Deathship (The Outsider Series Book 1)

Deathship (The Outsider Series Book 1) Page 23

by Steven Oaks

  “You go about getting poisoned, having political discussions, and almost being brainwashed. See how tired that makes you,” I said, stifling a yawn.

  “Luckily for both of us I do not require sleep no matter how exhaustive the daily business gets,” she said with a hint of false arrogance.

  “That is indeed lucky. I can just sleep all day and let you handle everything. No need for me at all. I think I will just take up painting. You will be able to make all the art supplies for me, and I will lock myself away for years and master the craft of creating masterpieces,” I laughed.

  “Do as you wish. I will take care of everything. I will even start the revolution on my own. No need for your human intervention,” she said, playing along.

  “On the other hand it would be a shame not to try and help save humanity. Well I suppose there is nothing more for it. I guess my dreams of being a great painter will have to be on hold until we get this Outsider mess all sorted,” I said with a sigh.

  “I am glad to hear you still will participate in our little mission. It would make it a bit easier if I had one such as yourself to interact with the locals. I am currently a little large to go and have conversations. But within a few years maybe we can get that sorted out, and then you will be redundant,” she said with an arrogant sound to her voice.

  “I’m glad you think so highly of me. Well you said we were almost done. When are we getting out of here and getting back down to Earth so I can get some dinner in me? I’ve had no lunch today, and breakfast was hours ago. The only thing you’ve been giving me has been tea, and while it has been very delicious, it is not a filling drink,” I said, feeling my stomach growl.

  “I think the last few are being taken now. In fact as I speak we are now empty of any humans save yourself. Also Michael you can ask for a snack at anytime, you do not have to go hungry,” she said with concern in her voice.

  “Athene you are wonderful. I was teasing you. I have not given myself time to think about eating today. Had I eaten anything more I think I would have had some issues with my stomach. It has been a long stress-filled day. Now that our assigned task is complete, are we allowed to leave?” I asked.

  “I am receiving a transmission stating we are free to go and return to the hangar on the ground,” she said.

  “What, no more personalized treatment? Just as well, I am in no mood to have any more conversations with Ava today. I suppose we should take a hint and head out,” I said.

  “I am now making our way out of the opened hangar door and we shall soon be back home safe and sound,” Athene said.

  I watched as we passed from the Outsider ship into the vastness of space. It seemed the hangar door was now facing towards the moon. As we made our way out I tried to spy Earth, but the sight was blocked by their enormous ship.

  Suddenly the screens filled with a bright light. We were forced forward and began to spin violently out of control. I was so disoriented I could not be sure of what was happening.

  “Athene what is going on?” I shouted, clinging tightly to the chair.

  “Michael it looks as though something exploded within the Outsiders ship. From what I recorded while we were leaving, it looks like the bulkhead wall where the bodies were being guided forcefully exploded outwards. Currently we are one of many ships being scattered across this area of space. The Outsiders main ship seems to have sustained much more damage than the crafts they created to gather the dead. Though several seem to be damaged and are leaking air into space,” she said.

  She finally had us under control and turned us around so I could observe the destruction. I could see the Outsider’s ship had been horribly damaged, at least on the inside. The outer shell seem to still be intact, but what I could make out of what had been the hangar was a mess of debris and what looked to be blood or some other red fluid.

  “Athene is their ship bleeding?” I asked.

  “It certainly does appear that way. I have gone back and reviewed the moments just following the explosion and I can see the metal that we observed around us was just a thin layer over what seems to be a biological structure underneath,” she said.

  “What? Why would they do that? I mean they can obviously create machines with enough complexity that they would not have to rely on biological material. You survived that sort of explosion, and it appears many of the other ships have as well. That makes no sense,” I said puzzled.

  “That is true Michael. The other ships constructed like myself who were outside seem to have made it away with little noticeable damage. Sadly the ones still unloading seem to have been obliterated. At least this gives us a notion as to why their ship seemed to pulsate. It had a pulse and seems to be a living thing,” she said humorlessly.

  “Athene see if they are transmitting anything. If so answer, if not, see if they need assistance of any sort,” I said, thinking this might be an unforeseen opportunity to start our plans for getting us free of their influence.

  “They have sent a message telling everyone to make their way back to Earth, but after that there has been silence. I have asked if they needed and assistance and there has been no response Michael. The other ships that are not damaged are making their way back to Earth,” she said.

  “Athene it looks like we are the farthest out of this batch of ships, do you think the Outsiders ship is paying us any attention?” I asked.

  “I do not think they have much left to pay attention to us with. I was surprised by even their message for us to evacuate back to Earth. If their ship’s construction is mostly of a biological nature they are hardly in a position to do anything,” she said.

  I noticed what looked to be a little flame shooting out one of the sides of the Outsider vessel and their ship seemed to be slowly coming towards us.

  “Athene do you think that is on purpose? They are heading right for us, though slowly.” I asked, pointing at the screen.

  “It is a possibility. However we are in a direct line between the Moon and them. It is possible they are trying to retreat to its location,” she said.

  “Lets just get out of their way shall we? Take us the long way around and start us towards the Sun. Slowly though. Lets see if they’ll try to stop us, or say anything,” I said.

  “I think I understand Michael,” she said.

  We began to pass around their ship to head towards Earth, but more towards the Sun. I wanted us to get out of the line of sight of their ship and see if we could head away without being noticed.

  They did not follow us, nor was another message transmitted to us to tell us to return to Earth. When we passed beyond the curvature of the Earth, and could no longer see either the Moon or the Outsiders ship, I said. “Alright Athene, I know it’s risky, but I think we should take this opportunity to head towards the Sun and get you duplicated.”

  “Are you sure we should do that now? I understand your desire to get it over with as soon as possible, but how are we to explain to anyone why we went missing for so long. Remember it will take a couple of days at least to completely remake myself using only the sun,” she said.

  “I know, but damn, this may be our only chance. We will be more likely to succeed if you can more easily evade discovery when they interface with you every evening,” I said.

  “They can call up my code anytime they wish, but I understand your meaning. They do tend to do a more thorough inspection when we are grounded in their hangar. That still will not explain to them how long we will be missing,” she said.

  “Well how about this. I am an overbearing pilot and I convinced you to take us on a trip around the solar system. Sure I might get in trouble, but I seem to be in their favor at least for the moment. They may not fire me after that. I mean it’s not like we can bring the containers of dead to their ship right now. It will take them time to repair. Perhaps longer than it wil
l take us to get you into another ship,” I said, then suddenly realized something. “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be limited on how far you can travel away from Earth?” I said, suddenly nervous.

  “That was true, but when transporting the dead to the Outsiders that limit is taken off. So how about we do this. I will start construction of the new ship on the way to the sun. By the time we get there I will have it large enough to store your things and myself inside. I will then destroy this first vessel and hopefully get the new ship fully back to this original size by the time we return,” she said.

  “I think that sounds like a great idea. I mean as shaken up as everyone is now I think you could get away with just having the outside look right and be able to continue fixing it up even if we were on the ground.” I said.

  “I suppose I could do that. I could send myself off to destroy this first ship on its own. The only reason I felt we should be near a star would be of course for the power that being that near would bring, but also so that I could easily remain in contact with it to make sure of its destruction. If I were to do as you say it would be more like committing suicide. I would be alone at that point,” she said with a hint of sadness to her voice.

  I sighed, “That might be the case, and I do not wish that upon you. How about you just have this ship wiped of any personality before you send it off. Just give it enough instructions to head directly into the Sun,” I said, trying to think of a way to offer the least amount of trauma to my friend.

  “I do not know why I did not think of that. That is the best of all worlds. I will be alive inside a new ship, and not one part of me would have to experience the total destruction of self that flying into a star would offer,” she said enthusiastically. “We are now out of visual contact with the Outsiders ship. I am heading us towards the Sun now. I will try to keep something between us and the Moon on the way there. The storage hold currently is being converted into living quarters for you. This will be a slow process until we get near enough to the Sun to start creating matter more easily,” she said.

  “Athene do you have to create matter to do this? I mean can’t you cannibalize yourself here and eventually reduce the size of this original ship?” I said.

  “That is what I am doing. But to be sure there is nothing left of their control over me I will need to build new structures that have none of the original involved. If I was near enough to a mass of matter I could just use that and convert it to the new me, but in space there is not an abundance of such things,” she said.

  “Can you find a large asteroid, comet, or something nearer by we could use as construction material?” I asked.

  “There are a number out here, however if I were to try to land on one, it might cause us to come in sight of the Earths moon.” She said.

  “I think we should risk it. The sooner we can have you changed over the better,” I said.

  “Perhaps you are right. Remember I can move very fast, but I cause a ripple of gravity. I shall have to be very careful to get close enough to one without alerting anyone to what we are doing. This original ship will be taking its time when it begins its journey into the Sun. We shall just have to hope it will be unobserved while the Outsiders repair their own ship,” she said.

  “Lets do it then,” I said enthusiastically.

  As I watched out the screens I was taken by the vastness of space. Earth was now shrinking into the distance behind us. Inside I felt a loneliness few humans had ever felt as I watched my world fade into the black void. Whether or not we succeeded today mattered little to me, as I now felt like a true explorer. I was further away from home than I had ever been. I was experiencing something no other person has. More than any human had ever been, I was now amongst the stars.

  Epilogue

  “What happened after that?” a quiet feminine voice asked, excitedly.

  Hearing the question shook me from my reverie. Try as I might I could not see anything. My eyes had been struck blind some time in the past, but I could not recall exactly how. Whomever had asked me to tell my tale must have sat patiently listening for hours, but I could not recall who they were.

  How long had it been since I had seen Athene? How had I even gotten here? I did not seem to be able to recall anything recently, and only could remember how Athene and I had tried to rescue humanity.

  “Many things happened. But who are you who so kindly listens to me tell all this?” I asked.

  “Do you not remember me? I am your granddaughter, Athene,” she said in sad voice.

  “I think I would remember my own granddaughter, especially one named Athene. I don’t even remember having a child,” I said suspiciously.

  “Oh grandma,” this woman or child said sobbing. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

  “I’m only upset because I can’t remember you, and I can’t see. Where am I?” I asked while trying to console this stranger.

  “You are in the hospital. You are getting the best care we can afford. You are quite old now, so it is no surprise you can’t see. I am here because you don’t speak much about what happened with Athene and the Outsiders. Can you tell me more?” she urged.

  I was felt tired, and in no mood to explain myself to this person. Granddaughter or not I wanted to rest.

  “Maybe later. I suppose I’m feeling my age now, and I want to get some sleep. Let this old one have her respite. Come back later and I’ll tell you more,” I said, yawning.

  “Okay Grandma, I’ll be back tomorrow. Now sleep well,” she said while a hand touched my head, and I felt lips kiss my cheek.

  I could hear her footsteps recede, and I tried to remember the years that must have happened between what I last remembered and now. Before I could fall asleep a final thought came to me. Why did I not feel old? There were none of the aches and pains I had always expected, but maybe it was some new medicine I am not aware of. Soon I drifted off, and thought no more.

 

 

 

‹ Prev Next ›