by Anna Lewis
The captain leaned over the cyborg and studied his cybernetic additions. A gurgle and a nod acknowledged the craftsmanship, admiring the stainless steel armor and the flawless attachment to the shoulder. He pulled up the shirt to look at the attachment to the hip, nodding again.
“Such beautiful work,” he said in his language.
Trevor could do nothing but follow the alien enemy with his eyes. They darted across the room, looking for a way to fight back, his limbs stiff from being frozen. Alexis stared at the alien. When he wasn’t looking, she leaned over Trevor and whispered that it would be okay. Lena spoke over the ear piece and asked if he was alright. There was no way to speak, so Trevor grunted in response.
“Trevor, what’s going on?” she asked.
“Cap...tured...” he grunted through frozen lips.
“Captured? You’ve been captured?” she clarified. “Alright, listen to me. You’re going to get through this. Are you on the bridge?”
“Mmm...” Trevor responded.
“When you can, tap your earpiece twice. It will act as a translator for the alien language,” explained Lena. “I will listen. Hopefully the mic will pick up what they say to you.”
“Human!” cried the captain, turning to point at Alexis.
The barking noise caused her to sit up straight, keeping her arms to her sides. Her eyes stared at the disfigured hand pointing in her direction. What did he want?
“You will face our wrath so that we may understand the nature of this cyborg,” explained the captain.
Over the radio, the captain called for his first mate to return in order to bind the human woman. He appeared moments later and strapped her into a large chair to which she responded by flailing. This solicited a zap from the captain’s stun weapon, paralyzing her just like Trevor. A tear rolled out of her eye and made its way down her cheek, carving a river of defeat into her face. Was this going to be the end of her?
“Leave her alone!” growled Trevor as he started gaining control over his limbs. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“She has everything to do with this,” explained the captain as he stared at the frightened woman. “And she will make you tell us everything about your modifications.”
Trevor couldn’t understand a word of what the Vihatagon was saying. He wiggled his fingers and slowly raised his hand to his ear, tapping the ear piece twice. Static filled the speaker until it leveled out, the sound of the Vihatagon’s voice changing into a more understandable collection of phrases.
“Tell us how you came to be, cyborg,” demanded the Captain. “And what equipment you use to control your cybernetic parts.”
“I just woke up like this one day,” said Trevor sarcastically. “I don’t know how it happened.”
“You must have been injured to need repairs in this manner. Tell me about your parts!” commanded the captain while growing angry.
“I can’t do that,” said Trevor, looking at his limbs that were coming back to life.
He wiggled the toes on his human foot and then sat up, stretching his cybernetic arm and opening the compartment to check the controls. It appeared that some of his functions might not work due to the weapon they had used on him. He would know more once he could get Lena’s instructions. Hopefully, she was listening over the ear piece and could discern what the alien enemy was saying.
“If you do not tell us, then we will torture this woman,” the captain informed Trevor. “Would you like to watch her die?”
“Why are you doing this? Why can’t you just leave my people alone?” asked Trevor, searching the beady eyes staring back at them for any hint of compassion.
An electric current suddenly charged through the body of Alexis who screeched as it shook her against the restraints. When it was over, she panted heavily, whimpering underneath the weight of the Vihatagon’s gnarled hand.
“Would you like to try again, cyborg?” asked the captain.
“There’s no need to use violence against us. We would gladly tell you the knowledge of our technology. Please, stop hurting her!” yelled Trevor.
Another current of electricity ripped through Alexis’ body, causing her to writhe, screaming for it to stop. She begged Trevor to give the Vihatagon what he wanted.
“As long as you comply, she lives,” said the captain. “Tell us about your cybernetic technology and show us how to modify humans.”
“For what purpose?” asked Trevor.
“For creating an army! Do you know how unstoppable an army of cyborgs would be while we take over this galaxy? Our fleshy bodies are weak and slow. With cybernetic advancements on your people, as well as mind control implants, we can build a whole fleet that would take over planets much faster,” explained the captain. “And you could be the leader of such an army.”
“Why would I ever do that?” Trevor asked rhetorically. “I’m not interested in being your war slave. Release her or I will be forced to--”
Electricity rattled Alexis once more and her eyes rolled up to the back of her head. Trevor watched helplessly as she began to lose consciousness.
“Enough!” he cried. “Fine. Let her go. I’ll do it.”
“No!” cried Lena over the ear piece. “Don’t do that, Trevor. I’ll lose you forever.”
“I have to,” he explained. “I’m doing this for Earth.”
Satisfied with Trevor’s response, the captain had Alexis released to a prison cell nearby where she would be held while she recovered from the torture. There was no telling whether she might survive the damage done to her body and Trevor felt guilty for having put her through so much trauma. He forced the captain to promise her survival. The captain willingly gave his word even though they both knew he was the type who would go back on it, the air around them tense with anticipation for the next step in the great plan of the Vihatagons. While the captain grinned, Trevor wondered what he had just agreed to.
Would it be the end of Earth?
Chapter 8
Lena was in a state of panic.
She was about to lose the love of her life to those dreadful Vihatagons who wanted to use his body as a template to create more cyborgs. Their sadistic plan would only bring about the world’s ending, so why hadn’t Trevor fought harder? All of these wild thoughts filled her brain as she informed the scientists that she would need their help creating a new cybernetic additions.
“What for?” asked Dr. Warren.
“For me,” she responded. “I have to go up there and save Trevor. It’s the only way we’ll be able to accomplish our plan.”
“But Dr. Clark, that’s insanely dangerous. Not to mention you won’t have any time to heal!” said Dr. Warren.
Lena ignored his warnings and began assembling parts, turning to ask one of the soldiers to retrieve more pieces from the hospital. She would also have to make a spacesuit for her travel through space. A full cyborg surgery wouldn’t be possible at the moment, but she was certain she could fashion surface armor that would aid her in her quest to save the great Trevor Noble. Had it been anyone else who was taken, she wouldn’t risk her life in such a way.
But this was for love and for the survival of her planet. She knew what she had to do. As she began wiring an additional arm for her to wear, she had one of the other scientists weld together pieces of stainless steel. Lena talked into her watch every so often to check on Trevor’s status. He would respond that he was fine, that they were sitting with the captain and discussing terms. The Vihatagon captain would stare at him with confusion, wondering why he was saying random things out loud. During their discussion, Trevor tried to convince them to leave Lena unharmed, but he knew it was a futile request. Every living being capable of war would be put through modifications. The remaining population would be destroyed as soon as the Vihatagons had collected their fill.
This would be the greatest genocide in the history of humanity, effectively wiping them out. The surrounding planets occupied by humans might also be destroyed. Saturn and Mars were just next
door and he was sure the Vihatagons would take them as well. Was there anything Trevor could do to stop the madness? He could try to destroy the Vihatagons in the room, but he knew more would come in response and he wasn’t sure if he could handle that many without his soldiers behind him. Careful planning was required in this delicate situation. He could use Lena’s kiss right now. That always seemed to set his head right.
Below the mothership, the battlefield was barren. The soldiers had returned to the base building since the transporter vehicles had left and General Sanders went inside to check on the group. He noticed them working hard on Lena’s modification.
“What’s this?” he asked, walking over to admire their work.
“We’re creating a cybernetic arm for Dr. Clark to use. Commander Noble has been captured,” explained Dr. Snyder.
“Commander Noble was captured?!” cried the general. “Get some soldiers ready for spaceflight. We must rescue this man before the entire planet is destroyed.”
“Sir, I must fly up there first,” Lena implored. “It’s the only way to make it safe for everyone else.”
“This isn’t a mission done alone, Dr. Clark. I want you to have back-up,” insisted General Sanders. “We can’t lose the brains behind this battle. I’m sending you with your own reinforcements.”
Lena smiled and thanked the general. It made her proud that she was being supported by the scientists and both generals. Hope filled her as she finished the spacesuit and helped Dr. Warren with the cybernetic arm. They couldn’t attach it in the same fashion as Trevor’s, but they could fix it over her skin like a glove. The receptors on the inside would pick up on her body’s electrical impulses, giving her full range of control over its ray gun feature. Arm movement was limited with the heavy attachment.
After the group was done with the finishing touches, Lena pulled the glove up the length of her arm and admired the product. She held her palm in front of her, waiting for the ray gun to charge and then blasted the opposite wall with it. A round of applause surrounded her while they all stared at the charred bits of wall. She took a bow and then grabbed the spacesuit, looking at General Sanders who was talking over his radio.
“You’ll have five men with you, Dr. Clark,” he explained. “The ship leaves in fifteen minutes. Are you ready?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for your help. All of you,” she said while turning to the entire group.
The scientists each bowed their heads, some of them holding up their hands in thanks for her brave endeavor. Lena followed General Sanders out the double doors as the scientists called after her, wishing her well on her mission. It would take a great deal of strength to penetrate the mothership, but she was sure they could manage as long as they disguised themselves in a drone.
But all the drones had been deactivated! How were they going to infiltrate the mothership without being noticed? If their transporter ship was identified, then they might be thwarted before they could even enact their plan. Perhaps Trevor could create a diversion in order to keep the Vihatagons distracted from their control panels. Lena spoke into her cyber watch.
“Trevor, create a diversion. We’re coming up,” she said quickly, hoping he caught that as she boarded a transport ship.
Five men sat in the seats of the ship, each of them in full uniform and armed to the teeth with ray guns. One of them had procured a disintegrator from the field. Lena admired the technology of it, commenting on its usefulness in their mission.
“Dr. Clark, you are now in charge of these fine gentlemen who will aid you in your mission. Soldiers, treat this woman as your commanding officer. She is your leader,” General Sanders announced. “And Godspeed.”
Once Trevor heard the message, he immediately began firing around the room to distract the Vihatagons from noticing the transportation ship. The ship rose above the battlefield and rattled as it made its way through the atmosphere, appearing just underneath the belly of the mothership where Trevor had previously been. Lena fixed the spacesuit helmet over her face and studied the faces around her. In an instant, their ship was shaking violently. The controls in the front beeped rapidly, red light filling the air. The pilot shouted to the other men.
“It’s going to explode!” he yelled. “We have to jump ship!”
The other men hadn’t yet put on their helmets, and could not as the ship lurched wildly, and they were stowed elsewhere. If the hull breached, they would likely all die. Lena racked her brain with options, jumping to the front to help the pilot with the controls. She opened the control panel and fumbled with the wires. They were quickly losing control.
Suddenly, a flash of light exploded in the front of the ship, causing a huge gash in the hull. The entire crew spiraled out into the atmosphere, their bodies falling away from each other.
To be continued!
Book 4: The End Is Near
Chapter 1
An explosion had torn a huge gash in the transporter ship, catapulting the pilot and two vulnerable soldiers into the earth’s atmosphere. Within seconds, the three of them were covered in frost and blue in the face, suffocating in the oxygen-deprived environment. They stopped moving shortly after the first minute and plummeted down into the Earth’s atmosphere where they would hit to the ground at maximum velocity. A frightened Lena watched them through the goggles of her spacesuit. She couldn’t imagine dying in such a fashion. Much of her life had been dedicated to preventing death, yet this particular sight scared her to the core. Despite the fear she felt, she had to continue with her mission.
As Lena breathed steadily into the spacesuit, she looked around to find not only that they were near the alien mothership, but there were three soldiers with helmets attached. They had been smart to grab them. One of them motioned to Lena to grab his hand so they could make their way to the mothership. Space didn’t provide much range of motion, making it difficult for the four of them to move. This didn’t stop the intrepid crew. The small group kicked off towards the underbelly of the ship and began to shimmy their way towards the loading dock. Surely there would be a way inside on that end. They just had to make it before the temporary oxygen tanks ran out on the three soldiers.
Space expanded in every direction, an alarming sight for a human woman who had never stepped foot off Earth. She had only ever even been overseas once, to visit Paris for a conference, but much of that was spent inside. Lena didn’t often take social risks like she did on the surgical table. This was her first visit to space and she wondered whether it might be her last. The other soldiers moved dexterously over the metal exterior of the ship, Lena grabbing one of them to keep from floating away. As they moved, the silence of space was deafening. They had never heard such quietness in their lives, their ears usually filled with the sound of ray guns, ships, or electronic noise.
For a moment, they each thought they might have gone deaf.
Within minutes, the small team arrived at the opening of the loading dock and carefully crawled up on to the deck. An alarm was blaring in the distance. A few ships were scattered around the bay, but it was largely deserted. Lena hoped they could get inside in time.
In the entrance, she quickly disarmed the gate and they entered as quickly as the space allowed, falling to the ground in coughing fits as the automated gravity kicked in. The doors behind them locked and they each removed their head coverings.
The doors before them opened and revealed a line of Vihatagons waiting, immediately firing off as soon as they came into view. Lena hid behind the three soldiers who laid into the enemy aliens. The small group of alien soldiers hit the ground and allowed passage for the four to board the mother ship. Its walls were made of an alloy metal that shined brightly. Lena looked around while recalling the map in her memory. She pointed to the left.
“We need to go that way,” she announced.
“How do you know?” asked the soldier to her left.
“I studied the layout of this place. I know where I’m going,” she responded quickly, feeling angry that he qu
estioned her knowledge.
“Jeffery, you need to trust her,” said the soldier to her right. “My apologies, ma’am. You’re in charge.”
“Thank you, soldier,” she said while charging her cybernetic arm.
Another group of Vihatagons came into view, blocking the hallway with their huge, disgusting bodies. Rays erupted on both sides and Lena wondered where Trevor might be, whether he was close to the bridge or off somewhere in the center of the ship. How she ached to have him close. It wouldn’t be long until they were together again and her skin buzzed with anticipation. Hours had passed since they last saw each other, but it felt more like weeks. Space travel had given her a headache, the trip and explosion having depleted her of energy.
The cybernetic addition was doing well, responding quickly to her thoughts as she fired upon the group of Vihatagons. It was much more effective than the ray gun that the soldiers were using. Given that it didn’t take long to charge, she didn’t mind stepping forward and taking the lead. The three Vihatagons fell to the ground in defeat. A green ooze covered the floor where they lay, thick and viscous in the bright light of the hall. What were these aliens made of? When this was over, she made a mental note to do a dissection on Earth for medical purposes. The more they knew about these hateful aliens, the better prepared they would be in the future, if they ever came again.
Lena walked forward and looked down another hallway, waving to the men to follow her. They arrived at the bridge in time to be intercepted by the first mate who gargled at them to surrender or die. Since she was beginning to grasp their language, Lena understood the first mate and shouted that they would never give up.
