CODE: S2/S11
Episode Eleven
Mark Turner
Reflections
Nick reclined his seat further to take full advantage of the legroom. He was tired. So very tired. The anxiety of the previous few days was taking its toll and he was now glad of the rest.
“Would you care for a drink, Mr Geezer?” The attendant, Freya, smiled, tray in hand.
Nick smiled to himself remembering the events surrounding the creation of his surname.
“No, thanks anyway. Maybe later.”
The curvy Peladon female smiled as she ambled off to the next passenger leaving him to his thoughts. In fact, it all kicked off shortly before Alf’s suggestion of the name. His weary body relaxed further as his over-active mind replayed his conversation with the Doctor. How he had explained the benefits of being allies with the Martians. How his acquaintance with Vlaash had become a good friendship. The more he learned of their history and warrior ways the more he liked Vlaash and the Martians as a race. The benefits of their support in the Federation would make the reckoning with the Cybermen that much more even. The Doctor had waved him off wondering how were they, the Martians and the Federation ever going to find middle ground?
Nick tensed as he remembered the conversation. In his anger he turned the argument back on to the Doctor. He was the one who could put in a good word with the Federation Council. After all, he was the one big-knobbing with the politicians at the moment. The Doctor thought about it for a second, then agreed. But who was to put in a good word with the Martian War Council? His mouth had opened and shut like a demented fish for a second, then he had smiled. Awkwardly. Caught like a rat in his own trap, prickles running down his spine. The Doctor had continued, “Who ever goes to New Mars will need someone with the authority to gain an audience with the Emperor Izlyr.” Nick had said no more…
Falex had found him in the Central Plaza.
Nick looked up, broken from his memories, remembering his responsibility. The child was sitting with the jovial merchant, Gil, in a booth opposite him across the lounge. He lay back. Falex had pointed out that the Doctor had implied he should go to New Mars. Falex was getting so mature in his mannerisms and speech that anyone who didn’t know him thought he could have been pretentious in his child’s body. Nick had known what the Doctor has been implying and explained they would have to break Vlaash out of the internment camp and pinch a ship or some such thing and head to New Mars PDQ! Falex had ‘ooooh’d’ at him, as if not really understanding the full implications of the whole situation.
They had sat there in the park for several more hours, in silence, watching the world go by. Thinking.
He had assumed Falex was watching the strange mixture of races going about their daily business. But as he turned to look at the kid, Falex was staring intently at him.
“I suppose you’d best go and see them, then,” Falex had said. Nick had pulled a ‘what are you talking about’ face, so Falex had pointed out, “Alf and Vlaash.”
Falex had gone home leaving him to head off to Internment Camp 5486.
There she was at her usual desk. Alf. The only other human in the Universe. She was looking slightly uncomfortable today, as if she was sharing his burden in some telepathic way. She smiled awkwardly as she buzzed him through, but said nothing. As a regular prison visitor no one batted an eyelid at his appearance, warder and prisoner alike.
He had found Vlaash in discussion with several other Martians. A small grimace-like smile broke across his helmeted face. That had eased his tension, slightly. They had made small talk for a while until the conversation had got around to politics. He had relayed his conversation with the Doctor and how he had thought the Martians would make a good ally for the Federation in the war against the Cybermen and how the Doctor needed someone to go to New Mars blah, blah, blah.
Vlaash was smiling once again, and reminded Nick that as High Priest of the Temple of Oras he could get him an audience with Emperor Izlyr…
* * *
“Maybe you should go to bed, Nick.” Falex nudged him awake.
“It’s just space-lag,” he replied. “Do you want something to eat?”
“No thanks, I ate with Gilly.”
This boy was too trusting. It seemed to him everyone on this flight was rather shifty. Gil was a businessman from Gammadore. He seemed friendly enough and had made friends with Falex quite quickly. Falex began rubbing his eyes.
“Time for bed then, matey.”
Falex reluctantly agreed. “Will you tell me a story?”
They made for the door.
“Yeah, mate, what do you want?” Another passenger entering the lounge stopped them. Both smiled awkwardly at the tall Qux, who just stared through them.
“Don’t mind me,” Nick muttered as he closed the door behind him.
* * *
Falex jumped onto the bed. He had cleaned his teeth and was dressed in his pyjamas. Nick reclined at the bottom of the bunk, waiting. He helped tuck Falex in.
“Now then, this story involves a jailbreak and race to the Spaceport, fleeing from the local constabulary.” Nick had placed excitement in every word that made the kid’s orange eyes glow with anticipation.
“Was this before I met you on Alpha Centauri?”
Nick smiled. “Uh-huh. You know I went to see Vlaash at the internment camp. Well, I went to get his opinion on how I could get a message to New Mars about a possible alliance. Vlaash was already planning an escape!”
Falex’s eyes widened…
The night before the breakout Nick had not slept at all. He had wondered if it was the Chronotron Radiation from the Vortex wearing off, or if his new human form had finally adjusted itself. He had kept looking in on Falex but the conversation he had had with Vlaash kept haunting him, more visibly then, but now they were worn and far from where he was now. He was well in the brown and smelly then, but now he was just heading round the U-bend. Looking back from that day things had become so easy. He had entered a new world and the more Nick thought about his actions, the more he thought he had go to the gas chamber. But this was a matter of galactic peace. Galactic Peace.
That day he had returned to Internment Camp 5486, been greeted by Alf, buzzed through as usual, and made his way to visit Vlaash.
Nick had finished talking to Ssaard and had found Vlaash. They sat down and chatted for a while. During the conversation Vlaash told him to be ready. The adrenalin had pumped through his tired body. Then it all kicked off.
A loud eruption blew out the barred windows of the laundry, followed by a huge cheer from the warriors surrounding him. Vlaash motioned him to follow through the hubbub of the crowd, who, it now seemed, were fighting with each other.
Nick swallowed hard and drew himself up to his full height. They headed towards the security office.
The security guards started pouring onto the observation deck above the recreation area, armed. The loud speakers started blaring, demanding peace and order.
They reached the door. It was open! They slipped through into the security corridor that ran parallel with Alf’s office. Vlaash stopped ahead of him. They had come face to face with an uniformed man!
Alf was behind the man, presumably Alf’s commanding officer, who was viewing figures on a screen. Whether he was organizing the troops from her office it was unsure but from the reactions of all concerned it was clear he was not supposed to be there.
He had looked up, the shock drawing across his face as he saw the seven-foot tall green giant standing in front of him.
“STAY WHERE YOU ARE!” The soldier said forcefully, more automatically than sounding a part of his character. He looked young but his movements implied he had the experience of a textbook soldier.
Vlaash grabbed Nick by the neck (much to Nick’s surprise) almost shaking him like a rag-doll. He remembered how the lights almost went out in the world.
A hostage situation, cool!
No one spoke for a moment. The officer looked furtively down the corridor behind Vlaash to see if anyone else was intending to make an escape. He pressed the controls quickly to ensure nobody else would escape. The internment camp commander gave a quick glance to Alf as if asking what he should do. Alf just looked back awkwardly.
“Stand away!” Vlaash said to the guard sternly, holding Nick by the neck. His other hand descended onto the top of his head, ready to turn. Nick had yelped like a puppy.
The guard stepped back, slowly, hand ready to pull his staser from its holster. He then promptly crumpled to the floor. Alf had beaten him to the draw and had thumped him with the butt of her staser on the back of the head.
“He was going for his gun,” she looked up subtly at the camera on the wall, “Please don’t kill the hostage.” Her demeanour had completely changed. She knew this was going to happen - she was in on it! The look on Alf’s face was amazing. The spark in her eyes, the sly smile, her lips. Oh, her lips! She was doing it for the camera of course.
The security door buzzed open. Vlaash dragged Nick through. All the time Nick’s eyes were on Alf. As they got to the main door he watched her raise her staser again and fired. Not at them but at the camera. The spherical machine hung limply from the ceiling, smouldering. Nick’s amazement was quashed when Alf began calling to him.
“Oi! Geezer!”
Vlaash stopped. Both their attention was on their friend.
“Head for the spaceport, landing bay 49.”
Nick called back, “What about you?”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll probably get the sack. Good luck, geezer!”
“Why did only Vlaash escape, and not any of the others?” Falex asked.
Nick swallowed, “Well, the Martians in the internment camp are not just there as prisoners. They are there of their own free will…”
“Why?”
“They believe that as they swore an oath of allegiance to protect the Federation they are bound by honour to continue it. When New Mars broke its alliance with the Federation, Vlaash and his mates saw this as a great insult and their honour was tarnished. By staying on Alpha Centauri, even as prisoners, they believe they will be able to do good at some point in the future.”
“But why just Vlaash?”
Nick huffed. “Vlaash is a high-ranking priest in the Martian Empire. Only he could get us an audience with Emperor Izlyr. To ask them to join with the Federation once more against the Cybermen.”
“ So the escape was organised over night?”
“Probably not. They’ve left the facility many times before. If they wanted to escape and leave Centauri they could but they’re just waiting.”
“For a good time to be friends with the Federation again,” Falex confirmed.
“Yes, and restore their honour. Now back to the story. Where was I?”
The two raced their way across the square and between two closely built dwellings. The sirens of the Police vehicles were now getting louder. Nick and Vlaash darted through the alleyways knocking into the shoppers and the wares out on display. A Police float could be heard overhead. The fugitives ducked through a shop and out of sight from the air. They caught their breath and realized they were in a shop selling women’s clothing.
“Which is the best way to the spaceport?” Vlaash asked Nick.
Nick was panting heavily and thinking, trying to remember the layout of the city from the map on Falex’s bedroom wall. The internment camp was on the outskirts of the city to the northwest. Honest Doc’s 2nd Hand Curio Shop was in the centre of the city on the north bank of the river. The Spaceport was in the southwest sector on the outskirts in a similar fashion to the camp.
“We have to head south, but it’s going to take ages.”
They were about to head off again when a handful of armed Police raced by, one hand on their holsters, the other waving their batons at unsuspecting locals. Vlaash looked at Nick. He returned the sentiment.
“Can I help you, gentlemen?” the shop owner called to them.
It was only then that Nick saw the dummies and mannequins lining the front of the shop, standing like sentries on duty. The storeowner was a purple haired humanoid standing behind the counter at the back of the long store.
“We’ll take these, thanks,” Nick called back, grabbing two burkahs from the unsuspecting dummies and darting through the door.
The Police had the whole area covered between the internment camp and the river, with the rest of the Force along the river stations, the spaceport and covering all the Metro lines. It had taken them four minutes to mobilize and get in place. Chief Stanney was pleased with his men. He was organizing the effort in Varos Square directing his men from his mobile control station. The last line of Police was sent off to scour the markets as Stanney surveyed his good work.
‘How else could a Martian and his hostage get out of the city?’ he wondered to himself, when he saw a strange sight. Two Chamra women were walking across the square. Their violet burkahs were consistent with the usual dress of the Chamra female, which was a drape-like coverall, including veil, down to their feet. However, the taller of the women wore green boots, which could be seen up to the ankle. The Chamra were only about 5 feet tall maximum and their religious beliefs made sure no under garments or the person could be seen by non-Chamrans. This Chamra female was nearly 7 feet tall and the boots looked as if they were made of scale or animal skin, another Chamra no-no.
“Police! Halt!” Chief Stanney shouted. The 20 to 30 Policemen turned to look. The two Chamra women turned to face them, quickly breaking into a run, hoisting their skirts above their knees.
At this point Falex was chuckling lightly at Nick’s story, remembering him and Vlaash in women’s attire.
“That’s when I picked you up,” Falex smiled
“It was,” Nick agreed. “So, tell me. How did you find us before the police?”
“I sensed you were in danger. You needed my help. When I saw the news bulletin about an uprising in the internment camp I knew it was you.”
“But how did you know where to find us?”
“There’s not many Humans and Martians on Alpha Centauri. I homed in on your thoughts. It was easy.”
“And where did you get the money for the hover-pod?”
“EnalcKarnip gave it to me for selling that dreadful spider table.”
* * *
Nick left Falex tucked up and asleep in his cabin. In the hallway two of the other passengers were talking to each other. They were talking rather quietly. The first man stopped when he saw Nick appear. The other man turned round and they both smiled, rather unconvincingly, in acknowledgement. Nick recognized the first man a Nasir, a swarthy man with trimmed beard and stern eyes; the other was a non-descript man in a blue tunic and widows-peak. Both men looked human, but were probably from Peladon, though Nasir’s hair was jet black and the other man had brown hair. Neither had the telltale white markings in the scalp region. Nick smiled back, equally unconvincingly, and entered the cabin next door.
* * *
Vlaash was still lying on his bunk, a tray of food discarded on the side. His right clamp-like hand was bandaged heavily. As Nick entered Vlaash tried to sit up.
“No you don’t, matey. You stay where you are.” Nick pushed the Martian back onto the cushions.
“You could at least make me comfortable, not that I deserve it,” Vlaash replied glumly.
“We’ve been through this all ready, Vlaash. That wound is the result of an act of honour. You are an honourable man. You have not lost any honour by protecting us. As The Emperor Izlyr himself said, ‘you are honourable’!”
“My actions now are not. I feel…” Vlaash thought for a moment. “Dejected? I am hiding in my quarters with a serious wound and I am not prepared for battle.”
“If you think this is easy on you, mate, think again.” Nick lowered his voice and became deadly serious. “You put yourself on the line for me, you took me to see the almighty Emperor of the Martians, and you gave us a chance for Peace. I was crapping my pants.”
“The Rite of the Worthy is open to all that choose it…”
“Me, Nick, the last human in the cosmos, seeks an audience with the leader of a foreign power for an alliance against the forces of the Cybermen. You support my belief that this is a good opportunity. And then when I am threatened with half of the Sword of Tuburr you use your own hand to stop the blade from cutting my bloody head off! That mate, takes some serious honour, for which I will always be in your debt.”
There was a pause. “And I don’t like the idea of that. I’ve never been in anybody’s debt before. But you support me again by joining me on a mission for the Martian Empire, to prove the worthiness of the Federation to the Martian High Council by going to Mars…”
“It is also for Peace,” Vlaash said.
“That was the furthest thing from my mind at that point. I was too worried that Izlyr, and Varll, and all the other warlords were going to cut Falex and me into little pieces and feed us to a razor beast. How could I say ‘No’?” Nick stopped and thought for a moment. “You’re right. I did this for the peace of the galaxy. I’m tired of seeing death and destruction. I’ve been a human being for a year maybe, and I hate it. The things we cling on to in a crisis are worth so much. If I help the Martians regain their ancestral home, then maybe it will help me to understand my human side. Your honour humbles me, mate, and I’m so scared that Falex is going to be hurt, too.
“I’m space lagged, I’m worn out, and I’m getting paranoid that everyone on this crate is out to get us and that bloody Sword under the bed. And…” Nick paused. “…I really want to see Alf again.”
“You will … my friend,” Vlaash tried the new words, “and the Sword of Tuburr is not under my bed. It’s…”
“Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know. So long as it’s not under Falex’s bed.”
“No.”
“Good.”
“I am aware of the people on this vessel,” Vlaash began, “and I feel the same way. We are on a mission of high importance. The Cybermen will have spies. The Empire’s intelligence, the Order of Suraass, has told me there are several races, of which the Gabrieldean are one, in the employ of the Cybermen. We must be wary of choosing new friends.”
Nick finally sat down on a small stool by the built-in dressing table. “So let’s go through whom we’ve got on board. I want someone else’s opinion to confirm my suspicions. There’s Freya, the attendant”
“A Pel.”
“That fat bloke from Gammadore…”
“Gil.”
“He’s being best buds with Falex. I certainly don’t trust him.”
“I’m sure the Taurean’s abilities will make him aware of impending danger.”
“Even so, I don’t like him. That other Pel, Nasir, was outside talking to the bloke in blue when I came in”
“Del Nasir is not a Pel. Though he bares a slight race resemblance to them. The man in the blue shirt is called Vaughn and is also not a Pel.”
“The Qux?”
“A Qux. Highly telepathic and a race with Federation membership.”
“Highly telepathic. Do all highly telepathic races have huge big spam-heads, then?”
Vlaash ignored the derogatory remark. “And finally, Captain Forbes, and Engineer Mitchell”
“AKA Chip.”
“You’ve met him?”
“No, Freya was talking to Nasir about him. I’ve also noticed Freya goes a bit weak-kneed when Forbes does his rounds.”
“Weak-kneed?” Vlaash had difficulty with Nick’s terminology.
“She’s got a soft spot for him.”
“Oh”
“Look, we’ve got twelve hours until we hit Delta Prime, I’m gonna go back to my cabin and try to get some shut-eye. Falex is in bed and I’ve put the sensor on the door.”
“Noted. Goodnight, Nick.”
“Vlaash?” Nick said.
“Yes?”
“Thanks, mate.” Nick shut the door on his way out.
* * *
Nick’s head was pounding with noise. As he slowly came round the red emergency lights were flashing in his cabin and the captain’s voice blaring over the radio.
“Would all guests kindly make their way to the lounge area? This is not a drill.”
Vlaash knocked Nick’s door almost off its hinges as he entered and pulled the semi-sleeping human from his bed.
“Wake up, Nick. We’ve been attacked!”
As the words began to finally register in his brain Nick began to reply, “Whom by? The Qux? Nasir?”
“No, outside the ship. We’ve been fired upon and we’ve been knocked off course.”
“Falex!”
“I’m here,” the child called from behind the Martian’s bulk.
“Where’s the…”
“Safe,” Vlaash responded quickly. “Now let’s get to the Lounge. In a state of emergency it’ll be the safest place on the ship.”
The three were knocked from wall to wall on their journey to the Lounge. When they arrived they could see everyone was strapped into their seats in the central area away from the booths. Making a mental headcount Nick noticed Gil was in his teddy bear pyjama’s (what a plum!) and Vaughn was missing.
Looking out the windows they could see the stars arcing to and fro while the captain fought to control the ship’s navigation system. The internal gravity stabilizers were a bit skewiff as the passengers and crew was thrown about like rag dolls.
Slowly, slowly, the ship calmed its rolling but the gravity seemed to intensify.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I ask you to prepare for the brace position, as we are about to come in for what is known in the textbook as a crash landing!”
“BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!”
The lights went out and Nick’s ears were filled with a high pitched squealing, and it wasn’t Gilly crying.
* * *
The small pleasure yacht managed to correct its wide arcing course. The fins at the rear of the cylindrical body were badly charred and smoking. The tail fin was missing completely. The yacht straightened up but was losing power. It slowly turned and made its way limply to a small moon ahead of them.
The moon came closer, closer, and the yacht came into land at an uncontrolled speed. Only half the retros fired which turned the vessel at an angle. It scraped the ground and bounced. Again it hit the ground. Its nose cone was no longer up so the vessel was left to skid across the surface of the moon sending a wake of slurry up behind it.
The yacht finally stopped.
* * *
The lights in the Lounge flicked back on slowly. There was a low murmur between the passengers. Nick was still half-asleep and had no physical connection with the events going on around him. That was until Gil piped up.
“What’s going on?” Gil was the first to raise his voice, bringing the attention of the others onto him.
Freya unclipped her own safety belt. Slightly dazed she disappeared into the cockpit. Nick turned to Vlaash, then Falex. They were both all right. Nick stood and pushed his way out of the seated area and began to stretch his tiredness away.
He had had enough now. Space-lag was getting him down. Omnisci Spheres, Alpha Centauri, New Mars. And now on their way to Delta Prime their ship is attacked! And still another leg to go. Every sinew in Nick’s body was itching to be free from artificial gravity and it was winding him up. He tried to loosen the tendons in his neck.
Freya returned into the room. She was affected as much as the rest of the passengers, if not more so, and spoke with a nervous rattle in her voice.
“Could everyone please stay calm? Captain Forbes will be out shortly to confirm what happened but could I ask you all to remain in your seats and be patient.”
“Patient?” Nasir spat back. “What the hell do you think you’re playing at? Is it true? Were we shot down? Who fired upon us?”
Nick started over at Nasir to shut him up more than anything.
“Please,” Freya looked very upset now on the point of bursting into tears. “Captain Forbes will answer your questions shortly. In the mean time, is anyone hurt? I will come round with the medic-kit now.”
Nick felt sorry for Freya. With a ship full of testosterone she would not get much support from anyone, he thought. He crouched beside Falex and whispered in his ear. “Keep an eye on Freya.”
Falex nodded and turned to give Nick a huge hug. “I’m scared too.”
“We all are, matey.”
“The Qux is not.”
At that moment Captain Forbes entered the Lounge. He was young looking for middle aged but Nick thought he was older than he really looked, purely by the lined eyes in an otherwise wrinkle-less face. Forbes remained silent until the passengers were silent. Like an authoritative schoolteacher Nick had read about, Forbes began to speak.
“I apologise for our somewhat rude diversion but we were fired upon by agents or aliens unknown.” Forbes stopped Nasir from asking a question and continued. “Our engines were hit, as well as our stabilizers. We have been knocked off course, and off the main space lane by some way. The length of which I am trying to establish now. No pirates or mercenaries have been reported working in this area of space but the emergency beacon is all ready working. Hopefully help will be here soon. I am instigating emergency procedures now so I’d like everyone to go and get dressed and bring their bedding and necessary items back here quickly.”
The ship listed backward violently throwing Captain Forbes into the front row of chairs and Nick into the rear wall. The other passengers were all seated and only yelped at the sudden movement. Both Captain Forbes and Nick recovered themselves and headed for the cockpit.
The view out of the cockpit screen had become distorted. The ground was at a slight angle and several metres higher than it should have been. Forbes was in his seat at the front of the small console. The cockpit was big enough for two people, one behind the other, and Nick stood by the Navigator’s post.
“What’s happening?” Nick asked.
“We are sinking!”
Next Episode:
Planet of Mud
CAST
Nick Pereira as Nick
Charlotte Coleman as Freya
Anton Glanzelius as Vlaash
Mark Carlin as Internment Camp Commander
Sal DeDeripho as Alf
Daniel Hogarth as Shop Owner
Richard Beeby as Chief Stanney
Bruce Boxleitner as Captain Forbes
Bernard Manning as Gil
Michael Grecco as Del Nasir
and
Haley Joel Osment as Rahlena Falex
with Special Guest Star
Brian Blessed as The Doctor
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