The big man nodded, and hovered the ship into place beneath the lush growth that surrounded them. The ship settled down with a gentle thud.
“We have a lot of burning foliage out there, Mark,” Red proclaimed.
Mark nodded “Release the flame retardant foam, ten thousand gallons should do it.”
“Ten thousand gallons it is, Sir,” Red replied.
“I want life scans done immediately. No one leaves the ship until I’m certain it’s safe. We may be here a while. I don’t want any surprises.” Mark turned to Dan. Let’s get to work.”
The two men left the command deck together.
Chapter 2
Dan and Mark along with a crew of ten men labored nonstop to repair the damage done to the ship in the extended battle they had just come through. Internal systems were being repaired and rerouted by the hard working.
Mark, Dan and their repair crew were huddled together in one of the magno-disc conduits working within the tight confines. After many moments of silence Dan turned to Mark, and wiped sweat from his brow before speaking, “Hey Boss, I know we gotta get off this mud ball, but uh, we should take a break sooner than later ya know? We been at this fer what, fifteen hours now?”
Mark looked at his holographic chrono; a holographic watch of sorts that popped up on his blue and silver tech suit’s sleeve and sighed, nodding in agreement. “You’re right, Danny. We both need a break. In fact the rest of this crew does too.” Mark looked at the rest of the people working with him and Dan, and then continued, “I’m sorry, all of you. I had no idea that much time had passed. But I want this magno-disc repair to continue. Get a second crew on, this Danny, and then go get some shut eye. You are right though; we have been at this far too long. Have the second crew logged in for an eight hour shift. After that we’ll replace them again, that is if the repairs aren’t completed at that point.”
“What about you Mark?”
“I’m going to do the same. Between our narrow escape and our wonderful landing here, well, we’re lucky we made it this far.”
“Worst part of all of this is we ain’t that far from home, at least not in hyper-warp terms,” Dan commented.
“I know. We’re what? A day at most?”
“Yeah. About that, Boss. Without hyper-warp we might as well be forty years away.”
“I know, Danny, I know. We took some bad damage here. How are the repairs on deck nine going?”
“It was deck ten, not nine, an’ they’re finally nearin’ the halfway point. But the crew’s gonna have to go outside to finish them up.”
“Deck ten, that’s right.” Mark shook his head in consternation.
“Hey you okay, Boss?” Dan asked quietly so as to not alert those nearby.
“Yes, Danny, I’m okay. Just getting bleary eyed from all of this.” He waved his hand about him at the damaged engine components. “What about replacement parts? How’s the fabrication lab doing?”
“I’ll call ‘em, Boss. In fact I’ll stop in on deck six before I get some rest just to make sure they’re on track.”
Mark nodded. “Good. Get that second crew in here, and then go get some rest yourself. I’m getting to the point that I can’t think straight.”
Mark rose from his crouched position and patted Dan on the shoulder, then limped off toward the maglovator.
Dan watched him disappear into the sliding doors, then turned back to his crew. “Okay I’m going to call in a replacement crew now. You guys go get some rest, you’ve earned it.”
“Thank you, Sir,” was muttered over and over again by the bone weary group.
Dan touched the sleeve of his jacket once again, connecting to the communications web aboard the ship. “Sledge to engineering lab, I need a replacement crew on deck seven immediately to continue engine repairs. I’m awaiting their arrival.”
***
Mark arrived at his quarters and walked in. The room was empty. ‘Where’s Ari?’ he thought silently. He tapped his sleeve once more. “Johnson to communications.”
A young woman’s voice replied, “This is communications, Miss Wallflower speaking.” Mark knew who she was and besides her rather comical last name she was the model of efficiency and decorum. She stood five feet five inches tall with long brown hair. She was pretty and she did a good job. “Miss Wallflower, where is Miss O’Connor?”
“Miss O’Connor is outside the ship with the survey team Sir, reconnoitering the area.”
He cursed quietly under his breath. “Get me a direct link to her please.”
“Will do, Sir,” Wallflower replied.
An instant later Wallflower called him again. “Sir, I have Miss O’Connor.”
“Very well, Miss Wallflower, thank you.” Mark paused a second until he heard a faint beep from his suits sleeve, then he asked, “Ari, what are you doing? I told you to stay on the command deck.”
“Mark, everything’s fine. I just wanted to get off the ship for a few minutes, that’s all. I’m out here breathing the fresh air. There’s a science team with me looking over the flora and fauna. I have to say it’s surprisingly Earth-like.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” he shrugged. “What about life signs, did we pick any up?”
“No one is sure. They’re picking something up, but it’s muted or masked.”
“What’s doing that and is it natural?”
“Unknown, Mark.”
Mark paced about his room a second in thought then added, “Okay, how about you getting back up here and joining me while I get Monroe out there to head up the investigation.”
“I beat ya to it, tough guy. Monroe is with me already looking into things. She says it’s going to be a while before anything concrete is decided.”
“All right. I’ll call her when I click off with you. Now come back inside, please?”
“Okay party pooper, will do.”
“Good. I’ll talk to you in a minute.”
He clicked his shirt sleeve above his wrist once more and said, “Madison Monroe.”
Instantly a rather pleasant female voice replied, “Madison Monroe here.”
“Madison, this is Mark Johnson. I want you and your team to stay close to the ship. If you find anything troublesome or in any way dangerous I want you all back inside here pronto, understand?”
“Yes Sir, I got it.”
“Good, be careful out there, Madison.”
“Will do, Sir,” came her curt reply.
Mark disconnected the contact. But almost instantly the comm unit within his shirt sleeve pulsed light softly and buzzed quietly. He tapped it again and saw Ariel’s name appear in a hologram above his right arm.
He tapped his sleeve once more. “What is it, Ari? Are you back on board yet?”
“Nope,” her voice replied. “I had a better idea. How about you come out and visit me out here? It’s kind of nice out here. Serene even.”
“Ariel…” he began, instantly annoyed. He had been on edge for days, weeks even, and this was not helping.
“Hey tough guy, how about just coming outside and taking a few deep breaths? The air is safe and clean. We all double checked, and it’s kinda nice out here. Relaxing even. Come out for ten minutes, then we can both go back inside. You’ll like it out here, I promise.”
Mark shook his head angrily, then deflated slightly, his head sinking into his chest. After a moment he finally replied, “All right Ari, I’m on my way. But all I’m giving you is ten minutes, got it?”
“Got it, Boss,” she acknowledged mischievously.
***
A few minutes later, Mark exited the Cagliostro and found Ariel waiting for him at the boarding ramp.
“Well? What do you think?”
“About what?” he answered.
“This place, what do you think I meant? It’s amazing isn’t it?”
He glared at her, annoyed, and then began to look around, taking a deep breath cautiously before exhaling and taking a second. He listened closely and heard all manne
r of winged creatures calling to each other in hoots and whistles, as they flew overhead. The foliage was thick, so thick it almost blocked out the sun.
“This place is a jungle,” he announced to no one in particular.
Overhead unseen birds flew past calling to each other somewhere beyond the verdant tree tops.
After a moment he called back to Ariel. “So no one has discovered if there’s any intelligent life here yet?”
“Well…” she began, “I think there may be more than meets the eye here, but for some reason my telepathy is not getting a solid feel on anyone, or anything but I sense they are here. It’s just as if they are intentionally blocking me.”
“That’s new.”
“Yes it is, and it’s a little annoying.”
“I believe it.” He smiled and put his arm around her, pulling her close. They walked over to the landing gear and sat with their backs against it.
“Not the most comfortable of back rests, but not that terrible either,” Mark noted.
“It’s better than a rock somewhere.” Ariel turned and looked him in the eyes and smiled. “How are the repairs going?”
He felt himself relax immediately.
Mark returned her smile. As he looked into her eyes, he felt himself unwinding like a spring being released after far too long. The tension seemed to drain from him, at least for now.
“Slowly. We took a lot of damage. We got battered.”
“But don’t forget,” she held a finger up and wagged it, “we still won.”
“You and I would not be alive to have this conversation right now if we hadn’t,” Mark nodded grimly, a knowing smile on his face.
Johnson leaned back and looked around, studying the dense foliage that lay just beyond the ship. “So what do you think, Ari? Is whatever’s out there intelligent? Or just some animal form of life?”
Almost as if on cue, a team of scientists suddenly broke through the foliage running for the ship, hands in the air and shouting unintelligibly. Mark and Ari were on their feet immediately.
“Whoa, WHOA!” Mark repeated himself holding his arms out to stop the running team of scientists.
“G-get back onboard the ship!” one man stammered as he pushed Mark out of his way, practically frothing at the mouth.
Another shouted as he brushed past, “It’s coming! Run!”
Mark turned and shoved Ari behind him, onto the entry ramp. He pulled his blaster in a lightning quick move. “Ari, are you getting anything?”
He knew she was already using her telepathic abilities to search for whatever mind out there was coming this way fast.
“Yes!” She practically shouted, “But it’s not human. It’s some kind of beast. It’s all emotion and rage, and it’s very angry right now.”
An Earthshaking roar punctuated her sentence as both of them turned their heads toward the sound. They slowly backed up the ramp. Mark tapped the cuff of his right sleeve. “Red, you better get a security team out here quick.”
“What’s going on?” Red replied instantly.
“The Sci-guys pissed something off, and it sounds like it was something big. It’s definitely heading our way!”
Another roar, closer, reverberated about them all.
“On our way, Boss,” Red replied.
“Mark,” Ari began, “how tall do you reckon those trees are?”
“Well, we’re beneath the tree cover and the Cag is two hundred fifty feet tall from bottom hull to top hull. Add another fifteen feet of landing gear…” he trailed off.
The trees shook with each successive roar, until suddenly they split apart, as two tremendous hands reached through them first and then shredded them like kindling to get them out of the way.
A creature pulled itself forth. Standing almost a hundred feet tall, it stared down at them and bellowed its rage once again. Its huge belly sloshed from one side to the other, and its hairy paws crushed trees as if they were toothpicks.
“It’s an ape,” Ariel muttered in surprise.
Red and his crew of ten men exited the ship at the same time the huge creature appeared, weapons already aimed and ready. Its arms hung to the ground and its face was oddly shaped. Its head was a ‘V’ shape, with widely set apart eyes. Its most surprising feature was the color of the beast. Its fur was a bright red. It stood up fully and bellowed once again, then began to approach the Cagliostro, rage spilling over its countenance with each successive ear-splitting bellow!
Chapter 3
The towering monster roared once more and then heaved itself forward toward the Cagliostro. Without hesitation, the ten man security detail along with Mark and Red began firing their blasters at the behemoth.
The monster swung its arms back and forth as if it were trying to clear a pack of mad insects from its body.
“All this firepower, it’s like we’re just stinging it,” Red shouted over the din.
“Yes, I know,” Mark answered. He touched his cuff once again. “Eddie! Shields up and prepare the forward solar cannon.”
Eddies voice played over everyone’s suit comm. “You all better get back in here then and fast. If I fire that cannon-”
“I know all about the distinct possibility of radiation burns and everything else that goes along with it. I designed the damned thing. Just get ready to fire it, and get those shields up now,” Mark reiterated.
Mark turned back to the security team that was still firing on the huge brute. “Back inside guys, everyone now, that includes you, Red.”
“After you Boss man.” Red replied.
‘Both of you get inside now!’ Ariel’s mental voice shouted within the confines of both men’s minds, doubling them over.
Mark rose up first and turned toward Ariel. She expected him to be angry but he was just the opposite. He smiled almost giddily and “Do that to that thing over there.” He pointed at the brute now pounding on the force shield. Each strike of its fists sent sparks showering across the shield.
Ariel looked at the creature, then at Mark.
“Do it, Ari. Let’s see if we can drive it off without hurting it.”
She looked at him incredulously, then nodded slowly. “I’ll try, but it’s a really primitive creature.” Ari turned back and stared at the monster hammering relentlessly at the ships invisible shields.
Almost immediately the monster grasped at its head and doubled over in much the same manner Mark and Red had a moment earlier. It took a step backward, then another. Each time it held its head but then released and tried to step back toward the ship. Each time it would act as if it were in deeper pain.
Finally the monster turned and thundered off into the forest, smashing trees aside and leaving a singular path of destruction in its wake with each step.
“You did it, Ari!” Mark turned back to his girlfriend, who suddenly appeared woozy and in danger of falling. Both Mark and Red caught her simultaneously.
“Whoa there, Ari,” Red soothed. “We gotcha.”
“Th-thanks, boys. I got a little lightheaded there, that’s all.”
“Don’t worry about it, honey. We’ll help you in the rest of the way,” Mark reassured.
The two men looked at each other, worry etched upon their faces.
“Boys, I’m a telepath, remember? I know what you’re both thinking. Just help me inside and let me rest a while. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, Ari, here we go,” Mark gently replied.
A horrible bellow shook the trees about the Cagliostro. Both men turned back toward the path the ape had taken, only to see it thundering back toward them, a tremendous boulder held above its head. It stopped short of the shield and hurled the huge rock, smashing it into the invisible shield. Once more the creature roared its defiance and flung itself at the shields, hammering at them repeatedly.
Both men looked at each other and rushed up the ramp.
“Eddie,” Mark shouted, knowing the maglovator’s comm system would instantly connect him to the command deck, “Fire at will. We t
ried to be nice, but this is getting ridiculous.”
“You got it, Chief,” came DiGenovese’s reply.
The instant the doors opened to the command deck Eddie was aiming and firing on the brutish monster, blasting holes in the ground at the thing’s feet, knocking it to the ground almost instantly.
The huge red furred ape backed up slowly as Eddie continued to fire. The barrage opened up one crater after another in the ground, forcing the hundred foot tall ape to run away into the forest and disappear.
“Nice shooting, Eddie, but if it comes back again, put a hole in its chest we could fly the Stargrazer through,” Mark said.
DiGenovese nodded. “You got it, Boss.”
Mark turned to his security chief. “Red, take Ari to sick bay.”
“What?” She shouted while jumping to her feet, immediately becoming light headed.
“Whoa.” Ari held her head and staggered.
“Red,” Mark insisted, “take her down there please. I don’t care if you have to toss her over a shoulder to do so.”
“You got it, Boss,” Red replied as he picked up Ari across his burly arms and carried her into the maglovator. She stared angry daggers at Mark. He shrugged in reply, and then thought, ‘Sorry, Ari, but I want you checked out. I never saw you hurt that badly after using your powers.’
She grunted angrily in mental reply, then said nothing more.
“Boss!” shouted Eddie. “We got company.”
“What, is King Kong back?” Mark turned toward the view screen to see what Eddie was talking about and froze.
Outside surrounding the ship and trying to punch their way through the defense shields were at least a hundred men, all naked to the waist, war paints covering their faces. They held spears, crude swords and even cruder bows and arrows.
But the most disconcerting thing was the color of their flesh.
“These guys are as red as that ape-thing was,” Eddie proclaimed.
“Yes, they are. And I swear that war paint is some sort of glow in the dark thing. Look at the way it kind of shines when they enter the shadow of the ship.” Mark commented.
The Cagliostro Chronicles II: Conflagration Page 2