A Space Story 72

            “It felt like a spider,” said Janessa, “like when you are just going about your routine and then you see a spider.  It startles you.  And then afterwards you are just a little more aware of everything around you.  That’s what it felt like to me.”

            The other prime squad pilots in the medical center said nothing.

            “I thought it felt more like a squirrel,” said Zemwell Tickbird.

            Everyone looked at him.

            “No wait here me out,” said Zemwell, “its like when you see a squirrel it freezes, it just holds still like it thinks if it doesn’t move you won’t be able to see him, but you can see him, you know the squirrel is there so you have to chase him away.”

            Everyone stared at Zemwell.

            “Where were you anyway?” said Junitha, “and where was Sajan?  Wait were you two together?”

            “We were in Thera’s quarters during the whole thing,” said Zemwell

            “You guys were having sex the whole time weren’t you,” said Junitha.

            “Hey we had our brains scanned,” said Zemwell, “the aliens made it so we couldn’t stop ourselves.”

            Janessa and Junitha both got clean bill of health and they walked out of the medical center together.

“How you doing?” said Junitha Findragon.

            “I’ll be fine,” said Janessa Kepshawn, “he barely touched me.  I’m okay.  Oh god how did they do this?  How did they do it to all of us like this all at once?”

            Junitha did not say anything.

            “What is it? What’s wrong?”

            “Less than twenty percent,” said Junitha, “We have been scanning everyone’s brains.  There is a little leftover brainwave distortion from the attack.  It’ll fade in a few hours but we have been checking everyone just in case.  I was sure the only way the horde could have pulled this off, they must have had control of at least half the crew.  You know what the scans are showing us.  There are over a thousand people on this ship.  Less than twenty percent of the crew was ever actually being influenced by the Spectral Horde during this madness.”

            “But people all over the ship were losing it.  It was happening to everyone.”

            “They didn’t need to influence everyone.  All they needed was a few.  They got into men like Sinclair and Kerrigan.  They got to the command crew.  And a few others in various departments.  People were already on edge.  Everyone was scared.  Scared of Zai.  Scared of being so far from the Earth.  Once the ones that had been influenced started doing their crazy routine, they just let the madness spread like wildfire after that.  Most of the mob that was trying to kill Samal didn’t have any sign on alien influence.”

            “But they made Raddy do what he did right?” asked Janessa, “I saw him.  It had to be the Spectral Horde driving him crazy.”

            “You can’t scan a dead man’s brain,” said Junitha, “We’ll never really know why Raddy did what he did.”

            “So is that it then?  Now what do we do?”

            “I say we ask the Spectral Horde.  I think its time we knock on their front door and get some answers.”

END PART 2

A Space Story 71

            Dr. Winchester Faction was in the morgue finishing his official report.  He held a small recording device as he got to the last two bodies.

            “Fatality number seventeen,” he said, “Dr. Vandis Bane, forty eight years old.  Cause of death was asphyxiation due to strangulation.  Evidence confirms that she was killed by Pilot Raddy Volcane.”

            He pressed a button and the table with the body on it slid into the wall and the door closed.

            “Fatality number eighteen, Pilot Raddy Volcane, twenty five years old.  Cause of death was a single stab wound that pierced his aorta.  I feel I should add to the record that I have treated no less than six women who were sexually assaulted by Raddy Volcane.”

            Dr. Faction put the last body away.  Then he turned the recording device back on and said, “I have seen no shortage of evil in my life.  I have lived through war and seen people do truly horrific things to each other.  But this… They went into people’s minds.  These people were not driven to this by… They reached into their minds and brought out the worst in us.  There are now twenty six people in this morgue.  Eight of them were killed by the enemy.  The rest… How are we going to explain this?  How are we going to tell their families that they did not die on a battlefield?  That they were killed by people they knew, people they had worked with everyday for months.  These creatures they… They turned us against each other in the most unnatural way possible.  This is beyond any…”

            He could not find the words.

A Space Story 70

            The journey to the command and control center had not been easy but Junitha Findragon made it.  The command crew on staff at the time were scattered all about sitting in corners or trying to remember how to type or humming a tune.

            “You guys keep doing whatever,” said Junitha, “I got work to do.”

            She accessed the communication grid and sent out the call to every communication terminal in the ship.  All over the Daedlus they lit up.  Throughout the ship Junitha’s voice was heard, “attention all crazy people and people who still have their shit together.”

            Junitha smiled.  Tiny electric currents moved in her eyes.  She began to sing.

            All the leaves are brown,

            And the sky is gray

            The song was heard in the commissary.  The mob became calm and joined in the tune.

            I’ve been for a walk,

            On a winter’s day

            All over the ship people sang the song together.  The madness had been driven out.  The Daedlus sailed onward through the stars with music.

A Space Story 69

            Janessa did not know which way to go.  Raddy was right there blocking the way.  He was faster and stronger and no matter where she went he would catch up.

            “You look really good,” he said, “Oh I could take you right now.”

            Janessa made a run for it.  He was forcing her to the ground before she made it three steps.  She screamed when she felt his hand around her throat again.

            “Why are you doing that?” he said, “I’m not trying to hurt you.  What is wrong with you?  That was not me.  That was them.  It was all their idea.  Don’t you see that?  I’m not a bad person.”

            “Please just stop it,” she pleaded.

            “Do you like me?” he asked, “You’re a nice girl.  Felina is a nice girl too.  Why does she like me so much?  It’s not like I pay extra attention to her or anything.  I don’t get it.  The others just wanted me because I was famous.  But she wants more than that.  She wants me.  She wants the real me.  I don’t know what to do.”

            Raddy’s grip on Janessa’s neck loosened and he pulled his hand away.  He started to cry again.

            “Raddy Volcane,” Zai shouted as he approached, “step away from her.”

            “You?” said Raddy, “You’re an alien.  You’re no better than them.  Stay away from me or I’ll smash her skull in with this piece of a gun.”

            “You don’t have to do that,” said Janessa, “remember what you said Raddy.  This is not you.  Remember Felina.  She’s waiting for you.  And she wants the real you.  Just put down the gun part.”

            Raddy scowled at her and said, “Don’t tell me what to do you natural bitch.”

            Raddy raised the piece of metal over in the air ready to bring it down on Janessa.  Zai threw the sharpened metal object he had made and it went into Raddy’s chest and sent a spray of blood across the floor of the common hall.  The gun metal fell by Janessa’s feet.  Raddy let out a single bloody cough before he fell.  Zai caught Raddy and lowered him to the floor.  Raddy Volcane opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, a moment later he was dead.

            “I wish this could have ended differently,” said Zai.

            Zai had barely had a chance to stand up when Vanz Kerrigan entered and pointed a gun at him saying, “You just killed a prime squad pilot.  I thought this was going to get complicated.  But you handed me everything I need.”

            Kerrigan did not notice Janessa.  He did not see her pick up the gun part.  He was not prepared when she hit him with it.  Kerrigan dropped to the floor unconscious.  Janessa began punching him.  He was knocked out but she kept hitting him.  Zai grabbed her arm to stop her.  Janessa punched Zai.  She hit Zai again and again and she screamed out her rage and terror at him.  And Zai did nothing.  He did not try to stop her.  He did not try to comfort her.  He stood there and he took it without a word.

            Janessa looked up at Zai.  She looked at his ugly alien face.  She looked into his yellow inhuman eyes.  And she saw sorrow and regret.  Zai had just killed Raddy and he hated himself for it and he would take whatever punishment anyone said he deserved.  She could no longer look at Zai and see a monster.

            Janessa broke down in tears.  Perhaps it was the horror of her ordeal with Raddy or the knowledge of what was being done to him and to her and everyone else.  But she needed to let it out and she needed some form of comfort so she put her arms around Zai.  He hesitated then Zai returned her embrace.  Janessa let it all out.  Zai did the same.  He threw back his head and roared like a great beast in agony.

A Space Story 68

            Samal Hectorese had paid a high price for holding back and trying not to harm his attackers.  His right arm hung limp dislocated from the shoulder.  His face was bleeding and someone had torn off his right ear.  Still he challenged them to come.  They had cornered him in the commissary.  Samal knew this was a losing battle.  He knew there was a chance that if he stopped holding back and actually fought to win he might survive.  Instead he prepared himself for the possibility that he would soon be embraced by Allah.

A Space Story 67

            Janessa Kepshawn felt off balance.  Raddy had his arm around her throat as he dragged her away and had been cutting off her air.  He had since dropped her on the floor.  As she got her breath back she saw they were in the corridor just outside the common hall.  She saw Raddy squatting just in front of her.

            “This is not who I am,” he kept saying, “This is not who I am.  This is not me.  I don’t have to do this.  This is not me.”

            Janessa carefully tried to move away but Raddy noticed she was lucid.  There were tears streaming down his face.

            “This isn’t who I am,” he yelled at her, “This isn’t me.  Why did I do that?  I didn’t have to do that.  I never took it before.  I never had to take it.  They gave it to me.  And why did I do that to her?  I did it wrong.  I wanted to do it wrong.  She knew about my mother.  I had to shut her up.  I can’t be like this.  This can’t be who I am.  Because if it is then it means she was right.  I can’t let her be right.  This is not me.”

            Janessa backed up against the wall.  Raddy seemed to calm down suddenly.

            “Do you know how pretty you are?” he said, “Most of the girls who used to throw themselves at me, they were not as pretty as you.  Yeah they were hot or just slutty, but none of them were as gorgeous as you.”

            Raddy reached for Janessa and she flinched.

            “Why would you do that?” he said, “I’m not going to hurt you.  I wouldn’t do that.  That’s not who I am.  Don’t you get it?  Look at this.  I found it.  It’s part of a gun.  I think someone took it apart.  I bet I could break someone’s skull open with it.”

            Raddy was distracted for just a moment as he stroked the metal object he was holding.  Janessa jumped to her feet and bolted for the common hall.  There had to be someone there.  Raddy went after her.  He was fast.  He managed to grab the waistband of her shorts.  He tore them.  Janessa let the scraps of cloth fall off and she kept running.  The common hall was empty.

A Space Story 66

            Vanz Kerrigan knew what he had to do.  He had always known how to take advantage of an opportunity.  With all the chaos it would be easy to come up with an excuse for what he was planning to do.  If Roweth was still alive he would have to do something about that.  Anyantha would not be a problem.  She was young and naïve and could be manipulated.  When Kerrigan was done she would believe whatever he wanted her to believe.

            Vanz Kerrigan had taken more than just Roweth’s gun.  He had taken the data pad they had used to send the disruption signal to Zai’s battle suit.  With it Kerrigan could see exactly where Zai was.  If this was correct then Zai’s battle suit was coming back online.  He would have to hurry.  Kerrigan had already come up with a number of ways to justify what he was planning to do.

A Space Story 65

            Janessa Kepshawn was having an orgasm.  She was coupled in a sexual embrace with Duron Ardiniero and… suddenly it did not feel so right anymore.  She looked at his face and it was wrong.  It was like he was not really there.  Janessa pushed away from him and they came apart and both fell back on the floor.  Duron hit his head against the wall as he fell.  Janessa tried to find what was hers among the clothing scattered around them.

            “What happened?” said Duron, “Janessa?  Are you all right?  Why are we naked?”

            “I think we should put our clothes back on Duron,” she said.

            Janessa found her undergarments and the shorts she had been wearing.

            “Do you see my shirt anywhere?” she asked,

            Duron could not answer because he was being choked by Raddy Volcane.  Raddy was wearing his red pilot’s jacket and nothing else.  He was smiling.

            “You have to do it just right,” said Raddy, “you cut off their air just long enough so they pass out but you don’t kill them.  They showed me how to do that.  I think I did it wrong with her.  I don’t think I wanted to do it right.”

            Raddy let Duron fall down unconscious.  He turned his attention to Janessa.  She wanted to make sure Duron was all right.  But Raddy was in the way and he was clearly not in his right mind.

            “I’m sorry about this Raddy,” said Janessa, “but there is something very wrong going on with all of us.”

            Janessa’s mistake was assuming that Raddy would be off his game because he was out of his mind.  But whatever state of mind Raddy was in, he was still a Superior and Janessa was no match for him in hand to hand combat.  He grabbed her and carried her off.  Janessa screamed.  There was no one nearby to hear her that was in any position to help.

A Space Story 64

            Zai, last of the Raath found a woman lying unconscious in a storage compartment.  This was the fourth woman Zai had found with Raddy Volcan’s scent all over her.  She had the same injuries, the same bruising and trauma as the others.

            Zai was not human.  He was Raath.  He did not come from Earth.  He came from a planet named Zeith.  Raath were not like humans.  Zeith had not been like Earth.  But there are some things that are the same no matter where you come from.

            Zai knew what rape was.  On Zeith the punishment for rape was the same as the punishment for murder.  Raath were not like humans.  Raath were killers.  They did not hesitate to kill beings that were different.  But it was commonly accepted that Raath did not kill other Raath.  It was also accepted that Raath did not rape other Raath.  These were heinous and unthinkable crimes on Zeith.  They did not happen often.  When they did happen the punishment was equally heinous.

            Raddy Volcane was not himself.  That did not matter.  Zai knew what he would have to do.  He checked his battle suit’s reboot status.  His weapon systems were still a long way off from being functional again.  He broke two pieces of metal off of a storage self.  He continued the hunt all the while using one piece of metal to sharpen the other.

A Space Story 63

            Samal Hectorese found a great number of people in the fitness center fighting and yelling at each other.  Samal began insulting and shoving them.  It did not take much to get them to start fighting him.  He knocked a few of them down.  Then Samal started running.  He taunted them as they gave chase.  He passed people as he ran through the halls of the Deadlus.  They joined the mob.  Samal stopped to let one or two of them catch up so he could appear to be putting up a fight.  He needed to keep them focused on him.  The mob chasing Samal only got bigger.

A Space Story 62

            When Evan Evaide found Anyantha Whitecross she was trying to reach for Roweth Sinclair.  Evan tried to help Anyantha get up but she was in too much pain.

            “Anya I need to get you to the medical center,” he said.

            “Mr. Kerrigan shot Roweth,” she said with tears in her eyes.

            Evan checked him, “He’s still breathing.  He’s still alive.  Oh god he’s still bleeding a lot.”

            Anyantha coughed and Evan saw blood in her mouth.  Evan knew what he had to do.  He picked Anyantha up and started carrying her.  She told him to put her down.  She said they had to help Roweth or he would bleed to death.  Evan did not stop.  He did not look back.  He dared not to even if Anyantha would never forgive him for it.  She screamed at Evan to stop that they could not just leave him back there.  Evan could not contain himself any longer.  He began crying and saying, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

            Anyantha held on to him and quietly cried with him.  Evan did not stop.