***
As Mike ruminated over his past life, he realized that if the Thorian had come along, while Sherry was sick, they might have been able to cure her of cancer. The thought made him angry, even though it wasn’t the alien’s fault. After all these years, he still missed his wife terribly and wanted her back. But, it was not meant to be.
The time for reminiscing was past and he knew it. He had new legs, a new eye and an alien to deal with. Although it seemed surreal, he knew this was no dream or hallucination. It was time to face the bizarre truth of his situation.
Mike put his hands on his knees and squeezed. It hurt, just a little. Still, it was the first real sensation he had felt there, since he had lost them. He had legs again. Damn.
He was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion and he began to tear up. That he had fully grown back his legs was incomprehensible, yet true. He was elated and frightened. It occurred to him that the alien could always take away his legs and his left eye, returning him to his former condition. How very cruel that would be.
When he tried to stand, he found the ache in his legs became worse, as the extreme gravity put far more weight on them than they were used to. He would have fallen, if he hadn’t obtained a good grasp on the metal table. He tried walking around the table, as he used his hands to support some of his weight. But, he just didn’t have the strength, not yet anyway.
He heard a clink of heavy metal and his head was drawn toward the sound. What had been the video screen wall slowly slid aside, revealing his first glimpse of the Thorian, in the flesh.
The alien took two steps into the room and spoke, at least Mike thought he did, because he saw the creatures mouth move and heard high and low pitched squawks. Half a second later, the speakers on Mike’s shoulders announced, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Sergeant Hurst.”
Mike looked up at the tall being and painfully stood as tall as he could, before responding. “With all due respect, I’ll withhold my feelings about you, until I hear what it is you want from me.”
The pressure on his legs was rapidly causing increased pain, so Mike sat down on the table.
The alien’s eyes watched him closely, and then they closed for a moment. The gravity that had been so difficult to deal with changed to nearly nothing, causing butterflies in Mike’s stomach.
“I’ve reduced the gravity for now, Sergeant. If you will follow me, I can offer you a more comfortable seating arrangement, while we talk.”
It surprised Mike that the Thorian turned his back on Mike. Was that a deliberate sign of trust, or was the creature deliberately tempting him? Mike had no intention of turning his back on any being, human or otherwise. Not without a great deal of operational experience to develop trust.
He had no idea as to the size of the spacecraft, in which they rode. Although the overhead was greater than one would find on a human ship, it seemed small because the passageway was surprisingly narrow. The room he was guided to was his next surprise. It had soft carpet and sky blue walls. While the soft lighting and color scheme put him at ease, he remained suspicious of the alien. He wasn’t about to be conned by this pleasant environment.
There were four tall chairs around a tall table. They looked like padded bar stools to him, but at least they had armrests. The alien said, “Please, Sergeant Hurst, sit down and get comfortable. I’ll have water and food brought, if you wish.”
Mike replied, “You’ve given me the impression you were alone. Are there more of you here?”
“No, Sergeant Hurst. This craft has a series of machines, which provide the necessary items and services to sustain biologic life forms. Thorians and Saurans are not the only creatures that this small transport can support.”
As he spoke, a panel in the table opened and a metal jug along with two cups rose to the height of the tabletop. The Thorian poured water into both cups and handed one to Mike. He took it and sipped, finding the water cool and refreshing, just like his first taste had been.
Mike said, “I see you also drink water. Is that normal for your people?”
“Yes. You’ll find that many races have a need for water. Of course, there are some who put additives in it to make it acceptable for their taste and biologic needs. I’ve heard there is one race that becomes ill from it.”
Mike took a long drink, empting his cup. He really was thirsty.
The alien told him, “The regrowth process, demands a great deal of water. I’m sure you are aware that the human body consists primarily of water. So, please help yourself to as much water as you wish. It will help you to gain strength, as the regrowth process is completed.”
“I am thirsty.” He poured himself another cup full and asked the Thorian, “Do you have a name. What should I call you?”
The creature smiled, giving Mike his first glimpse of the alien’s short white teeth. “Our people live much longer than humans. We honor our blood ancestors by carrying a full name that includes all our parent’s names, going back four generations. But, like humans, we each have an individual name, or as you would call it, a first name. My first name is Jonelle.”
Mike quickly followed, “And may I call you Jonelle?”
Again, the alien smiled. “In the brief time I’ve had to research humans and their customs, I noted that most of you have a first name, as my people do. Also, I noted that many of you use a shortened version their first name. On that basis, I would be willing to accept the name of Jo, as appropriate. And would you be offended, if I called you Mike? It would make our conversation much simpler.”
Now it was Mike’s turn to smile, as he answered, “Yes, Jo, that would be fine. Now, may I ask what you want of me?”
Jo held his hands up high, smiled and said, “I want your help in defeating the Saurans, of course. I can’t do it alone.”
Mike had been taking a sip of water and it went shooting out of his nose and he began coughing at the alien’s ridiculous statement.
After clearing his throat, Mike pointed out, “My people are untold thousands of years behind your people, or the Saurans. How in hell am I going to be any help?”
“Let me explain.”
“Please do,” Mike shot back.
“Very well. On the Mother Ship, there are machines that can do amazing things with biological beings, such as you and me. With genetic modification, your brain can be expanded to handle several times the processing power it currently has. It can also make you a good bit stronger, although I haven’t seen the research on that regarding humans, as yet. I just haven’t had the time.
“That machine can install a biologic communication device, which can exchange data like an electronic device. It will be placed at the base of your skull and other areas of your body will also have small alterations made to make you a better warrior. We would be able to talk, without these confounded speakers and, if we wished, without talking out loud.”
Mike shook his head. “Do you mean that our brains would communicate directly? Could we read each other’s thoughts?”
“Yes and no. Our minds would be able to communicate at phenomenal speeds. There will be circumstances that require rapid decisions to be made and instant communication would be essential. Especially, I suspect, in a combat environment. But one cannot gain access to another’s private thoughts. When this system was designed, intrusion into a person’s private thoughts was the inventor’s greatest fear. So, she placed a mind block that protects the users. It is the only way any of the other races would accept it.”
“So, you’ve had this done to you?”
Again, with the patient smile. “Mike, this system has been in existence for more than a thousand of your years. It is a biological device, which has been genetically implanted. That means our genetic make up has been permanently changed. We pass it on to our children. They are born with it already in place.”
The ramifications of Jo’s comment were extraordinary. “Jo, if what you’re saying is t
rue, then humans are many thousands of years behind the Saurans or the Thorians. Furthermore, I believe most humans would find the idea of an implant that affects the brain to be repugnant. The idea suggests that you would have a way to control us.”
The alien extended his hand, with the fingers pointed straight out, and flipped his hand over and back rapidly. “I can understand how you would think so. I wish I knew what to say to help you grasp the benefit of this method of communication. There is so much more to these changes than I have told you. But for now, the most important reason is to be able to comm with me and your warriors, without resorting to this slow archaic speech; although I must admit there is a joy to the leisurely pace of it.”
Mike sighed in frustration and pushed the conversation in a different direction. “So, how in the hell am I going to make a difference.”
Jo said, “Allow me to explain my plan. However, I need to provide a little more background, before I reveal it to you.”
Mike was a little angry. For many years, he had trouble tolerating people who danced around the answers he needed. Sometimes it made his blood boil. In this situation, he chose to exercise patience. He held out his hands, palm up, and said, “Please go on.”
“The Mother Ship held twenty one Saurans. They were tasked with retrieving a few thousand humans for research.”
Mike blurted out, “A few thousand for research. What gives them the right?”
Patiently, Jo replied, “In your parlance, they have the muscle and you don’t.”
The blunt truth of it was terrifying. “What do they do to us?”
“I was only here to assist them as a slave. They did their own research, in a different section of the Mother Ship, to which I had little access. I suspect they were going to test for basic strength and speed, and then a series of intelligence inquiries would be made. As far as they’re concerned, all other species are enemies and they wish to know as much about their enemy’s potential as possible.
“The Senior Pilot had made one trip to your planet already and captured eighteen humans. At the Sauran’s command, I was tasked with doing some limited research on each one; primarily regarding their genetic make up. They were very pleased to find that all humans are significantly weaker than Saurans.
“In my research, I quickly discovered all of the humans they had captured were convicts who had been taken from a criminal transportation vehicle. To their way of thinking, these humans would show the most vicious side of your people and give the Saurans a good example of human capability in combat.”
Mike interrupted, saying, “That’s actually good thinking on their part.”
“Yes, I thought so, too.”
Jo continued, “They had many humans to gather. So, after my preliminary genetic research, they stored the eighteen they had, until the captives could be fully tested at a later time. They left one Sauran on board and I was placed in a locked compartment, which was normal procedure when they didn’t need me. The others left for Earth, to gather more humans.
“On the way there, their craft had a sensor shield malfunction and it failed to deflect a small meteor. It struck the engine and sent them off course; crashing into an icy moon of the large planet you call Jupiter. As they fell to their doom, they called the Mother Ship and informed the remaining Sauran of the tragedy. In their panic, they opened the entire communication system, allowing me to hear what was being said.
“The remaining Sauran began preparing to leave the system. But, with no other Sauran to help him, he had to rely on the ship’s robots. They don’t have much computing power and most robots are designed for one specific purpose only. Therefore, they can’t function as smoothly as a sentient being. So, the Sauran needed my assistance to prepare the ship to travel. He was unaware that I knew what had happened. He had the ship’s computer unlock my room, and then called me to the operation center.
“I had no intention of attempting to take over the ship. But, as I walked the length of the ship, a plan began to form. Saurans are much more powerful than Thorians, so I certainly had no chance of besting him in direct combat. I would need to deceive him and I would need a weapon.
“There are some very powerful tools on the Mother Ship. They must be fully accounted for and handled carefully when in use. The Saurans used me for a variety of maintenance procedures; so I was given access to a few of these dangerous tools. I went by the maintenance shop and selected two items that might give me the advantage I sought.
“One was an electric torch, which was used to fuse together new power cables, which are extremely thick and heavy. Because the cables usually wore out in very narrow access conduits, the Saurans always sent me in to fix them. They hated to be confined in tight places. It is a phobia with them.
“The other item I selected, was less powerful, but just as dangerous. It was a line tester. It’s used to generate a high frequency signal through the hard wired communication lines, to verify their efficiency. Most Saurans wouldn’t consider it to be dangerous, in its normal setting. But, in my position as a maintenance slave, they had long ago given me the codes to augment the power for this tool. So, I set it to maximum.”
Jo paused and took a drink of water, as Mike gave the Thorian’s story some thought. If what he heard thus far was true, this former slave had a serious set of gonads. Mike always liked troops with big balls. They won battles. Of course, that didn’t mean that Jo should be trusted. The Earth had a long history of courageous men who were ruthlessly evil. For instance, Adolph Hitler had won the Iron Cross in World War One, yet he was one of the most brutal leaders in human history.
The alien continued. “When I entered the operation center, the Sauran slapped me, which was not uncommon. A Sauran frequently uses this method to constantly remind a slave of his position in life. I had anticipated the slap. So, when he struck me, I deliberately dropped the electric torch.
He challenged me and asked why I had it with me. I told him I assumed that there was a problem here and I remembered having weakened readings the last time I checked the cables in the operation center. So, I brought the torch, in case it was needed.
“He slapped me again and accused me of trying to sabotage the ship. I denied it, of course. I asked him if I should take the tool away. He said no and not to touch it. He bent over to pick it up and I saw my chance.
“I quickly applied the line tester to the back of his head and pressed the power on switch. His brain was boiled, which killed him instantly, and it made a terrible mess, which I still must clean up. It smelled horrible, yet I could not help releasing my joy. I cried out and said a prayer to God for his guidance. I had never heard of a Thorian besting a Sauran. I was so elated.”
Jo was looking at the ceiling and smiling, as he recalled his triumph. Mike felt the honesty of the alien’s story, but felt it prudent to withhold comment. He needed to learn more.
He asked, “Did you release the humans?”
His question pulled Jo back to the present situation. “Oh…no, I did not. They are criminals and could never be trusted. So, I left them in non-existence.”
“Jo, what do you mean by non-existence?”
“In a way, they are asleep. When you were being healed, you still existed. The criminals are in a state of…of suspension, as though their bodies were trapped in a void. Their thoughts and bodily functions have been temporarily placed on standby. Do you grasp what I am saying?”
“Yes, I think I do. We have a term that might describe it. We call it stasis. It’s a form of stagnation, or complete inactivity, without death.”
Jo displayed a grin, with his thin lips spread wide and his short peg-like teeth exposed. “Yes, stasis, that describes it exactly.”
“So why did you kidnap me?”
“Well, I gave quick thought to what I would do next. I needed help and I couldn’t send out a distress signal. That would only summon another Sauran ship. I couldn’t trust a crimina
l. So, I would need to find an honorable and trustworthy warrior on the planet Earth.”
Mike was astounded. “So, of all the people you could have chosen, out of eight billion, you picked out an old, dumb, slob who had no legs and one eye. Jo, you’re not as smart as I thought.”
Mike had blurted out the insulting comment, without thinking. He was glad to see Jo smile at him, before responding.
“Don’t underestimate me, Mike. After all, I bested a Sauran, single handed,” he said proudly.
“Staying on the ship would have been a waste of time. So, within hours of killing the Sauran, I loaded a small transport vehicle with supplies and left for the Earth.
“On the way there, I spent most of my days probing earths data systems, focusing on various military employment departments. It was confusing at first…so many different countries. But, I found that your country, America, generally had a reputation for integrity and their military had a history of remarkable success.
“I knew I had the benefit of a medical unit, which could repair humans. Previous Sauran visits to Earth, resulting in kidnappings and medical experiments had proven that. I began looking at records of wounded soldiers. They were warriors and should be happy to be repaired.
“Your Pentagon has a very weak data protection system, by the way. It was quite easy for me to access and organize the files I wished to review.
“I expected to find someone in a hospital, but then thought better of it. How could I go into such a place, without drawing a hostile response? Also, if I took someone from there, it would cause turmoil and I didn’t need that.
“I narrowed my search down to forty or fifty men. You were rather high on the list; due to all the wonderful reviews your superiors gave you. When I checked on your record at the civilian computer company, those reports were also excellent. But what made you perfect was that you owned a remote cabin and went there often. It was my good luck that you were there, when I inspected it.
“For a few days, I watched, as you left for your walk to the water, where you caught fish. When I finally decided to acquire you, I waited during the daylight period, expecting you at any minute. You were gone a long time and I was amazed at the length of time you spent at the river. Finally, as the sun began to set and darkness was nearly complete, I saw you walking up to the cabin. I was quite relieved.
“I’m sorry about the paralysis gas. It was the fastest and easiest way to subdue you. I originally thought I should speak with you first. But that was ridiculous. Once you saw me, you would either runaway, or fight. Neither of those options would solve my dilemma. So, I brought you into the small transport and put you in the med unit to begin your repair.”
Jo stopped and stared at Mike, as though he was waiting for him to say something.
Mike asked, “What are you going to do now?”
“I really can’t do anything more without your help. I want you to help me find more good humans, such as yourself. If you won’t help me, I’ll return you to your cabin. Of course, you’ll have the benefit of a two new legs and a new eye. I wouldn’t take those from you.”
Mike looked away, as he considered that possibility. Then he asked, “If I choose to go home, would I remember what has happened to me?”
“What? Oh, I see. You think I could somehow wipe your memory. There are ways to block this memory, and I would have to do just that. But, it’s against Galactic Law to completely remove all knowledge from your brain. You would be as a newborn. That’s very unethical, although I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the Saurans do it sometimes.
“Mike, if you wish to return to Earth, I will take you there. But believe me when I tell you that your planet is in danger and you can do a great service for your people, by working with me.”
“Jo, what happens to the Earth, if I don’t help you?”
“The future is unwritten. I would continue to seek another warrior and try to convince him to join me. It is my only hope, the only hope for my people and the only hope for your people, really.”
Jo sat there staring at him. It unnerved Mike. He realized that the Thorian rarely blinked. It was so unhuman. Yet, in spite of his wariness, Mike had begun to accept the alien as friendly. There was a sincerity about him that Mike liked, although he still wasn’t quite ready to put his full trust in the guy.
“Jo, if I let you make those changes in my body, would I still be me?”
“I understand your concern. Yes, you would still be the same being you are now, just enhanced. You would retain all your memories, good and bad. It would take practice to get used to the new speed of your mind and the unusual method of mind-to-mind communication.
“I must tell you that the changes would result in a much larger neck. It would look bulky by comparison to most humans. Also, your muscles would be enhanced. They would be denser and your body would be harder. You would probably possess at least three times the strength of a man your size.
“If you wish, I could have the system download the advanced combat warrior program for your muscles and brain. You would need the additional mental programming to get the best use of the upgraded power you will have been given.”
This was interesting. He would have loved to be three times more powerful, when he was in combat. What an asset that would have been?
Jo had been watching him closely and a tiny grin made its appearance at the edge of his lips. He said, “It’s tempting, isn’t it? For a while, you would feel like a God, with that sort of strength. But, other than using it in direct combat, it doesn’t solve any problems. It won’t make you smarter. It won’t make you better looking and it won’t make anyone love you.”
Mike laughed. “You’re right, of course. Still, it would have come in handy, when I was under fire.”
Jo remained silent and continued to watch Mike, as he ran the possibilities through his mind.
He still had questions. “Do these upgrades have to be on my neck?”
Jo’s eyes opened wide and he responded, “That’s an interesting question. Actually, I don’t believe so, but I’ll have to check, once we’re back on the Mother Ship. I think we may be able to put them in a combat leader shroud, within your torso.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“A combat leader shroud is a protective device that is resistant to many forms of assault. It would fit deeply inside your abdomen and behind several thin layers of protective material. I doubt that your people have discovered the substance yet. Also, that package could be adjusted to provided limited protection to the rest of your body.”
“Jo, I’m not sure what that would do for me, or to me.”
“Well, let me think for a moment, as I search for an appropriate term.”
He closed his eyes and Mike realized that he was communicating with a computer.
Jo opened his eyes and said, “Bullet proof. Your protective shroud would be bullet proof and your skin would probably provide you with substantial protection, although I couldn’t say for certain that your entire body would be bullet proof.”
Mike looked suspiciously at Jo and asked, “Why haven’t you taken the upgrade?”
He smiled and said, “I fully intend to. But, it takes a few days to recover and I was alone. Once you have been upgraded and have received the mental download regarding the Mother Ship, I’ll be free to take some time off and have it done, as well. I fear we’re both going to need it.”
“Will it affect our appearance? I mean will my skin look different?”
“I don’t believe so. The process is a combination of genetic alteration, supplemented with nanites. I believe you know what those are?”
“Yes, I think so. Is there more you can tell me about all of this?”
“Let’s see. Nanite reserves will be positioned throughout your body, in the legs, the arms, the torso and the head. If you were ever injured, they would immediately go to the damaged area and begin aiding in the re
pair, along with natural genetic material, which will begin regenerating as soon as the injury is realized. However, that doesn’t mean instant repair. But it will speed the process along and quite possibly save your life.”
“That’s a pretty attractive offer, Jo. What’s the down side?”
Jo raised his head. “Oh, you mean what’s bad about it. Well, I believe it’s very painful for a few days and it won’t work when you’re in stasis. You have to remain conscious, although you can be treated with a mild painkiller.”
Jo put his finger down on the table and emphatically told Mike, “And you have to promise to help me raise an army. Perhaps you can identify some of your old friends and we can recruit them.”
“Look Jo, I’m old as the damn hills and won’t be much good in a fight, even with the upgrades. All my buddies are as old, or older than I am. They won’t be any good to you.”
Jo straightened up, grinning from ear to ear, as he announced, “Oh, I am sorry. You don’t realize what has already begun to happen to you. You’re just beginning to recover from the regeneration process. In the next few days, as the gene therapy continues to work on you, your body will become a little younger.
“I forgot to mention that the full upgrade process would make you look and feel as you once did many years ago. You will have the body of a human approximately twenty five years of age. You’ll need the youthful vigor to survive the upgrade. So, you see, your old friends would be young like you. Truly old warriors would do us no good.”
Mike couldn’t contain the huge smile, as he mumbled, “Oh this just keeps getting better and better.”
Chapter 4