Gus immediately began to convulse, his eyes fluttered and rose to the back of his head as he began gasping for air.
“Don’t look okay,” Cass warned. “Savage, are you okay,” kneeling by her side.
“I...I’m okay,” she hesitated, “I’m feeling kind of weird though.
Rhodes knelt down by Melissa, “Weird how?”
“I don’t know,” she said, waving her arm in the air at him to back him away, Rhodes found himself pushed backward to the ground.
“Geez, Lieutenant,” Hargrove smiled, “Looks like you got some kind of internal alien issued ordnance there.”
Cass smiled at Melissa, “That might come in handy, Lieutenant. But try to keep it under control for now.”
“What’s happening to me?” she cried.
“We’ll explain when we get back to the ship,” Cass said.
“Look,” Hargrove exclaimed.
Melissa raised her hand to the ceiling. A heat like wave issued from her arm and caused the ceiling to ripple, and then faded into an opening.
Cass looked at the hole, and then glanced at Melissa, “Did you just do that?”
“Yes. I just thought it and it worked.”
“Sam, get one of those ladders installed…”
“No, wait…allow me.” She stood and waved her hand in the air again. The bio-organic material began to drip down the opening, which soon formed into a solid ladder that they could easily climb, then she bowed and motioned with her arm, “After you.”
Cass simply gave the Lieutenant a strange look, smiled, and then ascended the steps to the next level.
* * *
Salvage-5
Location:
Kirkwood Gap – Asteroid 15 Eunomia
Alien Complex
Earth Date: Sept. 4th, 2064 1937hrs
Tucker regained consciousness in a couple of minutes, but found himself tied to a table with some type of apparatus installed around his head.
“Let me up!”
He tugged at the straps to no avail, “Let me up I say!”
A familiar face lowered over Tucker, “Savage…wait a minute…you’re not really Savage are you…you’re a Savage clone, aren’t ya?”
“Yes, I am a clone, Commander.”
“Let me up, don’t do this.”
“I cannot help myself, Commander.”
“Yes, you can…you can help it…just try a little harder…”
“The programming has engaged and I must complete my task. I am sorry, Tucker.”
“Hey, that just proves it…you can resist doing whatever it is you think you’re about to do.”
“I do not understand, Commander.”
“You called me Tucker…you have an emotional attachment to me…”
“I think the Savage unit would have said something like, in your wildest dreams, Tucker.”
“No, no you see…everyone’s got me all wrong, I just want to save my son.”
“Is your son ill?”
“My son was in a car accident…he’s in a coma. I need to get back to save his life…don’t you value life?”
“Yes…we value life greatly…but the greater good is at stake, our survival must move forward with the integration of our two species.”
“We will not allow you to take us over…your programming is in error…we humans like our freedom. Becoming joined with this tech, this takes our individuality away. We become mindless drones…so tell me…what quality of life is that really?”
“No…Tucker…you don’t understand. We can heal the sickness and give greater health. No poverty, we all work for a common goal…a life with no war, no death…you’re species will live forever…that is the quality of life we offer.”
“We don’t want to live forever…that’s just…just…too damn long…that’s what it is.”
“I fail to see your reasoning…I must continue…Commander.”
“What…what’s that in your hand there?”
“This is your bio-matrix chip. We will process your DNA and harvest your genes for clone production.”
“No, wait…no…don’t do this, Savage.”
Savage continued to prep Tucker.
“Wait…I have one request.”
“And what would your one request be, Commander?”
“Reach in my vest and light me up one of my stogies.”
“Smoking is bad for your health, Commander…”
“That’s okay…you see, this chip you are about to install in me will, apparently, take care of that…”
The clone paused to consider his request, “Very well, Commander. I will do this for you.”
The Savage clone reached into tucker’s vest and placed the stogie in reach of Tucker’s teeth. She then took his lighter and held the flame up to it as he puffed on it.
“Ahhhh, that’s better.”
“Why do you enjoy something so much that is harmful to you?
“It’s called enjoying life…the small things in life are important to us…they make us happy,” then he took a long drag and blew the smoke in a cloud at the clones face.
She paused for a moment and considered the smoke, “Strange substance…foreign…must not allow…this…”
The clone began to convulse and twitch, then it fell to the floor in a heap.
“Wow…what the devil?” Tucker said raising his eyebrows, “Guess these things are worse on these clones that they are to us…humph…I’ll be damned.”
Just when Tucker expected the others to finally rescue him, another Savage clone entered the area.
“Commander, you must not be allowed to do that any longer,” and snatched it out of his mouth before he could take another puff.
“Ah, come on now…that’s an expensive cigar, you don’t just go around tossing them on the floor…”
“I’m sorry, Commander…I’m going to turn you over now…I promise it will only hurt for a minute or two.”
“Sorry, but that’s a really long time to hurt…come on…don’t do this.”
His requests turned a deaf ear as she rotated the table he was on, facing him at the ground.
The clone held the chip injector device up to the connector on the back of an apparatus that Tuck was strapped to. Then it began to squeeze the trigger to fire the chip into his head.
“Stop!” the woman shouted, coming up the steps.
Cass aimed and quickly fired at the clone, hitting it in her head with her sidearm. The reflex of the shot entering her skull, caused the clone to squeeze the trigger, firing the chip into Tucker’s head.
“Owwwwwwwwww! Damn that hurts…oh, come on,” Tucker yelled as the clone dropped to the floor.
Cass ran to Tucker’s side, “You alright!?”
“No! I’m not alright! I’ve been shot at, abducted, tied to a table, and injected with one of those chips, so NO, I’m not alright!”
“Geez, Tuck. Take it easy,” the doctor said, catching up to Cass, “Let me have a look at ya.”
“Okay, come on now…get me off of this table already.”
“I want to see what they’ve done to you already, be patient.”
“She just pulled the damn trigger, so I’m fine…other than this wonderful migraine…I’ve got…what the hell!”
“It’s okay…the clone didn’t activate the chip. It’s inert.”
“You mean this thing’s not going to grow inside of my head?” Tuck asked, somewhat relieved.
“Nope, she didn’t finish the procedure,” then unlocked the table and spun him upright.
“Oh…geez…warn me next time you do that, will ya?”
“Sure Tuck, anything you say,” Rhodes smiled as he unbuckled the straps holding him to the table and slowly sat him upright.
He rubbed the back of his neck, “Wow…yeah, that was fun…remind me to never to do that again…right?”
“You don’t have to tell me twice, Commander,” Cass smiled in return.
Tucker hopped off the table and looked around on the floor. He
spotted his fine cigar and picked it up and placed it firmly back in his teeth, “Also, remind me to never give these things up.”
“What are you talking about?” Cass asked.
“My last wish, to this here first clone, was to take a puff from my cigar.”
“And?”
“…and, it appears that they can’t tolerate the smoke. She collapsed to the floor.”
“How ironic.”
“What?”
“These cancer rods we’ve been trying to get you to stop…likely just saved your life…unbelievable,” Cass said, shaking her head.
Tucker winked, “I keep telling ya, there not so bad for me…so, where are we anyway?”
“One of those cyborgs came down from behind and stuck you with a knockout drug. I saw it take you through the opening like it was nothing.”
“You got Savage,” Tucker smiled, then glanced at Cass, “They got Savage.”
“Yes, Commander. We’re all accounted for,” Hargrove reported. “But we need to make that wireless connection.”
“Right,” Sam nodded, “Over here. They said we could tie into one of these terminals.”
“Here, let me see,” Hargrove said, stepping up to help Sam. “Yeah, this should work nicely. I’ll have it ready in a couple of minutes.”
“Okay, we’ll need to make three more connections for Cal to send the signal, after this door,” Sam said, “the side of the cube where my access holes are in place, the side of the cube at the first level, and then on the main entrance to the landing bay.”
“All set here,” Hargrove reported.
Tucker smiled wide, puffed his cherished cigar, and blew a large puff above everyone’s heads, “For those about to rock…we salute you!”
“AC/DC?” Hargrove smiled.
“Yep, sure enough…”
“Wow, such old music…”
“Well, I’m just a nostalgic kind of guy.”
“Alright everyone,” the Sergeant shouted, “Let’s get moving…I don’t think we have a lot of time left.”
“Samuels is right,” Savage said, “We don’t have very much time.”
“Savage?” Cass asked.
“I’m in communication with the hive…they’re on their way here now!”
“Savage, can you communicate with them?”
“No, I’m only receiving instructions…we must hurry and destroy the complex before they take over my mind.”
Tucker looked at Savage with concern, “You gonna be okay? We shouldn’t have to worry about you should we?”
“Tucker!” Cass yelled.
“No, he’s right,” Savage said, placing her hand on Cass’s shoulder, “You shouldn’t trust me…I really don’t know when or if they will take control…I have a chip…I’ve been jacked into the main computer.”
“Well, that’s just great…” Hargrove said, aiming his weapon at Savage.
“No…you do not have to worry about me…at least not yet.”
“How can we be sure?” Tucker asked.
“Because, like you, they never completed the process. They were extracting my DNA for clones, and they started to download the programming to cause the chip to grow…but the Captain here interrupted the download when they yanked the plug.”
“Okay, so we’ll just keep an eye on you.” Tucker said.
“Tucker,” Savage asked, stepping up to him, “What color are my eyes?”
Tucker answered after his inspection, “There brown…why?”
“If my eyes turn green, that is an indication that the programming has completed. I would shoot me if that happens.”
“Shoot you?”
“Yes, Tuck…that’s the only way you’ll be safe...my abilities have already been activated…that’s the first stage to the programming…you must promise me…you must all promise me…you’ll do that…you’ll shoot me if my eyes turn.”
“Okay, okay…let’s just hope that doesn’t happen…cause leaving one behind is hard enough, I don’t want to lose two.”
“We must hurry now, they’re almost here.”
“Alright everyone,” Samuels instructed, “Move out!”
* * *
Chapter 13
Salvage-5
Location:
Kirkwood Gap – Asteroid 15 Eunomia
Alien Complex
Earth Date: Sept. 4th, 2064 1945hrs
Missions Objectives:
CSMO RECOVERY
INVESTIGAT ALIEN CRASH SITE
AQUIRE ALIEN TECH
FIND & RECOVER SURVIVORS
DESTROY ALIEN VESSEL
“Uh, hold up Sarge,” Tuck said, with his hands on his hips.
“Tuck?”
“Listen, guys…I can’t leave him here.”
“You can’t go back, Tucker,” Cass urged, “It would be suicide.”
“I understand that…but, when was the last time you EVER saw me leave one of our own behind?”
“Tucker,” Cass began, stepping up to him. She gave him a long stare, “I’ve known you and been on almost every mission we served together on…this would be the first.”
Savage stepped up to Tucker, “I’ll go with you, Commander.”
Tucker pointed at Melissa, “See, she’s with me.”
“I may be a crazy fool, Tucker,” Cass smiled, “But I ain’t about to let you go back down there with Savage…no offence, Lieutenant.”
“None, taken, Cass. I think I have an idea on how to move him.”
“Okay, then it’s settled,” Tucker nodded, “Sergeant, Hargrove, I want you to take the tech back to the ship. Take Rhodes and the Captain, here with you. We’ll meet up with you at the ship.”
“Understood,” Samuels said, “How long do you want us to wait before we depart?”
“Give us an hour.”
“Pretty slim, Tuck.”
“The charges are set to go off at 21:00 hours,” Hargrove added.
“That’s only a fifteen minute window before we have to take-off.”
“Less than that,” Sam said, “We’ll need another fifteen minutes to get far enough away from the shock wave.”
“If we’re not back to Salvage-5 in an hour, get your asses out and blow this complex! That’s an order, just in case there was any doubt.”
“So you have an hour before take-off, and not a minute longer, we’ll need that last minute countdown.”
“Sergeant,” Tuck answered, “We’ll make it.”
“Hooo Rah!” Samuels shouted, “Alright, my team, let’s move out…good luck team Tuck.”
The two shook and then Samuels led his team out of the center room and headed toward the ship.
“Lieutenant?” Tuck asked, “Can you do the honors?”
“Certainly, Commander.
Savage stepped to the side and held her hands out toward the floor, which began to ripple before forming an opening to the level below.
“I’ll go first,” Melissa said, “If the clones are in the room, they will not attack me first.”
“By all mean, Lieutenant.”
Melissa, slowly descended the steps she had created from the bio-organic material. All was quiet before she called the all clear, and Tucker and Cass joined her at the level below.
They quickly ran to Gus, were he had been concentrating on breaking into the core of the computer, “What the hell are you doing back here?”
“Misery loves company?” Tuck smiled, “’Sides, you didn’t think I was gonna let you ruin my perfect score on bringing everyone back that’s alive, did ya?”
“No, I suppose not, Tuck…you’re even more crazy than we thought…coming back down here…man, what we’re you thinkin?”
“Shut up and listen now,” Tucker snapped, “We’ve got a plan for getting you out of here.”
“We’ve?” Cass quizzed, “Mind sharing?”
Tucker shrugged, “It’s the Lieutenant’s plan…right Lieutenant?”
“I believe I can remove him from the apparatus.”
&n
bsp; “Guys, my arms and legs are paralyzed; I can’t walk. This failed tech inside of me, remember?”
“Yes, Gus. I do remember. But we have a secret weapon.”
“Yes, Gus. I will be reprogramming your chip that will restore you from your paralysis, as well as heal your cancer.”
“Ah, geez, Tuck…how many people have you told…I knew I couldn’t trust you to keep a secret.”
“Cancer!?” Cass exclaimed.
“It was part of your physical profile, Gus,” Savage answered, “I believe I can manipulate the computer to send you a new program. Don’t worry; it will only contain the necessary code to restore your health. I will limit the program so you will not become like the others.”
“You’re certain you can do this, Savage?” Tucker asked, showing signs of worry.
“Yes, Commander. My eyes…Tucker…they’re still brown…Trust me, I’m on your side here.”
“Cass? Gus? Any objections?”
“None from me, Tucker…hell, if she can do this, I’m all in to gettin’ outta here.”
“Cass?”
“Alright, go, Savage…Gus, how much time before the next attack.”
“Any second.”
Savage stepped over to the wall and waved her hand, creating an interface to the computer. She then rested her arms on two pads and grabbed with her fists, two metal looking handles.
“That’s a pretty fancy trick you got there, missy,” Gus said.
Savage closed her eyes and concentrated on the needed code. Her mind linked directly through the two handles, pouring thousands of bits of data to the alien computer.
“Tucker!” Cass yelled, “Lock and load, they’re here!”
Tucker and Cass took opposite positions from one another, firing their alien issue pulse rifles, taking out as many of the attacking cyborg clones as they could. But they were quickly becoming over run with cyborgs.
“Savage!” Cass yelled, “You almost done? We could use a hand here!”
Melissa opened her eyes and then removed her arms from the apparatus she created.
“The programming is complete,” she said to Gus, “Your programming will download in a few minutes. In about twenty, the chip should have rewired your connections to your arms and legs. The Cancer will disappear within a week.”
“Well, that’s just fine, Lieutenant…now how about helping your team.”
Salvage-5 (First Contact) Page 13
