Chapter 14: Uninvited Lullaby
Yeah, so much for things going too well. Everyone steered clear of me as I made my way down to Bay 2. They could see the annoyed expression on my face, and knew better than to pester me when I was in such a mood.
My parents, on the other hand, were apparently clueless. They approached the entrance to Bay 2 from the other end of the corridor. I put up my hands and gave them the most confused stare I could muster. "What the hell are you doing down here?"
"We heard what's going on. Things aren't working out with the Oolians," my father understated. "We're here to help."
"Oh, now you want to be helpful?" I stepped past them into the large docking bay, toward the Oolian scout ship. Rydia came in behind me, wisely keeping her distance. I walked around the ship, visually inspecting it. Clean as a whistle--pristine, in top condition. Well-maintained. Typical Oolian issue.
My parents weren't ready to let it go. "Robert, we're serious."
"You are both way too old to play with me. If you want to make up for lost time, ride back to Earth and see if you can find your other son. You know, the one who betrayed his country for a quick buck."
I flipped the latch on the side of the ship to open its main door, which slid open and beckoned me inside. And my parents still persisted. "We're coming with you whether you like it or not. If you want to be successful, you'll need help."
"You know what? Fine." I walked up to the two marines guarding the ship, gave them a look that said "don't even think about questioning me on this," and snatched their assault rifles. I handed them to the couple of near-octogenerians who insisted on accompanying me. Rydia, I think, felt a little better at the prospect of bringing some cannon fodder along. Or maybe I was just projecting. "Take these. Use them carefully. I hope you two haven't lost your eyesight."
"I resent the implication," Dad said, feigning offense.
We climbed aboard the ship and I began the preflight sequence. It took a few minutes to get everything sorted, especially with my relative unfamiliarity when it came to Oolian control systems. But we managed to take off and head for the Oolian Cruiser that hovered above the Protector. In the meantime, I wondered how my parents knew so much, and how they got away from the guards I assigned to them. I suspected they knew more than they let on, but this was a bad time to press the issue.
I kept my sidearm at the ready, and so did my Comm Officer. We were past the point of avoiding lethal measures. The Oolians were holding my people. I began not to care if the Koraxians got this ship or not--getting Jenna, Sam, and Carina back mattered more. They were good people (yes, even the Doctor), and they deserved better than to die for a dubious mission in the asshole of the galaxy.
I debated whether to land in the Cruiser's main bay, where resistance would be heavy, or head for the access point closest to Jenna. Saving her didn't save the others, but she could at least help us. After a brief deliberation, I decided to go for Jenna first. The Oolians would know immediately that something was up, but five was better than four, and definitely better than the three I sent originally.
So, I flipped the ship onto its side and docked with one of the Cruiser's aftmost access points, along the ventral side of the enormous vessel. As soon as I powered down the scout craft, we all lurched hard toward the port side--the artificial gravity kicked in from the Cruiser, moving the "down" direction 90 degrees. Yeah, it beat us all up a little bit.
"A little warning would have been nice," my mother scolded.
"Sorry, I forgot that would happen. Everyone okay?"
They nodded, and we got on with our lives. I opened the side door (although it was more of a top door now) and I climbed out first. I spotted no Oolian guards, and figured they assumed they got everyone. "Jenna," I whispered.
I saw just the smallest sliver of her face peek out from behind a massive piece of engine machinery. "It's fine," I said. "I'm here."
"Robert!" she whisper-shouted. "I mean... Captain. You shouldn't be here."
"Relax. I brought the cavalry." I climbed out and helped the rest of them into the rather dim and dismal service deck. We grouped together and I tried to get some answers out of Jenna. "What happened? What went wrong?"
"We got in without a hitch. We were hunting around for an environmental control console. A security team noticed us, and... sir, the Oolians are not what we think they are."
"What do you mean?"
"I think we should get right to work if we're still doing this. They have to know you've docked. They'll send another team. If they get to us first, it's all over."
She had a point. There'd be time for explanations later. Jenna led us to the console they were using, and the environmental control screen was still up. I mentally referenced each chemical gas listed on the screen, looking for one I could unleash that existed in high enough supply and would adequately sedate the Oolians. I narrowed it down to three chemicals, the names of which really had no human equivalent. I could only trust the data I had, lacking the personal experience to make an informed decision. So, I floated my finger over the display and tapped the one in the middle.
Then it wanted to know what level of atmospheric concentration I wanted. Well, I really had no idea. Ten percent seemed like a good level to me.
Jenna swept the room with my sidearm, keeping an eye on things. The rest of them hovered around me, looking at me as if I had some clue what I was really doing. I hoped the chemical I picked and the concentration I chose would be sufficient. But really, we'd only know based on what happened next.
The computer reported that it was dumping the gas throughout the ship. "Rydia, find a console that picks up vital signs. I want to be able to monitor how the Oolians are doing."
She nodded slowly, a bit uncertain about my orders. Jenna, I think, had managed to freak her out. I'm sure she wanted to know what Jenna was going to say just as much as I did, but there wasn't time for that. So, she moved off to the left and began fiddling with each console she could find. I tried not to pay too much attention to what she did. My father followed her around, wisely guarding her.
"I hope you're almost done, sir," Jenna said. "They have to be on their way by now."
"The gas has been deployed, actually. I just want to be sure it's working, and that no one shuts it off."
"It is," Lieutenant Arnold said, peering down at another screen. "It definitely is. Most of them aren't moving--except a few on this deck. They're at the other end of the ship, but they're heading this way."
"Then stay ready." We were short a real weapon, unfortunately, so I was left with Jenna's stunner. Jenna and Rydia had sidearm pistols. My parents packed the most firepower, in their assault rifles. We formed a shoulder-to-shoulder line and waited. We had to hold the ship, make sure the Oolians went down quietly. If we had to kill a few of them, so be it.
I scanned the darkness ahead in the infrared range, and saw a pack of strange, glowing blobs approaching. Oolians always looked that way when viewed in the non-visual spectrum. I had no idea why at the time, but I entertained the possibility that it had something to do with what Jenna said. "The Oolians are not what we think they are."
"Don't shoot until I say so," I warned. "If we do this right, we can get all of them in one volley. Or at least hit most of them."
What does a dead Oolian look like? I asked myself as we waited, the sound of adrenaline-accelerated blood reverberating in my ears.
I set my stunner for a wide spray--nothing like a dispersed electromagnetic burst to screw up someone's brain function, if only for a moment. When I determined they were close enough, I fired.
Although the stunner beam was invisible, it did the trick. They stopped for a moment. "Fire!" I shouted. The rest of them opened up on the Oolians.
Rydia squeezed her eyes shut every time she pulled the trigger. She probably hadn't fired a weapon since training. Jenna, on the other hand, shot like a pro--which she was.
My parents, however, were quite the puzzle. They sprayed into the crowd of Oolians dispassionately, sweeping back and forth, methodically. Like it came naturally. I continued to stun the Oolians.
Soon, they fell. I wondered if the gas had already started to work on them, considering they never managed to get a shot off. Had we killed them for nothing?
We paused to collect ourselves after the sudden carnage. If my description of it is cold and distant, that's because it felt cold and distant to me, at the time. Maybe the gas affected me, too, but I stared down at the bodies of the Oolians, expecting to see humanoid corpses, as they'd always appeared to us. It took my eyes and brain a while to truly register what I saw, though: they looked more like giant squid. Green and silver fluids seeped from them. Tentacles were splayed out in all directions. I finally began to understand what Jenna meant.
"So, this is what Oolians really look like," I remarked. "Big-ass, beige squid."
"And you say they are Earth's allies?" my father quipped.
"Well, looks aren't everything. And I don't think they normally go down this easily. The gas..." I suddenly grew light-headed, losing my train of thought.
"What was that, Robert?" my mother asked, moving in front of me with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"
Jenna collapsed. Then Rydia hit the floor. The gas wasn't supposed to affect humans. Maybe I read the file incorrectly, I thought to myself as my body struck the cold surface below.
I could swear I heard my father mutter, "I see more of 'em coming." And then gunfire.
Yeah, so much for things going too well. Everyone steered clear of me as I made my way down to Bay 2. They could see the annoyed expression on my face, and knew better than to pester me when I was in such a mood.
My parents, on the other hand, were apparently clueless. They approached the entrance to Bay 2 from the other end of the corridor. I put up my hands and gave them the most confused stare I could muster. "What the hell are you doing down here?"
"We heard what's going on. Things aren't working out with the Oolians," my father understated. "We're here to help."
"Oh, now you want to be helpful?" I stepped past them into the large docking bay, toward the Oolian scout ship. Rydia came in behind me, wisely keeping her distance. I walked around the ship, visually inspecting it. Clean as a whistle--pristine, in top condition. Well-maintained. Typical Oolian issue.
My parents weren't ready to let it go. "Robert, we're serious."
"You are both way too old to play with me. If you want to make up for lost time, ride back to Earth and see if you can find your other son. You know, the one who betrayed his country for a quick buck."
I flipped the latch on the side of the ship to open its main door, which slid open and beckoned me inside. And my parents still persisted. "We're coming with you whether you like it or not. If you want to be successful, you'll need help."
"You know what? Fine." I walked up to the two marines guarding the ship, gave them a look that said "don't even think about questioning me on this," and snatched their assault rifles. I handed them to the couple of near-octogenerians who insisted on accompanying me. Rydia, I think, felt a little better at the prospect of bringing some cannon fodder along. Or maybe I was just projecting. "Take these. Use them carefully. I hope you two haven't lost your eyesight."
"I resent the implication," Dad said, feigning offense.
We climbed aboard the ship and I began the preflight sequence. It took a few minutes to get everything sorted, especially with my relative unfamiliarity when it came to Oolian control systems. But we managed to take off and head for the Oolian Cruiser that hovered above the Protector. In the meantime, I wondered how my parents knew so much, and how they got away from the guards I assigned to them. I suspected they knew more than they let on, but this was a bad time to press the issue.
I kept my sidearm at the ready, and so did my Comm Officer. We were past the point of avoiding lethal measures. The Oolians were holding my people. I began not to care if the Koraxians got this ship or not--getting Jenna, Sam, and Carina back mattered more. They were good people (yes, even the Doctor), and they deserved better than to die for a dubious mission in the asshole of the galaxy.
I debated whether to land in the Cruiser's main bay, where resistance would be heavy, or head for the access point closest to Jenna. Saving her didn't save the others, but she could at least help us. After a brief deliberation, I decided to go for Jenna first. The Oolians would know immediately that something was up, but five was better than four, and definitely better than the three I sent originally.
So, I flipped the ship onto its side and docked with one of the Cruiser's aftmost access points, along the ventral side of the enormous vessel. As soon as I powered down the scout craft, we all lurched hard toward the port side--the artificial gravity kicked in from the Cruiser, moving the "down" direction 90 degrees. Yeah, it beat us all up a little bit.
"A little warning would have been nice," my mother scolded.
"Sorry, I forgot that would happen. Everyone okay?"
They nodded, and we got on with our lives. I opened the side door (although it was more of a top door now) and I climbed out first. I spotted no Oolian guards, and figured they assumed they got everyone. "Jenna," I whispered.
I saw just the smallest sliver of her face peek out from behind a massive piece of engine machinery. "It's fine," I said. "I'm here."
"Robert!" she whisper-shouted. "I mean... Captain. You shouldn't be here."
"Relax. I brought the cavalry." I climbed out and helped the rest of them into the rather dim and dismal service deck. We grouped together and I tried to get some answers out of Jenna. "What happened? What went wrong?"
"We got in without a hitch. We were hunting around for an environmental control console. A security team noticed us, and... sir, the Oolians are not what we think they are."
"What do you mean?"
"I think we should get right to work if we're still doing this. They have to know you've docked. They'll send another team. If they get to us first, it's all over."
She had a point. There'd be time for explanations later. Jenna led us to the console they were using, and the environmental control screen was still up. I mentally referenced each chemical gas listed on the screen, looking for one I could unleash that existed in high enough supply and would adequately sedate the Oolians. I narrowed it down to three chemicals, the names of which really had no human equivalent. I could only trust the data I had, lacking the personal experience to make an informed decision. So, I floated my finger over the display and tapped the one in the middle.
Then it wanted to know what level of atmospheric concentration I wanted. Well, I really had no idea. Ten percent seemed like a good level to me.
Jenna swept the room with my sidearm, keeping an eye on things. The rest of them hovered around me, looking at me as if I had some clue what I was really doing. I hoped the chemical I picked and the concentration I chose would be sufficient. But really, we'd only know based on what happened next.
The computer reported that it was dumping the gas throughout the ship. "Rydia, find a console that picks up vital signs. I want to be able to monitor how the Oolians are doing."
She nodded slowly, a bit uncertain about my orders. Jenna, I think, had managed to freak her out. I'm sure she wanted to know what Jenna was going to say just as much as I did, but there wasn't time for that. So, she moved off to the left and began fiddling with each console she could find. I tried not to pay too much attention to what she did. My father followed her around, wisely guarding her.
"I hope you're almost done, sir," Jenna said. "They have to be on their way by now."
"The gas has been deployed, actually. I just want to be sure it's working, and that no one shuts it off."
"It is," Lieutenant Arnold said, peering down at another screen. "It definitely is. Most of them aren't moving--except a few on this deck. They're at the other end of the ship, but they're heading this way."
"Then stay ready." We were short a real weapon, unfortunately, so I was left with Jenna's stunner. Jenna and Rydia had sidearm pistols. My parents packed the most firepower, in their assault rifles. We formed a shoulder-to-shoulder line and waited. We had to hold the ship, make sure the Oolians went down quietly. If we had to kill a few of them, so be it.
I scanned the darkness ahead in the infrared range, and saw a pack of strange, glowing blobs approaching. Oolians always looked that way when viewed in the non-visual spectrum. I had no idea why at the time, but I entertained the possibility that it had something to do with what Jenna said. "The Oolians are not what we think they are."
"Don't shoot until I say so," I warned. "If we do this right, we can get all of them in one volley. Or at least hit most of them."
What does a dead Oolian look like? I asked myself as we waited, the sound of adrenaline-accelerated blood reverberating in my ears.
I set my stunner for a wide spray--nothing like a dispersed electromagnetic burst to screw up someone's brain function, if only for a moment. When I determined they were close enough, I fired.
Although the stunner beam was invisible, it did the trick. They stopped for a moment. "Fire!" I shouted. The rest of them opened up on the Oolians.
Rydia squeezed her eyes shut every time she pulled the trigger. She probably hadn't fired a weapon since training. Jenna, on the other hand, shot like a pro--which she was.
My parents, however, were quite the puzzle. They sprayed into the crowd of Oolians dispassionately, sweeping back and forth, methodically. Like it came naturally. I continued to stun the Oolians.
Soon, they fell. I wondered if the gas had already started to work on them, considering they never managed to get a shot off. Had we killed them for nothing?
We paused to collect ourselves after the sudden carnage. If my description of it is cold and distant, that's because it felt cold and distant to me, at the time. Maybe the gas affected me, too, but I stared down at the bodies of the Oolians, expecting to see humanoid corpses, as they'd always appeared to us. It took my eyes and brain a while to truly register what I saw, though: they looked more like giant squid. Green and silver fluids seeped from them. Tentacles were splayed out in all directions. I finally began to understand what Jenna meant.
"So, this is what Oolians really look like," I remarked. "Big-ass, beige squid."
"And you say they are Earth's allies?" my father quipped.
"Well, looks aren't everything. And I don't think they normally go down this easily. The gas..." I suddenly grew light-headed, losing my train of thought.
"What was that, Robert?" my mother asked, moving in front of me with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"
Jenna collapsed. Then Rydia hit the floor. The gas wasn't supposed to affect humans. Maybe I read the file incorrectly, I thought to myself as my body struck the cold surface below.
I could swear I heard my father mutter, "I see more of 'em coming." And then gunfire.
