Amish Vampires in Space (55 page)

His com unit beeped, startling him. Searching for it on his waist, he brought it up where he could see it. The screen swirled only a moment before resolving into the captain’s image. Seal looked terrible. Worn and flecked with dark material.

“We’re in the bubble now, Greels.”

Greels couldn’t hide his surprise. He’d figured the captain’s group dead already. “Blazes,” Greels said. “That’s amazing.”

The captain nodded. “And Congi’s dead.”

“Congi’s dead?” He looked at Tenra. “Their ‘first’ is dead.”

Tenra looked just as surprised. “Any response?” she asked.

Seal frowned. “It didn’t help. We have dozens of vampires right outside our door now. The ship is stopped, but there’s no way I can take it anywhere near a planet. Even if I wanted to, regulations forbid it.”

Greels said nothing. Just made a clicking sound with his tongue.

“Right,” Seal said, “but that doesn’t mean we all should die. I want you to try for one of the shuttles. Get the remaining Amish to a shuttle and get out of here. Can you handle that?”

“I can try, sir.” He looked at Tenra. “Naw, I can do it. I can get us there.”

The captain nodded. “Good. And make sure nothing goes with you, you hear? Nothing infected. Nothing.”

“We’ll check all the necks, Seal. Everything. No problem.”

Seal nodded. “I knew I could count on you, Greels. It was good working with you.”

Greels gave a half-smile. “You too, sir.”

The conversation ended, and after a moment of silence, Greels looked at Tenra. “We just got our ticket to go, young lady.” He stood, held out a hand. “Come on.”

• • •

Sarah’s face looked distressed. “So, aside from my ankles swelling and having to go to the, what-do-you-call-it,
excretorium
every hour, you’re saying I smell too?” She put both hands on her cheeks. “So that awful Greels man is right?”

Darly searched in vain for her med pad. It wasn’t on the room’s counters. Wasn’t on the examination table. “Bwahh!” she said, and throwing up her hands, moved to the wall communicator. Hopefully it would work.

Sarah shook her head. “I thought it was just
my
nose that was sensitive. But it has been awhile since my last bath. I’m really sorry…you’ve been with me often.”

“Pfft!” Darly pushed the communicator screen. When it didn’t respond, she tapped it again, harder. Scowled. “You don’t smell any worse than the rest of us. Greels is a bigoted baboon.”

“A baboon?”

Darly looked at her. “Didn’t have those on Alabaster? No, probably not.” The screen began to flicker. It took her awhile to find the captain’s connection. She didn’t call him much, so he wasn’t near the surface. While she waited, she ran through all the items she needed. There was synthesizer in one of the storage compartments in the hall, she knew. A big, shiny cylinder thing. “I think I remember how to run it.”

“What?”

She shook her head. “I’m thinking. Sorry.”

The screen flashed and the captain’s face appeared. “I can do it,” she said, smiling.

The captain didn’t seem to hear. “Darly, where are you?”

“In medical. Listen, I think I have a solution.”

The captain’s face reddened. “You shouldn’t be by yourself. You need to go find Greels. He’s leading a group to the shuttles. We’re going to scrap the shipment.”

“No, sir.”

“Do I need to order you?”

“No. I mean, I can’t. I have a solution. Sarah’s pheromones.”

A long pause. “What?”

She threw up her hands. “Sarah,” she said. “Jebediah’s wife. Her pheromones serve as a repellant. My cultures prove it.”

“A repellant? Wha—Why would that be?”

“Pregnant women, their hormones change. Their body chemistry changes. Their scent changes. Sometimes with strange results. Particularly with animals. Household pets have been known to act differently when their female masters become pregnant. Suddenly fleeing and hiding. Ignoring them completely.” She took a long breath. “In short, I think we got lucky. I think Sarah’s body happened to create the right pheromones at the right time. When we needed them.”

Seal squinted and drew quiet for a moment. “So what are you proposing?”

“I’m going to synthesize more. Take it to the air dispersers downstairs. Spread it out.”

“To what end?”

“To drive the vampires away, sir.”

“They’ll leave the ship? On their own?”

“No, it won’t drive them out the airlocks. But we
can
send them anywhere we want, I think. Any level. Any bay.”

Another long pause, and the captain’s mouth appeared to hang open. “Can we send them all to Bay 17?”

“Of course.”

“And you think this sun exposure idea will work?”

She bit her lip. Nodded. “I do.”

“Then let’s try it. I’ll head us for the sun.”

Darly nodded. Ended the connection. She looked at Sarah. “Okay, it will take some time to get things ready. Then I need to take the synthesized pheromones downstairs.”

Sarah slowly got to her feet. Placed a hand on her hip. “What do you need me to do?”

Darly smiled. “Only one thing. Wherever I go, you go with me.”

• • •

Greels took a last look at the group of Amish. Only a few of them looked back at him, and then only as a courtesy. Still felt they were better than him. Better than everyone else. More “godly.”

I’ll show them.

He reached for Tenra’s hand. She returned the grip, smiled at him. He led her toward the microbay door. She gave him a confused look the whole way but said nothing. He palmed the door control and it slid open. Without looking back, he stepped into the hall. Pulled Tenra along after him.

“Wait?” she said. “We’re not taking them? There are children…”

Greels snorted. “And they’re just like the rest of them. Let them pray. Let their God help them.”

“But what about the doctor? Darly? She treated your wound.”

“Doesn’t mean she likes me. If she’d listened to me, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Tenra studied his eyes for a moment. “I’m a scientist. I’m supposed to help.”

“Helping always ends in disaster, babe. Don’t take it personal.” He took another step into the hall. He wanted to get away before the Amish noticed. He didn’t think they’d demand anything, but any interaction was a complication. He looked both ways in the hall. Grey walls and ceilings. Blue pattern in the floor. Nothing dangerous. Good, the shuttle bays weren’t too far.

There were quick footsteps. Someone tapped him on the back. “Mr. Greels?”

Greels scowled, kept walking.

“Please, Mr. Greels?”

Tenra turned, and Greels found himself turning with her. It was the young deacon. “Mark” he thought his name was. “Yeah?” Greels said.

Mark nodded. “Where are you going? Has the captain called for you?”

“Yeah, we have something to do.” Greels turned his back, took another step.

Tenra stopped him, though. Gave him a hard look. “Greels, please?”

He shook his head. Looked at the beard again. “Fine,” he said. “The captain wants us to get a shuttle. Try to fly out. The ship is stopped, so we’re going. Not sure we have room for all of you, but if you want to follow, we’ll see who we can fit. Old and young first, got it?”

Mark nodded. “So our others are lost then?”

“Yeah, they’re all gone. It is just us for ourselves. You better bring your weapons. And better be ready to use them, because I’m not saving you.” He lifted the gun. “This is just for me and the lady. That’s it.”

Mark nodded again. Thanked him, and hurried back into the microbay.

Greels steamed, but Tenra’s hand on his arm helped. Made it worthwhile.

“So we’re leaving the doctor?” Tenra said. “And the—”

“Pregnant woman?” Greels shook his head. “I know it seems icy, but I already have more burden than I’m paid for. We need to go.”

• • •

Through the bubble, the four watched as the Obelisk sun drew closer. It wasn’t quite to the size of a basketball on the horizon, but it was close. They would need to control the hanger screens correctly. To set them for the right atmosphere simulation. If they were certain that no normal humans remained, that there would be no hostages, no victims, then they could be more severe. Bathe the bay in the full complement of star radiation. The full spectrum. But with a chance that they might save someone, the shields needed to simulate a Terra-normal planet. So the worst that the humans would receive would be a mild sunburn.

In the hallway below, they could hear the vampires growling and cursing. Occasionally one would bang hard on the door. Thankfully, the position of the hatch made it difficult to exert weight on, even when hanging from the ceiling. But it didn’t keep the vampires from trying.

Their taunts were equally distressing. “We found you,” a raspy voice would say. “We found the captain. We found Singer. We’ll pen you. We’ll eat you. First says, First says.”

“I hate them,” Singer said finally.

Seal nodded. “I’m inclined to agree.” He smiled. “Listen, if Darly’s scheme works, I need you to go check the scraddle. If
that
works, if you can get it to work, we need to report what has happened. They may not come to help us because of the infection. The war left lots of scars. Just as likely to vaporize us.” He sighed. “But someone should know what that research group was up to. I don’t buy that it was for colonization. These creatures…well, they’re more like a conquering force.”

Singer nodded. “Military use? Invasion?”

Seal shook his head. “I don’t know. But it can’t be good.” He shrugged. “I’m not a politician. Not really even a captain. I just move ledgers around. Sit in my office. But if we can save the galaxy from this…” he pointed to the hatch… “then I can say I’ve done something good.”

Singer smiled, touched the top of his hand. “You’ve done many good things since I’ve known you.” She looked at Jebediah. “As have you. You’ve been heroes. I—”

The active portion of the bubble desk began to flash. An incoming communication from somewhere on the ship. Seal held his breath. Prayed it wasn’t another vampire calling to taunt them.

Darly’s face filled the screen. “I’m in the filtration room, sir. I’m releasing the pheromone now.”

He nodded. Asked for prayer again.

• • •

The shortest way to the shuttle bays was surprisingly slide-free. Greels led his group down a long hallway, to a T. From there he turned right, and they reached a small machine-based cafeteria. Peering in, he could see the multicolored lights on the vending machines and felt his stomach growl. He contemplated stopping. Grabbing a couple of packaged treats for the ship.

But then he noticed stripes of color on the walls and saw pale bodies on the floor. He formed a wall before the opening with his own body and waved the others by. No kid should have to see that. Even an Amish kid.

The experience made him more nervous. He kept turning and looking behind them, looking between the Amish as best he could. There were lots of things out there that could eat them. Sure, there were a couple dozen Amish they might eat first, but he wasn’t in the best of shape now. Others might outrun him. And he had Tenra to think of.

Next they came to another long hall. The floor was shiny to the point of looking slick. Some of the overhead lights were flickering. Both ways looked empty, but Greels didn’t like the exposure. The next turn was many meters away.

“Running here would be better,” he said to Tenra. “If we didn’t have the kids and grandpa back there.”

She shushed him, but then he heard a noise that sent a chill through him. Grunts and squeals and screams. It was coming from the darkness to their right. Suddenly, the darkness was in motion. He swore aloud and warned the group back. To run!

But they weren’t fast enough for what was coming. The creatures—some human in appearance and some animal-like—roared down the previously empty hallway. He pushed into the crowd. Tried to make his way back to where they’d come from. The clamor behind them continued, intensified. The Amish were moving but were still bunched up and confused. Tenra was to his right, eyes wide.

All were vulnerable.

The lead creatures ran by without pausing—humanoid, equine, or bovine. “What the—?” Greels began, but then a goat was pushed into their hallway. A second later a hen clucked free and alighted atop the goat. The goat had extremely large ears, horns, and teeth. At the sight of the group, it lowered its head and pawed at the floor. Gave a garbled cry. The chicken cackled.

The goat charged.

Greels raised his gun and fired but missed cleanly. The goat zigzagged, now heading straight for Tenra. The chicken flapped free of its ride, extended black talons, and swooped toward Greels. It was so fast he could only swat at it with his rifle. The bird clucked and banked, but finally he made contact, knocked it off balance and away to his left. He fired.

The animal sizzled and popped. Screamed until it hit the floor. A nearby Amish woman stomped it with her foot. Its emanations ended.

Tenra shrieked as the goat reached her. Its lowered head caught her side. She flew to the floor. It scrambled over her.

“Hey!” Greels yelled. He sprinted toward them but was afraid to fire. The goat was too close to Tenra. His aim too poor. He reached the goat and grabbed it by the hindquarters. Pulled hard.

The goat snarled and turned to look at him. Eyes red and hungry. Mouth open, full of sharp teeth. Another snarling bleat.

There was a clanking sound overhead, followed by a steady whoosh. The goat bleated, hopped, and shot past Greels. It reentered the intersecting hallway and the moving hoard of animals. Disappeared.

Greels scowled and looked overhead. He saw a mist of something coming out of a vent there. He detected a slight honey-like odor.

Behind him he heard only silence.

He glanced over his shoulder again and saw just the reflected surface of the hallway floor. No animals whatsoever. He called after the others. Told them to hold and then walked back to the long hallway. It was empty in both directions.

Greels snorted, shook his head. “We’ve gotta get off this crazy ship.”