Gateway To The Universe: In Bad Company

by Craig Martelle

  Terry closed his eyes and dug deeply into himself. He felt like the first time he’d gone into combat as a private first class. He followed orders, until he realized that he was good at it, then he left the others behind as he became a pure combat Marine.

  He had no idea what the next battle was going to look like. He no longer carried the burden of a dystopian Earth on his shoulders, but the burden of an unknown universe. It was too much to ask of his great strength.

  But even Bethany Anne had help.

  The help of those closest to her. And the help of Terry Henry Walton and his well-trained people. He smiled at his purple-eyed, Werewolf wife and gently put his hand against her cheek.

  “Let’s go see what the captain has to say about the ship’s performance.”

  “You want to know how the Force did,” Char said, happy that Terry had worked through his issues with having to control his environment and the things that impacted the people he cared about.

  “Of course,” he conceded, before turning and continuing toward the bridge. Dokken’s barking receded into the distance.

  ***

  Captain San Marino watched what seemed like an endless stream of people file into his conference room. They filled the seats and lined the walls.

  The four department heads joined the captain at the conference table. Kae had taken a seat, but Kurtz refused to sit because there weren’t enough seats for everyone. Valerie sat at the table next to Kae because she knew it annoyed him.

  The look on his face told the captain everything he needed to know about the Vampire’s relationship with the major.

  When Terry, Char, Marcie, Timmons, and Kimber arrived, there were two seats left at the table and standing room only for the rest. Terry looked at the group. The captain and Kae both looked like they needed someone to throw them a lifeline.

  “Skipper! Did we win?” Terry asked happily, watching the faces of those in the room. Tensions were high.

  The captain looked confused. Terry was back to being Terry. He saw the situation and had come up with a plan of action to defuse tensions. The others didn’t know what his plan was, but they saw the confidence he exuded.

  He didn’t need to beat the shit out of anyone. Terry Henry only needed to solve a problem that only Terry Henry could solve.

  “What do you say we take this to the chow hall, get some of Jenelope’s fine cooking, and talk about how devious that Smedley Butler is?” Terry worked his way around the table, slapping people on the back as he went. He shook the hands of the department heads.

  The environmental head was MacEachthighearna, a broad-shouldered man of Scottish descent. Terry butchered the man’s name, so he told Terry to call him Mac.

  Engines were run by Suresha, a tall and sickly thin woman. She was nearly as tall as Aaron, who stood against the wall with Yanmei in front of him.

  Blagun Lagunov led the structure department. “Did we close the breach before losing anyone?” Terry quipped.

  “My bots worked magnificently, but not before the FDG command team was vented to space.” Terry hesitated before making a show of pinching his arm.

  “We got better,” he replied.

  Oscar Wirth was in charge of the War Axe stores. “I never get to have any fun,” he said. “Thanks for bringing the beef. That will be a big hit. We’ve got the replicators working on the formula and structure now.”

  Terry leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, “I’m not sure what to say to that, but don’t tell Auburn.” He pointed to his son-in-law, who was standing with his arms crossed.

  “We’ve already talked. He said that he’ll be able to tell the difference, so that is the standard we must meet.” The man nodded confidently.

  “I look forward to your victory in the taste test,” Terry told him. The captain stood and breathed a sigh of relief as he took Terry’s hand. He moved close. “Thanks for that.”

  “Any time. Thank you for not flying us into an asteroid and ending our existence,” Terry replied good-naturedly.

  “It’s hard to argue with that.”

  “To the chow hall!” Terry bellowed.

  “To the mess deck!” the captain translated for his people.

  ***

  Terry waited until everyone had gone in because he always ate last. Kae pulled him aside.

  “Fucking Robin…” Kae started, but Terry stopped him.

  “Michael explained it to me,” Terry started. “Imagine if you had vampiric speed in addition to everything else the nanocytes provide, but you were left in the Wasteland by yourself. How much would you trust other people?”

  Kae’s brow furled as he thought about what his father had said. Terry and Char had found him on the edge of the Wasteland, having survived an attack by raiders. What if he had the strength of a Vampire? Things would have been different.

  Far different.

  “I think I understand.”

  “Yeah. Cut them some slack. We all have a long ways to go and I think when we get there, we’re going to want her and Valerie to be on our side, just like we’ll want to be on their side. With great power comes great responsibility, but what if you’ve only been responsible for yourself? Come on, Kae, let’s get some chow.”

  ***

  Joseph and Petricia had been in the captain’s conference room, along with the rest of Char’s pack, including Felicity. Ted hadn’t made it because he locked himself in the Pod Doc space to conduct research, according to him.

  “What do you think that was all about?” Petricia asked as she chewed her goulash, slowly, savoring each bite. “Is it just me or does the food taste better?”

  “I think since we are freed from the blood bond, our eyes are opened to a world of new sensations. As for the conference room, classic Terry Henry. I love it!”

  Petricia blinked slowly as she continued to chew. Joseph watched her with great interest. Huge blocks of time were missing from his life. The years that he slept. The decade that he and Petricia had been captured and kept under anesthesia as part of the blood trade. They had survived, but to Joseph, he’d spent scant years with his wife, although long decades had passed since they married.

  “We need a honeymoon,” he said.

  “What better than a trip to the stars?” she offered.

  “I think we’re going to find that when we get there, we’re going to be running. Always running. That’s Terry’s cure for everything. Feeling good? How about forty miles? Feeling bad? Make it fifty. Let’s climb the outside of a building! That will be fun.” Joseph laughed as he watched Kae walk in ahead of Terry.

  Both men looked comfortable, where Kae had looked angry when he pulled Terry aside.

  “I wonder what that was about,” Joseph said before shrugging. “All’s well that ends well, I guess.”

  Petricia turned serious. “When do you think training will start?”

  “In earnest?” Joseph answered the question with a question. “I’m surprised that it hasn’t started already. So let me say, soon. Very soon, and it’ll be hard. I expect no less from Terry and Char.”

  ***

  The captain was waiting for Terry. “I insist,” he said, motioning Terry ahead of him in line.

  “No sweat,” Terry said, much to everyone’s surprise. “You’re the ranking officer. I’m on your boat and it’s good to see one of you fleet boys stepping up.”

  “How many so-called fleet boys do you know?” the captain asked.

  “Counting you? That would be one.”

  Char raised one eyebrow. “You’re in rare form today, TH. Maybe we should lock you behind a bulkhead more often,” she teased.

  “Or maybe someone with sparkling purple eyes showed me the light?” Terry pulled Char close to him.

  A wooden spoon smacked him on the arm. “What the…?”

  “You’re holding up the line,” Jenelope said from beneath a dark scowl. Terry looked back. Only the captain was behind him and he shook his head and raised his hands. “None of that funny business in
here. Get your food, eat, and get out.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Terry replied, straightening up as he and Char hurried through, loading their trays to near-overflowing. The captain followed loading a far smaller portion on his tray.

  When they sat down, the captain started talking while Terry and Char seemed to be engaged in a speed-eating contest.

  “This afternoon, we’re having all hands practice spacewalking using only their ship suits.”

  Terry stopped mid-bite. “I love that idea.” He looked around, found Kae, and waved him over. “Can you set up the weapons demo for this afternoon?”

  “Yes, I can,” he said happily. He hurried away. “Marcie!”

  “How did we do, Skipper?” Terry asked, turning serious.

  “Just fine. The landing force’s role is simple. Stay out of the way of the crew. Your group did that, although they were slow getting their hoods up,” the captain said, cocking his head to emphasize his point. “The next phase will be for all your people to get into the shuttle pods. Just in case we lose the ship, we don’t have to lose everyone aboard.”

  “We can do that. I’ll have them running around the ship right after chow. They need to learn their way and we need to run.”

  Joseph tipped his chin to Petricia. “Told you,” he said.

  Cory and Ramses joined the two Vampires. The four department heads slid further down the table to make room for the woman who looked like Char’s younger sister but with glowing blue eyes. She thanked them with a smile. “What are you up to?” she asked.

  “We are engaged in the non-contact sport of people-watching,” Joseph replied.

  Cory pursed her lips as she looked around at the group. “Are you seeing anything good?”

  “The people are happy. So much we don’t know about our future and they’re happy,” Joseph said as if he didn’t believe what he was seeing.

  “We have nice beds, good food, and we’re all in it together. My dad is all about bonding through shared misery. Give us a good crisis any day and I’ll show you how tight a team can get,” Cory said, mimicking Terry’s voice.

  “Be careful what you ask for,” Joseph intoned.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The entirety of the FDG stood in formation on the hangar deck. The bridge crew was on the hangar deck with them, except for the Yollin, K’thrall.

  Werewolves, Weretigers, and Vampires, although Joseph and Petricia stayed as far away from Valerie and Robin as they could. Cory and Ramses assumed the role of peacekeeper and stayed next to the new additions to the team.

  Two platoons with Kurtz out in front. Terry stood before him at attention as everyone waited on Captain San Marino, who was watching from the shadows until Terry gave him the thumbs up. After an appropriately respectful amount of time, Terry signaled.

  Micky stepped off smartly and headed straight for the center of the hangar bay. When he was five feet from Terry, he nodded.

  “HOODS!” Terry roared. He reached behind his head and pulled his hood around to the front in a single swift motion. It snapped in place. The captain was close behind as Smedley sounded the emergency klaxons. The great hangar doors started to open. With the emergency forcefield deactivated, the air vented to space. Two warriors went down as they didn’t have their hoods in place. Those next to them helped, saving the warriors’ lives.

  An animal’s growl rumbled deep in Terry’s throat. “You’re better than this,” he whispered at his people.

  The captain appeared by his side. “You ready?” he asked.

  “Now is as good a time as ever,” Terry replied.

  “Smedley, remove the artificial gravity in the hangar bay.”

  The people remained where they were for a moment, then they started drifting and bouncing off each other. Warriors being warriors, they pushed off to see how fast they could get themselves going.

  “Physics may not be their strong suit,” Terry suggested. “But they like practical application. I expect they’ll understand the basics of Newton’s laws pretty soon.”

  They watched a warrior start flailing as he approached the ceiling at a high rate of speed. To his credit, he was able to spin around and hit feet-first. He smashed into the heavy composite material like a bug hitting a windshield. He recoiled from the impact, only half-conscious.

  But he was newly enhanced and his nanocytes were already at work repairing the damage that he’d done to his body.

  Char tried swimming, but without any resistance, everyone simply floated, although Terry and the captain remained firmly on the deck. They were wearing special boots with weak magnetic locks. Char had them as well, but she hadn’t activated them. Terry released his locks and let himself float free.

  Micky soon joined him. For fifteen minutes, the group floated around the inside of the hangar bay. Terry tried moving and realized what a disadvantage it would be to fight in such an environment. Whoever fired first and most accurately would win the day. He added that to the training regimen he was building in his mind—zero-gee marksmanship.

  “Smedley,” the captain said within his helmet. “Please bring the gravity to ten percent of Earth standard.” Immediately, the free-floating mob headed toward the deck, but slowly, deliberately.

  The EI incrementally increased the gravity until they were back to normal, everyone had their feet on the ground, but environmental had not been restored. The warriors and crew remained within their ship suits with their hoods inflated around their heads.

  Kae signaled he was ready and they moved to the open bay doors, to the edge of space, and stood, looking into the darkness at the infinite stars. Terry gave them all a moment to appreciate it before Kae began the demo.

  Handheld railguns, plasma rifles, and the multi-handgun which fired both kinetic projectiles and sonic blasts. It gave the FDG a non-lethal capability.

  As the warriors cycled through firing a few shots of each into space, Kaeden approached Terry carrying a box.

  “Found this in the armory,” he said loudly, trying to be heard. When they pressed their helmets together, Terry could hear him without using their comm chip.

  “What is it?” Terry asked. Kae shrugged and handed it over.

  There was an envelope taped to the top. Terry opened it and pulled out the card inside.

  TH: use this wisely in defense of the Empress’ ideals. Trust your moral compass as it has served you well and will continue to serve you and yours. This is called a Jean Dukes Special. It is a warrior’s weapon. Michael

  The rest of the note contained specifics about the weapon. Five thousand rounds fired at various velocities. How to clean and reload the weapon, the basics that Terry found compelling. The more he read, the more he liked.

  He would be able to key it to his bio-signature so a weapon of that magnitude could not be used by others. Terry decided that he’d key it to everyone in his inner circle, so they could use it, should he fall.

  Terry opened the box and found a pistol inside, a bulky pistol with a selector lever that went from one to eleven. Terry hefted the firearm. It was heavy, but not prohibitively so. Terry took it to a position on the firing line. He set the lever to three, having no idea why he’d ever want to shoot at the lowest setting.

  He pulled the trigger and sent a projectile into space. Then another and another, dialing up by one each time. The kick increased with each new level. He skipped ten and went straight to eleven. TH braced himself and leaned forward. When he pulled the trigger, the pistol tried to leap from his hand. A searing pain shot through his shoulder.

  He looked at the weapon in surprise before a grin split his face. “I love this thing! Wherever you are, Michael, thank you.” When he turned around, he saw the warriors cheering, but it made no sound that he could hear.

  Terry cradled the pistol in both hands as he walked around the formation.

  Char and the pack wore smiles because Terry must have looked like a little kid at Christmas. Valerie had her eyes on the weapon. She said something. Terry signaled that
he couldn’t hear.

  She squinted as she concentrated.

  “Can I try it?” she asked. He heard her directly in his head. He selfishly wanted to say no, but decided against it. The only ones with the strength to fire the weapon besides himself were Marcie and the Vampires. He didn’t think Char could handle it at the highest setting. She was Werewolf strong, but the pistol bordered on the ludicrous.

  Terry pointed to Marcie and Joseph. Marcie grinned and hurried to him. Joseph shook his head. He’d never been a fan of weapons. Valerie and Robin came too as Terry returned to the edge of space.

  He handed the pistol to Valerie. “Try it on nine first.” She dialed it in, took aim, and fired. He watched her expression closely. She adjusted her grip and fired again. Then dialed it to eleven and sent a projectile into space. She winced as Terry had, but with a simple roll of her shoulder, she looked fully recovered.

  Terry’s shoulder still hurt as the nanocytes worked their magic. Valerie handed the pistol to Robin, who fired two at nine and one at eleven. The Vampires looked pleased.

  “We want one, too,” Valerie said.

  “This was a gift from Michael. I’ll try to find out where he got it and see what we can do to order a few more.” She nodded tersely, and the two Vampires walked away.

  Marcie dialed it to five, fired, then seven, and fired again. She improved her stance with each. She fired once at nine, and then set it to eleven. She tucked her elbow in tightly, and although she couldn’t aim well, she minimized the impact on her shoulder.

  Watching the JDS fire at the max setting was a treat. Terry couldn’t wait to see it in action. He expected that it could level a building. Not something to be used indiscriminately.

  If he had to order a final protective fire? The Jean Dukes Special had no rival.