Engine

by Frank Carey

"Don't move!" Pris said. Her gun was moving between the two intruders. "Who the hell are you?" She looked at the girl and saw "Adon" stenciled on her uniform. Then she looked at the stryker and stopped. Stenciled on its left breast plate was "Stryker-1."

  "Gabe?" She whispered.

  The stryker wrapped an arm around the young woman, then pressed a button on his wrist, causing the two of them to disappear.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Marta and Siv ran into the room moments later to find Pris sitting on the bed next to Gabe, a look of shock on her face. The security team ran in before Marta could say anything. They quickly got to work checking both Pris and Gabe while Siv and Marta waited for the head of security to arrive.

  "Two strykers tried to set off a nuke in the core, but were stopped by a third stryker. He killed them both before they could arm it." Clint Simms, Head of Cube Security said as he entered the room.

  "Where are the bodies and the device?"

  "Gone."

  "What do you mean by 'Gone?' Gone where?"

  "After it finished, the third stryker did something to the bodies and the bomb that made them disappear without a trace. It then headed up here where it joined up with a Katalan woman and another stryker. That's where things get odd."

  "What do you mean by odd?" Siv asked.

  He handed her a datapad. Holding it so both she and Marta could see it, Siv hit the play button. "This is from that camera up there," Clint said as he pointed up to the ceiling.

  Siv and Marta gasped as the video ran. On the screen was Gabe in bed, Pris, and a young Katalan woman in a uniform. They were talking to a stryker with a retracted helmet so they could see her face. "That's Zoe Muntz," Marta said.

  Clint reached over and tapped the pad, causing to skip forward. "Keep watching."

  Zoe now had her helmet back on and was slowly approaching Pris and the young woman, who were both armed. A second stryker, this one wearing white armor, walked in, grabbed Zoe by the throat and threw her into a wall. For a moment, they were able to catch a glimpse of his nameplate.

  "Gabe?" Siv said as she glanced over at her friend lying comatose nearby. "That's impossible."

  "Yeah, DCI Adon is an Earth-normal human, yet this guy is wearing Gabe's armor. We're running scan and voice print analysis on the feed to see if we can get a match.

  "What about the woman? Any idea who she is?"

  "Biometric scans have no match in the database, but we did catch this," he said while taking the pad and typing something on it before handing it back to Siv. "We caught a glimpse of her name tag."

  Both Siv and Marta looked over at Pris, then back at the screen. Siv zoomed out so they could see the woman's face. "Nooooo... Could it be?"

  Marta looked from screen to Pris, back to the screen. "Katalan-human hybrids are either Katalan or human with the other species' DNA not expressing itself, unlike elves and several other species, which produce true hybrids. Damn. What the hell are we looking at?"

  "I don't know," Clint said. "All I do know is the girl and her cyborg companion saved this station."

  "Couldn't station security stop the others?" Marta asked.

  "We tried, but we couldn't get past their shields. I think it would have taken a space corvette to stop them, yet the white stryker didn't even break into a sweat, assuming it does sweat."

  The doc took that moment to slide in. She hurried over to Gabe and Pris and gave them a quick once over. When she finished, she slid over to talk brief Clint, Marta, and Siv. "How are they, Doc?" Clint asked.

  "They're fine--he's asleep, and she's recovering from shock. I've ordered him moved to another room. Now, would one of you bipeds like to tell the wizened old cephalopod what the hell is going on?"

  Clint explained while Siv and Marta walked over to talk to Pris.

  "Hey, kiddo, how are you feeling?" Marta asked.

  "Was that my daughter and boyfriend that just our lives?"

  "Detective Sergeant Kitra is back," Siv said.

  "Pris, we just don't know. Clint's people are going to analyze the data, what little there is of it. The main thing is you, Gabe, and this station are safe." Marta replied. She put her hand on the young officer's arm. "Are you okay?"

  "How do you two do it?"

  "Do what?" Marta asked.

  "Put up with the insanity?"

  Siv shrugged. "Honestly, you get used to it."

  Pris looked at Marta. "She's right; you adapt."

  Pris turned to look at Gabe. "I guess it’s easier when you have someone to share your life with."

  "Amen, sister," Marta said as Siv nodded vigorously just as the orderlies came in to move Gabe to another room. "Amen."

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  It was late into the Cube night when Marta arrived at the meeting room to give her report to the League Council. These were the people who kept things running. They were also her bosses.

  As she taught her kids, even generals had bosses. She walked around a corner and found Director Devlin and Siv waiting for her. "Ciara. Siv. Here to wish me luck?"

  "No, General. We're going in with you," Siv explained.

  "Gloria, Lucien, and representatives from every race Gabe has helped while on his quest are already inside giving the council a piece of their minds," Ciara added.

  "Wait a minute, my husband, Lucien Irithyl, is in there? He told me he was on Goranth negotiating a treaty."

  "He was, but he dropped everything when he heard the council had a bone to pick with you."

  "I can't believe they think this all happened because of your past dealings with Josiah."

  The door opened followed by Josiah and Lucien stepping out into the corridor. Marta could hear a great deal of yelling coming from inside until the door closed.

  "Darling," Lucien said while taking her in his arms and kissing her.

  She kissed back, but only for a moment. "You came all the way from Goranth to speak on my behalf? What about the treaty?"

  "The Goranthi ambassador put it on hold until next week when he heard about this lorse shit. Listen, Josiah and I are going over to Lab 6 to watch the techs open a micro doorway into the Grange Universe. Wanna come?"

  She looked at Josiah who bowed. "General, it is good to see you."

  Only her military training prevented her from killing him where he stood for all the pain and suffering he had caused her family. "No, I think I'll pass." Lucien kissed her again before leading Josiah down the corridor.

  It would be the last she ever saw of Dr. Josiah Muntz.

  The door opened and the Sergeant at Arms escorted the three ladies into the room and down to the podium where they would speak to the council. Marta stopped half-way down the aisle to stare at the council. "Grammy Emma? Why are you sitting in the Lead Council Member's seat?"

  "Because she's the New Lead Council Member," the new Deputy Lead Council Member, an elf, said. "It seems her predecessor was recalled to Tralaska to answer charges of conspiring with Zoe Muntz to carry out a coup against the League. As you can see, we have a number of new faces on the council."

  Marta looked around and saw several members she didn't recognize. "So they elected an Earth human to replace her?" Siv asked.

  "Appointed. General elections are going to be held soon and we may all be back on the streets."

  "Well, congratulations. Now, what about my report?"

  Emma sat down. "General, Director, Detective Sergeant, have a seat and tell the council what the hell is going on."

  ###

  Gabe woke up after having the strangest dream. He had dreamed that he was in a whirlwind which made no sound. As dreams go, it was very odd. Then the memories flooded back. "Shit!" he yelled as he bolted upright.

  "It's OK," Pris said as she held his shoulders. "You're safe. We're all safe."

  "What about Destiny and the Engine of Creation?"

  "You made it there in time. You opened the portal just before the Engine fired. You saved the multi-verse and restored the Grange Universe to its normal state.
"

  He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there, trying to make sense of everything. "So, Josiah was right."

  "Yep. He lived long enough to see it for himself. He and Ambassador Irithyl were present when Ciara's--Director Devlin's--team opened a micro portal. The place is completely normal. Now, the council is trying to decide whether to open a dialog with the inhabitants."

  He looked at her. "How long have I been out?"

  "Three weeks. By the way, you're normal. The bots and cybernetic implants are gone. No more Halloween costume, just plain old Gabe."

  He continued to look at her. "What about us?"

  She looked down at her feet. "I'm not pregnant. I had the flu. They got the tests mixed up back at the Cube. It happens."

  "Remind me to keep drums of chicken soup around the house just in case you get sick again."

  "Wait, what are you saying?"

  "Priscilla Kitra, will you marry me?"

  She looked away to hide her tears. "You'd still have me after how badly I treated you?"

  "Of course. Married couples have rough patches. You would not believe how much of a wuss I am when I catch a cold."

  She reached over and kissed him. "Yes, I will marry you, both heart and soul."

  He kissed her back. "Now, how the heck do I get out of here?"

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Zoe walked down the corridor while a new batch of techs and mercs thawed out another batch of strykers. When she reached the doors at the end of the hallway, she placed her hand on a palm reader. The doors opened, allowing her access to the facility's control center. "Report!" she ordered.

  "Ma'am," the head of the facility said, "We have twenty strykers revived..."

  "Twenty? How many are left in storage?"

  "None, ma'am. They automated systems killed most of them when a malfunction occurred. It's a miracle these twenty even survived."

  "Dammit! What about the other facilities?"

  "We've queried the other sites and expect it will take several days to get replies back. So far, the numbers don't look good."

  She glared at the main viewer where a status table was on display. "I want an update when the last stryker is thawed. I'll be in my office." She stormed out of the room, much to the relief of the techs manning it.

  She made her way to her office. Once inside, she locked the door and poured herself a stiff drink. "You moron," she said to a picture of her brother. "First, you get religion and decide to save a universe, then you go off and die. Idiot!"

  "Now, that isn't nice, Dr. Muntz."

  She spun around with blaster in hand to face the person who spoke. Standing on either side of the door were two humans--one male and black, the other a female Caucasian, as the humans called the different peoples of their planet. "Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?"

  "Who we are is unimportant," the male said, "and how we got in here is immaterial."

  "We just stopped by to warn you that Gabriel Adon is a very good friend of ours," the female said.

  "So, we'd be very displeased if anything was to happen to him," the male added.

  "Very, very displeased," the female said as the two of them disappeared.

  Zoe realized she was shaking in fear. Something about the two apparitions--she couldn't come up with a better description--had raised her hackles. She grabbed the bottle of liquor before sitting down and punching the intercom. "This is Muntz. Have we detected anything out of the ordinary in the last five minutes?"

  "Yes, ma'am. We were about to call you. We just detected a massive energy field form around the base, then disappear."

  "How massive?"

  "If these readings are correct, the field was strong enough to pulverize this base and the asteroid its sitting on. None of us have seen anything like this. The computer is drawing a blank as well."

  She killed the connection, then sat back in her chair. "Be they mortal or be they a god, no one, and I mean no one, intimidates Zoe Muntz. Beware, Gabriel Adon, for you have made a powerful enemy of the wrong woman."

  ###

  Six years later...

  Gabe stood on the balcony and listened to the sound of traffic 20 stories below. Around him, the City of New York went about its business as Sol slowly dropped below the cluttered horizon.

  "Hey, you," Pris said as she joined him. She handed him a cup of freshly-brewed coffee, which he gladly accepted.

  He looked down at her growing bump of baby number two. "How are you two doing?"

  "Fine..." Her hand shot out and grabbed something from mid-air. After crushing it, she opened her hand to reveal a camera drone. "It's been five years since the Destiny mission." She dropped the drone's remains in a nearby trashcan. "Can't the news services give it a rest?"

  "We can blame the grange ambassador for spilling the beans during the treaty signing. Now everyone knows I was responsible for returning the grange universe back to rights."

  "I wonder what they would think if they found out you saved the whole damn multi-verse."

  "You'd probably have to fight off reporters in flying suits."

  She took him in her arms. "Bring'em."

  A scream from inside the apartment interrupted their moment. Running inside, they found their daughter, Rista, standing outside her room, crying. "I had a bad dream," she said between sobs.

  Gabe picked her up and carried her back to her bed. After the appropriate amount of soothing, Pris left Gabe to finish tucking the five-year-old into bed.

  "Daddy," she asked.

  "Yes, Darling?"

  "Could you check for monsters?"

  Gabe smiled. "Sure, Sweety." He backed away from the bed, then stood at attention. "Stryker-1 is on-line! My mission is to protect Rista Adon, her mother, Priscilla Kitra-Adon, and her little sister, Saffron Adon, from all monsters." He gave the room a once-over with his scanners. "All clear, little one. No monsters detected within 100 miles of your location."

  "Thanks, Daddy," she said before closing her eyes and falling fast asleep.

  He leaned down and kissed Rista on the top of her head. "Good night, Rista. May all your dreams be pleasant."

  <<<<< FINIS >>>>>

  About Frank Carey

  Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre.

  Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go.

  Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.

  Frank and his wife produce a podcast—Xtreme Self-Publishing—which details their self-publishing efforts.

  Frank can be reached through his podcast at xtremeselfpublishing.podbean.com or via e-mail at elvenindustriespress@gmail.com or xsppodcast@gmail.com