As soon as the door closed in Rogalia’s room, even before turning around to face her, Michael said, “Can you tell me the fastest way to the bridge?” Rogalia didn’t answer.
Michael turned around. Rogalia was giving him a seductive smile. While he admired her beauty, they really didn’t have time for this game. “Did John tell you why they let you guys join me here?” she asked.
“No, and I’m not really interested, in any of it. You need to concentrate,” he said. He gave her a stern look to try and calm her down. She seemed to relish the challenge. She brought her finger to her mouth, and widened her seductive smile.
“We have time. The guards won’t be back for hours,” she said. “There is no reason to sit around and do nothing for most of it.” She took a few steps closer to him. He felt the warmth of her body close to him and couldn’t bring himself to stop her. This wasn’t like him.
She brought her lips close to his. Just before they kissed the image of his wife popped into his mind. He held her at her shoulders to keep her from getting closer. “Stop it. Please,” he said. He looked her in the eyes, pleading for her to step away from him.
She paid no attention to him. She placed her hands on his and stretched her neck out so their lips would touch. As soon as contact was made, Michael forced her back a step.
“This’ got to end now,” he said. “I’m married. Even then it’s not the time or place for such shenanigans.” Besides you’re an alien, he thought, but decided it best not to say it out loud.
He released her. She stared at him without saying a word. She then loosened her top so that it fell to the floor. Michael stared at her now topless form, trying to will himself to look away. She was very beautiful, he had to admit. She was just starting to sweat and her skin glistened in the pale light of the room.
She certainly looked human. She smelled human as well. Even after being imprisoned here for god knows how long she smelled incredibly good. She smiled. She had him, and she knew it.
He forced himself to close his eyes. Only a moment later, he felt her lips on his. He again tried to resist, but had no more will power…
An hour later, he lay there completely disgusted with himself. Shame filled his heart, only overcome by his fear. What do I do if my wife finds out? The thought kept going through his mind. He imagined his wife taking his kid and leaving him.
“You can’t be telling anyone about this,” he said to Rogalia.
“Why?” Rogalia said. “You were really good, much better than John. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
He looked at her. “Please. If my wife finds out she will kill me dead,” he said. She still looked beautiful, but now he saw her in her true form. She was Satan here to tempt him. All of these aliens are. God sent them here to tempt us and then punish us for our sins, and I failed his challenge. God please forgive me. I’ll make up for it. I’ll get all of your children on this ship home safely. I promise.
“I need to get some information before that guard comes back,” he said as he got up and started to get dressed. “Please get dressed.”
She looked at him confused, but didn’t question his request. “Humans are so weird,” she said under her breath. She began putting her clothes back on.
“Now about that bridge,” Michael said. He asked her all about the ship, where everything was, the number of soldiers and whether they were fighters, pilots, or officers. He asked the direct routes to the main places he knew about: the cell, the shuttle bay, the bridge, the bunks, and the armory. He then asked where all the soldiers were stationed, during the day and at night. He then asked all the questions again to make sure he had everything down.
“One more thing. I need something to wedge a door shut. Something solid, like a long beam of wood or metal. Do you know of such a thing?” he asked. He looked at her briefly, but then looked away.
An hour ago, those kinds of looks annoyed her, but she was used to them now. “Hmmm. There is probably something in the cargo room, but that is on the other side of the ship.” She considered the question for a minute. “Oh, the bed frame. It is always falling in pieces,” she said at last.
Michael looked down. He thought the bed frame was solid metal, just 4 beams of metal welded together to keep the mattress an inch or two off the floor. He lifted the mattress to reveal beams running vertically. The beams were welded to the frame, but very poorly. Some were already falling off.
He grabbed one and twisted it until it broke completely free. “I’m thinking this will do nicely. They will have a hard time getting out with this in their way,” he said. A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought.
“What was that?” he asked.
“The guard. He will be coming for you in a couple of minutes,” she replied. Michael grabbed his gun. “Your not going to hurt him are you?” Rogalia asked.
“Well I’m not going to be taking him out for bears, am I?” he replied. He then saw the look of horror on her face. “I’m not going to kill him if that is what you mean.”
They waited for what seemed like forever. Excitement and fear filled Michael, just like normal combat. It was strange, usually he was more afraid than excited, yet today, in this strange battle, he was able to control his fear better and thought more clearly.
Finally the door opened. Michael hid the gun behind his back. He didn’t want to use it unless he had too. He had no idea how laud it was, and the last thing he needed was the entire ship hunting him.
He allowed the soldier to lead him out. When he was a step away from the door he stopped. The soldier reached out to push him forward. As soon as he touched Michael, Michael turned and hit him hard with the gun in his hands.
The soldier fell hitting his head again against the wall. He tried to stand, but was severely disoriented. He made it a couple of inches off the ground, but immediately fell back to his knees. Michael hit him again with the gun as hard as he could.
Michael looked at the solider. He was sure the soldier was dead, but just in case he grabbed him and started to move him into Rogalia’s room. Rogalia stared at him in horror. When he got close to her, she backed away as if he were a monster.
When he placed the soldier on her bed, and grabbed his gun. He then rushed out the door. Rogalia didn’t move. She just continued to stare at him in horror.
“Come on. We’ve got to be going now!” he said. She continued to stare without moving an inch. He walked over to her, she moved away from him, but was blocked by the wall. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.
They ran down the corridor. First things first, Michael thought. They headed towards the bunks. There were no soldiers that direction. The night centuries were only posted in key areas of the ship. Everyone else was asleep in the singe room bunk area. Which made a convenient trap for escapees.
They made their way to the bunks. As quietly as possible he wedged the beam into the door, and made sure it was tight. That done he turned around and tried to open the door to the armory across the hall. No luck, it was locked. He turned to Rogalia, but she shrugged indicating she didn’t know how to open it.
He quietly tip toed back down the corridor and made his way towards the stairs to the lower level. There were stairs along a long corridor that ran horizontal to the ship. The door to the bridge was in the middle of it and their were guards at the door. To make maters worse, there were also a pair of guards just below them at the bottom of the stairs.
Michael considered shooting them with his gun, but that would alert the people inside the bridge, not to mention all the soldiers sleeping on the other side of the wall.
No, he needed to lure them closer and then hope he could take them both out before the two soldiers below could make it up the stairs. Now how to lure them here? He turned to Rogalia.
Rogalia walked around the corner. The guards saw her and yelled in her direction. She told them something and they began to walk towards her. Michael hid in the captain’s office. He looked around and picked up a metal object that looked kind of like a letter opener. He already had a use for it, so he gave the objects original purpose no thought at all.
Rogalia led the two soldiers right by him as they went to towards her room. Michael half expected the guards to come up from below, but they didn’t. He took a chance and stepped out from the room, so that he was behind the soldiers. Rogalia was telling them something right outside her door.
He snuck up behind the soldiers and stabbed closest one through the base of the skull with the metal object. The other turned and tried to train his weapon on Michael, but he was too late. Michael stabbed him as well in the throat, and he collapsed to the ground gasping for air. Rogalia was horrified, but Michael paid little attention to her.
Michael turned around, expecting again the soldiers on the lower level to appear on the latter, but the didn’t. He collected the two rifles. He handed one to Rogalia, who refused to take it at first. Michael had to force it into her hands. He left the two pistols they had.
He tiptoed towards the stairs, noting there wasn’t any peep out of the sleeping soldiers in the bunk as he passed. When he reached the latter he peaked through the opening. Both soldiers below were sound asleep.
Surprised he looked at Rogalia, “Yay for Biaz work ethic,” he said. She looked at him weird, but didn’t respond. He went to the latter on the other side of the corridor, and peaked through. These two soldiers were awake, but were sitting down playing some kind of game Michael didn’t recognize. Their rifles were a couple of feet away leaning against the wall.
Michael jumped down and landed between the soldiers. Surprised they reached for there weapons, but they were too far away. Michael stabbed one in the throat, and the other in the chest as he held his mouth. He quickly reached for the closest rifle. He was sure the noise would wake up the other soldiers on the other end of the corridor. They were fast asleep still, however.
He slowly walked towards them training his rifle on them the entire time. He passed the cell door. “What are you doing?” Rogalia asked. Michael didn’t answer. He reached the soldiers and hesitated for several minutes. He just didn’t know what to do with them. Once people started coming through this passage way they would surly wake up. If they did, they would likely get off a shot alerting the rest of the ship. Could he tie them and gag them? No, he didn’t have anything with him. Besides they could still cause trouble.
Seeing no alternative, put down his rifle and got out his knife like object. He took a moment and prayed for their souls and his. He then killed them, stabbing the first in the throat, and the second in the heart as he held his mouth shut with his hand. He again asked God for forgiveness.
He stood up and turned around. Rogalia was again horrified, as blood dripped from his hands and knife. “Humans are worse than Biaz. I should have guessed from what i've learned from your culture, but Jennifer, Myra, and John were so nice. I thought the information exaggerated, but they didn't at all. How did your race even survive?”
“We are generally a peaceful people, but we are willing to defend ourselves when necessary,” he said. He walked towards the cell door.
“When is it not necessary then?” she asked.
He ignored her and opened the cell door. Everyone stared at him as it dawned on them who it was. Everyone began to rush towards the door. Michael held out his arms to get them to stop. “Please, you've to calm down and be quite,” he said. “Now those of you who are joining me come up front. Joe, Jack, there are weapons at either end of the corridor. Please collect them and hand them out. Keep one for yourselves.”
Joe and Jack obeyed. Michael had chosen them explicitly. Joe was a athletic and had handled guns before. Jack was one of the few people here with military experience, although no actual combat experience. Of all the people here, he trusted them the most to get his back, although he would also be paying close attention. Just because they were the best didn't mean they were good.
When they returned, he motioned the direction he wanted the group to go in. “Please be quite. If the soldiers wake, we are toast and they are directly on the other side of this wall,” he said. “The bridge is directly above us. Just go up the latter and a bit down the hall.” He jumped past a few people that were ahead of him. He went up the latter and made is way towards the bridge. Below people were taking their time stepping over the alien bodies. Many of them were whispering about how human they looked. Even their blood was red, just like ours.
“Now everyone remember the plan?” Michael asked. “We take over the bridge, then everyone except for Jennifer, Myra, John, Rogalia, Ken, Charles, Joe, Jack, and Richard are going to come with me. We will try to keep the soldier's busy while they try to land the ship.”
Michael prepared to open the door. He said a prayer, asking god to protect him and the others, and to forgive him once more. He opened the door took aim at the first person he saw and fired. The sound of the shot rang throughout the ship. The metal in the ship kept the strength of the sound from diminishing as it echoed down the hall and back again. The man Michael shot looked him directly in the eye in utter shock before he fell over dead.
It only took the others on the bridge to recover from the surprise, but they were still slower than Michael and his group. Michael rushed in through the door and to one side to make room for the others behind him. Joe and Jack rushed in and fired their rifles. One missed his target completely, but the other hit one in the shoulder. Michael took aim at the next target and hit him square in the chest just before he got off a shot. The soldier that was hit in the shoulder managed to get off a shot that barely missed Joe, but struck someone coming in the room behind him. Michael watched as the man fell over dead. A twinge of guilt crossed his heart as he realized he didn't remember the mans name.
He took it out on the man who shot him. He took aim and fired his gun. The bullet went straight through the soldier's head. Michael turned his attention to the last armed soldier, but Jack took aim and shot him before Michael could lift his rifle. The only remaining enemy was the pilot, who was unarmed. He stood terrified before the men who had just killed all of his companions, but didn't make a move. Michael took aim, but was stopped by Myra's voice.
“Wait. He obviously isn't going to hurt us. I'm sure we can find something to tie him up with,” she said. She stepped forward to place herself between Michael and the soldier.
“It isn't a good idea. It is far to risky,” Michael said. The others were already joining Myra in the calls to tie him up. Richard was already looking for something to bind him. Michael relented and allowed Richard to tie him up when he returned with some kind of wire.
John entered the room and wen straight to the console the pilot was sitting at. “Good, he may prove useful,” he said. “Rogalia, can you ask him how to de-orbit and land this thing?”
Rogalia came into the room behind Ken and Charles. All three rushed to John's side. “So this is how you fly this thing? Can you make out any of the words?” ken asked as he stared at the strange markings on the console.
“No, but Rogalia should,” John said. Rogalia was asking the pilot something in his own language. The pilot kept quite.
Joe came over and pointed his gun directly at his head. “Tell him to answer,” he said to Rogalia. Rogalia shook her head but didn't speak. “Tell him!” he yelled.
“Why so you can kill him if he still doesn't answer?” she yelled back.
“What is wrong with you? I thought you were a prisoner here too,” Joe said. He glanced in her direction, but kept his eyes and his rifle pointed on the soldier.
“I am,” she said, but she still refused to ask him.
“Tell him!” Joe yelled.
“No!” Rogalia yelled back.
“Tell him or i'll just shoot him anyways,” Joe said. Rogalia gave him a look of disgust.
“Let him be Joe,” Myra said. “If Rogalia refuses to tell him, then that is her choice. If the others run into trouble, we still may need him. Besides you should be guarding the door.”
“She is right Joe,” Michael said. “You need to be concentrating on your job. Keeping all the bad guys out of this room.” Joe relented. He put his rifle to his side and moved towords the door on the opposite side of the room.
Michael showed both Joe and Jack how best to ambush people as they come in the room, while Rogalia began translating the symbols on the console and its view screen.
“How long is this going to take?” Michael asked.
John, pulled his thoughts away from the console just enough to answer. “I don't know. A while to figure out how to fly and about an hour to get the ship back to earth,” he answerd.
“John!” Michael yelled. John looked up to him. “I need to know how long you need me to keep everyone running around the ship and out of your hair,” he said. John looked at him and considered the question.
“Well it will be about an hour and a half,” he said. “Although, that is a guess and not a very educated one. I'm hoping it will be shorter, but it could be much longer too.”
“I hate scientist,” Michael said.
“I'm an engineer,” John said as he turned back to his console. “Scientist act sure, but always end up being wrong.”
Michael didn't have time to argue. The soldiers would be breaking through his meager lock on the bunk door any moment. He could already hear the commotion down the hall. If they could get to them before they reach the armory, they might stand a chance. He quickly made sure all the guns were distributed, and led the group towards the bunk. He was mostly down the corridor, well a head of all the others when soldiers began pouring into the passageway with them.
Instincts took over and Michael jumped to the ground and to one side. The others, with no military training, just lifted their guns and began shooting. They hit a couple of the lead soldiers, but the others started firing either laying on the ground, or from cover behind the corner. Michael could sense many of the people behind him fall, as blood began to spill past his feet.
Michael got a few shots off, killing a few more of the soldiers, but it was a loosing battle. “Get down the latter,” he yelled. The ones that were left obeyed. Unfortunately they just turned and ran the other way. Fortunately, Dale kept his wits about him and kept firing as he backed down the hall. This gave Michael enough cover to do the same.
By the time they reached the latter, most of the others were either down below or dead. Michael indicated for Dale to go first. He lowered his arms so he could fit in the hole. The moment he did a bullet ripped through his head. Blood sprayed over Michael's clothes. Michael quickly jumped down the hole and landed at the same time Dale's body made a thud on the floor.
“Quickly down the hall to the shuttle room,” he said. “There should be plenty of cover for us there.” He rushed ahead of them at full speed. When he reached the door he tried to open it, but it didn't budge. He hit the pad by the door, but still nothing. Finally he shot the pad and the lock on the door loosened. He threw the door opened and rushed inside with his gun raised. According to Rogalia there shouldn't be any guards here this late at night, but he wasn't going to be taking chances.
Sure enough the room seemed to be empty, except for the big shuttle in the middle of it. He motioned for everyone to take cover behind it. They just had to hold out here, for a while. He wasn't sure how many soldier's they had killed, but there shouldn't be that many left. It would be tough for them to take this room if they bunker down, and didn't waste their ammo. He made sure everyone was in a secure position and ordered them to shoot anyone who stepped through the door without waiting to see who it was.
It didn't take long before the soldiers showed up. Michael shot at one that poked his head around the corner, but missed. One of the soldiers shouted at him, but there was no way of telling what he said. The soldier shouted again, obviously expecting an answer, but none came. He peaked around the corner and several shots rang out. None hit him. There was nothing the soldier could do but wait, no is there anything Michael and the others could do. So he waited and hoped the others didn't shoot indiscriminately and run out of bullets. If John came through, it is all they had to do to win.
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