Alcantaran 1: Alien Abduction (8 page)

He couldn't help himself as he shouted, "That's the space ship that brought me here."

Both creatures jumped like he had hit them with an electric prod.

The small creature excitedly asked, "What did you say?
 
How do you know how to speak my language?"

The larger creature was talking at the same time, "You know my language?
 
How is this possible?"

Ron was surprised but saw the cat was out of the bag.
 
He jumped down and faced the two creatures before he said, "Hi, my name is Ron Calvin.
 
I was captured on Earth and brought here against my will.
 
I stole a small unit from those robed vermin that lets me understand your language.
 
I didn't know if it would translate mine.
 
I know it lets me understand the robed creatures."

Both of the creatures tried to speak at the same time.
 
Ron finally had to hold up his hand for silence and then beckoned to the large creature.

"Greetings gentle master Ron Calvin, my name is Gusissi Ugde Ghaolh and I was kidnapped from Prokne.
 
I don't know what this other creature's name is because we haven't been able to establish any communications except basic sign language," the sand creature stated.

"I don't know if I can do justice to your name.
 
Could I call you Gus?
 
Please call me Ron," greeted him as he turned to the small furry creature.

"Ron, my name is Tik Michi; I'm a Mis'stear from Vesta IV.
 
I was working on one of the Bugs planetary flyers when they just took off with me.
 
I'm sure they didn't pay my company for my services either.
 
What kind of health problems do you have to be assigned here?" Tik rattled quickly.

"I'm a diabetic and I need insulin every day.
 
Who are the Bugs?" Ron asked.

"Those robed vermin that kidnapped all of us.
 
They are Challekan Traders of Elgebar V but everyone just calls them Bugs.
 
If you ever see under that robe they are a giant insect.
 
We have some on Vesta IV that are a lot smaller but they infest our sewer system and your abode if you don't keep watch for them," Tik responded with disgust.

"They sound like our cockroaches," Ron said.
 
"Why did you ask if I have health problems?"

"Everyone that lands in this area has some kind of health problem that the Bugs can't fix or don't want to spend the money on.
 
They just use the poor creatures until they can't do anything more or they die," Tik stated peevishly.

Gus asked, "Can you understand what the small creature is saying?
 
What has she been saying?"

"I can understand both of you and evidently you both can understand me.
 
Gus, let me introduce Tik Michi from Vesta IV.
 
She is a Mis'stear and tells me that everyone here has health problems that usually end in death.
 
Do you have health problems?" Ron translated.

"Yes.
 
I don't know what's wrong with me but I get weak even when I eat everything the Bugs have prepared.
 
If I get to work on dusty space ships or equipment, I feel better for a day or two.
 
I haven't worked on anything dusty for four days now so I'm feeling pretty low.
 
How is it possible you know my language?"

Ron told Tik what Gus had said and then answered, "When I was kidnapped, I wasn't fully knocked out and I resisted enough to fall on one of the Bugs that was wearing a cape as well as its robe.
 
The cape had two small devices tucked in pockets on the inside.
 
I hid them in my boots and after the translator touched my skin, I felt a mild tingle like a slight electric shock on my shin.
 
After that I could understand what the Bugs were saying and I could read the things posted by the door.
 
I understood both of you when I walked in but I wasn't sure I could talk to you."

Gus cheerfully remarked, "It sure is good to hear my language from someone besides a Bug.
 
I didn't realize how much I missed it until you started talking."

Ron translated for Tik and she agreed.
 
Ron asked Tik, "What was that thing you were looking at?
 
It looked like a diagram of this space ship and that one I pointed out was definitely the one that flew to Earth."

Tik replied, "This is my personal mini-computer.
 
All the Mis'stear kids get them at a young age.
 
I've had several that I wore out.
 
I found out how to tap into the mother ship computer and I have been searching for a way to get off this ship.
 
I'd made up my mind to do something to destroy this ship if it looked like I would die before I got off.
 
I don't want the Bugs to kidnap any more hapless victims."

Gus wanted to know what she had said so Ron said, "Gus come over here and touch this thing.
 
Let's see if it will translate for you."

Gus lumbered over and reached out one finger tentatively.
 
As soon as he touched it, he jumped and jerked back.
 
Ron and Tik had both been bit by electricity and knew the reaction.
 
They both chuckled and Gus tried again.
 
This time the shock was less and he held his huge finger on the unit.

Gus said, "Wow!
 
I wasn't expecting anything like that.
 
How do we know if it works?"

Ron looked at Tik as she said, "It works alright.
 
I understand what you are saying.
 
I don't understand how though, because I don't hear everything you are saying.
 
Part of it is just inside my head."

Ron said, "I noticed that also.
 
When you are touching this, I can understand more of the meaning of your words.
 
It's almost like I learned your language instead of having it translated for me."

Tik struggled to sit up and said, "I want to try it.
 
Could you bring it over here please?"

Ron walked over and sat down on her bunk.
 
He held the translator out for her to touch.
 
Tik was too tired to jump like Gus had but Ron could see she felt a tingle too.

"Well Gus, can you understand me and feel me in your head?" Tik asked.

"Yes to both questions," Gus replied.

Ron commented excitedly, "I don't feel Gus in my head like I did when he was touching the translator.
 
There must be something it does.
 
I want to try something, Tik.
 
I am going to think something, see if you hear it."

Ron concentrated and thought, "I want off this ship and I want to make those Bugs pay for all the indignities I have suffered."

Tik said, "You want off this ship and you want something from the Bugs.
 
I didn't completely understand everything."

Ron said, "I'm going to take my hand off and see if you can still hear what I think."

He concentrated again and shortly Tik said, "I didn't understand but I could feel some hazy ideas.
 
I have to stop now.
 
Doing that seems to drain me like I did a hard days work."

Ron said, "Yeah, I feel the strain too.
 
Maybe after we do it a while, it won't affect us so much.
 
Gus, try it to see if it has the same effect on you."

Gus touched the translator and concentrated.
 
Ron said, "You are glad that you can talk to someone now.
 
You'd like to get off this ship too."

Tik said, "Could I look at the translator and the other unit you have?"

Ron held out the translator and dug the other unit out of his boot.
 
Tik was turning both of them over and peering closely at them.
 
She studied them for several minutes without saying anything and then she handed them back to Ron.

She said, "Both of these units look like they are Alcantaran relics.
 
See the faint tracing on the back and it looks like some kind of language.
 
I wish we had a microscope to get a closer look.
 
I think that second unit is a healer.
 
It looks like the energy charge is gone.
 
I'd be curious to see what would happen if we could charge it.
 
I wonder how we could do that."

Ron reached into his tool pouch and pulled out a small object.
 
He unfolded it and Tik saw that it was a magnifying glass.
 
Ron offered it to her and she studied the healer closer.
 
Ron touched her with the translator and all of the sudden Tik got excited.

She said, "I see the writing and I know what it says.
 
It tells how to hook up and put a charge in.
 
Tomorrow I could charge it up when I go to work.
 
Maybe it could tell us what is wrong with me and Gus.
 
It might even have a solution for our health problems."

Ron saw her tool bag and told her to put it in there if she thought she would be able to protect it.
 
Tik said she would make sure it stayed safe.

Gus came over to the bunk and sat on the floor.
 
All three touched the translator and Ron asked Tik to turn her mini-computer back on.
 
They discussed what Tik and Gus knew about the mother ship and the planetary flyers.
 
Tik said the flyers were too small to make an extended galactic flight.
 
Tik pulled up the inbound hangar and they saw two space ships that might fit their need to take them to their home planets.
 
Tik said she would research more on those ships tomorrow but she was worried about how long it would take to get them ready to fly and how much fuel they might have.
 
Gus asked about the old relic that was sitting in the repair hangar.
 
Tik said a few words to the computer and it brought up an image of the ancient looking ship.

Tik talked again and the computer provided details about the ship.
 
It was an Alcantaran ship that the Bugs found in a distant galaxy when they were exploring new territory to trade in.
 
Their habit of kidnapping inhabitants of planets soon drove them out of certain sectors of a lot of galaxies.
 
The Bugs had found the ancient ship just floating in space with no sign of life on board.
 
They had studied the ship for years but had no clue what had happened to the beings on board the ship.
 
They had no clue even what they looked like.
 
They could have gotten a huge sum of credits by selling the ship to some of the more advanced planets but the Bugs were hoping to discover other Alcantaran planets or ships.
 
They would work on the ancient ship for awhile and then let it sit for months.
 
Some of the computers and other equipment had been removed for study and were stored in the middle of the mother ship.
 
There was a whole section of the ship that had never been opened.
 
The Bugs had tried all kinds of tools and methods but couldn't get it open.
 
According to the records, the Bugs didn't even know if the ancient ship would still fly.
 
They decided they would try for the two space ships in the inbound hangar.
 
They would start studying ways to make sure they had fuel, food and water aboard.
 
Then they would pick a date and plan on escaping.

Tik was getting very tired, so the trio quit for the night to get some rest.
 
Tik and Gus explained that a bell would ring in the morning and they needed to be ready to go eat and go to work.
 
Both wondered what the Bugs would have Ron do.
 
They decided to have Ron try the thought transfer and see how far it would reach.

Tik and Gus lay down and went right to sleep.
 
Ron lay awake wondering at the events that had already taken place.
 
He tossed and turned with sleep coming late in the night.
 
Every noise brought him awake, so by the time the bell went off, he was ready to get up.
 
He felt tired and wondered what his blood sugar was doing.
 
He knew that he would need some insulin shortly but maybe the healer unit could do something.
 
All it needed was for Tik to get it recharged tomorrow.

The bell went off and Gus showed Ron where the water and waste disposal were.
 
Ron washed his face and got ready for the day.
 
Tik was a little better but still looked weak and awful.
 
Gus was worried and it showed on his face.
 
The two had only been together a short time but they had bonded through their shared experiences and hatred of the Bugs.
 
When they were ready, Gus grabbed Tik's tool bag and Ron reached down and picked her up.

Tik quickly protested, "I'm not a child that needs to be carried.
 
I can walk!"

"I know you can but I want you to have all your strength so you can get that healer charged up.
 
You need it and I suspect I'll need it shortly.
 
Gus looks like he could use a shot of it too, so just relax and start planning how you're going to get that charged," Ron ordered as he ignored her protest.

Gus grinned at the exchange and said he agreed.
 
The door swung open and Ron followed Gus out into the passage.
 
He was trying to look around and take in every detail as they walked.
 
When they entered the dining hall, Gus showed him the procedure for food.
 
Ron took his and Tik's over to the table.