War Angel: part seventy-seven

“I hate to be the killjoy,” Wilma interrupted, “but there is no way we can manufacture enough of the bug to kill everyone on that ship. Not in the timeframe we have. A small ship, maybe. But not that one.”

“True,” Jack agreed. “But we don’t need it to kill everyone on that ship. We just need to get the ball rolling so we can put phase two into action.”

“Phase two?”

Gina, Sarah, and Kate walked through the carnage created by the makeshift grenade. Omegan body parts were strewn through the corridor, and blood spatter coated the nearby walls. “Nicely effective, Sarah,” Kate said, admiring her aim. She picked up two more guns and checked them over. They had nearly full charges.

“I’ll try and remember that when I’m vomiting later,” Sarah replied. She winced and worked to keep her gag reflex from kicking in. It was one thing to shoot at a ship from a distance, but seeing this much gore and death up close was at the limit of what she could bear. Was this what their lives were going to look like from now on? “I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” she thought. “I don’t want to be this person. I don’t want any of us to be this person.”

They turned down another corridor, and fifty meters ahead, they found what they were looking for: the entrance to the landing bay. “Well, here we are,” Gina offered. “What’s behind door number one? A massive amount of killer aliens, or a massive number of dead aliens and our ship back in working condition?” She smiled at the other two and reached for the control panel next to the door. “Shall I?” Kate raised her weapons and nodded, standing in front of the door, while Sarah moved to the other side. Gina pushed the button, and it slid open.

A dead Omegan warrior slumped across the doorway. Kate cautiously moved forward, looking for signs of movement. Gina and Sarah watched her move through the doorway, and then she ducked her head back through. “Clear. Better than clear, actually.”

The three of them walked into the bay and saw a beautiful sight: the War Angel was hovering above the deck, her engines running. Floating along the top of the engine capsules was the shuttle, and it was busy re-attaching the tachyon scoop to the ship.

“Incredible,” Gina whispered. “He actually made it.”

“Let’s get onboard,” Sarah said, slapping Gina on the shoulder. “Let’s sure she’s ready for you to fly us out of here.”

Kate grinned. “Looking at the port side, it looks like Richard has made my part in this a little more fun, too. Let’s go!” As they entered the landing bay, a nearby comm. port chirped. They stared at one another for a moment, and then it chirped again. Kate toggled the switch. “This is F.A. Go ahead.”

The line crackled with static for a moment, and then Wilma’s voice came through. “F.A? Kate? Yes! Kate, we’re trapped! They have us pinned down in a corridor not too far from the infirmary. We managed to get our hands on a weapon, but it’s almost out of power. And our supply of the bug is spent. Can you assist?”

Kate looked at the other two. A moment of silence passed between them, and then Kate gave a slight nod. She flicked the comm. switch. “Doctor, hang tight. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The comm. closed, and she turned back to face Gina and Sarah. “Whatever you’re going to say, I’m already thinking it. But I have to go anyway.” She walked across the bay and opened a weapons locker, withdrawing two more guns. “Now I have four. That should get me through to the doctor and the Drakes.” She detached a portable unit from the comm. port and put it in her ear. “I’ll call when I’m on my way home.”

Gina cleared her throat. “I’d tell you to be careful, but I know you won’t.”

“Count on it.” She cocked her head at Sarah. “No wise words from you?”

Sarah straightened her back and smoothed her hair. “If we’re going to have any chance at surviving as a group, we need the doctor. Bring her home in one piece, Lieutenant Commander.”

“Aye aye.” Kate made her way down the ramp and out of the ship.

“We have work to do,” Sarah said to Kate. “Let’s get to it.”

Jack crawled away from M’isti, but it was no use. He did not have the strength or speed to evade the Omegan, and thus he was only killing time before his inevitable demise. “You want to know… a secret… F’ath?” Jack asked. “I’ll tell you… a secret,” he said, trying to catch his breath. The broken ribs were making even the slightest intakes of oxygen extremely painful, but he had begun to reach a point where he was getting accustomed to it.

M’isti wiped the back of his right hand across his nose, and saw that the flow of blood had increased. “I have lost interest in anything you have to say… boy.” He advanced on Jack’s prone body.

“No… no… this is good, I promise…” Jack said, sputtering blood across the floor. “Really… good.” He rolled over and looked up at the Omegan. “Here… it is…” The War Angel’s captain wiped the blood out of his eyes. “I’m not dumb.”

F’ath raised an eyebrow. “That’s your secret? Pathetic. And stupid.” He reached down and lifted Jack from the floor. “Goodbye, Captain Keys.” His arm reared back to throw one last punch, a punch that would surely be Jack’s end.

“No no no… you don’t get it,” Jack muttered. “The bug wasn’t supposed to kill you all.” M’isti, confused, lowered his fist.

“What?”

Jack turned his head and spat blood to the side. “Two words… Supreme Commander…” he paused, trying to catch his breath, “Diversionary. Tactic.”

Suddenly, the room shook violently, as a shockwave moved through the bulkheads, followed by the sound of an enormous explosion. M’isti dropped Jack’s limp body to the deck, and staggered backward against the window. Looking down at the foe he thought defeated, he saw that the human was smiling contentedly. “What have you done, boy? What have you done!?”