11 GHOST
Shortly, after the four had reached their cabins, they had gathered back in Troy’s room.
“What do we now?” asked Kru, sitting in the only chair in the room.
“I think we should be normal, I guess,” suggested Troy, pacing around the room.
“Seriously?” asked Holloway, lying on the bed with her arms below her head.
“I mean,” said Troy. “We’ve done a lot since we all came aboard the ship. Wild, wild things, it’s time we give the authorities to work this out!”
“I just can’t believe you said that!” snapped Holloway.
“Look!” argued Troy. “We’re just a bunch of kids who-”
“What’s gotten into you, hero?” cut in Holloway.
Troy got frustrated and gave up talking on hearing Holloway’s tone.
Emilie, who had been listening to their conversation sitting beside Holloway, suddenly said, “Why don’t we all take a break for a while?”
“You too?” said Holloway, her mouth wide open.
“It’s not like that,” explained Emilie. “I’m suggesting we lay low for a while. Norman’s assassination is a cause for concern but there are proper people now to investigate her death and protect everyone aboard the ship. It isn’t like that when Norman was in charge anymore.”
“That’s true,” said Holloway sadly.
“You’re all forgetting one thing!” said Kru smiling and sitting comfortably in chair.
The other three looked at him unenthusiastically. Kru looked dismayed by their lack of interest but however he waited for one of them to ask what it was.
“Are you going to tell us or what?” asked Holloway, irritated.
Kru smirked at her and said, relishing every word “You’re still forgetting that I am an Albein Intelligence Officer, Chief rank.”
“Of whom no one is aware aboard the ship,” said Holloway dryly.
“After all I am supposed to be a secret spy!” snapped Kru.
“So what?” asked Troy, looking away at the white translucent ceiling.
“So,” said Kru. “I say we investigate! It’s not like we’ve got anything better to do!”
“I need to go and see Sniffles!” said Emilie, squirming.
“We can arrange that!” said Kru enthusiastically.
“Really?” asked Emilie, happily.
“Look into my eyes and tell me whether I am lying,” replied Kru.
“So what are you suggesting?” asked Troy, crossing his arms across his chest.
“We start with the video grabs,” said Kru and pulled out a seven inch cuboidal device from his pant pocket. He placed it on the ground and switched it on. The device projected the holographic user interface in front of him.
“Let’s begin!” he said, typing on the holographic projection, “Accessing server! Locating files! And we’re here!” and he punched a holographic file icon. The file didn’t play and instead it displayed the word, ‘Classified’.
Troy grunted on seeing that, but Kru quickly said, “Ah! That’s not a problem!” and he quickly accessed the classified file with ease.
The file started playing. Troy and Emilie bent to see the video on either side of Kru, while Holloway seated herself on the arm of the chair, resting her elbows and chin on Kru’s shoulder.
The video showed Norman pacing around in her small cell. The cell had thick walls and looked very compact.
“What are the walls made of?” asked Troy.
“Amorphous fullerenes, stronger than most metals!” said Kru, not lifting an eye off the video.
Norman continued pacing around her cell in the video, when all of a sudden she collapsed onto the floor.
“Looks like as if she died from some sort of sudden death!” said Holloway.
“It doesn’t look like a murder at all!” said Kru.
“Except for the fact that it is!” said Troy.
“But it sure doesn’t look like one,” said Holloway.
“Any anomalies in the cell environment?” asked Emilie.
Kru at once, subjected the video to an in depth analysis and tried to retrieve more information from the camera that had captured the video.
“No,” he said, after about two minutes. “Infrared and motion sensors picked up no anomalies. Wait a sec!”
“They picked no DNA or any organic remains as well at the site, except for Norman’s,” Kru announced, after diving onto the data again.
“It looks just like a freak accident to me,” said Holloway.
“Or suicide,” said Emilie.
“You’re overlooking the fact that her aorta had been cut,” said Troy aggressively. “I’m yet to come across suicides like that!”
For a few moments, silence descended on all the four.
“We’ve no conclusive evidence to hypothesize anything,” said Kru, breaking the silence.
“We’ve nothing,” said Troy.
“Well, who could it be?” asked Emilie. “Who would want Norman dead?”
“It could be any Albein or Kepler who’s pissed at her!” said Holloway.
Troy thought of divulging a thought but decided against it, because it sounded too depressing and felt Norman kind of deserved it.
“You’re right!” said Kru frustrated, looking at Troy. “Let’s take a break!”
“We can go and meet Sniffles!” suggested Emilie, bright-eyed.
“Are you sure they’ll allow us?” asked Troy, shrugging.
“Let’s at least try!” pleaded Emilie.
“There’s Dr. Fry, who’ll help us!” said Kru, getting up from his comfy chair.
The four soon made it to the extensive medical bay but were barred from entering it, by security personnel who were posted there.
“That’s security!” said Holloway.
“Didn’t you hear what Jedias had said before?” asked Kru, cocking an eyebrow. “We’re famous! Sure thing that these guys are gonna let us walk through!”
“I’m not so hopeful,” commented Troy pessimistically.
Kru looked dejected at what Troy had said and then he turned to Holloway and said, “Holly! Am I not being right?”
“Those guys in Security are total jerks, Kru. Even if you are God, they ain’t gonna give a damn!” said Holloway.
“Right,” said Kru. “We’ll see about that!”
With that, the three walked to the two security personnel right in front of the medical bay.
“Let us in!” said Kru. “We want to see Dr. Fry!”
“I am sorry, sir, please return to your cabins. You and your friends are not permitted on the medical bay,” said a middle-aged man in a red suit, holding a large gun.
“Why not?” asked Kru, looking annoyed.
“You don’t have a medical reason! Nor is any of your family here, young sir!” said the officer.
“Is that so?” said Kru, with a cunning look. As he turned around, he reached inside his pant pocket and pulled out what seemed to be a miniscule glowing white cube and he muttered something onto his transmitter. The tiny cube in his hand transformed into a flashing one-sided blade.
“What are you doing?” hissed Holloway, her eyeballs threatening to come out of their sockets to get at Kru.
“Making a way in!” said Kru, as he turned towards the officials and cut across his left wrist with the blade. Bright red blood spouted out from his veins and the security personnel rushed forth towards him.
“Are you out of your mind?” yelled the middle aged official, holding Kru’s bleeding arm.
“RUN!” shouted Kru, breaking free of the hold of the officials. Troy took off at fleeting speed, holding Holloway and Emilie, knowing that they were totally distracted by Kru’s little drama. As Troy ran dragging the girls, Kru outran them and dashed onto Dr. Fry’s office.
“You’ve got to help me!” he panting, holding his bleeding wrist.
“Devils in bikinis!” exclaimed Fry, on seeing Kru crash against his table. “What happened, Kru?”
“They wouldn’t let me in!” Kru explained as Troy and the girls made to the office, followed by the security personnel.
“Sir!” said the middle aged officer.
“Everything’s under control here, officer!” said Dr. Fry, bandaging Kru’s wrist. “They are my friends and are here at my request!”
The officer seemed unsatisfied but he couldn’t argue with the doctor’s statement. He called off his partner and went away from Fry’s office.
“Explain yourselves!” said Fry, once he was done bandaging and applying a lotion over the bandage.
“You’ve got the Aurean baby here, right?” asked Kru, holding his bandaged wrist delicately.
“Yes! We do,” replied Fry, looking confused.
“We’ve come to see him,” said Kru.
“You cut your wrist to see the baby?” asked Fry, wondering whether Kru was in his right mind.
Kru nodded his head delightfully and smiled at him.
“Unfortunately, I can’t show him to you,” said Fry.
“Why not?” asked Emilie, looking desponded.
“You are the Elveden girl, aren’t you?” asked Fry, with a sense of wonder.
“I’m!” said Emilie. “The baby’s mother died after handing over him to me. I need to see him and need to make sure that he’s alright.”
“I can assure you that he’s been treated well here, Miss,” said Fry.
“I need to see him, please sir,” pleaded Emilie.
Fry looked cornered and looked at the four. He noticed Troy and looked as if he wanted to have a conversation with him but knew it wouldn’t be appropriate. The only way to satisfy his curiosity about the four’s adventures was to satisfy their desire.
“Alright!” said Fry benevolently. “Come with me!”
Emilie instantly flashed a beautiful smile at Fry and the others in her happiness.
As Fry led the four to where Sniffles was, he began his conversation.
“Well, you four already on your way to become legends!” he said, flanked by Kru and Emilie by his sides and Troy and Holloway following behind them.
“That’s an overly exaggerated statement, doctor,” said Holloway.
“No! It’s not!” said Fry, leading them along a path along which giant black and white tubes and machines and rows of microscopes and medicines lay. “Your exploits are no secret!”
“Well! We all have to thank Kru for that!” said Troy, joining in the conversation.
Kru immediately turned back to look at Troy and made the ‘kill’ gesture at him, afraid that Troy might let slip the fact that he was a secret spy.
“What?” asked Troy loudly, drawing Fry’s attention, at which Kru slapped his forehead and turned to face ahead.
“Now! Mr. Troy!” said Fry. “I remember the first day we met!”
“We met?” asked Troy, a little doubtful.
“Yes! By the Great Bear’s Tail! We did, sir!” exclaimed Fry happily. “I remember how you acted like a raving madman when you woke up in the Teradome!”
“Yeah!” said Troy sadly, as Emilie sniggered.
“Ha! That was a blast of an experience!” said Fry, as they entered a tiny room. The tiny room was dark, except for a soft soothing light that came from the corners of the room. In the middle was a circular wall made of carbon fiber. Inside the circular wall, was a bedding of the softest nature, which was warm and cozy. On this bedding, lay Sniffles sleeping and sniffling occasionally.
“This is an incubator adjusted especially for him,” said Fry.
“Oh! Baby!” said Emilie, as she drew near Sniffles and stroked his rich fur.
“He’s not got up yet!” said Fry. “And we have no idea, what to expect when he does so!”
“He’s getting-getting up!” stammered Kru, pointing at the incubator, where Sniffles was flailing his arms and stretching.
“Uh no!” said Fry. “Let me call the nurses!”
“Don’t!” exclaimed Emilie. “Let me handle this!”
“But-But!” said Fry but no one paid him any attention, as everyone gathered around the incubator, looking at Sniffles.
Sniffles made cute noises as he squirmed inside the incubator and as Emilie’s warm hands enveloped around his body. He opened his large round beautiful green eyes and looked at Emilie innocently before he broke into a loud pitched cry.
“Acho!” said Emilie as he picked him quickly and held him closely against her body, patting him back. Sniffles’ cry slowly died down and Emilie continued to hold him in her arms. Sniffles looked at Emilie’s eyes and both of their eyes were transfixed for a while, before Holloway broke the spell by touching Sniffles.
“Here! Little boy!” said Holloway, cuddling him under the arm.
Sniffles smiled beautifully and laughed as Holloway continued to cuddle him.
“It’s a wonder!” exclaimed Fry. “How did you pull that off?”
“He doesn’t remember anything. He doesn’t remember the horror his parents went through.” said Emilie, her eyes glistening, as he continued to look at Sniffles’ laughter.
“Then what does he remember?” asked Fry.
“Us!” replied Emilie. “We’re his family now.”
“How did you do that?” asked Kru.
“I told him so,” said Emilie.
Sniffles looked up at Emilie, at once and placed his tiny palms on her cheeks. Emilie smiled and kissed him on his forehead.
“Mmmmma!” said little Sniffles, giggling.
“He speaks!” said Fry, unable to believe his ears.
“Yes, he does!” said Troy, as he came close to Sniffles to look at him and touch him.
“I’m sorry, little guy!” he said and smiled at Emilie and she smiled back, nodding her head.
On seeing Troy touch Sniffles, Kru felt tempted to do the same and he came to touch him, when Sniffles suddenly agitated and said, “Bua!”
“What?” exclaimed Kru, keeping his fingers above Sniffles.
“Bua!” said Sniffles again, looking scared.
“What did I do?” asked Kru, looking at Emilie.
“You’re scaring him, that’s it!” said Emilie, smiling.
“Oh! Big bad boy scared my little baby, did he?” said Holloway as she nuzzled Sniffles and the baby laughed.
Kru moved back disappointed and told Troy, “I thought I would be the only one called baby by her!”
Troy patted him on his back and said, “Girls.”
“Yeah!” agreed Kru.
“Tsokay! We’ll keep moving then,” said Troy, abruptly when he got reminded of Norman’s gruesome assassination.
“You guys go on. I’ll join you later,” said Emilie.
“Yes! She better be here!” said Fry. “She’ll be a great help assisting us in attending to him.”
“Alrighty! See you ‘round Emi!” said Holloway and the three exited Sniffles’ room.
As soon as they made it to their cabins, all of a sudden the red lights went off in the corridors along with an emergency announcement.
“All residents are requested to return and stay inside their designated cabins right away,” said a strong male voice. “I repeat, all residents are requested to clear the corridors and public areas and immediately return to their cabins right away!”
“What’s happening?” asked Holloway, throwing a glance at Kru, who looked clueless.
“Emilie,” said Troy and shot off in the direction of the elevators.
“Come back! She’ll be safe in the medical bay!” cried Kru, behind him.
“Stay inside your cabins! I’ll call you soon!” cried Troy, as he stopped for a while.
Kru looked at Holloway for a moment and both of them darted behind Troy.
“Wait up!” cried Holloway, catching up with Troy at the elevators.
“Why are you so worked up?” asked Kru. “It’s just an announcement to get us inside our cabins!”
“Along with a red alert, which means something big has happened and one of us is out there alone.
How do you exactly want me to react, Kru?” asked Troy, looking in his eye.
Kru remained silent as the elevator opened up in front of them, and people spilled out of it. The trio then entered the elevator and took to the medical bay. The elevator opened onto a deserted medical bay.
“I don’t like this!” said Holloway, as the trio came out of the elevator.
“Let’s go in!” Troy said, entering the medical bay, where most of the lights had been switched off, and called out loudly “EMILIE!”
“Why do you keep doing that?” hissed Kru. “It’s a very nasty idea!”
Then out of the darkness suddenly, Emilie limped towards them with Sniffles held safely against her body.
“TROY!” she cried and hugged him.
“What happened?” asked Troy, holding her by her shoulders.
“Somebody’s here!” she stammered, holding Sniffles tightly, who was shivering all over.
“Let’s get out of here!” said Troy, as he led Emilie out of the medical bay.
“Kru, get the elevator!” said Holloway and Kru hurried towards the elevator.
“It’s here! It’s here!” cried Kru, who looked very nervous. Holloway took Sniffles in her arms as Troy helped Emilie get into the elevator.
“What happened?” he asked as the elevator doors closed.
Squeezing Troy’s arm seemingly in pain, Emilie recounted what had happened, in a broken voice, barely whispering, “After you all had gone, Dr. Fry too went out to get the nurses when it happened.”
“When what happened?” asked Kru.
“The lights suddenly went crazy, they were turning on and off by themselves and then came the screams. Someone had come inside the medical bay, I had made out from the screams. At once, I closed the room’s door, locked it and took Sniffles in my arms. I tried sensing who was there but I picked nothing. Everyone had disappeared leaving me and Sniffles alone. I’m not sure-” whispered Emilie, as if something had got stuck in her throat.
“Haven’t we been too long in the elevator?” said Kru suddenly. The four immediately looked at the display panel, where to their surprise and terror they found nothing displayed.
“What’s happening, Kru?” asked Troy.
“I don’t know!” exclaimed Kru, breaking into a sweat.
The lights went off then, without any warning.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!” screamed Holloway.
“Everybody stay calm!” said Troy, in the darkness.
The elevator came to a standstill and opened onto a deserted level. It was level a hundred and sixty five, one of the levels dedicated to stargazing.
The lights came back on in the elevator and white lights decorated the long passage that led from the elevator.
“Level 165,” said Kru, taking a huge gulp.
“Everyone stay inside the elevator!” commanded Troy, as he punched at the display panel, which continued to not display any options. “Somebody’s wants us out on this level.”
“Now it’s getting eerie!” said Holloway, clutching Emilie and Kru both together in fear.
“Let’s get out!” said Troy abruptly.
“What! Are you mad?” cried Kru, clawing at him.
“It’s the only option!” said Troy.
“No! It’s not!” said Kru.
“Fine!” said Troy, crossed his arms, stood his ground and looked away into the distance defiantly.
“I think we should move out,” whispered Emilie, looking at Holloway and Kru.
“I think too of the same,” said Holloway, looking at Kru.
Kru seemed unsure of the decision but finally gave in.
“Alright!” he chirped. The five got slowly and cautiously onto level 165.
“Everybody stay close!” said Troy, leading the party, throwing his arms behind him as if covering them. Soon they reached the end of the passage where it ended in a T-junction.
“Now what?” asked Holloway.
“Guys!” Kru called, “You better look at this!” pointing behind them in the direction of the elevator.
They all turned in that direction to see that the lights along the corridors were going off, right from the elevators towards them.
“Move!” said Troy, nudging the other three to take off towards the left of the T-junction. The four ran towards the gallery arena where the ceilings and the walls were replaced by glass, allowing the light from the distant stars and galaxies to shine through but there wasn’t much light in the arena.
There was silence, pin-drop silence in the arena. All that the four could hear was their own labored breathing.
“Somebody’s on this ship,” said Troy.
“Thank you for enlightening us!” said Kru sarcastically.
“I don’t think it’s anyone on this ship!” said Holloway
“Or actually it could be someone on this ship who is well aware of the ship’s layout and knows how to use computers,” said Troy.
“I think it’s highly unlikely that it’s anyone on the ship,” said Kru, shivering. “The only other person I know capable of pulling such a feat is my sister Lena and I’m sure she’s not part of this!”
“Then what do you think it is?” asked Troy, who was starting to unnerve.
“I calculate it 14% of a chance that it’s a,” said Kru, as the other three waited for him to finish what he was saying, “Ghost!”
Almost instantly, Holloway landed a big fat slap on Kru’s back. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
cried Kru. “What was that for?”
“Idiot!” hissed Holloway, under her breath.
“That was supposed to be a joke,” mumbled Kru.
“Why can’t it be someone from the enemy?” asked Troy.
“What do you mean?” asked Kru, still recovering from the back slap.
“I mean looking at the facts. I doubt it might be one of the aliens that have attacked our homes.”
“It’s more than possible,” said Kru. “We’ve all been so preoccupied with a notion that it might be someone on the inside following Norman’s example that we’ve completely forgotten to take outside factors into consideration.”
“It’s just a thought,” warned Troy. “We can’t tell for sure unless we prove it.”
“But, seriously guys, I am just reminding you now that we’re hunted at the present moment,” said Holloway
“Well, there’s that!” said Troy. Then turning to Kru in the pale light, he said, “Give me something like a weapon!”
“What do you mean weapon?” asked Kru, who was clearly not in his right mind.
“You know something that can hurt!” said Troy with an annoyed look on his face.
“Tsokay! Tsokay!” said Kru and reached the insides of his pant pocket.
“What are you going to do?” asked Holloway, meanwhile.
“Get out of here!” said Troy and reached out his hand towards Kru, who handed him a glowing green dagger.
“Seriously! A dagger?” exclaimed Troy, looking at the sword which looked more like an antique toy than a formidable weapon.
“What do you want me to do, provide you with the most kick-ass weapons whenever you want me to!” shot back Kru.
“Emilie, why are you so unusually quiet?” asked Holloway, as Troy and Kru looked at Emilie.
Emilie looked at her and smiled weakly, which made Holloway feel real weird.
“Guys, I think something’s moving behind us,” said Holloway then, tugging at Troy and Kru’s arms.
As Troy and Kru stopped fighting and looked around, they saw something invisible scratching the wall behind, from the farthest corner of the arena and making red and yellow sparks fly, as it came rapidly towards the five.
“To the elevators now!” cried Troy, as he pushed the other three. The sparks grew bigger as it came towards them.
“What is that?” cried Kru.
“I WISH I KNEW!” cried Holloway, as she ran beside her. The scratching stopped as it reached the five within a distance of about meters. Troy stopped to look behind and flashed his glowing blade.
The five had reached the T-junction and lights were functioning properly over there again.
“You guys keep moving towards the elevator, once you reach, tell me!” said Troy, with his back turned towards them.
“What’s the idea?” asked Kru.
“Whatever this thing is, it has go through me to get to you, I’ll stand here till you reach and you make sure the elevator gets where we want it to go.”
“Alright!” said Kru. “Let’s go!”
The other three ran all the way to the elevators, with Emilie carrying Sniffles which were about another hundred and fifty meters from them. Troy continued to flash his sword into the darkness with every one of his nerves on full alert.
Then suddenly, a screeching scream came from the passage where the four had gone. Troy turned back and saw that it was Emilie.
“Troy! It’s over here!” cried Kru, flailing his arms at him. From the elevator, the walls on either sides of the passage were being scratched with sparks flying as it came towards them at great speed. The four turned and ran back towards Troy.
Troy sprinted and knew he had to sprint faster if he were to make it. He ran as hard as he could and jumped just in time between the four as they passed him, stabbing the air and crashing onto the ground. The scratching had stopped.
“What the heck is happening?” muttered Troy. Then he motioned to the rest and cried, “COME ON!”
The five made to the elevators and Kru got to work on his Holotab.
“Let’s make it quick, Kru!” said Troy.
“YES! YES!” said Kru. “Give me two minutes to encrypt and protect our ride against any kind of bloody malware!”
“Tsokay!” barked Troy, as his grip on the sword tightened.
“That thing can jump from one to another magically!” commented Holloway nervously.
“I told you it’s a ghost!” muttered Kru, as he kept typing furiously.
“No! It’s not!” said Troy, grinding his teeth. “Emilie, can you sense anything at all?”
“No, Troy, I can’t!” replied Emilie, after a couple of moments.
“I’m almost done! Thirty seconds!” interrupted Kru.
“Good!” said Troy, when Holloway suddenly cried out, “IT’S COMING AGAIN!”
To their horror, the red and yellow sparks started flying again off both the walls, about a hundred meters from them, flying towards them at great speed.
Troy sprinted towards it with aggression, flashing his sword wildly and when he had almost reached it, he jumped onto it pointing his sword. The glowing blade splintered into a hundred pieces as if it had hit something solid like a diamond in thin air. Troy was taken aback and thrown onto the ground a few feet back in the direction of the elevator. After a few seconds of silence, sparks started flying again off both the walls, accelerating as it came towards Troy, who was now totally defenseless.
“Nasty Mermaids!” mumbled Troy, as the sparks closed on him.