by Troy Snyder
After Alexander finished latching down the truck he led Raixo to the cockpit where he stared confused at all the buttons and lights. There was also writing he seen throughout his adventure with Alexander, but never knowing what it said he dismissed it. He sat down in one of the chairs as instructed by Alexander and placed the straps around his shoulders and buckled them.
Alexander stared for a while at everything before deciding what to press. He started the plane before closing the back hatch and grabbed the worn handles in front of him, and with a gesture told Raixo to do the same.
“Just let it flow and do what I tell you. This would be easier with Trent here, but I sat through his vehicle talk quite a few times. I think we can do this.”
“Have you ever flown one of these,” Raixo asked.
“No, but like I said, I have listened to Trent talk about it quite a bit. Besides, I played a flight simulator in an arcade once. How hard can it be?”
Raixo seemed unsure what he meant by arcade, but it did not sound very good. Raixo gripped the handle tighter as the plane began to move outside of the hangar. With a turn Alexander lined the plane up with a large strip of paved land.
Reaching over Alexander pressed what looked like little metal bars in the middle forward sending the plane down the runway gaining speed. They went much faster, the bumps on the runway felt as if they would tear apart the plane. Alexander hit Raixo on the shoulder and made a gesture of pulling his hands to his chest. Immediately Raixo responded and started to pull back on the handles along with Alexander.
The plane began to lift off the ground, and once in the air at a steady speed, and ensuring no one was following them, Alexander produced the black bag he had gotten from his shopping. He emptied its contents out into his hands. Inside was a box, which Alexander explained to Raixo, that inside was a GPS to navigate them on the planet. Alexander set it up and placed it where he could see it, he did not want to rely on instruments he didn’t know, and he knew a GPS plenty well.
After near an hour of flying, and the entire adventure of the day, Alexander was famished. While Raixo kept the plane steady, Alexander ate some of the food he had brought. After he was finished he took over flying while Raixo ate.
“What is this wonderful delicacy?” Raixo questioned, examining the piece of food in his hand.
“It’s a sponge cake.” Alexander replied.
“It is magnificent.”
Alexander let out a short laugh and continued to concentrate on the dials on the dashboard. He knew that Antonio would be on a plane by now following them, he only hoped he could get there first and to take care of everything alone. He did not want his friends to suffer any more loss or pain. He needed to protect them, to protect everyone. He did not want to lose anyone else. Nate’s death was his fault, he had to find some way to make sure it was not in vain, and to ensure no one else had to suffer for his mistake. He would take the fight to Quetzalcoatl and not only get revenge, but at the same time save the galaxy from suffering for his mistake. He had no choice; this burden was on him.
Chapter 8:
It had been quite some time and Quetzalcoatl was only half way through his journey. Most trips like this would require a several man team, one or two people monitoring the ship while the other or others rest, however, Quetzalcoatl had no such luxury, nor a ship capable of moving very fast. After his time spent imprisoned and now this long voyage, he felt extremely alone. His father, if he was still alive, he knew, would have such a grand welcoming for him when he arrived, that all this would be worth it.
Quetzalcoatl pulled the ship to a halt in the middle of the endless void of space, this had become routine whenever he had to leave the controls, part of the reason the voyage was taking so long. His eyelids felt heavy and his muscles sore and stiff. Sleep deprivation was causing him to lose concentration easy, and he knew if this kept up he could make a fatal mistake.
Walking back into the hall he entered the room on the left next to the kitchen. Originally, he had not intended to use the rooms for himself, but rather those of his prisoners that sided with him, however, his need became too great and he relented. The room was small, but grandly decorated in the Dwarfish fashion, a bed rested in the corner, a small desk on the other side, and a dresser for clothes. The bathroom was in a small room in the kitchen, much to his resentment. Having to stop the ship to take his prisoners to the restroom one at time did not sit well with him, another delay, but them piling their excrement in his ship just would not do.
Weariness overcame him and he sank onto the bed. His body may have been exhausted, but his mind raced with plans and schemes to conquer his enemies. Scenes played over and over in his head of him defeating his enemies, sending them shattered from the field of battle. Such a mighty victory would be remembered throughout time, but first he had many things to do. With thoughts of victory and the pleasure of knowing he was going to get revenge, Quetzalcoatl curled up on the small bed and fell asleep.
Quetzalcoatl awoke sometime later; he did not know for sure how long he had slept. Feeling slightly refreshed he rose from the bed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands. It was only after he made it back to his seat he realized how hungry he was. His stomach was rumbling and he felt slightly light headed, now that he thought about it he could not remember when he ate last. The human food had been decent, but not something he enjoyed.
Leaving his seat once again, Quetzalcoatl made his way to the kitchen. Supplies were running low and if he kept his current speed they would run out before making it home. Grabbing something that crinkled to the touch, he put it in his mouth and it gave a tasteless flavor, nor breaking apart when he chewed the edge. Frustrated he attempted to grab different parts and tear into it, but his hands kept sliding right off.
Frustration threatened to overwhelm him, but he did not want to smash the food and risk wasting it. His face crinkled in frustration, contorting his snake like features. Letting out a hiss of anger he stormed off with the food and toward the hatch in the cockpit. Opening it up the smell of the prisoners’ reached his nostrils and almost ruined his appetite.
Answering his call, Gabriella climbed the ladder and the hatch was shut behind her. Her once pink shirt was now stained and wrinkled, with her pants much the same. Quetzalcoatl could not help feeling sorry for the girl ever so slightly. Kneeling down they were still not face to face and Quetzalcoatl put his green scaly hand on her shoulder, to which she flinched.
Quetzalcoatl pulled back his hand and stayed silent for a moment, “Do not fear me child, I mean you no harm.”
Gabriella looked up at him, her eyes seemed to have sunken in. She seemed much older than she was. Quetzalcoatl knew at that moment people had been stealing her rations, starving her, and she hadn’t been sleeping. “I just want to go home,” She said her voice cracking.
The sadness in the voice shot through Quetzalcoatl’s heart, he needed her on his side. His stomach was completely blocked from his mind, he handed the child the food and put his arm on her shoulder again, “We are going home.” though it was his home.
Quetzalcoatl sent the child to the kitchen, she walked away hugging the food like someone was going to take it. She opened the bag easily and began to eat the contents within ravenously. He felt an overwhelmingly strong desire to punish the prisoners for hurting such an important child, but he still needed them as well. Slamming his fist into the counter he saw the child jump, startled.
“I am sorry, Gabriella. I am not angry with you. Please, there are towels and clothes I set in the bathroom,” he said gesturing to the room off the kitchen.
She complied and when Quetzalcoatl saw her again she was in the clothes of the Dwarves he had found. They were loose on her small frame, compared the large muscled dwarves, but she looked a lot better than before.
With a gesture, Quetzalcoatl invited her to sit next to him at the flight controls. When she did she stared at all the buttons and things in front of her. He smiled at her curiosity and began instructin
g her on how to fly the craft.
After several hours Gabriella had already caught on to what most everything did, even though she could not read the Dwarfish. Finally, Quetzalcoatl stopped the ship when his hunger became unbearable. He left Gabriella to wait; he had no fear since the ship was stopped.
In the kitchen he ate the remnants of what was in the bag, the fried food was quite good he admitted. Then he ate a hunk of the bread with cheese, one of the few things still left. As he popped the last bit of bread in his mouth and downed his water he felt a slight jolt in the ship, it was moving.
Quetzalcoatl bolted toward the cockpit to find out what was going on. Gabriella had taken the flight seat and was continuing the ships course to his home world. He waited in the doorway watching the child, he felt such pride. It was at that moment he heard the commotion from in the ship’s storage area.
Walking up to Gabriella, Quetzalcoatl put his arm on her shoulder and she looked into his yellow snake eyes. “I trust my ship to you, keep us on course, my dear,” He said.
She returned his comment with a smile of joy then quickly looked back to the controls. They were traveling faster than light, but that did not mean they did not have to watch where they were going, a slip up could lead to be extremely far off target.
Opening the hatch, the smell once again filled the nostrils on Quetzalcoatl’s elongated snakelike face. He entered the storage area and within he saw several of the humans fighting, one was on top of Gabriella’s mother attempting to have his way with her. Rage overcame Quetzalcoatl’s calm; he snarled in anger and stormed toward the man.
Grabbing the back of the man’s clothes he tore him off of Gabriella’s mother, and in another swift movement he clamped his jaws down on the man’s hand, tearing it off. He looked the man in the eyes as he swallowed the hand and then threw him to the ground. His cries of agony filled the room and no one moved.
“There will be no such things happening on my ship!” Quetzalcoatl yelled above the man. “You all belong to me, and no one will damage my property besides me!”
Striding over to the man again he grabbed him once more. The man attempted to back away in fear but could not get away from Quetzalcoatl’s vice grip. Quetzalcoatl formed the metallic material from his wrist around the man’s stump and healed the wound. He hated it, but he still needed the man.
Moments later Gabriella saw her mother climb up ahead of Quetzalcoatl and the hatch was closed behind them.
“Gabriella,” Her mothered called.
“Mama!” Gabriella cried.
“Gabriella, could you please show your mother to the kitchen and find her some food and clothes in one of the bedrooms?” Quetzalcoatl asked.
Gabriella nodded her head several times. She stopped the ship and got up to take her mother’s hand, leading her to the kitchen. He watched them go and took his place at the pilot’s chair.
It was several hours before the two women reappeared again and took the remaining chairs in the cockpit. The Dwarfish clothes also hung loosely on Gabriella’s mother’s frame but were shorter on her. After she sat down she wrapped herself in a blanket and stared blankly in front of her.
“Gabriella, would you like to fly?” Quetzalcoatl asked.
Her mother seemed a bit concerned, but the way he said it she knew he trusted her. Gabriella nodded her head eagerly and the switched seats. She easily settled into the controls as if she were born to it. Gabriella had told her mother how well he had treated her, but she was still cautious, she has just seen him bite off a man’s hand and swallow it.
Quetzalcoatl rose from his seat and held out his hand for Gabriella’s mother. Unsure what to do, she put her hand in his, it was cold she thought. He walked her to the back of the room and began to whisper in quiet.
“You do not need to worry, I told you, I am a kind god unless I am crossed.” he said.
She stared at him, his snakelike features sent chills down her spine.
“What is your name,” he tried asking.
“Graciana,” She replied at length.
“Graciana, a wonderfully, beautiful name.”
She put her head down, blushing at the kind words of the God.
“I am Quetzalcoatl, as I said. May I ask you something?”
Graciana nodded.
“How old is your daughter?”
Now Graciana took back her cautious look. Her maternal instincts took over and she interposed herself between the God and her daughter.
Quetzalcoatl noticed the gesture and rushed to reassure her, putting out his hands pleadingly. “No that is not at all what I meant. She is a wonderful and talented young lady. I wish to adopt her.” The words were out and when he thought about it there was no alternate motivation behind them. He meant them, he felt for the child as if she were his own, not just for the power she possessed, but when he saw he flying just as he had taught he, something stuck to him. When did he start thinking that way, he wondered?
“Why would a God want that?” She asked with suspicion in her voice.
“She is talented and wonderful, and when I look at her I see the child I have always wanted, but never have had.” He felt strange, he meant the words. He wanted a human child, a lesser species, as his daughter. The words seemed to come from nowhere and went against everything he used to be.
“She is twelve years old, but she has a mother, so does not need adopted.”
“Where is her father?”
“He died years back.”
“I understand, I still wish to adopt her. I would greatly appreciate your permission. I can promise you protection, wealth and power.”
“If I refuse?”
“I would advise against it,” His voice and features remained calm, but there was a hint of warning that struck Graciana’s blood cold.
“I will agree, if my daughter agrees to it.” She felt trapped. Helpless.
“Ah, see we have an agreement.” He said clapping his hands together. “I will ask her when we reach my homeland, until then feel free to move about the entire ship.”
He left Graciana there frozen in fear, wondering what the consequences would be. She looked to the God; he was showing her daughter how to read the symbols now. Her daughter seemed happy, but in her heart, she feared for the child. She did not trust this God, whatever he may claim to be. She would have to eliminate him and find a way to escape with her daughter.
Chapter 9:
Raixo woke to the sound of a loud repeating noise. He was still strapped in his seat and as he opened his eyes a red light was flashing with the noise. The noise seemed to indicate some sort of problem but turning to Alexander calmed him. Alexander’s face seemed not to notice the noise or the blinking.
Shaking his head to clear the weariness, Raixo sat up in his chair and decided to strike up conversation. “So how far are we?”
“We’re here,” Alexander replied.
At this, Raixo sat up in his seat and tried to view the ground to see if he could spot the ships of his people but had no such luck.
“Saw the ships a few minutes ago, if that’s what you’re looking for.” Raixo raised his eyebrow and Alexander knew what he was about to ask. “Two issues, one I haven’t been able to spot a place to land. The second issue is, the wonderful noise you’re hearing, means we’re out of fuel.”
“I understand. So, what are we going to do?”
“I have an idea, but you may not like it.”
Alexander turned the plane heading in the direction of the ships and Raixo busted back into the cockpit a moment later with the rope he was told to find. Together they tied the handles to the chair hoping they would keep the plane flying straight. Alexander hit one more button and then the two of them fled the cockpit.
Alexander took all the straps off the truck and Raixo got in as he was told. Alexander opened the bay door and ran back into the truck and strapped his belt.
“You know this is not intelligent, correct?” Raixo asked with nervousness in his voice.
&nb
sp; “Humans would just say stupid or crazy, but yes, I know.” Alexander replied.
“If I am to die, I am going to die in comfort.” Raixo said pressing his seat warming and relishing it as it warmed up.
“Raixo, it has been an honor meeting you.” Raixo stared at Alexander’s outstretched hand confused. “You shake it,” Alexander clarified.
Raixo grasped Alexander’s hand in his and it seemed to disappear for a moment, only reappearing when they parted.
“Have you ever heard of metal, Raixo?”
“It is a type of mineral that is very solid and used for creating things such as cars and planes, correct?”
“Close, but not quite.”
Alexander turned on the radio and turned the music up all the way. For a moment Raixo was tempted to smash the object for cursing him but realized this was a type of music. Without warning Alexander slammed on the gas pedal. The tires spun in place causing a screech, barely audible over the music. The car stayed in place for only a moment before lunging forward and launching itself off the back of the plane.
As the vehicle left the plane weightlessness took over. If they had not locked their seatbelts, Raixo and Alexander would have been lifted off their seats. Alexander was yelling and giving whoops of pleasure as Raixo held on to the handle on his door and stared at the approaching ground with wide eyes.
“This was an outstanding idea!” Raixo tried to scream, but Alexander had rolled down the windows and Raixo’s voice was drowned out. The adrenaline taking them both over giving them joy.
On the ground the aliens watched as the flying vehicle went overhead once again, lower than before they noticed, and this time something dropped out of it. As the object came close a noise broke through the silence, none of the aliens could place what the noise was. As the falling object drew closer the sound got louder until the intensity sent shivers down their spine. Whatever was falling must be dangerous, they readied their weapons.