Cassie smiled, grabbed her pack from the floor, strapped it to her back, and headed toward the hangar.
Chapter 5.
As she entered the hangar, Cassie got her first good look at the landing shuttle. It was blocky and black, with the words “The Raven” painted in gold letters along the side. There were four large engines in the rear that pushed the shuttle along and it was propped up on four legs. Overall, it reminded her less of a raven and more of a black robot frog. She walked past the rear engines and found a small stairway in the belly that led into the cabin. Inside the shuttle she saw two rows of seats with lockers against the walls. In the front was a single chair in the center of a large control panel for the captain to drive the shuttle.
Cassie stowed her gear in a wall locker and took a seat. She didn’t have to wait long for the rest of the crew to arrive. The first were the soldiers. They were suddenly very solemn, the complete opposite of what they had been earlier. Shortly behind the soldiers was Jason followed by Lars. As he boarded, Lars pressed a button on the wall which caused the stairs to retract and seal the cabin closed. Jason walked straight to the cockpit and sat in the pilot’s seat. Lars took the seat next to Cassie, tapping her on the shoulder as he walked by.
“Nervous?” he asked as he buckled himself in.
“A bit,” Cassie admitted.
“Don’t worry about it too much. Jason is the best pilot I’ve ever worked with and he’s a damn good commander. If you do as he says, you will be fine.”
Lars smiled at Cassie and she took a deep breath. Lars’ confidence in Jason made her feel better, but she still had knots in her gut. She tightened her seat belt and waited for the shuttle to take off.
“Lady and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” Jason said as he fired up the engines. “We will be leaving Solaris in a few minutes. Everyone buckle up tight and we will be landing on Novus before you know it. We know you have no choice of flights, but thanks anyway for flying with The Raven.”
With that, Jason flipped a switch above his head. Cassie heard the rush of air as the hangar sealed off from the rest of the ship. Jason flipped another switch and a set of large doors opened in front of the shuttle. Jason gently pushed the throttles and the shuttle lurched forward. Once they were outside in the emptiness of space, Jason slammed the throttles full forward and The Raven launched away from Solaris.
Cassie was breathless as she looked out the front window. For the first time in her life, she was outside of Solaris and in the vastness of space. She was swept away by the beauty and sheer size of everything in front of her. In the distance, she could see the planet they were heading for. It looked massive, at least 10 times the size of Solaris.
“I remember my first time,” Cassie heard Lars say. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“Yeah, it’s kind of beautiful,” Cassie said without taking her eyes off the windows.
“It really is. You know what the best part is?” Lars asked her.
“What’s that?”
“It never gets old.”
Cassie smiled. She could see by Lars’ face he was in his late 30s or early 40s. He was handsome for his age, with his light wrinkles and sprinkles of grey in his dark brown hair. She felt a wave of happiness seeing someone who had done this job for so long still be amazed by it.
“You know what else never gets old?” Jack said, interrupting Cassie’s thoughts.
“Keep your dirty mind to yourself, Jack. She doesn’t want to hear it,” Jason spoke up from the cockpit.
Before Cassie knew it, Jason was preparing to land the ship. There was a bit of shaking and bumping as they tumbled through the atmosphere and another bump when they hit the ground, but nothing Cassie couldn’t handle. She was slightly disappointed the flight was over.
Lars unbuckled and pressed the button that lowered the steps. Cassie stood up and retrieved her gear from the wall locker. As she strapped the pack to her back, she saw the three soldiers remove their various rifles and pistols from their lockers as well as vests and packs full of extra ammunition and supplies. The soldiers were the first three off the shuttle.
“All clear,” Eric called up. Lars stepped down off the shuttle followed by Cassie then finally Jason.
“Mom, The Raven has landed,” Jason said into his wrist communicator.
“Copy that, Chief. Everything looks good from up here,” Jennifer responded from back on the ship.
“Alright everyone, gather around,” Lars said to the team. The crew formed a circle and Lars tossed a small cube into the center of the circle. A holographic map projected from the cube showing the immediate area. There were six red dots in the center of the map. “This is our area of operation. Nobody goes outside what this map shows. We don’t know what’s past this,” Lars explained.
“Jack, you and your guys form a security perimeter. Keep eyes and ears out for hostile natives. Lars, go with Cassie and help her out on her first landing. I’ll monitor things from the ship,” Jason ordered. With that, Jason returned to the ship and the soldiers spread out. Cassie watched as everyone’s respective dots moved on the map. Finally, it was just Cassie and Lars standing in the middle of the map.
“Alright, let’s get to work,” Lars said.
Chapter 6.
After a few hours, Cassie took her last sample from the test site. She put the soil in a test tube, sealed it and placed it carefully in her pack. Strapping her pack to her back again, she turned toward Lars.
“Thanks for helping me out,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem,” Lars said. “How does everything look?”
“Not too bad. Air and vegetation samples seem to show humanity could live here. Soil seems a bit acidic, but might still be able to work. I’ll have better data once I get everything back to the lab and run more intensive tests.”
“Good job, Cassie. For your first landing, you did very well,” Lars said patting her on the shoulder.
Cassie appreciated his praise. She started walking toward the ship when she heard a noise off in the distance. It sounded like someone falling and snapping branches. Her first thought was it was one of the soldiers patrolling the perimeter, but when she looked at the holographic map next to Lars she saw no other red dots near their location. She looked back up at Lars and saw he had noticed the same things.
“Get behind me,” Lars said stepping forward and drawing a pistol from his hip holster. “Who’s there?” he asked into the bushes. “Step forward, slowly or I will shoot.”
“How do you know it speaks English?” Cassie whispered.
“I’m just guessing,” Lars admitted.
“Please don’t shoot me,” a voice said from within the dense bushes in front of them. Cassie and Lars were both shocked.
Walking slowly forward into the clearing, a man wearing a Landers uniform appeared. Cassie and Lars were both confused by the sight of him. He appeared to be human, but had the same facial structure as Lars, along with his muscular build, but he also had Cassie’s dark brown hair and bright green eyes.
“What the hell are you?” Lars asked it without lowering his pistol.
“Please don’t shoot me,” the creature said again, but Cassie noticed he spoke without moving his mouth.
“I’m going to ask you one more time. What are you?”
The creature’s eyes locked with Cassie’s and she suddenly felt a wave of fear rush over her. However, she didn’t fear the creature; she feared something else entirely. She feared Lars and his gun. She also felt lonely and sad, like she had lost something dear to her. Cassie stepped forward and stood between Lars and the creature.
“What is your name?” Cassie asked it.
“My name is Dahl,” it responded.
“What are you doing?” Lars interrupted.
“He’s scared. Can’t you see that? Lower your gun, he’s harmless,” Cassie told Lars.
“Or he just wants you to think that,” Lars said keeping his pistol aimed at Dahl. “It co
uld be a trap.”
“Trust me. He’s just scared. And he’s alone,” Cassie said. “Isn’t that right, Dahl?”
“I am alone, but I am not alone. I am being chased,” the creature responded.
“What is it talking about?” Lars asked Cassie.
“He’s the last of his kind, I think. Whatever wiped out his people is looking for him,” Cassie explained.
“She is right,” Dahl said.
“How do you know that?” Lars was becomingly more and more confused.
“He’s a Telepath. I read about them in University. It was theorized there is life out there that can communicate by transmitting thoughts and feelings to each other. I never thought I would actually ever see one,” Cassie said with her interest peaking.
“Okay, but why does it look like us?” Lars asked again.
“Active camouflage,” Dahl chipped in. “My species has evolved the ability to take on any form as a survival tactic. I adopted your looks in the hope you would not kill me. I am glad it worked.”
Just as Lars began to relax, accepting the answers to his questions, there was an even louder noise from the bushes. It was the crashing of a large group. Dahl looked terrified and ran behind Cassie and Lars.
“It’s the Grimmots!” Dahl shouted. “They found me!”
“I’m guessing the Grimmots are the ones chasing you,” Lars said. Seeing Dahl nod, he turned to Cassie and added, “Well, we should probably get back to the shuttle.”
“Are you going to protect me?” Dahl asked hopefully.
Lars started to say “no”, but Cassie interrupted him and said “yes”. Before Lars could argue, Cassie and Dahl began to run back to The Raven. Lars followed quickly behind them. While he ran, Lars announced on the communicators they were in danger and for everyone to return to the shuttle.
Once everyone was on board, Jason fired up the engines and slammed the throttles full forward. Faster than the speed of sound, The Raven was off the ground and heading straight up, back to Solaris.
“Mom, we ran into some hostile natives. We are on our way home. All crew members are accounted for, plus one extra,” Jason radioed to Jennifer as they took off.
“What do you mean by ‘extra’?”
“You’ll see when we get back,” Jason said.
Cassie could see everyone was staring at Dahl. She could almost hear the thousands of questions in their heads. She looked over at Dahl and could see he was also uncomfortable with all the stares.
“I know what everyone is thinking,” Lars said addressing the crew. “I’ll explain everything when we get back to HQ. In the meantime, just keep your mouths shut.”
“Lars, you know this is against Regulations,” Eric spoke up.
“I know. We were in danger. Decisions were made. I’ll deal with the fall out,” Lars explained.
Cassie knew if Lars got in trouble for this it would be her fault. Lars wanted to leave Dahl behind, but Cassie made the choice to bring him along. She wasn’t concerned with rules and regulations. She just saw someone who needed help and saved him without thinking.
Chapter 7.
The rest of the flight to Solaris was tensely quiet. Cassie could see everyone was still staring at Dahl. Dahl hung his head low as he tried to hide from everyone’s eyes. Cassie worried about what would happen once they landed, but she didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Everyone quickly stepped out and into the hangar. Cassie and Dahl were the last two to exit. Cassie saw Captain Jackson and a handful of Security Officers aiming rifles at the shuttle and the rest of the crew. Dahl immediately threw his hands in the air in surrender and tried to hide behind Cassie.
“What’s going on?” Cassie asked.
“Security protocol,” Captain Jackson answered. “We got word from your Overwatch you were bringing something back. It is standard operating procedure to secure the hangar and all returning crew in order to prevent hostile lifeforms from entering Solaris.”
“This life form calls himself ‘Dahl’,” Lars spoke up. “He’s not hostile. He’s a rescue.”
“You know it’s not that easy, Lars. There are rules that must be followed,” Captain Jackson said.
“He’s a shape-shifter,” Cassie said, thinking quickly.
“What?” Captain Jackson asked.
“Dahl’s species has evolved active camouflage as a survival mechanism. If I can study him in my lab, I think I can isolate the gene that allows him to change his form. If I can isolate that gene, then I can develop a bacteria to be seeded on a planet’s ecosystem. The bacteria would be programmed to alter the existing lifeforms, flora and fauna, to morph into those on Earth. It will allow us to terraform any planet we choose so we can live there. Dahl might be the key to finding a new home. No more searching, we just move in wherever we want,” Cassie explained.
“Are you serious? Can you really do that?” Lars whispered to Cassie.
“Maybe,” Cassie said.
Captain Jackson considered it for a moment then finally said, “Very well, Cassandra. Study this alien as much as you need. However, Landers HQ will be placed under quarantine. No Landers will be allowed to leave this section of the ship until the alien is returned to his home planet.”
Captain Jackson ordered his Security Officers to vacate the hangar and he followed them out of the door. Only the Landers and Dahl were left standing in the empty hangar in silence.
“Sorry,” Jennifer said breaking the awkward silence. “I had to report it when Jason said there was an ‘extra’. It’s the rules.”
“You did the right thing, Mom,” Jack said. “Lars is the one that let the alien on the ship.”
“Actually, I’m the one that brought him on board,” Cassie admitted. “Lars wanted to leave him behind, but I told him to follow us. He was scared and I felt bad for him.”
“There are rules for a reason, Cassie,” Jason said.
“Please, show her mercy,” Dahl interjected. “She saved my life, but if I am such a burden on you all, then I will return to my home,” he said sadly.
“No Dahl. You should stay,” Cassie said.
“No, he should leave. I would like to go home tonight,” Eric said.
“No. What I said to Captain Jackson, I wasn’t just making it up. I think I can actually do that. I learned genetic alteration in University. We used salamander DNA to regrow limbs on rats and birds. It’s the same basic thing.”
“If you think you can do that, then you have my blessing. Just be quick about it,” Jason said.
“I agree,” Lars said. “We have been looking for a new home for a long time and we have lost a lot of good friends on landings. If we can stop sacrificing lives, then I support Cassie.”
“I support her too,” Jennifer chimed in.
“Well, if Mom is behind this madness then I guess I am too,” Jack said reluctantly.
Cassie felt proud her new coworkers would hold so much faith in her. She was nervous Dahl would be sent home to be killed by the aliens who had invaded his planet, but she felt happy now knowing she had saved his life and may be able to save countless more lives and allow everyone on Solaris to have a new home.
“Let me show you two to the lab,” Jennifer offered.
“Right, everyone else let’s get to work. Nobody is going home anytime soon, so let’s get some living quarters set up,” Jason ordered.
Jennifer, Cassie and Dahl walked across the hangar toward a set of double doors across from the briefing room Cassie had been in this morning. The rest of the Landers branched out to different areas looking for things to use to build a make-shift home for the foreseeable future.
“I assume you know how to use all of this,” Jennifer said once they entered the lab.
“Yes I do,” Cassie said. She was amazed at the quality of equipment in her new lab. Every machine she could ever have dreamed of having or needing was in this room and all of it seemed to be in pristine condition. Her lab at the University had not been this well-equipped. “T
his is amazing,” she said looking around.
“Good. I’ll be more than happy to help you if you need an extra pair of hands. In the meantime, I’m going to help the boys. I don’t trust them to make my room up to a lady’s standards,” Jennifer joked walking back out the door.
Cassie barely noticed her leaving as she walked around the lab, familiarizing herself with the layout. Once she had an idea of where everything was, she turned her attention to Dahl. “Alright, let’s get started. Come take a seat here on the examination table. I need to run a few tests.”
Dahl climbed up on to the examination table and laid down flat on his back.
“I need you to change to your natural form, Dahl. I need to examine your body in its basic form otherwise all my tests are going to be corrupted,” Cassie explained.
“Of course,” Dahl said in agreement. In an instant, he transformed his human body back to its natural state.
Cassie was amazed by what she saw. Even in his natural form, Dahl was very human-like. He had a human head, two legs, two arms, all the basic markers. The biggest difference was Dahl was completely blue. From his bald head to his toes, he was navy blue in fact. He was also completely naked, to Cassie’s shock. She had seen naked men before during her medical training, but she had never seen a naked alien before. He had a muscular build and was completely hairless. Cassie was actually impressed and excited by his appearance.
“Is this better?” Dahl asked her.
“Yes, much better,” Cassie said trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. “I just need to check your vital signs, then I need some fluid samples to extract your genetic code.”
As Cassie did her tests, Dahl asked “what happens to me when you are finished? Once I no longer serve a purpose, your leader will send me back to my death?”
“I don’t know. At least this buys us some time. Maybe Captain Jackson will change his mind and let you stay once he sees you aren’t a threat,” Cassie said drawing blood from Dahl’s muscular arm.
Once she finished her exams and taken fluid and tissue samples, Cassie inserted the samples into various machines around her lab. “This is going to take a few hours. Maybe you should go get some rest,” Cassie told Dahl.
Scifi Romance: Solaris (Paranormal Alien Space Romance) (Fantasy Interstellar Military Short Stories) Page 2
