“You’re really up in space? I’ve been listening to the news … that was you?”
“I already told you, it wasn’t just me. Truth is, I’m really more of an observer, though it’s too hard to explain right now. Just get the military to stop firing on us … can you do that?”
“Guess I can try. How can I contact you?” Tony looked over to the orb for guidance.
The orb said, “I will continue to monitor this police band. If your father speaks, I will hear him.”
“Did you hear that? Did you hear what the orb said?”
“I heard it. Okay, let me get to it. Take care of yourself, son.”
“Thanks, Dad … you too.” Their connection ended.
Cuddy said, “There’s still the issue of keeping this ship … us too … out of the hands of the government. We need to avoid capture.”
“Why do we care?” Tony asked. “I just want to get home. Let them take the damn ship.”
Cuddy felt his anger rise up, “No … that can’t happen. I made a promise. I’m going to Primara. This ship, and the Evermore, cannot be taken. I … cannot be taken.” But clearly, by their expression, neither Kyle nor Tony fully understood why.
* * *
Over the next two hours, Cuddy had time to think. And he did so with a level of laser-sharp clarity that, even with everything else that had changed within him, was still surprising. His brain—his consciousness—had continued to evolve. He anticipated that when the sheriff came back online, he would be handing off all further communications to some authority figure in the military—maybe a general, or someone else high up—who would demand the ship land at some pre-designated location. But that wouldn’t work with what Cuddy planned to do.
“Orb … when we reenter the Earth’s atmosphere, can the Revenge be tracked?”
“Yes, primarily by various types of commercial and military radar. And the Revenge is no longer invisible. What did you call it—stealth?”
“I may be able to repair that functionality.”
“Why didn’t you mention that earlier?” Kyle asked.
“I was unfamiliar with the characteristics of this vessel. Since then, I have completed an in-depth evaluation of each of the ship’s systems. The stealth mode generators, which are part of the Tactical system, do have a certain amount of redundancy built in. I can make the necessary repairs … make use of the redundant system on board. It will take me another hour.”
“So you’re saying the Revenge will, in fact, be able to avoid detection? We’re not going to be blown out of the sky by some missile?” Cuddy asked.
“That is correct. At least, for Earth-based technology, I am confident the Revenge cannot be tracked.”
“What other technology would we have to worry about?” Kyle asked. “We destroyed the other two Howsh ships.”
The orb, hovering close to one of the larger display screens, replied, “I’ve detected this …”
At first, Cuddy didn’t understand what he was seeing on the screen. It just looked like a lot of slow-moving icons.
“What you now are viewing are ten Howsh Marauder-Class star fighters. Individually, they are highly capable crafts. Together, they become a powerful force.”
“What is the Revenge like in comparison?” Kyle asked.
“The Revenge is referred to as a Scout-Class vessel.”
“Scout?” Tony queried. “That doesn’t sound very good. Scout sounds nothing like Marauder-Class star fighters. We’re fucked.”
“How far away are they, and how long before they reach Earth?” Cuddy asked.
“They are not headed for Earth; I believe they are destined for Primara.”
Chapter 36
It was a good two hours before the orb alerted Cuddy that Sheriff Bone’s voice had again been detected on the Woodbury police emergency band. And, as anticipated, the sheriff said he had a General Hastings, of the U.S. Air Force, standing by to work out the logistics.
Hastings’ voice sounded younger than Cuddy envisioned a general would sound like.
“Who is it that I am addressing on the alien vessel?” he asked. Kyle and Tony looked to Cuddy.
“I am Cuddy Perkins, sir.”
“Okay, Mr. Perkins … who is there with you?”
“Tony Bone, the sheriff’s son, and my brother, Kyle. Oh … and the AI orb, who I think you’ve already been speaking with.”
“You’re saying that was an artificial intelligence previously on the line?”
“Yes, sir, that’s what I’m saying.” Cuddy glanced at his brother and shook his head. With so much weird stuff going on, he was surprised the general picked up on the AI being the most bizarre aspect.
“Look, Mr. Perkins, the U.S. military has substantial resources. Within minutes of being contacted by Sheriff Bone, our people were digging into who exactly you were. Who all of you were.”
“Okay, that’s good … I guess,” Cuddy said, wanting to move things along.
“No … not so good, Mr. Perkins. Because our intel resources came back with conflicting information. For one thing, the only Cuddy Perkins we have on record, son of one Dorothy, or Dotty, Perkins, is nineteen years of age, with a mental I.Q. of sixty-three. Severely mentally disabled. Functionally, a five-year-old.”
“You’ll have to take my word for it, sir … I’ve gotten a lot smarter. Do you think we can we move this along … there’s—”
Hastings continued right over Cuddy’s words, “Next we have one Kyle Perkins, your brother, who is twenty-two. He was released from West Tennessee State Penitentiary—the Whiteville Correctional Facility—only last week. Seems he has an aptitude for stealing cars … as well as getting caught. And finally we have Mr. Tony Bone. Out of respect for Mr. Dale Bone, the Sheriff of Woodbury … I won’t go into the colorful past of this twenty-two-year-old hoodlum. Just leave it to say, the Three Stooges would make a far more likely crew for what Sheriff Bone tells me transpired today. But he insisted you three—along with the artificial intelligence—are responsible for the destruction of the two other alien craft and the aliens responsible for the mass-destruction on Earth—the loss of millions of lives across our planet. But I am at a loss to provide an alternative explanation. My technical personnel tell me that you are, in fact, up there in space. And each still-operating news agency has been broadcasting the footage of a third alien ship, battling two others over Eastern Europe and Russia. So I am in the awkward position of having to offer humble gratitude to you, and the others with you, on behalf of the entire planet.”
“Oh … well, okay! You’re welcome, General,” Cuddy said.
“Yeah … no biggie,” Tony added.
“With that said, I’m sure you’ll understand that we must conduct what follows with all due diligence … with extreme caution. I will be providing you with very specific low-orbit reentry coordinates. In exactly one hour, you will start your descent. Once you level off at an altitude of 35,000 feet, a squadron of U.S. F35A Lightning fighter jets will be ready to escort you down to Nellis Air Force Base, in Nevada. There can be no deviation from these directives. These highly trained airmen have orders to shoot you down at the slightest divergence of our instructions …”
Cuddy, by now, was only half-listening to the general. His mind was still on the band of Howsh ships headed for Primara. That they intended to destroy that planet he had little doubt. He needed to quickly get back to Woodbury—back to the Evermore.
“Is everything I’ve said clearly understood, Mr. Perkins? Do you have any questions?” General Hastings asked.
The orb turned its attention toward Cuddy.
Cuddy said, “No, General … no questions. We understand and thank you for helping us. Um, we’re ready for those reentry coordinates when you are … sir.”
As much as the general’s directives made perfect sense, Cuddy was becoming more and more impatient. He was reminded once again that his emotional evolution hadn’t progressed yet to the same level as his cognitive side. He really wanted to mo
ve things along. Jeez … waiting another full hour would be like waiting an eternity.
The orb then took over, having a back-and-forth conversation with the general, getting more landing specifics ironed out.
Tony, keeping his voice low, asked. “If the orb’s got the stealth thing working again, why don’t we just blow him off and leave now? Why are we even waiting to be escorted to … where the hell was it? Arizona?”
“Nevada,” Cuddy said, noting the orb had disconnected from General Hastings. Cuddy continued, “The orb has the stealth functionality working, Tony, but not the shields … remember? If, by chance, we’re spotted … like a line-of-sight-type thing … we can be locked on to. Isn’t that right, orb?”
“Correct, but there is only a small chance of that.”
“So what’s the plan?” Kyle asked.
“I’ve been thinking about that. Orb, if we wait until the designated time, when the U.S. military, and probably other world militaries too, are tracking that specified reentry location, what if it’s not us entering the atmosphere? What if, instead, it’s what’s left of the other Howsh ship?”
“You’re talking about having a distraction,” Kyle said.
“Genius! Our village idiot is a total friggin’ genius,” Tony exclaimed, impressed.
The orb said, “I believe I can trigger the other Howsh ship to explode soon after entering the atmosphere. Would that be of benefit?”
“That would be a huge benefit,” Cuddy said. “They’d think all three Howsh ships were destroyed and they’d no longer be looking for us.”
“Um, not to be a total downer here …” Tony said, “but that other Howsh ship, I saw what you did to it. It’s pretty much toast. How do we get what’s left of it to enter the atmosphere?” He looked over at the orb and asked, “Does this ship have some kind of tractor beam … like in the movies?”
“No,” the orb answered. Then, continuing in a matter-of-fact tone, said, “Cuddy will have to manage that aspect. He has already demonstrated he has, at least to some degree, the same mental kinetic capabilities as the Pashier.”
Cuddy, still not fully recovered from his last use of those newly acquired abilities, unconsciously placed a hand on his unsettled stomach. He thought about the plan and liked it. With that said, once in Woodbury, landing back at the ranch, they’d have to move fast. The Revenge still might be spotted—perhaps overheard by the military. By a jet or even a satellite.
“Okay … I guess we have a plan,” Cuddy said. He looked over to Tony. “When we land, it will take us some time to get the Evermore back up into space. Can you hold off contacting your father—”
“Wait! You think I’m going back home? Seriously?”
Cuddy shrugged, not knowing what to think.
“No … I’m going with you guys. I’m on your team.”
Cuddy and Kyle stared at each other. They hadn’t had time to discuss whether Kyle even wanted to go. Events were happening too fast.
“I don’t know, Cuddy. I mean … who would take care of Momma? Plus, I just got released from a two-year stint inside a prison cell …”
“I get it, more confined spaces. That’s okay, Kyle,” Cuddy said.
Tony looked disappointed at Kyle’s decision. “Hey, then it’s you and me, Cuddy … we’ll take on the Howsh. We’ll kick their furry asses.”
Cuddy honestly didn’t know if Tony would be of help, or be a hindrance—but he appreciated the support, just the same. He asked, “Orb, how soon before we’re supposed to reenter the atmosphere?”
“Fifty-three minutes.”
“How will I know what to do?”
“I will assist you, like I have done on two previous occasions. It should be less taxing. Moving an object in space is far easier than making an object disintegrate.”
* * *
Slowly the orb navigated the Revenge, bringing it close to the other Howsh ship. Cuddy watched through the forward observation window as they came right beside it—approaching from its stern. At this close distance, he got a good look at the damage he’d inflicted, using only mind projection. The whole tail end of the spacecraft was scorched black, and he could see several breached open patches where it was possible to actually see into the ship. It was then that it struck him—the loss of life he’d caused.
“How many were on board?” Cuddy quietly asked the AI orb.
“Crew of twenty-seven Howsh.”
Cuddy knew any sadness he felt was unjustified. They would have destroyed the Revenge, and everyone aboard, without a second thought. He well understood that, on an analytical level, but he wasn’t feeling analytical right then—simply guilty.
Kyle broke the silence. “So what now? How do we work this?”
Cuddy said, “We need the Revenge to disappear from view. Orb … can you turn on that stealth mode?”
“They’re not stupid … aren’t they going to see … detect … that there were two ships up here, then, all of a sudden there’s just one?” Kyle asked.
“They may not fully understand it, but they’ll continue tracking the one ship that they do see. We’re only looking to buy ourselves a little extra time.”
Chapter 37
Jackie had hung around the house just long enough to start feeling uncomfortable. Her father was obviously convalescing, but the sparks going off between Mrs. Perkins and her old man—well, it was embarrassing to be around them. She’d heard that high-stress situations can bring people together, and this—what was going on—most certainly, qualified as a high-stress situation.
It was Jackie’s suggestion that she drive back to the Perkins’ ranch and see to Ellie. To get her into her stall within the barn. Speeding along the country roads, Rufus, there beside her on the passenger seat, was good company—content just hanging his head out the side passenger window—and letting his ears flap in the wind. Halfway there, she remembered all the dead Howsh bodies, lying on the property. Shit. There must be ten of the weird aliens—piled up, one atop another, like big, hairy cords of wood. She’d just have to deal with it. After all, she was pre-med … not like she’d never been around dead bodies before.
She was startled from her reverie as the local CBS station was blaring out news over the car radio:
“… this really is an amazing turn of events, Simon. Inside sources tell us the interchange can take place at any time now. Obviously, exact coordinates and timeframes are classified, but I’ve been told the alien craft, which has been designated the Revenge by its present human crew, is currently on the move.”
Jackie had followed the ongoing events occurring in space back at her dad’s house. She’d learned that Kyle, Tony, and Cuddy were now acclaimed heroes—the men of the hour—hell, of the century! But instead of being grateful they were alive—that the world had been saved from certain destruction—she was angry. Just hearing of their actions in space made her blood boil. She should have been up there with them. Cuddy had no right to tell her not to come. Once again, being a female meant being short-changed in life. Screw him … screw them all. She had her own life to lead; important things of her own to accomplish.
As if on cue, her father’s cell phone began to ring. He’d offered it to her before she left his house. The smart phone, a gift from her to him the year before, was almost never used. He didn’t understand all the icons and buttons.
She looked at the screen, noting Brian was on the line, and answered the call. Why wouldn’t she? She had a life of her own that extended far beyond Cuddy …
“Hello?”
“Jackie? Finally, where the hell have you been? Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get in touch with you?’
“I know … and I’m sorry. It’s just been crazy. More than you could possibly realize, actually.”
“I think I have a good idea what you’ve been going through,” he said.
“What?”
“I’m here … at your dad’s place. Must have just missed you. Been getting the skinny on—”
“Wai
t! You’re … here?” she asked.
“Yes, and I want to see you. As soon as possible.”
“Well, I’m … I have to do some things, Brian. Maybe later we can connect.”
“Connect? You make it sound like a business transaction. I’m your boyfriend and I’m worried about you. I love you!”
“Sorry, bad choice of words. Not connect … connect is a stupid word. We’ll meet … meet up, okay? Just not right now. Later on.”
“You’re acting strange. What’s going on with you? Is it us? Are you having second—”
“No! Of course not! Well … not exactly,” she said, annoying even herself with her vague responses. “Hold on, Brian … I want to hear this news report.”
“Okay … I’ve got confirmation; the alien craft is on the move.
“Peter, tell our listeners what’s happening.”
“Simon … I’m told the alien ship is proceeding slowly, just now leaving Earth’s low orbit … entering what is called the Exosphere … where space and the atmosphere merge. From there, the ship will descend to the Thermosphere, and then to the Mesosphere. This will take approximately five minutes.”
“Very exciting news, Peter. And where, exactly, will the U.S. squadron of F35A Lightning fighters be waiting?”
“That will be at the Stratosphere level, Simon. The same altitude where most military and commercial flights take place; where there’s enough oxygen. Oh my God!”
“Peter?”
“I’m sorry, Simon, but new reports are now coming in regarding a catastrophic explosion. Hold on … yes, it is confirmed … the alien spacecraft has exploded. I repeat, the alien craft, designated the Revenge, has exploded in midair. This is truly awful … a terrible … “
Their voices turned to static as the radio lost its signal. Jackie stared at the car radio in stunned silence. The Howsh ship had exploded! Oh God … Cuddy.
The Simpleton: An Alien Encounter Page 19
