by Gary Weston
* * *
The two DSI ships docked unopposed. General Millet and Mario Luppino led the others into the space station, laser rifles at the ready. They left Gaganjot Singh on the ship with her cannon, in the event of any of the runners’ ships dared to return.
Sergeant Vickie Armstrong was disappointed in the lack of reception. ‘Damn. Nobody to kill.’
‘Sorry, Shorty,’ said Millet. ‘Keep alert, all the same.’
‘Raven and Casey might be around here somewhere,’ said Luppino. He was still furious at the loss of Stravinsky and his crew. He needed an ass to kick.
Joy Dainty had been given a weapon, but it felt uncomfortable in her hands. Attacking a plant with pruning shears was as menacing as she could be. But when Luppino mentioned Raven and Casey, she was ready to shoot anything that stood in her way.
Millet said, ‘Stay together. Shorty. Bring up the rear.’
‘And I thought you didn’t fancy me.’
They walked along the first doughnut, opening door after door. They found nothing. Then they opened one door, where several humans were on the floor, dead or as good as. Millet and Luppino stared at the sickening scene of humans dying for lack of a dose of a drug.
‘Only one thing we can do,’ said Millet, feeling sick to his stomach. ‘Stay back, everyone. Come on, Mario.’
Millet took the first shot, making a neat hole in a woman’s head. He and Luppino stepped carefully between the dying and the dead, ending their suffering. One by one, they put a hole in the head of each one, even those that looked obviously dead, just to make sure. Luppino felt a hand grab at his ankle. He turned around, and there on the floor looking up at him was a young woman, maybe eighteen years old, once beautiful. Now her face was distorted with pain, her eyes staring up at him, large brown saucers.
‘K…K…Kill me. I beg you.’
Luppino crossed himself and muttered a prayer as he shot her through the head. She dropped back, her brown eyes staring up at him, finally at peace. Luppino reached down and closed her eyes for her. He and Millet stepped outside, their faces drawn after such a harrowing experience.
Millet took a minute to compose himself. ‘Ok. We keep checking the station.’ As he said it, he silently prayed he wouldn’t have to repeat the experience he just had.
Chapter 130
Millet’s mood was a barely controlled anger, as he led them along the doughnut. He as well as anyone knew how much drixolate sufferers endured when they died. Those poor people had simply been ignored, left to die, when a simple dose of the drug would have prevented their deaths. It was the sheer callousness of those responsible that jarred him, and to know it had been humans who had abandoned their own kind to die so horribly, sickened him to his core.
Joy Dainty was right by his side, and he could hardly imagine what she was feeling, after seeing the carnage. They all knew there was a very real possibility that Raven and Casey had endured a similar fate. In anticipation of finding the worse, they opened door after door, each time finding nothing. Millet opened one more door.
‘Nice of you to turn up,’ said Tagg Raven, as the door slid open.
‘You’re welcome,’ said Millet. ‘Somebody here you might remember.’
Joy flung her arms about Raven, smothering his face with kisses. ‘Man, am I pissed off at you.’ But as she said it, all previous doubts evaporated away. There was no past, only a future meant to be.
Millet said, ‘Casey. Are you ok?’
‘I survived all this time with Raven, so I must be tougher than I look. What’s our status?’
‘Not bad, at the moment,’ said Millet. ‘The bad guys took off heading in all kinds of directions. We dropped a few of them. Sadly lost a couple of ships’ crews in the meantime.’
Raven said, ‘Sorry to hear that. Those things in the tank got away?’
Millet and Luppino exchanged puzzled looks, wondering if the ordeal had been too much for Raven.
‘No idea what you’re talking about,’ admitted Millet.
Casey said, ‘Big green things in a tank? They’re it. They’re behind the whole drixolate racket.’
‘Not humans?’ said Luppino, trying to comprehend.
‘No,’ said Raven. ‘They’re just slaves to the drugs, mostly.’ He looked at Casey. ‘Maybe they’re still on the station?’
‘Ok,’ said Millet. ‘Take us to them and we’ll deal with them.’
‘No chance of getting these off us first, I suppose?’ asked Casey.
‘No time,’ said Raven. ‘Hurry. This way. Oh. Watch out for the big robot guy.’
Armstrong said, ‘He’s mine. Let’s go.’
Raven and Casey, sandwiched between Luppino and Millet, with Shorty Armstrong keen to kill her first robot, hurried along the doughnut corridors. Raven stopped.
‘I’m sure this is it. But where’s the robot?’
Luppino said, ‘Must have heard Shorty’s after him and legged it.’
‘Story of my life,’ said Armstrong. ‘Is this the room?’
Raven said, ‘Yes. But only the robot…’
Armstrong used her laser rifle to laser cut a hole they could walk through.
‘…can open it,’ finished Raven. ‘Then again…’
Casey said, ‘Sir. These things can control human minds. And hurt like hell if they’ve a mind too.’
Millet said, ‘Raven. You and me go in there and I’ll blast the crap out of them. Shorty. We come out crazy, you shoot both of us.’
‘Yeah, but how will I tell the difference?’
Raven and Millet stepped inside. ‘Ok? What am I looking at, Raven?’
It was just a room. Half the size of the one Raven remembered. Where the tank should be, a wall of steel was in front of them.
‘It was here, I tell you. A huge tank thing, with…creatures sort of swimming in it. Bigger than you and me.’
‘Hmm. Right. And they messed with your mind?’
Raven snapped. ‘Hey. It was here, ok?’
‘And I’m just asking? Where the hell is it? Raven. All this station looks pretty much the same all over. Are you sure this is the room?’
‘Yes, damn it.’
There came a loud clicking sound. Also the sound of a plasma drive engine warming up. Casey appeared behind them, the vibrations beneath her feet and the familiar humming of the engines telling her all she needed to know.
‘Jeez. This is part of a damn ship, somehow. They’re getting ready to take off.’
Chapter 131
When Millet called Gaganjot Singh to be ready to blast the crap out of anything looking like a ship detaching from the station, the robot heard. Anything he heard, the Master heard. His instructions were simple. He was to leave the ship and destroy the cannon shooter so they could take off safely. The connections pulled out of the control panel, and disappeared into his massive chest.
He knew where the shooter was, and he knew where the other humans were. Knowing every square inch of the station like the back of his mechanical hand, he made his way, surprisingly quietly for a metal giant, along the doughnuts, to the docking stations. The route he took avoided clashing with the humans on the ship. But if he had to do so, he could kill all of those and then take off.
Gaganjot Singh was a third generation top shooter, destined to become a legend like her grandmother had been. Shooting was in her blood. If a damn ship took off this junk pile, she’d scrap it. Something caught her eye. It was something moving towards the docking system, and according to the single blip, it was pretty damn big.
‘General Millet? Is that you coming towards the ship?’
‘No, Singh. What’s it look like?’
‘Like you. Big. Only bigger.’
Raven said, ‘That damn robot.’
‘Yes,’ said Armstrong. ‘I knew he hadn’t walked out on me.’
‘Shorty…’ yelled Millet, but the barrel on legs was racing towards the docking bay. ‘Come on. Get after her.’
Armstrong reached the corridor that co
nnected the station to the docking bay. Something very big stood in her way.
‘Oh, crap.’
The robot turned to face her. He was assessing the level of danger to himself and his mission from this odd shaped human. He had to kill her. Armstrong decided there must be safety in numbers, after all. As she ran back along the corridor, pinpoints of deadly laser fire zapped all around her. She reached the end of the corridor and hurled herself into the doughnut, landing at the highly polished boots of a singularly unimpressed General Millet.
‘Had a change of mind, Shorty?’
‘I just didn’t want to hog all the fun.’
‘You are so considerate.’
‘Sir. May I suggest something?’
‘What?’
‘RUN!’
The eight-foot tall metal machine appearing, all lasers blazing, had everyone running for their lives. The robot only seemed to have one walking pace, so the humans soon outran it, as they raced around the doughnut.
‘General,’ said Raven. ‘I’ve an idea.’
‘Does it involve us not getting killed?’
‘Hopefully. Taking on the robot, not such a good idea. We need to make it think not killing us is a good idea.’
Millet decided DSI agents were more trouble than they were worth. ‘We ask it nicely, perhaps?’
‘No. We ask the things in the tank. There must be another way to get at them.’
Casey said, ‘Here. This is different from the rest of the station. I never noticed before.’
‘That must be it,’ said Millet. ‘Where their ship ends and the station begins. How the hell do we get inside?’
Armstrong was about to use her laser rifle again when Millet stopped her.
‘It worked last time, Sir.’
‘You don’t know if that tank’s right behind there. Kill them, we got nothing to stop the robot with.’
That seemed reasonable. Armstrong shrugged. ‘I knew it wasn’t just your rugged good looks got you made General.’
Luppino said, ‘I hear the robot coming. How do we get in?’
Joy Dainty stepped forward and kicked the door hard.
‘Yeah,’ said Raven. ‘Like that’s going to work.’
There was a hiss as the door slid open.
Joy waggled an eyebrow at him. ‘Just needed a woman’s touch.’
‘Man, I am so turned on right now,’ said Raven. ‘The robot’s right on us. Everybody inside.’
They all piled inside.
‘I know a ship when I see one,’ said Casey. ‘That tank thing must be in the hold.’
Joy was about to put the boot into the door, when Raven pressed a sensor and it slid open. ‘Sometimes a man’s touch does the trick, too.’
Chapter 132
There was a dull light inside, and they could clearly see the tank of green liquid. A large dark shape appeared at the front of the tank.
‘Yuck!’ said Joy. ‘And slimeballs here wants to rule the galaxy?’
‘That’s new,’ said Raven. ‘All those little things swimming about.’
‘Babies,’ said Casey. ‘And Mom’s just breast fed them. Also, leg fed, arm fed…’
There came heavy footsteps behind them. The robot was doing a brick-outhouse impression, deciding which human to kill first. Armstrong blasted its head and the laser-beam just bounced straight off it. The eyes of the robot glowed and they all held their breath for its laser to wipe them all out where they stood. That didn’t happen, but the pain they felt in their heads had them dropping to the floor.
Raven lifted a head that gave new meaning to agony and stared at the tank. He could see the creature in the tank more clearly than he had before. It was pressed up against the glass, its protracted snout gaping into a sneer of pure evil, a look of concentration in its eyes as it inflicted as much pain as possible with the power of its mind. In Raven’s tortured mind, he could feel the hatred from the creature, a loathing he had never in his life felt before. This creature was trying to kill him, kill them all.
Armstrong managed to turn to face the tank and fire a shot which made a small hole near the top, just below the surface of the liquid, some of which trickled out. Instantly, the pain stopped. Armstrong fired again making another hole, just below the first. Now liquid was spouting through two holes. The creature in the tank was scared now, his life and that of his offspring were in danger.
‘Got us a bit of a stand-off, General,’ said Armstrong.
‘No more shooting unless I tell you, Shorty. Ok. Any suggestions?’
‘We let it go?’ said Raven.
Casey said, ‘That’s your suggestion?’
‘The war is over,’ said Raven. ‘We know it, they know it. Besides. Could you really kill these cute little babies?’
They stared at the revolting little things swimming around the male. A few were still finding scraps of flesh on the females. Then, Millet saw human skulls on the bottom of the tank and something snapped.
‘You bet the hell I can.’
Millet fired his laser through the wall of the tank, straight into the male. Immediately, hundreds of “babies” were shredding him to bits. Millet continued to blast at the tank and until it smashed wide open, sending green liquid and hundreds of tiny creatures onto the floor, splashing around the humans’ feet.
Raven stared in disgust at the half-eaten male on the floor. It could no longer command the robot, who just stood like a metal statue.
‘Don’t know about you, guys, but I’d rather like to go home.’
The offspring were dying, wriggling like fish out of water. The robot, still waiting to be told what to do, stood and let the humans walk past him.
‘I’ll never get these damn boots clean,’ moaned Millet, as they made their way to the ship. He paused briefly at the humans who had been destined to be dinner for the things in the tank. A few had taken their last breath after he had shot them with his own hands.
They took off from the space station, and Millet had the shooters aim at the space station. In minutes, it was a wreck nothing would ever use again. Millet thought that the tangle of metal would be a fitting tomb to the dead humans on board.
‘Take us home, Dorran.’
Chapter 133
It was one of those anxious, breath holding moments. Tilly Jordan removed her scarf. As she did so, she was watching Tagg Raven’s reactions. They didn’t speak, just stared at one another, a million mixed up emotions coursing through them. Finally, Raven spoke.
‘Tilly. You look amazing.’
‘I still…sorry. I know I sound strange. Breaking in a new tongue and voice-box is no easy matter.’
Joy Dainty said, ‘You sound great, Tilly. At least it’s your own voice, now.’
Tilly’s face still had a little scarring. The doctors had told her that sometime in the future they could try to fix it. She had said no. It was a part of who she was.
They were in Boss’s office. Tilly had requested it. She had something to say, she’d told Boss, and it was time to say it.
‘Boss,’ Tilly said. ‘You said it was time to move on. With my new face, I can do that. I even quit drinking. Almost. I want a fresh start. I want to be an agent again.’
This took them all by surprise. Boss said, ‘Tilly? Are you serious?’
‘Never been more so, Boss. I’ve been rotting away at home for the last three years. Time to join the human race again.’
Boss was unsure. ‘Tagg? What do you think?’
‘I’ll tell you what I know, Boss. Tilly Jordan was the gutsiest, most capable agent I ever worked with. And I believe, if she wants to, she can be again. I say, give her a six-month trial. Does that sound fair, Tilly?’
Tilly nodded. ‘It does. Joy. Are you ok with this? Tagg would be my superior officer.’
Joy nodded and smiled. ‘I’ve no doubts about you two working together again. Especially now that we are having a baby.’
They all looked at Boss for the final decision. ‘Deep Space is a different place to
be, right now. The amnesty on anyone a slave to drixolate, has allowed us to concentrate on looking after those dependent on the drug. We are producing it to maintain the lives of former slaves. The death penalty still stands for anyone using it on anyone else, though. Until we find a cure, that’s the best we can do for the time being. So, the DSI, amongst other things, must keep everything that way. What I’m trying to say, is ok. Tilly. You have a six-month trial, working with Tagg Raven.’
Tilly Jordan had the prettiest of smiles. ‘Thank you, Boss. I won’t let you down.’
‘I know. Ok. Off you all go. Some of us have real work to do.’
They started to leave Boss’s office to let him work in peace, when Joy turned around.
‘Say, Boss. Didn’t you used to have a fish tank?’
Boss glanced at the empty space behind him. ‘I decided to get rid of it. Now, if you don’t mind…?’
Chapter 134
Epilogue
Two men sat in a quiet room, sipping beer. They had made progress with their plans. Their lives had changed dramatically. No longer afraid of either dying as a drixolate slave, or being hunted down by the DSI. They could relax and think. Drink beer and plan.
Fritz said, ‘Are you sure that’s the best way to go?’
Corey took another sip of his beer. ‘It makes more sense than your crazy idea. Where’s the profit in that?’
‘I didn’t say just give the formulae away. I said we could sell it to the government. Get millions.’
Corey shook his head. ‘This formulae stuck in my head one time the Master filled my brain. Just a freaky accident. You and I are the only humans who know of this antidote for the drixolate and only I actually know the formulae. It’s here. Permanently in my brain. Anything happens to me, the formulae dies with me. Just in case you got over ambitious. Oh, sure. We could offer to sell it to the government for a lot of money. Do you know what would happen once they had it? You and I, my friend, would end up very dead.’
