Chapter 8
Kitty was curled up on the lounge soaking up the morning sun coming through the window. She had developed a habit of this and explained that she used a lot of energy, so needed regular naps. Aidan wasn’t sure he should believe her but thought the cat theme suited her nature well. Gem and Emma were busy in the kitchen while Aidan was sitting on the front patio step. A bored Fay was standing in the yard waiting for Angel and Monica to finish another race flying around the lighthouse and back. This usually ended in a squabble, so Fay was elected to judge the winner. Angel had the speed after a while, but Monica had the tighter turn and initial acceleration. It was always close.
As Aidan watched a large shadow passed over his head and suddenly Fay was snatched from the ground and dragged into the sky as something latched onto her wings. Aidan watched helplessly as she was dragged higher and higher. It looked like another Lorene but this was a dark haired male with black armour and metallic wings. Fay was screaming as her fake wings were torn from their control arms and dropped to the ground. Suddenly the winged man was impacted by Angel at full flight and Fay fell from the sky. Monica caught her and lowered her to the ground. Once Fay was released Monica immediately jumped back into the air. Aidan ran to Fay who was rolling on the ground in agony. “That bastard broke my control arm.” She screamed. Gem emerged and quickly inspected the wound. It was badly broken. Gem said urgently “We need to straighten it and bind it. The kit will mend the bone once it is in place. Who was it?” “I don’t know.” Aidan said. It looked like a winged male Lorene.” “There are supposed to be none.” Gem replied as she looked up to see Monica and Angel trying to attack the man without getting entangled. He was wielding a sword now. “Take Fay inside.” Gem demanded. “I’ll get weapons from the shed.” Gem dissappeared as Aidan carried Fay inside. He yelled at Kitty to move waking her up. She instantly jumped from the lounge asking what happened. Aidan explained briefly “She was attacked by a winged man. He looked Lorene. Her arm thingy is broken.” Kitty swore as she ran out the door to get her weapons from the shed. Emma had stopped cutting the vegetables for the stew and was approaching to see what was going on when a foot out of came out of nowhere and slammed into her forcing her into wall roughly. A strong arm grabbed her across the chest and spun her around to face Aidan. She could feel a sword against her throat and froze instantly.
Aidan was helpless. He wasn’t a fighter and wasn’t as fast as a Lorene. The white haired woman in white armour was holding Emma hostage. She said something in Lorene, but he had no idea what. She was sweeping her hand at him like she was shooing him away and he guessed she wanted him to back away from Fay. Slowly he rose to his feet. He noticed that Emma was still holding the small knife she had been using in the kitchen. She was tucking it up against her wrist. When she saw him make eye contact she let it slide back into her hand. He could tell she was planning something from the way she looked at him and flicked her chin up. She wanted him to back up.
Slowly Aidan backed toward the front door. The woman edged closer to Fay shoving Emma forward but keeping the sword at her throat. She pulled a device from her pocket resembling a TV remote and pointed it at Fay pressing the button. Fay was still moaning in pain which seemed to bother the woman. She pressed the button repeatedly but nothing was happening. Where the hell were the girls when he needed them Aidan wondered.
Emma watched the reflection in the glass of the front window. If she slouched down a bit she could see the woman’s eyes just over her shoulder. Now the arm that had been across her chest was busy with the remote. Her captor was distracted with it and seemed agitated. Emma made her move. Quickly she raised her forearm keeping the elbow in position and stabbed over her shoulder. The sword fell as the woman staggered back screaming with the small knife protruding from her eye. Aidan dived on her and called for a rope. She was much stronger them him but was distracted by her wound. “Get a rope or something.” Aidan yelled urgently. Emma didn’t move. She was shaking and backing away slowly as she saw what she had just done. She shuddered as old memories flooded back. She remembered her own nightmare from a knife wound to the eye. Now she had done worse to someone else. Aidan swore but Fay appeared beside him to help. “Shut the hell up bitch.” She yelled as she smashed the wooden cutting board from the bench over the woman’s head. The invader fell unconscious. Fay groaned as she went back to the lounge and laid back down. The woman still had a pulse so Aidan ran over to his underneath his desk and ripped out the short extension lead. He tied the woman’s hands together as Emma still stood in the spot shaking. Now the prisoner was secure he ran to Emma and held her asking “Are you ok?” He sounded desperate with concern. She didn’t respond. He guided her to the kitchen table and sat her in a chair. Her eyes were still staring straight ahead and were wide open. She was shaking in shock, but she looked unharmed. Aidan knew he had to check on the other girls still fighting. He held Emma’s hands tight and said “I have to check on the others. I’ll be straight back ok.” Her eyes didn’t move but she gave a small nod.
Aidan ran to the front yard to see if the air battle was still taking place. The sword the man had been holding now stuck out of the grass in the middle of the yard. As he watched Angel backed away some distance and charged straight at Monica with all her speed. As she passed Monica grabbed Angel and spun her directly into the man. Sending them both tumbling. It happened too fast to dodge. They grabbed his wings and drove him head first into the ground snapping his neck.
Kitty and Gem finally appeared covered in blood and cuts. Gem was limping. Kitty’s razor glove and Gem’s sword dripped blood. Gem looked at the darkened body and dropped all the weapons she had bought. Her and Kitty both collapsed to sit on the grass. Angel and Monica crossed the yard to join them. They were exhausted too. Monica had blood dripping from one hand and Angel was rubbing her shoulder, but they seemed ok. Aidan asked Gem “Are you guys ok?” Gem nodded and explained “Two more were in the shed. I was ambushed. Kitty came. They died.”
Monica removed her wings and dropped them to the ground saying “Fighting in the air sux.” Angel pushed her saying “So does being used as a projectile.” Monica spat back “The momentum worked didn’t it?” Aidan interrupted them asking “Look, are any of you seriously hurt? I need to get back to Emma.” “Go.” Gem ordered. I will do the repairs in a moment. Then we need to figure out who they are.” She turned to Kitty saying “Can you keep watch from the roof?” Kitty nodded and Angel said “I’ll do a quick lap of the property from the air, but then I need to rest.”
Aidan rushed backed inside to check on Emma. Fay was still groaning on the lounge swearing and Emma was still sitting at the table staring into space. He fetched Emma a glass of water and gave it to her. She drank a little and said “I did a horrible thing. I was her once. I don’t know what to think.” Aidan hugged her saying “You did the right thing. You saved yourself. You probably saved me and Fay too.” “Did I?” Emma asked looking doubtful. “Did I do the right thing?” Aidan nodded and replied “Definitely. No doubt about it. You were incredible.”
Gem passed by to retrieve her repair kit from the kitchen. She looked at the unconcious Lorene on the floor and then looked at Emma. “Was Emma hurt?” Gem asked looking worried. Aidan answered “She was slammed into the wall pretty hard, but I think she’s just in shock. She’ll be ok.” Gem asked her “Do I need to check anything Emma?” Emma shook her head saying “Maybe later. Fay is hurt.” Gem nodded and starting work on Fay. She splinted the broken appendage and opened her kit to mend the bone. Once Fay quietened to rest Gem went outside to help the others. Aidan asked Emma “Do you need to lay down or anything?” Emma shook her head and answered. “I’m ok. Just need a minute. Sorry I spaced out. It was just seeing what I did to her eye. It freaked me out. Everything came back to me.” “I can understand why.” he said consoling her, “Just take your time ok and remember you did what you had to do. You did good.” He kissed her cheek and went to help Gem.
Angel r
eturned to land and lay out on the grass to rest while she delivered her report “There’s a two man pod in the trees just passed the north fence. Another one is on the beach a little to the south.” Fay slowly emerged from the front door saying “Never fear, Fay is here. I’ll hack the pods and park them with my scout craft.…..just don’t rush me ok.” Gem looked angrily at her saying “You are not supposed to move yet.” Fay smiled saying “It’s all good. It’s in a splint.” Gem stood and stomped towards her demanding “Transfer required security modules to me. You need to rest.” Fay shook her head saying “No way. I’m smaller than all of you. Not quite as fast, not quite as strong. My wings suck. Just leave me what makes me special ok.” Gem looked at her for a while and eventually appeared to soften. She muttered “You don’t need unique abilities to be special, but I understand.” She turned to Aidan and asked “Can you please watch her?” Aidan nodded and searched the pile of weapons for the machete he liked the look of. The pods weren’t far enough to be worth driving so they walked to the pods and Fay parked them under the ocean by remote. As he watched Fay he realised there was more depth to her than he first thought. Fay wasn’t just the cocky little pain he sometimes thought. She had exposed her feelings of inferiority compared to her sisters. He didn’t think he would ever look at her the same again when she acted with all the annoying bravado. Then Gem had also exposed her maturity. She treated Fay with concern and now she was looking after all of them nursing the wounded and giving orders. He was proud of them all, but needed to know who attacked and why.
When they all gathered back in the lounge room they bought the woman with the eye wound to sit in the middle of the floor. Gem had done a partial repair and assured them she would awaken soon. She wasn’t willing to do a full repair and waste resources from the kit on an enemy. The darkened biod with the wings had a snapped neck, Gem had slaughtered another wingless darkened biod and Kitty had killed the white haired male Lorene biod. This remaining woman was the only source of information they had and she wasn’t even a biod so couldn’t be hacked when she became concious. Emma asked Aidan to put the sunglasses on her so at least they didn’t have to look at what remained of the wound. She claimed it was making her feeling queezy. When the prisoner began to come to she looked around the room and said something in Lorene looking hopeless. Gem translated “She asked why we didn’t just kill her. She knows she is dead now anyway.” Aidan sat down at the table while all the Lorene girls took turns questioning the woman. At first she was reluctant and uninterested in talking much, but a few slaps from Kitty and Monica soon got her co-operation.
Aidan decided to remain quiet. He didn’t want to interfere. All he was interested in was knowing whether these Lorene girls had inadvertently put Emma’s and his lives in future danger. The risks might be worth it for him to be part of this adventure, but he wasn’t going to let anything happen to Emma. She was what mattered more than anything else. He looked at her and saw the trembling had stopped, but she was obviously still troubled by what she was forced to do. She reached for his hand as they both sat watching the interrogation.
At the end of the questioning the girls all sat back looking very concerned. Gem said to the group “I think that is all she can tell us. What do we do with her now? If she goes back she is dead. Her family will be dead no matter. We can not trust her. We can not risk setting her free.” Kitty stood behind the prisoner and suggested “Put her out of her misery.” Monica nodded saying “We should not let her suffer.” Angel shrugged saying “We could wipe her memory with Gem’s repair kit maybe. Set her free then.” Gem shook her head saying “It would be no different to killing her, but maybe.” Emma voiced her opinion saying “We can’t just kill people. It’s wrong.” Aidan agreed and added “I don’t know why she attacked yet, but I like Angel’s idea. Murder should be our final option.” Fay argued “She choose to serve the darkened queen instead of accepting an honourable fate. She rolled the dice and now she has to pay.”
The woman suddenly slumped forward with a line of bloody holes from her back. They all looked at Kitty who stood there behind the fallen prisoner saying “Argument over. I made it quick and painless. She never suffered the fear of seeing it coming. It was more mercy than she deserved.” Aidan shook his head sadly saying “You had no right. We were still discussing alternatives. Kitty snarled at him and said “What if she had killed Emma. What would you choose then?” She was right. There would be no question in his decision if Emma was harmed. He looked back to Kitty and said “I’m sorry. You are right.” The others didn’t look too upset about it. Emma rose and said “What’s done is done I guess. No point stressing over it. She whispered something to Gem who went and grabbed her repair kit. Aidan was worried and asked “Are you ok Emma? Are you hurt? Emma smiled and said “I’m fine, just a little sore from being slammed into wall. No harm checking.” “Correct. It is better to be safe.” Gem added as she led Emma into the spare room.
Aidan turned back to the others and asked, “Ok, now I need to know what dangers you girls have bought with you. Fay elected to be the spokesperson and explained
“This woman and the other Lorene male, the biod with white hair, were sent by the new city ruler who calls herself the darkened queen to capture.….well.…me. They want my interface design so they wanted to shut me down. The idiots didn’t realise a remote wont work on me, so I guess mother is keeping things from them. You see all mother’s research was destroyed when I attacked a councillor. I was her research assistant so I hold a backup.” Fay looked guilty and added defensively “But it’s not all my fault ok, so don’t go blaming me.” Aidan thought it best to hear the full story before making a rash decision. He let her continue. “The two with dark hair are generation three biods like us, but newer. They won’t come to life like us. The new queen believed the reports claiming I was alive after learning about my escape. Mother claimed she couldn’t do it any more without her research, so the queen sent them to bring me back. I have no idea how they found us. They weren’t prepared for my sisters to be activated so thought it would be easy. They were made by mother, but not with her genetics like we all have. They are based on the genetics of the darkened woman who has captured the city. She is evil and full of hate. She has been tortured by humans here for over a hundred years and become quite psychotic apparently. She attacked with a virus. Most of the people in the city were killed. Only those few who agreed to serve her still live.” Aidan leaned against the wall and asked “Ok, so who are the darkened? I thought you guys were top of the technological food chain. She must be good to wipe you out alone.”
Fay explained “A darkened is a Lorene who has been outcast. They are marked with the dark hair, humiliated and ostracised for their crimes. This woman was from a city that passed through this area of the universe over a century ago. She was captured by humans and escaped recently.” Fay looked up at Aidan and asked “You’ve seen those alien autopsy movies and stuff haven’t you?“ Aidan nodded and said “Yeah but that’s all fake isn’t it?” He thought for a while and added “Actually one of the reason I kept Gem a secret was just in case that kind of thing was done to her.” Fay nodded and said “Yes I’m sure they are fake, but the human curiosity they represent is true. Imagine the crude science all those years ago. The darkened queen was tortured for all that time in the most horrible of ways. She must be a real nut case now.” “That’s understandable.” Aidan responded before asking “So I gather she is hell bent on wiping humans out too?” Fay answered “Yes. Humans and the race that turned her into a darkened. Mother was told I am being held captive with three of my unactivated sisters. She is being forced to follow the queen’s orders, but it seems she is withholding a fair bit of info.”
Aidan asked sarcastically “You mean your mother is being forced like the dead woman on the floor here?” The Lorene girls all nodded. Kitty especially looked rather guilty now and muttered “Maybe I was a little rash. Sorry.” Aidan took a deep breath and said “Just to be clear, this darkened bitch
has your mother prisoner, took over your city killing a lot of them, wants you caught and basically everyone including humans killed.” “That about sums it up.” Fay replied. Aidan shook his head already knowing the answer to his next question. “They will keep coming for you won’t they?” he asked. The room was silent until Monica finally said “We believe so. Next time she will send more.”
Gem returned and placed a hand on Aidan’s shoulder. She leaned against him looking teary and said “We have put you in danger. We will be gone first thing tomorrow morning. We have unwittingly become a threat to you and Emma. It was not our intention and we are sorry. The decision is made.” Fay approached and stood before him as well saying “Yep, we screwed up royally sorry. To be fair though we had no idea the city would be attacked. We’ll bury the bodies, clean up our mess and be gone be gone after our last breakfast together.”
Aidan turned to Gem and said “Just let me think on it ok. Maybe we can come up with something. Even if we have to find some help. Just promise me you won’t disappear without letting me think or at least say our goodbyes ok.” Gem smiled and said “I promise. I still have things to do, especially if these bodies might carry this virus weapon. Also we have wounds to finish healing. We will be here for our goodbye breakfast.”
Aidan returned to his room to think. He didn’t want them to go, but he had Emma to worry about. We wondered what it would be like without Gem and the others being there any more. They were all a family. He didn’t want to accept it, but he had to. Emma seemed cheerful when he entered the room and flopped on the bed beside her. “Is everything ok?” he asked her. Emma replied “Doc says all is wonderful. Nothing to worry about. Just a bruised hip. So what’s going on?”
Aidan was surprised how quick Emma seemed to recover from the shock of stabbing another person. He explained the situation as far as he understood it. Emma’s opinion differed to his. “They aren’t going.” she said adamantly. “That’s all there is to it. Whatever comes we face it together. If the queen attacks the Earth with her Lorene tech and kills us all anyway, it’s no difference to dying with them at our side. If they surrender than the Earth probably still dies. There is no benefit to us for them to leave.” That was true, but it got Aidan thinking. “Oh no.” Aidan and Emma said together as they both worked out the only option left to the girls. They guessed the plan the Lorene girls hadn’t mentioned.
Aidan jumped from the bed and ran out to find the house empty. He looked out the door and saw the girls were carrying the bodies into the bushland. He breathed a sigh of relief but noticed Fay wasn’t with them. He walked around the house and finally checked the shed. He found Fay tucking two daggers into her belt and carrying a shopping bag full of food, mostly deserts. He confronted her and accused “You’re going aren’t you?” Fay leaned against the side of the old fishing ute and replied “It’s me she wants. All this is my fault. My responsibility. I’m going to rescue mother and kill the queen. I don’t need the others getting in my way.” Aidan shook his head and said “It is not your fault Fay. You are just a victim. It’s all of our responsibility. All our lives are in danger.” Fay wasn’t going to listen as she argued “It is my fault. How would I feel if something happened to you guys?” Aidan shoved her pushing her harder than he had meant to knocking her off her feet. She fell on her splinted appendage and cried out in pain. She snarled at him “It hasn’t fully healed yet you stupid bastard.” Aidan looked fierce as he growled “Shut your face and listen Fay. We all go together or not at all. Think of it logically. If you fail we will all go anyway, only without your special gifts. You’re the one who rescued three sisters. You’re the smart one. You tell me the odds. Is it better odds to go on your own or better to go with the rest of us to back you up? We are a family Fay. We need you. If we fail everybody dies. You have to go with what offers the best chance of success.” Fay sat and tried to think of a comeback. Emma suddenly approached from the shed doorway and held out a hand to help Fay up saying “Yep. I’m sure we can find room for your mother if she wants to come back too.” Fay got to her feet and glared at Aidan saying “Well I probably have to get Gem to check my injury repair again now anyway.” As she stormed from the shed she turned and asked Aidan in a gentler tone “Am I really the smart one? Do you really need me?” Aidan smiled and replied sarcastically “Maybe smart was the wrong word. You do have resources the rest of us don’t have though.” Fay poked her tongue out and began to walk away again hiding a huge grin.
Emma put her arm around Aidan and said “So we’re going to outer space aren’t we? Cool.” Aidan nodded and replied “Only if you really want. It might be too dangerous. I can’t say I fancy our chances but the Earth dies if we don’t try.” He didn’t want Emma to come, but he knew she would get her way in the end so there was no point arguing. She turned to him and said casually “By the way, I’m pregnant.” Aidan was stunned and didn’t know what to say. That was the last thing he expected to hear at the moment. Eventually he asked “Is that a good thing? We weren’t planning on that were we? I mean it’s great news, but only if it’s what you wanted.” Emma smiled and said “Not planned, but I am very happy about it. Now it’s already growing inside me I decided I’m all for it.” Aidan hugged her tight saying “I’m very happy too. I love you so much Emma.” He was truly happy, but now they were planning on risking there lives. He made a plan to ask for Gem’s help.
When they all gathered in the lounge room again for a late lunch Emma told the others her news excitedly. Gem already knew, but was glad she no longer had to keep it secret. Once all the excitement died down Aidan suggested the first stage of his plan. Time was short. Once the queen learned her team had failed the next attack would come. He wanted to rescue their mother first so she could use her knowledge of the city and the Lorene to help figure out a way to take out the darkened Queen. Perhaps she knew others that would help. They might have known a lot, but nobody had Ellan’s experience. This would just be a simple snatch and grab rescue mission. Not an all out assault. They needed Ellan to advise and make decisions on behalf of her people before seeking outside help from the government.
To his surprise there were no serious objections. Gem begged Aidan to stay, but he insisted on coming along and doing what he could. She understood and accepted his choice eventually. Gem explained that she had found traces of an anti-virus in the dead Lorene woman and replicated a small amount in each of their necks with her kit.
After that they all went and grabbed their weapons and armour of choice from the stockpile in the shed. It was much bigger now after looting their four visitors. Fay kept her twin daggers. Aidan grabbed the machete he liked and hooked it onto his belt with a knife as a backup. Emma, Gem and Angel chose a sword and a knife, while Monica grabbed a short sword and her whip. Kitty grabbed a large knife and the razor glove she was so fond of. Aidan asked her why she insisted on the cat ears as well and she replied coyly “They were a gift from you. The first gift anybody ever gave me. Besides they distract enemy. In that split second they are distracted, I can attack.” Aidan wasn’t going to argue. He suggested that flash bulbs installed might help as well. He was more concerned with Angel and Monica insisting on wearing their cumbersome wings. They simply replied they always trained with them and were used to balancing and moving with them. It was a weak excuse he thought, but hopefully they would be in and out quickly so it might not matter. If they were in the way they could always slip them off. It occurred to him that they weren’t appreciating the full gravity of the situation. They were like a group of children playing dress-ups.
They all equipped their white Lorene scout armour which had taken a good amount of modification for Aidan who only wore the top half. Even Emma looked to be having a little trouble breathing in hers. The girls with wings had needed to cut large sections from the back of theirs. When Aidan had inspected a blaster Gem recommended against it saying “They are a little slow to fire, and the damage is often not fatal. They are for knocking down
an enemy. They hit like a very hard punch, nothing more. That is why guards carry traditional swords.” Aidan test fired against a tree. It took half a second to fire and all it did was blow chips of bark from the tree. It sounded like a whip crack so it wasn’t even silent. A Lorene would have been on him by the time it fired. He decided it wasn’t as impressive as a laser gun or ray gun from the movies. He was disappointed and decided to leave it. He really wished he had some kind of a human gun now. Perhaps Fay could help organise one when they got back. For all the technology the Lorene had, they certainly didn’t have a great deal in the way of security or weaponry. Gem explained they had little to fear in space. The guards of the city defence were not even trained soldiers. They were mostly citizens taking mandatory turn to maintain peace.
Gem looked like she was hiding something and wasn’t sure if she should tell him. It looked like it was bothering her. Aidan asked her “What’s wrong Gem? You look like something is bugging you.” Gem replied “I am sorry. I tampered with your vaccine too. It has a little of our genetics. It will take days to work but now you can live as long as Emma will. We were going to ask you to do it, but I chose for you because we are heading to a possible battle. Also I was afraid you might refuse.” Aidan didn’t look impressed. He stood silent for a while and said “You should have asked. I probably would refuse. I don’t know. No point worrying about it now. It is already done and it probably was a good idea. I guess I should thank you Gem. I know you only did it out of care.” He gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek before leaving.
Gem smiled and placed her hand on her cheek. She felt like she was floating on a cloud. Her knees felt weak. Her mind was mess. She knew he loved Emma and it was just a friendly peck on the cheek, but she felt it through her entire body. She slapped herself across the face. She had to resist these thoughts, but it was getting hard. She focused on the mission and went to join the others.
They all crowded together in the front of the house for a photo as Fay called for the scout craft. It was going to be crowded, but it was only a few hours each way and one ship would attract less attention. Emma started looking drowsy and began yawning. Aidan caught her as she collapsed and carried her inside. He placed her on the bed with the apology note he had prepared.
Fay asked Gem “What’s wrong with Emma?” Gem replied “It might get rough. We can not risk the baby. Aidan’s child must stay safe, so Emma must be safe. I gave her a sedative as well as the vaccine. Aidan’s idea.” Fay shrugged saying “It shouldn’t matter. If we fail, everybody dies anyway.” Gem replied stubbornly “It is Aidan’s child. Any injury to the mother might endanger it. Emma must stay safe.” Fay scratched her head and asked “Why didn’t you put Aidan to sleep too? No offence, but he’s only a human.” Gem looked torn as she replied “I do not know. I just can not leave him behind. He is part of me. He insists on coming anyway. I have always tried to make him achieve his desires no matter what it cost me. I will protect him with my life.”