'Sacmis' (formerly 'Alien Abduction')

Chapter 20: Escape

“Before we go,” said Cymon, “let me tell you about the ship.”

He crossed the living space to the screen and swiped across it, revealing what was obviously a menu, but the characters were indecipherable to her. He touched one and a three-dimensional schematic appeared.

“This is it,” he said, “As you can see, the Ship is essentially two wheels, revolving around a central axis.”

The screen showed an image of a large wheel and a smaller one connected by spokes to a central, mostly cylindrical core, widening at both ends into two hemispheres. 

“The larger wheel contains mostly living quarters, recreation areas and storage. Your quarters are here - ” and he pointed near the centre of one of the spokes where a small section lit up.

“The central core houses everything needed to run and power the ship, with a control centre at one end and propulsion at the other.”

“One question, said Amisha,”where are the other women?”

“Nearby.”

“So show me.”

“Not…yet,” he answered. 

She looked hard at him. He appeared uncomfortable.

“Shall we go?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Right then, follow me and - please - don’t do anything stupid. This is a spaceship and there is no way to get off it, unless I or one of my fellow crew members helps you. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” she replied, mentally crossing her fingers behind her back. Understood, but not necessarily agreed.

They exited the door from the small outer room and Amisha found herself in a corridor, maybe 25 metres long. It was more industrial in appearance than the rooms they’d just left: the floor was a fine steel mesh, the walls also some kind of metal, gently curved and carrying shining cables for its entire length. Other doors like the one they’d just come through were spaced at intervals.

Is that where they’re holding the other women? she wondered.

Looking to her right and left she could see that the corridor terminated in a closed door at each end.

“Presumably one of those doors connects with the central axis and the other with the outer wheel?” she asked.

“Correct,” he said and turned to indicate the door to their right, “That one connects with the axis, the other - .”

He never completed his sentence since, as he turned back, Amisha was already sprinting towards the opposite door, her trainers clashing against the metal of the floor

“Stop! Amisha, come back!”

Not daring to look behind her, she sped towards the door. Just when she was just a couple of metres away, it suddenly opened and there - impossible! - was Cymon, barring her exit. He seized her by both wrists and held her there, helpless. She felt a slight shock, like electricity, pass between them, then it was gone.

“How did you do that?” she gasped, then heard the sound of feet behind her and turning her head she saw - Cymon again.”

She turned back to the Alien holding her wrists, realising as she did so that he didn’t look quite the same as Cymon. Very similar, but different.

The second Alien spoke to Cymon in a language she couldn’t understand. He was plainly very angry - she could see large flecks of red whirling inside the golden irises - and her wrists were hurting where he held her.

“What’s he saying?” she asked Cymon, but it was the second Alien who answered, in English “I’m reminding him we had agreed not to let any of you out until tomorrow.”

“Yes, but -” Cymon started to answer but the second Alien cut him short.

“No buts, it’s what we agreed.” 

Cymon looked dejected and, unaccountably, Amisha felt sorry for him.

“It was my fault,” she said, “I pestered him to show me.”

“That’s no excuse. Cymon, take this one back to her quarters.”

“This one,” flared Amisha, “has a name: it’s Amisha.”

“And this one,” added Cymon with a smile, indicating the second Alien, “is Irvn.”

As Irvn released her wrists, Cymon gently took her arm - there was that same momentary sensation of static passing from his body to hers as she’d felt when Irvn had caught her - and walked her back to her quarters.

“That really was very stupid,” he said as they stepped inside. “You gave me your word.”

“I did no such thing,” she answered, “I said I understood, not that I wouldn’t try.”

“I’d better get you something to eat and then you should sleep,” he said. ”You’ve had a long day.”

“This is nothing compared to patrolling in Afghanistan,” she replied.

© Adriana Nicolas 2014