She felt the trigger of the rifle, then hefted it and held it up for practice. She knew she could use it if she had to.
The radiation readings were high and still climbing. Earlier, the alarms went off and she had to reset the sensors. Bonner had calculated that at the rate of increase everything on Mia Culpa would begin to cook in less than twenty-four hours. The shields built into the hull of the Magellan could only deflect the gamma rays for so long before the radiation would accumulate. At a certain point, the ceramic lining would saturate and the Magellan would literally begin to glow.
A shadow passed over the port. It happened so quickly, Nadine wasn't sure if she'd really seen it. She stared at the window and a chill passed through her. Perhaps she hadn't seen anything, perhaps her paranoia was getting the best of her. In any case, for the fourth time she checked her weapon to make sure a round was in the firing chamber. Then, quietly and slowly, she removed the straps that secured her to the chair.
Free from her restraints, she floated, all the while never taking her eyes from the small window in the center of the sealed hatch.
She pulled herself to a position relative to the hatch, taking care not to expose herself to the window. Holding the rifle close to her body, she edged to the port. From her position, she could see the right-hand bulkhead outside the hatch and nothing else.
Nadine took a deep breath to calm herself and then looked up the passage. It was there. It was her first look at one of the aliens and surprisingly, the sight didn't shock her. Had it acted in a threatening manner, she would have felt differently, but it stood motionless several feet away from the other side of the door as if the sealed hatch created a barrier that could not be breached.
They stood like that for some time, motionless, face to face, with nothing but an inch of carbosteel between them. Finally, with a sudden flick of its front leg, the creature slapped at the thick glass port.
Nadine half-fell, half-jumped backwards and aimed the rifle at the closed hatch. "It can't get in, it can't get in," she repeated to herself. The creature slammed its metallic foreleg into the door with a resounding crash. A silent second passed followed by another assault on the door. The hatch resisted the blows.
For an instant, Nadine thought about opening all the hatches, except for the one between her and the alien, and then opening the airlock doors. If she did, the damage to the ship would be substantial. Non replaceable instruments and computer components would malfunction in the extreme temperatures and vacuum. It wasn't a realistic alternative and Nadine knew it. Besides, as long as the door held, she didn't have too much to worry about.
A full minute passed in silence. She pushed herself against a console that faced the hatch and waited. It's gone away, she thought, it couldn't get in, so it's gone away. A moment later she knew she was wrong.
The first sign was the heat that came from the door. Shortly thereafter, a red spot appeared where the locking mechanism was concealed. As it widened, the spot turned yellow, then white. With mounting alarm, Nadine realized the creature was burning through the door.
In full panic, she searched for an escape route, but she already knew there was only one way in and out.
Smoke from the burning metal filled the bridge. Nadine cowered at the base of the console and pointed her weapon at the remains of the hatch.
It didn't come through immediately. Instead, it waited until the melted edges of the door lost its red color. When it did step through, its pointed legs magnetically adhered to the deck.
Nadine waited no longer. Fully expecting a jarring kick from the weapon, she pulled on the trigger of the rifle. It didn't fire. The creature took another step toward her. She looked at the rifle and realized the safety was still on. With her thumb, she pushed it up until it clicked into the firing position.
This time when she pressed the trigger, a half-dozen shots sprang from the barrel, carving an indiscriminate path from left to right, destroying equipment and ineffectively bouncing off the alien's rugged battlesuit. She didn't wait to survey the damage. She pressed the trigger down and the rifle, still in the full automatic mode, seemed to take a life of its own, spraying lead projectiles in the general area of the creature. It pushed her against the console and she nearly shot off her own foot.
Bullets ricocheted and tore through the equipment. Just inside the door, the alien stood unflinching in the line of fire. Nadine fired until the magazine was empty and still she uselessly continued to press the trigger, but the weapon had spent its ammunition.
An electrical fire flickered at the engineer's console where Bonner had spent the better part of the mission. Smoke now filled the air and Nadine coughed. As she had seen others do in the videos, she gripped the rifle by the barrel in order to use the bigger end as a club, but the barrel was too hot and she released it. The alien took a step forward and batted the rifle away. It careened into an instrument panel, clattering away into the smoke.
As the creature loomed over Nadine, the fire raged out of control.
Chapter 44
The sensors aboard the alien ship tracked the Magellan as it gained speed and headed for the wormhole. The instruments provided an excellent view of the craft as it broke out of orbit.
Harry stared at the picture and clenched his fists. "They did it. They left us here."
"What did you expect? Radiation is reaching critical levels. They probably think we're all dead."
"You seem awfully calm about it."
Blane shrugged without comment.
"Why don't you radio them? Let them know we're all right?"
"I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why? You can do it, can't you?"
"Well, yes, it's just that..." Blane paused, struggling with his words.
"It's just what? Get on the radio and contact the Magellan. Tell them we're alive!"
A voice came from an open hatch, distracting both Harry and Blane. "Belay that." Fagen stood in the open doorway looking shaky, but alive.
"You're all right!" Harry said. "You're..."
"Alive?" Fagen suggested.
Harry nodded. Fagen stepped into the control room and Kathleen followed. Harry could see the bloodstained hole in Fagen's coveralls where he'd been wounded.
"Are you all right?"
"Never better," replied Fagen.
"I thought you were dead."
Fagen chuckled. "I was. Got a new lease on life, thanks to the alien technology." He unzipped the top of his coverall and showed Harry where the wound had been. A slight reddening marked the spot.
"Complete regeneration. Quite remarkable, don't you think?"
Harry was speechless.
Kathleen stared at the viewscreen until she realized what was being displayed. "Say, that's the Magellan."
"Right you are, Kath," replied Blane.
"What are they doing?"
"Looks like they're headed back to the wormhole."
Kathleen stared at Blane while the truth sunk in. "Back to the wormhole? What about us?"
"Well," explained Blane, "we won't be..."
Their attention was drawn to the screen as the Magellan disappeared inside a sudden explosive ball of light and fire. Wordlessly, they watched as the ship disintegrated.
Harry shook his head in disbelief. "No," he whispered. Kathleen stood next to him and hid her eyes in his chest.
Fagen looked at Blane. "Any sensor data on this?" He pointed at the rapidly disappearing cloud of dust and debris.
"Lots," replied Blane.
"Do we know what happened?"
"Looks like a systems control malfunction. Too much fuel burning too fast. The drive system couldn't handle it."
"I wonder what caused it."
"It's anybody's guess."
Kathleen held onto Harry. "What difference does it make? They're all dead. And now we're stranded."
Blane and Fagen exchanged a glance, but said nothing.
Harry asked about radiation levels.
Blane consult
ed with the computer. "Still climbing. It's just a matter of hours before everything is cooked."
Reacting from a sudden rush of anger, Harry faced Fagen. "Is this where all your secret plans have led us? Is this what you had in mind? Are you finally satisfied?"
"Take it easy, Harry," said Blane.
"No, I'm not going to take it easy. We trusted Fagen and now what have we got to show for it? Hell, I don't even know why I have to die." All Harry's frustration finally came rushing out. There was no reason to hold it back any longer. He stepped away from Kathleen and put himself in front of Fagen.
Harry pointed a finger at the mission commander's chest. "This is your fault. Whatever you had in mind doesn't matter anymore. I'm sick of it. None of us came here to die. Nobody had to die." In his anger, Harry jabbed Fagen in the chest.
Fagen didn't react. Blane grabbed Harry by one arm. "Take it easy, Harry..."
Without taking his eyes from Fagen, Harry jerked his arm free. "I trusted you, we all trusted you. Where did it get us?"
Fagen shrugged and finally spoke. "You don't know what you're talking about, Harry."
"Oh yeah? I know that in a few hours this ship will turn into a microwave oven. Whatever happens, it's your fault." He punctuated his words by again poking Fagen in the chest.
Grown tired of the chastisement, Fagen slapped Harry's hand away. In response, Harry threw a left, hitting Fagen squarely against the side of the head. Fagen went down from the force of the blow but scrambled back to his feet.
"Harry, don't!" Kathleen screamed.
Harry started to swing his fist a second time, but Fagen beat him to the attack, landing a boot in the younger man's chest. Harry staggered backward and regained his balance. Fagen didn't pursue him, but he didn't back away either. He held up a hand.
"This won't get us anywhere."
"What does it matter?" Harry retorted. "We're not going anywhere anyway." He feinted with his left hand again and made Fagen duck. Instead of following through, Harry threw a straight right that landed high on Fagen's forehead. Fagen blinked his eyes once, then threw two punches of his own. Harry avoided the first, but the second one caught him in the solar plexus and drove the air from his lungs.
He bent at the waist, gasping for breath and saw Fagen moving toward him. Harry barely managed to avoid a knee aimed at his face. When Fagen missed, Harry grabbed him behind the knee and forced Fagen backwards, hopping on one foot, until he lost his balance and fell to the floor.
Moving quickly, Harry jumped atop the commander and raised a fist. Before he could deliver the blow, a beam of blue light streamed from a globe on the ceiling and focused on the back of his head. In the next instant, Harry slumped to the floor.
Kathleen rushed to Harry's aid. Fagen stood up and looked at Blane. "Thanks," he said. "You're getting a good feel for the controls."
"It's not me so much. All I have to do is tell her what I want." Blane motioned toward the control console.
"You killed him!" shouted Kathleen.
"He's all right, Kath. He's just been knocked out for awhile."
"He didn't deserve this."
"Maybe not, but he lost his head."
"What do you expect? You and Bart keeping secrets from the rest of us, the rest of the crew dead, the Magellan destroyed..."
"Everything hasn't gone according to plan, I'll admit that, but we're still alive..."
"From the looks of things, not for long. I hate you both." Kathleen turned away and cradled Harry's head in her arms.
With a sigh, Fagen faced Blane. "Has the computer completed our quarters yet?"
"I wish you wouldn't refer to her as a computer, Edward."
"Sorry."
"Yes, the quarters are ready."
"Good. Let's get Harry situated."
*
A short time later, Harry awoke with a headache. Kathleen was still at his side.
"How do you feel?"
"Not so hot actually. What happened?"
"You picked a fight with Fagen."
"I don't remember."
"Maybe that's for the best."
He looked around the compartment. It was larger than his digs aboard the Magellan and furnished more extravagantly. The bed was larger and more comfortable, he noted. A desk next to the bed held a control panel similar to the designs he'd seen on the bridge. Light came from the walls. In one place, the now familiar line of a seam marked the exit.
"Where am I?"
"Apparently, the ship has constructed quarters for us. It's a shame we won't get to enjoy it for long."
"What are Blane and Fagen doing?"
"I don't know. Fagen helped me carry you here. When he left he told me to relax for awhile. Can you believe that?"
"How much time do we have?"
"Not much. An hour, an hour and a half, maybe."
Harry rubbed his eyes with his hands. "Then there's nothing left to do but wait."
Silence fell over the two. Finally, Kathleen spoke up, "I can think of one thing left to do."
"What?"
Kathleen smiled.
"You mean...?"
"Why not? Can you think of a better way to spend your last hours?" Even though their situation was dire, Harry found he was willing, even eager to be distracted.
*
While Harry and Kathleen spent their remaining time together, they were unaware of the alien shuttle dropping out of the hanger bay and streaking down to the planet's surface. Had Harry known, it wouldn't have made any difference about how he felt. Whatever Fagen and Blane did, there was nothing they could do to prevent the imminent nova. As far as Harry knew, their only chance had disintegrated along with the Magellan.
The shuttle dropped to the planet's surface, landing a short distance from the cave of the Bedoran tribe. A lone figure emerged and was met with suspicion as he approached the encampment. He couldn't communicate but he held his hands away from his body to show he had no weapons.
The Bedorans shielded their eyes from the burning sun as they stood in a tight group at the mouth of the cave and nervously watched the stranger come closer. Arai and Kretin, both parched from lack of water, stood in front. They were too weak to defend themselves, but if needed, they would die trying.
Behind the stranger, the craft once again began to emit a high-pitched whine. As it lifted from the ground, the hot exhaust washed over them all, adding a few more degrees to the life-threatening heat. One hundred feet in the air, it hovered as if it waited for a signal from the man.
Fagen unstrapped a bag he carried and removed a cap from a nozzle. Holding the bag aloft, he allowed a stream of water to fall into his open mouth. He took a drink and offered the bag to Kretin.
The Bedorans watched with anticipation, their thirst overcoming their fear. Kretin snatched the bag from Fagen's hands and tasted the water carefully before turning it up and taking a mouthful. Keeping an eye on Fagen, he handed the bag behind where it was passed around until it was empty.
All the while, Fagen stood and watched. When the bag was returned, he took a step backward and, in a deliberate movement, raised one hand aloft. A wide arc of light sprang from the hovering shuttle and trapped the group within its diameter. None of the Bedorans was spared from the paralyzing effects of the beam. Before anyone had the chance to shout a warning, they stood transfixed, muscles rigid and twitching.
To their amazement, each began to rise into the air as the light pulled them toward the craft. As Kretin was lifted yet higher, he saw an opening on the underside of the flying thing. It widened further still until it was big enough to suck in all the remaining members of the Bedoran tribe. Kretin's last thought before the darkness fell over him was that this thing was eating him and everyone else in one huge bite.
Afterwards, the shuttle came close to the ground for a few, brief moments, just long enough for Fagen to run to an open hatch and climb inside. As soon as the hatch sealed, the shuttle jumped into the sky and streaked back to the waiting mothership.
&n
bsp; Chapter 45
The hatch slid open and Fagen stepped into the control room. Blane eyed the commander.
"How'd it go?"
"Smooth," said Fagen. "No problems. Our guests are safely tucked away in stasis. How's our nova cooking up?"
"All the numbers are up. We're running out of time. It's time to bug out."
"All right. Are the coordinates laid in?"
"All taken care of."
"Will the ship operate without... problems?"
"You don't have to worry about it, Edward. She's happy with the turn of events. She was a slave, now she feels like a partner."
"I hope you're right."
"I've never been more right."
"Okay. Let's initiate movement. Get us out of orbit, then we'll see how the light-drive works."
Blane closed his eyes. He said nothing and he made no moves toward the control panel, but Fagen knew the wirehead sent commands to the computer via his implants. Inside, there was no indication of movement but the viewscreen confirmed they were indeed moving out of orbit, away from Mia Culpa.
"Heard from Harry or Kathleen?" asked Fagen.
"Not since they holed up in his quarters."
Fagen looked at the viewscreen. Mia Culpa rapidly grew smaller as the ship picked up speed prior to entering warp-space.
"I'll bet they'd like to know what's going on."
"How much do you want to tell them?"
"Everything."
Blane raised an eyebrow. "Everything?"
"They deserve to know. Without their help, we probably wouldn't have made it."
"What about Harry? Aren't you afraid he might lose his head again?"
"No. He's a smart guy. He'll come around if he knows what's going on." Fagen rubbed the bruise on his forehead.
"Can we trust him afterwards?"
"I don't know, but it doesn't really matter, does it?
"As far as I can see, no."
"Call his quarters then. Ask them if they'd like to watch the first faster than light hop accomplished by humans."
*
Harry was almost asleep. Kathleen lay beside him, an arm splayed across his chest. He smelled her hair and thought it might be better if she was asleep when the end came. That way, she would be spared the terror of being cooked alive. But he wanted to be awake, he didn't want to spend the last minutes of his life sleeping. Besides, it felt so good to lie beside her and watch her sleep. It was too bad things between them had started so late.