Dead Force Box Set

by S D Tanner

  Flicking his head at Lolo, he said, “I need you to check out what’s inside the tubes.”

  “How? If they’re lethal viruses I can’t just open the tubes and do a taste test. I need a laboratory with containment.” Tilting her head, she eyed him skeptically. “Have you seen a lab onboard?”

  All he’d seen was an armory, living quarters and the room with the robots. There might be a laboratory onboard and there might not be. In theory, he could recon more of the ship, but every excursion put his squad at risk. Despite appearing to be dumb as a box of hammers the fleas had to be smart, or at least whatever controlled them was. The fleas had attacked them any time they’d tried to help the sleepers. If the fleas were intelligent then they’d know the Defensors were running rogue. Trapped onboard a ship somewhere in space he was hopelessly outnumbered. Although he’d seen fleas inside the chamber and the dome they could be anywhere by now. If he was in their position he would be looking for the rebellious Defensors to kill them. He needed a better plan than to fight them one on one. His squad would be picked off until none were left. They might not die, but their protocols would be reset and he’d be back where he started.

  “Have you ever worn a spacesuit?”

  Screwing up her face, she shook her head. “I don’t like where this is going.”

  Leaning forward, he gave her a cheesy smile hoping it was charming enough to persuade her. “I’ll catch you some fleas and we’ll toss them into the habitat. You release whatever is in the tubes and see if it has any effect.” Smiling even more broadly, he added, “And then we’ll know what’s in the tubes.”

  “That’s hardly a test. All you’ll know is if it has any effect on the fleas. For all you know they’ll multiply and we’ll have more of them.”

  “That’s why we need to run a test.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before I release the viruses into the chamber.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Monkey Business

  A cool silence greeted them when they walked into the armory. It might have been as quiet as a mausoleum, but a nest of fleas was hiding under the gloom. Far from being a haven for the sleepers, it was home for fleas evolving to look like their human hosts. Judge and Rok were with him. He’d left Hawk with Joker, and Flak was still standing ready with a shuttle. Lolo was on the Bridge watching them through the cameras. Ash was still breathing and unconscious, so he’d left Bart with him.

  Glancing at Rok and Judge, he flicked his chin at the rows of pods behind the viewing window. “Ready?”

  “Are you sure about this?” Judge asked.

  He nodded. “We’ll take the flea we catch into the habitat. Lolo can release the viruses inside the tubes and we’ll see what effect they have.” Nodding at the door, he said, “Open it.”

  Stepping inside the chamber he walked to the edge of the platform. It was a long drop to the bottom and the further away the darker it became. Three levels down from where he stood a walkway was hanging so low it rested on the one below it. It was the walkway where a flea had exploded and wounded Ash. Pieces of twisted metal stuck out between the rows of pods on the broken walkway. Now that he knew the true purpose of the chamber the damaged metal looked like shards of headstones in an abandoned graveyard. Looking up, the gloom darkened nearer the ceiling. Although he couldn’t see the fleas he knew they were clinging to the walls around him.

  “We need to get their attention.”

  Rok, joined him to peer up at the ceiling and asked, “What type do you want? Squid or gibbon?”

  Giving Rok a look of disbelief, he replied, “I think they’re smarter than a gibbon.”

  “You don’t know that. I haven’t seen them do anything smart. Maybe they’re just pets.”

  Other than being aggressive he hadn’t seen them do anything requiring much intelligence, either. Usually the smarter the species the slower it matured. The tiny squids in the dome looked like incubating fetuses. They grew into the larger fleas now living inside the chamber. He didn’t know how long it had taken the fleas to grow to that size. Maybe they’d only been in space for months, but for all he knew it could have been a hundred or more years. In destroying the dome he’d killed their young, and, assuming they were under observation, he didn’t believe they had taken it well. He could expect a visit from a supply ship sooner than later, which would suit him right down to his boots.

  Holding up a flare, Judge asked, “Ready for fun?”

  Rok held up a roll of tape he’d found in the living quarters. “Locked and loaded.”

  He wasn’t sure the tape would hold a squid or a gibbon, but it would have to do. As for choosing between a squid or gibbon, he would have preferred a squid. The gibbon variety was basically a bomb and he wasn’t sure it wouldn’t self-detonate just to kill them. Taking on a gibbon would be riskier.

  “We’ll take whatever we catch. We can always come back,” he said.

  “Not if we’re dead,” Rok replied.

  Judge shrugged. “Firstly, I think we might already be dead. Secondly, we’re definitely gonna be if we don’t clear this ship.”

  Pulling the end on the flare made it come to life and it released smoke across the chamber. The effect was immediate. As the gray cloud swirled across the rows of pods the sound of howling followed. The air felt electric, only he knew it wasn’t. Squids were already dropping from the ceiling causing the air to ripple across the chamber. Where a moment earlier the vast space had been as still as a mausoleum, now little puffs of wind caressed his cheek. They were coming.

  “Jessica, lights up.”

  As the light grew inside the chamber smoke weaved around the pods and rose toward the ceiling. The dark cloud dispersed, as barely visible and transparent bodies of fleas sliced through the air. Rok let out a loud whistle.

  “Over here, gibbon!”

  “I can’t believe you’re whistling up a bomb like it’s a dog,” Judge muttered.

  Ignoring Judge, Rok began grunting like a monkey and hooting. Worried that Rok might shoot at the fleas just for the hell of it, he warned, “Do not fire.”

  “Never!” Rok declared triumphantly as he dropped into a boxer’s stance. “I’m not passing up hand-to-hand combat with a monkey.”

  If it were only one gibbon or squid then they stood a fair chance, but the squid-like fleas moved faster than the gibbons. Three were already swinging their way toward them. Their blobby bodies became elongated as they flew between the rows of pods and caught the edge of the next walkway. By leaping from one row to the next they were dropping levels. They stood with their backs to the armory door and waited for the fleas to reach them. All they had to do was grab one and drag it into the main body of the ship. To date, no flea had followed them into the armory, but there was always a first time for everything.

  A tentacle squelched as it slapped against the platform and Rok snatched at it. Catching it in his fist, he shouted, “Got me a squid!”

  Rok’s joy was short-lived. The squid-like flea brought forward four more thick tentacles. Whipping them around Rok’s head and upper body it dragged him from the platform. He launched toward Rok and grabbed him around the waist. With Rok caught between him and the squid their battle turned into a test of strength. While he heaved his bodyweight away from the squid, Rok’s boots skidded across the metal grill on the floor. Rok, caught between them, was being pulled in opposite directions. He braced himself against the ridges on the floor and heaved and tugged against the squid. Rok was punching at the tentacles around his chest, but his fist only sank deeply into the soft flesh.

  “Judge!”

  “Busy, Tag.”

  He didn’t have time to check what was annoying Judge. A spray of blood erupted in front of Rok and the tension he’d been pulling against disappeared. With his arms still circling Rok, he tumbled backwards, and they both slammed into the door to the armory.

  Pushing Rok away from him, he said, “I told you not to kill them.”

 
Rok was struggling to his feet. “No, you said don’t shoot them.”

  The single flare had brought hell down on their heads. Spinning across the chamber, more fleas were closing in on their position. Something whipped the back of his head. Turning around, all he could see on the platform were a pair of boots sticking out from underneath the glutinous body of a squid-like flea.

  “Judge!”

  “Busy, Tag.”

  Its tentacles were firmly wrapped around Judge’s torso and it was attempting to squeeze him to death. Pulling out his blade he was about to stab it when tentacles whipped around his ankles. The squid yanked so hard he tipped over and fell heavily against the metal grill. Unable to move his legs he squirmed on the floor until he was sitting upright. A tentacle was tightly wound around his ankles, pinning them together as if he’d tied his bootlaces. Frustrated that he could be so easily pulled from his feet he slashed at the tentacle. The limb was under so much tension the blood exploded upward in an arcing spray. The tentacle, forced to loosen its grip, slithered away. Howls from angry and injured fleas echoed across the chamber.

  Rolling onto his knees he crawled forward until he was within reach of the squid trying to kill Judge. He stabbed the fat, wobbly body releasing another spray of blood. The flea arched backward and toppled from the platform. Judge, who was caught up in the tentacles, tipped over the edge with it. He dropped his blade, reaching for Judge and only just managing to grab part of his tactical vest. As he dug his heels into the ridges on the floor, he flung his body backward, hoping his weight was enough to stop them both from falling.

  Before he could call for Rok’s help a squid slammed into the platform hitting him in the chest. Tentacles wrapped around his body, pinning his arms to the side. His face became buried into the soft puffy body. He pushed back toward the wall and felt Judge being pulled from his hand. With the warm and soft body squelching around his ears and covering his mouth, he couldn’t breathe. He was being hugged to death by a jello marshmallow. Trying to twist within the squishy tentacles, he only managed the smallest movement before they began tightening around him. He was unable to open his mouth and couldn’t even call for help. Dying in combat was one thing, but being suffocated to death by a squishy alien was unacceptable. He couldn’t even stab the damn thing, having dropped his blade when he caught Judge.

  The roaring sound in his ear proved he wasn’t like Jessica. His brain was still well and truly alive inside his head. Just as he was about to blackout the pressure lightened until it dropped away to nothing. He pushed the flea away from his body, still disgusted by the softness

  Rok was shouting at him, “Open the frigging door!”

  Judge was covered in so much blood only the whites of his eyes showed clearly. Wild-eyed and snarling he wasn’t a happy man. A bloody blade clutched in his hand, Judge whirled to face Rok, clearly intending to kill the flea.

  Grabbing for the knife in Judge’s hand, Rok called, “Don’t kill it!”

  Trying to outrun a squid while dragging it by one tentacle behind him, Rok raced toward the door to the armory. Tentacles were whipping wildly around his legs, threatening to trip him. He pushed Judge toward the door, shouting, “Open the damned door!”

  As Judge opened the door Rok ran through it. The tentacles on the squid-like flea were flailing in every direction. One whipped across his face and he jerked backward, almost falling from the platform. Another set of tentacles wrapped around his ankles, but he was wise to the trick now. Bending low he slashed at the thick white limb until it let go of him.

  Seemingly aware it was being kidnapped the squid reached its tentacles across the door, making it impossible for Rok to pull it into the armory. He heaved his body into the soft squishy one and yanked at the limbs until he loosened their grip on the wall. With Rok pulling and he and Judge heaving, the squid finally wailed and slithered into the room.

  “Get the tape!” He shouted.

  Already a step ahead of him, Rok was winding the tape around the thrashing tentacles. By tying one end to the next, the thrashing subsided until the squid was lying prone on the floor. Determined it wouldn’t move again, Rok wrapped even more tape around it.

  Judge was peering through the window into the chamber. Half turning to face Rok and his pet, he said, “I think you’ve got it, Rok.”

  The flea was still alive and whimpering pitifully. After hearing them so often he was starting to understand their cries. Every sound had a meaning he could understand. This flea was frightened of them. He supposed from its perspective, it had just been caught by the enemy and they were the killers.

  A now familiar voice sounded in his earpiece. “Do you guys take bookings?” Lolo asked.

  “What does that mean?”

  Giggling and sounding as young as he suspected she was, Lolo replied, “That was quite a show.”

  Snorting softly, he said, “I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you, Missy. This beauty has a date with you in the dome.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Half a Mind

  “Tag, come to the Bridge,” Joker said, sounding serious.

  “No can do. We’re heading to the habitat dome to test the viruses.”

  Rok was dragging the trussed flea by one end of a tentacle. He was determined it would cause him no more problems; the rest of the squishy beast had been so wrapped in tape little of it could be seen. Somewhere under the tape the squid-like flea was whimpering. It had clearly started as one of the embryos he’d seen inside the dome with the lockers. The next stage of development was the multilimbed creature they were dragging with them. He wasn’t sure whether the explosive humanoid-looking flea was simply the final stage, or if there was another beyond it. Mark had said they took on attributes of the hosts, but just how closely did they resemble what they ate? The idea any animal could take on the appearance of its food didn’t make much sense to him. His favorite food was pulled pork, but he was reasonably sure he didn’t look like a pig.

  All he had were more questions and, hoping Joker might have answers for him, he asked, “Did you hack Jessica?”

  “Just get over here.”

  Strolling along the corridor, Judge glanced his way. “What do you think he’s found?”

  “I don’t know, but he doesn’t sound happy about it.”

  Making their way through the first of the narrow and utilitarian corridors toward the Bridge, he was struck by how quickly they’d become familiar with the ship. This wasn’t their first time awake and he wondered whether they knew more than they realized. After letting Judge lead them up the stairs, all he could hear was the flea squeaking unhappily as it bounced up each one.

  Entering the next corridor, he asked, “Judge, do you remember me?”

  “My recall about how I know you is patchy, but I know you pretty well.”

  “What do you remember?”

  “You had a cute kid, a little girl. Nice looking wife, and she could cook.”

  “Lisa and Daisy.”

  Judge’s face dropped even lower as if remembering his family made him sad. “She was a good woman, but you weren’t the best husband.”

  Passing Judge as he entered another set of stairs, he asked, “Why do say that?”

  “Lisa loved you unconditionally. I remember envying you and thinking she deserved a man who didn’t take every deployment offered.” Frowning at him, he added, “You messed up my life too, you know. I went wherever you did.”

  “How did we end up out of the military?”

  Stopping at the door to the Bridge, Judge hesitated. “I don’t remember and that’s weird. We were both lifers, but I don’t remember leaving.”

  Pushing open the door, he said over his shoulder, “Maybe we didn’t leave the army. Just because we don’t have badges doesn’t mean we weren’t on the payroll. This could be a covert operation.”

  As he walked into the room, Joker spun the command chair to face him. “It’s not. The Arks left with a good deal of publicity.”


  Jessica was standing by the command chair looking the same as she had when he’d first seen her. If Joker had hacked into her then he hadn’t left a mark.

  Flicking his head at Jessica, he asked, “What else did she tell you?”

  They left the strapped flea by the door and sat in the chairs on the back wall of the Bridge, spinning them around until they faced Jessica and the screen.

  Joker stood on the other side of the command chair opposite Jessica. “Jess, show them the lab.”

  The main screen, flickering to life, displayed seven bodies standing inside alcoves. They looked the same as the ones that had contained Jessica and Robert’s robot bodies, but these were wider and taller, to fit the bulkier frames. Although they stood motionless, with their chins tilted upward, their faces were unmistakable. With no cover over their eye or metallic left arm, they were completely naked and hairless. The squad looked like seven tall dwarves, with Jessica as their Snow White.

  Knowing full well he was one of the bodies inside an alcove, he asked, “What am I looking at?”

  “I think Lunar explains it best,” Joker replied.

  The cheery and overly professional voice they’d heard on their first visit to the Bridge rang across the room.

  “Project Alpha Centurion is developing the most advanced technology in new age soldiering.”

  The image on the screen showed him and another man sitting beside one another. It sent a chill up his spine, watching himself doing something he didn’t remember. He appeared to be relaxed and was clearly joking with the other man. His thick, dark brown hair had been cropped short, and his well-structured features were creased with a genuine and open-faced smile. It was obvious he felt good about whatever was happening to him. Given his current situation whatever optimism he’d felt then had been misplaced. A human version of Jessica appeared by his side holding a small metallic device in her hand.