Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The horrified looks on the guards’ faces might have been funny in any other situation.
You know, if I hadn’t just shot off a round and hit the wall, pissing off the sentient creature that lived inside the ship.
Panels flew off the walls and wire like tentacles whipped out, snatching the gun from my hand.
I immediately put my hands up in surrender, and luckily, the croxud didn’t go after me again.
It went after the guys holding Landu hostage, dragging them away from the poor alien.
Once Landu hit the ground, unconscious and injured, I took the risk of darting forward despite the pissed off croxud joining the fight.
A few of the guys got free from the tentacles and went after Landu again, still intending to use him as a hostage.
I got there first and swung hard, sending the soldier to the ground.
I ducked when another one tried to punch me, landing a solid hit to his gut that sent him gasping to his knees.
The guards joined in the fight, using the blunt ends of their spears to knock the humans unconscious.
The croxud held a few more tightly against the walls.
One of them screamed when his clothes started hissing, the glowing veins of the creature pressed up against his back.
Without medical treatment, he was going to die.
He didn’t deserve it, but he’d be brought to the infirmary anyway before that happened. Asshole.
It was just me and the idiot specialist now, the rest of his buddies either unconscious or held hostage against the walls by the croxud.
“You’re a fucking traitor,” he hissed, his posture low, ready for an attack. I matched him, standing over Landu protectively.
“And you’re an asshole. Too much of a coward to go after someone your own size? You had to attack the alien who couldn’t even top five feet tall?”
He took a swing, but I blocked it with my arm, connecting with his jaw on my next swing. It sent him stumbling back, and he tripped over an unconscious buddy of his.
The guard nearest me whistled and tossed his spear to me after he snagged my attention. Spinning around, I put the blade against the soldier’s throat before he could get his feet back underneath him.
“The Krezikians don’t kill humans, but I might not have that same issue. Keep fucking testing me. I dare you.”
He was smart enough to freeze when his life was on the line, and we were quickly joined by more guards who took over tying up the aggressors.
I handed back the spear without question when the guard put his hand out, spinning around to find Landu.
Another guard stood over them, but they couldn’t leave here while so many aggressive humans were being dealt with.
Carefully, I scooped Landu into my arms and cradled them against my chest. No one stopped me when I walked away.
“I could use your help finding my way to the infirmary,” I said to the hall in general when I reached a split in the hallways.
I wasn’t sure if the croxud could hear me, but I figured I’d take a shot.
A few lights flashed on the left, and I took it as a sign, so I followed it, my pace hurried but as gentle as possible so I didn’t jar Landu.
I got about half way before Fimai appeared. She hurried over to me, looking over Landu in my arms.
“They need medical attention,” she murmured. “Hurry. This way.”
We picked up the pace a little, and since Fimai knew the way, it was a little easier. The doors to the infirmary were already open, and Fimai pointed to a bed near the end as she hurried to the back room.
“Put them there. I will get the serum.”
I tried to be as gentle as possible when I laid Landu down, but I still heard them whimper as they settled on the bed.
Guilt swamped me and I carefully took their hand, squeezing gently.
This was my damn fault. I should’ve thought about the government procedures when the president was compromised.
I should’ve remembered the damn subs. I could’ve prevented all of this if I’d just focused on more than bandaid fixes.
The hologram appeared in front of me, startling me out of my dark thoughts. Fimai and another alien with a pin on their vest like hers stood on the opposite side of the bed, murmuring to each other about the injuries.
“His larynx is very nearly crushed. He needs help breathing until the serum can fix it,” Fimai said firmly, and the other doctor scurried away to get what they needed. While we waited, she pulled the cap off the needle, glancing up at me for a moment.
“Look away, Enzo. I don’t need you fainting right now.”
I gave her a dirty look. “I won’t faint. Just do it.”
“Don’t throw up either.”
Okay, that one might have been warranted because when she jabbed the needle into Landu’s neck, a shudder wracked my whole body and a wave of nausea swept over me. Damn needles.
The other doctor came back with a kit that looked similar to what humans used to intubate someone.
I wasn’t sure how long it would take for the serum to work, but hopefully not long.
It didn’t look comfortable having a tube shoved down your throat.
But once Landu was attached to a machine to help them breathe, their pale complexion darkened a little and a layer of tension I hadn’t noticed eased from them.
“How long will it take?”
“With injuries like this? Many hours,” Fimai murmured with a deep frown.
“Maybe a day. They will sleep through it, and we will remove the tube before they wake.” Her gaze dropped to my hand, eyeing the split knuckles.
I pulled away from Landu and covered them, keeping my eyes averted.
Luckily, Fimai’s attention was diverted when the assholes who attacked Landu were dragged in.
Most were unconscious, but some struggled and fought, screaming obscenities.
I stood protectively beside Landu in case one of them managed to wriggle free until Fimai had them all dosed and knocked out.
“How did they get out of their rooms?” Fimai asked the guard who was holding the specialist who nearly killed Landu.
“Landu must have opened a door to check on them when they attacked. The humans opened the others. We believe their goal was to get in an emergency pod. There were plans scribbled out on small notebooks in their rooms,” the guard explained.
A lot of us carried notebooks like that. Making notes for jobs, things like that. I didn’t ever think they’d be used to plan shit like this. Fury swept through me. I was moving before I even fully formed a thought, making a beeline for the command center.
“Enzo? Where are you going?” Fimai called after me.
I ignored her. I had enough. We were here because we were killing the planet.
We were here because the damn governments couldn’t get their shit together.
We were fucking here because we were too stupid to accept that there were more than just us in the universe.
Humans needed a fucking reality check. And I was going to give it to them.
“Enzo!” Aster looked relieved to see me when I walked back in, but I didn’t acknowledge him. I went straight for a workstation, growling at the alien who sat in front of it.
“I want to connect to every communication monitor. Now.”
I was suddenly glad I put on my own uniform this morning instead of the one provided by the Krezikians.
It solidified where I came from and that I wasn’t an alien in disguise.
The Krezikian beside me looked startled, but he did as I requested, pulling up a video call.
I took his place in his chair but kept him close.
They were going to want proof, and I didn’t know the systems well enough to share that kind of thing.
Usually, these video calls were either one-on-one or small groups, so I could see the faces of the people I was talking to. There were way too many to do that this time, so I only saw myself as I spoke, glaring at the screen.
“My fellow military members. I am Staff Sergeant Enzo Rossi, your human liaison. I’m here to share a fucking message.
You are not on these ships because of the aliens.
It’s our goddamn fault. Without their help, our planet will die in ten years.
Ten fucking years. That’s it. This is not just global warming.
This is full-blown planet death. We did that.
We fucked up our planet to this point. And if we keep going like we are, no one will survive.
The alliance that protects life sustaining planets sent the Krezikians here to prevent that.
“The reason you’re still stuck on this ship is also not the Krezikians’ fault. It’s the government leaders of the world who refuse to even give them a chance to explain.”
Glancing at the alien next to me, I gestured to the screen. “Show them footage from the leader meeting.”
Another workstation did that for us, connecting the monitors to the feed.
The leaders were on a different ship than us, so they weren’t being shot at.
They were busy yelling at each other, some arguing against negotiating with aliens, the others demanding they at least give them a chance to explain.
The screen flicked back to me, and it took work not to start ranting.
“We were supposed to be released back to the surface days ago. Had the leaders of the world actually listened, they would know by now that the only changes that are being made here are for the good of the planet. The Krezikians have already started working, cleaning up the trash in the oceans and replanting deforested areas.”
The screen switched again, this time showing live feeds of ships over the ocean, collecting trash, then again to where another group was planting trees and seeds.
“As for the explosions on the ship, our own government has turned against us. They know we’re here on the ship. They know what will happen if they fire enough shots at us. They either don’t care, or they’re delusional enough to think we’d all come out unharmed.”
The screen flicked over again, showing not only the submarines that the Krezikians managed to drag onto the beach, but also more off several coasts around the world.
This wasn’t just the United States. The whole world had gone insane, and they were willing to sacrifice us to get rid of the aliens. All twenty something million of us.
The screen came back to me. The rage that had filled me was slowly flickering out and defeat settled heavily on my shoulders. I was just one man. How the hell was I supposed to convince the entire planet to just fucking suck it up and get this over with?
A hand rested on my shoulder, and when I looked up, Knightley stood behind me. He lifted his chin, his eyes locked on the screen.
“My name is Travis Knightley. I’m a senior airman in the US Air Force.
I know how many of you probably feel. I was fucking terrified when the aliens showed up.
Scared enough to jump off the wing of a C-130 to get to safety.
I broke my leg and sustained multiple injuries because of my own stupid behavior, not anything the Krezikians did to me.
And instead of leaving me to suffer, they immediately rushed me to the infirmary, where I was treated with medical technology that vastly outperforms our own.
Hell, in less than 48 hours, I was back on my feet and moving around.
These guys are willing to share this kind of technology with us.
How much are you willing to miss out on because you are so afraid of your own damn shadow that you can’t accept the help?
Are we really so arrogant that we think that we don’t need the help? ”
Drawing in a breath, I let it out slowly, centering myself before I spoke again.
“I am doing everything I can from here to make sure everyone is comfortable during these discussions. If you want out of here sooner, then it’s your government leaders that you need to blame.
Your communication monitors will now give you access to speak with them directly.
” I nodded to the alien beside me, who quickly uploaded the number to the government meeting room.
“I’m only one voice. You want things to change, then it’s time to speak up.
Call your leaders. Make them listen. They’re only dragging this out. ”
I narrowed my eyes, glaring at the screen again.
“One more thing. The Krezikians have gone to extreme measures to make sure no humans are killed during this transition. They helped the ones who are hurt because of their own actions, and they did everything possible not to kill anyone. If the attacks on the ships continue, I will go to the Krezikian leaders myself and tell them to change that policy. You want to continue being violent, then they should be able to protect themselves. They haven’t hurt you. Afford them the same courtesy.”
Ending the connection was anticlimactic, since I couldn’t hang up without the help of the alien whose workstation I commandeered. I stepped out of his way, and the screen went dark a minute later. I let out a heavy sigh, scrubbing my hand through my hair.
“You did the right thing, man,” Knightley murmured beside me. “They needed a reality check. We all did.”
I hummed, but didn't say anything in response. I knew what was coming. My computer would be flooded with an influx of emails calling me a traitor and saying I was brainwashed. I couldn’t face that right now.
Not after everything that happened. The ship was quiet, no more missiles were being shot at us, but my ears were still ringing from the adrenaline, and I felt like my insides were twisted up in knots.
I suddenly felt overheated, my clothes felt too tight, and I could feel the weight of every gaze in the room on me.
I hated it, and I couldn’t sit still. I avoided eye contact, almost running out the door to get away from it all.
I didn’t stop until I got to the solarium.
Gripping the railing until my knuckles turned white, I glared at nothing in particular.
I didn’t know what was going on with me, but I couldn’t settle.
A familiar floral scent brushed over me, and a tentacle wrapped around my waist. I tried to brush him off, I was too agitated to let anyone comfort me, but he didn’t back off, more tentacles and arms wrapping around me until I was trapped against his chest.
“No, Aster, I don’t–”
“Shh… You are upset. You are allowed to be. Let me help you.”