by Kip Hartzell
Samari-A commenced to inoculate them, while Asa stood guard. Once that was complete, Asa asked about his wife and son. None knew of them, but they did mention the afflicted rounding up survivors, and taking them to the grand ball room. Asa gave them instructions on how to get to the shuttle, and he, and Samari-A were off again.
The limited range and interference on Asa’s scanner made travel slow. 3-D maps on the walls helped them progress. As they went, they found more small pockets of survivors, they were inoculated, and instructed on how to get to the shuttle. But none knew of his former wife and son.
Hours had passed, and they stopped to rest in a state room to drink some water. Food processors and all the other amenities functioned, allowing Samari-A to take advantage of them.
As she came out of the bathroom, Asa watched her in the dim orange glow of the lights. She looked like the ancient Goddess, Aphrodite, many today still used the ancient names. He moved in closer, she accepted his attention.
Jonah wiped some blood off of his temple as he checked the charge on his beam rifle. Low, and it was his last power pack. He was going to have to go back to projectile rounds. Although, they were not very effective, they did slow them down enough for an escape.
The resistance was thinning, as he made several lucky shots through an eye or an ear. He moved cautiously down a hallway, confirming the body was dead as he stepped over it. The afflicted clusters kept him away from the bridge, so he skirted around to avoid confrontation. The thought of killing, ever, even if they were not human anymore, made him sick. He pressed on, but it was taking way too long. Several times he felt the ship accelerate. He had to stop it, before it made it to a new population. If this epidemic got out to control, it could mean the end of his civilization as he knew it.
Jonah had to rest, he was at his breaking point, and took up residence in a ventilation shaft. He fitfully dozed in and out of nightmares, as he tried to make as little noise as possible. At times, the proximity alarm beeped several times before Jonah stirred to shut it off. He turned on the screen and saw several afflicted heading his way.
Their grunts and hisses could be heard below him. They are now working as a group, Jonah thought, very bad. He heard them leave and checked his scanner. The air was hot and stale, he was weary, but he had to move on. Wiping sweat from his brow, he imagined this is what it must feel like being eaten by a beast, this would-be hell, being digested alive. He pushed the grate aside and jumped down. The patrolling of the small band left him an opening, but he had to move fast, so he raced down a corridor and up several flights of stairs.
A large set of double doors stood in front of Jonah. It was sealed. Prying the panel off, he connected several leads and started running a security program. The security was tighter than he thought, as he waited impatiently. Then he heard it, grunts and whistles.
The three creatures came around the corner and sniffed the air. Jonah watched them from across the hall with the door slightly cracked open. His weapon was ready, but he hoped he had enough charge for all of them.
One of the creatures walked down the hallway with its nose up. The other two bumped into each other and began scuffling. Jonah noticed the leader was wearing shredded military pants, the other two, he couldn’t tell. The hand-held dangled from the leads from the access panel, quietly running through its routine. The leader became so irritated by his cohorts that he turned and ran back, knocking them both down.
Once they were out of earshot, Jonah heard the beeping of completion. He slipped out, retrieved it, and pushed a button, allowing the doors part. Slipping in quietly, he shut and sealed the doors behind him. He turned to almost complete darkness, only the lighting from the instruments could be seen. He stopped and listened, not hearing anything, moved in closer to the rows and rows of instruments. Setting his rifle down on the nearest console, he accessed the ship’s systems, several warning sirens sounded as he pressed the wrong symbols. He quickly silenced them. He then migrated his way around the bridge, studying the readouts. Slowly, he sat down at the comm console, and cursed.
Someone had smashed the controls. He put his head in his hands. Hope and despair was creeping into his usual optimistic self. But wait, there had to be a way, he thought, yes, there is always a backup system, maybe two.
While searching for the backup, he came across their coordinates. It was a wonder the engines had not burned out. He then found the internal sensors, tied his handheld into it, and found Asa and Samari-A. Similar DNA traces showed another dot near their own.
Jonah pulled up schematics of the comm system, and found the backup on an obscure panel on the other side of the large room. He moved to the wall and plugged in his handheld. The program sent out a message to the OEG command, repeating continuously. He then called Asa.
Beep...Beep...Beep
Asa’s handheld sounded quietly as he, and Samari-A, floor crawled to the edge of the balcony. Asa answered, while looking down three stories to the banquet hall. “Jonah, go ahead,” he whispered.
“Asa, are you and Samari-A alright?”
“Yes.”
“I made it to the bridge. This ship, for some reason, has made it deep into Terrahnian space. We could be coming up on Terrah anytime. Our new objective, is to disable the propulsion system. The commands have been locked out, here. We have to do it from the engine room. Have you found your son?”
“Negative, but we have found a colony.”
“The ship’s internal DNA scans show him to be nearby, toward the port hull.”
Asa leaned further over the balcony and saw a troop of the creatures guarding a large group of un-infected humans in the corner. Un-transformed humans lay scattered about with their skulls caved in. A larger than normal creature waded into the room. He wore tattered military pants, no shirt or shoes, as he inspected the group. Others in the troop backed away, or made sure they were clear of him, as he moved near the group of women and children.
The two spies watched in horror, as he leaped into the group with tree bark hands, grabbed a woman and began dragging her away. She screamed as the huddled mass moved back closer together. In the movement, Asa saw her, his former wife, clutching their son. Both looked unharmed, but that would not last for long.
“Jonah, I found them, but they are being held captive. It appears there is an alpha male, and he kills any rivals. He picks and chooses his subordinates, and mates. I have to rescue them, soon.”
“I’m going to tie all the internal sensors into your handheld, this should give you more advanced warning. I have to go to the engine room, meet me there as soon as you can, understood?”
“Understood, good luck.”
Jonah disconnected his handheld, and made his way back to the console, where he left his rifle. It was gone. He looked on the floor and around the console, nothing.
“I knew we had a spy, but you never sent up any flags, Jonah-Athain, quite a feat. I am impressed, but I still have to kill you,” Amand-A-Abatae said, as she leveled the rifle on Jonah.
Her blonde hair was a little disheveled, and her full length gray dress was torn in spots. She had a wild look in her blue-green eyes as she readjusted the rifle, and moved further out of the shadows.
“Counselor, I can honestly say it is not good to see you.”
“Likewise, but I’m going to need the codes to send to your OEG cronies that all is well.”
“Why are you doing this?” Jonah asked, stalling to figure a way out of his situation. “I mean, I know it’s war, but this could have the potential to wipe out both sides.”
“Because, we have advanced beyond our wisdom. My husband used to say: we have advanced beyond ourselves, and since the OEG has seen fit to take him from me and the NEO’s have taken my daughter from me, I see no advantage in advancing. Do you not see, we have been given a chance to evolve by devolving? We can start over, not from scratch, but at a time when we can choose our progression.”
“You knew about the virus mutation?”
“Our
tests confirmed a possibility of genetic alteration, but this,” she waved her arms slowly around, “was far better than I anticipated.”
“So, you want to destroy all our civilizations because your husband and daughter were killed.”
“Not just them, you fool, for all the people who have suffered.” The large entrance doors boomed with impacts. Amand-A looked over quickly with her eyes, but did not seem surprised. “If anything, they are persistent.” More pounding, and growling disturbed her rhetoric.
“Listen, Amand-A, I can get us out of here. Just give the weapon to me, and we’ll go. I can keep you safe.”
She laughed. “I do admire your idealism, and consistency. No, this is my chance to make a difference, to mold the future. Once I have changed, my dominate nature will lead these new people to a new beginning.”
“Why have you waited so long?”
“I had to make sure the infection took hold, and to secure the bridge, so something like you would not happen.”
Jonah saw the madness in her eyes. “You will kill billions just for the sake of revenge.”
The pounding on the door became louder, prying and scratching became more pronounced.
“You have not been listening.”
“Yes, I have been told that before.”
“We will be on Terrah, soon. So, I must say goodbye.” Amanda-A held up a handheld.
“Wait, how will you know if any of ‘you’ will remain. You could just be a concubine of the strong.”
“By my own observations, and computer simulations, the will, or essence of a person lingers. The basic spirit remains.”
“How can you be sure?”
“There is only one way to find out.” She raised the handheld and pushed a button.
The entrance doors slid open, and three afflicted came racing in. They stopped and growled, gnashing their teeth, they moved toward Jonah, who, slowly made his way near Amand-A.
“Come my children, I will join you.” She raised the rifle in the air. “Come, welcome me.”
Jonah moved quickly to her, grabbing her arm, that held the rifle, and injected her with the vaccine. She screamed in anger as she grabbed her throat. The three creatures sniffed the air. They angrily howled and hopped about. Deciding the two humans were now worthless, they attacked.
Jonah took the rifle and fired its last shot. He missed the first assailant’s eye, but hit his head instead, sending it tumbling backward. Jonah threw the rifle at the second one, and rolled out of the way. One attacked Amand-A, as Jonah raced for the door, he dove through the entrance door with his handheld in hand, sliding and twisting sideways, he pressed a button and the doors shut, causing the second creature to crash into the inside of the door. Jonah saw, in those few seconds, a creature tearing the Councilor apart, he could hear her death screams from his side of the door.
“We will need a diversion, I’ll draw them away, you get my family to the ship, alright?” Asa excitedly instructed.
“There are only four, maybe we can just take them out.”
“Uh, alright, but if things go wrong, I will draw them away, and you get them to the ship.”
Samari-A just smiled at being able to manipulate Asa, as they made their way down.
Asa crept around to the side door where the leader had gone, Samari-A came in from the other side. The four guards seemed to be more interested in torturing the humans than worrying about an attack from the outside. They would hop about like primates and suddenly lunge at the crowd, causing them to scream, and back away. Once they assumed their dominance, they would back out and start the hopping over again.
Asa moved quietly to the leader’s door without notice. He took a quick look and latched the manual lock with a loud click, he flinched and slowly turned toward the creatures. The monsters looked his way immediately.
“You there!” came Samari-A’s voice from the other side of the room.
The four stopped and looked back and forth, not knowing which one to attack first. They quickly decided to split up, and charged. Asa took carful aim, the head of the first one snapped back, and the second stumbled over its comrade’s lifeless body. It recouped and slobbered, as it resumed its charge. Asa took careful aim again as the leader’s door was being pounded on. The creature lunged, Asa fired as he dove out of the way. A lifeless body smashed into the hatch behind him.
The other two had a longer distance to travel. Samari-A got off several shots, dropping the first and wounding the second. It lay on the deck, panting and moaning. Samari-A approached it, the look on its face was a human in pain. Her eyes blurred, as she wiped away a tear. She moved closer, it had once been a civilian, her heart broke, as she saw firsthand, the handiwork her research had provided. She leaned in closer wondering if she could relieve its suffering. It reached out and grabbed her foot, she squealed, and fired a projectile through its head, which landed her on her butt.
“Samari-A, are you alright?” Asa asked, helping her up.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine.”
The crowd began to gather about them as Asa called out his son’s name. He heard his name in return, and the crowd parted to reveal the dark complexion of a boy running to his father. The young man jumped into his arms, and they hugged.
“Asa-Avion, I might have known you would be involved,” a slender tanned faced woman with gloss black hair, said as she approached.
“Ari-A.” He reached out an arm and hugged her, too.
Samari-A felt a surge of jealousy, but was reminded of their situation by the howling and pounding on the far door.
“Asa, that door won’t hold for long.”
“Right,” Asa said, going into leader mode. “Listen, everyone, make your way to the escape pods. You cannot jettison at this speed, you will disintegrate. I’m going to the engine room to slow us down, or stop the ship. Lock yourselves in, when it is safe, you will be notified by the computer, and then you can escape this nightmare.”
Samari-A began inoculating people, who then, began to run for their lives. “Stick to the outer corridors,” she said, as they went by.
“Engine room?” Ari-A asked.
“Yes, I have to help in stopping this ship before it contaminates the Terrahnian system.”
Ari-A looked confused. “Asa, what is happening?”
“I will explain on the way.”
Chapter Five: Family Ties
Ever since the elevator stopped working about half way to the engine room, things had gone horribly wrong for Jonah. He was completely out of beam power, and now, was running low on projectiles. He was running as fast as he could through corridors and maintenance hatches. He sucked down another oxygen pill, while he read his scanner. This corridor, right at a maintenance access area, and he would be there.
Snarls and growls could be heard close behind him as he turned the corner and headed down the single file tunnel. He glanced back to see at least five dehumanized beings gaining on him.
“Asa, where are you?” He yelled in his scanner.
“We are at juncture J-34 and M-16.”
“I hope you got ammo, I have company.”
“We ran out on the trip here.”
“Great, just great. I have an idea, but it’s a bad one. Get away from the maintenance hatch door.”
“Understood.”
Jonah turned another corner, he pulled the safeties off the impact grenades and tossed them behind him. He reached for the hatch door and closed it. He only made it a few steps before the explosion blew the metal hatch door off its hinges, and careened into Jonah, brushing him aside like a fly.
Asa, and his group, stood at the opening of the T-intersection that Jonah just flew passed. They went to his assistance through the lingering smoke and debris. The fires were dying down because of the low oxygen, the smoldering heaps of flesh didn’t move.
Asa gently rolled Jonah over, he groaned, as he held his right arm with his left. Samari-A knelt beside him with her scanner out.
“Jonah, Jonah, can you hea
r me?” Asa worriedly asked.
Jonah opened his eyes. “Yes, barely, my ears are still ringing,” Jonah screeched.
Asa smiled. “Well, at least you were right, this time.”
“About what? “he loudly asked.
“It was a bad idea.”
Jonah tried to laugh, but doubled over in pain.
Samari-A injected him with a pain killer. “His arm is fractured in three places, and he has four cracked ribs, not to mention lacerations and contusions.”
“Will he live?” Asa asked.
“We need to get him to a proper medical facility. All I can do now is immobilize his arm and ribs.”
“I’ll be alright, Asa, help me up.”
Asa did so, and Jonah almost passed out. Samari-A helped him sit down, and then she took out some mesh cloth and wrapped it around his arm. She carefully attached it to his chest. She then activated her scanner and he groaned again, as the cloth automatically tightened around his chest and arm.
“Here are some pain injections. I would tell you to go easy, but I know that’s not going to happen.”
“You may be a genius,” Jonah said, slowly getting up, “but your bedside manner needs work.” Jonah turned to see two dark haired, heavily tanned people standing there. “I don’t think we have been introduced.”
“Jonah, this is Ari-A, and this is Aether-Avion, my son.”
Jonah held out his hand, but the boy gave him an evil stare and backed away. “You told them everything, right?”
“Uh, yes.”
Jonah said softly to the young boy, “I have a son, a bit younger than you. His name is John-Athain, maybe you two will meet some day under more pleasant circumstances.” Jonah looked back at Asa. “The engine room is this way.”
They entered the strangely vacant complex, and suspiciously moved about. The scanners revealed no afflicted in the area, but they were not taking any chances. Jonah and Asa made it to the control section first, to discover it completely destroyed.
