Davron
Gary Weston
Davron part 5 © 2014 Gary Weston
All rights reserved
This ebook is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Chapter 56
The lightweight black body armour stopped much of the laser power, but not all of it. Akrins, Matlock and Danders were hit, but not enough to stop them defending themselves. Six of the spheres were destroyed, one still firing spasmodically into the air.
“Cover me,” yelled Matlock.
Matlock did a dodging run at the alien ship, most of the robots shots either missing him, or taking chunks out of his armour. Danders and Akrins kept the spheres occupied, taking out another four. Matlock hurled himself through the open airlock, and was down on one knee, ready to burn off the head of any alien stupid enough to take him on. They were sitting together at the controls, working the few robots they had. They stopped when they saw Matlock, and both held their hands in the air.
“Smart move, lump heads. Outside and don't try anything stupid.”
The pair understood and with their hands above their heads, they stepped outside. Danders and Akrins had them covered with their laser rifles as Matlock got out of the ship. He frisked the pair for weapons and found none.
“Do we kill them?” asked Akrins, hopefully.
“They're unarmed,” said Matlock. “We take them to the Romulus.”
Taking his frustration out on a spluttering sphere, Akrins kicked the thing out of his way.
“Damn ugly pair of critters,” he said.
The female looked back at him, then to her mate, said, “That human calls us ugly?”
“You speak our language?” Danders asked.
“It is quite basic,” the female replied.
“Go to our ship,” snapped Matlock. “Move it.”
They made their way in single file along the path until the jungle gave way to the boggy plateau. The latest heavy rain had them sinking ankle deep, the clawed feet of the aliens having more problems than the human boots. It took almost a half-hour to reach the Romulus and Matlock opened the airlock.
“Inside,” said Matlock.
The pair entered the airlock. The male saw the laser rifle Belle had left there.
“Make a grab for it why don't ya?” dared Akrins. “Give me an excuse to fry your brains.”
Danders said, “Take them to the kitchen. I want to look in on Jazz.”
Matlock jabbed the female with the rifle and they made their way to the kitchen as Danders went to the medical room. She was surprised by the green light filling the room, then saw the body of Belle with the HATED in her hands and understood. She flinched as something touched her leg.
“Muffin. What's going on, Muffin?”
Muffin reached up and took Danders' hand and pulled her to Patrick.
“OooohEehoo.”
“I don't think I should touch them, Muffin. Patrick seems to be breathing ok. We should leave them alone. Come on.”
Muffin jumped up into Danders arms, and looked back over her shoulder at Patrick as they left the medical room, Danders closing the door quietly behind them. In the kitchen, the aliens sat together, Akrins guarding them. Matlock was making coffee, one of which he passed to Danders.
“How's Patrick?” Matlock asked.
“Hard to say. Belle's inside him.”
“What?” said Akrins.
Danders explained. “Jazz is using that holograph thing. She must be trying to heal Patrick, somehow. I can't see her holograph, so I assume she's merged with Patrick's body.”
“Right,” said Matlock. “It sounds weird to me, but let's hope that works.” He looked at the aliens, who, as best he could tell, seemed most unhappy. He put his coffee down and filled two beakers with water and placed both in front of them. They looked at each other, then picked up the beakers and sipped the water.
“Thank you,” said the male.
“Why are you attacking us?” Matlock demanded.
“Because...” the male started. He stopped when the female squawked something at him, then he clammed up.
“So, that's how it's going to be, is it?” Danders said.
“I could torture them,” offered Akrins. “Rig up some nice electrical pain. Not quite enough to kill them.”
The aliens looked at each other in horror.
“I always knew you humans were evil,” said the female.
“Hey,” snapped Akrins. “You lot started the fighting, not us. So don't get calling us evil.”
“Calm down, Toby,” said Matlock. “They'll talk soon enough when they get hungry.”
“We would starve before we talk,” said the female.
The male rolled his eyes to the ceiling and sighed. “Women.”
Chapter 57
Belle rose up out of Davron's body and returned to her own. The experience of being completely inside another body, especially one of the opposite gender, had been the strangest experience of her life. She had felt his body trying to heal itself, but it had been too much and had been close to shutting down. She had given him as much of her energy as she could and there was no more to be done.
The holographic green light vanished and she rested for a moment. It took several minutes before she could get down off the bed and go to Patrick. He was so still, and when she took his hand in her hand, it was limp and lifeless. She was losing him. The only option remaining was to operate on him. He looked so peaceful on the bed, she wondered if she should just let him slip away. But if there was the slightest chance of saving him, she had to take it. She needed Danders to help her.
Belle found Danders and the others in the kitchen. She also found the aliens.
“That...Those two are the enemy?”
“Don't look like much do they?” said Akrins. “Overgrown chickens.” He was enjoying not being the ugliest one on the ship for once.
Matlock said, “We're trying to get them to talk to us. They know our language, but aren't cooperating. We've decided not to feed them until they do.”
Belle shrugged. “Where is their ship?”
“About fourteen miles north from here,” said Danders. “Well hidden in the trees where it crashed. How is Patrick? Did you manage to help him?”
“No. I'm losing him, Liz. Will you help me operate on him?”
“Oh, Jazz. If he's that far gone, perhaps we should let him go with dignity. In peace. We're not surgeons.”
“I love him, Liz. Please. I need your help.”
Danders looked at the tears in Belle's eyes, imploring her to help. “Ok. I don't think we should, but I did promise. Come on.”
“Thanks, Liz.”
Akrins said, “My blood group is O. Goes with anything. If you need any...”
From a man usually so self-serving, this surprised everyone and Akrins saw the looks of disbelief. “Hey. He saved my life. The least I could do is to repay the favour.”
“Thanks, Toby,” said Belle. “We'll shout you if we need you.”
Belle and Danders hurried away to the medical room. When they entered, they discovered Davron sitting up on the bed.
“I could do with a serious feed right now.”
Belle ran to him, smothering his face with kisses. “You're Ok. I thought I'd lost you.”
“You don't get rid of me that easily.”
He was groggy as he tried to get to his feet, and both Belle and Danders had to hold him upright.
“There's a collapsible wheelchair here,” said Danders. Davron leaned back on the bed as Danders opened the wheelchair and then they hel
ped him into it. When they entered the kitchen, he got cheers from Akrins and Matlock.
“Damn it. You're alive,” said Akrins. “Welcome to the land of the living.”
Davron said, “I see we have guests.”
Matlock said, “Don't worry. They'll not be dining with us until we get information from them. You, on the other hand will be eating the best we can put together.
Belle wheeled Davron to the table and Akrins explained what had happened as Davron studied the aliens. Matlock made a point of having a small mountain of food on the table, just to torment the aliens.
“They're not fighters, those two,” said Matlock. “They just control the drone ships and those damn robots.”
“And they're not great at doing that,” said Akrins. “What I can't understand is, they have had their chances to attack and damage the ship. Why didn't they?”
Davron said, “That's easy. Because they want it for themselves. The Romulus is probably better than anything they have.”
“In that case, we can use that to our advantage,” said Matlock.
Belle said, “Don't worry. We will.”
Chapter 58
Danders told Davron she wanted to check the ship's computer with him as an excuse to get him alone to talk to.
“Something wrong?” said Davron as he logged on.
“That depends. Leave the computer, Patrick. I have something to say to you.”
“Ok. What is it?”
“How do you really feel about Jazz?”
Davron grinned. “I'd have thought that was obvious. We were meant to be. Everything in my life has been about meeting and falling in love with Jazz. What's on your mind?”
Danders said, “When you look at Jazz, you see her pretty face. Have you ever seen her naked?”
“No. Not yet. Liz. I'm not sure you and I should be talking this way.”
“And I know we have to talk this way. Jazz is my friend and I understand her as a woman. There's a reason she hasn't let herself go with you. Her body.”
Davron's face screwed up in confusion. “Her body looks damn fine to me.”
“You see a good figure under her coverall. What you see is in your mind, your imagination. When I fixed her shoulder, I saw underneath that coverall. Jazz has scars, Patrick. She's fought many battles and paid the price. The doctors are pretty good these days at minimising the damage, but they can only do so much. All along she's been scared you'll be repulsed by her scars.”
Davron understood, now. “Do you think I'm really that shallow?”
“No. At least I hope you're not. Patrick. She wants you. And you want her. The first time you see her, she'll be frightened of what your reaction will be. I just wanted you to know that so you're prepared.”
Davron said, “I'm glad you told me, Liz. You're a good friend. To all of us. I promise I'll not hurt her.”
“See that you don't. Anyway. You still need a couple more days to get your strength back. You'll know when the time is right.”
* * *
The aliens were locked up in a spare room after it was stripped of anything they could possibly use as a weapon. They had water to drink and that was all they were given. Davron was recovering well, but still used the wheelchair to get about. Belle positively glowed with happiness for getting him back and made no secret of how she felt about him. But it was Davron who brought her back to reality as they lay together on Davron's bed, still fully dressed.
“We can't relax just yet, Jazz. Their ships could be here at any time.”
“You still think they're coming?”
“More than ever. I expect tweedle dum and tweedle dee have been sending messages to the others.”
“Wouldn't Romulus have picked that up?”
“Only if we were listening out for it at the time. They would have kept their communications down to a minimum to avoid detection.”
Belle said, “Maybe we should let Akrins torture them a bit. Get some information out of them.”
“I think Dale's plan is a better way to go. They'll weaken eventually.”
“That could be too late. We'll start back with the weapons for when they get here.”
Davron nodded. “I think that's for the best. At least we'll be together during the night.” He saw the look of anxiety in her eyes when he said that, but knew this wasn't the time to say what he knew of her scars. That time would come soon enough.
Chapter 59
It was time to get in position with the weapons, leaving Davron with Muffin for company. The Aliens still hadn't given up any information, so only got water. Matlock and Akrins had checked them over and asked them yet again if they had anything to say. The male, Matlock thought the closest to cracking, only the female preventing him. They were locked back up and Matlock crossed the plateau with Akrins, to the Deevas missiles. Akrins took great pleasure in stamping any dead spheres he saw, into the boggy ground.
“Finding that therapeutic, are you?” Matlock asked.
“Actually, yes. My damn leg still hurts, thanks to these damn things.”
“I think the male is getting ready to talk.”
“That bitch he's saddled with is stopping him. I think we should split them up.”
Matlock said, “Hmm. That's not such a bad idea. We'll do that tonight.”
“Good. Maybe we can find out what the hell is going on.”
Akrins took first turn at the Deevas missile launcher, Matlock knew to be almost useless. He suspected Akrins also knew that, but was taking some comfort from the weapon, regardless. After another tedious day watching for the invasion that never came, they returned to the ship, just minutes before Belle and Danders.
Davron had filled his time with chores, and a meal was ready for everyone. Everyone except the 'guests' still locked up. Eating the meal reminded Matlock of their intentions.
“We're going to split up the aliens,” he announced. “We think the male will crack easier without the female watching over him.”
“Well, we wouldn't expect the female to crack, would we Jazz?” Danders said.
“Highly unlikely. I'd have put money on the male caving in.”
Davron chuckled. “Us males can't take the pressure, hey?”
Belle waggled her eyebrows at him. “That remains to be seen.”
Matlock was piling a plate with the leftovers. “Time to put a certain male under pressure. Come on, Toby.”
They went to the locked room and Matlock opened the door with Akrins standing ready with the laser rifle. Matlock pointed to the male. “You. Out.”
The aliens shared a look then the male walked through the door which Matlock closed up, blowing a kiss to the angry female as he did so. Akrins prodded the male in the chest and they walked to the already open door of the room three doors down. The male entered and faced Matlock, staring at the plate of food.
“Sit,” ordered Matlock.
The male sat on the bed, finding that more comfortable than a chair designed for a human. Matlock sat on the chair, the food on his lap. Although full from his meal, Matlock picked up some of the food and started eating it, staring at the male as he chewed it slowly.
“Not bad,” said Matlock. “Care for some, Toby?”
“Thanks. But I'm much too full. You eat it.”
“Don't mind if I do. So, my chicken legged friend. How's your day been?”
“Hungry.”
“Hear that, Toby? Our oversized parrot is hungry.”
“Tut-tut. And you with all that food. Oh, well.”
“Hungry.”
Matlock said, “Oh, sorry. Did you want some of this?”
“Yes.”
“Toby. What do you think? Should I give him some?”
Akrins said, “Oh, sorry Dale. Did you say something? I was miles away. I keep thinking of a big roast chicken.”
“I said, shall we give our friend here some of this food?”
“Oh. Well. There's not a lot left of it. Where the hell do you put it all?”
Matlock laughed. “I'm a growing boy.” There were perhaps just three bites of food on the plate. “I'm really struggling.”
Matlock stood up and carried the plate to the male, holding it tantalisingly just out of reach. Then he offered the food to him, keeping a tight grip on the plate. The male grabbed the food and shoved it into the hole full of teeth.
“You're welcome,” said Matlock. “Time to go, Toby.”
“Still hungry.”
Matlock sighed and looked at the empty plate. “Sorry, pal. All gone. If I remember, I'll come back tomorrow evening. You sleep tight, ok?”
Matlock and Akrins left the hungry male to digest his meal, locking him alone with his thoughts.
“He might look like a big parrot,” said Matlock, “but he'll be singing like a canary by this time tomorrow.”
“And I thought I was the one with the cruel streak.”
Chapter 60
Back on Earth, confusion and laser fire was raining down on them. Buildings were ablaze, and nobody had a clue where it was coming from.
Dr Wartina Lariat had her technicians working frantically. General Burns didn't interrupt her, but stood patiently behind her, watching the screens. Three cities were burning in three different countries. New Washington, still being rebuilt after the war, Paris in France and Bangkok in Thailand. Information was pouring in but making sense of it all had everyone rattled. Lariat finally made time for Burns.
“All we know is, it is an attack from space, outside our atmosphere.”
“Is Davron responsible?” Burns asked.
“No, Sir. This is something new.”
Burns said, “But what? And where? Why aren't we getting them on radar? We still have three defence satellites out there.”
“We are not picking anything up. Damn! What the hell was that?”
Burns said, “That was a hit on Australia. But where's the damn ship that fired that laser?”
“Nothing showing,” said Lariat, feeling helpless. A young male technician appeared.
“We have a visual report, just come in. Coming on the main screen now.”
It was from a military fighter. The lone pilot had taken a shaky shot of a drone ship and had sent the images back to Command and they heard his voice.
“...appeared from nowhere. Nothing on my radar, and yet I can see the damn thing. I'm about to engage it and...”
The technician said, “He was shot down before he could engage the ship.”