Escape 1: Escape From Aliens

by T. Jackson King

  “Learned Escape,” Jane said calmly, “you may exit your cell. Come out onto the walkway and stay there until I address everyone now outside.”

  A person walked out just like a human would. And human he seemed.

  Standing to the left of him and Jane was someone who could have passed for human. Except his skin flowed and shifted in a dozen or more colors. Standing on two legs, wearing cargo-type pants, with his feet covered in soft shoes, the Megun raised his human-normal arms, showed them empty palms, and took a deep breath through a mouth that also seemed human-like. Green eyes fixed on the two of them.

  Bill blinked, feeling amazement at the appearance of the Megun. The man had ears, eyelashes, black hair, a human-like nose, everything about the Megun was a near duplicate of humans. Except for the color-flowing skin, which was only partly hidden by his short pants. And the moccasin-like shoes. The skin colors moved abruptly, the complexity of color changes happening lightning quick.

  “As you Humans can see, you and we Megun are very alike in form.” The voice of Learned Escape came from a small speaker that sat atop his left shoulder. Above the speaker was a small vidscreen that flashed colors back at the Alien. “Except we Megun speak through skin color changes. On Harken, it is death to speak aloud in the jungles. Giant creatures have excellent hearing and large teeth.” The Megun male showed his teeth briefly. They too resembled the teeth of a human. “The device on my shoulder was provided by your ship mind Star Traveler, upon my request. I heard the acoustic speech of you and other captives thanks to the ear buds I wear. We Megun are able to hear well, very well in fact. But we do not speak. By acoustic sounds, that is. The screen above the speaker translates your sounds to my color speech. Perhaps your world of Earth has people like us?”

  Jane let out a long, low sigh. “Learned Escape, as Captain of this ship I welcome you to freedom. As for Earth, we humans do have varied skin colors, but they are fixed from birth onward. However, some of our land and sea creatures change skin color as quickly as you do. We call those creatures chameleon, frog, squid, octopus, zebrafish and cuttlefish.” She paused. “But only our octopi can produce colors as beautiful and diverse as you do!”

  The Alien’s green eyes blinked slowly. Skin colors shifted slowly. “Thank you for the compliment. To us, the way we talk is normal. It is who we are.” The Megun’s gaze shifted to Bill, then back toward the other captive Aliens still resting in place outside their cells. “To us, all of you are Silent People.” An almost smile showed on his face. “But it is clear fixed skin color is the norm in this universe. We Megun are adaptable. We welcome contact and discussions with any captive who wishes to visit with us.”

  Jane tossed him a red cube. “Good to hear. The red cube—”

  “Will open some doorways in this ship, so long as I remain peaceful,” the Megun interrupted in an scratchy voice. “I understood that from your earlier instructions to other captives.”

  Bill kept his taser tube aimed at the Megun male. It was clear this person, who so resembled a male human, was smart, sharp, adaptable and came from a very high tech civilization if it had manned spaceships that had visited all planets in its system. “Captain, my turn to cover the lady Megun?”

  “Yes, do so,” she ordered him in her command voice. All the while keeping her attention on the color-changing body of Learned Escape.

  He turned to the right, pulled out a red cube and aimed his taser tube at the right side cell. He pressed the Open spot. “In place. Door opening.”

  “Good,” Jane said. “Bright Sparkle, come out onto the walkway that leads from your cell door. We, Bill and I, we welcome you to freedom.”

  A shapely woman walked out of the door, leaving behind a yellow-lighted cell. She fixed green eyes on Bill and gave him a nod. “Hello, Bill of Earth,” came a scratchy sound, followed by soft words in his ear buds. Like the other Megun she wore a small speaker with vidscreen on her left shoulder. “You are a large male. Though your brown hair is strange to us Megun.” She gave him a normal human smile. “Your body language and facial expressions are remarkably similar to those we Megun share with other Megun. And our near duplicate bodyforms makes one wonder about parallel evolution.”

  Bill had noticed how the colors flowed over the body of Bright Sparkle. Who looked like a naked human woman, except for the short pants she wore, along with the soft shoes. She had nicely full breasts that matched the look of his Captain’s cleavage. Her waist curved inward, then out at the hips. Long slender legs made him think of a woman gymnast he’d once seen on the American Olympic team. With a mental jerk he pulled his mind away from fantasizing. “Thank you, Bright Sparkle. You are very attractive, by human standards. And as you can see, my Captain has black hair just like yours. Though yours is a bit longer.”

  “Thank you.” Bright Sparkle looked past him at Jane. Her skin colors flowed into a new mix of yellow, orange, green, purple, blue, pink and red. “Captain, we understand the need for keeping us under guard with your white tube weapon. Neither Learned Escape nor I have any weapons on us. Nor will we attack anyone on this ship. We do reserve the right of self-defense if attacked.”

  “That is good to hear,” Jane said, stepping back toward Bill. “Toss her a cube. Then let’s head back to the last pair of cells.”

  Bill did as ordered, gave Bright Sparkle a nod and a friendly look, then backed up along the central walkway until he stood in front of the airlock door. On the left and right were the last two cells. They held the Aelthorp people, as best he could recall from the holo lineup shown to them on the Command Bridge.

  Jane stopped a few feet in front of him, just this side of the intersection of the side walkways with the main walkway. She looked back to him, lifted one eyebrow as if wondering about his reaction to the Megun woman, then looked away and down the long metal walkway. Which now held liberated captives on the right and left. “Time to add the last pair of captives to our audience,” she said softly. “Star Traveler, allow the two Aelthorp captives to speak. Which I invite them to do.”

  “Waiting is not the way of our world,” came a warm voice full of chittering sounds in the background. The words came from the right side cell. “Peaceful behavior is promised. My family named me Lofty Flyer. I am female. On my world I teach flight dynamics to younglings and to those of us who fly high in artificial craft. Like the Megun, our world has aircraft, satellites and spacecraft that have visited several of our worlds. But only our home of Tall Trees offers a place to live. I would enjoy the chance to work aboard this spacecraft. Whether I work or not, please, please release me! Captivity is unnatural to us Aelthorp!”

  Jane gestured an Okay back to him. Bill aimed his taser tube at the cell on the right, pointed a new cube at it and pressed Open. Bright yellow light shown from within.

  Out bounded a person who looked like a flying squirrel, only one the size of a human. Lofty Flyer lifted her brown-furred arms, stretching the skin flap that ran from her arms down to her knees. She looked upward with eyes closed and mouth open. “Ahhh,” she said in a chittering voice. “Freedom! Freedom!” The Aelthorp female opened brown eyes, scanned him and Jane and then the nearby figures of the Megun, Cheelan, Zipziptoe and Slinkeroo, before fixing back on him. “You are the Bill person. A male I believe. Your weapon is not needed. Peaceful are we Aelthorp, though long ago different family clans fought among the trees for the best fruits, nuts and other foods. Now, our world feeds everyone. And my people have spread their arm flaps into the depths of dark space!”

  Ahead of him Jane laughed. Damn, but you sound like me, when I worked at the 21st Space Wing on our world of Earth.” She gestured back to Bill. “Toss her a cube. And you can lower your taser tube. I think we have found a new crewmember.”

  Bill tossed a red cube to Lofty Flyer, who turned her pug-nose face his way, opened her mouth and caught the small cube. With a flare of her long tail, she took it from her mouth, held in a four-fingered hand, then spread wide her furry ears. “Thank you Bill!”

>   Jane kept her own white tube aimed at the cell to their left. The last one to be opened. “Aelthorp captive, you have been quiet while Lofty Flyer came out and visited with us. What is your name? And can you be peaceful with the other captives we have freed?”

  A long string of chittering sounded in Bill’s ear bud. “Such are the females on our world of Tall Trees! They are always talking, talking and more taking. We males are quieter. We prefer to solve problems, make new things and explore new lands across our seas. While the females pilot our spacecraft, it is we males who build them! I am known as Builder of Joy. My work involves the fabrication of treehomes, undersea vehicles and long distance transports. Many Aelthorp live well thanks to my fabrications!”

  Jane kept her taser aimed at the white cell. “Can you be peaceful to all whom you have seen in the holos transmitted to your cell?”

  “Of course!” chittered Builder. “How could I sell my fabrications if I did not seek peace and understanding with my customers?”

  Jane pointed her cube at the globular white cell, pressed on it, and the door whisked upward. “Builder of Joy, come out but stay on the walkway in front of your cell. Be peaceful and you will have the freedom to roam this ship.”

  Out bounded another brown-furred flying squirrel. Only this one was a foot shorter than the female. He too spread wide his arms so the side skin flaps stretched out fully. “Ahhh. That feels good,” he chittered as he looked first to Jane, then to Bill, finally to Lofty Flyer. “Female of my world! It is good to see you, even if you talk too much.”

  Bill bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

  Jane gave him a quick look back, her expression suspicious, then, shaking her head she faced back to the male Aelthorp. “Builder of Joy, here is a red cube. Which as you know will open most doors on this spaceship.”

  The giant flying squirrel caught the cube in his mouth, transferred it to a furry hand, and looked around the cavernous room. Brushing at his short brown fur with his free hand, the Alien’s long furry tail came forward and wrapped around his two thin legs. “The gravity of this chamber feels stronger than what we have on Tall Trees. Still, she and I will cope and adapt. Thank you for my freedom!”

  Jane lowered her taser tube, then backed up to stand on the left side of Bill. She scanned the central walkway and the side walkways, which now held eight Aliens from five species. Holding her taser in a cross-arms carry, she moved to the second stage that they had discussed during their last chess game.

  “People, no longer are you captives! You have the freedom to roam this ship. Walk, run or fly as your nature allows. Be peaceful to each other. Do not push others to behave as your people behave. But do have . . . fun!”

  Bright Sparkle raised a color-coded arm. “I hail our Captain! And our Senior Crewman! They have saved us from forced labor!”

  Sounds came from all the assembled people. The only sounds he recognized as cheers came from Bright Sparkle and Learned Escape, who seemed able to imitate most any sound with their shoulder speakers.

  “Thank you!” Jane said loudly. “Now listen! Shortly I will send hover bots to each of you. Follow those bots to habitat rooms of your choice. Speak to them and our ship mind, whose name is Star Traveler, will answer any question. You may eat synthetic food at the Food Chamber, bath in the Water Pool Chamber and see green shrubs, small trees, flowers and other plants in the Greenery Chamber.” She paused as silvery hover bots came down from the ceiling and flew out to each Alien. “The gravity you feel now is what is normal for our world of Earth. However, in your habitat room, you can tell Star Traveler to adjust the gravity to what is normal for your species. And be assured, eventually we will visit the home star and home world of each of you, there to return you home!”

  Lofty Flyer flared her brown tail. “Captain, what if I do not wish to return home? This star traveling is a wonder! I have no spouse or children on Tall Trees. I would love to stay aboard this spacecraft!”

  Multiple calls came from other former captives, too many for quick translation. Jane waved to Lofty, then raised her own hand high. That movement brought about quiet from the gathered Aliens.

  “People who I hope will be my friends, Bill and I occupy two function stations on the Command Bridge of this spaceship. With the help of the ship’s computer mind, we fought a space battle and escaped from the star system where Diligent planned to sell each of you. But we need more crewmembers. There are five more crew stations that still need to be managed by people. Or bioforms as we are called by Star Traveler.”

  Loud barking came from the Cheelan named Purposeful Guide. “Me! Choose me for this labor!”

  Jane again held her hand up high. Quiet eventually came. “I have listened to each of you. I have heard what work you each did on your own world. Hear my choices for crew assignments!” Bill wondered if he was imagining Alien versions of people straining forward. After all, some of the freed captives were ground-huggers with multiple legs. Jane looked his way, caught his nod of agreement, and faced back to the people they had freed. “As Captain of this vessel, I choose Time Marker of the Slinkeroo to serve at the Engines function post. Next, I choose Long Walker of the Zipziptoe to oversee our Collector Pods Chamber. The pods work outside this ship and do many tasks faster and safer than a bioform in a tube suit.” She paused, scanning the nearer people. “I choose Purposeful Guide to manage our Life Support function. He has the training to do well in that job. Next, I choose Bright Sparkle of the Megun to oversee our Fusion Plants. We have three of them that power all systems on this ship. She has done similar work on her own world.” Bill watched the body language of each person and species as Jane spoke. It was amazing how body language varied among the different kinds of people who stood or squatted on the side walkways. “Finally, I choose Lofty Flyer to serve as our Navigator whenever this ship is in normal space-time. Her people are born flyers. And she has piloted aircraft and spacecraft. The rest of you, know that I appreciate your willingness to help. If other ship functions need bioform help, I will contact you. Meanwhile, follow the hover bots to your new habitat quarters.”

  Three of the assembled people followed their bots down to the other airlock door, through it and then into the hallway leading to the Engine chamber, though they would be led along the side hallway to the other side of the ship. Where food, water, greenery and rest awaited them. The five Aliens named by Jane looked her way.

  “Star Traveler,” Jane called out, “I hereby designate Time Marker, Long Walker, Purposeful Guide, Bright Sparkle and Lofty Flyer as new crewmembers. They may enter the Command Bridge and all other ship chambers except for Weapons, the Mok and Doman cells, and the Transport ships.”

  “Understood,” the AI said calmly. “New crewmembers are now added to this ship’s function registry.”

  Jane waved to the five new crewmembers. Who, like the smart people they were, had not moved from their walkways. They awaited a command from their Captain. “Come join me and Bill. We are heading back to the Command Bridge. There’s a lot we need to show you before we arrive at the Ludeen system!”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  On the Command Bridge, Bill and Jane sat at their control stations in the minutes before the ship arrived at the Ludeen star system of HD 168443. Before him floated the multiple holos that served his Ship Weapons station. Between him and the holos was a silvery metal pillar topped with touch controls for the ship’s offensive weaponry. Behind him and to the right sat Jane in her captain’s seat. Elevated on the command pedestal, she overlooked them all. A ring of holos and control pillars surrounded her. What was new this time were the crewmembers who occupied five function stations to Bill’s right.

  Next to him was Bright Sparkle, the human-like Megun woman whose naked skin rippled with colors. She had quickly learned the controls for the Fusion Power station. Like him she sat in a form-fitting metal seat that had risen up from the metal deck. Beyond her Time Marker rested on his belly on the metal bench that had risen from the floor. The Slink
eroo walking snake scanned the holos that depicted the Magfield and Stardrive engines that moved the Blue Sky through space and time. Next in line was the segmented worm shape of Long Walker, who also rested atop a bench. The Zipziptoe’s duty station was the Collector Pods, a dozen of which filled the chamber reserved for them. The pods were small teardrop-shaped devices that had manipulating arms for the recovery of devices, people and anything else someone wanted, whether in space or on a planet. Fourth in line was Purposeful Guide, the kangaroo-like Cheelan reptile whose red eyes were fixed on his own group of holos. Guide stood before his control pillar, his thick tail braced against the metal deck. The Cheelan preferred to stand rather than sit on a bench. Last was their Navigator, Lofty Flyer the flying squirrel whose constant movement of arms, legs, pug-nose, and brown eyes seemed normal for the species. She looked his way, her expression excited.

  Once more Bill scanned the holos that ringed his station. On the left glowed the local system graphic, which now showed the orbital tracks of the five worlds in the Ludeen system. Ahead was the ship interior schematic which showed each weapons system, its location, its power levels and the firing angles possible for each weapon. Next to the ship schematic was a true space holo, which for the moment showed black nothingness. Once they entered normal space-time, stars would shine in it, along with the white dots of planets and the yellow glare of the system’s G5V star. To his right hovered a holo that showed Jane at her station. Dressed in a green jumpsuit, her Browning Hi-Power hanging from her belt, her gaze was fixed on her own group of holos. Noticing his look at her, she gave him an easy smile.