ship made it through the worst, and the worst of Spaceberg would bypass the transport.

  Putting the transport in navigation’s targeting crosshairs, Nikili flicked her wrist to disengage from the command chair. “You have your course, Vulture. Commence with autopilot.”

  “Was that good for you?” the AI asked.

  “What?” Nikili stepped into her space boots. “Hook, you need to put a muzzle on your AI.”

  Cheeks appearing more flushed than usual, Hook typed Toaster.

  The computer sensors flashed blue, and the AI’s voice dulled to a monotone. “What’s your command?”

  “Allow E51 access,” Nikili said. “E51 will keep the salvager stable while you tow in the transport.”

  “Affirmative,” Vulture said.

  Nikili twisted on her gloves and trudged to the bay door that would hold the transport when Vulture finished the tow. Lucy handed her a med kit and a repair kit. She passed kits to Hook and Chaquita as well.

  “On a better day, I’d zap you again and toss you in the corner,” Lucy said to Chaquita. “We need everybody, though. You’re part of everybody. Can you manage?”

  “Bring it on, sister.” Chaquita fastened her helmet. “I’m ready for anything.”

  “Spunk could make me like you. Be careful.” Nikili clapped her on the back. “Have you established communications with the transport, Vulture?”

  “Connecting now.”

  She secured her helmet and waited until Hook and Lucy did the same. When the doorframe flashed green, she slapped the control to open the hatch. It slid upwards, revealing an upside down transport. Water leaked out of it, staining the salvager’s hull with a growing puddle.

  Hair rose on the back of her neck. “What’s going on?” Nikili asked.

  Chapter 13

  Water as cold as a Titan winter sloshed around Saverna’s ankles, the level rising rapidly. Pouring in from vents and ducts, water streamed down the walls. With the doors sealed, she stood in a giant bathtub with Qeb, Lieutenant Revco, and the injured passengers.

  “We can’t leave them.” She shuddered, and not from the icy lake soaking her legs.

  Qeb was as pale as moonlight. He leaned against the wall, ignoring the frigid water pouring over his shoulder. “I’ve not the energy to move them. My arm won’t raise above my waist, your color is off, you can barely stand, and Revco is worse than both of us.”

  Saverna kicked at the water. “We could at least put the injured on things that float. Give them a fighting chance.”

  Lieutenant Revco clung to an upside down chair. “I am not good, but I’m not useless.” He straightened, surveying the observation deck. “There are ten injured and three of us. If we work together, it won’t take long.” He pulled out a Guyver Everything Tool. “Has the new anytime, anywhere duct tape.”

  “Never leave home without duct tape. We’ll make sure you only have to use one arm, Qeb.” Saverna tugged at his sleeve.

  Qeb left the wall. It took more effort and grunting than Saverna anticipated, but she didn’t give up. She didn’t let the men give up either. They moved the injured onto floating tables and chairs. They used the new and improved duct tape to secure patients to their makeshift rafts.

  The water lapped at Saverna’s thighs. The dead drifted among the debris, their lifeless hands bumping her legs. She had to leave and studied the walls. “It’s time to leave, fellas.” She headed for a duct not dripping water. “That’s our way out.”

  “No argument,” Qeb said. “We’ll boost you up so you can unscrew the bolts on the grate, then we hoist the lieutenant up who will pull us into the duct.”

  She nodded. “Sound reasoning.” She climbed onto Qeb’s good shoulder and used her Guyver Everything Tool to unfasten the grate. She peeked inside. She’d been wrong about there being no water in this duct. A trickle ran through it. With any luck, they’d find their way out before it roared w
ith a river.

  She handed down the grate and hopped off Qeb. They laced their fingers together for Revco Scott to use as a step. He jumped as they lifted. His legs disappeared into the duct. She and Qeb waited, staring at the hole. Saverna held her breath

  Revco poked his head over the edge and reached his long arms for Saverna and Qeb. She exhaled and leapt. She couldn’t catch his outstretched hand. Water rose to her waist, rising more rapidly. It numbed her legs. Qeb’s lips were blue.

  “I’ll give you a boost,” he said.

  “But…” Her fingers had no feeling and she brushed them over his blue-tinged cheek.

  “I was a hurdleball champ in the City Two league on Orcus. I’ll be right behind you.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Promise.”

  “Absolutely.” He kissed her cheek and grabbed her around the waist. He lifted her out of the water into Revco’s arms. Revco hauled her into the duct.

  “Crawl ahead and scout,” Revco said.

  She had to clamber over Revco to get past him. The trickle of water in the duct had grown to a steady stream. She paused. “You won’t leave Qeb?”

  “No. We’ll be right behind you.”

  “Both of you?”

  “You’re wasting time.”

  Saverna crawled ahead. The duct dipped down, and water flooded it half way. “Don’t go lower,” she begged. The transport lurched. She fell on her face. Her numbed limbs made it a struggle to get back onto her hands and knees.

  The transport careened, pitching the wrong way. A wall of water rushed at her, filling her mouth and nose. It swept her back. She slammed into Revco. They landed in the observation deck. Qeb caught her by the collar. She surfaced, sputtering and coughing.

  Revco emerged a moment later, gasping, and yelling. “We’re going to freeze before we drown.”

  Teeth chattering, Saverna splashed him. “That’s not comforting.”

  Frost coated Qeb’s hair and eyebrows. Revco’s too. It wouldn’t be long until she could touch the ceiling, which used to be the floor. She snatched a passing table for the three of them to hang onto. It couldn’t support their weight entirely. They still had to tread water.

  “Moving will keep us alive,” Qeb said. “Keep us warm.”

  Saverna glanced at the nearing ceiling. She kissed Qeb full on the lips. “One more thing to keep us warm.” She wouldn’t die without ever being kissed.

  Chapter 14

  Hook examined the data provided by Vulture. The transport was filling with water. The gravity was whacked out enough that the ship was upside down.

  “Life signs,” he demanded.

  Vulture cleared its throat. Any other time, Hook would have laughed. An AI didn’t have a throat. “Two hundred forty-nine, forty-eight.”

  Hook raised a gloved hand. “Enough.”

  “Nine hundred and twelve people boarded that transport,” Chaquita spoke as quiet as a hush. Her lips mumbled something silently. “Can you pinpoint Saverna’s biosign?”

  Nikili started toward the transport. “We need an entry point.” Out of her kit, she took a plasma cutter and started it up.

  Vulture moved a light to highlight an area near the top. “Beam marks the spot. Sending in over platforms and bots to assist.”

  Nikili vaulted onto the first platform and zoomed it up. Her plasma cutter touched the hull before the bots. Lucy and Chaquita joined her.

  “What about draining the water?” Hook remained on the floor, shrugging at the weight of the rescue kits biting into his shoulders.

  “Do you want to save it or eject it?” Vulture asked.

  “It’s pure water ice, right?”

  “Yes, Captain Raeder.”

  “It’d be a shame to waste it.”

  “Do you have a tank big enough?” Nikili’s amber eyes narrowed. “Saverna doesn’t have the time. Eject the water and collect it later.”

  “I agree.” Chaquita hated giving up any opportunity for profit.

  Hook arched a brow at her. “Bold statement from you, darling.”

  “Necessary. Get your ass up here and help us.”

  “I could divert the water into a new hold and set it to freeze,” Vulture said.

  “We need the resources for the rescue. Eject and tag it for later retrieval.” Hook boarded a hover platform and joined the ladies.

  Water poured out from the cuts. Pressure from the flooding deck pushed, knocking out the hull, sending it crashing to the floor. The bots set up a drainage system. Hook peered inside. A few folks tread water, screaming. Globs of green the size of tennis balls gathered around their bodies. Clouds of crimson surrounded them.

  “Huckamucka and a bucket of farts.” Hook’s mouth dropped open.

  “What are those?” Nikili scooped one up. The ball was all mouth and teeth. It latched onto her finger. A bot zapped it and it dropped to the ground with a splat.

  “Analyzing,” Vulture said.

  “Put E51 on it, too.” Nikili dove into the pool. Lucy followed on her heels. Chaquita trod to the edge. Hook held her back

  “Hand the folks out,” he yelled at Nikili. She could never wait on Hook; could never explain anything.

  She and Lucy pushed the passengers to Hook and Chaquita. Hook and Chaquita lifted them out onto platforms. Bots zapped away the moss balls. They had eaten clothes before starting on flesh.

  He searched every face; none belonged to Saverna. Nikili’s frustration sounded over the comm. link.

  “I’m going to find her,” she said, and dove down into the transport.

  Lucy followed.

  E51 monitored her every movement, and projected it onto the holographic chart on the other side of the hole in the transport’s hull. Lucy swam back periodically with another sodden passenger. None of them were Saverna. The patients quit coming. Nikili remained silent.

  “Is her mic on?” Hook asked. “E51?”

  “Affirmative.”

  “Kili? What’s going on?”

  Chapter 15

  The water inside the transport was a teal blue, growing whiter by the minute as crystals of ice formed at an increasing rate. They attracted each other, forming icy chunks.

  Nikili batted them away, scanning the information E51 scrolled over her faceplate. The transport’s AI had been corroded by the water and had shorted out. It couldn’t assist.

  She clicked off the channel Hook blabbered on, and retreated to a private frequency used on every rescue by herself, Lucy, and E51.

  “How did the ice become so much water? And why is it refreezing again so rapidly? Is the antifreeze missing in the ship’s nanites like on the Harene?” she asked E51.

  “Analyzing, ORS Echols.”

  Space did weird things to ordinary materials, but the effects on water and ice had been documented for centuries. No phenomena such as what happened on the hauler and what was occurring on the transport had ever been witnessed.

  The rush of water created competing tides, preventing Nikili from where she wished to go. The ORS suit kept her dry and warm, but it made movement awkward and slow. Aggravatingly slow. She tried to punch a wall. The water ruined her effort.

  “We need to move faster.”

  “Our jet packs won’t work under water,” Lucy said. “We need flippers.”

  “How about bots?” Nikili suggested.

  Two appeared and both she and Lucy latched onto them. The bots propelled them through the corridor.

  “Where is Saverna’s quarters, E51?” Nikili cursed every second ticking by.

  “Top floor, which is now the lowest level.”

  “She’s not stupid enough to have stayed in her room.” Nikili studied the schematic of the transport appearing on her faceplate. “Does anywhere still have air beside this deck?”

  “Observation deck.”

  “Have the bots tow us there.” She kicked to help the machine along. “She’s there. I know she is.”

  “I agree,” Lucy said. “She’s smarter than you.” She paused at an open door
. A dead body bobbed, the woman’s shirt snagged on a closet hook. Red pooled around her in a garish fog. A green ball was latched onto her knee. “Are they eating the people?”

  Nikili shuttered. “Don’t think about it. Keep going.”

  “We’ll think about it lots when they start eating us.”

  “You don’t taste good.”

  “Wet noodles to you, Echols.” She wrinkled her exotic nose. “It’s you who needs seasoning.”

  “You know what, Lucy?”

  “Is it Christmas?”

  “The green reminds me of holly.”

  “You know the weirdest customs.” Lucy batted away a green ball headed straight for her. “This,” she gestured at her body, “is a no ball zone.”

  “Ditto.”

  The bots ferried them to the observation deck. The doors were locked, sealed off due to the earlier hull breach. The death of the AI had kept them sealed.

  “Too bad balls don’t eat doors,” Nikili said. She pounded on the door. “Hold on, Saverna. Mama’s coming.” She took out her plasma torch. “Where’s the optimum spot, E51?”

  “Your bot is shining a light on it. It’s not the last hole you have to cut. The life signs inside don’t have spacesuits.”

  “They’ll need an exit. Understood.”

  “Their bio signs are distressed.”

  “I’m cutting as fast as I can.” She set the plasma torch on high.

  The bots powered on their cutters. Lucy set to work as well.

  “We’ll be in time.” Lucy’s brow furrowed as deeply as Nikili’s.

  Moss balls gathered around them, their teeth gnashing at gloves and boots.

  “E51, send more bots to play guard dog.” Nikili elbowed a pesky moss ball. “Or fetch. Whatever works.”

  “Space balls takes on new meaning,” Lucy said.

  “I can’t laugh until Saverna is safe.”

  A bot arrived with a loader. It vacuumed up the creatures, clearing the area.

  “Sucking balls.” Lucy grinned and kicked at the section of wall they’d been cutting.