Waiting

by Gary Weston

  He thought of Bridget, ten years his junior. She was Loretti's daughter and yet she had acted against her mother and risked her life to free him. She had her mother's smouldering good looks but there the similarity ended. When Bridget fought, she did so because it was her duty. Her mother fought because she wished the destruction of his race because she thought them inferior. He would take time to get to know the real Bridget.

  He turned off the light and soon fell into a heavy sleep.

  Chapter 53

  'We can only assume the terraformers are doing what they're supposed to do,' said Polowski. 'The storm has dropped in intensity, but it is still enough to block our signals to monitor the terraformers activity.'

  Clifton said, 'They seemed in good order when I checked them out. No reason to think they're not still working.'

  'Hopefully,' said Polowski. 'The good thing about the storm is even if Earth wanted to deliberately stop the terraformers, their signals can't get through either.'

  Friar said, 'Why are you still banging on that same old drum? Nothing can be just straight forward with you, can it. There is a war on, you know? For all we know they're all dead.'

  Clifton said, 'I always come away so depressed after a meeting with you two jokers. We still can't contact Earth but that's no reason to assume the worse. Let's concentrate on the positive and the facts. The storm is gradually dying down. The terraformers are, hopefully, still working; the Goliath is running perfectly.'

  'Hey,' said Friar. 'I'm totally upbeat. Just tell Mister Conspiracy Theory here. We are all singing from the same hymn sheet, or at least most of us are.'

  'That's enough, you two,' snapped Clifton. 'Right. Back to work. Dale. You have the latest propulsion units results?'

  'A slight imbalance in the plasma input stabilising jets. Still well within normal parameters. We have a spare but I'll keep monitoring the unit for now. A further increase in the imbalance and I'll have to turn that drive off completely to change the jets. Otherwise, all plasma drives are working perfectly.'

  'Good,' said Clifton. 'Joe. That issue Melissa reported with the incubation units. Is it fixed?'

  'It was like I suspected. A filtration issue. I've cleaned them out and increased the maintenance schedule for the time being. I noticed some decay in the filter membrane. To be expected with the amount of work it does.'

  'Spares?' Clifton asked.

  'Down to our last box of spares. Based on my records, enough to keep the incubation cells sweet for another three years. With luck, we won't be needing incubation before another two years have passed. Lots of lovely little babies running all over the place.'

  Clifton said, 'Good. That incubation set-up is what makes this mission viable. That's our priority. Shout for help on it if you need it.'

  'I have it all under control, Sam. I know how important it is.'

  'Perhaps even more than you realise, Joe.'

  'What's that supposed to mean? Are you suggesting I'm not taking it seriously? Any problems with the way I do my job?'

  Clifton said, 'Of course not. But it doesn't hurt to underline its importance. Don't go taking my comments out of context.'

  'Sorry. I guess we all hoped we would be landing on Spero in a couple of weeks, setting up our new home instead of floating around in space waiting for the terraformers to have done their work.'

  Clifton said, 'That may have been the plan of the human race, but it looks like some higher beings had other ideas. All in good time. Meeting over.'

  Chapter 54

  There were many strange smells assaulting her senses in the dark, cold room. The only light came from luminescent green lights from unfamiliar equipment which seemed to be connected to her body. Some perverted, sadistic gremlin was amusing himself by turning a corkscrew in her skull. Her skull. Her Spider had crashed. Shot down in the desert. Was this the Spider? Her eyes began to focus and become accustomed to the dim light. No. This was not the Spider. Then where?

  She was alone. Of that she was sure. Sounds. Voices. Familiar voices came back to her. Gunther's unmistakable Germanic accent. Bridget's voice. And another. Yes. Salamandra. Why his voice? Her head. Such pain. This place. It had a medical smell to it.

  Tiny events coming together. Words Salamandra had spoken. She knew his background. It was her job to know her enemy. Bridget, that traitor, had freed Salamandra. They had brought down the Spider and her crew had been killed. So why was she here?

  Suddenly her skin began to crawl. Salamandra had touched her. He had performed surgery on her brain. She realised where she was. The Base. The sickbay in the Base. Salamandra knew things. If he told Gunther...

  Loretti pulled out the drip lines and swung her legs off the bed. With her movement a light came on. Surgical instruments in a metal dish. She selected a scalpel. Now all she had to do was find Salamandra.

  * * *

  Salamandra was awakened by the slightest of sounds, and as his eyes flickered open, the light from the open door rang a warning bell in his head. A movement by the side of his bed and the flash of something metallic had his arm up to his face to protect himself as the blade was aimed at his neck. It rammed into his shoulder and the pain was enough to have him wide awake.

  Diving off the bed on the opposite side of his attacker, he turned on the light to see the naked woman with her head swathed in bandages.

  'Loretti. There's no need for this. It's over. The war is over. Drop the scalpel.'

  Her response was to stand and stare at him and she swayed unsteadily. Then she lunged across the bed and he had to dodge the blade which missed him by an inch. He dived at her and pinned her face-down on the bed but she was still wielding the scalpel, trying to cut him. Salamandra grabbed her wrist and shook it hard until the scalpel dropped with a clatter on the hard cold floor.

  'What the hell is going on in here?' Gunther stood in his sleeping shirt, taking in the scene, his laser rifle in his hands. 'Trish. For pity's sake. This man saved your life.'

  'Mother,' said Bridget, appearing at the door behind her father. 'Salamandra. Are you hurt?'

  'No. Well, a little.'

  Loretti said, 'Salamandra. They must not know.'

  'Ok,' snapped Gunther. 'Something is going on with the mission. On Spero. And what's more, you two both know about it. Follow me to my office. And if either one of you make a wrong move, I'll kill the pair of you. Move.'

  Chapter 55

  'We have incoming,' said Staples. 'Lots of incoming.'

  'A good job they're our people then,' said Willis watching the small white dots on the green screen.

  'And that's supposed to inspire me with confidence, is it? We have a laser cannon on the top, right?'

  Willis said, 'So rumour has it. In ten tears I never heard of it being fired.'

  'Right. You go try it out, I'll go see the major.'

  Staples found Gunther with Bridget, Loretti and Salamandra in the major's office. He was surprised to see Gunther with a laser rifle in his hands, pointing at Loretti and Salamandra.

  'Something I should know about, sir? said Staples.

  'Nothing to get alarmed about, Lieutenant. You wanted to see me?'

  'Yes, sir. We have incoming ground troops heading our way. Fortunately ours.'

  Bridget said, 'Not necessarily fortunate. They're coming after me.'

  'And Salamandra,' said Gunther. 'And probably me.'

  Loretti, dressed in a simple gown, said, 'You may as well just give up now, Gunther. I'll try to save your hides. I don't include you, Salamandra.'

  'Naturally.'

  Staples said, 'Sir. Are we under attack from our own people?'

  'Some of us. You and the technicians can simply walk out of here and you should be fine.'

  Staples was confused by the situation, unsure what he should do. 'This is our Base. Surely they won't fire on us. And certainly not with General Loretti here.'

  Loretti said, 'I may be considered an inconvenience to the president now. You can try to use me as a bargaining chip
, but I doubt it would help.'

  Staples said, 'It will be Salamandra they really want. Let's turn him over.'

  'I helped him escape, remember,' said Bridget. 'Do you want to turn me over as well?'

  Staples sighed. 'What a mess. Sir. What shall I do?'

  'Where is Willis?'

  'In the laser cannon tower. Does that thing even work?'

  Gunther said, 'Anything is possible, I suppose. That will only exacerbate the situation. Use it only as a last resort and only if we come under attack.'

  Bridget said, 'Round up the technicians and get them out of here. You and Willis also.'

  'I'm staying. I'll give Willis the option. The technicians can go.'

  'Thank you, lieutenant,' said Gunther.

  Staples hurried away and ran up the concrete steps to the laser cannon, where Willis was checking the controls and watching the screen.

  'They're still advancing,' said Willis.

  'Nathan. We have a crazy situation going on here. We could well come under attack from our own people.'

  'Are you nuts?'

  'Debatable. But if you and the technicians go out unarmed, you'll be ok.'

  'Are you going?'

  Staples shook his head. 'I'll stay and hope they don't attack.'

  'You are nuts. But I suppose that makes two of us. I'm staying too.'

  Staples slapped Willis on the back. 'I was hoping you would say that. I'll kick the technicians out.'

  The technicians were at work on the unnecessary replacement communication unit in the laboratory, oblivious to the events going on in the Base.

  'Listen up, people. Our troops are on their way here. I have orders from Major Gunther that you are to leave immediately. Gather up your personal belongings and meet me by the exit.'

  'What's going on?' asked Caswell.

  'More than any of us need to know I suspect. You have just two minutes to gather your things. Leave your weapons behind. Move it.'

  Caswell and the other technicians dropped what they were doing and scurried away to their rooms. Staples met them at the small door by the exit.

  'Stay calm. Walk towards them and when you're close enough, wave your hands in the air. You'll be ok.'

  'I assisted Salamandra in the operation,' said Caswell. 'Am I in trouble?'

  Staples said, 'You were following Gunther's orders. Only tell them if they ask. Don't go volunteering information.'

  'What about you?'

  Staples looked out across the desert and the cloud of dust being churned up by the approaching troops. It was tempting to go with the others. 'I'll take my chances here. Now go.'

  Staples watched the technicians walk slowly away, carrying their bags of belongings then he closed and locked the heavy steel door.

  Chapter 56

  'If we are about to die, I'd appreciate it if I knew why,' said Gunther with a wave of his rifle.

  'You really don't know?' said Loretti.

  'All I know is it's something to do with the mission, nothing more than that. I found a partial communication between you Trish, and a man I couldn't identify. Unknown to me, we picked up signals from a ship outside Spero. They could not have been humans. You were warning the man to keep out as you had the situation under control. Care to elaborate?'

  Loretti's head was throbbing and thinking at all was difficult. 'There's something waiting on Spero. Waiting for all those on the Goliath.'

  'I don't like where this is going, Loretti,' said Gunther. 'Something nasty about to wipe out those on the mission?'

  Loretti smiled. 'Not to kill them. To use their bodies. And not nasty. Superior.'

  'And you knew about it?' said an incredulous Bridget. 'I knew you were evil, but selling out all the human race is a new low even for you.'

  'Not all of the human race,' said Salamandra. 'She's cut a deal with them as long as she plays a part in the take over.'

  Gunther glared at Loretti. 'Unbelievable. I knew you were ambitious, but to hand over our last hope of survival to serve your own desires makes me sick to my stomach. But Salamandra. How come you know of all this?'

  'Easy. The man on the message? That was me. Loretti tried to get me on her side. This was during the peace. Rather than keep the war going, she wanted me to join forces with her and have enough of a world in one piece worth her ruling over it.'

  Loretti snarled, 'But you were too self-righteous to accept. I had no intention of letting you survive after that.'

  Bridget said, 'Never mind all that now. We have to warn the Goliath.'

  'Don't you worry. I intend to do just that,' said Gunther.

  'With a faulty communication unit?' snarled Loretti.

  Gunther said, 'For once, I'm one step ahead of you. Bridget. I need to warn the Goliath urgently. Keep this rifle aimed at these two.'

  'I'm your mother, Bridget. Rule Earth with me. You can't shoot me.'

  'I can't? Care to put that theory to the test? If I were you, I'd just sit still and keep very quiet.'

  Chapter 57

  General Su Kane looked at the technicians with what she hoped was her most intimidating stare, the one she practised in the mirror. She had modelled herself on Loretti for many years.

  'You lot have had it too cosy for too long cocooned in that Base while the real soldiers have been putting our lives on the line for your benefit. Think the war is over now, do you? Safe for you to crawl out of from under your little rock, do you think? Well let me tell you there is still plenty going on and I'll make sure you get a taste of it. You. Name.'

  'Caswell, sir.'

  'Well, Lieutenant Caswell. You have had a couple of recent arrivals I believe. Captain Bridget Loretti and Salamandra. We believe they have taken Commander General Loretti after they shot down her ship, killing her crew in the process. Bridget Loretti helped Salamandra escape from headquarters and she is now considered a traitor. It is our intention to rescue General Loretti from them. What is the status of General Loretti. And I warn you. Lie to me and you will all be shot for helping a traitor and the enemy. Yes, Caswell?'

  'It is true, General. All three are there with Major Gunther.'

  Kane said, 'Is General Loretti alive?'

  'The last time I saw her, yes. She had been operated on by Salamandra.' Caswell decided it prudent at that time to omit she had been the theatre nurse for that operation. 'She had received a serious head-wound requiring brain surgery.'

  'And you say Salamandra did this operation?'

  Caswell nodded. 'Yes. General Loretti survived it and as far as I am aware, is making a full recovery.'

  'Can she be moved?'

  'Probably best to let her recuperate for the time being. That's just my opinion, sir.'

  Kane said, 'Is it indeed.' She paced up and down, considering this information. 'Salamandra. Is he now held prisoner by Major Gunther?'

  'I do not know, sir.'

  'What about the traitor Bridget Loretti?'

  'Again I do not know, sir.'

  Kane stepped up to Caswell and with her face just inches from the lieutenants. 'For someone who has just come from the Base you seem to know precious little as to what is happening in there.'

  'Perhaps you should ask Major Gunther, sir.'

  'Oh, I intend to do that. For now, keep out of my sight.'

  * * *

  Gunther was by himself fitting the unit he had sabotaged on several occasions. Leaving the cover off, Gunther was relieved to see the lights on the control panel light up and the blue screen with the frequency oscillations. He fine tuned it to locate the Goliath and he could see they were open to his signals. He made the call.

  'This is Major Gunther at the Base. Repeat. This is Major Gunther of the Base. Are you receiving me, over?'

  He knew he would have to wait for the time-delayed reply, if he got one. A speaker crackled.

  'So soon?

  'This is is General Kane. Major Gunther. You are to open up the Base at once.'

  'Crap!' It was the radio used for communication on Ea
rth between the Western Tricor, not the dedicated frequency for the Goliath.

  'Major? What was that?'

  'I said...hello, General.'

  'Open the main door immediately, you hear me?'

  'You're...breaking up, General. Can you...' Gunther flicked the switch to cut the receiver off. He had to buy time to talk to the Goliath. He knew Kane would soon be pounding on his door with a barrage of missiles. 'Goliath. Come in.'

  Nothing!

  Sam Clifton had the communications room to himself when the call came through. He played the computer recording of it to confirm that after so long, Earth had somehow found a way to call the Goliath. He hadn't misheard or imagined it. It was indeed Earth. He replied.

  'Chief Satellite Engineer Sam Clifton here. Major Gunther?'

  'Sam. No time to chat. I'm taking a huge chance with this. This is going to sound mad, but take it as true and from an impeccable source. There is some kind of alien being, apparently with space technology, on Spero. I have no idea how, but they have some way of taking over the body of other species, including human.'

  'Major Gunther. We have seen nothing out here to be alarmed about.'

  Gunther said, 'That's good news. It isn't too late. Alert everyone and stay away from Spero until you know what you are dealing with. Are you getting this, Sam?'

  'Yes. I understand perfectly. I'll be sure to pass this on to the captain right away.'

  'Good. But another thing you need to be aware of...' There came an explosion behind Gunther as a warning missile thudded into the Base just above the door. The floor shook and a chunk of the rock roof fell close by him, bouncing like a football along the grey concrete floor. 'Somebody on the Goliath may be in on the plot, so be careful.'

  'What! Somebody on the ship?'

  'I've given you all I can for now, Clifton. I'll try again later if...' Another explosion.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Captain Jacobs walked into the communications room. 'Are you still on duty, Sam?'