Tevun-Krus #10 - TKX: Best of 2014

Everyone Knows That Aliens Don't Exist: Decopunk

“Come again?”

“That ship's powered by a particle accelerator,” said Morgan, picking up where the Captain left off because apparently, he was far too busy berating himself for not realising it sooner. “The hole in the hull leads straight to the drive room; the damn thing must've sprung a leak.”

“That's not all,” said Bennet, pausing as he lit a cigarette. “There's something alive on board.”

“Isn't there a huge gaping hole in the hull?” Harvey asked. “I mean, thatis how you got on board.”

“Something that can survive in pretty extreme conditions then, but something none the less.”

“You're sure, Cap'n?”

“Yeah, and so am I,” said Morgan. “Couldn't tell you what it is, but I can sure as fuck tell you what it said.”

“Well,” said Eva after a few seconds worth of silence. “Spit it out!”

“We're going to pay.”

***

Alone on board its vessel once more, the entity cast its mind across the vastness of space, beyond the Galactic Void and through the Omega Sector and through the maze of thousands of black holes that made up the minefield protecting its home system.

Life exists here. Intelligent life.

Does it pose a threat?

It does not. Our armies will crush it.

Pleasing news. Hold station. We will send a fleet one million strong to ensure that is the case.

As you wish.

***

High above Earth, the enormous docking station loomed large, glimmering in the light cast by the distant Sun. More chrome than anything else, it was tantamount to blinding without a protective coating over the reinforced plexiglass windows of the Spartacus.

“Gotta' be honest, I didn't think I'd be back here again before my hanging,” said Bennet, quietly.

“You're sure this is the right call, Cap'n?” Eva asked.

“I'm sure... They're coming to Earth, an' it might be a shithole but it's our bloody shithole.”

“And besides, once they've destroyed Earth they'll take out the rest of Sol, too,” said Morgan, grimly. “It's not the planet itself they want to wipe out; it's humanity.”

“We’re gonna’ have to go in on the offensive,” said Eva. “We’re all wanted fugitives… If we’re not careful we’ll wind up locked up before we’ve had chance to raise the alarm.”

“Or how about this..?” Acer mumbled, and paused for an inordinate amount of time his eyes glazed, before he spoke again. “Jus’ send ‘em a message…”

“Works in theory,” replied Bennet. “If we could breach their firewall, that is.”

“Then… Use one of their systems…” From behind his ear, Acer produced a shoddily rolled joint. Placing it between his lips he put a light to it before he continued. “How many abandoned Fed facilities are down there?”

“Hundreds,” said Bennet as it dawned upon him what the stoner was getting at. “Harvey, there’s an old relay station just north of Fairbanks – or what used to be Fairbanks. An old crew of mine used to use it as a storage facility and safe house. Well off the radar, reckon you can get us there undetected?”