Alpha Rising (39 page)

G.R. ferried the cabin cruiser toward the
platform’s docking area. He and Lynch put on their uniform helmets
before they reached the wooden ladder attached to the pilings.

“
We have to time this
perfectly,” Lynch said, “unload you as prisoners, then sneak you
right back on the boat as soon as night hits.”

Stalling in anticipation of darkness, the
four detainees resisted and acted hostile as they climbed from the
boat to the dock, but their tactics wasted only a few minutes.
Lynch and G.R. dallied as they led them to the solitary prison,
then Lynch stood guard outside while G.R. took them just inside the
door and waited.

Like a dying flash of lightning, the
satellite switched off and the light of day snapped to total
blackness. The all-surrounding pit of night erased the last images
in the six fugitives’ eyes, and the east wind blew in.

“
Whoa! Shocking!” Bach
stated.

“
See? Slam, instant night,
told you.” The chiding voice had to be Kaz’s.

“
Let’s go,” Lynch
said.

Unable to see even a few inches ahead, the
renegades listened to the lapping water and the creaking from the
boat rubbing against the pilings, then used their feet to feel
along the plank to the ladder. Rung by rung they climbed down to
the boat. Then Lynch turned the craft around and set out into the
wind at slow speed with no running lights. He spoke in a whisper.
“We have to think up an excuse why me and G.R. are at the
hatcheries at night—somethin’ good enough to divert the duty
guards. Put your brains in gear.”

“
Why don’t you just
strong-arm them? Tie them up and leave ’em. Someone will find them
later.” The voice was Star’s, but the words seemed generated by
someone else.

“
Huh?” Bach’s voice was
higher than usual. “Star … I never thought I’d hear you talk like
that.”

“
It’s the path of least
resistance. We’re in a hurry,” she said
matter-of-factly.

“
Let me tie them up,” Kaz
whispered, rubbing her hands together with an evil grin that no one
saw.

They’d covered a short distance when the
boat softly ran aground. But the black night made it impossible to
tell how near they were to the test lab. The six renegades eased
overboard and waded ashore, then linked hands and slipped through
the tenebrous wall of night counting every step and turn. They soon
sighted a lighted pathway.

A few yards from the laboratory, Lynch and
G.R. proceeded with a plan. The two snuck to the front of the
facility and positioned themselves on opposite sides of a big,
steel entryway door. Lynch unsheathed his bayonet and struck the
metal door dead-center. A gong-like reverberation quivered his
body. The door swung open and the guards raced out with weapons
drawn. The element of surprise worked to the renegades’ favor, and
they instantly overpowered and tied up the two watchmen. Lynch
stood guard while the others moved in for the heist. G.R. took a
light from a guard and went back for the boat. He ferried the craft
along the shore to the lab where the outlaws safely boarded the
aquariums and young marine life.

The six and their cargo then made their way
to the Ark without incident.

#

Bach and Star prepped for liftoff while Deni
and G.R. excitedly checked out the astounding renovations to the
three ships. Lynch and Kaz stayed outside, caught up in a personal
reunion.

Over rumbling pre-flight generators, G.R.
yelled from aft cabin, “What incredible technology. I can’t believe
what you’ve done to these ships.”

Deni chimed in from a distance, “Awesome. I
like the animals’ habitat. I met two very intelligent and friendly
apes. And the water-filled chamber running the perimeter is
spectacular.”

Bach smiled and waved an imaginary magic
wand, “Built to the Creator’s specifications. Still don’t
understand why.” He reared back and yelled to Deni and G.R.,
“Star’s readying for takeoff. Want to watch how we operate?”

“
I want to fly it!” Deni
rushed to the flight deck and leaned over Star’s shoulder. She
couldn’t help but notice the enchanting fragrance surrounding the
beautiful Duran.

Bach offered Deni and G.R. headsets, but
both declined. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’ll get louder when
we fire up the engines. The floor vibrates from the power.” He
looked back through the cabin. “Lynch and Kaz come in yet?”

Deni shook her head. “Not yet. They wanted a
few minutes alone, but it’s longer than a few minutes.”

G.R. groaned. “In the middle of everything
they make time for that?”

“
You’d do the same thing,”
Deni said.

“
Well, go get ’em. It’s
time to go,” Bach said.

“
I’ll go.” Deni headed to
the ramp.

“
I’ll go with ya,” G.R.
said, following behind and teasingly pinching at her sides. “It’s
pitch dark out there and I wouldn’t want the bogeyman man to get
ya.”

*****

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

With the generators idling, and minutes from
liftoff, Star turned to Bach. “I’m glad we rescued your crewmates.
How do you feel about Kaz and Lynch together?”

He closed his eyes. “I got an adrenalin rush
when we found her, then a shock at seeing her with Lynch, and it
hurts. But so much has happened since we left Earth. We’ve all
changed.”

Star nodded. “She doesn’t seem right for
Lynch, but I don’t really know either of them yet.”

“
She used to detest him.”
Bach looked back through the empty cabin. “Where is
everybody?”

“
They’re all still
outside.”

He jumped up. “They won’t hear a yell. I’ll
get ’em.”

When Bach stepped onto the ramp and into the
darkness, a huge gloved hand slapped hard over his mouth and a
powerful, bear-like arm encircled his rib cage with a pressure so
strong most of the air rushed from his lungs. He reactively reached
back, clasped his hands around the assailant’s neck and bent
forward at the same time, flipping the enemy over his head. The
struggle moved from the ramp to the ground where a second adversary
stepped in to help. Uttering muffled obscenities against a
bitter-tasting chain mail glove grinding against his teeth, Bach
struggled to free himself from a headlock. But the first assailant
regained control and shoved him toward the Ark. Still scuffling, he
saw an enemy ship parked nearby. But it wasn’t a red boomerang like
the Rooks’ ships. This one looked like a three-dimensional kite
resting upside down on its big end.

He tried harder to break free, and in the
midst of the conflict noticed the assailants’ white, skin-tight,
head-to-toe bodysuits, and bulging, iridescent, fly-eye goggles
that made them look like aliens depicted in old science fiction
movies.

The captor shook Bach and spoke in an
unnatural voice that seemed almost mechanized. “Don’t try to fight.
We know you’re unarmed.”

Jaw clenched, Bach asked, “Who are you?”

“
Rooks—the new generation.”
The Rook pushed Bach onto the ramp. “Lead me to the solid
fuel.”

Bach continued to resist. “This ship doesn’t
use solid fuel. We burn liquid—changed it to accommodate Earth’s
old tech—”

The Rook jerked him, cutting him off.
“Liquid fuel! Ha! Are you so void of brain cells that you don’t
even know that we hacked into your restoration specs?”

“
Those specs were dummied
up just for you. I’m tellin’ you it’s liquid fuel.”

The Rook gripped Bach in an elbow lock
around his throat and shoved him up the ramp. “Don’t make me mad,”
he said. “We know this isn’t a regular mission. And keep your mouth
shut.” The accomplice silently followed along toting boxes and
silvery sacks.

When the invaders entered the Ark with Bach,
Star jumped to her feet. The second Rook rushed to the cockpit and
shoved her onto the bench. At the same time, Bach’s captor shouted
at her, “Cut the generators, you’re not going anywhere.”

Star looked the invaders up and down, and
somehow knew they were Rooks. “How did you get here? We didn’t
detect anything incoming.”

“
We’re smarter than you.
Now kill the generators,” the second one said.

She stared at him, but didn’t react.

His fly-eye goggles focused on her face as
he grasped an oval-shaped, light-emitting device hanging from a
chain around his neck, then turned and aimed it at Bach. “Okay,
have it your way.”

“
Don’t,” she yelled, “I’ll
deactivate.”

As Star shut down the
generators, Bach grappled with his captor. But the Rook prevailed
and slammed Bach’s face against the wall. His eyes closed
involuntarily as he struggled to breathe through a contorted nose
and mouth. The Rook yelled at Star, “Don’t do anything heroic and
don’t make any signals. Pack up all
the
solid fuel—and I mean all. If you don’t comply, if I find
one
piece after you’re
through, it will be very unpleasant for your crewmates.”

“
What’ll you do?” Bach
grunted. The Rook pushed Bach’s face harder against the wall,
bloodying his nose.

“
I told you to shut up,”
said the Rook. “But let’s just say your crewmates will be
‘dispatched’ into deep space. You and Star, however, could be of
use, so you can spend time here on Ashkelon until we’re ready to
put you to work.” He threw his head back with an evil laugh. “All
those animal species you boarded. Picture it. You and all of them
on a planet with no land.” He laughed again. “We’ll hold your
country hostage while we analyze the fuel and duplicate the
formula. After we take over Dura and put everyone out of their
misery, it’s onward to conquer other galactic zones.”

Earlier, when Star shut down the thrusters,
she turned on a computerized security program. Although the voice
of the Rook restraining Bach was somewhat distorted by the
bodysuit, she’d heard it before. Wilde’s name showed up on the ID
screen. She faced her former countryman. “Hello, Wilde. Looks like
the game is over and you win.”

“
Yes, my little Star,” he
hissed, “I’ve directed the ultimate coup. Now you’ll answer to me,
so stop wasting time and pack up that fuel!” He looked at his
accomplice and used his head to motion him to Star’s side. “Watch
her every move, Kwan.”

Bach bristled at Wilde’s taunting of Star,
and his skin crawled at the thought of his adversary’s hands
restraining him. “Waste your time, fool. You’ll never figure out
the formula.”

Wilde twisted a fistful of Bach’s hair until
his scalp rose, then jammed his knee into his back.

Star stepped to the fuel storage bin and
unloaded the fuel like a pickpocket going through a designer suit.
“Our travels have consumed all but these last few briquettes,” she
lied, as she glanced toward Wilde. “We don’t have enough to get
back to Dura.”

He sneered, “How sad. Unload it.”

With two shoebox-sized containers filled
with briquettes, Star spent more time than necessary taping the
boxes shut as the agitated accomplice bobbed like a child waiting
for a birthday surprise. She looked at him with mock kindness. “I
wouldn’t want you to spill any.”

“
Nice of you to care.” His
voice dripped with sarcasm.

“
Why do you have to fight
Dura?” she blurted out. “Why not take us back as associates? We can
work together to restore our zone.”

The accomplice grasped the light-emitting
device hanging around his neck and pointed it between her eyes.
“Shut up, pitiful Star, or I’ll muddle your brain.”

Two Rooks stormed up the ramp and stopped
short inside with a salute. “Chief, we need you back on the ship—a
female prisoner’s out of control.”

Wilde blew out a hot breath and yelled, “Get
back there and take care of it. What kind of agents are you? How
can you not control a female? Put her in restraints.” As the two
ran from the ship, Wilde barked at his accomplice, “Make Star hurry
up, she’s taking too long with that fuel.”

Star spoke to Wilde without looking at him.
“Everything we have is in these two boxes.”

He yelled, “You haven’t emptied the
chamber.”

“
You won’t need what’s in
the chamber,” she said calmly.

“
Look, Star, I’m not
playin’ around. Get the fuel from the chamber!”

“
Look, Wilde…” she opened
the shaft, stuck her hand inside, and flung a glob of brown slime
on the floor at his feet “…there’s liquid in the chamber. The solid
fuel converts to liquid to burn in Alpha’s engines.”

“
Told you,” Bach said with
a grunt.

Wilde loosened his grip on Bach and motioned
to his ally. “Check that out, Kwan. She’s stalling.” He mumbled to
himself, “It’s not possible they changed the specs.” Waiting
impatiently, he noticed the nameplate from Altemus’s office door
just inches from Bach’s face. He reached over with a smirk and
tauntingly picked at the raised gold lettering. “Isn’t this a nice
touch? The old dictator’s nameplate. He had to lay claim to one
final piece of crap.”

Bach’s jaw clenched and his body stiffened.
Star froze and held her breath.

Wilde looked at Star, then at Bach, then at
the nameplate, and at the same time slowly curled his gloved
fingers around the plaque and pulled. When nothing happened, he
focused on Star’s emotionless face and tried again, pushing
sideways. The plaque slid aside. A puff of air exited his nose. “A
secret fuel chamber.” He laughed. “I have to admit, you guys are
kinda clever. I’m almost impressed. Now, remove the
briquettes.”