Waiting

by Gary Weston

  On the floor, curled up in the fetal position, he kicked and squirmed as if he was giving birth which in the way of his kind he was. Like a torrent of maggots, the wriggling creatures poured from his mouth, eager to find their host bodies, blindly following their instincts. More and more they came, a constant flood from the mouth of the human who was once Sam Clifton.

  Beech became mesmerised as they spread out, covering the floor, surrounding her, some climbing up her legs. She screamed, desperately trying to brush them away, but more came and her entire body became covered in them. Others could smell the embryos in their chambers and started climbing up the sides.

  The door swished open and Jacobs stood there with a small laser in his hand, the only weapon on the Goliath.

  'Move and I will kill both of you.'

  Then he took in the nightmare before him. His feet squashed dozens as he ran to the switch and yanked it down and the incubation chambers closed up like giant clams protecting the embryos. From the wall he grabbed a fire-extinguisher and blasted Beech with the dry powder, the tiny creatures dropping from her, many dying.

  The creature that looked like Clifton was still spewing out the aliens from his mouth and was blindly crawling towards the door. Jacobs took careful aim and fired the laser and the red beam burned a neat hole through the hosts head. It dropped flat on the floor, still twitching from the horrors it carried.

  Jacobs locked the door to prevent anyone coming in while the madness was going on. He watched the vile creatures now cut off from their intended victims, stamping on any coming too close to him. One by one they died, nothing they could find to sustain them. From Beech's hair several dropped dead to the floor. Beech stood screaming at the horror of it all, saw Jacobs and held her hands out towards him, her eyes imploring him to forgive her. Awkwardly she stepped towards him and with a shaking hand he pierced her heart with a single shot and she dropped to her knees, her hands still reaching out to him as she died. From her mouth wriggled a tiny alien and Jacobs squashed the obscenity with the heel of his boot.

  Jacobs stood with his hands shaking and he threw the weapon across the room. All around him was death. An anger suddenly rose up from somewhere deep inside him and he grabbed another fire-extinguisher, killing anything still wriggling. Like a man who had lost his mind he kept going until the extinguisher was spent and he dropped it to the floor where its metallic clatter echoed like an old plague bell. Somebody hammered at the door.

  'JayJay. It's Valerie. Let me in.'

  'No. Not yet. Stay away, Val. Keep everyone away from here.'

  He stayed for another hour until he was certain every tiny alien parasite was dead before he finally opened the door.

  Chapter 76

  'Confidence, Lieutenant Nolan. Confidence.'

  Nineteen year old Del Nolan had no idea what was going on as she sat ready at the controls of the fastest, deadliest ship in the fleet. 'Sir. The war is over.'

  Maxim buckled himself into a seat behind the pilot. 'The war is over when I say it's over. Take off.'

  'Yes, sir.' The Venom rose off the launchpad and hovered. 'May I ask where we are going, sir?'

  'Find the enemy. South eastish.'

  'South eastish? Could you be a little more specific, sir?'

  'Of course. When somebody starts shooting at us, we are there.'

  'South eastish it is, then.'

  The Venom flew over desert and desolation in a southerly direction. Then the ship stopped, hovering one hundred yards above the ground.

  'Sir?'

  'Nolan?'

  'Sensors have picked up recent activity. A heat trail from an engine. Heading due south.'

  Maxim stared at the huge screen above the pilot. Not enough survived of this city for anyone to make it their home. 'Heading due south? That would be on desert highway from the Base.'

  'Yes, sir. The heat signature is one of our chargers. I'm not aware of our people out here.'

  'They aren't. This is our target. Can you track them?'

  Nolan made adjustments and a thin trace line crossed the screen. 'That way, sir.'

  'Shooters at the ready,' said Maxim.

  'Shooters ready, sir.'

  'Forcefield activated.'

  'Forcefield activated, sir.

  'Find them. Return fire only.'

  'Yes, sir.'

  Maxim followed their progress on the screen. Eventually they reached a small town with negligible war damage. Here, a semblance of human activity could be seen and civilians scattered at the sight of the black ship as it floated almost serenely above them. Not everyone took flight. From a window of a three-story building, a laser cannon fired at the ship, its power easily deflected by the forcefield.

  'We could wipe them out, sir.'

  'Hardly a fair fight, Lieutenant Nolan. I'll hail them.'

  'External speakers and directional microphone on, sir.'

  'This is President Maxim. Gunther, you treacherous dog. You have something I want.'

  'The war is over now, Maxim. Go home.'

  Maxim said, 'Gunther. You may have noticed our nice new ship. Lasers can't touch us, but we can hit you. If you want us to demonstrate we can, but I cannot guarantee the lives of those in our range.'

  'This is Salamandra. The war is over. What is it you want?'

  'Gunther knows. I want the unit he stole from my Base. Hand that over I swear we will not use our lasers.'

  Gunther said, 'Just go. Leave us in peace.'

  'Lieutenant Nolan. That building. Red sandstone, two stories. Is it occupied?'

  'Nothing showing on the infrared.'

  'Then flatten it.'

  The two cannon shooters destroyed the building in less than four seconds.

  'Have I made my point, Gunther? The next building will be occupied.'

  There came a long pause, then a drone came out of a window and flew towards the ship. It landed underneath the ship, left a box on the ground then returned to the window disappearing inside.

  'If that isn't the unit we will come back,' said Maxim.

  From the belly of the ship came a line with a three fingered grapple which wrapped delicately around the box and retracted back in the shop. The ship turned around to fly back to the headquarters. Twenty miles out of the town, it stopped and dropped like a stone.

  Changah grinned, slapped Salamandra on the back and said, 'They aren't the only ones with fancy equipment, my friend. They are most fortunate we have only disabled their electronics and not given them a bomb.'

  'They can walk away from this. All they've lost is a ship, not their lives. They can reflect on that as they walk across the desert.'

  'Indeed. You have returned at a most propitious time. We need your genius to help us plan and rebuild our cities.'

  Bridget said, 'I hope there is a place for us here, too?'

  'We need all the young healthy people we can get,' said Changah. 'You are all most welcome.'

  'Sounds good to me,' said Staples. 'Nathan. Fancy a stroll around this fair town?'

  'Why not,' said Willis.

  They stepped out into the sunshine and with no particular place to go, they walked off leisurely in the late evening sunshine.

  'Not a bad place,' said Willis. 'I could settle down here. I mean, you heard Changah. Studs like us are needed to repopulate the place. I'll not hold back from doing my part.'

  Staples said, 'I'm afraid I'm a one woman kinda guy.'

  Willis pulled up and said, 'Bridget?'

  'Fate has conspired to throw us together here. Can't argue with fate.'

  'Love. You intend to woo this woman with your charm and good looks, I suppose?'

  Staples shrugged. 'But of course.'

  'Good luck with that, then. Where are you going?'

  'To woo Bridget with my charm and good looks of course. No time like the present.'

  They were almost back to the building when they saw something that stopped them dead in their tracks. Taking a carefree walk in the sunshine were Bridget and Sa
lamandra. They were oblivious to Staples and Willis as they held each other and kissed passionately. Then, hand in hand they blissfully walked away.

  Willis said, 'I did warn you, pal. It's Marcia Potts all over again.'

  'Crap!'

  Chapter 77

  'Major Gunther. Good to hear from you again.'

  'Not major, Captain Jacobs. Just plain old Otto. I'm a civilian now. Things are ok here now. We have a long way to go, but there's no more killing. What is your status?'

  Jacobs laughed. 'Let's just say we have lived through interesting times. Otto. Sam Clifton turned out to be the carrier of the aliens. He's dead now. So is Sandy Beech.'

  'Little Sandy? How come?'

  'She wasn't quite as innocent as she looked. She was the one helping the aliens all along. I killed her.'

  There was a pause then Otto said, 'Probably for the best. And those aliens?'

  'All dead. Without hosts, they soon withered and died. There remains were evacuated out of the airlock with Clifton and Beech. Gone forever.'

  'Excellent news. How are your plans for settling on Spero going?'

  Jacobs said, 'Coming along. The storm has stopped and the terraformers are making a good job of things. The atmosphere is almost breathable. We can see the new oceans at last. I'd say another year and we'll be on Spero raising two thousand babies.'

  'Great. Talking of babies reminds me. My daughter Bridget and her husband Salamandra are expecting. Hey. I'm going to be a grandfather.'

  'That is good news. My future is with Valerie Cormack. We plan to adopt a couple of the babies and bring them up as a family.'

  Gunther said, 'You must send me pictures.'

  'Don't you worry. We'll all keep in touch.'

  'Yes. Well, you all take care, Captain. I'll stay in regular contact. Good luck, over.'

  Chapter 78

  One Year Later

  'Shush! They've just dropped off to sleep.'

  'Finally,' said Jacobs, sipping a cloudy brown beverage. 'Come and sit with me and tell me what you think of this one.'

  Valerie Cormack quietly closed the door behind and tiptoed across the porch, carefully avoiding the pothole still full from the rain the day before. She sat on the pile of handmade bricks they had fashioned into a bench and took a glass from Jacobs.

  'On a scale of one to ten, I'll give this beer a minus three.'

  Jacobs grinned and said, 'Really? That good? I knew I was getting the hang of it.'

  She squeezed his hand and breathed in the early evening air. 'Either that sulphur smell is going or I'm getting used to it.'

  'Probably a little of both.'

  He pointed vaguely at the horizon and said, 'In another ten or fifteen years all those pine trees will be ready for us to start using. More buildings going up but made of wood, not these bricks.'

  'I quite like our bricks,' said Val. 'An interesting colour.'

  Jacobs was part of the brick production team, making a thousand bricks per day. They had a dark blue tinge to them due to the unique elements in the clay they used. Fifty three buildings were already made from it. The dwellings were allocated by a lucky dip draw and most were occupied by young couples who had adopted babies. Those not yet with a place to live in stayed on the Goliath. It had survived unscathed from its landing, protected from the entry through the atmosphere by the marsillium coating.

  Jacobs had stepped down from the leadership position he had never been comfortable with, but took part in the town planning meetings and his opinions were always valued. There was often talk of forming a more formal council, but that smacked of politics and they all remembered where that had gotten them.

  The sparkling rivers had been stocked with various species of fish most of which adapted and thrived. The nearest lake at the foot of a range of green hills had been turned into a fish farm and provided enough for everyone. Chickens were free to roam where they pleased, but stayed close to the community, pecking at the tilled ground and the scraps thrown to them, providing eggs for those who searched for them.

  A lowland plain was being cultivated with a dozen different crops with more added to as the seasons changed. Everyone had their part to play. They flourished in the pristine environment and vowed to keep it as unspoilt as possible. In a couple of years the sounds of children playing would remind them all to take care of Spero and it would take care of them. The schoolhouse was already half built; the blue clay tiles catching the sun in the mornings.

  Spero was a little cooler than Old Earth as it had become known and they had settled close to the equator for the most temperate climate. This was late spring and the evenings could be chilly still. In the winter it had snowed slightly and the far away mountain range still had a dusting of snow on the peaks.

  A few of the goats had taken off and had made a new home in the mountains, but enough still remained in the communal farm to provide milk and meat. One day when their numbers allowed, their hide would provide clothing and blankets. Birds were flourishing and people would take educated guesses as to what they were as they flew overhead as if keeping an eye on the proceedings.

  As they had orbited the Goliath prior to landing, they had seen the alien ship which had been hidden by the dense cloud. They had decided to land the Goliath on the opposite side of the planet, not wishing to be near a constant reminder of how close they had come to be used as hosts by the aliens. Nobody suggested investigating that ship.

  Valerie was in high demand as both a parent to their adopted children, and as the community doctor. The medical facility on the Goliath was always intended to be that for decades after landing. She mostly treated wounds from occasional accidents as they were labouring on many activities. She also administered birth control to those wanting it because with so many babies to care for, very few decided to have a baby of their own at that time.

  The rest of her time was spent with her family and she shared all the duties with Jacobs who was a natural as a father. They had given the babies Latin names, the boy named Sono meaning to make a noise because he cried the loudest and the girl, Una, meaning together.

  It was a busy, contented time. According to the occasional radio report from Otto Gunther, the Earth was still in an uneasy peace and both sides were too busy rebuilding to have time to kill each other. How long that would last was anyone's guess. They swapped images of the babies through the radio enhancer, Gunther's pictures often showing him beaming with pride holding his granddaughter Juliet in his arms.

  None on Spero expressed regret for leaving Old Earth. This was all about a new start for the human race and Earth's survival depended on a fragile peace. This was all about creating a better world.

  'I'm getting chilly,' said Valerie. 'And these bricks are are far from comfortable.'

  They went into their cabin, closing the door behind them. The babies were still blissfully silent, even Sono and Valerie resisted the temptation to look in on them. Although they thought the babies were sound asleep, they weren't aware that Una had stirred. She stretched and yawned. She opened her eyes and for a second, a strange light glowed in them, then vanished. She closed her eyes again and drifted off into a deep sleep.

  The end.

  Hi. Many thanks for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. This is NOT part of a series. But if you did like this one, here are a few more space operas for you.

  'Last Flight for Craggy' A six part series, first one free. Here are a couple of the many Amazon reviews.

  A fun story where an old guy is being forced to retire but to teach his replacement first. Been there done that. Things happen and the crusty old guy ends up becoming a valuable resource of practical knowledge who trains a bunch of new people and becomes a hero in the process. A fun story with a bit of real life mixed in.

  Well... how nice to read SciFi that isn't all bang bang shot 'em up blood and guts!!! Great story, even if it was a little mushy, and I liked the names he gave his characters - "Raz Berry"? - (my favourite). And 5 stars is not to say how I judged his
skill as a writer... It's to say that I just really enjoyed the read.

  Deep Space Intelligence: Complete is a follow on from the Craggy books. A couple of reviews here.

  This author is always a great read. Not just a great read but as always a fun read everyone can enjoy.

  Very good hard to put down, it was a interesting following to the Craggy books, need more to go with the rest.

  Plenty more where those came from. Now. I noticed more than half of my sci fi reviews come from you ladies. Must be something to do with the strong female characters. (Damned if I'd argue with any of them!) So. Can I point you into another direction with a paranormal crime thing? Dusty Miller. As tough as they come. Set in New Zealand. Her Amazon fans say this.

  Well written, couldn't wait to turn the page. The author brought out each character as if, I knew them personally. It was if I was part of the story. continue writing realistic books.

  Now about this series. Dusty-Miller #2 looks into the vile world of dog fighting. Why? At the time in New Zealand, gangs were stealing dogs and fighting them. My own much-loved dog Minnie is the character in this book. Trust me. It all turns out ok in the end.

  More for you ladies. The Amazing Abigail Jones. Ok. The first chapter could hurt, but get beyond that, Jones takes you places you couldn't imagine. One smashwords reviewer wrote,

  This is the first novel I have read by Gary Weston. He has written over 47 books.

  After fifteen-year-old Abbey Jones’ dismal introduction sets the tone for her adventure, she has numerous hazardous encounters that take surprising turns.

  Part of what makes Abbey Jones’ adventures intriguing is Weston’s writing style. It is crisp, straightforward and economical yet the portrayals of the various characters and settings easily place the reader into the scene. He uses brisk action, direct dialogue, with little character introspection. With 72 short chapters, Weston’s writing moves quickly from scene to scene from action to action as Jones travels the world in a fashion a bit like MacGyver, a bit like Crocodile Dundee, and a bit like Robinson Crusoe. My favourite character was Pete.