Part 16 (1/2)

”Is there a Federate port or friendly planet in the system where we can land for repairs?” Lanmer asked.

Fahlew scanned the map in front of him before shaking his head. ”No charted planets, no.”

”Seventy-five percent and falling.”

”This looks promising.” Fahlew pointed to a spot on the chart. ”There's a system within range if we have enough power for one jump. There,” he tapped the dot on the display with his finger. ”Third planet from the system's star. It's an oblate spheroid, consists mainly of iron, oxygen, and silicon. The atmosphere is a little too nitrogen rich for our liking but we should be able to breath. Surface temperature is also acceptable.”

”Fifty-five percent and falling.”

”Artemis,” said the commander. ”Execute stage seven jump on my mark. Coordinates locked and confirmed.”

”FTL engine spooled and online, Mr. Fahlew. Awaiting your command.”

Fahlew looked over to Maylew in the chair next to him and then over his shoulder at Lanmer. ”Artemis. Make the jump.”

The s.h.i.+p lurched and the display of the s.p.a.ce in front of the s.h.i.+p melted into a blur of s.h.i.+fted stars and solar dust. They barely had time to catch their breath before the Artemis ripped out of hypers.p.a.ce to reveal a bright blue planet filling the entire view of the bridge's display. A new round of warning lights and alarms filled the cabin.

”Particle engine under five percent. Initiating controlled shutdown of s.h.i.+p's power,” Artemis reported.

”Strap in and put on that emergency flight helmet, Maylew.” Fahlew commanded. ”Lanmer, try to hold on to something. We will be coming in very hard and fast.” He put on his own helmet and prepared to perform a crash landing on the planet below.

It slowly crept from its hiding place in the dark recesses of the s.h.i.+p after patiently waiting. Since the crash, the vessel had been dark and silent. It stood in the doorway and deeply sniffed the still air in the corridor. All it detected were the signatures of the recent kills, no live prey. This was disappointing of course, but the bounty from the hunt was plentiful and the creatures that held it captive were no longer a danger.

The pa.s.sageway was pitch black but it was of no matter. By the end of the day, it had gathered all the kills by scent alone and stacked them neatly in the engine room where it was still warm. Now that the work was done, it located its first victim and separated it from the rest of the prey.

Unlike the others, this one was intact and still alive, although unconscious. The prey's breaths were shallow, uneven, and smelled of death which was quickly approaching. It turned its attention to the wound in the prey's abdomen and carefully sliced it open with its barb. The victim lurched and moaned before falling silent.

It searched the body cavity of the victim with its tongue, rooting and searching though the intestines and tissue before finding the tiny egg sack. It swallowed it, savoring the rich protein-filled treat. Now that the imminent danger had pa.s.sed, the implanted host was no longer needed. If the eggs were left to gestate, it would soon have several compet.i.tors for the limited meat supply aboard the s.h.i.+p. That would be against its own self-interest of survival.

It breathed deeply, taking in the delicious odor of its kills. They would provide sustenance while it waited. Waited in the dark and the cold. Waited to hunt again for living flesh. Its belly full and energy waning, it found a suitable place close to the still-warm reactor core, curled up in a ball, and slept.

One.

Dr. Jake Wilson placed the ultrasound transducer on the tray next to Howard and ran his fingers through his hair. ”Okay, did everybody else see what I just saw or am I finally losing it?” He turned to the others in the room.

Dave continued to stare, slackjawed, at the tiny monitor of the ultrasound machine. Emily stood slightly behind Minnie, clutching the woman's leg and staring at Howard with wide eyes. Ann of all people, was the first to speak.

”Why does this guy have tadpoles swimming around in his gut?” She looked to Emily as if she had the answers.

Wilson shook his head. ”I don't know about tadpoles but they sure look like some sort of larvae or something.”

”But how?” Dave asked. ”I know he said he was lost in the jungle for a while, but...”

”Yeah, I wish I knew.” Wilson leaned over and inspected the scar on Howard's abdomen again. ”My only guess is it has to have something to do with this incision. Those...things are pretty close to it.”

Howard moaned and his left hand reached out. Minnie grabbed it and stroked his hair. He fell silent again.

”What I do know,” Wilson continued, ”is the human body is not designed to haul around eggs. Not only is it causing him a lot of pain, but a.s.suming these things keep growing they're going to run out of room. G.o.d knew what he was doing when he arranged our organs and there isn't much extra room for pa.s.sengers in there.”

”All right then, you have to take 'em out. Right?” Dave asked.

”Take them out? What, like surgery?”

Dave nodded.

Wilson grimaced and looked Dave in the eye. ”I'd probably end up killing the poor guy. I'm not a surgical intern, we don't have an anesthesiologist, no nurses or surgical techs to help me. Do you want me to go on?”

”But you're still a doctor and his best hope,” Minnie interrupted. ”Did you see all de people outside? If we don't get help, if we're all dat's left, you're probably de only doctor 'round.”

”She's right, Jake.” Dave put his hand on his shoulder. ”You're going have to learn a lot of stuff on the fly now. It's only a matter of time before somebody out there comes to you with a heart attack or labor pains. Like Minnie said, you're his best hope. If you think those things are going to end up killing him, you gotta do something.”

Wilson shrugged and shook his head. ”I guess if the ancient Egyptians could figure it out, I can give it a shot.” He stood up and turned off the ultrasound machine. ”For now, I could use a smoke.”

”I'm gonna go check on Tre and the truck,” Dave said.

Ann went with him. Minnie and Emily stayed with Howard.

The doors at the end of the corridor slammed open. Colour Sergeant Arscott stepped aside as two men carried in a teenage girl splayed out on a makes.h.i.+ft stretcher. Her face and most of the left side of her body were covered in blood.

”Motorcycle accident across town,” Arscott explained.

Dave and Ann moved out of the way to let them pa.s.s and followed Arscott down the hall and into the ER lobby.

”I mentioned your party to Dr. Marshall and he is very interested to meet you,” Arscott said on their way out the doors. The temperature was considerably higher outside in the parking lot but a stiff breeze blew from the harbor, cooling Dave's sweaty skin. He was glad to be out of the hospital. The whole building reeked of death and seemed to be getting worse by the hour. Wilson and some volunteers had cleaned up the ER area but Dave could only imagine the state of the corridors beyond. Room after room of decaying corpses, rotting food trays, soiled linens, backed up toilets.

”Dr. Marshall, huh? What's so special about us?” He pulled a grimy bandanna out of his back pocket and wiped his neck. Over Arscott's shoulder he spotted a man pus.h.i.+ng an overflowing shopping cart of colorful T-s.h.i.+rts looted from one of the shops in town. He looked down at the filthy s.h.i.+rt he'd been sporting for over a week and made a mental note to track that man down later for a little business transaction.

”We've only accounted for a small number of American's so far,” the sergeant explained. ”I told him you were a soldier and he feels your experience might be helpful.”

”Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not a soldier, I'm a marine. And Ann here,” he put his arm around her shoulder, ”is Canadian.”

Arscott pursed his lips. ”Nevertheless, the representative would still like a word with you.”

”I'll go talk to him as soon as I check on my other man and our vehicle.”

A commotion broke out nearby in the parking lot between two woman. One of them started screaming as the other slapped at her and tried to pull a package out of her hands.

”See that you do,” Arscott said before turning away to break up the fight.

Dave scanned the crowd of people and vehicles. ”Now where did Tre run off to?”

Ann pointed to the other side of the lot. ”I think I see the truck over there.”