“Look!” Cass pointed, “Your bullet holes are closing up.”
“That they are,” Rhodes said, turning the glove inside out as he removed it from his hand, “The bio-organic material is growing back around the holes.”
“And so is the hole we cut in the floor over there,” Tucker pointed, “Not all the way, but it looks like we’ll have to cut our way back out too.”
“That’s going to slow us down,” the Sarge said, returning with the extra gear. Takes about 10 minutes to cut one hole, so that’s an hour round trip.”
“Alright, then,” Tucker said, “Let’s get crackin’…Hargrove, get three repeaters for the wireless setup. Sarge, get that floor open again.”
“Uh, Tuck,” Cal said in Tuck’s ear, “We’ve got movement.”
“Position!”
“Between you’re current location and Savage.”
“Lieutenant, do you read us?”
“Commander, I hear metal like walking sounds.”
“Get out of there!”
“I see them, Commander. There are three of them. I’ll hold them back; you can cut them off from the rear.”
“Get out of our line of fire, Lieutenant!”
“Don’t worry about me, sir. I’m around the corner…I plan on ambushing them.”
“Come on, kids…get back and intercept them, now!”
The crew ran back toward Savage, “Calvin, are you picking this up!?”
“Tuck, they moved down a level.”
“How in the hell did they do that?” Tuck exclaimed, “Savage, report!”
“She’s gone!” Cass said, coming to Melissa’s position.
“Gone? Don’t tell me gone!”
Cass picked the Lieutenant’s weapon off the ground and slung it around her shoulder, “Son of a bitch!”
“Over here,” the doctor said, “I’m picking up her life signs, right below us here. They must be able to open the layers between floors and then seal them.”
“Cal, you and Sam are going to be alone. We can’t afford to slip up any more.”
“We’ll be fine, Commander.”
“I’ve got our main guns pointed right at the opening, Sir,” Sam acknowledged, “Go find her.”
“We’ll be dropping down in another couple of minutes,” Tuck said, “We’ll only have the wireless link until the hole grows shut again. Once that happens, you won’t hear back until we come back up to this level.”
“Understood.”
“There!” the Sergeant exclaimed, “This lid’s off. I’m going down, pass me the laser torch.”
Samuels jumped through the hole and landed one level down, rolling on the floor to absorb the fall. Hargrove reached through the hole, handing Samuels the equipment.
“Sir, I’ve attached the wireless. She’ll hold until the hole seals off again.”
“Good work, Hargrove.”
The crew descended two more levels, when they heard the screams of their missing shipmate.
“We need to speed it up, if you can.”
“Sorry, Tuck,” Samuels said, glancing up at him, “We simply don’t have the tools to do this any quicker.”
“Tuck!” Cass shouted, “On your six!”
She aimed down the corridor at the three mechanical beings crawling through the floor, thirty feet away. The rail gun opened fire, sending dozens of round projectiles at the heads of the cyborgs, causing damage, but they relentlessly continued to crawl from the floor.
Tuck spun around and joined Cass at taking out another of the cyborgs. The third one managed to get through the floor and began stepping toward them and returned fire.
Tuck and Cass made quick work on the two cyborgs still half way between floors, and then focused on the one approaching.
“Duck!” Cass said, hitting the floor, still shooting her rail gun at the thing. She rolled on the floor, taking cover around the corner, “I’m out! Reloading!”
Hargrove leaned around the corner and shot at the mechanical enemy, only slowing it slightly.
Cass reached in her side pocket for a round object, pulled the pin and dove back around the corner, “Grenade!”
The corridor blasted metal debris and flesh from the cyborg, which flew apart by the explosion…then everything return quiet.
They all looked at one another, “What were those?” Cass asked.
“Those seem to be the local residents…and my guess is that they’re not too happy with our interior decorating.”
“Tuck, our weapons are going to need some enhancements. We can’t depend on grenades taking those down.”
Hargrove was first to check out some of the cyborg pieces scattered about, “This should prove to come in handy,” he said, holding one of the cyborgs pulse cannons.
“Let me see that, Hargrove.”
Hargrove handed the weapons over for Tucker to examine it, “Here… stand back, Samuels.”
Tuck pointed the end of the laser rifle at the floor and squeezed the trigger. He was surprised that there wasn’t any kickback.
He had the hole cut in the floor in less than fifteen seconds, “There now. Set up your last repeater and let’s get down there.”
Samuels hurriedly nodded and jumped down to the forth level, and then the rest joined in the decent.
“Cal, do you read us…come in.”
“I read you Tuck.”
“Good, that means we have a little time before the first level closes. We took one of the weapons from a cyborg that does a dandy job on cutting this material.”
“Great, tuck…but you’re starting to break up now…”
“The first floor is growing together again…will report in as soon as we can…Tucker out.”
“Doctor, you reading anything?”
“I’m picking up a heat signature inside that room,” Rhodes pointed at the end of the wall. “She’s in there. I’m picking up heat signatures consistent with humans.”
“Any idea if we can have some kind of early warning detector for these cyborgs? Hargrove, Cass, Sarge? You got anything?”
“All I can say Tuck,” Cass said, “You can bet your ass there are more cyborgs inside that room.”
“I’ll bet you’re right,” Tuck smiled, “Always the intuitive one.”
“Only way to find out…”
“Is to crash the party,” Tuck said, before lighting another cigar. “Stand back.”
Making a couple of adjustments on the weapons, he raised it at the wall and pulled the trigger sending five pulses in rapid succession at the wall.
“Hmmm,” Tucker said, examining the alien gun. Then he looked at the wall for the damage and found minimal.
“Let’s see what this setting is for…”
“Tuck…that’s not a good idea…you have no idea what you’re doing with that,” Cass urged.
“Why, Cass...I’m touched.”
“At what?”
“At your charming display of affection…you do have a genuine concern for my wellbeing, don’t you?”
“Just get on with it.”
“So, you don’t deny it do you.”
“Tucker!”
“Fine, fine…here we go…” Tucker aimed and fired again at the wall. This time sparks flew with the explosion of a single three second burst, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the wall.
“There…after you madam,” Tuck motioned.
“You first, Commander…you seem to have the edge on this.”
“Testy…my, my…”
Cass gave Tuck a swat on the arm, “Ouch...what was that for? Geez, try to be nice and look what ya get.”
He ducked down and entered the room, then poked his head back through the energy field, “Come on…it’s all clear; no cyborgs.”
The crew followed Tucker into the room and stood, looking in awe.
The room was larger; about half the size of the landing pad, and was lined with several reclining chairs. Most filled with human bodies, 20 bodies out of the 100 tables in the room.
“…or what’s left of them.”
“Wait a minute Tucker,” Rhodes said with raised eyebrows, “They’re all alive. Look, these machines they are hooked up to are keeping their vital signs going.
“Looks like they perfected the tech on these models.” Tucker said.
The bodies had neat lines of computer traces flowing down the man’s arms and legs, which extended over the entire naked man’s body. Wires were covering his skin, but had noticeable control in keeping the host alive by growing in the areas needed.
“Fascinating,” Rhodes said, looking over the body, “He’s being turned into a cyborg.”
“Do you think that’s what we were fighting back there? Former crew that had been…converted to a mechanical…thing?” Tuck said, raising his hands.
“It does seem possible since they were among the first ones.”
“Tuck,” Cass said, pointing at the center of the room, “Look at that.”
Tucker turned and saw a large complex situated in the center of the room. There were four connecting conduits that ran from the center of the machine and out to the four sides of the alien complex.
“Looks like one bed hooked into some apparatus,” Rhodes said.
“It does look different than the others,” Tuck nodded, “Come on, let’s check it out.”
When they stepped near a dome that appeared to cover the table, the field vanished, allowing them to enter the smaller chamber.
Tucker walked up to the head that was connected to several bundles of wires to a computer interface that was planted in the back of his head.
The commander gasped as he saw the face of the man, “Gus!”
* * *
Chapter 9
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
General McKenzie’s office
Earth Date: Sept. 4th 2064 1800hrs
“What’s your latest report,” the General asked, staring at the man across his desk.
“We received a final transmission from the Salvage-5 team.”
“Do you think they fell to the same demise as Major Jamison?”
“I think Tucker has the situation under control. They safely made the alien landing bay.”
“Then why is this their last transmission? Did they find the tech or not?”
“We lost transmission when they entered the dome on the structure. I’m confident that the colonel has the situation under control.”
“I have my reservations,” the General said, stroking his chin, “Start briefing another team.”
“Sir, it’s too early to call it.”
“No, I think he failed…and I think it was a mistake to recommend Tucker Petersen for this mission.”
“I think you’re wrong, General.”
“Wrong?”
“Look, General, he was successful in intercepting the signal.”
“At least the Vatican won’t have any more downloads. Did we manage to get the entire feed?”
“We received most of it, sir.”
“That’s why we need Tuck to complete his mission. Without the physical tech to reverse engineer…”
“I know, I know…the blueprints are worthless without it,” the General said, begrudgingly, “okay, I’ll give them another 24 hours…if you don’t hear from him by then, start making arrangements for the next team.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now about the boy.”
“Tuckers kid?”
“Yes, take him off life support when you call it.”
“Terminate the boy?”
“We’ve kept him alive longer that we should’ve. Even if we get the tech, it might be too late for him now.”
“Sir, with all due respect…”
“Are you questioning my authority?”
“The question is, sir, don’t the parents have the right to make that decision, not us?”
“Are the parents able to pay for his care? No, I seriously doubt it…we need to stop wasting resources…’sides, I’m sure another candidate will avail itself.”
“What, like Bennie?”
“Bennie was a necessary casualty. I needed Tucker to have a reason to go on this mission.”
“You had me cause the accident that put him in the coma, and now you want me to finish off your dirty work?”
“Unless you want me to implicate you in creating the crash, I would do exactly as you’re told…dismissed Major Griffin.”
* * *
Salvage-5
Location:
Kirkwood Gap – Asteroid 15 Eunomia
Alien Complex
Earth Date: Sept. 4th, 2064 1830hrs
Missions Objectives:
CSMO RECOVERY
INVESTIGAT ALIEN CRASH SITE
AQUIRE ALIEN TECH
FIND & RECOVER SURVIVORS
DESTROY ALIEN VESSEL
“Cal, I’ve been thinking of that CSMO up there.”
“And?”
“And, I think we can get their systems back online.”
“You know, I’ve been looking over that problem too. We have to get that ship running again if we’re to carry any of those survivors down here.”
“I agree,” Sam said, “But the Sergeant was saying that all the systems were fried. It doesn’t add up.”
“Right. I’ve been reading an energy dampening field surrounding that ship. It is emanating from this alien complex, but I think I have found a way to block it.”
“I’d love to hear your theories, but we’ve got company,” Sam said, jumping out of her pilot seat…Cyborgs! Three of them just entered the landing bay at the far end.”
Calvin crawled out from Tucker’s bunk and came to the pilot house, “Their looking for something.”
“Yes, they’re checking each ship.”
“Arm the weapons!”
“If I spin up the weapon servos, they’ll hear it,” Sam answered, “I don’t think they know we’re here, or they would’ve come to us first.”
“Hang on, what’s going on? They stopped.”
“Dead in their tracks…what’s up with that?”
“I think they’re getting a download…picking up a carrier wave.”
“They’re moving again, Cal.”
The lead cyborg raised his hand and scanned in a circle, “What are they up to?”
“He passed our ship up.”
“No, wait. He’s turning back toward us,” Sam exclaimed.”
“On no…no…nooo.”
“What’s wrong, Cal?”
“They’ve hacked past our wireless firewall; You better do something before they have complete control of the ship.”
The cargo bay door unlocked and lowered, making the sound of air escaping, “I think’s it’s already too late,” Sam said, throwing the weapons toggle online, “Weapons hot, 20 seconds to firing.”
Cal jumped down from the pilot center, grabbing one of the rifles from the armament locker. He quickly loaded it and grabbed as many clips as he could before heading down the ramp.
“Cal! Get back up here!” Sam shouted.
It was too late; Cal had already opened fire on the cyborgs with extreme accuracy from the entrance of the ship.
“You crazy fool!”
“You really don’t know me very well…remember who I served with…and he called me crazier than him.
Cal emptied his first clip, sending the first cyborg to the ground in pieces. He had already reloaded his clip when the pulse cannons fired from the Salvage-5’s side mount, obliterating the other two.
“Whoop!” Cal shouted, sending his arms in the air, “Come on, Sam. Let’s check em’ out.”
“No way, Cal. You get back up here…now!”
“This is an incredible opportunity, Sam. I’m heading out,” he said through his headset.
Sam called out, but Cal was already out of the cargo bay, “Crazy bastard…gonna
get us both killed,” she whispered to herself.
“What was that, Sam?”
“Nothing, Cal. I’m heading your way to give your sorry ass some cover.”
Cal ran beyond the two cyborgs that the ship destroyed and came to a stop on one knee. It was this first one, the one that was more intact that sparked his interest.
He turned over the body and saw that it was Lieutenant Savage’s face through the circuit board traces and wiring, “Noooo not Savage!”
“Savage?” Sam shouted, catching up to Cal, “Whattya mean, Savage?”
“Look. It’s her face!”
“Oh god!” Sam exclaimed, then took off to inspect what was left of the others.
“Cal! This one’s Savage too!”
“Clones! Oh man!”
The cyborg lying before Cal began to flutter its eyes, “This one’s still alive!”
Sam quickly returned to Cal and pressed her fingers on its neck, “There’s a pulse.”
“This is incredible, these traces and wires are sending pulses to the clone’s body. I think they can control their movements through this interface on the back of the head.”
“Judging by what these things were doing, scanning for our life signs, actuating our cargo bay doors, there’s no telling what they are capable of doing.”
“I’ll bet they possess superhuman strength as well,” Cal nodded, “Help me get her back to the ship!”
“That’s not a good idea, Cal.”
Then the cyborg came to life, popping its eyes open and grabbing Cal’s collar, “Cal…get out…leave…now…”
“You’re not really Savage, are you?”
“No…we’ve been cloned, but the interface was disrupted, giving back our thoughts…my consciousness returned. I’m Savage, the same as your Savage, same memories…everything…you got to help us.”
“Where’s Savage?”
“Where’s the rest of the team?” Sam asked, leaning closer to the cyborg-clone.
The cyborg winced with pain, gritting its teeth, “I’m not going to make it…they’re already trying to restore my link…Cal, don’t let them do this to me…kill me before it’s too late.”
“Savage, you can’t be serious.”
Salvage-5 (First Contact) Page 9
