by Murison, J W
‘Near normal?’
She smiled, ‘Stevens actually registered as disabled; he isn’t even supposed to be working here. As well as he is now he’s still on a lot of medication.’
‘Is that what makes him shake?’
‘No that was the damage done to his nervous system. He takes pills to calm it. If he didn’t have them he wouldn’t be able to walk. We have to keep him away from computer screens too.’
‘Epilepsy?’
‘Something like that.’
He nodded his understanding, ‘how did he get the medal?’
‘About six months ago, we had armed intruders, two of them. Stevie caught them. They opened up on him and he brought them both down.’
His eyebrows shot up in amazement, ‘that was the guy!’
Liz’s face broke into a grin, ‘that’s him.’
‘Yeah I read about that. Killed them both didn’t he.’
‘Stone cold, one round apiece.’
‘Wow, you wouldn’t believe it looking at him would you?’
‘Well believe it.’
‘So what's he like?’
That smile slid back onto her face, ‘he’s a really sweet guy. You know, very respectful, rarely swears. He’s just a nice guy. Simple, but nice, you’ll see for yourself once you get to know him.’
‘I’ll look forward to it. I had better get going. I’ll see you later.’
‘Yeah, see you.’ Liz decided she rather liked Martin Ford.’
Buzz was sitting with his feet up on his desk when Steven walked in. A broad smile lit up his face, ‘hi buddy.’
Stevens grin was as big, ‘hey boss man.’
Buzz laughed. His pride in Steven’s achievements shone from his face, ‘you been to see your folks today?’
‘Yeah, had dinner with them. They were asking for you.’
‘Makes a change, they still pissed at me for giving you this job?’
Steven grinned and held up two fingers, ‘wee bit, but I think they’re beginning to see how much good it’s doing me.’
‘Yeah right up until something else happens, then I’ll have both of them screaming down my neck again.’
Steven laughed at the memory. Only Buzz could have resisted the pressure they had put on him back then. Steven himself still wasn’t sure what had happened. He had seen the skulking figures and challenged them. Lights had twinkled in the night, and then he had heard and felt the bullets snap past his head. The next thing he remembered was kneeling on the ground with a smoking revolver in his hands and staring down the barrel at the two crumpled figures. They still didn’t know what they had been after, but industrial espionage was the rumour.
Steven grinned easily at his Buzz’s discomfort, ‘comes with the territory kemosabe.’
Buzz’s smile returned. He stood and grabbed his jacket and hat, ‘let's go do the rounds partner.’
It was a luxury he had afforded himself since Steven’s arrival, and looked forward to it every day.
It took them an hour to travel around the enormous complex. Buzz felt himself wind down at the end of a long day. He would have had Steven on the day shift with him, they had even tried, but it soon became apparent he couldn’t cope with the pressure, and his parents continual checking up on him.
However he had quickly settled into the night-time routine and Buzz had drawn a deep breath. Steven also looked forward to these night-time strolls. He remembered little of his life before the accident, but Buzz would talk constantly of those days, and every now and then he would trigger a distant memory.
It had almost become a game. Steven would partially remember something, and over the weeks he would pluck away at it on their nightly walks. Buzz never seemed to mind going over the memory again and again. Sometimes it would return completely, others partially. Normally Steven would remember nothing about the incident and would just listen to episodes from his earlier life as though it were part of a strange dream.
Chapter 4
With Buzz gone Steven quickly feel into the night-time routine. He ran into Sandiman again, who had tried to bait him, but Steven had simply shrugged it off. He had met too many of his kind in his lifetime to be bothered by one more.
Martin Ford had sat at his table during a break period and introduced himself. He had heard Sandiman’s earlier sallies and decided to intervene.
‘There’s no need for you to take his shit you know?’
Steven’s hand shook as he took out a large plastic pillbox and proceeded to take them with mouthfuls of water. ‘Don’t lose any sweat over it man.’
‘Hey if you ever need any help.’
Steven waved a hand at him, ‘there's no need, he won’t be here long enough to get wound up over.’
Martin was surprised, ‘are you going to report him?’
‘No need to, everyone else will. I have a lot of friends here and they all insist in looking out for me, no matter how many times I tell them to butt out.’
Martin laughed, ‘I can see why. I suppose you’re a bit of a hero after that shoot out.’
Stevens eyes glazed over for a second, ‘I get treated different that’s for sure, but it isn’t that. I think a lot of them just feel sorry for me, or did anyway.’
‘Not now?’
‘No, now I’m just one of the boys. I suppose it’s because they now know they can depend on me if we ever get into a tight spot. That’s what Buzz thinks it is. Saying that, they still fuss around me like a bunch of mother hens.’
‘So what are you doing after the break?’
‘Same as I always do, back on foot patrol.’
Martin frowned, ‘is that all you do?’
‘To be honest it’s all I really can do. I’ve tried some of the administrative stuff. I can’t really concentrate long enough to be good at it, and the computers can give me a fit, so I’m not allowed near them.’
‘Don’t you get bored doing foot patrol all the time?’
‘No I like it. I’ve pretty much got the freedom of the base, which is great because I get to meet lots of interesting people, I even get to shoot them sometimes.’
Ford laughed at the gallows humour, ‘great social life huh.’
Stevie smiled, ‘I have a better social life now than I did before.’
‘Honest?’
Stevie squinted across the table, ‘you’ve got to remember I’ve got a few wee problems. Before I started here normal folks wouldn’t stop long enough to give me the time of day. Now they haven’t really any choice. They got to talk to me. Over the months they’ve come to realise I’m not too bad a lad and now most stop for a wee chat.’
Martin nodded, realising the simple truth of the small man’s statement, ‘I got to go, it’s been nice meeting you.’
‘The same, you need to know anything give me a shout, I’m always on the prowl somewhere.’
‘I’ll do that, see you later.’
‘Later.’
Steven finished his meal and resumed his patrol, calling in at security stations on the way. Half way across the huge car park he ran into Gregor, with the ever-faithful Rex.
‘Hi Stevie, could you do me a favour and look after Rex for a few minutes?’
‘Hi Greg, bladder still playing up?’
‘Yeah afraid so.’
‘Thought you were going to see a doctor about it?’
‘Tried, got to wait a week for an appointment, you believe that shit?’
‘I believe, I believe. I’ll look after Rex for a few minutes.’
‘Great thanks.’
Greg handed over the lead and rushed off. Rex never tried to follow. Instead he was giving all his attention to Steven. He squatted down and rubbed the great Alsatian between the ears.
‘Hello fellow, how are you tonight?’ Rex yipped in reply and Steven laughed. ‘Now what do you think I have for you tonight?’
Rex began sniffing at Steven’s pockets and tried to stick his nose in one. Steven laughed harder and took out a small doggie chocolate treat bar.
‘You’re just too smart for me boy.’
He fed the dog the treat in small pieces chatting away to it all the time. ‘You know you probably are smarter than me.’ He rubbed the dog behind the ears absentmindedly. ‘They say I was a genius once, can you believe that?’ He pointed towards the heavens, ‘my dad says I could have reached for the stars. That would have been nice eh! You could have come too. The first doggy on the Moon. Would you have liked that?’
Rex yipped his understanding and Steven laughed again. ‘Mind you I think there's a shortage of trees up there, but I’m sure somebody could put up a pole for you.’
Greg wasn’t long in coming back and took the lead from him. ‘So what have you pair been cooking up tonight?’
‘We’re planning a holiday on the Moon, aren’t we Rex?’
Rex barked in response and both men laughed, ‘you're going to have that dog as daft as you are one day. You realise of course he’s supposed to be a killer?’
Stevie stuck his face close to Rex’s, ‘hey boy kill.’
Rex half barked then licked Stevens face. Both men laughed again. Each knew at the proper words of command Rex would turn into a raging ball of fury.
They said their goodbyes and moved on. After another hour of patrolling Stevie stopped for a coffee and a quick chat before heading back out to the big car park. He knew most of the lights would now be out. It was his favourite time of the night. He would stand in the middle of it and observe the stars for a while, counting the shooting stars as they passed overhead.
He didn’t have to wait long for the nights display. As he watched a large meteorite hit the atmosphere. It moved from left to right across his field of vision.
‘Oh that’s a beauty,’ he told himself, ‘I wonder if it will reach the atmosphere?’
A blinding flash of light answered his question as the super heated missile hit layers of oxygen. Steven laughed out loud. Then the burning meteorite did an extraordinary thing and turned towards him.
The object raced downwards at a terrific speed; then as he watched it seemed to split in two. The flames that trailed the two objects were suddenly extinguished to reveal two distinct bright lights on an intercept course with the institute.
It took Stevens befuddled mind a few seconds to realise he was directly in their path. He began to run for his life, but some instinct deep inside told him he was never going to make it.
A loud humming filled the air and he cried out in fear as the starlight was blotted out by a large shadow. Worse still he was still only three-quarters of the way across the car park.
The hum became almost deafening when a large silver object slipped into his peripheral vision. It landed filling the right hand side of the car park. He could feel his hair begin to stand on end as the other began to land on top of him. Its shadow completely obscured any markings on the ground and he gave out one more desperate cry as it filled the world around him.
Then it stopped its decent. His run stumbled to a walk. Gasping for air he looked up to find it hovering a few inches above his head. Before him the lights from the institute beckoned at the end of a long tunnel.
He made his way towards them, looking around now. The intense humming had reduced to a gentle croon. He could see a little of the first ship. The one above was to close for him to make out any detail greater than it was smooth.
His startled nerves quickly settled and he began to feel strangely relaxed. With a leap of faith he reached up to touch it and it shot up just out of reach.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,’ he apologised. Then to his amazement the ship lowered just far enough to brush his fingertips. A strange tingling sensation rushed up his arm and filled him with a strange sense of euphoria and a look of innocent wonder filled his face.
As he appeared out from under the great ship into a world full of apocalyptic alarms and screaming men the ship finally settled onto the cold tarmac. Stevie turned and placed his hand fully against the upward curve of the hull, ‘thank you.’
A strange sensation warmed him. Only then did he begin to become aware of the pandemonium that had broken out around him.
Chapter 5
They had hid beneath the veil of the Moon for many years, but time meant little to them, for they had no heart to tell them different. Watching, waiting and gathering data beamed into space from the blue planet below.
They had watched the launch of many satellites and small craft that would orbit the planet a few times then return. A few had ventured as far as the Moon only to return almost immediately.
They found their behaviour strange. There was evidence that man had already landed on the small Moon, yet none seemed to have returned. For a while they had been worried that the race below had no desire to explore deep space. However once they found how to decode some of the signals coming from below, they found the race indeed had a deep desire to leave their planet.
It had been very confusing. The inhabitants of their own planet had been as one. One culture, one language one colour, but they surmised their world was completely different. There were no great oceans dividing continents as below and the seasons barely differed.
What frightened them most was the level of violence displayed by all of the creatures on the blue planet. There's had been a planet of herbivores. No two species competed for the same food source and farming had been the earliest discovery.
As the years passed they were able to distinguish between fact and fiction and what the humans regarded as history and entertainment.
They had come across other alien races in their travels. Most were as peace loving as their hearts, but one species had proved as violent as the one below and for the first time their hearts had been forced to consider using the weapons they had installed in case of such an emergency.
It was the same species that had chased them into the great barrier where the strange radiation had at first crippled every member of their crew then killed them. What was even more surprising was that radiation was very common in this part of the galaxy and the planet below was bombarded by it daily with no ill effect to the occupants.
The discovery had started many months of discussions about the possibility of re-crossing the deadly belt and returning home. If there was one thing they readily agreed on was the fact that the race below would easily stand up to the race of villains who had pursued their crews to their death. It gave them a strange sense of ease.
It was the level of violence and the reaction to their appearance that had kept them in a quandary for years. In the end they realised they had little choice. The only question left was where. In that to they soon realised they were left with little choice. The one thing they both decided readily on was to land at a civilian base not a military one.
Finally there was nothing left to discuss and in an instant they left the sheltering Moon. It only took them a few minutes at a relatively slow speed to reach the waiting planet.
They could have descended straight to their target, but had decided on a long approach to alert as many of the civil population as possible. In this they hoped salvation lay.
As they came into land she suddenly became aware of the running figure below. Fear jolted her. Would her first act be to squash one of the human race?
‘Watch out,’ he warned.
‘I see it.’ She braked harder. As her mate came to rest on the planet Earth she was able to hover just above the figures head. She was surprised as she immediately felt the man’s fear. He stumbled to a walk as she began to transmit what she hoped was a soothing signal.
She was mesmerised by the small figure. ‘The thought waves of these humans are strong.’
‘Have you touched him?’
‘No.’
‘Really and you can still feel his thoughts?’
‘Yes.’
‘We were not prepared for that.’
‘It is too late now.’
‘Better than not being able to read their thought waves I suppose. If they become intrusive
we can always tune them out.’
‘Yes.’
She shied away as he reached up, ‘he has much courage this one.’ Then she heard his apology and something touched her deep inside. They had studied this language intensively. As yet they had no way of communicating directly, but they could understand.
She felt a longing and lowered herself just enough. The connection was immediate and the longing became an indescribable yearning.
‘I have found a new heart,’ she cried.
‘Caution,’ he warned, ‘you have been without a heart too long. We have discussed this. The hierarchy of this world will not allow us to pick our own hearts.’
‘Oh so much pain, how can he endure it?’
‘Cut the connection.’
‘I cannot.’
‘You must.’
‘No never, this one will be my new heart. I can feel it.’
He was becoming angry, ‘don’t be stupid, break the connection.’
She ignored him and was talking to the small figure that stood with his hands against her hull, ‘do not worry little one, I will take the pain away.’ She knew he could not hear her words but believed she transmitted her feelings, but contact was lost as events began to overtake them.
Chapter 6
Fear leapt into Buzz’s throat as two very tuff looking air force men backed by a tank waved him down. This was the third checkpoint in a mile. What the hell was going on? His ID was checked again against a list. This time another Air force man got in beside him and directed him to the back of the institute but not before Buzz caught a glimpse of the two large silver objects in the main building car park.
‘What the hell is that?’
‘Don’t ask.’ The man growled.
Fighter jets roared overhead and Buzz realised even the air above them had been cordoned off. He was guided into the building through one of the emergency fire exits.
A hard bitten Army Colonel in a jet black uniform and armed to the teeth met him there, ‘are you Buzz Anderson?’
