“I am beginning re-animation sequence,” Rebel’s Rainbow stated.
The fog in the cocoon slowly cleared. Gretchen became more visible. Her dark skin, and frizzy hair being revealed as the mists parted. As soon as it was fully gone, the foot end of the cocoon unsealed. Then the base slid out. Paul was there to immediately caress Gretchen’s hand.
“I am awake,” Gretchen said as she sat up. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at Paul. “Did it work?”
“All assessments completed, and all vital signs are normal,” Rebel’s Rainbow announced.
Paul hugged her.
Gretchen removed the monitoring equipment. “I feel just fine. Sort of like a long and deep sleep without dreams.”
Larissa came running into the lifeboat from out on the hanger bay.
“Prepare to launch. The ‘Default Population Report’ counter just showed we are the only survivors, and that Jellie says its friends are coming,” Larissa stated in a clear and commanding voice. She was carefully stroking one of her braids of hair.
16 launching off the vanguard
“We have to wait for the children!” Paul insisted. “That AI must be reporting it all wrong! The children will be here!” He rushed out of the lifeboat and into the hanger bay.
Gretchen was slowing getting to her feet. “Paul wait.”
Sigmond, Hugh, and Brinley ran after Paul.
Larissa walked to the cockpit and sat down. “Tiffany and Rebel’s Rainbow, how soon can we launch?”
Tiffany replied, “As soon as all crew are aboard I can begin the launch process. Our launch is designed to retain the Vanguard’s velocity and I have plotted our long term trajectory for the target solar system.”
“Make all preparations for immediate departure as soon as we all get aboard,” Larissa commanded. “Be sure the sky tube detonation links are secure.”
“All will be ready,” Tiffany said.
“Yes Captain,” Rebel’s Rainbow replied in its mechanical voice.
Larissa stood and followed Gretchen out of the lifeboat. “We must get the others and depart.”
“I know, but those children said they would be here,” Gretchen replied as they ran through the hanger bay and past the ‘Default Population Report’ display which now flashed 6 in yellow light. Both of them looked at that display.
“We are all that is left. I was hoping it was not counting us before,” Larissa said. “When you were in the hanger bay inside the lifeboat, it said only 1. It was counting me, but now that we are all off the lifeboat, it says 6. That confirms it. We are the only survivors. We must leave.”
Paul came running down from the command bridge. In his arms were two patrol cats, a gray one and a white one with black splotches. “The children said the cats were to come with us. The children must be coming. They must be coming!”
“We will search the areas around here: the gallery, the barracks, the laboratory, and the command bridge,” Larissa said. “But hurry!”
“The children will want the patrol cats,” Paul said and ran to the hanger bay. He entered the lifeboat and rushed to the side with the cocoons. “TSI-6… I mean Rebel’s Rainbow? Please place these animals in suspended animation so they do not get lost. The children said they had to come with us.” Paul was nearly frantic.
“Yes Paul. Please them in cocoon number two,” Rebel’s Rainbow replied. The foot door on that cocoon flipped open. Paul placed the cats inside.
“I am going to find those children!” He yelled and ran back out of the lifeboat.
Sigmond, Hugh, Brinley, and Gretchen were searching the areas and calling out the children’s names, but there were no responses.
Larissa had reentered the laboratory with the Jellie captive. She knocked her fist against the communication linkage. “Tell me what you know of those children.”
The words were altered into vibrations which went through the water.
The Jellie whirled itself around and flipped its tentacles.
“I contacted my pod. They are coming for me,” the words scrolled out. “As to your young ones, I hope they are dead. We rip those gas breathing young apart. Let their red waters run. They will be pieces only when my pod comes. You will all die.”
“TSI-5?” Larissa ordered in a low and quiet voice.
“Yes, Captain Larissa,” the AI overseeing the Jellie replied.
“Immediately drain this tank as quickly as possible,” Larissa ordered. “As soon as the water is out, open the door.”
“That action will result in the demise of the Jellie specimen. Please confirm your command,” TSI-5 stated.
“Drain the tank. Then open the door,” Larissa said coldly. Her eyes were blazing icicles.
“No. You are a monster. You are a monster,” the words scrolled across the screen. “You will all die. You XX XXxxXXX”
The water swirled out of the tank so quickly the last message from the Jellie was lost. The front of the tank dropped open as the water was sucked down the small drain holes at the bottom.
The Jellie flopped around on the still wet floor of the tank. Larissa stepped in. It flicked its pointed stem spur at Larissa in a vengeful lunge. Larissa easily avoided that and stomped down on the stem. There was a crunching sound and the stem then snapped. Tentacles came thrashing up at her, but she boxed each one away as she continued to stomp on the stem of the Jellie. Each time she did the alien writhed in agony. Several tentacles wrapped themselves around one of Larissa’s legs and squeezed. She ignored that pain and jabbed her fist into the round top knot-like structure on the bell of the Jellie. It squished under her punch. She then grabbed it in both hands, even though tentacles squeezed her leg severely and other tentacles slapped at her back.
“I will not be afraid of anything,” Larissa said. “No one threatens children.”
Larissa pushed her fingers deeply into the top of the bell and pulled her hands apart with all her might. There was a wet ripping sound as the bell top tore. The tentacles suddenly let go of her leg and all fell limp. Larissa pulled and twisted and yanked at the flesh of the Jellie. After just a few moments, the stem was flat, the bell shaped top was in three chunks, and the tentacles were all askew in what had been the water filled jail cell.
Larissa wiped her hands and rubbed her bruised leg. She sprinted up to the barracks and stripped off the soiled clothing. She washed and redressed very quickly. Grabbing a hairbrush and comb she placed them into the thigh pocket of her clean clothing. Then she joined the search for the children. No one had seen them at all.
“Everyone go to the lifeboat,” Larissa commanded.
“We must wait for those children!” Paul said.
“We will wait for them in the lifeboat,” Sigmond said. “We can get them in as soon as they appear.”
“Yes, Paul, come on,” Hugh said.
“I have searched everywhere here. I do not see them anywhere,” Gretchen wailed. “But we have never really been able to find them when we searched. Maybe they will meet us in the lifeboat?”
They all sort of pulled Paul along and when they reached the lifeboat they all entered.
“Tiffany? Any information on the children?” Gretchen asked as they entered.
“No. As you recall I have had some difficult in perceiving the children in question. I am not sure why,” Tiffany responded.
Hugh and Gretchen stood at the hatch door. They physically blocked Paul from going back into the hanger bay. Brinley, Sigmond and Larissa walked to the cockpit and sat down.
“Larissa? What happened to your leg?” Brinley asked as she had seen Larissa limping a bit as she walked.
“The Jellie and I had a physical altercation. It lost.” Larissa turned her attention to the cockpit controls. “Rebel’s Rainbow and Tiffany? Are we ready for launch?”
The displays all lit up. The data sticks projected scans onto the side walls of the cockpit showing readings and other assessments from the multiple sensors of the lifeboat.
“All systems operational,”
Tiffany responded.
“Launch preparations completed,” Rebel’s Rainbow replied.
“Do we have any scans of what is outside of this hanger bay? We need to make sure we are not launching right into a Jellie ship or a flotilla of their spheres,” Brinley asked.
“I have access to three apertures which will give us an 87% coverage of the external hanger bay,” Tiffany replied. “It is most excellent to now be in direct connection with the Atomic Level Processor. I have also remotely been probing the nonphysicality. There is less chaos there now than previously due to the termination of multiple systems.”
“Please show us the exterior,” Larissa commanded.
Paul yelled from the hatch. “Larissa! We cannot leave without the children.”
She ignored his call.
The display screens shifted and showed the views from the apertures. Two of the three were clear and showed the blackness of space. The third showed the purplish-blue glow which surrounded a Jellie ship. It was approaching fast.
“Everyone strap down,” Larissa commanded. “There is a Jellie ship heading right toward us. We must depart now.”
“No!” Paul screamed. “Those children need to get here!”
“If the Jellies hit the external doors with the pink cutting beam they have, we will all die,” Sigmond said.
“I agree, we need to leave now,” Brinley said as she bit her lower lip.
Hugh and Gretchen walked Paul over to one of the other seats. He did not resist but kept looking back at the open hatch in shock. “At least let me stay near the door in case they come at the last minute.”
Hugh and Gretchen placed him in the seat near the door. They all buckled themselves in. Hugh and Gretchen were holding back tears.
“Paul, I am so sorry about those children. The Jellie ship is closing fast,” Larissa observed. “Launch lifeboat.”
There was a negative function sound.
“Tiffany, Rebel’s Rainbow, launch lifeboat.” Larissa commanded with firmness in her voice. “Launch immediately.”
“Unable to close lifeboat hatch,” Tiffany said. “Error in docking clamps showing manual release required. Assessing reason for failure to launch.”
“The Jellie ship is just about right outside the hanger bay!” Sigmond cried in fear. “It has engaged the pink cutting beam.”
Paul leaped up and rushed over to the hatch. He slipped through before anyone could do anything. He slapped the manual closure button. He rushed across the observation deck and into the area where the display showed the ‘Default Population Report’. It was flashing the number 1.
“So we are the only survivors!” Paul lamented.
“Paul, come back!” Gretchen yelled, but her voice came though the display. Her image was there. Paul could see the other five people in the view. They were all looking at him.
“Paulie get back here!”
Larissa was sitting at the chair in the center of the cockpit. “Tiffany, why can we not launch? I want to launch as soon as Paul gets back in here!” She shook her head and part of her braids came undone. “Hurry back here Paul!”
“Remote coupling has been severed. Unable to disengage docking clamps from the lifeboat,” Tiffany stated.
“The Jellie cutting beam is wrecking the exterior doors!!” Sigmond stated with resignation in his voice. “It will not be long.”
Paul looked to the side of the display and pushed the permalloy section he had seen Brinley use. It mechanically popped open and revealed a bright green wheel about a hand span in diameter. Next to it was a bright red lever. Several gauges were behind the wheel and lever. He pulled down on the lever and spun the wheel as hard as he could.
‘Emergency manual launch initiated’ flashed above the controls.
Paul looked at Gretchen’s face on the display and said, “I must save you.”
“Paul no!” Gretchen yelled and started to get out of her seat.
Gravity manipulation suddenly ended in the hanger bay. Enormous vents switched on and rapidly sucked the atmosphere out depressurizing the entire bay. The hatch door on the lifeboat sealed shut and locked. Gretchen could not reach it. Hugh grabbed her and pulled her back to the seat as she floated in the zero gravity. The docking clamps released with loud clanks and clunks. The lifeboat began to move toward the blackness of space and the field of stars. To the right was a slight glow of purplish-blue.
“Paul! Paul! I love you too!” Gretchen said. “She told us they would all be with Paul when we launch! The child said that. She never said they would be with me.”
The display screen went black. Paul turned away.
16 The final battle
Paul noticed a bright warm glow coming from the command bridge. He rushed up to that location. The stairway closed behind him with a gentle swoosh.
Every display was on. The three dimensional model of the Vanguard was in full color and operation. But none of those things kept Paul’s attention for more than a moment.
There on the countertop, right in front of the main command bridge display was a stuffed child’s toy. It was very furry and white with a purple shaggy mane. Paul recognized it as a stylized predator from one of the biological habitats, but more importantly than that, he knew it was the same toy that Karen had found on the dusty bed in Dome 3.
“Oh Karen,” Paul sighed. “I do not know how, but that toy is here.”
“We are here too,” Martin said as he stood before one of the displays.
“We are all here,” Irina said from another command seat.
“You got the baby animals!” Bennie said with a huge smile.
“And Freckles,” Lennie added.
“And Bernie. He got both cats. I told you he would,” Jennie said.
Paul looked around, “How are you here”
“I will explain it all,” Rika said.
“No, that can wait. We have to protect Gretchen and the others,” Paul said. He looked at the three dimensional model. “Show me the lifeboat, the hanger bay and the Jellie ships.”
“Yes, commander,” an artificial intelligence system responded. It was not one single voice, but more of a choir of voices all speaking exactly the same words with slight variations in tone and pitch.
“I fixed them for us,” Martin said proudly. “They have new weapons designed by the DAMA to fight the yucky bad bad animals.”
“Weapons? Excellent! Destroy that Jellie ship which is closing on the lifeboat,” Paul ordered. “Make sure the lifeboat escapes and is unharmed.”
“FTL missile deployed,” the artificial intelligence system responded.
A flat black-colored missile emerged from a hidden take-off tube. Its front was long and narrow coming to an almost pin-prick tip. The three short, sweptback wings were in a triangular setting and white colored. The oversized thrusters fired and it sped on its way.
“FTL missile?” Paul asked in wonder.
“Yes, commander,” the AI replied. Paul could not identify its choir of voices, but it did have a familiar ring. “Destruction of target in three, two, one.”
The black and white missile engaged its faster-than-light mechanism just a few nanoseconds before it struck the Jellie ship. As it traversed outside of normal space it dragged the Jellie ship along with it. All that remained in space was a long tiny tendril of purple marking where the Jellie ship and all its occupants had been stretched out into near infinity.
“Target destroyed. Shall I engage the other alien ships as targets?” the AI asked.
Paul looked around. The children were all smiling at him. Their adoring faces encouraged him.
“Yes, destroy them all! I am so sick of them making me afraid and threatening me!” Paul snarled. “Kill them all.”
“Teleportation bombs and FTL missiles assigned to targets. I am sorry to report that I cannot engage the alien menace which resides inside the Vanguard,” the AI reported.
A section of the hull folded open and a four meter square grid was flung at a Jellie ship. Th
e grid struck the side of the Jellie ship as its teleportation sending unit was activated. A large section of the side of the Jellie ship disappeared and reappeared on a receiving pad on the far side of the Vanguard. The gaping hole in the Jellie ship erupted as all the ships internal mechanisms and crew exploded out.
At nearly the same moment, an FTL missile struck the Jellie ship and forced its remains into a tiny purplish stream setting away into space.
Similar actions happened to each Jellie ship. In mere seconds all the Jellie ships were destroyed.
“Commander Paul? All Jellie ships destroyed. Teleportation bombs and FTL missiles were one hundred percent effective. There is no chance the Jellies can pursue the lifeboat,” the artificial intelligence choir reported.
“All the sullied animals are dead, but the bad bad animals are still inside the ship,” Jennie said.
“But what of you children? How will I save you?” Paul asked.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 194
