by Colin Weldon
“Where’s it gone, Carrie?” Jack said.
“Where is what ... you mean, The Black?” Carrie said.
“Yes,” Jack replied, “as you call it, The Black.”
“I kicked its ass and it’s gone,” Carrie said.
“How interesting,” Jack said, “you realise that it has not gone anywhere. That it is still inside you. Waiting, regenerating, and when it does, it will be stronger, much stronger.”
Carrie opened her mind, searched inside herself. She felt nothing.
“Bullshit,” she said.
“Very well, in the meantime, while we all wait, I would like to ask you what it is you plan on doing? Your people are all secured, we outnumber you, and even if, by some miracle, you’re able to incapacitate us all, how do you plan on taking control of a vessel entirely encoded to our genetic traces?” Jack said.
Fuck, thought Carrie.
“There’s also one other thing you’re missing,” Jack said.
“Which is?”
“Look outside the window,” Jack said.
Carrie frowned as something resembling a smile began appearing on Jack’s alien face. She glanced over at Aron and then back at Maya.
“Maya,” she said softly.
“Yes, Carrie?” Maya said.
“Do you think you would be able to move the air again if you needed to?” she said quietly.
Maya nodded.
“Okay, I’m going to go over to the window. If that thing makes any sudden movements, I want you to do the same thing you did to the other one. Can you do that?” Carrie said.
“Yes,” Maya answered.
Carrie turned back to Jack.
“Careful,” she said to him.
“I will be, Carrie, don’t you worry about that,” replied Jack.
Carrie began walking backwards toward the rear window, keeping her eyes locked on Jack. He remained motionless. There was something very wrong here. Carrie couldn’t put her finger on it, but Jack, his motives, his betrayal and her stupidity for trusting in him, had given him and The Black the upper hand. They were out of their depth, all of them. Her thoughts quickly went to her father. She wondered if he was okay. She reached the back wall and gave Jack one more glance before turning to look outside. In a single moment, her whole world fell apart. She looked out at the horror of it. The end of their race. Her last semblance of hope dripped away and she was overwhelmed with a fear that she had never felt. Not for herself, but for the others.
“What is it?” Aron shouted.
Carrie couldn’t answer. She didn’t know how. She heard Aron ask Tyrell for help holding India up before running over to her. Carrie placed a hand on the window hoping to wake up. Maybe it was all part of an illusion. Was she still trapped? Was it a dream?
Aron looked out at the sight before them.
“What the hell are those? Planets?” he said to her.
Carrie tried to count them. There were hundreds of them, all sharing the same compressed space-time distortion, all traveling in the same direction, like hundreds of lost solar systems flying in formation. They were massive and stretched as far as the eye could see. Carrie knew better however. While they were all spherical and planet sized, they were anything but.
“Targlagdu vessels,” Carrie whispered feeling the muscles in her face drop.
She leaned her forehead against the window and watched the doomsday armada quietly making its way through the colours of the distortion field.
“Those are the things you were telling us about?” Aron said softly.
Carrie nodded.
“My God,” Aron said.
“Do you understand now, Carrie?” Jack said.
Carrie turned to Jack.
“I thought you lost control of them. Isn’t that why you left?” she said.
“That is partly true. They still respond to our homing signals and they by no means discriminate against what ships or planets they replicate and devour. You see, we have created a cloaking technology that will effectively protect this ship, for at least the amount of time it takes them to complete their primary objective,” Jack said.
“What’s the point? You have a planet, your people are safe, what’s the point of it?” Carrie said.
“You’ve seen our home world, Carrie, there are no stars, we were banished, defeated. The Ruthenium people took our galaxy away,” Jack said.
“Revenge? Is that all this is?” Carrie said.
“This is not about revenge, Carrie, like you, we are trying to preserve our race,” Jack said.
“You mother fucker,” Carrie said facing Jack.
“I’m not familiar with that term,” Jack said calmly.
“I’ll die trying to stop you,” Carrie said.
“No, you won’t, Carrie, you’re going to find The Black, deep inside you. You’re going to relinquish control to it and you’re going to let it back in. You’re going to let it join us,” Jack said.
“And why am I going to do that?” she said.
“Because if you don’t, you’re all going to die,” Jack said, “think it over, Carrie. I’m going to leave now, your weapons won’t work on this ship, so I really wouldn’t bother taking them. I’m not going to lock the doors, in fact, I’m going to give you freedom to move about the ship. We just want you, Carrie. If you choose to join us Carrie, you have my word that I will settle the rest of your humans on the nearest habitable planet when our mission is complete. I’ll also heal poor India over there. Think it over, although you do not have much time. I’ll await you on the bridge,” he said as he turned, giving Carrie a glare as he disappeared back through the door. The remaining group looked to Carrie who stood motionless.
THE AGATHON
Barrington sat in the centre chair on the bridge and scratched his eye socket. The implant needed attending to, the irritation had been a constant annoyance, and he had forgotten to go to Brubaker to have it checked out. He was also tired. The two or so hours of sleep he had had over the last twenty-four hours, coupled with the few drinks he and Meridian had just shared were starting to weigh on him. He looked over at Tark’An, who was working with Ferrate on the communications system. Barrington had asked Tark’An to give Ferrate the communications necklace thing so they could collaborate. Ferrate looked uncomfortable with it on, but it seemed to be working. Barrington finally decided that he should go to sick bay to have Brubaker clean the alcohol out of his system. He reminded himself not to drink on duty again. He stood from the centre seat and walked over to Boyett.
“You have the bridge, I’m going to have my eye looked at,” he said softly to her.
He didn’t want the rest of the bridge crew hearing it. She nodded and stepped out of the flight chair, Chavel instantly stood and took her place. Barrington walked over to Tark’An and looked up at him.
“How’s it going?” he said to him.
Tark’An looked at him and growled something.
“Sir, he says he can’t understand you,” Ferrate said stretching his neck.
“Right, sorry, how’s it going?” Barrington asked Ferrate.
“We’re nearly there, sir, thirty minutes,” Ferrate said.
“Great, I’ll be back in thirty minutes,” Barrington said.
“Yes, sir,” Ferrate said.
MEDICAL BAY
The captain stepped through the sick bay doors. The room was in chaos. Every bed was filled. Brubaker was attending to a crewman who appeared to have severe burns on his face. She looked like shit. Her hair was tied back tightly and she had dark circles under her eyes. It was something he often forgot while on the bridge… that on the lower decks, there was a whole another world turning the cogs, trying to get on with life. They had their own stresses; sleep deprivation, fear, and duty to deal with. A young crewman stood to attention and saluted. He must have been no more than twenty.
He had a small cut above his right eye.
“At ease,” Barrington said.
The crewman nodded and sat back down on the medical bed.
“Captain,” said Brubaker not turning away from her patient, “what the hell is going on up there? The rumours are flying like crazy.”
Barrington approached her, not wanting to discuss any of this in public. He gave her a glare letting her know to keep her voice down. She didn’t seem to care. He’d given her more casualties than he would have liked and she looked exhausted.
“What brings you to my doorstep this afternoon... hold still,” she said to the wounded crewman, “your eye bothering you?”
“Little bit, it’s not urgent. I can come back,” Barrington started to say.
“Nonsense, we can’t have a blind captain wandering around the ship,” said Brubaker, “I’m done here. Lay back.”
The crewman obeyed and Brubaker turned to the captain placing her thumb and forefinger above and below his eye spreading it open. She looked at him and frowned.
“Over here,” she said to him giving him an accusatory look.
He followed her into her office and took a seat opposite her desk. She moved around behind him and closed her door before moving back and leaning on her desk.
“You’ve been drinking,” she said in a far more serious tone than he’d expected.
“Meridian and I...”
“Chase knows better than that, and so do you, Captain,” she said standing up and opening a cabinet. She took a vile of something out and plugged it into an infuser. She stepped over to Barrington. “Sleeve,” she said in a commanding tone.
Barrington felt like he’d been sent to the principal’s office. He wasn’t in trouble per se, but he obeyed. She placed the hypodermic needle into his arm and pressed down. He felt his mind rush open. The fog was replaced with an instant alertness. He took a breath as Brubaker took a seat behind her desk and placed her feet up on the desk.
“We had a couple of drinks, I’m fine,” Barrington said.
“Captain, what the hell is going on?” Brubaker said pointedly.
Barrington sighed.
“Carrie attacked the ship,” Barrington said, “that black shit has taken control of her, and we’re on our way to get her back. It’s not looking good.”
Brubaker’s face dropped. She took her feet off the desk and rubbed her face.
“Jesus John,” she said sighing
“Yeah,” Barrington replied looking at his feet.
“Well, it does me no good to relieve you from duty for breach of protocol then, does it?” she said.
“It probably isn’t the best course of action right now, no,” he replied.
He suddenly saw Carrie as a little girl, her smiling face looking up at him when she used to sit on his lap at his desk back on Mars. Refusing to go to bed until he read her a story. She would sit in his office all day long and listen intently to the briefings with the various scientists and colonists as they came to him with problems and new discoveries and ideas. She had been fascinated by them. It was at that moment he broke. It was completely out of his control. A wave of uncontrollable emotion burst from his chest and tears began to flow down his face. He placed his head in his hands and let it go. There was nothing he could do. He had let Jennifer down and now Carrie was probably lost to him as well. He closed his eyes and felt his body convulse through the pain. A few seconds later he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He opened his eyes, and through the blur, saw Brubaker’s hair, her face pressed up against his, cheek to cheek. She was holding him so tightly. He hadn’t been embraced like that for years. The power of the connection was completely unexpected. She pulled back, taking his face in both her hands, and without a moment’s hesitation, she gently kissed him. He had no time to question it. He welcomed it and kissed her back. After a few seconds, Brubaker gently pulled away. How had he not noticed this before? The warmth of the woman? They stared into each other’s eyes. She wiped his face and smiled at him.
“Carrie is stronger than anybody on this ship. We’ll get her back, you’ll get her back. I know you will,” she said.
“And if I can’t?” Barrington said still feeling the tenderness of her presence, the support of it.
“John, you don’t know how to fail. Look at where you’ve taken us all … we owe you our lives,” she said pulling away and standing, “And I’m sorry about the kiss. That was very unprofessional.”
Barrington was momentarily speechless. He regained his composure quickly and glanced at her. Brubaker leaned against her desk.
“I forgot to ask about your eye,” she said.
Barrington laughed.
“Well, it was feeling a little dry, but I think the tears sorted it out,” he said.
“Yeah? Okay, good,” she said smiling.
Barrington looked at her. There was a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail and was gently hanging over her right cheek. She had a classic look about her and there was something graceful about the way she walked. She had beautiful eyes, he had never even noticed them before.
“Doctor,” he said softly.
“Yes, Captain,” she said, her face now flushed.
“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind taking thirty minutes break to join me in my quarters,” he said locking his eyes on hers.
He wanted her, now. He watched her let out a slow controlled breath. He needed this, they both did. She gave him a strong glare, full of intent, and nodded. He stood, clearing his throat and made his way to the door, opening it. They walked onto the main medical bay floor.
“Nurse, I’ll be back shortly. You have everything under control?” she said.
The young doctor looked at her.
“Yes, Doctor, mostly cuts and bruises, we’ve got it handled,” she said.
Barrington saluted the nurse and made his way to the exit with Brubaker following a few steps behind.
29:
THE SIENNA CLARK
India coughed, spewing up a handful of blood that spilled onto Tyrell’s overalls.
“She’s not good,” Tyrell said turning to Carrie.
“Don’t give those fuckers anything,” rasped India, her head still resting on Tyrell’s lap.
Carrie moved over to the pair and kneeled, placing her hand on India’s head before looking back at Aron. He motioned her to come back to the window. She looked at India, now pale and sweating and moved back to Aron who folded his arms and glanced out at the Targlagdu surrounding the ship.
“What are we supposed to do?” he said to her.
“I don’t see that I have a choice. I don’t feel The Black inside me, but it must be there somewhere. I don’t think Jack is bluffing,” Carrie said.
“Okay, so let me get this straight. They want you as a weapon, right?” Aron said.
“Right,” Carrie replied.
“To destroy some other alien race and probably the rest of us. You really think they’ll happily just drop us all off on a planet?” Aron said.
Carrie shook her head.
“Exactly. We have no alternative but to fight,” Aron said.
“Aron, my abilities could blow this ship up, killing everything aboard,” Carrie said, “it’s not a good idea to use it inside.”
Aron shook his head and looked at Tyrell.
“India’s going to die… not to mention the rest of us, Carrie,” he said.
Carrie glanced back through the window. It was an incredible sight. The fact remained that there was simply too many of them for her to fight on her own. She turned and looked back to Maya.
“I need to buy us some time,” she whispered.
“How exactly do you plan on doing that?” Aron said.
She took a breath and started walking towards the door.
“Wait, where are you going?” Aron shouted.
She stopped in front of Maya, opened her mind, and placed her hands on her shoulders.
Can you hear me, Maya? she said in her mind.
She waited.
Yes, I can, Maya replied in her thoughts.
Carrie smiled, she really wasn’t alone.
Keep your mind open, Maya. You’re the key. I’m going to need your help when the time comes.
Okay, Carrie, I’ll help, replied Maya.
Carrie nodded and looked over at a curious faced Tyrell.
“I’ll get help for India, just keep her stable for as long as you can,” she said turning to Aron.
“Where the hell are you going to be?” said Aron.
“I’m going to the bridge. Go find the rest of our people, tell them to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. We’re getting off this ship,” Carrie said turning and moving quickly to the door.
“Carrie,” said Tyrell.
Carrie looked back at him.
“The Black,” he said, “It’s still a living organism. Get it out of you, somehow, if you can, then burn it.”
Carrie frowned.
“What?” she said, “I thought you already tried that.”
“Get it over two thousand degrees. I don’t care what it’s made of, it can’t survive that,” Tyrell said.
“Great, and how do I do that?” Carrie said.
Tyrell gave her a knowing look, shaking his head. Carrie turned, exhaled gently and left.
BRIDGE
Carrie materialised on the bridge, the cold air escaping her lungs forming a small cloud in front of her face. Jack was waiting, along with Shorty and a few others. They stood in a line and watched as Carrie stepped off the pad. She was in a wolf den, there was no doubt about it. Her mind was open and she sensed something from Jack that she hadn’t felt since they first met. Malevolence.
“India,” she said forcefully to the group while raising her hands, “cure her now, or I end this.”
Jack took a step forward.
“There really is no need for threats, Carrie,” Jack said turning to one of the other tall grey aliens and nodding.
The alien instantly began walking towards the transport pod, cloaking itself as it walked. Carrie saw a bright light from the pod telling her it had just been activated.
