Malory rolled over and cocked an elbow to support her head. "Oh, yes you did. Now, get out from under those blankets and let me look at you."
"No."
She rose to her hands and knees and advanced seductively, watching in amusement as Corky hastily scooted away only to be trapped against the overturned cot. She lifted the edge of the covers and crawled underneath them, tickling the quaking doctor as she slid up her body, her head emerging from underneath the blankets between Corky's breasts where she began a trail with her tongue that ended with a soft kiss.
"I love you."
Any reply on Corky's part was forgotten as the words were followed by a hand that touched her intimately. "Uhm…" she started but was silenced by another kiss.
"Tell me later, I'll be back in a little while," Malory whispered as she disappeared back under the blankets.
--------
Malory almost skipped into the mess to grab lunch, having seen Corky off about an hour before and already missing her. The doctor had left her quarters reluctantly to go check in on her patient and she herself had gone to see Clovis and let the man off the hook.
She had just sat down with her long overdue cup of coffee and was eyeballing her burger and fries hungrily when her radio squawked for attention. She tried not to sigh.
"Commander?"
"This had better be good."
"The interior of the section unearthed yesterday is accessible, Commander," McNeely reported. "They're requesting more personnel to investigate."
Malory chewed on her lip. "And your feelings on the subject?"
"From what we gather, It's about as safe down here as we can make it, seems to be pretty solid."
"Let 'em have at it," she decided.
"Understood, McNeely out."
She tossed her radio on the table and dove into her food with abandon.
--------
An hour later, Malory strode into the lounge and shook her head upon spotting Lieutenant Ring reclining in front of the television. Even though the man was second in rank only to her, she sort of envied him. His one and only job was to be a pilot, leaving him pretty much without a place in the chain of command. He had no responsibilities other than to fly the helicopter and since air travel during the Antarctic winter was a suicidal proposition, he pretty much had nothing but time on his hands.
"Lieutenant," she said. "Wanna arm wrestle for control of the television?"
He craned his neck around and gave her a smile. "If I won would I still retain control of the TV?"
"Nope, rank hath its privileges."
He chuckled and picked himself up off the couch. "Then I concede to your superior arm wrestling skills."
"Ahh, a wise officer," she said. "You'll have a long and prosperous career."
"Indeed," he agreed and handed her the remote as he passed. "Your command console, skipper."
"Why, thank you," she chuckled.
She waited for him to leave and ambled over to peruse the available selections, spending a moment in consideration prior to deciding on an oldie but goodie. She popped it into the machine happily and made herself comfortable on the couch, managing to stay awake just long enough to get through the opening titles.
--------
Voices slowly pulled her from her slumber and she was dimly aware of being caked with sweat, a nagging fear surrounding her like a malignant mist. She struggled for consciousness, feeling it was just within her grasp as noises were already penetrating the fog, a man and woman were talking only a few feet away.
"But you need no doors to find God. If you believe…" the woman said.
"Believe?! If you believe you are gullible. Can you look around this world and believe in the goodness of a god who rules it? Famine, Pestilence, War, Disease, and Death! They rule this world."
"There is also love and life and hope."
"Very little hope I assure you. No. If a god of love and life ever did exist... he is long since dead. Someone... something rules in his place."
"Commander Lovecraft," McNeely said urgently.
Malory awoke with a start, springing from the couch in a near panic, gasping for air and tingling from the gooseflesh that covered every inch of her body.
"Commander," McNeely said, worry evident in his voice.
She shook her head violently to clear the cobwebs, unnerved by a clinging sense of dread. She had been dreaming, about what she couldn't remember nor did she especially want to. Her hands were trembling and she realized she was scared; shitless scared. Her eyes scanned the room frantically; searching for the spectre that she felt sure was stalking her.
"Commander," McNeely called again. "If you don't respond in the next fifteen seconds, I'm tripping the general alarm."
The words had a soothing effect on her near-hysteria and her eyes focused in on the television. That fucking eerie Vincent Price! Reality slowly began taking hold and she shook her head again.
"Last chance, Commander," McNeely barked.
She reached for her radio. "Go ahead."
"Are you alright?" McNeely asked. "I've been calling you for the last ten minutes."
"I…I'm sorry, Sergeant, I must have fallen asleep."
"You need some time?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you," she said slowly. "What's up?"
"They've found something down here they want to bring up."
A feeling of foreboding washed over her, making her shudder. She glanced again at the television and grabbed the remote, powering it off irritably.
"Commander?"
"What is it?"
"I have no clue, but its fuckin' with my backbone."
She closed her eyes. "Gimme the scoop."
"It appears to be a container of some sort, reminds me of that little puzzle box from the 'Hellraiser' movies but about the size of a washing machine. Know what I'm talking about?"
"Yeah, do we know what's in it?"
"It's a transparent box, holding some sort of large crystal suspended in the middle. Appears to be harmless but I gotta point out we found an identical container right next to it that is apparently empty."
"Do you believe it presents a danger?"
"I would lean toward no, but like you, this whole thing bugs me a little."
"Alright, let them bring it up but I want it stored securely in the lab and summon me when they get it stowed. I want to give it a look."
"Understood."
"Lovecraft, out."
The radio took its place on her belt and she sat down hard on the sofa, running her hands through sweat dampened hair. She couldn't remember experiencing such an intense fear at any other time in her life and it was still wreaking havoc on her composure. Her mind tried to rationalize it as having fallen asleep during a creepy movie, but a sense of sinister premonition insisted it was something else entirely. With a shaky, calming breath, she rose slowly and began the journey to the sanctuary of her office, wanting to be in comfortable surroundings while she waited to see what the hole in the ice had revealed.
--------
The call came sooner than expected and Malory found herself in the lab, staring intently at a container that defied the laws of physics. McNeely had sized the object accurately for it was indeed about the size of a washing machine yet a perfect cube and almost completely transparent. A material, both gothic and technological in appearance, lined the edges of the container to present a visible outline but it was the item that resided inside that had Malory's total attention.
Floating magically in the exact center of the box was a long and narrow octahedron that glowed a distinctive Caribbean blue, the intensity of which would probably illuminate the room if someone turned off the overhead lights. Closer inspection revealed the crystal to be a second container for a substance residing within, which was the source of its distinct color. A substance that flawed the outward perfection of the crystal with a multitude of grooves that resembled brain matter.
"I was informed there was an identical container to this one that w
as apparently broken," she asked the audience in attendance. "What exactly was broken, the inside or the outside?"
"The outside," Lenard replied. "Though not exactly broken, is was just missing the top panel."
"Is it glass?"
"No, an unbreakable transparent epoxy from what we can gather at this time," Lenard said.
"Is the crystal itself holding some sort of material? It appears that way to me."
"That is our impression as well."
"Could it be an explosive of some sort?"
"Unknown, but doubtful."
"Can any of you tell me anything for certain?"
"The technological is not really our area of expertise, Commander," Lenard said dryly. "The majority of people here at the moment are archeologists and geologists. Excavation was not expected to uncover anything like this in nature until the end of the winter. The team assigned to research and technological development won't be arriving until summer."
Malory grunted. "Did we at least think to bring the empty container up as well? I want to look at it."
"They're working on it as we speak, Commander," McNeely answered.
She spared an approving nod. "Understandably, no one can tell me anything concrete, so I'd like to hear guesses. Do we think it's a power source of some kind? It appears to me that the box holds the crystal in a sort of stasis, anyone concur?"
"We tend to believe its not a power source, Commander," Lenard said, obviously the spokesman for the group. "The spacecraft we believe was of a 'Y' shape construction and we speculate that the center and most forward section was responsible for propulsion. In our estimation, any power source would most likely be found in that area. We assume this container to be nothing more than cargo."
"That would be the section as of yet uncovered and buried deepest within the ice, correct?"
"Yes."
"Why do we assume that the forward section would be responsible for propulsion?"
"It's all theory at this time, of course," Lenard said. "But the deepest section is buried a considerable distance from the others, suggesting an impact with an irresistible force behind it. The craft had to be traveling at an unimaginable speed to bury itself so deeply within the ice."
"Forgive me for being a layman, gentlemen," Malory said. "But if it was traveling at a speed anywhere near what you suggest, how did it survive so intact? I would think it would pretty much disintegrate on impact."
"The material that the craft is constructed from is impossibly resilient. We've been unable to damage it in the slightest, barring of course, exposing it to a nuclear blast."
"Alright, what do you make of this thing and do you believe it dangerous?"
"We're still very much differing in opinions at this time," Lenard said. "But we tend to think that the container is a kind of automobile airbag for the crystal inside."
"Hmmm," she grunted. "So you think the interior of the cube provides an impact cushion for the cargo?"
"Exactly, Commander," Lenard agreed. "How, we don't know or can even guess at this time."
"Very well," Malory said. "If the crystal inside this box was important enough to our alien friends that they felt the need to pack it in a safety box while gallivanting around in an almost invincible starship, we will follow their example. You have until tomorrow at noon to provide me with additional information. At that time, if opinion hasn't altered radically, and you can manage to convince me otherwise, the container will be isolated and secured from further study until it can be examined or transported to the appropriate authorities for investigation."
"But, Commander…" Lenard started.
Malory held up a hand. "You just stated that you're not the people qualified to investigate a discovery of this nature," she interrupted. "Honestly, I have a hard time picturing anyone that is, but I'll not have a potentially dangerous artifact being subjected to casual experimentation. You have until noon tomorrow to study it, then it will be shelved until the right people either take it away or offer me irrefutable proof that it presents no danger."
She paused and waited for her words to sink in. "Mr. McNeely, you will assign a guard to watch over the find until it is stowed."
"Aye, skipper."
"There will be no attempts to breach the interior of this box," she continued. "The guard will have instructions to intervene immediately if my orders are disobeyed in the slightest. Have I made myself clear?"
She met every pair of eyes in the room to convey her resolve and when satisfied, she turned to the Sergeant Major. "Join me outside, Mr. McNeely," she ordered and strode from the room.
--------
Corky entered the mess that evening and smiled reflexively upon spotting Malory, a grin that quietly evaporated as she noted the Commander was conferring quietly with her noncommissioned officers and Lieutenant Ring.
Slightly disappointed that she couldn't join her, she got her meal and chose a seat next to Clovis, who was so deeply involved in a discussion with his gathered colleagues that he didn't notice her.
Feeling somewhat left out, she went about eating her dinner and let the surrounding whispers fly over her unheard as she was quickly immersed in her own thoughts. In fact, she had spent the better part of the day engrossed in the contemplation of her relationship with the infamous Malory Lovecraft. Where once the mere mention of the woman's name was a death by torture offense, it was currently cause for an internal celebration. Now that she had fully indulged in her attraction to the Commander, she couldn't deny the emotions the woman instilled within her. She still wasn't ready to openly admit the depth of her feelings, but internally, she could no longer deny the power of her sentiments.
"Hey, Corky," Clovis said.
"Hmmm?" she said distractedly, emerging from her thoughts.
Clovis chuckled knowingly. "Are you feeling alright, Doctor? You haven't been yourself lately."
Quiet chuckles rumbled from a few of the men and she began to blush in anticipation of another round of teasing. Thankfully, Clovis took pity on her before it got started.
"Give her a break, fellas. It's been an eventful winter."
She smiled gratefully at her friend, her blush painfully obvious.
"I was just telling my colleagues here," Clovis said, gesturing to the surrounding men. "That as much as we regret the Commander's decision it would be extremely foolish not to honor it."
Corky was suddenly curious. "What decision was that?"
"To isolate our discovery from study until the arrival of the R and D team."
"What discovery?"
"Where have you been today?" Clovis asked. "It's all anyone has been talking about."
"In Medical, of course."
"I'm surprised you don't know," Clovis said. "We were able to enter the section of spacecraft uncovered by the cave in the other day. We found a container with some sort of crystal floating inside."
"Really?" Corky asked. "What is it?"
"We don't know," Clovis replied. "We hadn't had it in the lab for half an hour when Lovecraft informed us that we only had until lunch tomorrow to study it before it went into storage."
"Why did she do that?"
"Because we don't know what it is or what it's capable of and admittedly, there is no one present really qualified to make a determination on its safety."
"That seems practical, what's the problem?"
"A few among us feel that we're here for investigation and study and to deny us that, defeats the purpose of our mission here."
"Well, that's a reasonable argument."
"That's what I was telling my friends here," Clovis said. "We have two opposing viewpoints with merit but the fact is, Lovecraft is in charge and she made an informed decision. And personally, after experiencing her ire firsthand, I can see why she was chosen to head our operation here."
"Why do you say that, Clovis?" she asked, interested in his opinion.
"Because she's no paper tiger," he replied. "Some of the guys think that just because she's virtually no
nexistent in the day to day stuff around here that they can convince her to reverse her decision on today's find. I've been attempting to persuade them from trying."
"What would it hurt to try?"
"Because she's made a decision and it's final. Questioning that would only insure that the time we do have for study would be taken away immediately."
"I guess I don't understand."
"What we're doing here involves a new frontier, Corky," Clovis said. "Discovering technology a thousand years ahead of us implemented thousands of years before us is without precedent. We really have no idea how advanced these beings were and toying with that constitutes an unknown. Who knows how dangerous that could be? I agree with her decision."
Corky grunted thoughtfully, recalling Malory's thoughts on the subject from earlier.
"So how is Dr. Ballenger?" Dr. Tanaka asked, changing the subject.
Corky was in the middle of her answer when she saw Malory stand from her table to exit the room and she hurried through her response, anxious to be in the Commander's company.
III
When Corky entered Malory's quarters it was just in time to see her fasten the last button on a Red Sox baseball jersey that hung halfway down her thighs.
"Hey," she said brightly.
"Hey."
"You turning in early?"
"Yeah, but I was hoping you'd join me."
"Of course," she said. "You look kinda tired, is something wrong?"
"Just a strange day. Has me feeling a little weird."
"Want me to make you feel better?" she asked demurely.
"Is that a proposition?"
"Maybe," she teased. "Can I borrow a sleep shirt?"
"Sure," Malory replied, bending to pull one from her footlocker and tossing it over.
"Thanks," Corky said, immediately starting to strip out of her clothes and Malory took a seat on the end of her cot to watch the proceedings attentively.
Corky noted the hungry look being cast upon her body and relished the attention. She removed her bra teasingly and let it drop slowly to the ground, smiling happily as pupils dilated starkly against a pale blue background. She had never been looked at with such an open and needy desire and it made her feel both attractive and special.
Stories by Kiera Dellacroix Page 66
