Cindy’s expression remains guarded as she purses her lips, “Not many. We are all getting on edge here. What’s really going on General?”
Walker considers his words carefully before responding, “The world has changed in many ways during your absence.”
The General stares at the wall for a few moments, he is clearly a man under immense pressure. The others are becoming increasingly apprehensive as the silence continues. Finally, Cindy speaks up, “General, I have not contacted my ship since you confined us.”
Walker’s head swings toward her, his brow creased in confusion. “Yes,” clearly he has a lot on his mind, “I am aware of that.” His eyes wander around the room, while he ponders. Standing abruptly, he meets Cindy’s gaze with a mixture of resolve and compassion. “I will see that you’re all free to leave as soon as Doctor Nelson clears you. Once he gives the okay, you may contact your ship.” He pauses for a second, clearly wrangling with something, then sighs. “Your entire crew will need to pass through this quarantine facility. Please make the arrangements when you contact your crew. Meanwhile, the ship is still yours, Admiral.”
Cindy’s jaw drops at his last words, one minute he is almost angry, the next passive, what the hell is going on?
Keeping her emotions in check, she replies, “It would be good to get everyone examined, I will pass on the order.”
Walker walks out of the room, leaving the four crew members perplexed by his mixed responses.
Location:
KGB Headquarters
Minsk, Russia
Pavel and Igor are the only people in the expansive room. The men stand side by side, staring out the large windows at the cityscape before them.
Pavel, normally the quietest of the pair, speaks his mind, “What are the Chinese up to?”
Igor takes a deep breath before responding, “Well, our informants are all telling us that this Commander Jie has ordered vast amounts of combat ration packs. More than his forces could possibly use in months.”
Pavel nods as Igor continues his report, “Jie has ordered an increase in fuel deliveries, much more than his city needs. The oddity is that his poorly concealed spacecraft is far from complete.”
Pavel has been pondering the same thing when a sudden chill runs through his body. He turns to Igor, his mouth agape as realization dawns on him, “Jie has fooled us! I bet that ship is far closer to being space worthy than appearances show.” He gulps, then adds, “Consider how much they have been able to conceal, such as their trains and ships with gravity plating.”
Igor’s expression turns into one of grave concern, “Also consider this, none of these requisitions came from the Prime Minister’s office, but rather, directly from Jie.”
Pavel feels a renewed sense of foreboding, his mind reels with the possibilities of them being outsmarted by a person they have clearly underestimated. Turing to Igor, a deep frown on his brow, he states with apprehension, “We should pass on what we know to the other coalition nations.”
Igor nods in agreement, words escaping him.
Location:
Outback
Western Australia
Doctor Nelson stares at dozens of medical reports, MRI’s, and IQ test results. They are astounding. Picking up his desk phone, he leaves a message for General Walker to meet him. While Nelson waits, he sorts out how he is going to present his findings.
General Walker steps into Nelson’s office, and immediately notices an array of pictures and forms attached to the walls with tape. He stops abruptly at the sight and asks curiously, “What do we have here?”
Nelson turns and faces the General, a nervous tick causes his left eye to twitch slightly. Apprehension builds in Walker, he has never seen the man act like this before.
Nelson hurriedly walks to one of the walls, points to a row of attached papers, and states with conviction, “That is an image of a brain belonging to a person with a measured IQ of one hundred.”
Walker stares at the colored image, then glances at Nelson questioningly.
Nelson quickly realizes that he will have to explain everything to the General, “This one next to it, belongs to a person with a measured IQ of around one hundred twenty-five.”
Walker nods, it is indeed brighter. He frowns as he glances at the wall, “Okay, so whose brains are we looking at here?”
Nelson turns to face the General and gulps. He points to a series of scans on the walls, “Cindy, Joe, John, and George.”
The next four images simply dazzle, Nelson continues, “We know Cindy had an IQ of around one hundred-thirty when she left, now it’s at around one hundred-fifty.”
Walker steps back, alarmed, “Wait a second, I thought only those alien suits increased intelligence.”
“Yes, yes,” Nelson says excitedly, “I will get to that in a minute, that’s a totally different issue.” He points to two more images, “Joe and John also show an increased intelligence. The MRI’s show stronger pathways in all of their brains, along with an increase in synaptic connections.”
The General stares at the wall, and though he can see what the Doctor is talking about, he does not yet understand why.
Nelson almost whispers the words, “It was the spores, they all show signs of what would ordinarily be considered brain damage.” He points to another image, and continues, “You can see where something created pathways, but clearly instead of dying, the affected areas of the brain thrived.”
The General smiles, “Well then, I have some news you may find interesting. Cindy told me today that several of their crew who survived the spores, are in a vegetative state.”
Nelson rubs his chin, “So a person either dies, or adapts? No, that can’t be it. I would like to see these survivors.”
“Cindy is going to evacuate the entire crew so we can run them through this quarantine facility. You will be able to do all the tests you want.”
Nelson grins, then falters, “Well that brings us to George. I see no sign of spore damage, yet take a look at his brain image.”
Walker’s jaw drops, the image is so brightly colored it almost overwhelms his senses, “George?” He says doubtfully.
“George’s results are staggering, aren’t they? I seriously doubt he had an IQ of almost two hundred when he was working at his uncle’s furniture store in Manhattan!”
Nelson smiles as he continues, “George can fudge his other tests all day long, but he can’t hide this!”
Walker frowns as he responds, “Let me get this straight, as far as George is concerned, he’s aged around one year, and yet his changes are more dramatic than those who have been using the suits here for three years.”
Nelson leans forward, “Cindy slipped up when she said the aliens did something to George’s suit. We need to find out what they did, we need his suit!”
The General stares at the images on the wall, slowly nodding as he does so, his calculating mind busily considering many options. Making a decision, he turns to Nelson, “I think we should release them. That will make them feel more comfortable.” He grins while adding, “And then we will evacuate the Terran, debrief the entire crew, and investigate these spores along with George’s suit.”
Nelson nods in agreement, then, while staring at George’s MRI adds, “We should keep George away from the ship, instead, let’s bring his wife and son here.”
Walker’s eyebrows raise at the suggestion, “Now, I like that idea,” he says nodding in agreement.
Location:
Starship Terran
Planetary Orbit
Earth
Peter is in deep thought as he occupies the command chair on the Terran’s bridge. Andrew sits at his control station, pensively waiting. Having just ended a lengthy discussion with General Walker and Cindy, the pair is considering their options.
Peter sighs deeply, “Well, it’s not as if we’re going anywhere. Let’s park this beast in the space dock, and prepare to debark the crew.”
Andrew replies, his voice is filled with
reluctance, “There is something else going on mate, and you know it.” He sighs, “But you’re right, short of leaving orbit, what else are we to do?”
The next few minutes pass quickly as Andrew pilots the ship into the purpose built space station. Throughout the ship, the crew is excited to be home, only a few actually pause to consider what will happen to them next.
Emma makes her way onto the bridge, then stops next to Peter. Her eyes are a little moist as she holds back her emotions, “What’s going to happen to us?”
Peter turns to her and feels a twinge of sympathy. He understands the question for what it is, she means ‘them’. He lifts his gaze to meet hers, I never really noticed before, how beautiful her eyes are. The thought comes unbidden. Her pale green eyes, with a hint of blue, do not come off as remarkable at first, but now he finds her gaze comforting. She believes in me, the realization comes suddenly, and inexplicably.
Emma starts to shake as she mistakes Peter’s silence for indifference. He quickly reaches for her hand, then tenderly holds it in his. He almost cannot believe his own words as they tumble out, “I will do whatever it takes to stay with you, if that’s what you want.”
Andrew stares directly ahead, as he too, cannot believe that the quiet calculating killer has a heart. She has no idea who he really is, no one really knows who he really is. He muses to himself.
Far below, many eyes watch through various telescopes as the Terran docks beneath the space station. Dozens of claw-like appendages begin to close in on the ship, making contact, they hold the Terran firmly in place.
The bridge speakers come to life, surprising them all. “Welcome to Space Station Unity, we are prepared to transport your crew to the surface.”
Shuttles exit the space station, making their way around, and under the ship. Peter and Andrew exchange a quick look as Peter replies, “Very well, we shall open the hangar for you.”
The next few hours pass quickly as shuttles land inside the Terran, load up with crew members, then depart. Finally, the three people on the bridge are the last on board. Even the seven unfortunate survivors of the spores are evacuated. Somehow, these people have managed to survive the growth of the spores in their brains, but they did so at a high price. They exist as mindless vegetables, requiring constant care, hovering somewhere between consciousness and a comatose state.
Peter gives Andrew a meaningful look as he stares around the bridge, perhaps for the last time. He touches a symbol on the command chair’s console, then states emphatically, “Ship’s log, the crew has disembarked. The mission is over. Peter signing off.”
Emma takes Peter’s hand. He hesitates for a second, then relaxes and smiles. Andrew takes one last soulful look at the bridge, and then follows the pair. Trailing behind, he grins at Peter’s back. His thoughts are on the couple in front of him, who could have guessed it? I suppose being in space does do strange things to people.
Chapter Three - Separate Ways
Location:
Outback
Western Australia
General Walker stares out across the evening desert, his gaze is drawn to the small group of individuals gathered around a moderately sized bonfire. He sighs as an unexpected wave of empathy sets in, the remaining crew of the Terran. Most of them will never set foot aboard that ship again. The thought should not bother him, as he was instrumental in their reassignment, but seeing their camaraderie, it does. He frowns as another thought crosses his mind, perhaps I was wrong in demanding Cindy be removed from command? He puts a hand to his chin and scratches the slight stubble that grows there, all the while watching from a distance. I am glad Hayes insisted I let them have a farewell get together though. It is the least I could do. These last few days have been very stressful for the surviving crew.
Off in the distance, Cindy stands and holds her glass up high. With a solemn tone, she addresses her crew one last time, “It has been my privilege, and honor, to serve with you all.”
A chorus of equaled sentiments are returned to her. Cindy’s eyes wander across those assembled. She smiles as her gaze falls upon Andrew and Joe, their adventure is not yet over, she is glad they are staying aboard. She frowns a little as she notices Peter and Emma sitting side by side, whoever would have thought those two would become a couple? She shakes her head in mild surprise as her eyes continue to drift over the group. She nods in silent respect at Radclyf, then Hayato, as their eyes meet, they’re brave men, as are those they command. I will never forget their sacrifices.
Peter gazes across the campfire at Radclyf and Hayato as well, giving each a respectful nod when they catch his look. Keeping his face an unreadable mask, he smiles to himself as his thoughts drift back to an idea, one that formulated the moment Earth came into view. An idea he shared with the two men.
John interrupts Peter’s thoughts and the group’s souring mood by standing, raising his glass, and speaking solemnly. “To Captain Edwards, who was unable to attend.” His face breaks into a cheeky smile as people begin to chuckle at his false somberness. John continues on with a whimsical expression, “I hope he was paying attention when I was touching all those controls on that beast,” he says as he points his thumb skyward, “He’s got his hands full now.”
Joe and Andrew glance at each other with mild concern. They do not feel very comfortable with Edwards replacing John as the Terran’s pilot. Both squirm a little at John’s playful comments. John catches Andrew’s expression, walks over to the man, and lightheartedly slaps him on the back. Andrew tries to smile at the attempt to make him feel better, but inside he is quite apprehensive.
George, who has been rather moody of late, sits quietly by. His own thoughts and feelings in a turmoil over what has transpired since their arrival home. He is excited to be back with his family. He missed Lisa and Johnny more than he thought he did. And even though he knows the Gamin bodysuit he was wearing has altered his body chemistry, he longs for it, and all he could do with it. He smiles to himself as he recalls the confusion he caused during his physical and mental testing. I almost blew it, he realizes with a little fear, they would have locked me up like a lab rat for good if I had not bombed those last few tests. I think Nelson knows that I failed some of his questions on purpose, he just can’t prove it. His thoughts are broken when Johnny comes running up and sits down next to him. Lisa walks toward him, her dark hair very striking in the moon-light. His moody thoughts vanish instantly, and are replaced by more private notions.
Cindy glances around the group, tilts her glass at George, and says, “So, what are your plans?”
George tips his head toward his wife, then with a smile replies, “I think the three us will go to Europe and spend some time with Lisa’s family.”
Lisa puts her arm under George’s and snuggles up to him. She looks over at Johnny, their son, who is wearing George’s jacket. Its frayed sleeves and collar, testaments to years of wear. It fits him much better now that he has begun growing up. Our son will be just like his father. She again looks around at those gathered, and smiles proudly, thinking of her family.
Cindy nods, and with a smile, tilts her glass toward Peter, “I’m glad you were able to stay here for this get-together. Are you willing to share with us, what you’re going to do?”
Peter grins, it’s the heartfelt grin of a truly happy man. He reaches for Emma’s hand and replies, “I plan to retire from my old job. Who knows, perhaps I will find I have a green thumb and can assist Emma?”
A few in the group begin to chuckle. Radclyf and Hayato try to stifle snickers, but are unable, and begin to laugh loudly. Peter, for his part, smiles whimsically at the laughter directed at him. He knows it is a far reach for him to become a gardener.
Henry talks of returning to England and either continuing his research on the spores, or, staying with Radclyf’s team. Cindy listens to everyone’s plans, then shares her wish to lead a team of specialists who will also investigate the alien spores. With her senior position at the underground facility in Germany lon
g since filled, she expects to be relegated to being a mere team leader. Such a loss of status would have, in the past, caused her grief. But for now, she is happy just to be doing something that will keep her mind occupied.
The night sky begins to fill with stars while the flames of the fire dwindle. Reluctantly, the once tight knit group goes their separate ways, and in ones and twos with either solemn or tearful farewells, people depart. Eventually, Cindy is the last one standing by the crackling embers. She shifts her gaze from the mesmerizing glow of the fire, and wistfully gazes up at the night sky. Someone else will command the Terran soon. I’m going to miss that ship, and all who served aboard. I will not forget those that gave their lives so that the rest of us could get home. She lifts her glass to the stars, and offers one last epitaph. Thank you, Olaf, Jim, Daitaro, Akira, and… her thoughts falter as tears well in her eyes, and to the many others that died under my watch.
Location:
KGB Headquarters
Minsk, Russia
Peter is punctual, as usual, for the noon meeting with his superiors. He walks into the expansive room for the first time in his life. His trained eyes quickly discerning the details; dark colored, heavy looking drapes partially cover large windows, the cityscape’s taller buildings are evident in the distance. Numerous portraits of various leaders and other famous Russians adorn the walls. Large animal skins are scattered haphazardly over the floor. The overall effect makes him feel as though he has stepped back in time. A large wooden table dominates the center of the room, many of the chairs along its sides are occupied by old men. One of them stands from the table, and strides purposefully toward him. The dozen others remain passively seated at the impressive table.
Initiation Series: Series One Compilation (Terran Chronicles) Page 75
