by Lewis, Anna
“Good job, soldier,” said Lena. “You’ll have to keep them safe while I locate Trevor.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied while raising his gun.
“Where’s Jeffery?”
The question prompted Wesley to look at the ground, searching for the ashes of his fallen comrade. There was black soot all over the floor from the people who had been demolished. Jeffery was somewhere amidst this mess. Following his gaze, Ryan studied the room and then lowered his head in honor of those who had been lost. Wesley didn’t need to explain what happened. It was evident that Jeffery had fallen victim to the dreadful Vihatagons. Lena wasn’t sure what to say. She could offer her condolences, but what good would that do? It would ignore the rest who had crumbled beneath the weight of the hateful aliens.
Lifting his head, Wesley saluted Lena and Ryan before heading back to the group of people in the corner. Most of them were sitting on the ground, suffering from a lack of sustenance. They asked the soldier for food who grimly replied that he didn’t have any.
“Help is on the way. Don’t worry,” he assured them. “We’ll get out of here alive.”
Lena and Ryan left the room and walked the length of the hallway, relying on Lena’s knowledge of the interior to guide them. They could hear the sound of a ray gun firing in the distance, but weren’t sure where it was coming from. All of the halls were made of a metal alloy. It caused sound to ricochet in every direction. While carefully exploring the area, they heard the faint sound of crying coming from somewhere nearby. It sounded like a woman. They followed it around the corner, not far from the cargo area.
Sitting in an electrical cage was Alexis, her body worn from stress. The Vihatagons who had dragged her there had long since left, alerted that a breech had been made in the cargo hold. The torture she had endured left her feeling weak and vulnerable, the electrical pulses causing a headache on top of her hunger. She had considered calling out for help, but feared the guards might return and zap her again. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more.
Footsteps came from the hallway that caused her to perk up. She clenched her fists at her side, ready for anything to happen. As Lena came around the edge of the doorway, Alexis screeched at the top of her lungs in an effort to scare away the dreadful guards, whom she thought it was. But it was Lena. She raised her hands.
“Hey!” she screamed. “It’s okay!”
Alexis stared at the two humans standing in the door, sobbing uncontrollably at the sight. She never thought she would ever see someone like her again. Hope was restored in her gut and she begged the two to get her out of the cage.
“It’s going to be alright. I’ll try to get you out. What’s your name?” asked Lena while walking over to the controls.
“Alexis,” she replied while sniffling. “They tortured me.”
It occurred to Lena that this was the woman who had suffered on behalf of Trevor. She remembered considering telling Trevor to continue holding out to the aliens’ demands, which would have killed the poor girl. How easy it would have been to let this life pass without seeing her face. Now that she was looking at the girl, it broke her heart to think they would have sacrificed this soul to the greater good. Was their situation so awful that they would have killed one to save the masses? How many more lives would have to be given for that matter? Lena promised herself to never allow such moral ambiguity to enter her brain. All life matters here and they were going to get out alive, no matter what.
As Lena tinkered with the controls, Ryan knelt down next to the cage to talk to Alexis. The conversation kept her calm. Normally, Alexis would be annoyed by small chat, but this soldier was rather handsome and he was doing a good job at distracting her from the pain. Lena snipped a few wires and the cage deactivated, the door opening for Alexis to crawl out. Gently, Ryan wrapped her in a hug.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“It seemed like you needed it,” he responded.
She smiled and took his hand as they ran from the room, continuing their mission to find Trevor. Where was he?
Chapter 5
Dozens of drones appeared over the battlefield and landed heavily in the sand. A number of soldiers ran out to greet the masses of people appearing, hundreds synthesizing from the machines far more quickly than they could manage. It was mayhem! General Sanders was shouting orders, trying to get the mass of people under control. They were screaming and celebrating all at once. A new found appreciation fell over the group like none before, admiring the soil that they had taken for granted. Many of the soldiers ushered them towards the camp and the hospital, utilizing as much space as possible.
Some of the people were injured during the battle in the cargo area and were whisked off to the medical tent in order to receive treatment. Soldiers lined the pathway to the main building to set up civilian tents, hoping the Vihatagons had no intention of returning to the field. Food was distributed as quickly as possible and people sat on the ground to eat, happy to be fed and hydrated once more.
As General Haynes looks around at the suddenly filled field, he turns to General Sanders and says, “How are we going to care for these people, General?”
“I’m not sure,” responds General Sanders. “But the hospital has been emptied. Take any of the vulnerable ones inside and keep them safe. Guard all the exits and doors.”
“Yes, sir,” replied General Haynes.
He went to gather a group of troops and started rounding up the injured, carefully guiding them to the hospital where they could rest in the bed. The other tents were quickly filling up with people and many of them collapsed on the ground with their blankets, tired from the whole ordeal. General Sanders stood amidst the mess and called for his soldiers to begin their rescue mission, sending them off to the transporters to go up towards the mothership. He listened to the conversations around him.
“We should have stayed home,” said one man to his wife, hugging her close in a tent nearby.
“I don’t think I ever want to leave the Earth again,” said someone else behind the general.
He looked around. This was the most terrible war he had ever been a part of, the magnitude frightening him to his core. Most of them had survived this strike, but could they survive another? How long would it be until another species of alien came along to do the same thing? As these questions racked the general’s brain, a young woman approached him and asked who to thank for their rescue.
“All of these soldiers, ma’am,” responded General Sanders with a smile.
“Well, thank you,” said the woman.
“You’re welcome,” he responded, touched that someone had expressed their gratitude.
It wasn’t often he heard such a thing. Most battles were fought away from the people, but this one had hit close to home. He peered up at the sky, watching the edge of the mother ship poking through the clouds and hoping that the great doctor had reached the commander in time. Walking over the main building, he lifted his radio and spoke into it.
“Dr. Clark, what is your status? Over,” he said.
A few minutes passed before Lena could respond.
“General, we’re close to finding the commander. Over,” she spoke.
“Bring our people home, Dr. Clark. Over,” he said.
“Yes, sir. Over,” responded Lena.
Nodding, the general sits down and takes off his hat to let his head cool. A sweat had broken out on his forehead and he wiped it with his sleeve. A mug of coffee appeared in front of him. He looked up to find Dr. Warren.
“How’s our doctor doing up there, General?” he asked.
General Sanders took the mug gratefully and sipped slowly, allowing the warm coffee to soothe his aching muscles.
“They’ll be back soon, I hope,” responded the general.
“And how are you doing, sir?” asked Dr. Warren.
General Sanders considered the question, frowning at his reflection in the mug.
“I’m not sure yet, Dr. Warren. I feel as th
ough I’ve lost touch with everything. This is utter chaos,” replied General Sanders. “It’s out of control.”
“I think this is a striking reminder that nothing is ever in our control,” said Dr. Warren. “And that we should be grateful we have the strength to fight.”
The philosophical words made General Sanders chuckle and nod.
“That’s true. It’s certainly a lesson learned,” he said.
“And we’ll continue to learn. It’s part of our evolutionary process,” said the scientist, sitting next to the general with his own mug of coffee. “I think I’ll write about this in my next book.”
“Well, somebody ought to,” said General Sanders. “Because I want to forget it as soon as it’s over.”
“I had been hoping the entire day that this was just a nightmare, but I’m wrong. It’s reality. We have to cope with that,” said the scientist. “You’re doing a good job, sir.”
“Thank you, Dr. Warren. You all have been a great help as well,” said the general.
“We live to serve,” said Dr. Warren.
A comfortable silence fell between the two as they reflected on the day’s events, listening to the sound of laughter floating in from the double doors. It was a strange sound in the middle of a battlefield, yet it was also relieving. Part of General Sanders felt joy from hearing that laughter. Another part of him knew the war was yet to be done, that they still had people up in that ship who were soon to make their way back.
I think I’ll retire when this is over, he thought. I’m tired of war. I want to go home.
While thinking about his cozy home, he leaned his head back to rest, dreaming of a time when the world had been peaceful. It was a brief time in his life, but it was one he fondly remembered. Streams teemed with fish that he caught with his father every Sunday and the farm was full of engineered pigs that were perfectly plump. He imagined himself sitting amidst the flowers with his brothers, napping under the midday sun, the heat warming his soul and helping him sleep.
It wouldn’t be long before the general was awakened, soldiers asking for their next orders. He told them to remain vigilant and watch the sky.
“We’re expecting our troops to bring home the rest,” said the general. “For now, take care of those in our care.”
Chapter 6
Lena, Ryan, and Alexis have been running in circles. They couldn’t seem to locate the Trevor and the enemy captain.
“We’ve been searching for thirty minutes, doctor,” said Ryan. “Are you sure he’s still here?”
“He has to be. He hasn’t contacted us,” replied Lena.
She tapped her watch with frustration, shaking it briefly before coming across another hallway.
“Let’s try this one,” she suggested.
“We already went that way,” said Ryan.
“I’m exhausted,” said Alexis.
“Well, I’m in charge,” Lena said firmly. “And we go where I say we need to go.”
“Yes, ma’am,” responded Ryan while squeezing Alexis’ hand.
Lena was getting snippy. As her frustration grew, her sight became blurry until she realized she was crying. She paused in front of a door and leaned against the wall, weeping into her free hand. Alexis and Ryan weren’t sure what to do, waiting patiently for Lena to explain her response to the situation.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry...”
Ryan was the first to step forward, putting his ray gun in its holster. Pulling her into a hug caused her to cry harder. She could feel the weight of her failure hanging around her neck like chains, pulling her down to the ground. As she wiped her face, Alexis walked over and hugged her as well. The three stood embracing each other briefly before taking a step back, the sound of a ray gun alerting them.
“It came from here!” said Ryan, pointing down the hall from whence they came.
The three fled down the metal hallway, feet slamming against the floor. They nearly passed the room that held the captain and Trevor, the two frozen in a standoff with each other.
“Trevor!” cried Lena, stepping over the threshold.
Covering the floor were dead Vihatagons, their mouths twisted and their guts spilling all over the place. The captain was using some of their bodies as a shield while he pointed his disintegrator at Trevor. Tension filled the air with dread, the three standing in the doorway while analyzing the scene. Who was going to make the first move?
“Stay back!” he yelled.
Lena held up her cybernetic arm.
“I don’t think this will be a problem,” she said.
Looking out of the corner of his eye, Trevor noticed the cybernetic addition on her arm and chuckled.
“We match now,” he joked.
“That we do,” she responded.
“This is why I love you,” he said with a smile.
“I love you, too, darling,” said Lena, keeping her palm pointed at the captain.
“The choice is yours, Captain,” said Trevor. “You can be killed or surrender to the people of Earth.”
“I will never surrender!” cried the captain, waving his gun at them. “We have never done such a cowardly thing!”
“And using your own people as shields isn’t cowardly? You must be mistaken, Captain,” said Trevor.
Ryan pushed Alexis out into the hallway and tells her to wait there, raising his gun at the Vihatagon across the room.
“You’re surrounded,” he warned. “Give up.”
“Never,” responded the captain. “I will never give up.”
“We’re going to shoot you, then,” said Trevor. “Fire!”
The three of them rained blasts upon the Vihatagon, hoping to break through the flesh of his barrier in order to wound him, but the pile of bodies did not budge. On the other side, the captain chortled.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he called.
“What is he saying?” asked Ryan while charging his ray gun.
“He’s challenging us,” replied Trevor. “He thinks that’s all we’ve got.”
Ryan stepped over a few bodies and aimed low, hoping to hit a foot or an arm. As he lined up his shot, the captain peeked around the pile of bodies and fired his weapon, effectively destroying the soldier where he stood. Lena squeaked and shot a few revenge rounds, telling Alexis to remain in the hall.
“What’s going on?” Alexis asked. “Is Ryan alright?”
Trevor and Lena exchanged glances, wondering if they should lie and let her find out later. Curious, Alexis peeked around the corner and noticed Ryan was no longer in the room. Sobs racked her body and she crumpled to the ground from exhaustion and loss. There wasn’t much more she could take. Noticing her broken state, Trevor urged Lena to take Alexis to the cargo area.
“Go,” he said. “I can hold this down.”
“I will not leave you,” Lena said firmly. “The rescue team is coming. They’ll get her soon enough.”
“She is not well enough to go alone. You need to take her,” said Trevor.
“I am not going to leave this room without you holding my hand,” said Lena. “I can’t do it.”
Tears came to her eyes again, causing her to lose concentration and shoot the table instead of the captain. He’s laughing on the other side of the bodies and relishing the pain he hears. Nothing makes him jollier than the sound of crying.
“By all means, cyborg. Tend to your woman. Let it make you weaker,” he said. “So that I in comparison may grow stronger!”
Lena shook her head, trying to regain control over her emotions while the gurgling continued to echo through the room. It appeared the captain was the last Vihatagon left unless there were more hiding amidst the other rooms. This could potentially be used to their advantage.
“You’re the last one left,” Lena announced. “You might as well give in.”
“There are plenty more where I come from,” said the captain.
“We’ll destroy all of you,” announced Trevor. “You will not
keep us down. We are too resilient and we will always resist.”
“We will always find a way to fight,” said Lena over the sound of sobbing in the hallway. “Surrender or die.”
It seemed to go on for hours when in reality it had only been twenty minutes. The captain remained silent across the room, the only sound in the air the strange squeaking of his body as he moved to position his gun. No one seemed to dare make a move, and the silence prompted Alexis to peek around the corner again. She noticed Ryan’s ray gun on the ground. Sneaking behind Lena, she picked it up and pointed it at the wretched creature who had murdered the soldier and fired a ray in his direction.
As the captain prepared to fire back, the disintegrator between his grimy claws whirled and then died, its charge lost. A horrible screech followed by a series of gurgles erupted from the captain’s mouth. He refused to be defeated. While knocking over the pile of bodies, he jumped forward to attack Trevor who raised his arm in defense. Alexis screamed as she disappeared under the pile of bodies. Lena shot a ray in the direction of the Vihatagon that pinned Trevor to the ground, squealing madly while raising his arms.
Chapter 7
“No!” cried Lena.
The ugly Vihatagon was pummeling into Trevor. Every strike was met by the cybernetic arm, the captain screeching with every punch. Lena charged her cybernetic arm once more and shot a ray that knocked the alien over. He laid on his back, breathing heavily in the cold air. Mouth dry and vision growing dim, he announced that he would extract his revenge, no matter the cost.
“We will always come for your planet,” he groaned in his language. “From now until the end of time!”
A disfigured arm rose up momentarily before dropping, Lena shooting again to make sure he was completely dead. Alexis squealed underneath the dead weight of the deceased Vihatagons, begging for Lena to help her. A hand reached out which Lena grabbed and pulled her from the filthy pile. Alexis was covered in bile. She cringed. Behind Lena was a groaning Trevor, blinking hard against the darkness that shrouded his eyes.
