Metal Boxes - Trapped Outside (14 page)

Stone shouted, “Corporal Tuttle! Stop.”

Tuttle shut off her gilley setting, returning to visible range. She was holding Triplett in the air by a massive left hand around the woman’s neck. She wasn’t squeezing hard enough to do any serious damage or restrict Triplett’s airflow. Suits required a special command to kill an unarmed human. The command could be on the tip of Tuttle’s tongue. One quick word and the massive suit could squeeze hard enough to pop Triplett’s head from her body. Triplett grasped Tuttle’s arm as she hung there gasping for air.

Tuttle growled, “You helped them bastards kill my marines?”

“No. The Hyrocanians only want peace. It’s the military that stirs up these wars.”

Stone said, “So, bombing our compound was just their way of a polite hello?”

Triplett squeaked out, “They only want to be left alone. They are a peaceful people or were until they ran into humans and our military attacked them.

Ryte said, “I am arresting Doctor Anna Triplett and need her watched until we can confine her. I have located her communication gear and disabled it. We don’t want her finding some way to get word to her Hyrocanian friends about our location.”

Stone nodded. “Corporal Tuttle has a nice roll of tape for now.”

Triplett groaned, “You can’t do this. The Hyrocanians will give us shelter and food. They won’t hurt us.”

Stone asked, “Haven’t you seen any of the videos about how they treat their prisoners? I have.”

Tuttle dropped Triplett to the ground, tossed a tape roll to Ryte, and went gilley. Stone wondered how much longer her suit would continue to function. It must be damaged because he clearly saw the outline of her suit now.

Ryte wrapped Triplett up, taping her hands and feet.

Triplett said, “You can’t do this.”

Stone shook his head. “One more word Doctor Triplett and I will ask Agent Ryte to tape your mouth shut.”

Triplett said, “But—”

Without comment, Ryte covered the woman’s mouth with a strip of tape. One male scientist, larger than most of the others, reached out a restraining hand, attempting only to halt Ryte from taping the woman’s mouth shut. Ryte grabbed his hand, twisted, turned, ducked under his arm, and still holding his wrist, vaulted onto his shoulders, straddling his head from behind. With an armlock, she twisted his head and drove him face first into the trampled grass and dirt. In a flash, his hands were wrapped behind him and tied to his feet.

Stone said into the shocked silence, “It may be my unformed brain or my teenage hormones talking, but the next person who interferes with EMIS Agent Ryte will be shot right alongside Doctor Triplett for treason and as a danger to our lives.” He glared at Triplett. “Don’t push me on this. Your conspiracy with the Hyrocanians has killed my friends, my family, and my girlfriend is laying over there in a tent, paralyzed because of you. I’ll kill you myself if you give me any reason. No matter what Agent Ryte wants, I want you dead.”

He looked up at the shocked faces of the scientists around him. He wasn’t sure why, but he caught a sour odor coming from one man. “You!” He glanced at Ryte. “Was Triplett working alone on Allie’s World?”

“As far as I can tell she was broadcasting her messages to an intermediary at Lazzaroni Base, but nothing in her communications systems shows she has been in contact with anyone since we arrived on planet. Why?”

“Him.” He pointed at the man, causing the man to blanche. “I don’t trust him.”

The man sputtered. “Wait. No. I’ve protested against the military’s inhumane war against the peaceful Hyrocanians. I’ve signed petitions calling for the complete disarmament of human space, but I would never commit treason.”

Stone nodded, “Agent Ryte. He’s yours to watch. If I catch him even dreaming about consorting with the enemy, I will have him taken into the jungle to be lunch for a nest of dung beetles.”

Spacer Dollish rushed up to him. “Ensign Stone, sir.” He handed him a hunk of fire-roasted meat on a stick. The stick was from a native plant stripped of spikes and thorns. “You should eat something. And Major Numos is looking for you at the hospital tent.”

Stone looked up at Tuttle. “Corporal, please find Agent Ryte an armed marine to help keep an eye on these two. Then you and Agent Ryte join me at the hospital tent.” He glared at the remaining scientists clustered under the tarp. “The rest of you find something to do. I don’t care what, just remember, I will kill the first one of you who hurts Jay or Peebee.”

TWENTY

Somehow it felt like a longer walk back to the hospital tent than a few moments ago. His head wasn’t throbbing like it was before and his eyes and nose finally seemed to sync up, clearing and plugging up at the same time, leaving his senses feeling normal for longer and longer stretches. Still, he wobbled a few times, stopping under camouflage tarps to rest at each opportunity.

He was surprised when he realized the cactus needles in his left hand where he’d grabbed the tent pole were gone. The last time on the planet, he’d touched the plant earning the same share of needles, but they had taken a long time to work out of his palms, only leaving when his hand was plastered with the drying glue-like ooze from the drasco’s candy. He wondered if the goo he’d mixed up for Peebee’s leg had pulled the spines out. His hands felt almost numb, not from any anesthetic-like substance, but like he was wearing thick canvas gloves. His arm didn’t tingle, his fingers had stopped itching, and his head felt muzzy, even though his senses were clearing up.

Somewhere along the way, he’d discarded the stick holding the fire-roasted drasco meat. He didn’t remember if he ate the meat or gave it away. Either way, he wasn’t hungry any longer.

He finally wobbled into the hospital tent, finding Numos huddled over maps with Allie. Completely disregarding protocol, Stone leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head. Even through the stench of the blood and sweat, she still smelled sweet, more like dark chocolate than the mint from earlier. He could still catch the faint hint of mint on the breeze, but this close to Allie, she was all wet, dark chocolate.

Dropping to the ground on the edge of Allie’s blanket, he fell all the way over. His plan had been to sit, yet something quit working. He tried to sit up and gave up trying when Allie’s fingers combed through his hair. He ended up rolling onto his back, staring up at the tarp over their heads. He felt a twinge of discomfort from the bullet in his butt. It didn’t hurt much anymore, just enough to be a reminder than he needed it to get taken care of soon.

Allie asked, “How’s my little hero? You all right?”

Stone shook his head, “No, it’s nothing a nap wouldn’t help. It hasn’t been the most pleasant of mornings.”

Her fingertips rested against his forehead. “You’re burning up, Ensign.”

Stone nodded. “If I remember my basic first aid training, I must be dehydrated. I have a headache and I’ve stopped sweating. Do we have water?”

Numos nodded and handed him a filled self-purifying survival bottle. “The maps show we have a small stream about half a mile west. I have a few suited marines bouncing back and forth.”

Stone drained the water bottle and tossed it back to Numos. Stone said, “Security is your job, Major. Don’t pull too many marines off our defenses.”

Numos agreed, “Of course. We’re working to squeeze down into the center of this meadow as much as possible. People just dropped wherever they happened to be and were spread all over. If we all get in the middle, then we have a buffer zone between us and the trees, plus I can start taking marines off the defensive line for a rest as well as a few other duties. We can’t defend ourselves here from even a stampeding herd of wild rabbits, or whatever this planet has as an equivalent. We have to find somewhere else to hide until we find a way out of this mess.”

Allie caught Dr. Menendez’s eye and waved her over. “Hey, Doc. Can you take a quick look at the Governor?”

Stone tried to wave her away. “I’m fine. I just need a little rest and to get down some more water.”

Menendez shook her head. “That was lesson one at medical school. I make my own diagnoses.” She started running a scanner over Stone.

He looked across Allie at Numos. “Tell your marines getting the water to be careful. There are creatures in the water as dangerous as the things on the ground.” He looked up as Tuttle slid under the tarp. “Corporal Tuttle, would you be so kind as to find some water for Jay and Peebee?” Everyone looked at Stone in surprise as Tuttle shut off the gilley function on her suit. He looked back “What?”

Numos asked. “How did you know Tuttle was here?”

Stone shook his head in wonder, “Well, you’ve got admit her camouflage system isn’t operating in perfect condition, but she is pretty easy to recognize since she is missing her right hand.”

Menendez said, “Her right hand?”

Tuttle held up the stump of her right hand. “I’m good for now, Doc. When I do finally peel myself out of this suit, I’m going to need some serious medical attention.”

Menendez nodded, familiar with a marine suit’s trauma injury repair capabilities. She shook her scanner and banged it on the ground. “Frakking thing is defective. That is two …” Her voice faded away as she thought back. She ran the scanner over Allie and then back over Stone.

While the doctor checked her equipment, Numos said, his voice low and concerned, “Ensign Stone, I know Tuttle is missing her hand. How did you see her standing there?”

Stone shrugged and tried to bat the doctor’s hand away. “There must be something wrong with her suit. I mean, come on. You can see her outline plain as goat turds in the salad bowl.”

Numos said, “No, I can’t.”

Allie nodded. “Yes, sir. I mean, no you can’t. What the major said!”

Stone said, “Corporal Tuttle, please reset your suit to camouflage.” Tuttle shimmered and disappeared. “See there? There must be something wrong with the suit.” He pointed at Tuttle and continued pointing as she moved around the tent. “See. I mean, I will admit she is mostly gone, but there is the faint outline making her easy to spot. In fact, you must have a few suits with glitches. See out there? There’s one, there’s one, and there’s one.” He pointed at marines who should have been completely invisible.

Tuttle popped back into view. “He’s right, Major. I could pick up marines where he pointed using the enhanced vision of my faceplate.

Menendez shouted, “Crap on a crutch!” She dropped to her knees, planting one knee in the middle of Stone’s chest. Pulling out a scalpel from a pocket she jabbed it under the bandage covering his arm.

Allie started, “What the hell?”

Stone wasn’t worried. He wasn’t sure why, but a fresh mint odor wafted from the doctor. She acted more concerned than angry and she had completely missed his skin, slicing through the bandage to cut it away. With deft hands, the doctor cut the tape away from the wound. Stone would have sworn it had only been on him for an hour or so, certainly not long enough for the gash to begin healing. A thick, gnarled, lumpy, and infected-looking scar ran down his arm, but the skin had knit around the cut.

The doctor pulled a medi-pen from a pocket. She twisted a dial, jabbed the end against his arm and hit the button. “Dammit!” She wiped the medicine away from his arm. It hadn’t gone in. With practiced ease, she let up the knee pressure on his chest and flipped him onto his stomach.

He couldn’t see what she was doing, but he felt a fresh blast of cool air across his backside. He felt the medi-pen slam into his buttocks, then again, and then a third time. He rested his head on his good forearm and looked up at Allie. She looked back with bald curiosity. He winked and grinned. Whatever Menendez put in the shot made him feel better or maybe it was the water working its way through his system, easing his dehydration.

“Forceps!” Menendez shouted. A small metallic object sailed across the room over Stones’s head. He saw the doctor’s hand snake out grabbing the tool in mid-air. She twirled it by the end ring, letting the medical device sterilize itself. Before it cooled to ambient temperature, the doctor jammed the plier-like tool into the bullet hole.

Before he could howl in pain, Menendez dropped a bullet onto the ground in front of Stone. He realized if he had howled, it would not have been from to pain, but surprise. It hadn’t hurt near as much as he anticipated. He picked up the bullet, stared at it, and finally shoved it into a pocket. He wasn’t much into collecting souvenirs, but this was one he might keep.

He looked across at Numos. “Did you find us a safer place than this open meadow?”

Numos looked back, his normally calm face showing concern. “Um, yeah. I think. I mean, yes, Ensign Stone. About fifty miles east by northeast is an area of broken canyons and escarpments. I sent a fireteam led by Sergeant Li to make a visual inspection.”

Stone asked, “A fireteam is four marines?”

Numos nodded, “Yes, Ensign. Sergeant Li has been with me for a while and there aren’t any rookies on his team. They are on radio silence and should be back by dark. If they find a place we can hole up until help arrives, we can move out at first light.”

“If we get through the night, Major.”

Numos nodded, “There is that. Don’t forget, Ensign, most of us marines have been here for longer than you were trapped here. We’ve had our run-ins with the local dangers, just like you. Sergeant Li and his team have been here since the marines first landed and started building our compound. We weren’t always protected by high thick walls.”

Stone nodded, “Yes, sir. I do remember you lost people.” His eyes took that moment to begin watering and he had a sudden urge to blow his nose, although it would have been difficult with Dr. Menendez still sitting on his back, holding him down. He shook his head, trying to clear his senses. He wiped the tears leaking down his face on his uniform sleeve. “Sorry, sir. Anyway, it would probably be best if you went ahead and took command. I seem to be inconsistently incapacitated.” Just as quickly as it began, his eyes and nose cleared up.

Menendez leaped off his back with a curse. She stared at him in horror. “What the frak?” She glared at her medical scanner, then back at Stone.

Stone didn’t know what to say. Numos did. “Report, Lieutenant Senior Grade Doctor Menendez, on the health of our governor.”

“Health? How the hell do I know? I’m not even sure he’s human.”

Allie laughed. “I think the doctor needs to take a break.”

Stone said, “I still feel human.”

Numos’s voice took on a command timbre. “Clarify your report, Lieutenant.”

Menendez took a deep breath. “The gash across his arm must have been open and bleeding when it got infected.”

Stone asked, “Infected by what?”

Menendez shrugged. “Drasco blood and other assorted male drasco fluids.”

Stone said, “Well, I was under the male when it died. That’s where my arm got hurt and I got covered in drasco goo, so some blood may have gotten into the cut. I’ve been around my drascos for over a year. I’ve had their spit in my cuts and scrapes for most of that time.”

Menendez nodded, “And that may have helped pave the way for this infection. I don’t know what is happening to you, but you’re suffering from a high fever and your body is changing.”

Numos asked, “Changing? How?”

“I don’t know. The blood isn’t all he has mixed in. He may have been splattered with whatever the male spit at the female drascos.”

Allie asked, “The male spit something on Jay and Peebee?”

Stone answered, “Oops. I guess we haven’t gotten that far, sir. The male raped Jay and Peebee. They are both pregnant now. What he was spitting is the male drasco equivalent of sperm!” Stone took a moment during the ensuing silence to wonder about those implications. The only thing he could ask was, “Well, Doctor, does that mean I’m pregnant, too?”

Menendez looked at him like he was stupid. “Of course not, Ensign. You are male without the equipment to become pregnant. However, the hormones in the sperm, the blood, or the mixture of both have triggered something internally. I don’t know what or why. Frakking hell, I don’t know what was happening in your body before we came to this cursed planet.”

Numos asked. “What changes? Please be specific, what do you know?”

Menendez sighed. “Yes, sir. The most obvious change is his skin is becoming thicker and more puncture resistant. Hell, Major. It’s still human skin to the touch and look, but his arm repelled a vaccination of antibiotics. The medi-pen couldn’t penetrate. I barely penetrated his gluteus maximus and dug the bullet out before his skin toughened up beyond my ability to cut it without specialized tools. And it’s obvious his vision has changed. Dammit, he can see a gilley suited marine and we can’t.”

Stone caught a whiff of what he could only describe as burnt engine oil coming from the doctor. The odor was mixed with a little mint. He shook his head and rolled over into a seated position. He was surprised his butt didn’t hurt in the least. He wrinkled his nose, catching the odor of deep chocolate from Allie, mint from Numos and Tuttle, no, the odor was peppermint from Numos and wintergreen from Tuttle. He had never been good with smells before, now even slight differences were becoming clear. The doctor continued to blast him with waves of burnt oil, although there was a slight hint of wintergreen.

He said, “Take it easy, Doctor Menendez. I know this is strange and new for both of us, but let’s not panic.”

Menendez sputtered, “Panic? No, I—” She took a deep breath and sat on the ground with a thump. “How did you know I started to lose it?”

The burnt engine oil odor was fading and the wintergreen mint odor was growing. “It’s strange. I’m not sure I can explain it.”

Numos said, “You better try, Ensign.”

Stone nodded, “Yes, Major. First I want to restate my believe that you should be in charge.”