'Sacmis' (formerly 'Alien Abduction')

Chapter 42: Ultimatum

The alien woman on the screen was speaking. 

None of the women could understand what she was saying, since she was using the aliens’ language.

“Can she see us?” whispered Gemma who had moved closer to where Irvn sat.

“I’m afraid so,” he said. “I was too slow to cut the communication feeds.”

“In that case, what’s she saying?” asked Amisha.

Irvn looked over at Cymon, who nodded. Reaching forward, Irvn flipped a switch. Instantly it was as if the woman had switched to English as the ship’s computer translated on-the-fly.

“…and I see you’ve found some little friends,” said the alien woman mockingly. 

“Better than being an outsize cow,” muttered Amisha.

“Ah, they speak, too,” said the woman. “How sweet. What did it say, Cymon?”

Cymon hesitated for just a second. “She was saying how beautiful you are,” he said.

Despite Amisha’s comment, to the three Earthwomen she actually was beautiful - but in a striking, Ice Queen kind of way. Pale, cold and arrogant with a hint of cruelty in the arch of her eyebrows and the curl of her lips. 

“I’m sure,” said the woman. “So where did you find your new pets?”

The three alien men said nothing.

“Not telling, is it? Don’t worry, we’ll find out soon enough. But it would go better for you if you co-operated. What do you say, Irvn? You’re the most senior.”

“You know we fundamentally disagree with our planet’s intentions,” replied Irvn. “Enslaving women against their will is morally wrong. Even criminal.”

“Yet you appear to have done just that. How ironic.” replied the woman.

“They’re here of their own free will,” replied Teo, glancing over at Laura, who nodded supportively.

“I somehow doubt that,” said the woman. “And by the by, I can see you, Irvn and Cymon - but where’s Matias?”

Teo hesitated for only a second: “He’s down in Engineering.”

“I see,” she said. “And does he also have a little pet? Or do the four of you share these three?”

“There are only these three,” said Irvn. “And, no, we don’t ‘share them’ as you put it.”

The alien woman appeared to shift her gaze slightly to stare directly at the three women.

“I suppose I can see their appeal,” she said, “in a pathetic kind of way. But I suppose I’m the wrong person to ask.” She turned to one side and added, “What do you think, Commander Sils?”

The screen zoomed wider to show that the alien woman was flanked by two alien men in black coveralls,with what looked like badges of rank. More alien men were visible behind them, seated at the various consoles on the other ship’s bridge. All eyes were turned hungrily towards the three Earth women.

“They have a primitive appeal, Admiral,” said the alien to her left, stiffly “But plainly not a highly evolved species.”

“Speak for yourself, dickhead,” said Amisha, before anyone could stop her.

“What did it say?” asked Sil.

This time, Cymon plainly translated accurately, judging by the wide grins on the faces of the other alien crew.

Angrily, the alien commander pointed at Amisha. “You will regret that, one you have become my house-slave.”

The alien woman turned to him.

“I will decide how these three are allocated,” she snapped, then paused as a thought struck her.

“Do they understand what I’m saying?” she asked, “Am I being translated?”

“Yes,” said Teo.

“Good. Then listen carefully and understand this - all of you. If you try to escape we won’t aim to miss, we will destroy you. I am sending over a shuttle with a replacement crew and guards who will bring you four mutineers and the alien specimens back. Then I promise either you four - or they - will tell us where to find more of their kind.”

Abruptly the screen went blank.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence on the bridge.

“Are all communications shut down?” said Irvn to Teo.

Teo touched one of his screens and nodded.

“What are we going to do?” cried Laura. “This can’t be happening.”

“You said you couldn’t be traced,” accused Gemma. “Now we’re going to be sacrificed to your stupidity.”

The aliens flinched at her words.

“I am sorry,” said Irvn, “more than you can possibly know. But - please - give us time to think.”

Cymon was looking at one of his monitors.

“The shuttle has left their ship,” he said grimly. “We don’t have much time. Maybe 20 minutes.”

“I think I know a way,” said Irvn.

They all looked at him.

“We have to get away, at all costs. Regardless of what happens to us - ” and he looked at Cymon and Teo “ - we cannot let the women be taken.”

“How do we manage that?” said Teo. “They can destroy us in a second.”

“She’s miscalculated,” replied Irvn, “once their shuttle gets close to our ship they won’t be able to fire without destroying it as well as us. If we wait until the very last moment, then jump out of here, we might just escape.”

“That could work,” said Cymon.

“What if they follow?” asked Amisha.

“I'm sure they will. But it will take them some time to work out our course.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” shouted Laura. “What about Kate and Matias? We can't just leave them to die on the surface or be captured.” 

“We won't,” said Irvn firmly. “I intend to go back for them. Once we’ve made our jump, we leave enough time for the other ship to follow, then we jump back again to rescue Matias and Kate.”

“That’s an enormous gamble,” said Gemma accusingly. “What if the other ship doesn’t follow us, then discovers Matias and Kate?”

“We have to hope they don’t,” said Irvn. “My plan is to jump back to the other side of the planet, where they can't detect us, then send our other shuttle down to rescue them." 

“Don’t forget,” said Cymon, “they think Matias is here with us. And they don’t even know about Kate. They believe it’s just the three of you. I think Irvn is right - they’ll follow.”

“I wish I could think of a better plan,” said Irvn, looking to the other two aliens for confirmation, "But I believe this is the best chance for all of us."

The other aliens nodded.

“You’d better be right,” said Amisha.

“I know,” said Irvn. “Now we must hurry: I’ve got to programme a short jump. Cymon, keep an eye on the progress of that shuttle. Teo, make sure all systems are online and ready to go.”

Irvn moved over to the navigating table and began to dial in co-ordinates.

© Adriana Nicolas 2014