Embarkment 2577 Read online

  She barely even stopped for breath. Did he calculate I would take the skull, come down here, and run into someone who would say good things about him?

  “Well, there were like twenty people in here that day and he put his weapons on the table right there. Then, she set fire to his face. Fire! Can you imagine someone burning off your face, and your hair? She allowed me to put it out in time to save one eye.”

  The world swayed around me. Protective to the last electric impulse in his neural net, Adam kept these gruesome details to himself.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Awesome. Did you… Did you see what happened to his arm?”

  She handed the skull back. “Yes, and it gives me nightmares. Trust me, you don’t want to know. Where did you get this anyway?”

  “He gave it to me. Thought destroying it would help me work through some… issues.”

  “Good thinking. It can help us both. Is this Titanium?”

  “I have no idea. If you say so it probably is.”

  “That’s a toughie. I think boiling sulfuric acid might do it. Or hydrofluoric acid. Which do you want to try first?”

  “Boiling. That’s scarier.”

  *****

  I wanted to stay angry. Being filled with rage was much easier than forgiving, but Debana’s words haunted me through the rest of the day. My mind kept poking the horrors until I felt sick to my stomach. I still stalled going home. I rationalized it, thinking it was prudent to wait until he would be home from work, but I think a cruel part of me wanted to make him wait and punish him just a little more.

  When I stepped in through the door, he pulled me close and held me hard. “Please don’t ever go away again.”

  A sarcastic answer waited on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it down. I had missed him too, more than I wanted him to know. “I heard what happened to your face. I’m sorry. No one should have to go through that.”

  How many times had his perfect memory replayed every second of the horror? I always saw him as invulnerable, but no one was.

  “I kept thinking of you. You kept me sane.”

  Interesting. He always appeared so strong I thought I was the one needing him, but maybe he needed me too.

  “I brought you dinner from the promenade, are you hungry?”

  “Sure.”

  He led me towards the dining room. I never used it, and almost forgot we had it. Food was the last thing on my mind, but if he braved the crowds of the promenade to get me something, I should at least try to eat. I nibbled a piece and realized I was starving.

  “Do you remember a while ago I promised to take some shore leave?”

  It wasn’t all that long ago, but so many things had happened it seemed like a different life. “Yeah…”

  “I figured we both need to get off this ship for a while. I’m getting new coverings tomorrow, and with any luck a new eye.”

  A new eye. He sacrificed himself for the people in the science labs, and his poor eye had burned. He was an android, but it must still have been horrible.

  “Alex?”

  I reached over the table to take his hands. “Say that again?”

  “We can go wherever you want. Just pick a place.”

  “I don’t know any places.”

  He laughed. “Well then, pick a type of place and I’ll find it.”

  “Anywhere with peace and quiet. Somewhere we could have some time just for us.”

  I fell asleep in the sofa that night, leaning against him, and woke from him carrying me to bed. I worried I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about where his body had been and what it had done, but at least for sleeping I didn’t care. Resting in his arms was heavenly.

  I dreamed of his face being on fire and his wonderful hazel eyes melting before being consumed by flames. I woke with a wheezing breath and Adam caressed my shoulder. “Are you still here? I thought you’d be at work by now.”

  He brushed my hair away from my face. “No. We’ve deserved some time off.”

  Good point, I couldn’t agree more. I shuddered and curled up with my back against him. Every time I closed my eyes I saw the imaginary fire. There was no way I was going back to sleep.

  I gave up and turned on the other side, resting my head on his shoulder.

  He murmured, “I’m glad you’re home. It’s not the same when you’re not here.”

  “I’m glad I’m home too. I’m… I’m sorry I ran out on you.”

  “Why? I did something horrible and you had every right to be angry.”

  Good point. “Well, I could have stayed to hear you out.” I trailed my hand over his chest. “Wanna make love?”

  “Yes. But you really should get some sleep. It has been a few long days, and you’re still healing.”

  “I can’t. Every time I close my eyes I see bad things happening to you, and Eve trying to turn you into someone else.”

  His metal fingers held me, and he ran the ones that still seemed human over my cheek. “You don’t know how right you are. Won’t my face… disturb you?”

  Excellent question. If I really loved him like I thought I did, a minor detail like that shouldn’t matter. I pressed my palm against his metal cheek. “Naah. This is who you really are. I won’t love you more or less depending on your skin.”

  *****

  The next morning, I woke from Adam taking a seat on the side of the bed. He caressed my cheek and my hair. “Good morning, beautiful. It’s time to wake up.”

  I pushed myself up to sitting and hugged him.

  “Do you want some breakfast?”

  “Yes, please.” Adam’s breakfasts were the best.

  He kept me company for a few minutes. “I have to go. Would you mind packing for us? I have some civilian clothes.”

  Were we really doing it? Going away? “We’ll come back here later, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “Tell Anya and John we’ll be back in three weeks. If you can live without them for that long.”

  I stuck my tongue out.

  “Damn. I want to wink. I need to go get that eye fixed.”

  I nodded and watched him go, but as soon as he was out of sight, I panicked. So much had happened. What if he didn’t come back? I bounced out of bed and wrapped myself in the sheet. “Adam, wait!”

  He stood in the living room, just inside the door, looking puzzled. I ran up to him and threw my arms around him.

  “What is it, sweetheart? Are you okay?”

  I closed my eyes and pressed myself against him. “Yes.”

  I didn’t want to sound crazy, but my mouth babbled anyway, faster and faster. “I know this isn’t the best of times, but please don’t go. If you have to work, take me with you. I’ll sit in a corner and you won’t even know I’m there. I won’t be in the way, I promise, but please don’t leave me here alone.”

  Way to go seeming normal. Instant mental breakdown…

  Adam changed his hold on me so he could reach his communicator. “Adam to Commander Jia’Lyn. I will be a little delayed, there is a personal matter I must attend to.”

  “Acknowledged. Come down to Engineering as soon as you can. We’re all set for you.”

  My husband put his hands on mine and released my death grip on him. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me like a child to the sofa.

  “You lied to me. You’re not okay.”

  I buried my face against him and tried to swallow my tears. “Just a little lie.”

  “What can I do?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You know I love you, right?”

  I nodded, face still pressed against him. “I love you too.”

  “Look… I really don’t want you to see Jia’Lyn take me apart and work on me.”

  When put that way, I didn’t want me to see that either.

  “It’s amazing that you love me either way, but you can’t want me to go around like this.”

  Darned man, he was getting me with logic.

  “She�
�s really dead, right?”

  “Yes. Do you want me to…”

  I didn’t let him finish the sentence. “No. Just hurry back.”

  “Alex… I always hurry back. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you.”

  I believed him. This time I let him leave without objecting, but it was hard. I got dressed, packed, and called Anya. He was only gone a few hours, but to me an eternity passed before he came back.

  When he returned, he stood in the door, looking exactly like he used to. I stared into his eyes for a long time and they looked just like they had before. It was impossible to tell anything happened to him. He smiled, and it was a relief to see the entire face.

  “Is it Alex approved?”

  “Yes. You look great.” I put my hands on his shoulders and tugged him closer. “Want.”

  He looked honestly happy. “I thought we were going on vacation?”

  “We are. Right after you ravage me.”

  He laughed and let me pull him to the bedroom.

  When he got dressed again, he put on a bright blue shirt and tugged at the sleeves. “I’m not used to civilian clothes.”

  I wasn’t used to seeing him in anything but uniform, but it was darned sexy. I brushed my hands over his shoulders, “Well, you look fantastic.”

  “And you are beautiful as always. Let’s get out of here.”

  Strange. He wasn’t usually in such a hurry to go anywhere. I followed without questions, and when we stood in the elevator, he pulled me close.

  “Adam, are you okay?”

  “Yes.” I could hear a but coming. “Everything is functioning within specified parameters. I still see fires everywhere, like seeing through the fire. I feel nanobots eat the flesh off my arm. I still feel the panic of not knowing where you were, or what was happening to you.”

  He frowned. “I wish I could take some memory circuits out.”

  Never before had I seen the ability to forget almost anything as a good thing. We were both physically patched up and I barely remembered the details. These memories would remain with him forever, just as clear as when it happened.

  “I’m here. Give me a couple of days and you’ll be so tired of me you’ll beg for someone to kidnap me, just so you can get some peace and quiet.”

  He laughed and the lift came to a soft stop.

  When the door to the shuttle bay slid open, I stared at the long rows of metal birds. They fascinated me the first time I saw them, and they were still just as intriguing.

  “John offered us to take his ship. I didn’t expect that.”

  “Since we’re here, I’m assuming you turned him down?”

  “Yes. I owe him too much already.”

  Cute. His father probably wouldn’t see it the same way, but still… cute.

  “Jia’Lyn said you love me and just put up with everyone else.”

  Adam flashed a million dollar smile. “She’s insightful.”

  We were soon surrounded by stars. He exchanged greetings with the Bell on the radio, and I heard the Captain’s voice. “Have a safe journey, Commander. Stay out of trouble.”

  Seeing the large ship disappear, leaving us alone surrounded by nothing but distant stars gave me a slight bout of vertigo. The shuttle seemed so vulnerable, and space was so big. “Where are we going?”

  “Can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”

  I sat in silence and watched him plot our course. When he appeared to be done, I reached out to put my hand on his shoulder. “Do you still see fire?”

  My husband glanced over at me. “No. I see my reason to stay alive.”

  ~

  About Maria Hammarblad

  As a little girl, Maria was fascinated with books. Before she could read or write, she made her mother staple papers together to resemble books. She drew suns in them and claimed they were “The Sun Book.” They were all about the sun. The four-year old also claimed her existence on Earth was a mistake, a result of a horrible mix-up, and that her real family would come to bring her home to her own planet at any time. This didn’t happen, but her fascination with both books and other worlds stayed with her.

  Originally born in Sweden, she moved to Florida late 2008, and today she lives in the Tampa Bay area with her husband Mike and their rescue dogs. Her biggest interest besides writing is playing bass, and through the years she has played in a number of Swedish rock bands. She also enjoys photography, and volunteers at a local dog rescue.

  Maria also writes screenplays, and has won a number of awards.

  For more information, visit Maria’s website: www.hammarblad.com

  Sneak peek - Kidnapped

  Patricia patted the worn, old dashboard gently. “Hang in there, Henry, we’re almost home.”

  While people in general might not admit to talking to their cars, she thought most probably do, and when driving home in the middle of the night she’d take the embarrassment of encouraging a machine before being stranded any day. Besides, having someone to talk to made life seem better, even if it was just an old Ford.

  The road curved through the dark forest and the landscape seemed surreal. The darkness and the snow made everything turn black and white, and it reminded her of an old movie. Being home on the sofa flipping through TV channels sounded great, and she pressed the accelerator a little harder without even realizing it. Girls’ night out had seemed like a wonderful idea, but next time she should probably sleep over somewhere.

  She could have sworn she didn’t take her eyes off the deserted road for a second, not even when she reached out to change the radio station, and the man appearing out of nowhere looked like a mirage. He stood still, frozen in the bright headlights, and one second seemed to last forever. Patricia thought, “He doesn’t have any warm clothes. Why would anyone go out dressed like that in the middle of winter?” and then her body started acting on its own.

  Her foot found the brake and slammed the pedal, but she knew she wouldn’t make it.The man was too close, and she was coming too fast. Instinctively, she tried to steer around him, but the icy surface provided poor traction for the tires, and she skidded all over the road. The car passed so close to the man she thought she could hear the bumper brush past his pants, then it rolled over the shoulder and into the woods, and everything went black.

  *****

  Flashes of memory illuminated the darkness. There was a hideously disfigured face, a light falling from the sky, a car skidding, sliding, rolling… nothing made any sense, and Patricia wasn’t aware enough to even try to understand it. Time ceased to exist and only these brief glimpses of the world seemed real. Then, something stung the side of her neck. Sudden pain screamed through her mind, and she tried to lift a hand to rub her neck and her poor pounding head, but her arm didn’t move. The words, “Paralyzed, you’re paralyzed,” flashed through her mind with compelling neon letters, and she popped her eyes wide open, trying to fight down a wave of panic.

  She expected to be home, in her own bedroom, or in an ambulance, or maybe a hospital, but when she finally managed to focus, she found herself staring into a pair of cold and dead blue eyes. A male voice said something in a language she couldn’t understand, “Koira cha tinn? Waplaho banejem cackat tor tebe? Kako ya ting ro thrab?”

  Since the words didn’t make any sense and the eyes frightened her, she looked at the rest of the face, and immediately wished she hadn’t. Half of it was handsome, but the other part came from a nightmare. She had been raised not to make fun of people, to believe a person’s looks in no way mirrors the inside, and not to stare at others’ misfortune. It was still almost impossible not to gawk at the combination of scars and destroyed skin that made up most of his left cheek, stretching up towards the temple and down toward the chin. It was both deeply tragic and terrifying.

  Trying to pull back from the horror in front of her didn’t do her any good. She was in a chair with her arms tied to the armrests, and there was nowhere to go. The man spoke again, repeating the words from earlier, and she found herse
lf babbling, “Who are you? Where am I? I can’t understand a word you’re saying, please don’t hurt me.”

  The cold eyes locked in with hers, and what she saw in them frightened her. She imagined it to be the gaze of a mass-murderer, empty and void of the life that fills normal people. She was no doubt selected to be his next victim. She whispered, “Oh, please no, I don’t want to die.”

  The face in front of her disappeared, and she was relieved at first, but as she focused on her surroundings she almost wished he’d stayed so she wouldn’t have seen it. As gruesome as his face might be, the things surrounding her frightened her more.

  The room was cold with gray metal walls, and the chair she was sitting in was black and fairly soft, located behind two others. There didn’t appear to be a floor underneath her.

  When she turned her head to look down, she could see the Earth hanging far below her and the moon slowly wandering its orbit. She squeezed her eyes shut, but everything was still there when she opened them again, and she decided it must be a movie. Normal people didn’t have things like these underneath their feet, but he clearly wasn’t normal.

  As she lifted her eyes to peek around, she saw peculiar panels lining the walls, and three-dimensional pictures of the Earth, the solar system and other things hovering in midair.

  She had either been captured by a mad scientist, by a secret army project, or she was in a spaceship. On the other hand, maybe she’d hit her head when her car rolled and this was all just a dream?

  That was an appealing explanation. Seeing things that weren’t invented yet, labeled in a language she was sure didn’t exist anywhere on Earth, and watching her home planet grow rapidly smaller under her feet made much more sense if it was a hallucination.

  The man returned with a little machine. He pressed it against the sides of her head, and she tried to squirm away from it, but there was nowhere to go. She’d heard the brain notices strange things in times of stress, and this was true. She saw that he wore a black glove on his right hand, but the left was bare, with long strong fingers and short clean nails. A bright light filled her mind, and when he spoke again it made sense. It wasn’t a language she knew, or even recognized, but she understood him perfectly well. “I’ve programmed your brain with the universal Stax.”