Amish Vampires in Space (58 page)

Jebediah groaned. He wished they’d just kill him instead. They were slaves now. All of them. Willing victims.

“Me!”

“No! Me!” Abraham screamed. He pulled himself up. Bared his teeth. “Me.”

Something hit Abraham dead in the chest then. His eyes widened, and clawed hands reached for the object. He touched the stump of it but couldn’t pull it out. His face blanched. He fell backward.

Jebediah looked in the direction the shot had come from. Gasped. Breathed hard. There was Deacon Mark, crossbow in hand. And other men. At least fifteen. The blond-haired boy was there too. Jebediah crawled toward them.

There were screams. High-pitched and shrill. Followed by more shots and more screams.

More dark bodies began to fall from the ceiling. More and more. A cloud of them. It was difficult not to fear. To even see.

“Are you all right, Jebediah?” Mark said, helping Jeb to stand.

“Never mind me.” Jeb looked about for the com unit. Couldn’t see it anywhere.

“There are too many of them!” someone shouted.

Waves of screams. The air moving. Attacks from above. The Amishers continued to fire. Vampires fell dead. But more came.

Jeb held his hand over his nose. Fixed his eyes on the control pad on the wall. Stumbled toward it. He thought of the desk. How he’d navigated it. He swiped at the control, and felt relief when it responded.

Now what?

• • •

Greels felt better when Tenra joined him in the cockpit. It was like all the tension he was feeling disappeared. The grey hanger doors began to open. The blackness of space became visible. The stars.

When the way was clear, he engaged the engine and brought the shuttle up and forward. It had been awhile since he’d piloted a shuttle. It wasn’t quite as touchy as a smartloader. A little more forgiving. For that, he was grateful. They exited the side of the ship and flew into open space. Obelisk’s sun was to their right. It dwarfed the body of the
Raven
. Made Greels feel incredibly small.

He looked to the left, searched for the blue disk of Obelisk. The loading station would be in orbit around it. He should be able to find it. Then they’d get another shuttle down. Start enjoying life again. Forget about the nightmare. Congi, Foley, Candle, the flipping animals, Amish, everything. Especially the Amish. He pointed the ship in the right direction. Set auto mode. Leaned back. Tried to relax.

He could feel Tenra’s presence. She slid around behind him. Put her hands on his shoulder. “You saved us,” she said. “Saved me. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“It is fine. My pleasure. What I wanted to do.”

Her hands slid down his arms. He could feel her face near his ear. “Still, I need to reward you. Somehow.”

He smiled. Enjoyed her nearness. Her lips were on his neck now. Kissing, moving, kissing again.

Then he felt pain. She was biting him! “What are you—?”

Space seemed to swim a bit. The stars seemed to blur.

No…

There was a retching sound, and the pressure on his neck eased. His head seemed to clear. A weight fell off of him and there was a heavy thump.

He turned and saw Tenra’s prone body, her pretty face smashed into the floor. Protruding from her back was a wooden stick.

Standing over her, eyes wide and lips trembling, was an old man. An Amish man.

Greels stood, and the man must’ve thought that Greels was going to attack him, because he slumped to the floor. Began to weep.

Greels’s head suddenly felt strange. Achy. Like a minor hangover. He squinted and rubbed his temples, neck. He looked through the doorway and saw all the Amish watching him. “What was I thinking?” He shook his head. “What was I on? I think she was messing with me somehow.” He looked at the weeping Amisher. “You saved me, old man.”

• • •

There were screams. Lots of bone-shaking screams.

Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, the vampires seemed to lose focus. The attacks from above ceased. Instead, the airborne only fluttered and swirled. There were hollow
thonks
as some collided with the slides and rafters or with one another. Those on the ground shambled around, taking ill-timed swipes with their hands. They were angry and dangerous, yet disorganized.

Jeb was now able to think. To concentrate on the controls. Pictures moved amidst the void. Rotated and spun. He saw a shape that looked promising. A long rectangle with arrows. He brought it front and center. Pressed it.

There was a heavy
thump
and a
clank
. The dark roof started to open. Sunlight streamed in. Warm and beautiful. Like summer on Alabaster. A day by the river.

Screams. Vampire hands reaching to leathery faces in agony. Massive sores grew as he watched. Like the leprosy of the Bible. But faster. Eating away at bodies like cancer until only piles of charcoal remained.

The Amisher men looked at each other, laughed, clapped hands to backs. An emotional display unsanctioned by any Ordnung. They then hurried to the prisoner pen. Opened gates. Hugged and yelled names: Deborah, Ester—Ezekiel! Friend Ezekiel! You’re alive!

Jebediah hugged his friend. Hugged everyone.

Then he dropped to his knees. And wept.

OBELISK LOADING STATION—FOUR DAYS LATER

Jebediah stood before one of the station’s
observation windows. Dominating the view was the large globe of Obelisk. It was an even mix of deep blue, warm brown, and medium green. There were scattered wisps of clouds and solid white circles at both poles. A slender portion of the world was under the shadow of night.

Sarah stood with him. She reached out a hand to touch his, snagged a finger, then claimed his whole hand. “I once thought views like these were forbidden,” she said. “Ones that only God was supposed to have. Now I’m not so sure.”

Jebediah turned to look at her. She wore a simple green dress but no kapp. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun. There was a bit of color to her cheeks. The bump of the coming child was clearly evident. He smiled. “It is beautiful, isn’t it?” He drew her closer, put an arm around her. “But you are just as beautiful. And may you
never
be forbidden.”

“I won’t be,” she said. “Ever.”

Jebediah caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Smiled when he saw Seal and Singer approaching. The former was in beige pants and a black shirt. The latter was in a dress that seemed to change color as he watched it—red, then purple, then blue. Neither was Guild-approved, Jeb guessed, but they seemed happy.

Seal searched Jeb and Sarah’s faces. Raised an eyebrow. “You are sure about this?”

Jebediah nodded. “At least until after the baby has arrived.” He winked at Sarah. “Until we’ve determined what community, or what
sort
of community, we’re supposed to serve.”

“Well, if you change your mind, the Guild has agreed to pay for transit to any planet they serve. Including the new Amish world.”

Jeb nodded. “We appreciate the kindness.”

Singer frowned, lowered her head. “Sorry. I still think they could use you as a leader. With the loss of James and Samuel.”

“Samuel will be there,” Jeb said. “Though he resigned as Bishop, I can’t imagine he’ll be quiet forever. It isn’t in his nature. And if he finds it in his nature there, then good on him. I wish him only peace.”

“Mark will be a great servant,” Sarah added, giving Jeb’s arm a squeeze. “And we suggested Ezekiel as one of the replacement deacons. He’s young, but he has good sense. Hopefully, he’ll get selected to be in the lot. Then the rest will be up to the Lord.”

Singer smiled at Jebediah. “And He has a way of picking the right man for the job.”

He frowned, but nodded slowly. “I suppose that’s true.”

They fell into silence for a moment. Jeb glanced at the window again, at the blue sphere of Obelisk below. “What will you do now, Mr. Drake?” he asked then.

Seal shrugged. “I don’t know. Something different, something active. Involved. Not requiring a desk.”

“We might go to where I grew up,” Singer said. “It’s a production planet—crops mostly—but a little more high tech than Alabaster was, of course.” She looked at Seal. “It’ll give him a chance to get his hands dirty. Try different things.”

“We’re so sorry about your employment,” Sarah said. “Or the ending of it.”

Seal shrugged. “Guild rules. Though the shipment was as intact as it could be, they were forced to scuttle the ship. Plus, we still came in late.”

“They’re filing a lawsuit against Tenra’s group,” Singer said, “but those things take a long time to resolve. I hope that’s all there is, that they were just a rogue team. That’s hard to guarantee, though. Space is large.”

“Was Mr. Greels under her influence the entire time?” Sarah asked.

Seal glanced at Singer. Shook his head. “In one way or the other. Technically, her pheromones shouldn’t have been able to escape the cryomatrix, but no one knows for sure yet. Her body will be studied for some time. Clearly, she was the ‘First’ the vampires mentioned, but was she a more advanced version? A later stage? It is all uncertain.”

“She could’ve been using the whole thing—Congi, Greels, everything and everyone—as a diversion,” Singer said. “A way of getting free of the matrix and getting out into the public. Surviving.”

“So what will happen to Mr. Greels?” Jebediah asked.

“Well, he’s symbiote-free, so that’s something. As to the rest…that’s all still under investigation. For now, he’ll be confined here on the station.” He sniffed. “Greels has a lot of Guild friends, though. I doubt he’ll suffer too long.”

Singer frowned. Looked at Sarah. “Even though he tried to leave you and Darly behind?”

“I doubt Tenra wanted me with them either, though,” Sarah said.

Singer nodded. “And I’m sure he’ll use that in his defense.”

Sarah placed her free hand on her stomach. Smiled. “So, Miss Darly…she will still be available?”

Seal chuckled. “She’s taking some time away from the Guild. Working on a book, I believe. But if I know her, she’s just marking time until your delivery. Wouldn’t miss that for multiple worlds.”

Everyone smiled.

“Speaking of worlds…” Singer brought out a large com unit. Held it up so they could see the screen. “I wanted to show you something I found on the scraddle. Came in while we were en route. Probably about the time you went off to save the others.” She pressed the bottom portion of the screen. An image of a bright sun appeared. As they watched, the sun grew, finally filling most of the screen. “That was Alabaster’s sun, Jebediah. The planet was completely lost. Only five days after we left. You saved them all. Your belief was proven right. Your faith. And your actions.”

“Working as one.” Jebediah nodded. “As they should.”

Sarah looked at him and smiled. “Makes me wonder what the people of Alabaster will select for the name of their new world. I hope it is appropriate.”

Jeb sighed. “My wife is practicing guile. I believe she has made some suggestions there, as well.”

Seal and Singer exchanged looks. “Really?” Seal said. “What?”

“I would rather not say.”

• • •

NEW AMISHER PLANET—TWO WEEKS LATER

Samuel had a secret. A weight. His own portion of misguided Gelassenheit. A hereditary sacrifice.

He sat beneath a stand of trees, watching. Waiting. The sky above was blue, with only a few scattered clouds. The sun was guaranteed to be stable and full of life for millennia to come.

Before him was their settlement on this new world. A small collection of Guild-provided tents. Blue, with a bright bird-like insignia on every one.

It was a fertile place, this world, but decidedly untamed. Trees were everywhere, growing sporadically. The ground was covered with long grass and patches of purple lichen. There wasn’t anywhere that could serve as a field yet. Land would have to be cleared. Houses and barns built. Crops planted. Good work, hard work—community-building work.

What he was most concerned about now, though, was what was occurring in the tents. He’d chosen to abstain from the voting, but he was fairly certain how it would go. The Lord loved reminders. Even painful ones.

The flap on the nearest tent opened and Deacon Mark stepped out. He looked Samuel’s direction and with a wave began to walk toward him.

“They’ve decided then?” Samuel said when Mark drew near.

Mark nodded. “Yes.” He pointed toward the tent. “I told Ezekiel that he could tell you. He wanted to, regardless of the outcome.”

Samuel nodded stiffly and then winced as he repositioned his legs in front of him. Lichen already stained his shoes. “So what do you seek of me?”

Mark took a seat next to him. He removed his hat, smoothed his hair, and put the hat back into place. “I wanted to talk with you.”

Samuel nodded again. “You’re welcome to do that, friend. Always welcome.”

Mark nodded. Paused. Looked out at the collection of tents. “I had a talk with the
Raven
’s captain before we left. He shared something.”