Realms of Time (Scrapyard Ship)

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

  “Not now, Billy. We don’t need to announce our approach any more than we already have.”

  Billy withdrew the cigar from his lips and lowered his visor. Behind him Dira and Myers walked silently together.

  Chapter 36

  The following two hours were uneventful. Rizzo continued to share his knowledge about the late Cretaceous period as they passed by several small dinosaurs, a few odd-looking mammals, and various plant genomes and how they differed from today’s varieties. Ricket was the most interested and never short on questions.

  Ricket slowed as he accessed his locator equipment. “What do you know … the icon appeared on the first try,” he said.

  Jason looked at the holo-display and saw the now-bright and steady icon. “Where is it? Maybe only a hundred yards out?”

  “Yes, Captain, no more than that,” Ricket replied, nodding; he continued to look at the display as if waiting for something to happen.

  “If we’re this close we should move on and get it over with,” Jason said, turning away.

  Ricket stayed still. “It’s just that …”

  “What is it, Ricket?” Jason asked over his shoulder, now several paces ahead.

  “If you look at the surrounding terrain, the drone appears to be close to another lake and some large life forms.”

  “Dinosaurs are large. We’ve certainly determined that,” Jason shot back.

  “No, these animals are of a whole different magnitude. And from what Rizzo has described, we’re not looking at your everyday T-Rex, either.”

  Jason and Rizzo both fell back, rejoining Ricket.

  Rizzo bent over and took a closer look at the display. “Well, I don’t know what we’re looking at here, but during this period, the late Cretaceous, T-Rex was the biggest badass around.”

  “Why don’t we just keep walking and see for ourselves?” Dira remarked from behind them, looking mystified.

  “I agree, let’s just go. Close that up, Ricket. We’re almost there,” Jason said, heading off into the trees.

  As Jason led the team forward, the surrounding forest seemed to thin out. In the distance, he could make out the shimmering surface of the lake Ricket had mentioned. It certainly looked to be as large as the one the Perilous was currently floating on. It might be a good idea to bring her here; closer to us, more accessible, he thought.

  Approaching the lake, only a few trees grew close to the shore. Jason stood and took in the picturesque view. The lake was large and blue, with distant snow-capped mountains off in the distance. Numerous streams and tributaries fed into the lake; one such stream was directly to their left.

  “Now this is making me homesick,” Dira said, smiling as she took in the postcard perfect view.

  “I have a small cabin, probably not far from here,” Myers said, leaning in close to Dira.

  “Maybe in sixty-five million years you can show it to me,” she replied, sarcastically.

  Ricket assessed his equipment, nodded, and pointed to a clearing farther down the beach. “There, and inland just a bit, we’ll find the drone.”

  “And those life forms you were talking about?” Jason asked.

  “Also there. Although I’m getting readings from—”

  Ricket’s words were cut short by a disturbance in the water. It took Jason’s brain several moments to wrap around what he was seeing. First, a long slender snout broke the surface, like that of a crocodile, although this one was of a massive scale. As the dinosaur continued to rise out of the water, it became apparent it was not a T-Rex. Dragon-like, the beast had a curved dorsal ridge of long spines along its back and was easily a third bigger than a T-Rex. The size of the thing seemed nearly incomprehensible.

  “That’s not possible,” Rizzo said, astonishment in his voice. “What you’re looking at is a Spinosaurus. There simply was no bigger dinosaur … ever.”

  “And I take it that it, too, is carnivorous?” Jason asked him.

  “I honestly don’t know that much about the species, other than they lived both on land and water, and were supposed to have died out millions of years before this time period. It shouldn’t be existing here!”

  “No one make any abrupt movements. Let’s let him go wherever he’s going.”

  Standing like statues, the team had learned well from their previous encounter with the Triceratops. Jason took in the massive beast as it stepped out of the water and onto the beach. With every step, the ground shook. With casual glances downward and to the left, the Spinosaurus turned its long snout toward the team, standing still in the shadows of a few trees. As it disappeared into the tree line, only its moving head was visible.

  Jason let out a sigh of relief and nodded toward Rizzo. “Let’s hope we never have to see that thing again.”

  “Captain,” Ricket said, “we may have to. Indicators show the probe is situated in that general direction.”

  “Yeah, of course it is.”

  Jason moved out in front and followed the large footprints into the tree line. He’d learned from experience it wasn’t a good thing when the forest was this quiet. Bringing sudden attention to yourself when in the proximity of large predators was a good way to get yourself dead. The team moved with more speed than usual, and stayed close together. About to tell everyone to spread out, Jason came to an abrupt stop. He held up a clenched fist, and those behind him held their positions and crouched down low.

  Jason spoke quietly over his comms. “Slow it down … Tread quietly, everyone.” The team moved further into the trees toward the commotion Jason had heard. Although the trees obscured much of what was going on ahead, something was happening on a gargantuan scale. As they crept closer, it became clear there was more than one Spinosaurus. Jason next witnessed something he wished he hadn’t.

  “Wow. There’s been speculation for hundreds of years,” Rizzo whispered. “I now have to admit, it makes perfect sense.”

  Dira, smiling, brought her hand up to cover her mouth and exchanged a quick glance with Jason. The ground shook and trees swayed. The team took in the violent scene before them. Obviously, it was the female of the two dinosaurs that was on her side, almost on her back—her long, sharp, fin-like spikes pushed off at an angle into the ground and away from the towering male above her. Her jaws were agape and tightly clenched around the male’s thick neck. As he drove his seven-foot-long member into her, she tightened her jaws with each frenzied thrust. Blood flowed freely from his torn neck. It ended quickly and the male was off her and running deep into the forest before she had a chance to gain her feet. It was only then that the nest came into view.

  Ricket pointed, but no words were necessary. Not substantially different from a typical bird’s nest, other than its enormous size, the nest was circular and made from an accumulation of tree trunks, branches, foliage, and, surprisingly, other dinosaur bones. The six eggs seemed proportionally small, considering the size of the female Spinosaurus, now up and standing nearby. But what the team’s eyes were transfixed on was the six-foot-diameter sphere sitting in the middle of the nest, as if trying to pass itself off as one of the much smaller eggs around it.

  Dira was the first to start laughing. Her helmet obscured the sound from the outside environment and, fortunately, from the mother-to-be Spinosaurus. Soon Jason and Rizzo, followed by Ricket, saw the humor in the unlikely placement and started to laugh too. As if sensing their presence in the trees, the dinosaur abruptly looked down from her towering height to their low position. Already agitated, she took quick steps forward. Blood continued to fall from her mouth, and several large drops splashed at their feet. The seriousness of the situation brought Jason back to the mission at hand.

  “We’re going to need a diversion to get her away from that nest,” Jason said. Both Ricket and Rizzo stared back at Jason with blank expressions. “Ricket, get that other probe prepped and ready to land here. I’m going back to talk to Traveler … you hang tight here.”

  Jason waited for the agitated dinosaur to move toward her ne
st before scurrying back toward his waiting team. He saw Traveler’s life icon position on his HUD and changed direction. He found him standing tall at the side of a large tree trunk.

  “Captain Reynolds. You have witnessed a great thing.”

  “You saw the … um … situation with the dinosaurs, I take it?”

  “Yes, Captain. It was unmistakable, of course.”

  “There’s a dinosaur nest and an agitated mother who’s ill-disposed to move more than a few feet away. Unfortunately, our sphere’s right there, in the nest along with her eggs.”

  Traveler was nodding his head; Jason did not need to explain further. “We will distract this great beast. When she comes after us, you must act fast, Captain. We have never faced an adversary such as her. One so huge!”

  Jason had seen this look in Traveler’s eyes before. It was a look of eager anticipation. Challenges such as this one were what the rhino-warrior lived for.

  Chapter 37

  Brian was well aware what the new crew of Her Majesty was saying behind his back. Truth was, he didn’t particularly care. He’d been walking the corridors of the converted luxury space liner for the better part of the afternoon. Bristol, shuffling along at his side, he guessed was harboring resentful feelings of some sort. Perhaps he felt the massive ship was still his brother’s vessel, or Bristol felt he should be captaining the vessel for this next mission. Ludicrous.

  Betty and the hopper walked several paces behind them. And that was another thing. Betty was getting more and more impatient to return to her own people, to go home. Well, that would just have to wait. Actually, he didn’t mind having her around. She was different from the women he typically associated with. There was a quiet intelligence about her and she didn’t make airs—didn’t try to impress him, or anyone else, for that matter.

  “So here’s the toric-cloaking section of the vessel,” Bristol instructed them. “Anything happens to this part of the ship, you’re screwed. No replacement parts anywhere. This is one area where keeping the shields up will be imperative. You got that?”

  “Yeah, we’ll keep the shields up. Got it. What else do you have to show me?” Brian replied, sounding bored.

  They passed three drones that were moving in unison, making repairs to a breached inside hull bulkhead. As Brian passed an expansive window, he saw that the admiral had brought over another few hundred warships from Allied space. The Lilly and the Minian occupied the center of the growing fleet’s presence. Viewing all the vessels maneuvering here and there, Brian wondered why his father wanted him to lead this next mission. He certainly hadn’t done anything to garner that kind of responsibility, in fact, just the opposite. Brian knew he’d always placed himself and his own needs well above those of others. Hell, he’d been working hand-in-hand with the Craing up until a few weeks ago. The money was great, over-the-top ridiculous. But it was having the freedom to be his own agent that had been the most compelling. So what had changed? Not only in the admiral’s unfounded faith in his abilities, but in himself. Why had he agreed to take on the mission—a mission that held a strong possibility he’d get himself killed?

  “Brian, he asked you a question,” Betty said.

  “Yeah, weapons. What about them?”

  Bristol stood with his hands on his narrow hips and glared back at Brian. “What my brother intended to accomplish was to outfit a warship that could go up against anything in space. This ship was his ticket toward building an undefeatable fleet of pirate ships. What he didn’t take into account was that much of the weaponry he’d pilfered from other ships was far from state of the art. With the admiral’s help, we’re now in the process of correcting my brother’s mistakes and short-sightedness. Shields are being updated; new, more powerful rail and plasma cannons are being retrofitted. Added to that, with the toric-cloaking device, Her Majesty should be able to hold its own against several Craing heavy cruisers. That is, if the captain is up to the task.”

  Brian let the dig go. He couldn’t care less what the geeky kid said or thought.

  Betty moved to Brian’s side and spoke in a hushed voice. “What am I supposed to be doing while I wait for passage home?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I’m pretty good on comms or nav. Anything but tactical.”

  “Comms it is, then.” They continued to follow Bristol down one of the ship’s many long passageways. Betty nodded, looking down.

  “Or Navigation. Whatever you want,” Brian said, realizing she probably wasn’t thrilled with either option.

  “It’s just that I feel out of place here. Not really sure what I’m—”

  “You’re here because you’re my best friend … Other than the hopper behind you, I’ve pretty much alienated everyone I’ve come into contact with. Listen, if you really want it, I can get you home.”

  She looked up at him and held his eyes. “That’s the nicest thing I’ve heard come out of your mouth since I’ve met you. Why don’t you ask me to stay? Not because you need the help, but because you want me to … and I will?”

  Brian wasn’t used to this level of emotional communication, especially when it came to women. Women in the past who’d attracted his attention had always been paid for their time spent together. Again, someone was showing trust in him, and he didn’t really know why.

  “And as far as the hopper goes, you might want to consider asking him if he wants to be here.”

  Brian stole a quick glance over his shoulder toward the hopper. He wasn’t there. Then, looking farther back down the passage, he saw the hopper squatting. For God’s sakes, what’s it going to take to housebreak that thing?

  “I’ll do that, Betty. And thank you.”

  She simply smiled and looked down the passageway. Bristol had stopped and was waiting for them to catch up.

  “We’re back at the bridge soon; it’s only a little farther down the corridor. As the new captain, your suite is here,” Bristol said, gesturing toward a double hatchway, with gold scrollwork painted above and on the side bulkhead. “It was my brother’s—”

  “Hey, if you want your brother’s old quarters, have at it,” Brian snapped.

  “No. The round bed and mirrored ceiling tend to make me want to puke. It’s all yours, Captain.” Bristol said the last word with enough disdain to show he clearly didn’t consider Brian captain material.

  * * *

  Admiral Reynolds chose to hold the Allied Forces officer’s conference on the Minian. Not only did the spaceship have an adequate-sized conference room, the commanders who were attending had been chafing at the bit to see the advanced Caldurian ship ever since they’d joined him in Earth space. Each of the major planetary system commanders was here. Not all were on board with the admiral’s decision to take a more offensive approach—first in dealing with the Craing, and also with the Caldurians. And that’s where Gaddy would come in. Young, and still full of piss and vinegar, she held the right kind of passion to get these old farts off their collective fat asses. If anyone could convey the seriousness of their current situation, he was hoping she could.

  The conference tables were set up in a large U-shape. No one was placed in a position of importance over another. The admiral sat at the farthest end of the U and scanned the room. Those assembled were both male and female, representing the military might of their respective governments. It was a strange collection of aliens. Eighty-four beings in all had made the decision to attend: the Blues, the tall aquatic beings, in cocoon-looking environment suits; the moss-covered, earthy-smelling Knogs; even the Carz-Mau were represented. He recognized Ti, with her frightening open-mouthed grimace. Happy to see that she’d been elevated to the rank equivalency of admiral level, he nodded at her and smiled. He had no idea if she returned the smile, but she did nod her head back in his direction.

  The admiral stood and walked over to the pedestal at the center of the room. As the room fell silent, the admiral was surprised when a general from the Gorthow system stood and steadily began to clap his h
ands. Soon, all were on their feet, applauding the admiral. Touched, the admiral raised a hand in a gesture of thanks. At the back of the room he saw Brian and the pretty young woman from the freighter enter and lean against a bulkhead.

  “Thank you. Thank you very much. There’s no one in this room who hasn’t sacrificed a tremendous amount over the last few decades. Mere months ago, we were at the brink of defeat at the hands of the Craing. The Alliance was crushed in a matter of minutes by their fleet of two thousand without losing many casualties themselves. Those of us who survived limped home to lick our wounds, and we were left to wonder what the future fate of our home worlds would be. Would we see our wives and children forced into slavery to serve the Craing Empire, or would our worlds simply be obliterated, like so many others had, across the universe? But then something unexpected happened—”

  A robust, spidery-looking being positioned next to Ti interrupted. “Yes, Captain Reynolds is what happened!”

  The assembly clapped again and the admiral was all too pleased to let them show their appreciation. “Less than a year ago,” he continued, “Captain Reynolds indeed did save the day at the very edge of this solar system by taking out close to five hundred Craing warships. And just weeks ago, he again was instrumental in bringing down the remaining fifteen hundred ships of that same fleet. The truth is, Captain Jason Reynolds is quite the innovative thinker. Obviously a risk taker, but also someone who rarely follows the orders he’s been given.”

  That produced more chuckles and side conversations. The admiral held up both hands to quiet them down. “What we’ve all accomplished is remarkable. But we need to be realistic, as well. The Craing Empire is vast. Much of the known universe has, in some way, been affected by their aggression. Thousands of worlds have been subjugated into slavery. Those that are too difficult to control are simply blasted into space dust. The Craing Empire has shipyards in every major system, working night and day, building more and more ships. Our estimate, and it’s only a rough one, is that there are now well over one hundred and fifty thousand Craing warships throughout known space.”