Scrapyard Ship 3 Space Vengeance (2 page)

“
Um, yeah, good thing.”

* * *

What remained of the Caldurian vessel, the forward two-thirds of the ship, now sat one mile below the Chihuahuan Desert in a cavern adjacent to the one in which The Lilly was currently situated. Jason had earlier recalled that there was that second, smaller cavern close by to the first one, but he wasn’t completely sure it would be large enough to hold the newly-disabled alien vessel. Apparently it was.

The Pacesetter sat next to the Caldurian shuttle on the now somewhat cramped Lilly flight deck. Ricket had one priority and one priority only—to find a solution that would prevent their nano-tech from self-destructing. Later, if there was a later, he could start retrofitting The Lilly with any and all new technology that could be scavenged from the younger ship. Especially the phase-shift components, which would allow phase-shifts to significantly farther distances.

* * *

Jason was not prepared for the deterioration of The Lilly crew’s health. Apparently, the nano-tech issues in their heads were cumulative, and with that, painful headaches and nausea were the result. He waited while Nan was in the head, brushing her teeth. He’d decided to check in on her and Mollie as soon as he’d returned from space. The overhead lights had been dimmed and Mollie was in bed with a cold compress on her forehead. Jason stood in her doorway watching her sleep.

“
What are you doing?”

“
You’re awake?”

“
Dad, I can’t sleep with my head hurting, and I feel like barfing.”

“
I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. And I know it’s not fair that a little girl should have to go through this—”

“
I’m not really a little girl anymore, Dad.”

“
You’ll always be my little girl, even when you’re ninety years old,” Jason said with a smile.

Nan joined Jason at his side. She’d touched up her makeup since he’d first arrived several minutes earlier.

“
Any progress?” she asked.

“
Ricket’s working on it. But not really.”

“
How often are we going to put Mollie in jeopardy like this? I mean, what little girl goes through this kind of bullshit?”

“
You said a bad word, Mom,” came Mollie’s soft voice.

“
Sorry, honey. I thought you were asleep,” Nan said, frustrated.

Then Nan put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, God.” She turned and ran for her bathroom.

* * *

The XO was waiting in the corridor for Jason as he left Nan’s quarters.

“
Captain. We have a visitor.”

Jason still hadn’t gotten used to Lieutenant Commander Perkins’ altered Caldurian appearance, and he hesitated before replying.

“
What do you mean? Here, a mile underground?”

“
Looks to be one of the indigenous tribesman, sir.”

“
Where is he? What’s he doing?”

“
Nothing. I mean, he’s just standing there at the bow watching us. To be honest, it’s kinda creepy.”

The first thing Jason noticed as they entered the bridge was the watch crew’s inactivity. All eyes were on the overhead display and the solitary figure standing motionless. He was tall, wrapped in what appeared to be animal skins, and holding some kind of long wooden staff.

“
Sensors have been picking up the close proximity of life forms for some time now. When we flipped on the running lights we noticed this guy directly in front of The Lilly,” Perkins said.

“
Lilly, zoom in on his face,” Jason commanded the AI.

The tribesman’s face filled the forward segment of the display. Similar in looks to Perkins, the tribesman was evidently a Caldurian too. As if knowing he was being watched, he slowly lowered his thick fur hood and smiled. With his free hand he pointed a long finger, then waved in a gesture to come out.

“
What’s he doing?” Perkins asked.

“
Looks like he wants to talk to us. Suit up, XO, we’re going out there.”

Perkins, who had yet to go on a mission away, didn’t respond at first.

“
Hello? Battle suit … XO? I imagine the pressure out there is quite a bit more than we’re used to.”

Seemingly nervous, Perkins was already scurrying out of the bridge.

“
Aye, Captain. I’ll, um, I’ll get ready.”

The XO nearly tripped over Ricket on his way out.

The cyborg drew Jason’s attention; he looked worn out. “You look terrible, Ricket,” Jason said. “No doubt what you’re doing up on 4B is crucial, but you need to pace yourself. You don’t want to end up like Dolan, do you? Go ahead and suit up. Let’s take a few minutes and meet with this guy.”

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

With the forward gangway deployed, Jason, Ricket and Perkins made their way toward the bow of the ship. Jason’s head was throbbing and, more than once, he felt like he might be sick into his helmet. He also felt that carrying on a conversation with this indigenous underground tribesman would be an act in futility. First, he would have to apologize for parking two space vessels in what well could be sacred caverns. And how could he even explain what a space vessel was? Would Ricket be familiar with the ancient language and dialect needed to speak with this tribesman? The thought of having to carry on a conversation through elaborate hand gestures made his aching head throb even more.

The tall tribesman calmly watched as the three Lilly crewmembers approached.

This guy’s smiling again, Jason thought.

The tribesman spoke: “Welcome.” His smile broadened and he raised his bushy eyebrows as if he’d contemplated their surprise.

Jason and the two others hesitated in their tracks.

“
Thank you. I’m Captain Reynolds, this is Ricket, and this is Lieutenant Commander Perkins.”

The tribesman looked at each of them, but spent a few additional moments inspecting Perkins.

“
Now, aren’t you an interesting looking one?” he said, stepping in closer to look into Perkins’ visor.

“
It’s a long story,” Jason said flatly. “Excuse my abruptness, but who are you? I take it you’re not an indigenous tribesman living here, a mile into the Earth’s crust?”

“
Please, call me Granger. Phonetically, that’s about as close as you’ll be able to come to the actual pronunciation of my name.”

“
So, who are you, Granger, and what exactly are you doing here?” Jason asked, regretting how his bluntness must sound to the alien.

“
Well, I guess you could say I’m here for you, Jason. I’m what you’d call your welcoming party.”

Jason didn’t reply, just waited for him to continue.

“
As you may have assumed, I am what you would call a Caldurian. These vessels of yours are both products of Caldurian ingenuity.”

Jason, head still throbbing, and normally more amicable to this kind of chitchat, was feeling anything but normal. He took in Granger’s appearance, his furs and long wooden staff. Jason guessed he was around fifty, but in truth he could be a little younger or older. What distinguished him from the other Caldurians he’d seen, such as the bodies found on the Crystal City, or even Perkins, was a full head of salt and pepper hair and striking blue eyes. Two characteristics he hadn’t seen before in a Caldurian.

“
May I call you Jason?”

“
That’s fine. I have questions that need answering and I have no idea if you are the right person to ask. Why I’m standing here, a mile deep into the Earth’s crust, and talking to an alien who seems to speak English better than I do is the first one that comes to mind.”

Granger didn’t answer right away, seeming to weigh his response before speaking. His eyes held on to Ricket. “My people have survived for hundreds of thousands of years. As with humanity, our civilizations have come and gone numerous times. The things I will be discussing with you may be difficult to comprehend.”

“
I’ll do my best to keep up,” Jason said sardonically.

“
You wish to help your crew, and your family, survive the impending destruction of your internal nano-devices. You want to see your daughter live longer than fourteen more days. Perhaps it’s best to put sarcasm aside, yes?”

Jason bristled, speechless that this strange being already knew all about him, as well as their predicament.

“
Let me start by saying something you will undoubtedly not want to hear. Within the next fourteen days you, your crew, and even your daughter will all cease to exist.”

“
You’re telling me we’re all going to die? There’s no way to reconfigure the devices—”

“
No.”

“
But one of the Craing officers—”

Granger was already shaking his head. “A short reprieve. The counter on his neuro-based nano technology has merely been extended for several days. He too faces the same inevitable end.”

Ricket, moving his weight from one foot to another, seemed agitated. “You aren’t simply here to relay this dire prognosis. Did you give this same information to inhabitants of the Crystal City?”

“
Yes.”

“
Well, whoever you are, thanks for … the information,” Jason said and turned—already heading back to the ship—when Granger replied: “Jason, I want to show you something. I want to show all three of you something.”

Jason started to turn away, ready to let Granger go back to where he’d come from, but the look on the Caldurian’s face was not what he’d expected. There it was again, that same damn smile. What the hell.

“
Now? You want us to do what, follow you?” Jason asked.

“
If you would indulge me, I think you will find it worthwhile to do so.”

Granger headed in the direction of the commandeered Caldurian vessel hull. They maneuvered in between several natural rock columns and crossed over into the smaller cavern. For the first time, Jason had the opportunity to inspect its colorful wall murals up close. They were beautiful. Nothing like the ancient monotone cave drawings of early man, or those of the Neanderthals. These drawings were akin to colorful Egyptian murals. The figures depicted here were clearly Caldurian, with their angular heads, shorter torsos, longer limbs, and extended tapered fingers. Jason caught up to Granger.

“
So, is Earth your, the Caldurian, home world?”

Granger turned and looked up at the painted walls. “These murals were made recently. Within the last fifteen thousand years. Caldurians have existed for hundreds of thousands of years. I, myself, am well over two thousand years old. What you’re seeing here is the work of primitive relatives, an offshoot of our people, who did not embrace technological advancement. They’re still around, underground. We leave them alone and, for the most part, they leave us alone.” They skirted the disabled Caldurian ship situated in the middle of the second cavern and ascended the rock-carved stairs where the area dimension slightly narrowed. Ricket was slow to bring up the rear, stopping periodically to inspect this or that—usually a rock, or something else he found interesting.

They followed a dirt pathway that snaked between immense boulders. Only the light generated from their helmets illuminated their way and faintly silhouetted Granger’s footfalls up ahead. Jason wondered how Granger could navigate through the darkness, moving over the rough terrain with more agility than seemed possible. They walked in silence for twenty minutes before the path veered off to the right, though Granger abruptly turned left and climbed down onto a rocky plateau of sorts. They were within another cavern, one much smaller than the others. Above their heads was nothing but vast open space—space that was swallowed up by utter, and complete, darkness.

Granger waited for the others to catch up before moving on. He took three quick steps and stopped inches from a solid rock wall. He placed a hand on a rocky protrusion about the size of a softball and slid it sideways to expose a familiar-looking virtual keypad. Ricket wedged himself in front of Jason’s and Perkins’ legs to get a better look at what the Caldurian was doing. Granger’s long fingers flew over the keys until there were two audible beeps. A glowing green frame, approximately ten feet wide and just as high, outlined a now visible portal window—similar to the portals found within The Lilly’s Zoo, or the ones on the planet Halimar. Jason took in a rapid breath. What they saw through the portal window was so unexpected that no one spoke for several moments.