I, Spaceman

I, Spaceman

  By Anthony North

  Copyright Anthony North 2012

  Cover image copyright, Yvonne North 2012

  Other books by Anthony North

  I, TRILOGY INTRODUCTORY VOLUME

  I, STORYTELLER SERIES

  I, POET SERIES

  Inmate Earth: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/237329

  Bard Stuff: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/252874

  Mind Burps: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/272508

  Verse Fest: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/302837

  I, THINKER SERIES

  I, Paranormal: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/237339

  I, Essayist: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/259928

  I, Society: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/272861

  I, Unexplained: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303478

  I, Observer: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304480

  CONTENTS

  Introduction

  SPACE GANG

  Welcome Mr Brown

  Complicity

  Something Is Eating the Slothy

  Love's Eternal Dream

  Heaven Sent

  He's Not Himself

  NEWTON 2

  Ghost in the System

  Space Ship Viral

  Dream Time

  Decidedly Dodgy

  The Genesis Factor

  The Truth About Newton

  OLD SPACE DOG

  The Flag Flies Proud

  Fast Food

  The Drunken Skipper

  Primeval Designs

  A Day With the Slothy

  Spirit Rising

  ULRIKA FAYN IN OVERMIND

  A Higher Realm

  Ulrika & the Mysterious Lady

  Ulrika Visits Planet Cell

  Ulrika & Her Great Regret

  Ulrika & the Bullet

  Ulrika & the Work of Art

  Ulrika & the Zone

  HOW IT ALL BEGAN - YOUNG NULYN

  Arrival

  The Dawn of Sentience

  The Uprising

  About the Author

  Connect With Anthony

  INTRODUCTION

  I love the old Sci Fi series and I thought, can I write Flash Fiction in the same vein? Well, judge for yourself. In these stories you’ll meet the crew of B-Mover 14, Newton 2, Old Space Dog and a host more as they travel the Graveyard Sector; as well as my alien species the Pridians, Angerians, Envins, Lustaceans, Gred and the Slothy. We’ll go boldly, and not split infinity.

  SPACE GANG

  WELCOME, MR BROWN

  'What in OverMind is going on?' said Ulrika Fayn as she piloted the wedge-shaped B-mover into approach. Pushing back her long blonde hair, a hint of frustration sullied her otherwise good looks.

  To her front, merchant ships of all shapes and sizes circled Star Base Tiryns. Sat next to Ulrika at his console, Tox opened channel. 'B-mover 14 to Control,' he said. 'What's the problem?'

  'Space controller strike,’ came the reply. 'Sorry about this. We'll get you in as soon as possible.'

  The star base hung in space in front of them, the planet Angeria below, and offered tantalising thoughts of a cool drink and warm bed after their patrol.

  'If they don't hurry up, I'll blast them out of the way,' said Ulrika.

  Tox smiled. A Pridian, he had the blue tint of his race. Clearly humanoid, he was, however, hairless, and his bald head ended in a rounded point. A proud race, the Pridians were known for their extreme good looks - looks that were almost psychic in nature as well as physical - but also for their ability to be easily irritated. Luckily for Ulrika, Tox had nonetheless confronted and defeated his temper.

  'Sometimes you CAN be a Pridian, you know,’ Ulrika said.

  Tox smiled, sending a shiver up her spine. 'I am calm, Ulrika, I am very calm.' But regardless, Ulrika saw his finger hovering over the sonic gun trigger.

  Space Commander Nulyn sat behind his desk on Star Base Tiryns. He had been Sector Commander for many years and knew that it was unlikely he would gain further promotion, ending his career here in some three years time. But in the main he had been happy with his time in the sector.

  With twelve star systems under his authority, the Confederation entrusted in him a grave responsibility, especially as his sector seemed to be the nearest to the Gred. And although no outright invasion had been attempted for years, he was always aware of their sneak attacks and terrorism. But this said, he also knew it was a promotional graveyard, most of the sector being far too lawless for the sensibilities of the otherwise ordered Confederation. The sector was quite simply the nightmare they could do without.

  This fact never irritated him more than when new Rangers were assigned to his sector. For in the main, he was lumbered with all the oddballs and rebels the Confederation could send.

  And he well knew Ranger 'Hercules' Brown was no exception.

  'Hercules' Brown sat on the chair waiting to be called into the Space Commander's office. His nickname was in complete contrast to his physical appearance. With mousy, spiky hair and a slight frame, he was no more than five foot four tall. He was, in fact, the smallest human Ranger in the entire confederation.

  No, his name had nothing to do with his physicality. Rather, it was to do with his spirit. Unbeatable in anything he attempted, he sailed close to the wind, gaining a reputation as a maverick, but equally as a bit of a genius - which did, of course, get him into trouble on a regular basis. Although he would see it different - rather, he had become convinced that the Central Council back on Earth had consistently conspired against him.

  He was musing on the reality of this when the Space Commander's door opened and he walked in.

  Space Commander Nulyn eyed him suspiciously as he did so, automatically taking a seat in front of the desk.

  'I don't recall asking you to sit down,' said Nulyn, immediately irritated.

  Normally, this would spook a Ranger, bringing him to immediate attention. But Brown was of different stuff. Rather, he smiled and said: 'Innovation, sir,' he said. 'Drummed into us at Ranger School. Innovation and anticipation.'

  'Of what?'

  'Of being asked to sit down, sir.'

  And thus the scene was set for 'Hercules' Brown's arrival interview at the Graveyard Sector, never again to be a whizz kid of the Confederation; and damn well aware of it and irritated.

  Five minutes later, 'Hercules' Brown left the office, a smile on his face, and Nulyn's final words ringing in his ears.

  'Well I'm warning you, Brown. Any of your tomfoolery in my sector and you're finished. Do you understand that?'

  But as the explosion from inside the office rocked the Star Base, Brown's thoughts on the matter evaporated as he hit the deck.

  Ulrika Fayn had seen it all. Finally on her approach to the Star Base, she had kept an eye on the freighters circling her space. 'It's a perfect opportunity for an attack,' she had said to Tox, who had to concur. 'Especially if they'd paid one of the union agitators to cause the confusion,' he added.

  And sure enough, just seconds before docking, it happened. It was a small, ancient freighter that broke out of formation and headed straight for the Command Module of the base. With the obvious intent of the suicidal warrior Gred, it hurtled forward with such speed that it wasn't going to stop before the collision.

  'Shoot it out of space,' said Tox, excitedly as the inevitability of the explosion struck him.

  'No,' said Ulrika, thinking even further ahead. 'No time. If we exploded it now we might rupture the sonic core, and the explosion would be greater.'

  Thus frustrated that there was nothing they could do to stop the attack, Ulrika Fayn gunned her own sonic drive, raced the B-mover into the Space Dock and, with Tox hard on her heels
, was already running to the area of the explosion as it came.

  'Hercules' Brown was momentarily stunned by the force of the explosion, but his Ranger training was such that he was soon on his feet and thinking straight. Looking at the office door, he saw the tell-tale sign of hissing air coming from the seal and knew that the explosion must have cracked the outer frame of the office. And as such, Nulyn only had seconds to live, if he hadn't already been sucked out of the Star Base.

  Looking about him, he was in a small airtight room with no one else around. Hence, holding tight to the wall by the door, he took out his sonic gun and blasted the door away.

  Immediately he did this, his lungs felt as if they would burst. And with a mighty force trying to suck him to the fracture in the wall, he hung on for all his might long enough to take a quick look inside the office, see Nulyn alive, hanging on but breathless, before letting go of the wall, spread eagling himself in mid air, and mating with the fracture with such force that it took the remainder of his breath away.

  Ulrika Fayn stopped momentarily by the outer door to the Space Commander's office complex. Slowly, she saw the pressure gauge go down, registering that the leak in the outer wall had been sealed. How this had occurred, she had no idea, but the simple fact was that it was enough for her to force the door open and get inside.

  She felt the cold as she got through the door, and realised it was only a temporary situation. And as she looked round into the Space Commander's office, she realised why.

  Nulyn was lying on the floor, half comatose - and spread eagled perfectly over the fracture was a little scrawny guy with spiky hair, plugging the leak and screaming: 'Get a move on, Ranger, my spine can't take much more of this.'

  Space Commander Nulyn hated the sick bay, but Dr Fresco had insisted he stayed there over night. Ulrika Fayn, Tox and 'Hercules' Brown stood by him.

  'Okay, Fayn,' he said, 'meet your new partner.'

  Ulrika shook hands, saying: 'He'll do for me. It was a brave, imaginative thing he did.'

  Nulyn said: 'Maybe.'

  Then, turning to Brown, added: 'But don't think it gets you off the hook, Brown. You may have saved my life. But I'm watching you.'

  Somehow, 'Hercules' Brown decided it might be an interesting posting after all.

  COMPLICITY

  It was a small ship, but as it rounded on the planetoid and fired, it was obvious it packed a powerful punch.

  'We've got to stop them,' said Ulrika Fayn as she guided B-mover 14 into scanning range.

  Hercules Brown agreed, wishing he could get more out of the sonic drive.

  There were six ships in all, constantly pounding the planetoid, and from previous reports of their journey, and from what they could see from scanners, it was obvious they were Envin.

  'I hope they put up a fight,' said Tox, raising his bald, blue head. 'I'd love to kill lots of Envin.' He was making final adjustments on the sonic cannon, his favourite toy.

  Brown sighed. He was aware of the Envins; had come across them before. Small, avaricious aliens, their elf like faces hid the ruthlessness of these space pirates. 'Easy, Tox,' he said. 'There may be a good explanation.' Then, to Ulrika: 'Any sign of habitation on that planetoid?'

  'Negative,' said Ulrika. 'They seem to be bombarding a barren planet.'

  As they came closer to the Envin fleet Brown opened channel. 'This is the Space Rangers, cease your attack immediately.'

  An Envin appeared on the monitor. His elf featured grimace was different to how Hercules Brown knew them. The arrogance, the cynicism was gone, replaced by what appeared to be stark terror. 'Leave us, Space Ranger,' he said. 'This must be done. You must not interfere.'

  At that the screen went blank. Meanwhile, time after time the ships came in line with the planetoid and fired.

  'I think it's time we acted,' said Tox, feeling comfortable in his firing position.

  Brown thought a moment. 'They're frightened,' he said.

  'Good,' said Tox.

  'No. I mean really frightened. Turning to Ulrika, Brown said: 'Scan the planetoid again. There must be something down there.'

  'You're right,' she said, shortly.

  An image flashed up from the surface. The mounds were unusual, about a metre high and round. The whole surface seemed to be covered in them.

  'What are they?' Brown asked.

  Ulrika accessed the ship's computer. Seconds later, an analysis appeared. They were horrid little creatures, ten legged, two centimetres in length, and capable of surviving deep space drift. But most important to Brown was the fact that they were deadly to Envins.

  'It's obviously a Nest,' said Ulrika.’

  'Yes,' agreed Brown. 'But not just any nest. According to this, the Envins are sure there's just one, from which they all migrate. They account for about 30% of Envin deaths, and it looks like they've found the centre of the whole species.'

  'No wonder they're determined to destroy them,' said Ulrika.

  Tox sighed. 'I suppose that means we can't destroy the Envins,' he said.

  Brown didn't bother to answer. Instead, he said: 'Ulrika, scan their ships for lifesigns.'

  'Oh Overmind,' she eventually said. 'The bugs are in space, chewing into their ships. About half the Envins are already near death. It's a life and death struggle out there!' she said.

  At that moment, alarms went off around the ship.

  'What's that?' asked Brown.

  'They're on our hull,' said Ulrika.

  Moments later, the first of the bugs bore through into the ship and began moving towards the crew.

  'They're disgusting,' Ulrika said as Tox and Brown dispatched them with low level sonic blasts.

  'Well that's decided it,' he said. 'Ulrika, we're going to help them.'

  Tox sighed once more, but realised where his duty lay.

  And with their superior weaponry, they soon pounded the nest to extinction.

  Later, the Envins gone, Tox said: 'Such a shame.'

  'What do you mean by that?' asked Brown.

  'We could have had a weapon against the Envins,' he said.

  As Tox finished, one of the bugs crawled from a corner, still alive. The crew turned to look at it. Tox continued: 'Here's our chance. Think about it, Brown - a real weapon to frighten them into stopping their piracy.'

  Brown took one look at Tox before taking out his sonic gun and blasting the bug away.

  'Why did you do that?' asked Tox.

  'Because,’ he said, ‘if I have the choice between occasional irritation from pirates, or using biological weaponry to cause genocide, I'll choose irritation every time.'

  But as Ulrika Fayn engaged sonic drive and B-mover 14 cruised away, they realized genocide was exactly what they had done.

  SOMETHING IS EATING THE SLOTHY

  'Not the Slothy,' said 'Hercules' Brown as he engaged sonic drive, sending the B-mover over the speed of light.

  Tox relayed the message once more. 'That's what it says. A Slothy colony on Nemea request our urgent assistance.'

  Ulrika Fayn sighed. 'Well I'm staying in the B-mover. If you think I'm having anything to do with those smelly things, you're mistaken.'

  Brown smiled. Said: 'I thought there were such things as Alien Rights in the Graveyard Sector.'

  Tox turned from his console, scratched his blue tinted chin. 'And just who do you class as the aliens?' he asked. 'After all, I'm FROM here. You're not.'

  Neither Brown nor Ulrika were in the mood for a deep discussion. It was typical of the Central Council to use such an inflammatory word as 'alien', thus guaranteeing that 'rights' were really a long way off. But the Slothy? That was a different matter.

  As the B-mover slowed to make orbit with Nemea, Ulrika padded comms. 'Nemea control, this is Ranger Fayn. We're answering urgent call from Slothy Colony 212. Please direct.'

  There were some twelve Slothy stood in a circle around the corpse. Huge, bulky and covered in fur, their dumb faces looked on, registering the blooded, half-eaten fellow Slothy in the
ir midst. They knew something had to be done - the occasional chief even knew what - but in the main the realisation was all they could manage. What to do from then on was just too much to handle - which was, of course, the point.

  The Slothy existed in isolated colonies throughout the Graveyard Sector. For centuries they had been hunted, their meat a delicacy famed throughout the known universe. But this all changed when evolutionary forces had manifested and, one day, just before slaughter, a Slothy had said, 'no.'

  Sentience is a hard concept to understand, especially when it comes to an alien which, for centuries, you had eaten. What was to be done with them? And how much self governance should they be given in their new found colonies?

  They looked up with the instinctuality of a herd as the B-mover hovered close by before coming in to land. 'Hercules' Brown and Tox alighted, aware of what the problem was likely to be. Some people just couldn't come to the realisation that the Slothy were no longer animals, but thinking beings, and still insisted in killing them to eat. And sure enough, as they looked down at the corpse, they knew they were dealing with a renegade Slothy Eater.

  But that was only part of the problem.

  'Well I don't believe it,' said Ulrika Fayn as Tox related the story the Slothy had told.

  'Well that's what they say,' he said. 'Two of them saw it, and the simple fact is, the Slothy was killed and partly devoured by an invisible entity.'

  'It could be a fault in their thinking. After all, they've just recently begun to think,' offered 'Hercules' Brown, as he remembered eating the delicacy himself so long ago.

  'Maybe,' Tox agreed, 'but the fact is, we've got to go by what they say.'

  That night, Tox and Brown hid out in the region where the Slothy Eater had been at work. Some four hours into their vigil, they were disturbed as a huge, lumbering Slothy came up to them, a slight hint of excitement on his face and pointed in the direction he had come.

  'Let's go,' said Brown as he and Tox followed. And as they came over a rise, they were horrified to see a Slothy writhing on the ground as bit by bit, chunks of his body were ripped bloodily from him. But as to what it was that was attacking it, they had no idea. For nothing could be seen.

  Instinctively, Brown drew his sonic gun and let off a couple of blasts close to the Slothy, and although nothing could be seen, it was clear from the attitude of the victim that the attack had ceased.