by REM
“Yes. Reservists will be on emergency guard. The southern cruiser will have security allocations too. Any more questions?” asked Rolly.
“Exactly how split will our squadron be?” said Josh.
“You’ll be in single-pilot groups. Space is vast; we can’t afford to have anyone together. Your mission is to scout, not attack.” Rolly stared at the pilots. “We need to find that force cannon—at all costs! Clear?”
“Yes, sir!” the squadron responded.
“You’ve got ten minutes to get dressed, twenty minutes to get fed. Bring food along in your craft. I don’t want to see anyone back on this ship in under twelve hours. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” the group sounded.
“Get moving!”
The pilots scrambled to get readied. Thirty minutes later they were all at the north flight deck.
“To your strikers,” said Rolly.
The 3rd squadron flew out from the hangar.
Ace led the team about a mile out from the Rampage and transmitted, “Okay, bring it in around me.”
The squad formed a circle around Ace and hovered in place.
“You all have your coordinates. We’ll fan out and head in those directions. Be careful. We’re in Creston territory, but don’t underestimate the Mercens’ capabilities. If you spot something, unless the weapon is unguarded, do not attack. Just record and monitor the location. Got it?”
“Got it,” the group replied.
“Good luck. Let’s hope we find this damn thing,” said Ace.
“I’ll find it,” Kyle transmitted.
Josh smirked at the youthful optimism.
“Head out,” Ace transmitted.
Josh rotated his striker to the east and blasted off, watching the rest of his squadron do the same. He flew for more than a hundred miles before his closest crewmate disappeared off radar. And there goes Tor, he thought.
He traveled for hour after hours, occasionally passing by an uninhabitable planet or two. The trip reminded him a lot of when he first flew out to the M.N. Rampage. A part of Josh felt like he was actually going home. He’d dreamed a lot about Creston and could almost taste the water of the ocean crashing against a beautiful sandy beach. Our squad’s next on rotation, he thought. Will be nice to see my old friends and family.
Roughly five hours into the trip, Josh unwrapped a sandwich and ate with his craft on autopilot. He glanced at the time. Fifty more minutes and I can turn her around and head for home. Wonder if anyone’s found anything yet. The entire Creston fleet; that’s a lot of ships. Where the hell would the Mercens be hiding out anyway in Creston space. He took a double bite and chewed vigorously in thought. Maybe it’s just a hard bluff. Would be great if it was.
A short span had passed when Josh balled up his wrapper and tucked away an empty tea bottle. He picked up his book and was sifting through the pages when—thoom!
The book flew out of his hand from a blast rocking his ship. Deet! Deet! Deet! Alarms went off in his cockpit. His shield indicator was flashing. My shield, it’s down… He glanced at his monitor. There was nothing on radar. What the fuck? He looked out through his window in all directions. Nothing out of the ordinary was in sight.
Josh sat still, glancing at his radar, then back out to space. He was trying to understand what the hell was going on. Then… he snapped his neck to the right and caught glimpse of a clear pulse rippling toward his striker at incredible speed.
Thoom! The blast slammed into his striker, shaking it violently. The ship’s entire system shut down, sounding as if all its energy had been sucked out. A bright ray flashed over Josh’s craft from seemingly nowhere. The beam began pulling the striker in the direction of its origin.
A tractor beam, thought Josh, eyes wide. A ship far greater than his striker gradually uncloaked. The Mercens have invented a cloaking device. He felt his heart beating harder and harder in his chest. That’s how they’re going to hit Creston. We don’t have the technology to track this sort of stealth. How the hell were the Mercens able to achieve what’s virtually impossible?
His striker was a little over halfway through the beam when a hangar opened at the lower section of the enemy ship’s side.
I’ll be tortured, maybe even eaten. Probably better to just shoot myself now, thought Josh, glancing at his blaster, then punching multiple buttons to try and get some sort of power running through the ship. They drained everything!
It took another thirty seconds or so for his striker to get sucked into the dim hangar. From there it was pulled in deeper by some sort of energy belt.
Josh blinked twice upon seeing the large creature standing at the end of the runway. The species was like none he’d ever seen, standing a little over six feet tall and looking much like a two-legged banana with arms.
What the heck is that thing? thought Josh.
When his striker had stopped, Josh took a good look at the creature’s face, noting it had some sort of mouth but no lips, no nose, and holes where ears would presumably be. What caught his attention the most was the alien’s egg-shaped eye with a solid black pupil.
Pretty much a walking banana cyclops… But is it friendly? thought Josh, sliding a hand to his blaster.
The creature remained still, staring at him. After a moment, it motioned a hand for Josh to come out of the cockpit.
Last time I trusted an odd alien, the damn thing tried killing me and my friends. Josh opened the cockpit and pointed his blaster as he stepped down from the striker. Once on the platform, he took a couple steps toward the creature and stopped. “Hello! Why have you captured my ship? What is it you want with me?”
The creature remained still with its eye fixed on Josh.
“Can you understand me?” asked Josh slowly.
Kshh! Josh felt a wave of energy carrying some sort of electrical current pour down over his body. He shook from the shock and collapsed to the floor, dropping his gun in the process.
By the time he’d mustered enough strength to look up—the creature was standing over him with the same calm yet creepy stare. It kicked the blaster in the same exaggeratedly slow motion as when it had gestured him forward.
Josh was still weak when the creature grasped his shoulders and raised him to standing. It held up Josh’s arms and placed a thin object between his wrists that discharged into energy cuffs.
The creature made a low sound that Josh thought resembled a seal’s bark. Then it turned to lead the way out of the room in smooth strides.
Josh stayed where he was.
The creature stopped, twisted around, and made another exaggeratedly slow-looking gesture for Josh to follow.
Josh glanced to where his gun had been kicked across the way, then at the creature’s oval-shaped eye locked in his direction. Bad idea, he thought, in regards to going for his gun. He looked down at the energy cuffs around his wrists. This type of technology… no way I make it to that blaster without something happening.
The alien made another low sound, same as before.
Josh followed the creature as it turned into a slow stride. A door slid open and they moved into a bright hallway. The walls were lined with what he figured to be an unknown species of multi-colored tentacle plants. Down the following corridor were transparent rooms with clear objects inside that Josh couldn’t help thinking were, perhaps, alien furniture.
Upon rounding the next corner, a door opened to an all white room. Josh was led to a square table, which was also some sort of computer, or machine. The creature pushed him slowly into a round chair in such a way that Josh didn’t feel threatened. Then it turned and walked over to a block of shelves.
Josh watched carefully as the alien touched a few objects before picking up a round one, about the size of a grape that had a square bottom. The creature turned to Josh, its eye ever so daunting, and strode back over to the chair.
What the fuck is that? thought Josh, trying his hardest to identify the object.
The creature extended it toward Josh’s arm—but Josh jerked away a
nd tried wrestling to his feet. One strong shove was all it took from the creature to drive Josh back against the seat. It touched the top of the chair and Josh felt a jolt of electricity surge through his body.
The shock was brief, but enough to keep him from trying to resist further. The alien placed the object to Josh’s arm and squeezed the round portion. Shlikt. Josh felt something sharp eject from the object, tear through his clothes, and into his skin, while latching onto his forearm. Blood poured into the grape-sized ball. Once it was full, there was a click.
The creature pulled the object from Josh’s arm and walked back over to the shelves. When it returned to the chair, there was a different item in its hand, which was flat, square, metallic, and about the size of a postal stamp. Josh didn’t think it was anything that could harm him, despite what had just happened.
The alien pushed up Josh’s sleeve and placed the object flat against his skin. Then it pressed a finger to the small square.
Josh stared at the object. The item began to feel cold. Seconds later, it was hot as fire. He grunted from the pain and squirmed in the chair, but the brief burning became cool as ice.
There was a dark glimmer from the metallic square before the creature removed it from Josh’s forearm.
Josh was aghast peering at the layer of skin missing from his arm where the object had been. Before he could react, the creature wiped its hand over the wound, leaving a green cream covering it. The cream firmed instantly into a rubbery texture. Josh didn’t feel any pain. It’s taking samples and running tests on me, he thought. Where the hell is this species from?
The creature walked over to the shelves and placed the metallic square into a computer slot. It strode toward the door and motioned for Josh to follow.
Josh accompanied the alien down a short corridor into another room, one that was much larger than the previous one. Is that a prison? he thought, looking at an area walled with energy bars. His gaze shifted to a few stations on the left, consisting of a computer island and a couple of round chairs.
When Josh looked across the room, he almost couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A Mercen! He stared hard. The Mercen had just taken notice of Josh’s presence. Each glared at the other. They’ve got him in energy cuffs too. Must’ve captured him over by the Void Zone.
The banana-shaped alien stepped in front of Josh and blocked his line of sight on the Mercen, its large eye ever so creepy. It gestured for Josh to sit at the closest workstation.
It’s got my skin and my blood—what the hell does it want from me now?
Josh did as instructed. The creature took a seat in front of him. He watched it press a few buttons on a flat screen until an image of a planet appeared. It was one that Josh did not recognize.
The alien pointed to the image, then at Josh.
Josh was confused at first, and scrunched his brows, but after the creature pointed to the image and him again, Josh thought he understood. He shook his head, wondering if the alien would even know what the gesture meant, but he got his answer when the alien pressed a button and a different planet appeared. It pointed at the image, then to Josh. Josh shook his head.
They continued that process for over a hundred images until Josh saw Creston appear on the screen and he nodded.
The creature pressed a button that made the monitor go black. It slid open a compartment and withdrew two hand-sized cupped objects.
Josh inspected the items carefully. The creature leaned forward to place the objects at Josh’s ears, but Josh jerked back and said, “No, no,” while shaking his head. The alien drew away some, but once Josh had sat straight, it tried placing the objects over his ears again. Josh retreated into the seat a second time.
The alien moved its hand briskly to the top of the chair.
Josh felt waves of shock jolting through his body. He let out a few suppressed grunts and jittered in the seat until the voltage had stopped. Son of… a bitch, he thought, weak, and watching the cupped objects being placed over his ears. He felt them latch on with a suction.
The alien pressed a button on the computer station.
Josh heard what sounded like a foreign language come from the ear cups. The creature pointed toward the sound device, then at Josh. Josh shook his head and the alien tapped another key that played a different sound file. Josh shook to that one and nearly two hundred more before the creature removed the ear cups. During that time he’d exchanged sharp glances with the Mercen who’d been seated at an adjacent workstation. He couldn’t help grinning when seeing the Mercen get shocked violently in order to comply.
The alien sitting in front of Josh got up and walked over to a counter. When it returned there was a tray in its hand. It sat the tray onto the computer top. Then it picked up a bite-sized object from the tray and held the substance to Josh’s mouth. The creature pointed at the substance, then at Josh.
Josh sniffed it. Eck! Smells like rotten fish that’s been soaking in mud. He scrunched up his face and shook his head.
The alien sat the substance down and picked up another. While that was happening, Josh saw the Mercen being escorted past. An alien led the Mercen over to the far right corner and had him enter an opening to the energy cell. Once the Mercen was imprisoned the escorting alien left the room.
So, it is a cell, thought Josh. Will they keep us here for good? He turned his attention to the new substance being held up to his mouth. It smelled edible, but after taking a tiny bite, Josh spit it out. No, that doesn’t taste right, he thought, spitting more.
The alien went through every substance on the tray, Josh rejecting each one.
When the session was over, the alien stood Josh and walked him over to the energy cell. Shit, it’s going to put me in that damn thing too.
When an opening formed, Josh tried squirming in protest, but the alien shoved him inside with just enough force to get its point across.
Can’t believe this happening, thought Josh. He glanced at the Mercen and moved to the opposite side of the cell.
The Mercen maintained a scowl, never taking his eyes off of Josh.
Not in the mood, thought Josh, screwing his face in the Mercen’s direction.
The Mercen let out a low and persistent hiss. It kept that up for nearly a minute before saying, “You are food!”
And your snakey ass would make a nice pair of boots, or a coat. Josh felt his temper flaring. It wasn’t just because of the Mercen, it was the entirety of being captured.
“Heeeeh!” the Mercen cried out, charging from across the cell.
You mother fu… Josh growled, rushing forward and lowering his shoulder into the Mercen’s chest. The impact knocked it back a step or two off balance, but the Mercen thrust forward and kicked Josh in the gut. Josh felt the air get blown from his stomach, but his anger wouldn’t let that affect him. He counter-kicked the Mercen twice to the side of its knee and then ducked when the Mercen swung its cuffed fists at his head.
Oosh! Josh plowed his tightened hands across the Mercen’s face. “Aaaaught!” it cried, thrusting its forehead square into Josh’s, sending him stumbling back against a wall. The Mercen closed in and tried biting Josh’s neck three times with its sharp teeth, but Josh dodged each attempt and swung his elbow wildly across the Mercen’s jaw. It hissed before slamming Josh against the wall with both hands, then twisted and threw him to the floor. It dived onto Josh, trying to bite him some more.
Kshh! Josh felt a wave of electrical energy pour over where they were fighting, until he and the Mercen were convulsing on the floor. They’d separated by the time the shocking had ceased. The one-eyed alien slid a thin object in between them. A wall of energy flashed out from the device and split the cell in two.
When Josh had recovered he got up slowly, glared at the Mercen, and walked over to a clear chair along a perimeter. The Mercen was standing at the inner wall, scowling at Josh. Occasionally it let out a loud, “Aaaaught!” Josh grew tired of staring back at it, but the Mercen didn’t budge.
Twenty-odd mi
nutes went by before a one-eyed alien appeared at the cell and made an opening on the side that the Mercen occupied. It motioned the Mercen forward then led it out of the room.
Josh wondered where they were taking him, feeling certain he’d soon find out.
It wasn’t long at all before a one-eyed alien came and opened the cell on Josh’s side. Here we go, he thought, trying to assess the creature’s expression, but unable to reach a conclusion.
The being led Josh down a short corridor and into a dark hall. Thin streaks of colorful light bounced off the walls as if they were alive. Fascinating, thought Josh.
They strolled out of the hall and into another that was white and bright. At the end of that one a door slid open. Josh walked through it. His eyes widened. Wow… we’re back in the hangar.
The alien twisted its body to glance back at him while leading the way to a post with a screen attached. Once at the screen, it gestured for Josh to come closer, which he did. Then it swiped a panel, causing a space map to appear. The creature pointed to a star system, then at Josh. It pressed a button and one of the planets in that system enlarged.
That’s Creston, thought Josh. He looked the alien in its eye.
The creature shrunk the map until Creston was just a speck on the screen. After that it moved a finger to a solar system all the way across the map and punched a button to enlarge a planet that was unrecognizable to Josh. Then it pointed at itself.
Josh’s mouth had opened. He was staring with a complete loss of words. My God… that’s at least five galaxies away. Territory uncharted. What species would even dare to travel that?
The alien kept its gaze fixed on Josh’s face. After a moment it touched the cuffs binding Josh’s wrists and the rings of energy dispersed.
Josh shook his wrists, appreciating how good it felt to have his hands freed.
The alien extended an arm toward Josh’s void striker.
Josh couldn’t help but to smirk. Looks like it’s catch and release. “Thank you,” he said, knowing darn well the alien probably wouldn’t comprehend.
Josh marched for his striker, but stopped at hearing the creature make a seal-sounding bark. He twisted toward it.
