Incursion

by Kevin McLaughlin

  The surly colonel motioned for a young officer to join me. He approached me and held out his hand. “Stephen Flowers, ma’am. But you can call me Steve.”

  “A pleasure.” I shook it. If this kid was my ticket to the greatest scientific finding of my career—hell, anyone’s career—I would be his new goddamn bestie if need be.

  14

  David

  I jumped back so fast I hit the side of the shuttle, knocking my already tender head and back against cold metal. Wincing, I raised my gun at the alien moving its head back and forth, trying to wake up from a deep sleep. When it opened its eyes, it saw me and froze, slit-like eyes widening.

  “Qǐng bùyào kāi qiāng. Wǒ bù huì shānghài nǐ. Qǐng bǎ qiāng fàngxià.”

  My face screwed up in confusion. Was this thing speaking Chinese? I didn’t look Asian; I was as dark-skinned as could be. I shook my head, trying to convey I didn’t understand. “What the hell are you saying?” I said, gun still leveled at its head.

  “Please don’t shoot me. I will not harm you,” it said in English with a deep and gravelly voice. “Please, put your weapon down.” It kept its gaze fixed to mine and didn’t move to unbuckle itself from the pilot seat. It flexed its feet and hands. Its claws glinted.

  “Who are you?” I kept my gun high. This stank of a trap. After bombing our planet with an EMP, I doubted this space lizard wanted to chat about the weather.

  “My name is difficult for your human tongue, but you may call me Ko.” Its speech sounded strange, like its jaws had to struggle to make the necessary sounds for English.

  “Why did you speak to me in Chinese?” I felt like if this creature wanted me dead, I’d be lying on the ship floor with my guts ripped out for breakfast.

  “We absorbed Earth’s dominant languages as we approached your solar system. Your radio signals gave us much data. We wanted to make it clear we came peacefully with no wish to harm you. It seemed best to tell you in your language. It seems we are not going to get the chance. Why did your planet attack us?”

  “Because Earthside, ‘we come in peace’ doesn’t involve wiping out the majority of the planet’s tech with an EMP,” I said. “You’re in a lot of shit.”

  The alien made a noise like a sigh. I hadn’t noticed before, but its body was covered in wounds. Most of them appeared to be surface cuts, bleeding but not lethal, though I noticed an unnatural angle in one of its arms. If it was in pain, it didn’t show it.

  “We did not set off the pulse, or EMP, as you call it. It comes from the supernova of a nearby star in the system that you call Alpha Centauri. We were fleeing it. Sol was the nearest system that could provide a planet suitable for us to resupply. As we approached your planet to renew resources, politics became conflicted. Your planet is compatible with our biology and that of our ship. We can consume most life forms here and hydrate with your water. Underneath the crust of your world, we can mine elements to fuel our ships. Some of us wished to warn your people of the supernova threat and lend what help we can.”

  “Why? Why would you do this?” I still hadn’t lowered my pistol.

  “We are not a world-conquering race. You are clearly an intelligent species, if technologically delayed; as such, you deserve the respect and sanctity of all sentient beings. The opposing faction of our people wished to wait until you expired, then harvest what we need. Our bodies are superior to yours, and we have protective equipment that allows us to take what we need after the supernova’s effects. They would have us resupply and move on.”

  It paused, wincing as it took a deep breath. “Now, neither faction is able to complete its mission. Our ship was severely damaged by your attack. Our life support systems were disabled along with our main drive, and we do not have the capability to return to space without the use of our faster-than-light engine. The damage, if not the crash, has likely killed everyone. That is why we,” it gestured to the rest of the bodies, “decided to detach from the ship aboard our shuttle. Please. It is a matter of life and death I return to our ship. I must see to what remains of my people.”

  “I’m…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say. “Look, I’m sorry, Ko, is it? We did what we thought was best. We were trying to protect our people. I was following orders.”

  The alien shot me a glare, quickly extinguished. “I understand. Please lower your weapon. I need help.”

  “Okay. All right. I’m gonna trust you…” I nodded and holstered my gun. “I have to go get my field kit in my pack, okay?” It nodded.

  I ran to grab my kit where I left it in the first room of the ship, then I hurried back to the navigation area. I pulled out some bandages and hesitated, looking at the large alien. I handed them to it. “I’m not even sure if this will help, but it’s better than nothing.”

  The alien tried to open the bandage with its claws but couldn’t get the cloth to unroll. “I can’t,” Ko said. “I cannot reach many of my wounds.”

  I sighed. Jesus. “All right. I’ll help, but I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t kill me.”

  “Lt. Colonel Jackson,” it replied, “if I wished to terminate you, I would have done so by now.” I wondered how it knew my name. This thing freaked me out. Could it read my mind? Was it stalling until its alien buddies came to rip me apart?

  “Fair enough.” I started to bind the alien’s wounds, taking care to avoid its black, razor-sharp claws. Now that I had a good look at them, I was admittedly nervous. When I finished, I bound the alien’s wrists and ankles with the rest of the bandages.

  “What are you doing?” The alien looked down as I finished tying them around its legs. It pulled at the restraints. The bandages started to rip, but I held up my hand.

  “Ko, wait. Look. Humans are coming, probably a lot of them. You’ve convinced me you probably aren’t going to chop me up and eat my organs. I don’t know why, but you have. I have a gut instinct you’re telling the truth. But they’re going to come out of a helicopter ready to fight a monster. It will help if it looks like you’ve been taken captive.”

  “I could snap these easily.”

  “I have no doubt. But I trusted you to not kill me, and you didn’t. Now I’m asking you to trust me to keep you alive.”

  It nodded.

  “I need to bind your arms, too, okay?”

  “Very well.”

  I did so, then assisted it up out of its seat. The alien shook its head and snorted as we made our way to the front of the ship. It was clear it didn’t like seeing its dead companions. I opened my mouth to say something consoling, but I figured right now it would be maybe the worst thing I could do, so we walked toward the entryway into the main section of the shuttle and waited.

  15

  Alexandra

  Two troop helicopters and three gunships touched down about a hundred yards away from the crashed shuttle. A little overkill in my book. Even the biggest, baddest space monster couldn’t be worth this much trouble.

  Once on the ground, infantrymen jumped from the helicopters to set up a perimeter around our landing site. The call came back it was safe to leave the chopper. I stepped out to a scene straight out of a movie. Dozens of trees were downed along both sides of us. I smelled embers but couldn’t see flames. Smoke rose from branches that must have still been on fire. A drag mark was gouged in the earth that seemed to never end.

  Some soldiers jogged ahead of us, guns drawn. I walked with a guard of four men, included Steve, who had equipped me with simple armor back at base.

  “Over here!”

  The vanguard waved us over to the alien shuttle. Just as I had predicted from the speed of its decent it was destroyed—a massive hunk of metal that barely resembled what it once was. A few small fires burned around the ship, one fed by a leaking hose. I hoped there wasn’t much fuel left in the shuttle or we could all be blown sky high any second.

  I followed my escorts to an opening that was torn in the metal. They hung back and all four of them looked at me. Steve nodded at me, then gave the si
gnal, and they rushed inside. Taking a deep breath and looking over the ship one more time, I stepped through after them.

  Immediately, the stink of scorched electronics and burned bodies hit my nose. I clapped my hand over my mouth and fought to keep from losing my breakfast. The soldiers swept through the ship, systematically clearing each room. I stayed back until Steve gave me the all clear to press on.

  The technology in this ship was far ahead of anything we’d developed. As we proceeded through the shuttle, we came across several dead aliens. It was likely they’d died from the impact. I passed by one body held up by a piece of metal jutting from its midsection.

  Humans have certain universal responses to a similar set of queues. Simply put, if it looks like a predatory animal, it freaks us out a bit. These guys did. The dead cat eyes and gore didn’t help. They had scales covering their bodies and sharp claws on their hands and feet. I was surprised Colonel Jackson wasn’t on the floor somewhere in pieces.

  Speaking of Jackson, his voice hailed us from a corridor that likely led into the bridge. “Fellas, you’re gonna want to take a few steps back.”

  The soldiers in front of me backed up five paces, rifles up. I stayed where I was. We heard a thunking noise as the Lt. Colonel and the alien appeared in the threshold.

  I tried to keep my face impassive, but I couldn’t help but gape. It was massive, tall and muscular. Its bright yellow eyes made me think of a snake or a cat. I heard the click of safety switches on the weapons around me.

  “Easy, fellas. Easy.” Lt. Colonel Jackson put his hand up as he stood beside the alien. “Be nice to our guest.” Steve and one other soldier lowered their weapons, but the other two stayed wary, their muzzles trained on the alien’s head.

  Jackson spotted me and recognized me as a civilian. “Who the hell are you? You’re not military.”

  “No, but I’m the woman who might save our asses by playing nice instead of shooting first.” I knew he was the pilot who fired the nukes at the aliens. He deserved it, a little.

  I raised my open palm toward the alien. “My name is Alexandra. I’m a psychologist who specializes in xenopsychology.”

  The alien made a kind of squawking sound that must have been its approximation of laughter. “I was not aware humans studied the psychology of offworlders. I would shake your hand as is the custom with your kind, but I fear Colonel Jackson has me bound.”

  I glanced at Jackson, not knowing whether to be impressed or aghast.

  “Trust me,” Jackson mouthed.

  “Well, I’m here to make sure you are treated fairly. As I’m sure you’ve discovered, Earth’s military isn’t made up of the brightest bulbs in the bunch.”

  The alien blinked. “I do not understand.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I need to remember to speak plainly. That was a metaphorical expression…and maybe a little bias. I hope you understand. It amazes me you can speak English so well.”

  The alien inclined its head.

  Steve cleared his throat and regarded me with a get-on-with-it stare.

  “Right. May I ask you a few questions so my friends here relax and don’t shoot us both?”

  The soldiers looked at me, and I noticed Jackson furrow his brow but say nothing. It all felt so surreal, speaking to an actual alien when just hours ago no one could definitively prove extraterrestrials even existed.

  “You may ask, Alexandra. I am called Ko. My people have come to your solar system because a massive supernova destroyed our homeworld.”

  “I’m very sorry, Ko. That must be awful. I must ask you, is the Earth now in danger?”

  “Yes. Your ozone has already been severely depleted. The next wave of ions will set in motion events that will end all complex life on this planet.”

  A chill ran through me. I held out hope that somehow the hard scientists had forgotten to carry a decimal or something, that they might be wrong. Hearing it from this alien, one who was here because its world was already gone, brought on all the horror and fear I could possibly feel.

  The two remaining soldiers lowered their weapons. I saw a tear on one of their cheeks, while Steve and the others stared into space, trying to comprehend the alien’s words. Earth was doomed?

  I thought of my family. My friends. The trips I meant to take that I never would now. The experiences I should have had, could have had. It was all over. I was sentenced to die in the most horrific way, and there wasn’t a damn thing any of us could do about it.

  Ko made a trilling noise, then spoke, “We are here—”

  Its voice was cut off by a burst of explosions from outside the ship, shaking the floor beneath us. Men yelling and the rattle of gunfire followed.

  16

  David

  The rest of the men sprinted outside to help their fellow soldiers. One of them turned to me as he was racing out of the ship.

  “I’ve got this, go!” I yelled to him, patting my sidearm in the process.

  Now it was just the three of us, stuck inside a metal shell that could very well be shot through at any moment. The idea of staying with the alien and this touchy-feely therapist woman rankled. I wanted to be out in the action, defending my men. I also couldn’t believe we’d brought in a damned shrink to make nice with the aliens. The brass must be really desperate. Where did they get this chick from, anyway? The wannabe goth club?

  As she and Ko talked, I had to admit she was doing a better job than I would have. A lot of what she discussed was pure polite small-talk, but she took on a sympathetic and concerned tone when she spoke. As she and Ko discussed the supernova, she also managed to get it to disclose details about how many aliens there were, how many were likely still alive, and how we should approach them.

  From the noise outside, it sounded like that last part would be superfluous now. Shit was going down. The military has only one way to approach an enemy: guns blazing and kicking ass. Ooh-rah.

  It was clear that this doctor or whatever she was had been selected for her skills in working her way through a being’s psyche. I had to admit to myself that if she was working that psychobabble mumbo jumbo on me, I’d probably tell her everything she wanted to know too. Even though she was speaking to an alien she controlled the conversation as easily as if she were speaking to any human. That was pretty damn impressive.

  “Your men are fighting our warriors,” Ko said. “They have probably arrived to search the wreckage. It would seem that they have met with more than they expected to find.”

  “Ko, you told me it was a matter of life and death to return to your ship,” I said.

  “It is.”

  “What do you mean by that?” the doc asked.

  Ko turned its head, eyes downcast. Even a dumb grunt like me could see it didn’t want to tell us.

  “Ko, it seems the fate of your people and mine are intertwined at this point,” the woman said. “I’m here because the United States felt like I was the best choice to work with you, rather than against you. If we are going to do that, we need to trust each other. You and Lt. Col. Jackson seem to have established some trust. I ask you to trust me as well. Otherwise, neither of us has any hope of making it out of this situation.”

  Ko clicked its teeth together and hesitated a moment. More gunfire rattled outside. That seemed to help it reach a decision.

  “Very well. Lt. Col., may I have my binds loosened?”

  I shrugged. “Sure, Ko. What the hell, right? You’ve made good on your word so far.” I unwrapped the bandages from its wrists.

  From a pocket, it extracted something and opened its clawed hand to reveal a fist-sized crystal that sparkled with a rainbow of shifting colors. I backed away and itched to pull my pistol. Was it some sort of weapon? I fought my instinct as it held the egg-shaped crystal toward Alexandra. “This is roughly what you humans call a computer. It bears the collected genetic records of all lifeforms from our planet. With this, we can recreate our world. We can restore our civilization. This is the most precious thing we have.
”

  “Why eject it with the shuttle then?” Alexandra asked. “Why not put it in some kind of protected container in the bigger ship?”

  “When your missiles damaged our ship, it was not clear if we would make landfall intact. A decision was made to launch the data with the shuttle to preserve it in case the rest of our people died.” Ko’s voice quavered a little at this.

  “There aren’t any backups of the data? Why risk such an important object on the chance that it would arrive here in one piece?”

  “It’s a…what do humans call it…it’s a quantum machine. A quantum computer. It was technology on the bleeding edge of our capabilities when we fled our world. The power and energy to create such a complex item is incredibly difficult to replicate, especially aboard a starship. We did not have the resources available on our ship to make another, sohis is the only one in existence. This is how I demonstrate my trust for you, human.”

  17

  David

  The explosions and gunfire were getting closer. Successive thumps rocked the ship, and dust fell from the ceiling, the metal groaning above us. I worried the ship might collapse on us any second.

  “We need to get out of here.” Alexandra said.

  “We need to stay put.” I said. “If we go out there, if we aren’t shot on sight, we’ll definitely be torn apart by the aliens who see their buddy tied up next to a couple of humans.”

  Ko nodded its assent.

  “We can’t stay in here, can we? We’ll get blown to pieces anyway!”

  “The piloting area of the ship is reinforced, as are the windows,” Ko said, “If we can barricade the door, the outside of the hull will take care of the rest for us. Nothing short of another missile will breach it.”

  “You sit,” I told Ko. “We’ll get what we need to block the door.”