NOVEL NEXT Book 2. Chapter 62. I am someone who doesn't like being poked.
"What? Hah, ha…."C.J. chuckled nervously. "Always with the jokes, Natasha."
Kinthragor stepped closer to Michael, trying to whisper and failing miserably. "I am afraid I am still not fully educated on human vernacular. What is premature ejaculation?"
"Haaa!" Michael laughed and slapped C.J. on the shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy, it happens to a lot of guys!"
"No, Natasha is joking," C.J. held up his hands defensively.
"Actually, C.J., I monitor the entire ship at all times to ensure the safety of the crew. I observed that 86% of the time you go to your quarters to sleep, your heart rate goes up dramatically for a period of time. I can assume you are not exercising because the internal sensors of the ship would pick up the vibrations consistent with exercise. While I do pick up vibrations, they are subtle and rhythmic. I can only assume that you are mas…"
C.J. turned red with embarrassment before loudly cutting Natasha off. "Damn it, Natasha! That's enough! I'm gonna have a conversation with C.J. about your 'monitoring' of the crew's cabins. The name doesn't matter anyway, right guys?"
Michael struggled to hold in his laughter. "N-no, buddy! It doesn't matter at all. Let's go get suited up. If we're gonna do this, we'd better be sure we're all prepared. I don't know if we stand an icecube's chance in hell of pulling this off, but damn it if it won't be exciting!"
C.J. led the way to the armory, and the trio began syncing to their drop suits. C.J. took a second to show Michael the initiation sequence before looking at Kinthragor and groaning. "Damn it! How did I not think of this? Kinthragor has four arms, there is no way he is getting in one of these."
"It will not be an issue, C.J.," Kinthragor stated calmly.
Michael peeked out from behind his drop suit as it opened to allow him to enter from the back. "Uhh, Kinny buddy, how do you suppose that it won't be an issue? You need to be in that missile tube if Natasha is going to shoot you over to that Frigate." Kinthragor walked over to a table holding several large, thin sheets of metal. "I will use these."
Michael walked over, followed by C.J. "Use them for what, buddy? You need the drop suit to survive in open space. You can't just ride a metal plate." Kinthragor grabbed one of the sheets of metal and held it up, inspecting it. "What are these used for, C.J."
"We needed something to use for targets when we were learning to use our plasma rifles. Elvis fabricated them and used some mini-drones to suspend them and move them back and forth across the shooting range. We needed them to be three or four feet long so some of the plasma splash would be absorbed."
Kinthragor held the metal plate horizontally, measuring its width. One of the metal plates covered about half of his torso. "This will work fine." He grabbed the plate at each end and squeezed until it bent and wrapped around him before grabbing another and repeating the exercise to wrap around the bottom half of his torso, pinning his bottom arms.
Michael cocked his head curiously. "Still won't protect you on that trip between ships."
Kinthragor walked up and put his top right hand on Michael's shoulder. "Michael, my species can survive for some time in the void of space. As you see, I have no eyes, no exposed sensitive organs. My skin can withstand open space for up to an hour. My internal organs have been modified to resist the immense pressures of the void. I have no need for the hindrances of these…" Kinthragor motioned disgustedly at the drop suits. "Drop suits. Once we became a space-faring species, we became explorers and settlers and began serving the Council. We began altering our offspring to survive in the harsh conditions we would spend most of our lives in. Now, go put on your suit and let's allow Natasha to shoot us toward a glorious destiny."
"What the hell even are you? C.J. poked Kinthragor on the arm inquisitively.
"I am someone who doesn't like being poked," Kinthragor replied.
C.J. jerked his hand back. "Noted."
After another five minutes, the three of them were in the missile compartment waiting for Natasha's instructions. C.J. looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, Natasha, now what?"
"I have emptied missile bay two, three, and four. Enter the tubes feet first and cross your arms over your chest." C.J. grunted as he pulled himself up into the tube. "What about bay one?"
"Bay one is loaded with one of the empty drop suits. While I am not capable of piloting the suit remotely like Elvis was, I can access the propulsion system and make small navigational adjustments. That suit will be the tip of the spear, so to speak. I will need to use it to break through the viewport and clear an entrance for the three of you. I will fire the tubes in half-second intervals to ensure that you don't all try to go through the viewport at once. The empty drop suit will be fired at maximum velocity to ensure it is able to pierce the viewport. Then you will all arrive between two and three point five seconds later. It will be a rough landing, but your drop suits will absorb most of the impact. Unfortunately, Kinthragor, I am not sure how you will fare."
C.J. chuckled over the comms while lying in his tube. "That's pretty badass, I gotta say." Michael spoke up. "Everyone ready? All systems go?"
C.J. took a deep breath. "I'm a go." Kinthragor grunted, "Ready." "Countdown beginning." An audible countdown began announcing throughout the ship.
10.
9
8
7
"Missile tubes armed. Brace for jump… jump successful.
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6.
"The Planetary sensors have not been alerted."
5.
"The Containment vessel is arming weapons systems."
4.
3.
"Maneuvering around the bow of the vessel. Targeting viewport now."
2.
"Brace. Brace. Brace!"
C.J. felt his insides being forced up into his throat as he saw the flashes of several white guide lights within the missile tube, and then, weightlessness and the sensation sliding at a very, very high rate of speed. He leaned his head up to see the empty suit crash through the viewport, shards of thick glass exploding out and floating in all directions. Jets of air shot out into the void, followed by the two pilots. His head was forced back down as the suit went rigid in preparation for the impact.
"OOOOHHH SSSSHHHHIIIIIITTTT!" He screamed before flying through the viewport and slamming feet-first into the bulkhead in the back of the bridge.
The Drop suit immediately returned to full functionality, and C.J. flung his arms out wildly, trying to get a handhold on something to keep him from floating off.
THUD
"Not yet." C.J. shook his head.
"He should be here. What happened?" Michael asked, panicked.
Alarms began to blare throughout the ship as the emergency viewport shielding began to slowly close. Two clawed hands reached down and pulled Kinthragor onto the bridge gracefully before he floated calmly up to C.J. and Michael. "Shall we proceed?"
"C.J. mentally switched his comm to a direct line to Michael. "What the fuck is he? Like for real?"
"Ha," Michael chuckled, pulling himself over to the door that exited the bridge. "He is my best friend!"
C.J. just shrugged. "Natasha, can you overlay the layout of the ship onto my HUD?"
"Yes, I am afraid there is not much else I can do, though. I jumped the Bloodhound away as soon as you all made it safely onto the bridge. You will need to pilot that containment vessel out to the asteroid field where the Bloodhound is being obscured from the planet's sensors, so don't mess it up too badly."
"This just keeps getting more and more exciting," C.J. turned to face Michael and Kinthragor. "Do either of you know how to pilot this thing?"
Michael held his hands up in front of him. "Don't look at me. I just had my first spaceship ride a few days ago."
"I can pilot the vessel," Kinthragor announced.
"Great. Now we just have to fight through the rest of whatever security force is manning this thing," C.J. walked up to the bridge's exit. "From what Natasha is showing me, the ship is a straight line. We go through this door, and there is a large Holding area with secure cells on both sides. At the other end is a large door for loading prisoners and cargo."
"Seems simple enough. Do we know what kind of cells are being used?" Michael asked.
"Don't really see how that is relevant, but I can ask Natasha," C.J. shrugged. "Natasha, you got any specs on the ship that show what kind of cells are being used on this ship?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact. The modular cell system allows the number of cells to be matched to the number of prisoners being transported. They utilize energized containment barriers as doors. Similar to what you saw on the facility Anthragor held Captain Dawes in when he was captured."
"I wasn't there, Natasha. I didn't get there until the place was about to blow. I didn't really have time for the grand tour."
"I can send an image to your HUD. Standby."
An image of one of the modular cells popped up on C.J. and Michael's HUD.
"Perfect," Michael said in a way that told C.J. he had the same kind of crazy plan that Andy would come up with.
"Natasha, do those cells have independent life support systems by chance?" Michael asked.
"Yes, Michael. Each cell is designed to sustain the prisoner in the event of a hull breach or other unforeseen mishap. The Council wouldn't let something as simple as the ship failing keep them from punishing their political enemies. " "Is there an emergency vent option for the holding area or cargo bay, or whatever it's called?"
"Yes, there should be a lever near the door that opens into the cargo bay. Why do you ask?"
C.J. waved his hands. "Hello! We are not gonna vent the cargo bay. What if something goes wrong? What if one of the cells gets sucked out into space?"
"If that happens, we will have some time to go pick them up. Kinny can fly the ship, after all," Michael thumbed at Kinthragor. "Look, C.J., I am not Andrew. I don't have superpowers. I am a capable fighter, but I have never used one of these drop suits. So it is basically you and Kinthragor versus six trained combatants in there. They know we're coming. They would have taken up a defensible position by now. They have the upper hand here. If we don't do this, then there is a real chance that we lose that battle in there," Michael pointed toward the cargo bay. "And I don't think that is an option if we are going to save your friends."
C.J. started pacing back and forth. "I need to see if I can reach Andy. If we are going to do this, I need to know he is okay with it.
"Andrew isn't here, C.J. We are here, with a decision to make. So let's stop acting like this is somebody else's call to make," Michael stepped up face to face with C.J. "Look, man, being the hero doesn't mean having the cool armor and the superpowers. Being the hero means making the tough call and ensuring everyone gets home safely when it's done. Andrew told you to go do some hero shit. Well, buddy. It's time to sack up and do what he told you.