Paphos, p.5
Paphos, page 5
It had come out of her.
“What the—” he shrieked and yanked Carolina lifelessly away from it.
It squirmed on the ground in front of them, extruding long spider legs to get oriented. It was round and fleshy, transparent like a jellyfish, with deep yellow eyes.
“Oh my God…”
Spider legs extended from it, over a meter in length, and the jellyfish creature stood about chest-height. One eye blinked independently of the other, and it chased them. He backed up with Carolina in one arm and tried yanking an oval table in the way. It climbed over, moving in rapid bursts, gaining distance. He pinned Carolina to his chest, throwing something foreign at it, trying to shoo the spindly jellyfish away.
“Help me!”
He wouldn’t turn his back and run, he decided instinctually. He yelled and waved while the jellyfish stalked him, cornering him against the far wall. Carolina had this thing inside her!
It’s trapping me…
One of the oval tables skittered across the floor. Dmitry appeared, running towards them, waving his arms as if you would a wild animal. The creature considered the three of them with wisdom unbecoming of something feral and then scurried low for the second interior door. The one Carolina had opened. It wasn’t Carolina doing that, it was that thing!
The door was on the far side of the massive room, but that creature made it in a handful of seconds, thwap thwap thwap as its spider-legs beat the path away.
Vanished.
Austin gasped; if not for the wall behind him, he might have collapsed.
“You’re squishing me, Daddy…”
“Carolina?” he loosened his grip. Sweat beaded down his face. “Can you stand?”
“I think so,” she said, feeling her forehead with her fingertips.
Dmitry approached, an expression of disbelief. “What was that thing?”
She collapsed to the floor.
“Carolina!”
“Get her topside, before that thing comes back,” Dmitry ordered.
Austin raced out of the large room and up the forty-meter incline with Carolina in his arms. Long strides that he’d feel later carried them up until the forest air found them. It took Dmitry another five seconds to catch up.
“Lay her down,” he ordered. Austin fell to a knee and set her down as gently as he could. Dmitry lowered his ear to her chest and checked her pulse. “She’s breathing. Her pulse is weak… her body temperature is too hot. We need to cool her down.”
Austin shut his eyes briefly to keep everything from trying to dawn on him. He could worry later; right now, his little girl was hurt.
He tried to help as Dmitry unzipped her coat, removed her boots, and poured water on her chest. Austin felt helpless, so he grabbed a decent rock and stood over the ramp, just in case.
“We need to get her back to the huts; there’s medical equipment there.”
“I got her,” Austin jumped, dropping the rock and scooping her up. Damn, she was so warm. He bound down the forest trail; they’d taken it enough times that he could anticipate the path without twisting an ankle. His arms ached after the first kilometer, but he pushed his pace. Dmitry struggled to keep up. Adrenaline had faded, but sheer determination guided him onward. He ran with her in his arms, virtually unaware of everything else, until the moment he collapsed her onto the med table at the huts.
Dmitry opened a few cabinets looking for something. “I need the medical kit from the shuttle. Hurry.”
His legs protested, but he ignored them, sprinting outside across the field about fifty meters away. A thought flittered by that some of the crew had just gotten to sleep. They would have questions.
He entered the security code to gain access to the shuttle and waited agonizingly for it to open. When it did, he spotted the water cup that he’d forgotten on planet entry. The vessel wasn’t terribly large, but it felt like forever to traverse it to the locked supply closet. He smashed the cabinet open with his boot and retrieved the medical kit. His legs were going to give out if he didn’t stop soon.
When he returned, he found Carolina covered with sensors and a screen that monitored her vitals.
“Set the kit over there,” Dmitry ordered, motioning with a dry hypodermic needle. He reached into the med kit and shuffled through some liquids until he found a particular blue one.
“She’s responding to my efforts, which is a good sign,” Dmitry said, filling the hypodermic needle. “Austin… was that thing inside of her?”
I never should have brought her here! Austin buried his face in his hands. “Is she going to be okay?”
“We will both know in a moment.”
Dmitry raised the hypodermic injector to ensure it had filled correctly, and then he applied it to Carolina’s arm. It made an airless puff, leaving not even a bruise.
Carolina’s color returned to her cheeks. Austin placed his hand against her forehead. She remained feverish, but not as severely as before. He fell to his knees beside her table and wept.
“Her body is responding perfectly to the injection. The synthetic antibodies were out of control, trying to cope with that…parasite,” Dmitry said.
Austin’s breathing steadied with a few tries.
“Her body defended itself with a classic fever; the parasite couldn’t tolerate the high temperatures. Had this gone on any longer, she could have suffered brain damage,” Dmitry reported, studying the diagnostics above Carolina. “…but we got to her in time. Her neural signs are excellent.”
Watching Carolina rest, so peacefully now, he felt what he’d done to his legs. Her chocolate hair rested innocently on the table, but he was exhausted. A thought wouldn’t go away; he feared he couldn’t protect her.
That shriek in the forest… That’s when it started. How many are there?
Dmitry handed him a glucose cocktail with optimized electrolytes and nanoproteins. Austin drank it, letting the compounds do their work.
“We need to capture that thing.”
Austin tensed.
“Relax,” Dmitry smiled, realizing how he sounded just now. He set the injector down and gave Austin his full attention. “That was terrifying, but without a doubt, your little girl is making a full recovery. I’ll still watch her closely, just to make sure, but she’s going to be fine,” Dmitry said. It was a stark difference from the night before. “But it goes without saying that the creature holds significant importance.”
“You can study it post-mortem,” Austin replied before leaving the room. If he didn’t excuse himself now, he’d regret it later. He walked to the only place he knew he could be alone in—the bathroom. He gripped the plastic sink so hard it bent against the bulkhead. Tears threatened to roll down his face, but he smothered them. ‘Come on, come on, come on, come on,’ he chanted, still squeezing the sink. He had never seen her in danger before.
The mirror wouldn’t give him any advice, nor would the beginnings of wrinkles on his young-enough face. When did that happen, the wrinkles? That’s life, man. And I’d give mine to keep her safe.
He stood upright and gave one last look in the mirror. Nothing else happens to her. Nothing.
He attempted to wash his hands in the misshapen sink, which sputtered water to the side. Eventually, he returned to check on his little girl.
Dmitry was still there. Med Bay was rarely used and typically stored more jackets than supplies halfway through an expedition. Soothing beeps displayed holographically above Carolina.
“How is she?”
“Great. She has continual improvement in her vitals. She’s just sleeping now.”
“Is there anything… left behind?” Austin struggled to ask.
“Like something with spider legs?”
He grimaced.
Dmitry re-examined her chart on the screen. “There’s irritation in her esophagus and her spinal column, I imagine it’s attached to her there,” Dmitry said. Watching Austin’s face, he softened his tone some. “… and that’s all. There are no eggs, or larvae, or anything that isn’t completely human. I gave her a soft-tissue cocktail to repair cellular damage. She’s responding just fine.”
“Thank God.”
Dmitry set his hands on the table. “Austin, we need to study that creature.”
He nodded, rubbing his forehead with thick fingers. “Yes, I know. We also need to know if there are more of them, and why it’s trying to get inside that building.”
Dmitry’s face brightened. “It really was trying to get inside…”
Somehow, he had yet failed to consider that the creature consciously wanted something. But of course it was possible, how could he not have thought of it earlier?
“Carolina hasn’t been herself. She knew things about this place that she shouldn’t know. I think it was using her…” Austin said.
Dmitry nodded. “I suspect you are correct. In hindsight, it’s perfectly obvious. Listen, if there are more, I can at least confirm they aren’t indigenous to Paphos. The flora here operates strictly without animal assistance. That creature is as foreign as we are.”
Austin contemplated this, hoping Dmitry was right. “Pretty freakin’ unreal.”
“If it was already here and if it wanted inside all this time, then it needed our help to do it. Which means the building was designed to prevent that.” Dmitry was connecting this in real time, his voice steady and deliberate.
“I’m still going to kill it.”
“You must be joking,” Dmitry laughed.
“I’m not. If it can take one of us as a host, it’s too dangerous to keep alive.”
Dmitry took a long breath before leveling an icy gaze. “I know you’re upset, but we do not kill the first alien life that we find.”
Dublin entered the medical field, rubbing his head like sanding a tree. “Jus’ what’s this nonsense you’re keeping me awake with?”
“The population of Paphos is greater than we thought,” Dmitry said. Dublin knew what he meant.
Austin’s jaw clenched. “Something attacked Carolina.”
“Bloody hell,” Dublin said. “Is she alright?”
“Yes.”
“There’s more than just a building? Feck the barn! When?”
“Moments ago, it used Carolina to open a new interior door and disappeared inside,” Dmitry said. Dublin leaned against the wall, rubbing his head.
“An’other door is open?”
“Yes.”
Austin wetted a cloth and gently washed Carolina’s forehead and cheeks. She wasn’t hot to the touch like before, which removed about a thousand pounds from his chest. He rested his hands against the table. He had a duty as a scientist, and he would respect that, as long as Carolina was not in any danger. If it came down to one or the other, Dmitry would have to bring pieces of his precious discovery home. But already he saw Dublin scheming visions of fortune and fame. He also remembered the night before with Dmitry. He wouldn’t underestimate their greed.
“It could be as intelligent as us. Problem solving, anticipating outcomes,” Austin said.
“Alright, I’m awake too,” Athen yawned, her usually hidden curves on display in thin pajamas. Hanging with engineers day after day, sometimes Austin often forgot how womanly she was.
“Yeah, me too,” Helena said, wielding a coffee packet.
“You guys suck,” Orlean moaned from down the hallway. He roused himself and grabbed his prosthetic arm from the desk, attaching it before joining them.
“What happened to her?” Athen asked.
Dmitry informed them of what he and Austin had already discussed. The crew took turns listening and responding to Dmitry, whose version of the story was far less dangerous. They responded with excitement, hope, and optimism. They didn’t see what Austin saw. They didn’t fear it like he did.
With the story before them, the questions bloomed. They wanted to know more: how smart it was, how it used Carolina, how it controlled her. Neurologically? Austin wondered, perhaps, if they really had lost Athen, would they be a little less giddy about all of this?
Carolina stirred.
“Guys, let’s take this somewhere else,” he interrupted.
Helena agreed, suddenly whispering. “Right, she needs her sleep.”
They went outside into the morning rays and continued.
“Every question is important, but let’s start with the most important: why does it want to get inside that building?”
CHAPTER 7
“Understanding that would lend significant insight into our parasite,” Orlean replied. “I mean, logically.” He’d begun referring to it as a parasite based on Carolina being its host.
“Booky’s right,” Dublin replied while checking the stubble of his face. He remembered shaving yesterday morning. “What are they protecting? Why’d they need security?”
“Security?” Helena begged.
“Aye, whoever built that facility didn’t want anyone accessing it, parasites included. It’s underground, for starters. So that means there’s something worth hiding in it.”
“Makes sense,” Athen agreed.
Orlean removed and adjusted his prosthetic arm. “I concur.”
Dmitry addressed them as a group. “We’ll head back soon. We stay in groups for protection. Be honest with yourselves, who needs to sleep?”
“Like any of us could,” Athen huffed. Dublin chuckled.
“Daddy?”
Carolina appeared at the entrance of the quadrohuts. Her face was tired.
“I’m here, honey, I’m right here,” he said, rushing to her.
“I called, but you weren’t there.”
“I’m sorry, kidlet, I was just outside. How are you feeling?” Austin asked, checking her forehead. Her heat and colors were perfectly normal. “You look like you’re feeling better.”
“A little.”
“Good. Thirsty?”
She shook her head no.
“What do I always say?”
“…drink lots of water.”
He smiled and disappeared into the mess hall to fetch some water for both of them. They sipped under nervous silence. He studied her, wondering how to manage what would come. A thought compelled him, watching her. Now she was awake, so now they’d bombard her with questions. Obviously, she didn’t need that.
It was important to give the team some answers; they’d demand it anyway. But he didn’t trust them anymore. And the discovery of this parasite only made things worse. It already attacked them once, but they weren’t deterred in the slightest.
They weren’t thinking. Let a team with some firepower come back later. Austin recognized greed, and this was just the tip of the iceberg. Money changed people. He shut his eyes and gathered the resolve he needed to go and buy his insurance. If the people in command at least knew something, that might be enough. He just had to break the promise he made to Dmitry first. They needed to leave this planet. Staring at his little girl, sipping water with her in silence, he didn’t know how else to keep her safe except to leave. She wasn’t safe here.
“Wait here, honey,” he said, handing her the cup. He checked that they were still conversing outside and then acted.
He walked down to the comm room beyond the lab. He was alone, though he turned his head to look just in case. With everyone still outside, he sat at the keyboard and launched a quick message. Something simple. Something permanent.
FROM PAPHOS CREW: WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED AN OFF-WORLD ELEMENT. PLEASE ADVISE.
It would be enough. Questions and orders would come down, the crew would be angry, but now they’d be on their best behavior. It wasn’t an accusation; he was just doing his job. Now he and Carolina were safe because any disappearance after would cast too much suspicion. He promised Dmitry he would not do this… but that was before the parasite attacked his little girl.
Austin clicked ‘send’. The dye was cast, as they say.
He stood, and with his back to the comm, he prepared himself for when they found out.
A bleep from behind. A response, already?
ERROR: UNABLE TO SEND
“What?”
He sat down, typing again. The computer thought for a moment.
Error: unable to send
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he cursed, running a diagnostic.
Cable problem?
He blindly reached behind the equipment for loose connections when something poked his finger. “Ouch!” He yanked his hand back, and a red dot formed on the end of his pointer finger. He climbed under the desk to get a better look and found frayed wires dangling. Not unplugged but seemingly torn. It was as if something just ripped them apart.
He felt the blood leave his face. He couldn’t send a message. He couldn’t even receive one. They couldn’t even connect to the Orbiter.
They were trapped.
He stormed out of the comm room. “How could you do it?!”
“Excuse me?” Dmitry asked.
“You bastard!” Austin lunged at Dmitry. Dublin and Athen caught him, forcing him away. Dmitry didn’t even take a step back.
“Explain yourself, before I cite you for attempted assault.”
“I saw the radio!”
“What’s that now?” Dublin asked.
Austin shook them loose but stood in place.
“Is something wrong with the radio?”
“No, there’s nothing wrong with the radio. Austin, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb, you know exactly what I’m talking about!”
“Athen, check the comm room,” Dmitry ordered.
Orlean raised his hand. “Uhm, why were you in the com room?”
Austin did not answer.
“Yes, Austin, why were you in the com room?” Dmitry repeated.
Austin glared.
“Even if something is wrong with the radio, there’s nothing Dublin and Athen can’t fix,” Dmitry said. “And you should be careful with your accusations.”
Austin remained quiet, but he could do little to change the look on his face.
