mind – Afterwards

Catastrophic Calamaties – Room 101

Clarella folder her arms and turned to look out of the window of the ship. There was nothing in particular to look at, a few stars blinked and twinkled in the inky blackness of space, but that aside it was simply preferable to looking at his face.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only (apart from this one). They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Catastrophic Calamities’.

“You must have pressed it” Gard insisted. “I certainly didn’t, I would never do something like that by mistake.”

Clarella’s jaw tightened and she remained defiantly quiet.

“It’s okay” Gard continued placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s done now, it can’t be helped.”

She shrugged and brushed his hand away continuing to stare blankly out into the darkness. The silence was making Gard wholly uncomfortable.

“Look…just…” He started but then stopped as Clarella turned towards him. Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared.

“Do you really think I pressed it?” she asked, her head tilting menacingly to one side. Gard couldn’t decide if she was going to gouge his eyes out or savage his throat.

“It..I just…” his voice trailed away as she turned again to look out of the window.

“you know what this is like don’t you?” she asked.

Gard mumbled a response that she really was not interested in hearing.

“This is just like that time at your mothers.”

Gard’s already cool reptilian blood ran colder still. “Babe please.” He pleaded but she was not one for listening once it got to this point.

“You know quite well that I was not at fault then but you chose to side with her.”

“Clar please” he said leaning in to try and let her see how very sorry he was.

The ship shuddered, tilted to starboard and then righted itself again as a large piece of planet collided with her hull.

“No Gard” she replied. Her scales flushed and shimmered a light blue indicating her heightened emotional state. “It’s always the same with you isn’t it. You never believe me one. If it was your mother I am sure you’d believe her.”

Gard checked the console. Damage was minimal, the bulk of the impact absorbed by the vessels shields.

“Babe” he replied desperately, his attention again focussed on Clarella. “I’m sorry okay, it must have been me. I must have done it. Let’s just get back en route, they’re waiting for us.”

“What? You really think I’m going there with you after how you’ve treatd me?” She shouted flashing him a vicious look. “Just take me home I am going nowhere with you.”

Gard winced. He knew she was not for changing her mind.

He brought up the control holo panel and reaching up punched in the coordinates for home.

“Clar, are you sure we…” he started but she cut him short.

“Just take me home” she said, her voice now quiet yet still quite menacing. “You can tell them I have a really bad headache, which incidentally I now do so thank you for that also.”

Gard fired up the light drives and confirmed the coordinates, the Aspartila turning slowly on her axis as the navcomp plotted the best route home.

“Course confirmed” the ship’s navcomp said as she began to move slowly through the belt of debris that surrounded her. “Once we have cleared the remains of the planet the estimated journey time at warp 3 will be in the region of 3 quintells.”

Clarella pulled on her safety harness and refolded her arms.

Straightening his seat Gard pulled on his own harness saying nothing. He was still pretty sure she had hit the button and accidentally discharged the ship’s ion cannon and vaporised the planet but it really wasn’t worth getting into an even bigger fight over.

It’s wasn’t as if Earth mattered really.

Downtown – Part 1 of 6 – Room 101

Entering my office the first thing I noticed was her legs were as long as the days were hot.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Jet Lagged and Jilted’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces. To be honest this was rather rushed and it might end at 1 of 6. Just trying something different.

Entering my office the first thing I noticed was her legs were as long as the days were hot. Or was it that she was as hot as the days were long? Either way I knew she was going to be trouble.

I watched as she lit a cigarette and used my favourite cup as an ashtray. She smiled in a way that told me that this was going to be cost me no matter what I charged her, and as smoke curled from her dark red lips she spoke, her voice like syrup.

“I need you to find my husband”

Inside – Part 6 of 6 – Room 101

“I’m sorry” he repeated, “I…” He paused. How could he explain that he had no idea who she was or why he had wanted to strangle her moments before.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Orbital Orangutans’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces and publish them all today.

Orbital Orangutans

Henderson felt instantly clear headed as he followed her outside to the balcony.

“I’m sorry” he repeated, “I…” He paused. How could he explain that he had no idea who she was or why he had wanted to strangle her moments before.

She didn’t respond. He placed a hand on her arm. “ I said …”

Wide eyed she spun around, and before he could finish she grabbed him and dragged him over the rail and into the blackness of night.

Cal watched their vitals peak then flatlined, ‘Nanites Offline’ flashing across his screen.

“Mission accomplished” he said smiling to himself.

Inside – Part 5 of 6 – Room 101

Henderson’s mind was foggy, he was already losing control again and his head was pounding.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Space Jam on Toast’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces and publish them all today. The prompt reminded me of a joke I once heard but I can’t tell it because it would give things away…

“What’s wrong?” she asked sitting up on the bed breathing heavily.

Henderson’s mind was foggy, he was already losing control again and his head was pounding.

“I…don’t…” he stammered placing his head in his hands and repeating “this isn’t me”.

She leaned across and lowered her head until it was an inch from his.

“It’s okay” she said placing her hand on his cheek.

“It’s not…” he began before again losing control.

“I understand” she said kissing him gently. She then climbed from the bed pulling on her gown just as a large “Nanite Transfer Complete” confirmation flashed across Cal’s screen.

Inside – Part 4 of 6 – Room 101

“Oh god yes” she groaned, eyes closed in pleasure and her body pressed against him.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘A measure of improbability’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces and publish them all today.

Cal’s screen flashed amber as Gill fought the impulses sent to his cortex.

“Well you are a good boy” he said to himself as he instructed Gill to tighten his grip around her throat.

“Oh god yes” she groaned, eyes closed in pleasure and her body pressed against him.

The screen flashed again, this time red and with it Gill’s grip relaxing as he fought the almost irresistible urge to strangle her.

“Fuck no” he said pushing her off breathing heavily and his eyes wild with fear. “This isn’t me.”

Cal typed frantically, code streaming across the screen and hit ‘/Send’.

Inside – Part 3 of 6 – Room 101

Cal whispered words that were like warm chocolate as they spilled from Gill’s mouth, and she had a sweet tooth.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Platinum Plutonium’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces and publish them all today.

Cal whispered words that were like warm chocolate as they spilled from Gill’s mouth, and she had a sweet tooth. The nanites coursing through Henderson’s body made him a puppet and though he fought every instruction he was powerless to resist as they left the Platinum Plutonium and caught a sky cab to hers.

He watched her undress, soft curves silhouetted against the moonlight streaming through the 200^th floor windows and his body instinctively responding to her touch.

He thought of his wife at home as she closed her eyes and kissed him, her lips soft and warm, unable to resist.

Inside – Part 2 of 6 – Room 101

Henderson watched her closely from the shadows as she sat alone at the bar.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Galactic Garble Blasters’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 6 one hundred and one word pieces and publish them all today.

Henderson watched her closely from the shadows as she sat alone at the bar. Somewhere in the depths of his mind he knew he needed to be somewhere else but still he found himself walking across to her.

He watched himself in the mirrors behind them, everything surreal and seemingly detached yet he knew it was no dream. She smiled at him and placed her hand on his arm as words spilled from his mouth that weren’t his.

Laughing she stood and whispered in his ear, a passenger in his own body and the smell of her perfume filling his senses.

Day 1 – Part 3 of 3 – Room 101

After that first winter we thought the worse of it might be over, and with some of the other farmers in the area we started to try and rebuild some semblance of society again.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Hyroglyphic hineys’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 3 one hundred and one word pieces. Why? Why not.

Part 1 is here

Part 2 is here

After that first winter we thought the worse of it might be over, and with some of the other farmers in the area we started to try and rebuild some semblance of society again.

Stories of how bad things were in the cities filtered through from time to time but for us, until they arrived at least, things did start to get better. Their pyramid ships brought supplies and power and a promise of peace, but we quickly realised that their offer would come at a massive cost to us all, and that they had been behind everything from the outset.

That is kind of that really. I hadn’t done much in the first person before and was just a wee experiment. I might try it again.

Day 1 – Part 2 of 3 – Room 101

The first thing I remember afterwards were the stars. It was like seeing them for the first time and despite the chaos around me each night I would head to the block roof top to watch them.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Filaments of Frustration’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 3 one hundred and one word pieces. Why? Why not.

Part 1 is here

The first thing I remember afterwards were the stars. It was like seeing them for the first time and despite the chaos around me each night I would head to the block roof top to watch them.

Down below fires illuminated the darkness, gun shots and screams echoing through the night but up here the stars burned bright.

At the time I had no idea if we’d make it through winter, and many times I wanted to give up but somehow there was something in the stars that spoke to me, bringing hope that things would be okay.

I was wrong.

Day 1 – Part 1 of 3 – Room 101

The first we knew was when the lights went out. We thought it was just a power cut but it wasn’t.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. They are, this month at least, just 101 words only. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene. I also decided to combine this with M’s prompts. Today it was ‘Filaments of Frustration’. I am going to try tell a short tale in 3 one hundred and one word pieces. Why? Why not.

The first we knew was when the lights went out. We thought it was just a power cut but it wasn’t. They never came back on, but it wasn’t just the lights, everything stopped.

In the blink of an eye we were thrown back in time nearly two hundred years, and people being people things got bad real fast. Cities had it worse, people turned on each other and millions starved that first winter.

Dad said we were the lucky ones, that living on the farms we were better prepared, but even out here things were pretty bad that first winter.

Mission Primary – Part 7

Seems a nice day for it.

These things tend to be short pieces that may or may not be the beginning of something else. Originally they were 101 words only. I’m less strict about that now. They dont always finish, I just like to try and evoke a certain feeling or scene.

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “It went off with a bang and a hiss”. What followed was this.

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

Part 4 can be found here.

Part 5 can be found here.

Part 6 can be found here.

Sylvester sat in his favourite chair and watched, mouth wide and bowels churning as the end of the world arrived. His first thoughts as he watched events on the television unfold was that it was a Tuesday, and if Armageddon was going to arrive on any day his money would not have been on a Tuesday. If he was a gambling man, which he was not, he would likely have plumped for a Friday afternoon because Friday was wholly more interesting as a day than a Tuesday and far more likely to deliver events of interest. Even a Monday would have been worth a few dollars as a side bet given its position as one of the least favourite days but no, he would most definitely not have picked a Tuesday.

“Charlotte” he called shifting uncomfortably in his chair, “Charlotte I think you might want to come through and take a look at this.”

“Must I really” his wife replied from the kitchen sounding a little flustered. “I really want to get these pies in the oven. Can’t it wait?” She was a patient woman for the most part but his constant hollering from the comfort of his chair made her want to smother him in his sleep.

Sylvester continued to watch the television and turned up the volume.

“That’s a bit loud” Charlotte shouted. He really needed to wear his hearing aid more often. She paused for a moment listening. “Did they just say something about an attack?” She asked. Sylvester did not reply. “Sylvester, what’s going on?” she shouted. “Sylvester?”

“Confound it woman” he snapped turning in his chair and shouting back across to the kitchen , “you need to come and look damn it. The pies can wait.”

He heard the oven close and his silver haired wife shuffled through from the kitchen, her ‘Grandma Knows Best’ apron covered in flour and wiping her hands on a dish cloth.

“Oh my” she said looking at the screen as she approached, her face a mix of shock and confusion. “Is that a…?” Her voice trailed off. She sat forward and then spoke again. “Are they..?” she continued but again she didn’t quite have the words and they were left hanging in the air more in hope more than expectation

“Ahuh” Sylvester replied as Charlotte sat down slowly in the chair next to him.

“And what are all those red dots on the map?” she asked pointing to the screen as a graphic flashed across it.

“Same thing all across the planet” Sylvester answered quite matter of fact. “Looks like this is it Lottie…”

Charlotte picked up the Bible from the small table next to her chair, placed in it her lap and folded her hands together on tip of it. “I don’t think this is in the Good Book.” She said without turning towards Sylvester, her eyes fixed on the screen. “What’s going on Sylvester?” She asked.

“End of the world, that’s what it is” He answered standing up and heading over to the drinks cabinet.

“On a Tuesday?” she asked shaking her head. “Make mine a double.”

Mission Primary – Part 6

Beyond the moon.

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “Time blossomed then shrivelled”. The idea filled head with thoughts of time passing and age and forgetting the important things that have gone before.

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

Part 4 can be found here.

Part 5 can be found here.

Henderson looked out into the void of space, the moon now disappearing into the distance as the Callista prepped for her faster than light jump.

“FTL Jump in twenty” barked the Comms, the service deck eerily quiet save for the odd scurry of activity in prep for her first leg on the journey back home.

“We had to, you know that right” came a voice, causing him to start. It was one he recognised and one that made his stomach churn and his fists clench. “Marcus told me you’d were down here.”

Henderson turned around and stood to attention. “Captain, yes sir” he answered, shoulders and chin up.

“Carl, at ease” Grenville said, “It’s just you and me you can drop the Captain shit.”

“You had to? Really?” Henderson snapped. “Christ on a bike James do you have any idea how many people you just fried?” He took a step towards the officer, fists still clenched.

“You think I don’t know that?” Grenville replied, “You think I did this without a thought for those that might still be alive down there? You know as well as I do that if that thing gets off planet all the colonies will suffer the same fate.”

“There were people we could have saved, we could have helped them still.”

Grenville paused, loosened his jacket and pointed out across the deck towards where the moon. “You know I’m second generation colony Carl, you know I probably still have people down there just like you do.”

“Then why the hell couldn’t you wait?” he asked turning to face him. “I guess you’re going to tell me you were following orders.”

Grenville looked old. Older than he ought to. He was barely recognisable from the man he had known for so many years – and as a boy for as many before that – and that he had served under on the Juliana, the Aiden and now on the Callista.

He put a hand on his shoulder. “So what now James” he said turning to look back out into space. He wanted to help, to tell him it was okay but it wasn’t. They weren’t kids anymore and sometimes you needed to knwo that things weren’t going to be alright.

“We’ve burned the earth’s atmosphere, saved the colonies and now we head home to a heroes welcome?” he said sarcastically.

Grenville buttoned up his jacket again and sighed. “It’s not quite over yet Carl” he said, a new sadness in his voice.

“Command are still nervous and despite wiping out every living thing they’ve just sent new orders.”

Henderson balled his fists. “Why the hell are you telling me this James, why me? Serious don’t you have a first officer or a dozen senior officers you could tell?”

Grenville turned to walk away and then stopped, pausing before speaking again.

“Five minutes after we jump the entire store of Fed nova clusters in the bunkers just outside Berlin, Shanghai, Los Angeles and Singapore will detonate and rip the whole damn planet to pieces.”

“My god James, I don’t want to know okay.” Henderson snapped, his eyes wide and nostrils flared. “Just do what you have to okay and leave me be. Please.”

Without turning around Grenville headed off towards the service deck exit.

“Sorry Carl” Grenville said and the service deck blast door began to close and the comms confirmed 5 minutes to FTL jump. “I’m just sorry…”

Toxic – Room 101

a quick 101 words

“Woah man, try these” Driyal said offering the small packet of blue pills as he watched his otherwise perfectly green tentacles turn to a bunch of flowers. “These are out of this world.”

Corvelex stared open mouthed and shook his head as he imagined himself to be the sexual centre of the entire galaxy. His thrallus throbbed intently and his scales turned a deep shade of crimson.

“What is it man” he asked, all four of his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Sapien X” Driyal said grinning broadly.

“No way bro” he insisted, “I ain’t touching those humans, they’re toxic!”

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/toxic/

Mission Primary Part 5

Somewhere out in the dark of space

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “Spacing out in shadow’s doubt”. Mostly it had me thinking of confusion and consternation. The story continues for now I guess…

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

Part 4 can be found here.

Cal scoured the holo screen looking for any sort of sign that there might be something still out here. The scans were picking up the moon about three hundred and eighty thousand clicks away, and it was visible through the port windows but that wasn’t what he was after. He knew earth should be here, the maps weren’t wrong. The coordinates weren’t wrong.

“It should be here Desi” he insisted. “I don’t understand where it could be.”

“Maybe it’s just a myth Cal” Desi said staring out into the darkness. “Do we really know it was ever here.”

“Hell Desi of course we do.” he said angrily. “This is where we’re from, this is our home.”

“It’s not my home” Desi replied. “And it’s not yours, you were born on Seranos just like me. Let it go Cal, let’s just go home we are already in enough trouble as it is. Dad is going to kill us when he finds out we’ve taken his ship.”

“Do you never wonder why we’re forbidden from returning Des? Why they always tell us that Earth was abandoned to protect us all but no one even knows where it is anymore.”

“Not really no” Desi replied. “It’s a myth Cal, a bed time story. ”

“Then why were dad’s maps locked away? Why has no one even been back to look in 800 years? That’s not right Des. It must still be out here somewhere.”

The screen flashed briefly and a data stream ticked across slowly. Cal stared at it for a while.

“What is it?” Desi asked not really caring. She just wanted to go home before Dad found out they were gone. Cal was always getting them into trouble, and despite him being a year younger she always found herself drawn to whatever wild plan he had in his head. Once Cal had found the Maps in his father’s unlocked safe a few months ago he had become obsessed with the idea of Earth.

“Just what looks like an asteroid belt, nothing major” Cal answered. “We could go take a look I suppose.”

“Cal come on” Desi said turning off the screen. “Let’s just go home Cal there’s nothing out here.”

“Then why the Moon?” He snapped bringing the screen back up. “If the moon is here the earth must be here.”

“Cal let’s just…” She began and then stopped and pointed slowly out into the darkness. “What’s that?”

Mission Primary Part 4

Somewhere out in the dark of space

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “Jumping Jupiter can’t get stupider”. I didn’t get much further than the idea of Jupiter. Let’s see if I can continue the story with it.

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Part 3 can be found here.

The Callista’s comms crackled into life as the roar of her huge primary engines fought to steady her descent into orbit around Ganymede. Saturn’s gravitational pull was massive but if they could land on the moon it would give them the protection they needed to work on replenishing their hydrogen supplies.

“All crew standby for important comms” it ordered.

Henderson sat up in his bunk and reached for his chewing tobacco. Stuffing a wad into his cheek he banged a fist against the bottom of the bunk above.

“Marcus, wake up” he shouted. “You’re going to want to hear this.”

Marcus stirred, mumbling incomprehensibly.

“Serious man, wake up.” Henderson barked.

“Okay, okay” Marcus said throwing back his blanket and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m awake see. God man how serious can it be after what we just witnessed?”

Henderson chewed slowly before responding. There are some things you’re never going to forget seeing and what the Callista had just done was one of them.

“They’re going to say it was for the best, you’ll see. They will have some excuse for what they did but there is no justification for it. None at all. You don’t do that to an entire planet you just don’t.”

Marcus jumped down from the top bunk and walked over to the small sink in the corner of the room.

“What do we know man” he said filling a cup with water. “Things have been messed up for so long now.

“Messed up?” Henderson snapped. “My god Marcus what we just did goes way beyond just ‘messed up’ surely you see that.”

“Honestly?” said Marcus taking a drink.

“That a question?” Henderson asked.

Marcus put the cup down on the edge of the sink. He was a tall lean man, about 6 foot 2 with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. A large green and black tattoo of a snake across his right shoulder seemed to writhe as he moved.

“You know how I feel about Earth” he said, “it’s not my home and they are not my people, I’m a colonial and I’m proud of it. My allegiance is to my family and my clan and the only reason I’m on this ship is because I need the money.”

“Do you really feel nothing? ” Henderson asked. He knew Marcus was an off worlder and like so many of his people he hated Earth but even he must feel something, surely.

“Sorry no, I don’t” he said defiantly, pulling out a chair at the small metal table in the middle of the room and sitting down. The ship lurched suddenly and then, with a roar of the engines , was again steadied. “Earth have done nothing but steal from us and use us Henderson” he continued, “I almost feel relieved that it’s over. Things will have to be different now.”

Before Henderson could respond the comms sounded again.

“This is Captain Grenville” it began. After a lengthy pause it continued. “Today you witnessed the destruction of our home planet…”

Mission Primary Part 3

“You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars.”
-Gary Allan

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “The stars stood on standby”. Mostly it gave me this horrible sense of foreboding so that is where I am letting it take the story which the prompts are dictating to a degree.

Part 1 can be found here.

Part 2 can be found here.

Stella rolled the smooth white pebble between her fingers as she watched the sea lapping at her feet. The sky seemed to melt into the grey of the water and it was hard to tell where one started and the other ended.

“So where to now Jess?” she asked not looking up. “What are we meant to do?” It would be dark soon and the nights were getting colder.

At 18 Jess was 5 few years older than she was, so her natural instinct was to let her make all the decisions. Jess had found her scavenging for food in one of the empty houses in the neighbourhood and helped her to bury her parents and had looked after her ever since.

“I’m not really sure Stella” she answered looking up and down the pebbled beach “we probably need somewhere to settle in for a few days to rest up and then work out how we get off planet.”

“You think we need to leave?” Stella answered throwing the pebble into the sea. “You really don’t think things are going to get better then?”

She really liked Stella, she was a good kid and had been through a lot but despite all the death and destruction things still seemed to surprise her. Stella envied that about her.

“The Transporters are all shut down and we haven’t seen any sign of Fed forces for weeks now. They’ve abandoned us for sure. There aren’t even any Fed instructions coming through on the short wave anymore.”

“But why would they leave us Jess” Stella asked looking confused. “The government are meant to be making everything better.”

“Stella…” her voice trailed away as she looked up at the sky, the clouds parting and stars already visible in the inky black of night. “Stars Stella” she said pointing. Jess looked up and smiled.

“Dad knew all about the stars” she said. “He used to take me up to the observatory in the summer and teach me all about them.”

“Do you know which they are then?” Jess asked.

Stella laughed, “No I just went because it meant I could stay up past bedtime and it was a chance to spend time with him.”

“I think it might be Sirius” Jess said smiling. “I remember from school that it was the brightest.”

They both stood quietly for a while. The idea of school and family and a normal life seemed such a distant memory now.

“Are stars supposed to move” Jess asked breaking the silence, the sky now rapidly turning dark. “Because that really does look like it’s getting bigger”

“Do you think it could be someone coming to rescue us?” Jess asked, her voice filled with hope.

“Maybe sure, why not” said Stella. “We’re not sick so why wouldn’t they want to help us.”

The light in the sky grew brighter still and was soon surrounded by others and a silhouette began to emerge high in the atmosphere. The

“That’s no star Stella, that’s a ship of some sort.” Jess said excited. It’s pretty high up but it’s definitely a Fed ship. No one else has anything that big.” It had been weeks since they had seen anything up in the sky, or on land for that matter and Jess knew a Fed battle ship when she saw one. They were always on the news a few years ago when they made first contact with the Genaris and everybody thought it was going to be the end of the world.

Jess walked forward as if to try get a better look, the waves lapping at her feet and covering her boots. “Its huge Jess” she said smiling. “They surely have room for us” and she began to wave her arms.

Stella laughed. “Jess, Jess they can’t see us from up there. They’re miles and miles up.”

“Really?”

“Yes” Jess answered. “But at least they’ve returned and that’s surely a good thing. She stepped into the shallow surf and took Stella’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Don’t worry Jess” she said, her voice calm. “It will all be over soon.”

Mission Primary Part 2 – Room 101

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “Chewing Chewbacco” which had me thinking about Star Wars obviously but more the type of American you see in folms that so enjoys stuffing a wad of the stuff in his cheek and chewing and spitting the vile black filth back out. This had me thinking about cowboys and then engineers and then suddenly the piece below emerged.

Part 1 can be found here.

The Callista rounded the moon slowly, the shadow of her massive bulk creeping across it’s surface as her primary engines exploded into life and propelled her towards earth. Henderson steadied himself against one of the huge fuel lines and stared out into space, wiping his hands on the rag he kept in his belt and spitting a mouth full of thick black tobacco onto the service deck.

“You boys ready for this?” he asked to anyone willing to listen. “You know what this is right?” No one looked up. Henderson was always spouting off about one conspiracy theory or another.

“This is then end boys, I’m telling you” he continued. “Rumour is that it’s now spread so far that they need to frag the whole damn planet to stop it.”

“Shut the hell up Henderson” Franks barked back looking out from under the Interceptor he was working on. “Some of us still have people down there. There is just no way the brass would do that.”

“I’m telling you” Henderson answered spitting again and wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Last few weeks have seen all Fed troops recalled. You saw how many ships there were dark side. The whole fleet has puled back.”

Something about his words rang true. “You really think?” Franks asked sliding out and getting to his feet. He walked across to where Henderson stood.

“Afraid so man” he answered. “Seems pretty obvious to me, just look at what a mess it is down there. They can’t stop the spread and now they’re worried about it getting off world.” He paused waiting for his words to sink in, he did love an audience.

Franks rubbed his chin. “Shit man, my cousin is still in Singapore working on the docks there.”

“They already had to shut down the dimensional transporters planet wide when the Washington site was over run, there’s no way they can risk it reaching the colonies.”

Turning to look out across the deck towards where the earth could be seen through the launch bay Franks felt Henderson stood next to him. It was oddly reassuring. “You really think they’ll frag the whole thing?” he asked.

Henderson put a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll know soon enough.”

Mission Primary – Room 101

Stomach pains…

I’m going to tie them to M’s prompts this month. The prompt was “The explosive egg hunt” which had me thinking about the film alien and all this eggs filled with creatures just ready to burst out and crawl inside you…then there was the idea of the easter egg – the type that gets hidden in games and such. Anyway this is what came of it. Seems my preamble is longer that the piece itself.

Caleb brought the ship out of sub space, her beam engines humming into life as the faster than light drives fired down.

Desi unbuckled protesting “Dad’s going to kill us Cal, we shouldn’t be out here.”

“Oh relax sis” Cal answered “he’ll never know. I just wanted to check.”

Cal tapped the holo screen that appeared before him and initiated a scan of the area. “there must be something out here” he insisted. “It’s meant to be out here somewhere. The old charts in the vault pinpoint it to this sector.”

Desi looked out from the cockpit across the inky blackness of space, stars littered the darkness but nothing more. “Cal there’s nothing here, let’s go home.”

Cal turned to her, frustration etched across his face. “But the charts Desi, why do you think Dad kept them locked away. It’s for a reason surely.”

Desi looked up at the holo screen, it blinked confirming what she already knew.

“Earth isn’t out here Cal, It’s been gone for 8oo years now.”

The Doctor will see you now – Room 101

Stomach pains…

Alan awoke slowly. It was not something he was used to given that most days started abruptly with a 5.00am alarm. Being rudely awakened was usually immediately followed by contemplative wondering as to why he had not tried harder in school and a subsequent desire to be anywhere but where he was so this was a nice change.

So pleasant was the experience of waking naturally and finding himself greeted by a soft warm light filling the room that the unfamiliar surroundings did not seem to trouble him one bit. As his eyes grew accustomed to the brightness he realised that he was not at home in his own bed. He looked around and all he could make out were stark white walls on each side and an equally plain ceiling above. Confused, but not alarmed, he tried to sit up but found himself unable to do so. He was covered in what appeared to be a plain white sheet and despite feeling no restraints he lay quite motionless with the exception of the ability to move his neck and look about.

“Hello” he shouted. There was no echo. He waited. No response. “Hello, is anybody there?”

No reply came though the light did seem to brighten a little. He strained again to sit up, this time even a little grunt but he remained exactly where he was and chose instead to lay his head back down and stare at the ceiling.

All the usual thoughts you would expect to think upon finding yourself in such a place went through his head and he realised that he had precisely no answer to any of them. More curiously though he didn’t seem to care particularly. He was warm and comfortable and he felt quite at peace. After a while considering his surroundings the lights once again brightened, and there was a feint hiss as if someone had sneakily opened a bottle of soda. He attempted to look about but now not even his head would move.

“Hello” he offered.

A rather gruff “Snarkgarblevar untervardel” came the response.

Alan paused. “Er, hello” was the best he could muster.

The voice spoke again but this time seemed to transition from completely unintelligible to something that sounded very much like his second grade school teacher Mr Bloom. “Snarkgarblevar unter…senses..and you should find this mostly painless.”

The lights brightened again and he suddenly felt rather less comfortable. Lying quite still he caught movement in the corner of his eye and then without warning everything stopped making sense. Assuming any of it already was.

Stood before him, around seven foot tall and in a most vivid hue of blue was a creature that was most definitely not from round his way. Thick fur covered its body from head to foot and it had bright yellow eyes set deep in a face that had nothing that you could assume as a nose but had plenty of what you knew were teeth. Long sharp white teeth arranged in a deep red mouth in such a way that left you in no doubt that they were something to be feared and were not just for smiling pleasantly or gently nibbling on fruits, nuts and berries.

The sight of the creature combined with the words “mostly painless” made his bowels instantly grumble.

“Oh now come on” the creature insisted “no need to be so concerned this will be over in no time at all.”

Alan began to breathe rather heavily as it drew near.

“I am Doctor Berlastio” it said quite matter of fact. “And I will be taking charge of your probing today.”

“Oh good God” Alan exclaimed already attempting to clench his non responding bottom. “Must you really?” In no time at all he seemed to have accepted the fact of the being before him and was now more occupied with its desire to take a peek inside him.

“Oh absolutely I must” it insisted, the large rows of teeth still very much on show. “It’s all part of the programme you see, we simply must.”

“Programme?” Alan asked still attempting to find any part of his body – other than his head – that might respond to his orders to move.

“Oh Yes, yes. All very important. It’s the reason we’re here you see.” The Doctor answered. He seemed surprisingly willing to share the reasons for what Alan assumed was going to be most unpleasant, and whilst he had no previous experience of aliens of any description he had most definitely not expected them to be so forthcoming and polite.

“Er…” Alan hesitated. Perhaps if he kept it talking he might find a way out of this. “And why exactly are you here?” he asked.

The doctor paused and then his smile turned into something wholly more sinister looking. His fur seemed to bristle and his eyes narrowed.

“I shall let you into a little secret I think” it answered, “You wont remember any of this when we pop you back down on Earth anyway.”

Alan wanted to answer, to protest, but now found himself now unable to speak. Now no part of him responded.

Berlastio grinned. “We need somewhere to incubate our larvae obviously. Now lie back and relax, we will have you back in bed before your alarm goes off.”

New Britannia – Room 101

another place another time

A thick fog rolled in across the Thames as Big Ben chimed nine times.

“That’s locking up time I reckon” Darla said to her husband getting up from behind the counter and heading over to the shop door. It had been another quiet night, it always was when the pea-souper rolled in. “People just don’t being out in it do they.” She added.

“Uh-huh” Bran responded not looking up from his newspaper. He was very much looking forward to heading upstairs and putting his feet up.

Darla flipped over the sign on the door and reached for the top bolt, but before she could slide it closed the door burst open with such force that she was thrown backwards into the shelving at the end of the aisle and she collapsed to the floor with a scream.

“What the…” her husband exclaimed dropping his newspaper and standing from his chair as two men, dishevelled and dressed mostly in rags, burst through the door and headed straight for him. “Now just you wait a minute” he shouted without any fear seeing his wife’s legs protruding into the aisle.

“Just shut it and empty the till into the bag” the larger of the two shouted pulling a long metal blade from his belt and waving it wildly. The smaller squarer man reached across the counter and pushed a bag into his chest.

Darla rubbed her head and attempted to stand knocking cans to the floor, and both men turned to see her slip back down to the floor.

“Hurry up” the tall one shouted. “In the bag. Now”

With the contents of the till emptied into the bag the short man reached over and grabbed it and as he pulled back threw a wild square into the jaw of Bran dropping him to the floor. For a while he lay there, his head spinning and attempted to regain his feet. By the time he did the door of the shop stood open and Darla was steadying herself leaning against the aisle shelving.

“Are you okay” she asked walking slowly towards him as he leaned against the counter breathing heavily. He nodded.

“You?”

She smiled and rubbed her head.

“Takes more than that to upset me” she answered “Do you think we should call the police?”.

Bran reached out and placed a hand on her arm. “No, let them have it dear, there’s no wonder these humans are an endangered species the way they behave…”

Darling – Room 101

We all have a type, right?

As the rain fell outside, walls of neon reflected in the gathering dark pools, Aldous watched her from the warmth of his car. It was always so busy down here, a sea of umbrellas pushing through the main through way and hooded figures darting in the shadows as the distant thud of music mixed with the patter of rain and the hum of the vehicles buzzing along the street twenty feet from the ground.

He shifted excitedly in his seat, the sleek lines of his executive model car almost hidden from view as he parked up under the overhang of one of the old hab blocks that towered high into the night sky. Each of the huge steel and concrete monoliths that were dotted across the city housed a mix of nearly four thousand humans and other species from across the galaxy in the most awful of conditions, yet here at ground level, where quite literally you would find the lowest of society there was only one that he cared about.

Every day Aldous watched her from the same place as he headed to work. His mind raced when he saw her waiting on the corner, her blue skin bright against the dark of the permanent night of ground level. His imagination fired as he watched her walk back and forth waiting for her next customer and he imagined, as he had done so many times, those long slender legs wrapped around his back and the talons on her fingers digging into his flesh as she moved against him and her rough tongue slowly tasting the sweat on his skin.

He loosened his tie as a young human male, probably in his thirties, walked across to her. She stood a good two feet taller than him and as he reached into his pocket she placed an hand on his arm. He knew what would happen next, he had seen it endless times before yet even now it still filled him with such anger and jealousy.

“Mine” he muttered to himself “get your damn hands off of her she’s m…” but he didn’t finish, unable to speak as she took her client by the hand and led him through a dimly lit open door only a few metres from where she had been just moments before.

Aldous sat for some time, heart racing and obsessing about what she was probably doing to him. Slowly he reached to undo his belt but stopped as his comms beeped to indicate it was 8pm. He needed to get to work, people would be waiting.

He punched the car into life and barked out instructions.

“Alexa, take me to work”.

“Affirmative” she confirmed. “Destination set.”

The car pulled out from under the cover of the hab and slowly rose into the air, quickly syncing speed with the traffic above and joining the flow. It weaved its way through the other vehicles, the neon advertising boards lighting up the night and throwing their day glow hues into the darkness. He looked down and watched as the lower levels disappeared into murky nothing and sat back in his seat, eyes closed, and waited.

Alexa confirmed that he had reached his destination and the doors of the vehicle opened with a feint hiss. Aldous stepped out onto the landing pad and felt the wind on his face. He wandered across to the edge of the pad and looked out across the city. He loved being so high up, it gave you a real idea of just how vast the city was and with the sun still able to filter through this high up the late evening sun felt good.

“Were ready for you sir” came a voice accompanied by hurried footsteps. “Everyone is waiting.”

He turned to see a pretty dark haired assistant who’s name he could not quite remember.

“Thank you” he said taking a large leather book from her. “Claire isn’t it?”

“Karen” she answered, cheeks flushed. “It’s Karen.”

“Karen. Right, thank you Karen” Aldous said and disappeared through a door at the edge of the landing pad. He could still see her in his head, the rain falling and the neon blinking. He quickly skipped down two flights of stairs, straightening his tie and running over his notes in his head. Another assistant was waiting for him and she quickly ushered him towards a door at the end of a corridor.

“Thank you” he said politely, this time choosing not to get another name wrong, and stepped through the door and onto the large stage. He knew there were thousands of eyes focussed on him but he looked straight ahead and headed to the lectern. He carefully placed the book on it and opened it to the bookmarked page before composing himself and looking up.

“Good Evening” he said smiling broadly and standing tall. “My name is Aldous Emerick, I am the Pastor of The Holy Enlightened Church of Christ, and tonight we are going to be learning more about why these aliens are an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.”

Tenderness – Room 101

Coming soon to a future near you.

Captain Trexel was a rather large and imposing creature at the best of times, but when enraged was something beyond fierce and for most creature trouser soilingly terrifying.

“Enter” he barked at the rap on his quarters door, waiting and watching as Corporal Dartus entered and snapped to attention in front of the desk at which Trexel sat. “Explain yourself Corporal” he demanded.

The best Dartus could manage was a confused “Captain?”

“The Humans” Trexel shouted, “Explain your treatment of the humans boy. Reports suggest that you have not been treating them with kindness and compassion. They may be our property but we do not abuse them.”

Dartus stammered. “S-S-Sir I just thought that they didn’t matter give we have so many.”

Trexel stood, rising up to his full and thoroughly impressive 8 foot height. His lips smacked and teeth began to grind.

“Do you not get it boy” he snarled, “We need to treat them with kindness, tenderness and ensure they are comfortable and enjoy their time with us.”

“Sir, yes Sir” he responded.

“And besides” Trexel continued, “If you cause them undue stress by killing one of them for sports in full sight of the others their flesh becomes rather tough and most unpleasant to eat…”

Change of heart – Room 101

Well we probably deserve it.

Grand Marshall Gliebnar strolled onto the bridge of the Valdar Type 2 Imperial Cruiser with an air of a man that said today was the day that he would invade Earth and capture her for the glory of the Torzgar empire. If there was any doubt on the matter, which there most certainly was not, but if there was then the dossier in his hand confirmed precisely that and today was the day that he would invade earth and capture her for the glory of the Torzgar empire. It said it across the front. In a rather large and shouty font.

“Commander Dren” he said hands on hips staring out into the inky blackness. “Please confirm all stations ready and the fleet is ready for stage 1 invasion.”

Commander Dren paused and looked quite uncomfortable. He was sweating profusely and his norbel gland was throbbing rather intensely.

“Commander?” Gliebnar shouted turning to face him. “What is it, is there a problem?” The thick scales on his face seemed to ripple as he ground his teeth. He was a terrible teeth grinder.

Dren tried to speak. “I..it’s just that…”

“On come on man out with it” Gliebnar barked.

He held out a paper, his claws shaking as Gliebnar snatched it from him. “It’s about the Humans Grand Marshall. A paper prepared by the Office of Alien Landing and Occupation. I think perhaps we may want to reconsider our approach.”

“Our approach?” Gliebnar snapped. “The same approach that has worked on endless civilisations that have succumbed to the might of the mighty Torzgar empire?” As he said this he stood a little taller, his shoulders back and his chest out.

“Well yes sire it’s just that they seem rather difficult sir.”

“Difficult? Dren I will have you know that they will succumb and surrender like the countless that have gone before and be assimilated into the empire.”

Dren backed away slightly wary of the Grand Marshall’s temper. He has once seen him beat a man until he cried for his mother for no reason other than a request to attend his own wedding. “Please sir” he stammered, “please just read the report.”

Gliebnar paused. “You seem convinced Dren” he answered, “I shall take a look then” and settled into his chair and began to scan through the report.

After a short while he looked up. “Are we sure this is right?” he asked.

“We are sir.”

“And this has been verified. A planet of hundreds of individual tribes. All with their own leaders?”

“Yes sir.”

“And despite the significant resources the majority live in poverty?”

“Hard to believe Grand Marshall I realise, but they are in many ways little more than savages.”

Gliebnar placed the report down on his lap.

“Thank you Dens” he said rising to his feet and reaching for the comms. “I think perhaps extermination will prove far easier…”

Callista – Room 101

Just a little something.

Spencer stirred slowly as the cryo pod hissed and opened, his head pounding and the cabin lights causing him to reach up and cover his eyes. He breathed deep trying to quell the nausea. Hauling derilium ore across the galaxy was great money and the chance to see the colonies was something so few Earth born would ever experience but he’d never get used to the effects of coming out of deep sleep no matter how many times he did it.

Still squinting he checked the readout on the small display on his wrist. Coordinates and timings checked out, he was back home. Excited, he pulled himself from the pod, head spinning and stumbled over to the bridge, desperate to get a glimpse of the planet he had left behind nearly 150 years ago.

“What the…” he mumbled steadying himself against the back of a large chair. He looked down at the control panel in front of him, lights blinking.

“Calista, confirm destination coordinates reached.” He said stabbing at a flashing red button. The proximity sensors were on overload.

A flat calm voice responded. “Coordinates for Earth orbit reached, local year is 2187.”

They had to be wrong. “Calista please recalibrate and verify coordinates.”

“Coordinates for Earth orbit reached” she repeated.

Struggling forward he walked slowly over to the long wide window at the far end of the deck. Where there should have been a planet all there was rock and debris as far as he could see.

“Calista where is Earth?” he asked. There was a brief pause.

“Coordinates for Earth orbit reached” she answered. “Records show no transmissions from Earth for 30 solar cycles.”

“Scan for local signals” he instructed. Something must have survived whatever had happened.

Ore freighters didn’t have a crew or captain, programmed to track to their destination coordinates and only wake the solitary crew member – the engineer – in the event of significant technical difficulties. Obviously Earth being rubble was for some reason not classed as a significant.

“No signals across any frequency detected” she answered. “Scanning complete”

He stood and considered what to do next, his head still fuzzy from the effects of spending 70 year frozen as he tore across the galaxy.

“Calista, estimate return route to nearest Earth outpost, factor in remaining cryo reserves.” HE knew he didn’t have enough for a full trip back to the nearest colonies but reserves should get him somewhere he could refuel and refill the cryo.

It took her longer than he had expected. “Calista?”

“Estimates indicate that with current reserves and running STL drives at 10 percent to maximise remaning fuel it will take approximately 22 years to reach the nearest outpost at Sentauri.”

“And how much capacity have we got in cryo? I really don’t want to be awake for 22 years with just you for company, no offence intended”

“None taken” Calista responded. “Reserves will permit 5 years of additional deep sleep.”

“That’s it? Five?”

“Affirmitive, Five”

Spencer sat down in the large chair and stared out into space and wondered whether the ships computer had solitaire built in…

Gettysberg – Room 101

The smell of blood and gunpowder mixed with the crack and fizz of musket balls filled Abel’s senses

The smell of blood and gunpowder mixed with the crack and fizz of musket balls filled Abel’s senses. Cold steel met soft flesh and a young lad, no more than 18 years old, collapsed lifeless next to him – dark blood seeping into his grey uniform. His heart thundered like the endless roar of cannons trained on their position from the ridge and he took a drink from his canteen.

Looking over to where General Lee stood he reached for his revolver. It was time to end this war.

He raised his revolver but before he had chance to squeeze the trigger there was a flash of light and he found himself back on the table in the departure centre.

“Change of plans Abel” came a voice over the comms, “were going to let the war continue a bit longer.”