Human Sphere

  Six hours out from Weyland Industries Rehab Facility 13

  The U.S.S. Montag

  General Rodrigo strolls onto the bridge and crosses to the command chair. He sits down with an angry scowl and turns to his left.

  “Corporal Remar…Update!” Rodrigo barks.

  At the navigation console, Corporal Jim Remar maneuvers the tobacco in his mouth to underneath his bottom lip.

  “We will be approaching Weyland Station Thirteen in approximately five hours and fifty-three minutes, General. Still no communication. On subspace channels or any other frequency. It’s like they’re dead in the water.”

  “I sincerely hope not, corporal,” General Rodrigo barks. “Otherwise, we came all this way for nothing. I don’t know about you, son…But, I’m a fighting man. And the best fighting…Seems to be behind us. Let’s hope what’s ahead is equally as exhilarating.”

  Corporal Remar laughs and sucks on the tobacco juices threatening to run over his lip. Tobacco is frowned on by most commanding officers--and the official regulations. However, General Rodrigo is not your typical commanding officer. A man with many vices, Rodrigo is willing to overlook a little chew. One hand washes the other.

  “Freaking A, Sir. Freaking A,” Corporal Remar replies with a chuckle. "I didn't join the colonial marines to watch grass grow. I joined to fight."

  General Rodrigo's eyes narrow and he grins mischievously. Words to live by.

  -

  -

  Mau-Nis completes a search of the last room in his designated area of the corridor. Not a single ooman has made an appearance since the party entered this section. The command leader communicates his intention to join N-Vorl and Teresa via his mask interface. P’taal also responds, his search completed as well. However, P’taal remains where he is, guarding the entrance to the shielded corridor.

  Mau-Nis catches up to N-Vorl and Teresa at what appears to be a large single door camouflaged into the wall. The only clues that a secret door exists is the keypad underneath a locked cage and the shape of a large square carved into the wall. This must surely be where they are keeping the elder’s son.

  Mau-Nis removes his mask and steps beside Dr. Boyd. The doctor has the palm of one hand resting against the metal door and she appears to be listening intently for sounds coming from the other side. Mau-Nis’ superior hearing tells him that if there is anyone on the other side of that door, the rescue party will be unable to hear them. The area has been soundproofed.

  “How do we get in there without alerting Doctor We—”, Mau-Nis falters at the doctor’s name. “Without alerting the ooman doctor to our presence? If we simply blow off the door, we might injure the childling. Or they may harm Vor’taalnis in retaliation. What is the plan, Elder?”

  N-Vorl opens his mouth to reply, but Teresa grips his arm protector and tugs on it as if she is a child seeking attention. N-Vorl turns to her with a peevish expression. Teresa simply points at the ceiling. Mau-Nis and N-Vorl follow her pointing and then stare at each other in bewilderment. Dr. Boyd rolls her eyes and sighs deeply. A vivid memory flashes across her mind.

  Stolen story; please report.

  -

  -

  The U.S.S California (more than two years previous)

  “You recognize where we are?” Teresa says incredulously. “How can you know where we are through all of…This?”

  Harold keeps his voice low and continues to peep through a small slit between the two folds of the organic Judas material.

  “I used to be an engineer. Schematics and such are second-nature. I can tell where we are just by the number of rivets, bolts, and screws in an area of wall…Or a particular scuff on the floor.”

  Harold waits until Teresa has a significant amount of material cut away before following her in.

  “Keep going until you reach a bend in the corridor. About three feet after the bend…You’ll feel a grate on the right side of the wall. Once you feel that…Use my knife to loosen the screws and open it up. We can crawl through the ducting to the transport deck. There are a few spots that might be a little tight, but most should fit a person okay.”

  -

  “This is it. There’s a door about ten feet that way,” Harold says and points a finger to the right. “It leads to the outside. I hope I have the right access keys. If not, I may have to find a way to disable the keypad or blow the door. And I don’t know if we have that kind of time. Doesn’t seem to be any real Judas activity on this level, but I’m not taking any chances.”

  Plopping down on his butt, Harold pulls back a large foot and kicks the grating. After three kicks, the grate comes detached and falls to the floor below. The noise causes both Teresa and Harold to flinch; but it can’t be helped.

  “I’ll go first,” Harold says. He reclines his head back and grins up into Teresa’s face.

  Dr. Boyd throws decorum out the window and wraps Harold in a bear hug.

  “Harold, be careful,” Teresa whispers. “We don’t know what’s out there.”

  Harold leans up and kisses Teresa’s cheek. He locks eyes with her as he draws away.

  “I know…That’s why I’m going first,” Harold says in a soft voice.

  -

  “The ductwork,” Teresa exclaims. “If there’s ductwork…There’s ventilation. Air shafts. We can crawl through them. Like the Judases when they attacked us in the lab. We can drop down right on top of whoever's in there.”

  “Are you forgetting something?” N-Vorl says with some skepticism. “That didn’t work so well for the Judases. You do remember us wiping them out?”

  “Yes, but that’s because we knew they were coming,” Teresa protests. “We were prepared for them. Dr. Wessinger and her team…They won’t be expecting us.”

  Teresa removes the .38 pistol from underneath the back of her blouse and checks it for functionality. Mau-Nis smirks at the size of her weapon and N-Vorl shakes his head.

  “Maybe you should have brought the larger weapon?” N-Vorl says. “Similar to the ones we used on the science vessel.”

  Teresa contorts her face in a “Nah,” kind of way and shakes her head. She brandishes the pistol and turns it in the light, visually inspecting it. Her expression turns ominous.

  “I’m guessing Dr. Wessinger is a history nut…Found this in her bottom drawer,” Teresa says. “My grandfather had one of these. They called it a .38 Special. Which is really funny because it actually shoots a .357 caliber bullet. Pellet, to you. Anyway, they call it a .38 special because…As long as you know what you’re doing…You’re guaranteed to hit whatever you’re aiming at. Of course, if you’re a lousy shot. It won’t matter what caliber weapon you use. It’s a lot more accurate than that overpowered cannon you carry, N-Vorl. I won’t risk hitting Vor’taalnis. It’ll get the job done.”

  Mau-Nis ventures a statement as he studies Teresa very carefully.

  “For a scientist…You know a lot about weapons, Dr. Boyd,” Mau-Nis says, tilting his head inquisitively.

  “My grandfather was a gun enthusiast,” Teresa says with a smirk. “He collected weapons in much the same way you collect skulls or other trophies. When he died, his collection went to my father. If I wasn’t studying for finals…Or learning Infotech…I was shooting the nuts off of squirrels. That and Richard taught me everything he could. Yes, Mau-Nis. I know a lot about weapons.”

  N-Vorl exchanges a brief look with Mau-Nis and then replaces his mask. The command leader follows N-Vorl’s lead and puts on his own mask. Teresa moves to follow N-Vorl but Mau-Nis grips her elbow. He shakes his head and gently guides Teresa behind him. Teresa does not protest. The three figures move down the hall, searching for a good place to entering the ventilation shafts.