Cursing, I accelerated until I was almost upon the ship, then flipped over and decelerated full blast as Sarge had taught us years before, at Academy.
I’d waited too long. I sailed into the airlock feet first, still decelerating. My feet smashed into the inner hatch just as I snapped off my jets. I crashed to the deck.
The outer hatch slid closed. I scrambled to my feet, in a frenzy for the chamber to pressurize. Alexi’s anxious face stared through the transplex. The hatch slid open. I stumbled aboard.
“Captain’s on board!” Alexi slammed shut the hatch.
Vax roared, “Engine room, Fuse!” I felt the engines whine. Alexi lifted the jets from my back while I unsnapped my helmet stays. Rafe Treadwell, white-faced, helped a sailor pull me out of my suit.
My wet pants clung to my legs. “Are we Fused?”
Alexi grabbed the caller. “Mr. Holser, Captain asks if we’re Fused.”
“Yes, sir. Energy readings are normal. Fusion is ignited.”
I trembled with rage. “All officers to the bridge. Everyone! I’ll be along in a minute.” Yanking my other arm free of the T-suit I pushed past Rafe and half ran up the ladder to my cabin.
Inside, I stripped off my pants and shorts with mindless haste and threw on a dry pair of slacks. I stumbled out of the cabin, buttoning my pants as I ran toward the bridge. I slapped the control; the bridge hatch slid open.
Derek, Alexi, Vax, and the Pilot stood by the console.
Behind them were the Chief and Mr. Crossburn. Philip Tyre waited uncertainly by the hatch.
I crossed to my chair. For a moment I stood holding to the back of it. Mr. Chantir came in, pale, breathing hard. Dr.
Uburu followed.
Vax came close. “Are you all right, sir?”
“Get away from me!” I shoved him.
“Lord God.” We all turned to Dr. Uburu. She bowed her head. “Almighty Lord God, we thank you for our deliverance from evil. We ask you to bless us, to bless our voyage, and to bring health and well-being to all aboard.”
“Amen.” I murmured the soothing word with the others, feeling the Doctor’s calm and strength flow into me. “Good heavens.” My voice was quieter. I sank into my chair.
“Darla, did you get that?”
“Every bit of it.” Her tone was grim.
“Play it back.”
“Aye aye, sir.” Thank Lord God she knew not to be flippant.
Her screen flickered. Mesmerized, we watched her recording of Telstar’storn hull while our past conversation flowed from the speaker. “I’ll go up to Level 1 and try to get onto the bridge.”
A long pause. My bloodcurdling scream, and Vax’s shout.
“Captain, what is it?”
I spoke over my recorded reply. “It must have been one of those--things that smashed his suit visor. Then it did something to his head.” I tried not to retch.
On the speaker, I whimpered. Then, “Battle Stations!”
Vax’s shouted commands. For a moment nothing changed on the screen. A spacesuited man appeared, scrambling into the gig. Then another. After a moment the third.
The speaker said, “Oh, Jesus Lord! It’s coming out--”
“Freeze!” The image hung frozen, in response to my order. “Maximum magnification.” The screen swooped in on the amorphous shape halfway out of the hole in Telstar’shull.
Blobs of color set almost at random in the outer skin.
“Christ, it looks like an amoeba!” said Lieutenant Chantir.
“Don’t blaspheme!” I studied the screen. “It can’t be single-celled. Not if it’s that large.”
“I don’t ever want to know,” Alexi muttered. I glared him into silence.
“Go on, Darla.” The image began to move. The gig pulled clear in response to my order, drifted alongside the dead ship, waiting for me to emerge. I jetted toward the gig, tiny against the bulk of the dead ship’s hull. The bizarre goldfish floated from behind the hull. In space, I twisted to look at it. Sickened, I watched the destruction of the gig amid my own frantic shouts to Vax. “Fuse! Go to Hope Nation! Save the ship!”
The commotion blared from the speakers. “Fuse! For God’s sake, Vax! Obey orders!” I listened, unwilling, to my desperate pleas and Vax’s repeated demands that I hurry.
Then Vax Holser’s soft voice said the irretrievable, damning words. “No, sir. Not until I have you aboard.”
I put my head in my hands. “Turn it off.” My words hung flat in the sudden silence. A long moment passed. I got heavily to my feet. “Darla, please record.” Her cameras lit.
I faced Vax. “Lieutenant Holser, you deliberately disobeyed your Captain’s orders to Fuse, not once but five times.
Without question you are unfit to serve in the United Nations Naval Service. I suspend your commission for the remainder of our voyage. I will not try you, as I am not capable of judging you fairly. I have already concluded you should be hanged.” Dr. Uburu gasped; the Chief closed his eyes, shook his head.
“I will, however, recommend a court-martial on our return, and I will testify against you. For the remainder of our voyage you are forbidden to wear the Naval uniform or to associate with me or any officer. You will be moved to a passenger cabin at once. Get off my bridge!”
Vax’s face crumpled. He tried to speak, couldn’t, tried again. His huge, beefy fist pounded the side of his leg once, twice, three times as he fought for control. Then he took a deep breath. “Aye aye, sir,” he whispered. His face was ashen. He turned, marched to the hatch. Alexi slapped it open, and he was gone.
No one spoke or moved. “I am Captain here,” I grated.
“No one, not one of you, will ever disobey my order again.
Not now, not ever!” I studied their faces. “I should have hanged him for mutiny.” I walked among them, stopping in front of each. “I didn’t hang you either, Mr. Crossburn, for your refusal to do your duty. I won’t make the mistake again, with any of you. I warn you all.”
The silence was absolute.”We will maintain a three-officer watch at all times until our arrival home. You will all partici-
pate. Not you, Doctor, but everyone else. We are at war.
There will be no inattention to duty, no idle talk.” My lip curled. “No chess.” I studied them again. “Pilot, Mr.
Chantir, Mr. Tamarov, you have the watch. The rest of you are dismissed.”
I took their murmured “Aye aye, sir” in silence. The four off-duty officers filed out. I watched the Pilot and Lieutenant Chantir at their consoles for several minutes, before leaving the bridge.
I went to my cabin, sealed the hatch. Mechanically I took off my jacket, my shirt. I stripped off my pants. I stepped into the shower, stood under its hot spray for a quarter of an hour. After, I dried myself and sat on my bunk. I waited for the inevitable reaction.
My stomach churned. I ran to the head, reached it just in time. I vomited helplessly, again and again, heaving against nothing. I shuffled back to my bunk clutching my aching midriff.
When the alien had appeared in Telstar’scorridor I was utterly terrified. But whatever it might have done, facing it would have been easier than going on with my life.
29
I stayed in my cabin all that evening and into the next day.
I sent for my meals. When I ventured into the corridor it was only to stalk to the bridge. I stood my watch in absolute silence, then returned to my cabin.
On the second day I went with reluctance to the dining hall, because it was my duty. There was little conversation at my table; my haggard face discouraged anyone who might have tried to speak.
After dinner I walked the ship, past the wardroom, the lieutenants’ cabins, the bridge. I took the ladder down to Level 2. I strode with unvaried pace and frozen expression.
I passed the cabin to which Vax had been exiled. Passengers I met in the corridor stood aside.
I went down to Level 3, past the crew berths. Knots of crewmen were gathered in the corridors, talking softly. I ignored them. I went into their berths, looked about. I checked the crew exercise room, their lounge. In the engine room, the Chief stood stolidly at attention with his watch while I glanced around, then left.