by Anna Lewis
As Lena tinkered with the controls, Ryan knelt down next to the cage to talk to Alexis. The conversation kept her calm. Normally, Alexis would be annoyed by small chat, but this soldier was rather handsome and he was doing a good job at distracting her from the pain. Lena snipped a few wires and the cage deactivated, the door opening for Alexis to crawl out. Gently, Ryan wrapped her in a hug.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“It seemed like you needed it,” he responded.
She smiled and took his hand as they ran from the room, continuing their mission to find Trevor. Where was he?
***
Dozens of drones appeared over the battlefield and landed heavily in the sand. A number of soldiers ran out to greet the masses of people appearing, hundreds synthesizing from the machines far more quickly than they could manage. It was mayhem! General Sanders was shouting orders, trying to get the mass of people under control. They were screaming and celebrating all at once. A new found appreciation fell over the group like none before, admiring the soil that they had taken for granted. Many of the soldiers ushered them towards the camp and the hospital, utilizing as much space as possible.
Some of the people were injured during the battle in the cargo area and were whisked off to the medical tent in order to receive treatment. Soldiers lined the pathway to the main building to set up civilian tents, hoping the Vihatagons had no intention of returning to the field. Food was distributed as quickly as possible and people sat on the ground to eat, happy to be fed and hydrated once more.
As General Haynes looks around at the suddenly filled field, he turns to General Sanders and says, “How are we going to care for these people, General?”
“I’m not sure,” responds General Sanders. “But the hospital has been emptied. Take any of the vulnerable ones inside and keep them safe. Guard all the exits and doors.”
“Yes, sir,” replied General Haynes.
He went to gather a group of troops and started rounding up the injured, carefully guiding them to the hospital where they could rest in the bed. The other tents were quickly filling up with people and many of them collapsed on the ground with their blankets, tired from the whole ordeal. General Sanders stood amidst the mess and called for his soldiers to begin their rescue mission, sending them off to the transporters to go up towards the mothership. He listened to the conversations around him.
“We should have stayed home,” said one man to his wife, hugging her close in a tent nearby.
“I don’t think I ever want to leave the Earth again,” said someone else behind the general.
He looked around. This was the most terrible war he had ever been a part of, the magnitude frightening him to his core. Most of them had survived this strike, but could they survive another? How long would it be until another species of alien came along to do the same thing? As these questions racked the general’s brain, a young woman approached him and asked who to thank for their rescue.
“All of these soldiers, ma’am,” responded General Sanders with a smile.
“Well, thank you,” said the woman.
“You’re welcome,” he responded, touched that someone had expressed their gratitude.
It wasn’t often he heard such a thing. Most battles were fought away from the people, but this one had hit close to home. He peered up at the sky, watching the edge of the mother ship poking through the clouds and hoping that the great doctor had reached the commander in time. Walking over the main building, he lifted his radio and spoke into it.
“Dr. Clark, what is your status? Over,” he said.
A few minutes passed before Lena could respond.
“General, we’re close to finding the commander. Over,” she spoke.
“Bring our people home, Dr. Clark. Over,” he said.
“Yes, sir. Over,” responded Lena.
Nodding, the general sits down and takes off his hat to let his head cool. A sweat had broken out on his forehead and he wiped it with his sleeve. A mug of coffee appeared in front of him. He looked up to find Dr. Warren.
“How’s our doctor doing up there, General?” he asked.
General Sanders took the mug gratefully and sipped slowly, allowing the warm coffee to soothe his aching muscles.
“They’ll be back soon, I hope,” responded the general.
“And how are you doing, sir?” asked Dr. Warren.
General Sanders considered the question, frowning at his reflection in the mug.
“I’m not sure yet, Dr. Warren. I feel as though I’ve lost touch with everything. This is utter chaos,” replied General Sanders. “It’s out of control.”
“I think this is a striking reminder that nothing is ever in our control,” said Dr. Warren. “And that we should be grateful we have the strength to fight.”
The philosophical words made General Sanders chuckle and nod.
“That’s true. It’s certainly a lesson learned,” he said.
“And we’ll continue to learn. It’s part of our evolutionary process,” said the scientist, sitting next to the general with his own mug of coffee. “I think I’ll write about this in my next book.”
“Well, somebody ought to,” said General Sanders. “Because I want to forget it as soon as it’s over.”
“I had been hoping the entire day that this was just a nightmare, but I’m wrong. It’s reality. We have to cope with that,” said the scientist. “You’re doing a good job, sir.”
“Thank you, Dr. Warren. You all have been a great help as well,” said the general.
“We live to serve,” said Dr. Warren.
A comfortable silence fell between the two as they reflected on the day’s events, listening to the sound of laughter floating in from the double doors. It was a strange sound in the middle of a battlefield, yet it was also relieving. Part of General Sanders felt joy from hearing that laughter. Another part of him knew the war was yet to be done, that they still had people up in that ship who were soon to make their way back.
I think I’ll retire when this is over, he thought. I’m tired of war. I want to go home.
While thinking about his cozy home, he leaned his head back to rest, dreaming of a time when the world had been peaceful. It was a brief time in his life, but it was one he fondly remembered. Streams teemed with fish that he caught with his father every Sunday and the farm was full of engineered pigs that were perfectly plump. He imagined himself sitting amidst the flowers with his brothers, napping under the midday sun, the heat warming his soul and helping him sleep.
It wouldn’t be long before the general was awakened, soldiers asking for their next orders. He told them to remain vigilant and watch the sky.
“We’re expecting our troops to bring home the rest,” said the general. “For now, take care of those in our care.”
***
Lena, Ryan, and Alexis have been running in circles. They couldn’t seem to locate the Trevor and the enemy captain.
“We’ve been searching for thirty minutes, doctor,” said Ryan. “Are you sure he’s still here?”
“He has to be. He hasn’t contacted us,” replied Lena.
She tapped her watch with frustration, shaking it briefly before coming across another hallway.
“Let’s try this one,” she suggested.
“We already went that way,” said Ryan.
“I’m exhausted,” said Alexis.
“Well, I’m in charge,” Lena said firmly. “And we go where I say we need to go.”
“Yes, ma’am,” responded Ryan while squeezing Alexis’ hand.
Lena was getting snippy. As her frustration grew, her sight became blurry until she realized she was crying. She paused in front of a door and leaned against the wall, weeping into her free hand. Alexis and Ryan weren’t sure what to do, waiting patiently for Lena to explain her response to the situation.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry...”
Ryan was the first to step forward, putting his ray g
un in its holster. Pulling her into a hug caused her to cry harder. She could feel the weight of her failure hanging around her neck like chains, pulling her down to the ground. As she wiped her face, Alexis walked over and hugged her as well. The three stood embracing each other briefly before taking a step back, the sound of a ray gun alerting them.
“It came from here!” said Ryan, pointing down the hall from whence they came.
The three fled down the metal hallway, feet slamming against the floor. They nearly passed the room that held the captain and Trevor, the two frozen in a standoff with each other.
“Trevor!” cried Lena, stepping over the threshold.
Covering the floor were dead Vihatagons, their mouths twisted and their guts spilling all over the place. The captain was using some of their bodies as a shield while he pointed his disintegrator at Trevor. Tension filled the air with dread, the three standing in the doorway while analyzing the scene. Who was going to make the first move?
“Stay back!” he yelled.
Lena held up her cybernetic arm.
“I don’t think this will be a problem,” she said.
Looking out of the corner of his eye, Trevor noticed the cybernetic addition on her arm and chuckled.
“We match now,” he joked.
“That we do,” she responded.
“This is why I love you,” he said with a smile.
“I love you, too, darling,” said Lena, keeping her palm pointed at the captain.
“The choice is yours, Captain,” said Trevor. “You can be killed or surrender to the people of Earth.”
“I will never surrender!” cried the captain, waving his gun at them. “We have never done such a cowardly thing!”
“And using your own people as shields isn’t cowardly? You must be mistaken, Captain,” said Trevor.
Ryan pushed Alexis out into the hallway and tells her to wait there, raising his gun at the Vihatagon across the room.
“You’re surrounded,” he warned. “Give up.”
“Never,” responded the captain. “I will never give up.”
“We’re going to shoot you, then,” said Trevor. “Fire!”
The three of them rained blasts upon the Vihatagon, hoping to break through the flesh of his barrier in order to wound him, but the pile of bodies did not budge. On the other side, the captain chortled.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he called.
“What is he saying?” asked Ryan while charging his ray gun.
“He’s challenging us,” replied Trevor. “He thinks that’s all we’ve got.”
Ryan stepped over a few bodies and aimed low, hoping to hit a foot or an arm. As he lined up his shot, the captain peeked around the pile of bodies and fired his weapon, effectively destroying the soldier where he stood. Lena squeaked and shot a few revenge rounds, telling Alexis to remain in the hall.
“What’s going on?” Alexis asked. “Is Ryan alright?”
Trevor and Lena exchanged glances, wondering if they should lie and let her find out later. Curious, Alexis peeked around the corner and noticed Ryan was no longer in the room. Sobs racked her body and she crumpled to the ground from exhaustion and loss. There wasn’t much more she could take. Noticing her broken state, Trevor urged Lena to take Alexis to the cargo area.
“Go,” he said. “I can hold this down.”
“I will not leave you,” Lena said firmly. “The rescue team is coming. They’ll get her soon enough.”
“She is not well enough to go alone. You need to take her,” said Trevor.
“I am not going to leave this room without you holding my hand,” said Lena. “I can’t do it.”
Tears came to her eyes again, causing her to lose concentration and shoot the table instead of the captain. He’s laughing on the other side of the bodies and relishing the pain he hears. Nothing makes him jollier than the sound of crying.
“By all means, cyborg. Tend to your woman. Let it make you weaker,” he said. “So that I in comparison may grow stronger!”
Lena shook her head, trying to regain control over her emotions while the gurgling continued to echo through the room. It appeared the captain was the last Vihatagon left unless there were more hiding amidst the other rooms. This could potentially be used to their advantage.
“You’re the last one left,” Lena announced. “You might as well give in.”
“There are plenty more where I come from,” said the captain.
“We’ll destroy all of you,” announced Trevor. “You will not keep us down. We are too resilient and we will always resist.”
“We will always find a way to fight,” said Lena over the sound of sobbing in the hallway. “Surrender or die.”
It seemed to go on for hours when in reality it had only been twenty minutes. The captain remained silent across the room, the only sound in the air the strange squeaking of his body as he moved to position his gun. No one seemed to dare make a move, and the silence prompted Alexis to peek around the corner again. She noticed Ryan’s ray gun on the ground. Sneaking behind Lena, she picked it up and pointed it at the wretched creature who had murdered the soldier and fired a ray in his direction.
As the captain prepared to fire back, the disintegrator between his grimy claws whirled and then died, its charge lost. A horrible screech followed by a series of gurgles erupted from the captain’s mouth. He refused to be defeated. While knocking over the pile of bodies, he jumped forward to attack Trevor who raised his arm in defense. Alexis screamed as she disappeared under the pile of bodies. Lena shot a ray in the direction of the Vihatagon that pinned Trevor to the ground, squealing madly while raising his arms.
***
“No!” cried Lena.
The ugly Vihatagon was pummeling into Trevor. Every strike was met by the cybernetic arm, the captain screeching with every punch. Lena charged her cybernetic arm once more and shot a ray that knocked the alien over. He laid on his back, breathing heavily in the cold air. Mouth dry and vision growing dim, he announced that he would extract his revenge, no matter the cost.
“We will always come for your planet,” he groaned in his language. “From now until the end of time!”
A disfigured arm rose up momentarily before dropping, Lena shooting again to make sure he was completely dead. Alexis squealed underneath the dead weight of the deceased Vihatagons, begging for Lena to help her. A hand reached out which Lena grabbed and pulled her from the filthy pile. Alexis was covered in bile. She cringed. Behind Lena was a groaning Trevor, blinking hard against the darkness that shrouded his eyes.
“Why is it going dark?” he asked.
“Trevor,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
She knelt down beside him, noticing the red pooling on the front of his shirt. That filthy captain had broken the skin with his sharp nails, slicing him open in his solar plexus. Lena took off her cybernetic attachment and immediately applied pressure.
“Alexis, find something to stop the bleeding,” she instructed the frightened girl behind her.
Alexis was frozen in place, staring at the bright red blood that seeped from beneath the white cotton shirt. Her eyes were wide with horror.
“Alexis!” cried Lena. “Find something to stop the bleeding!”
This command catapulted her into action, looking about the room for anything that might have been clean enough to use. Nothing was available. She took off her cardigan and handed it to Lena, hoping it would work. Immediately, Lena pressed the fabric to the open wound and hushed Trevor’s quivering lips.
“Lena...” he whispered, his eyes fluttering.
“Don’t speak. You’ll only make it worse. Just hang on. The troops are on their way,” said Lena while hoping they weren’t too far.
Was there an infirmary nearby? There had to be some kind of medical room on this ship. She recalled the map in her memory, searching it for any place that might have a few supplies. It wasn’t like it would cater to human wounds. This was an alien ship. Still, it was better than nothin
g. Lena examined the wound, trying to determine whether it was healthy to move him. There wasn’t anything nearby that could act as a stretcher and Lena feared that he would bleed too much if she dragged him. He was probably in a lot of pain.
“I love you,” Trevor sighed. “I’m sorry about this.”
“I love you, too, and none of this is your fault,” said Lena.
“But I just wanted...” he trailed off, a coughing fit taking hold of his body that caused him to cringe.
“Trevor, please, don’t speak anymore. It’s going to be okay,” said Lena.
“That’s a lot of blood...” Alexis whispered while teetering over. “It’s making me woozy.”
Lena kept her hands firmly over the wound.
“Alexis, I need you to get the radio out of my pocket,” Lena instructed. “Call for Wesley to send a rescue team to the other side of the ship.”
Hesitantly, Alexis reached into Lena’s pocket and pulled out the radio, pressing the large button and raising it to her lips.
“Wesley, this is Alexis. Send us a rescue team,” she said.
“What’s your location? Over,” Wesley responded.
“We’re...uh...I don’t know. We’re on the other side of the ship. Just send us a rescue team!” she said, panicking.
“Tell them we have a medical emergency!” shouted Lena from the ground.
“We have a medical emergency,” repeated Alexis into the radio.
“Copy that. Over,” said Wesley.
The room grew silent as Alexis watched Trevor bleed. She wanted to do something to help, but couldn’t think of how she could be useful. Perhaps she could apply pressure to the other side or maybe make him more comfortable. Lena seemed to have a handle on it. There wasn’t much for her to do except watch. She could tell Lena loved him dearly, that her heart was weeping for the man beneath her hands. Blood started to collect around his sides and trickle down the stainless steel arm, droplets decorating the cybernetic addition. Part of her hoped to find a love like that one day.
