***
Ming pushed the corpses along atop a cart usually employed to carry heavy equipment from one deck to another but now it held the bodies of two dead men, blood seeping out of their wounds to mar the sheets in which they were wrapped. He shuttered as he stepped into the elevator behind the cart then announced his floor of choice aloud. The Maiden acted quickly, easing Ming and his cart of the dead down to the bottom deck. The door slid open and he pulled his cargo out behind him. The bottom deck halls were always half lit, the captain kept that areas energy supply in conservation mode sense no one frequented it. The Maiden moved faster that way and could handle longer stints in the black without having to stop for maintenance. It wasn’t a new concept among the veterans of the long voyages, especially those with older vessels, yet in that moment Ming wished it was brighter than the sun as he walked all alone down the long stretch of walkway. His footsteps echoed around him as he quickened his pace, his heart rate eased knowing that he was being recorded on the ships security monitors…he just hoped someone was paying attention to them.
He opened the door to the cold storage unit and glided the cart inside. It made him sick to think that the corpses would be in the same freezer that held a few of their food items but the trip back to the colonies would be one that pushed The Maiden to her limits, he was positive of that. He was closing the door when a faint whisper caught his attention. He stood motionless, straining to hear if it came down the hallway again.
“Dozer?” Ming said and instantly regretted announcing his position.
A feminine voice responded in a soft foreign tongue. He fell back against the door, frozen for a second in fear. Ming turned to run for the elevator, desperately fighting to draw his weapon, only to feel himself tumble to the floor beneath the weight of someone on his back. He landed on his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs and choking his screams. Instantly his shoulder erupted in pain, like being cut wide open. He finally got enough air to scream only to be flipped onto his back, above him stood a creature, with a canine head and vaguely human chest and abdomen, a stomach bloated with child. It reached down with bloody, elongated fingers and gripped his bottom jaw as a feeble scream escaped him. The being lowered its dripping maw to his and began to regurgitate two thick mucousy mouthfuls into his throat before snapping his jaw downward. The need to vomit rolled through him, he wanted to expel whatever was implanted into him but he could feel it squirming down into his stomach. The agony of his face being nearly split in two caused him to lose consciousness momentarily. The sound of a haggard voice yelling and screeching filled his ears. When his sight returned his eyes caught the silhouette of someone chasing his attacker into the darkness of The Maiden’s bowels. Ming rolled onto his stomach in a desperate attempt to survive. He crawled to the elevator and slapped the emergency button, it sailed to the top deck as he went unconscious.
***
Bronson could hear the anxiety in her voice as Lewis made a call over the intercom in an effort to reach Dozer, something in his heart told him that she would get no response. His anger was building as he reached the solitary room. He slid the lock open on the door and stepped inside. Peter was still restrained and shaking, he looked to the captain with dread in his eyes.
“You lied.” Bronson said, his jaw clenched.
“NO, NO, NO!” the stowaway answered.
“Who else climbed on board with you?”
“No one, it was only us!” Peter said.
Captain Bronson crossed the floor and administered a swift kick to the prisoners face, his head rocked back before falling forward, blood ran from his mouth as he spoke.
“It was only Arthur and me, that’s how we travel. When we were let on board we saw no one else, we lived in that dark cargo hold…no one else was down there with us!”
“There’s no way you were let on board! BY WHO?”
The stowaway looked at the captain standing over him, fists clenched, ready to deal more damage.
“The old man, Tufty…”
Chapter Four
Bronson went running down the corridor while Lewis’s voice attempted to hail the lost crew member once more and failed. His mind swam with disbelief, how could this all be going so terribly wrong? He stopped dead in his strides as his eyes fell on the elevator, its door jammed open with a slumped figure. He recognized the young mechanic by his black hair with a clean cut, trimmed high and short on the sides like a military officer. He was on his stomach as if he was trying to crawl out of the elevator, his face was mostly obscured.
“Ming?” Bronson said, his breath coming out in a short gasp.
He hurried to his mechanic, as he drew closer he could see a red pool in the floor of the elevator. He knelt to turn Ming over gently, his jaw hung open unnaturally wide and blood stained his uniform, the same that he had been so proud to wear. Helplessness filled Bronson, the need for vengeance filled him with sickening rage because it was clear to him that this was no accident. The look in the young man’s eyes as recognition filled them wrenched the captain’s heart, he brought his hand up to grip Bronson’s collar, he would have begged for help if his face could allow it. Lewis’s voice rang out over the intercom once more and the captain could feel his whole world falling down around him, his gut told him that Dozer was dead.
Ming was nearly limp as Bronson lifted him up out of his own blood, he carried him over his shoulder to the nearest emergency panel, flung it open and sounded the alarm.
***
Sheila Lewis felt cold fear tighten her throat as she spoke into the intercom for the last time, knowing that Dwayne “Dozer” Reynolds would not respond. He was never late, never ignored the call of duty, his absence was a grievous sign. She turned quickly to the monitors and began feverishly searching the recorded moments following the announcement of intruders, regretting she hadn’t already. He was nothing but a shadow in the already dark corridor, she watched as he searched each of the smaller store rooms, the laundry room and mechanical rooms. Lewis leaned closer to the large monitor before her as he turned his head, something had caught his attention…something in the cargo hold.
***
Lewis leapt at the resounding alarm, hurrying to pause the recorded video of Dozer entering the cargo hold, knowing he never returned from it. She brought up the real time video to quickly scan the decks. Lewis nearly collapsed when she saw the captain, slumped beside of him was Ming.
She turned back to Gonzalez who sat beside of Dr. Cambridge who was silent and obviously frightened. Tufty now appeared nearly catatonic.
“It’s Bronson and Ming.” She said.
Ayana’s skin grew cold as she watched a tear slide down Sheila’s cheek.
“Let’s go!” Lewis ordered recovering from her hesitation.
***
Cambridge looked down at his hands then nervously rubbed them over his pant legs to try to rid them of Lotello’s dried blood, it did nothing to help remove it or the memory so fresh of seeing his colleague laying in a pool of his own blood, an expression of shock frozen on his face.
“What is going on?” He asked. “I have never been in such a situation.”
“Are you a father?” Tufty asked, his voice emotionless.
Cambridge looked to his assistant, something in Tufty’s eyes sent a chill up his spine.
“Yes. They are adults now.” He answered softly, his throat had gone dry.
“Would you have done anything to feed them, especially when they were infants?”
“Yes, of course.” Cambridge answered.
“Then you’ll understand…”
“Understand what?” The doctor questioned though he could sense there would be something very wrong with Tufty’s answer, his behavior was unsettling. Cambridge readied himself to run.
“You’ll understand why I had to kill them…and you.”
The doctor scrambled from his seat as Tufty jumped at him, his cold hands seeking the archaeologist’s throat. They tumbled over as they grappled with each othe
r. Tufty tried to bash the back of Cambridge’s head against the floor while he lashed out, jabbing his thumb into Tufty’s right eye. The crazed assistant wrapped his hands around Cambridge’s neck, squeezing his windpipe. Cambridge struggled, unable to breathe while he continued to force his thumb into Tufty’s eye socket, hoping it would loosen his tightening grip. They were locked there, each refusing to let the other gain control. It wasn’t until Cambridge had gouged deep enough that he felt his hand slick with blood and his thumb had driven the soft orb of Tufty’s eye into his skull did he finally fall to the side and Cambridge’s thumb came loose, drenched in blood and ocular fluid.
Cambridge go to his feet and ran, his legs felt numb and he couldn’t push himself to go any faster though his mind begged his body to do so, it was like a waking nightmare. He passed the threshold of the control room when he heard footsteps behind him. He frantically pushed himself though his lungs were already burning and his heart strained from the attack.
“She’s starving. The children are starving!” Tufty screamed.
Cambridge could feel Tufty just behind him.
“HELP ME!” Cambridge cried out.
The elevator at the end of the corridor opened and Bronson emerged, he ran forward towards Cambridge as the old doctor felt he could run no further. The captain met them in the middle of the hallway, yanking Cambridge away from Tufty’s outstretched hands.
“She’s starving.” Tufty raved as Bronson lifted his fist.
***
Thorne located Selene by the sounds of her regurgitating. The dark haired young man crawled away, filled with her young, and retreated into a tiny steel room and disappeared as the door closed behind him. Thorne pursued the demon woman as quickly as his body would allow. He knew he was in wretched state, a step above a walking corpse. She darted away then leapt to cling to the ceiling of the strange building he found himself in. She used her powerful hands to pull a grate free and escaped into the darkness above her. He stood silently listening to the sound of her boney tail sliding along behind her. Thorne attempted to reach the hole she climbed through, he jumped up, felt his knees lock up as he came back down and impacted the floor but managed to stay on his feet. He could still smell her there, somewhere close, like following a trail of blood and ashes. He unsheathed his blade, felt the hilt of it humming in his palm, it demanded to cut the head from her shoulders. Like a living entity it hungered for the life force within her, would never forget its failure in the mountain and wouldn’t rest until she was dead. He followed the clatter of her escape, and the scent permeating every space she entered. He found himself standing before the flat door the injured soldier withdrew to. It was incredibly dim yet he could make out his own reflection in the polished door, an ancient man stood before him with shoulder length white hair, his face was so wrinkled it reminded him of the bark of a tree. His hibernation wouldn’t be easily reversed for his physical being yet his eyes shone deep and blue with his spirit, the inextinguishable flame of everlasting existence. His gaze was as youthful as the day he took his vow to the order of guardians, it reminded him of his oath. He placed his palm against the mirrored surface, it felt cold, it slid away from beneath his hand, startling him for a moment. The tiny room beyond was filled with blood, it was human, of that he was certain. At the sound of distant scraping he stepped inside, knowing the woman had to be close. The door closed behind him before he could jump back out again. He stood absolutely still, waiting for an ambush or booby trap. His stomach lurched into his throat with the odd sensation of being propelled upward. He drew his sword and turned in a circle, waiting for danger to assault him. The sinking feeling in his gut ceased and the door opened before him to reveal a completely different place than where he entered. The labyrinth he stepped out into was flooded with bright white light, his eyes adjusted as he surveyed the long corridor lined with doors. Cautiously he continued to pursuit of his prey.
***
Bronson struck Tufty right in his nose with a hefty blow, shattering bone and casting a spray of blood from both nostrils. The old man had a hole where his right eye should have been, the captain was relieved that Cambridge resorted to such an extreme, it saved his life. Tufty fell before him unconscious, Bronson grabbed both of his feet and began dragging him down to the elevator.
“Come with me.” He said to Cambridge who stood in silent shock.
They restrained Tufty in the second solitary confinement room beside of the one that still held the stowaway, Peter. The two hurried back towards where Bronson, Gonzalez and Lewis had carried Ming.
“Do you know anything about practicing medicine?”
Cambridge hesitated, “My title of doctor only refers to the study of ancient civilizations I’m afraid but I was a field nurse in the military ages ago.”
“Alright, that might be enough to save my mechanic. Let’s go grab the first aid kit!”
***
Lewis held a clean towel to Ming’s face, when they first laid him in his bed he writhed in agony over his wound but now he was still, whining softly as blood and saliva ran from his gaping mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she attempted to sooth him.
“I told the captain I don’t like this place.” Gonzalez spoke. “It’s a place of ghosts and death.”
“Hush, He’ll hear you.” Lewis said, nodding her head towards her injured crew mate.
She too had been trained in first aid when she became a second in command or some referred to it, the quartermaster, but the injury Ming had was beyond just applying pressure to a wound or putting ointments on burns, his jaw was clearly broken. That kind of emergency required a
“Where is he?” Lewis asked as she began to lose control of herself.
Gonzalez didn’t have to ask who she was talking about, the only crew member not accounted for…Dozer.
“We will find him.” Ayana whispered, taking Lewis by the shoulder and turning her around to hold her tight while she cried.
“No, we won’t. He’s dead…I know he’s dead!” Lewis answered.
There was a scratching at the closet door, both women froze. Gonzalez placed herself between Lewis and the sound, like claws on metal.
“What is that?” Sheila asked, her voice shook.
Gonzalez held her finger to her lips in a signal to Lewis to be silent. It rang out again, this time louder, frantic scratching at the steel door. She drew her electro gun, held it out before her then advanced on the closet door.
“Don’t!” Sheila said.
“You told me to get tough.” Ayana replied yanking the door open.
Something jumped onto her chest, screeching and biting. She didn’t have the time to pull the trigger, it knocked her back and she fell screaming.
***
Bronson hurried ahead of Cambridge at the sounds of terrified screaming coming from Ming’s room. He threw the door open to find Gonzalez on her back with a big, hairless animal clawing at her face. She fired a shot that blasted the closet as she yanked the thing free and threw it against the wall.
“Wait! It’s Lulu!” Lewis yelled.
Lulu was Ming’s only companion, a large hairless rat that he purchased on the colony planet of New hope, he was bringing it back to Cielo with him as a gift for his younger brother. The rat screeched and cowered in the corner as Sheila approached it.
“I’ve always hated that thing.” Ayana said, touching a cut the animal left on the side of her face.
It was true, she hadn’t stepped foot inside of Ming’s room since he got his new bunk mate even though the rat had always been a good mannered little passenger.
“It’s terrified. Lulu never acts this way.” Bronson said.
“She senses the danger.” Lewis said.
Lulu scurried back to the closet to hide.
“Do what you can.” He ordered Dr. Cambridge who carried the first aid kit.
“We got a little more than an hour until my woman blasts off. I would head out right now but first I’m finding dozer. Lewis, you come w
ith me. Gonzalez you assist Dr. Cambridge, get Ming comfortable, we’re getting out of this cemetery.”
***
“The last recording we have of him showed him entering the cargo hold.” Lewis said.
Captain Bronson looked to her, she was shaking and pale. “Get behind the controls, go over all the recordings. I’m going below.”
“I want to help you look for him.” She said.
“That would be the biggest help to me, Lewis.”
“Yes, sir.” She answered.
“Lock yourself in.” Boson said as they parted ways.
His heart told him the awful truth, a reality he couldn’t let his second in command see…it would destroy her. He ran to the elevator and took it down to the bottom deck, it opened and he stepped into the darkness. Bronson placed his hand on the door of the hold, readied himself for discovering what happened to Dwayne “Dozer” Reynolds. As he opened the door he could smell blood, see the carnage beneath the red emergency lighting. He located the panel beside of the door and activated the bright lights of the hold. Dozer was in bloody pieces, the artifacts left behind from the dig were scattered and broken…a steel crate opened and empty. He stepped carefully over to Dozer’s remains and ran his hand over his face in frustration, rage built inside of him. Bronson retrieved a canvas sheet used to lay out the spoils of earth, he used it to cover the bloody shell that was once his friend.
Galactic - Ten Book Space Opera Sci-Fi Boxset Page 152
