RESCUED FROM ALIENS 4
The Continuing Written Adventure
You survived. The aliens are gone.
Now comes the hard part: learning how to live afterward.
Safe at last aboard the alien ship, you and Dmitri become the focus of a desperate effort to understand the mysterious bond connecting you to the vessel. While scientists search for answers, you struggle with questions of your own.
What happens if the connection can't be broken?
What if the ship has changed you forever?
And how do you move forward when everyone you love is trying to help you heal, but you're no longer sure who—or what—you are?
Step into your role as Miss Carter -- the daughter of President Carter. Each chapter depicts a single day in the aftermath.
Will you ever be free?
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Day One
I’m vaguely aware that there are voices all around me. I can’t make out words, and I don’t fully wake up.
For the most part, they sound familiar and more importantly – human.
I hazily wake up a couple times. There’s always someone next to me: one of my rescuers is always near. I’m vaguely aware that those of us that were captive on the ship are taking turns passing out and sleeping for hours at a time.
Someone got me a pillow and a blanket at one point.
And when I woke up coughing from a completely dry throat, Linus was close by with a water bottle and soothing words before I dropped back to sleep.
A couple times, someone tried to wake me and ask me questions, but I couldn’t string together a sentence. I tried; I could hear the concern in their voice. But I couldn’t manage it.
I don’t know how much time has passed when I finally pry open my eyes. I look around, seeing Brian right next to me, sleeping propped up against the wall. I rub my eyes; Dmitri’s not far away, also flat out and asleep. Jim and Jack are asleep sitting back to back, and I wonder if one of them will topple over at some point.
“Honey?”
Alex’s voice is quiet as he kneels next to me, offering the water bottle again.
“Hey, you back with us?”
I blink a few times, sip some water, and then nod a little. “I … think?”
He smiles warmly. “If you want to sleep more, go ahead.”
I slowly start to push myself up. “No … I … think I wanna be awake for a bit.”
Alex puts his arms on mine, helping to steady me as I sit up.
“How long?”
“You’ve been in and out for about twelve hours now. Considering what you’ve been
through and how little sleep the others said you got, that doesn’t really surprise me.”
“What time is it?” I keep my voice low, trying to not to wake the guys around me.
“Well … that depends on your time zone,” Alex says with a chuckle. “Right now …
I’m not even sure what time it is locally. I know back where we were, Eastern US, it’s about
7pm. We got here around 5 in the morning. How are you feeling?”
I close my eyes to try and take an honest assessment.
“Uh … okay, I guess? Kinda sore in places. Hungry.” I look down at my arms and hands, noticing healing burns all over them. “Huh. That’s new.”
Alex hesitates. “Yeah … I guess that’s from when you were trying to control – or destroy – the ship. But, just like before, it does look like they’re healing.”
The marks on my hand still glow faintly. “So … I guess none of this went away just because they did.”
“No, honey. But … it might once we figure out how to separate you and Dmitri from the ship.”
I’m still stuck like this. I’m still … partly inhuman.
“Honey?” Alex wraps the blanket over my shoulders. “It’s okay. Breathe slowly for me. I’ve got you.”
Brian stirs a little at the sound and opens his eyes blearily. “Darlin’?”
I look back down at the alien marks tattooed into my hand and can’t tear my eyes away. “Why … why do you even want to be near me right now?! I’m dangerous!”
Alex pulls me closer, wrapping his arms around me. “No you’re not. Please … take a deep breath.”
I can hear Brian moving closer. “We’re right here, sugar. We’re not afraid of you.”
“We’re not going anywhere, honey.”
I shut my eyes, and all I can see in my mind is my whole
body glowing and Jack literally burning just to touch me. “Burn … I’ll burn you!”
Brian’s voice rumbles close to my ear. “Darlin’, open your eyes. We’re right here.”
I force myself to open my eyes. My hands aren’t consumed with light.
The symbols just gently glow a little.
“That’s good, honey.” Alex puts his hand on mine, and Brian does the same.
“You’re not a monster,” Brian whispers, leaning in to softly kiss my cheek.
“I know you’re scared. But we’re going to get through this together.”
Tears blur my vision, and I break into quiet sobs. They hold me a little tighter between them.
“Good, honey. That’s good. Let it out. Let it all out.”
I don’t know how long we sit there before Emerson crouches in front of us with a water bottle.
“Time to rehydrate, kiddo.”
Alex takes it and offers it to me.
“What do you need?” Emerson asks as I drink thirstily.
“For none of this to be happening? To go home?”
I see the anguish in his expression and shake my head before he can answer.
“Sorry. Stupid to ask for the impossible.”
“Do you want to talk to your mom?”
“Is she sleeping?”
Emerson nods. “But she’s your mom.
If you need her, then I’m sure she wouldn’t mind being woken up.”
“N-No. I’m … well, not okay. But don’t wake her. Not now.”
“You hungry, sugar?” Brian asks.
I nod a little. “I also really need a shower, but that’s probably not …”
Brian smiles. “Coast Guard, Navy, Army, and NASA have descended on this place.
You wouldn’t believe the stuff they’ve set up for us in here. You can absolutely take a shower.”
Emerson smiles a little. “Not to mention all the crap they’ve cleared away too. And I’ve been helping set up a kitchen. It’s not fully finished, but they’re sending in food for dinner. Should be here pretty soon.”
Alex rubs my back a little. “I know it’s not easy being stuck here. But we’re all gonna do whatever it takes to make you guys comfortable.”
I look between them. “Have you guys gotten to talk to your families?”
Brian nods. “Had to have an agent over our shoulders while we did, but we were all able to video call home. They have to make sure we’re not saying anything we shouldn’t.”
I manage a small smile. “I’m glad.”
Emerson shakes his head. “You’re always thinking of everyone else.”
I hear something shifting to the side and then some squawking
and a thud as Jack and Jim wake up and topple over, unbalanced.
I try not to laugh, but I can’t help it.
Jim rubs his eyes, looking over at the four of us laughing and
then looks at Jack sheepishly with a crooked grin.
“I thought you were staying awake,” Jack grumbles through a yawn.
“You said you were!” Jim protests. He looks back at me more
closely and frowns slightly. “Lovely? Have you been crying?”
I shrug and nod a little. “What else is new.”
Emerson stands. “I’m gonna find you all something to eat.
Then you can take a shower. All right, kiddo?”
I muster up a smile. “Thanks, Emerson.”
“The kitchen is almost done,” Alex tells me. “Buuuut … the dining area
attached to it is ready. Wanna see?”
“The … what? Geez, I’m asleep for a few hours, and there’s
full scale remodeling going on in here!”
Brian laughs at that as he and Alex help me get to my feet.
Alex keeps a hand near my elbow. “You steady? Just take it slow.”
I’m embarrassed to admit I still feel a bit lightheaded, but Jack intervenes before I have to say it.
“Milady, please allow me to escort you to the dining room,” he says, offering me his arm and giving a dramatic half bow.
I can’t help but laugh, even as I feel my cheeks heating up. “Thank you.” I loop my arm through his.
“I’ll stay here with Dmitri in case he wakes up again,”
Alex states. “Have fun.”
“So … no more boring rations?” I ask as we walk down the hall.
Jack nods. “Yeah, they said they’d send us something good.”
He leans in and kisses my cheek.
“And after saving the world, you and Dmitri certainly deserve it.”
“How’s he doing?”
“He’s been in and out like you, sweetheart. But physically, he’s going to be fine.”
I notice as we walk that all the doors to the rooms are open.
Oh, good. Don’t have to worry about being locked in somewhere again … hopefully.
My stomach turns a little.
We come to a slightly larger room, and I gasp as I see several long tables and many
chairs set up. Linus is up on a ladder helping hang some Christmas lights
with other military personnel.
Linus looks over and grins. “Miss! It’s good to see you up and about!”
I wave a little. “Hey, Linus. What are you guys doing?”
He blushes slightly. “Uh, this is part of operation … ‘make it not look like an alien ship’.”
I can’t help but smile. “That the official name?”
“Something something ‘harm reduction’ blah blah blah?” Jim ventures.
Brian pulls out a chair at one of the tables for me. “Is it too much?”
I shake my head as I sit down. “No … It sounds silly, but … it does help.”
At the other end of the room, Emerson is puttering around in what definitely looks like a kitchen under construction. He’s assembling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like he’s been doing it for years. Which, I suppose, he has.
Jack and Brian sit down on either side of me, and Jim sits across from us.
This feels awkward. Like none of us knows exactly what comes next. We barely know each other, and yet, we’re linked.
Jim reaches his hand across the table, and I take it gratefully.
Jack places his hand on top of mine. “We meant what we said, sweetheart. None of us are leaving until you can come with us.”
Brian gently puts his hand on my outstretched wrist. “How much do you remember, darlin’? Are there … blank spots?”
I shake my head. “I mean … I know I passed out at one point. That must’ve been when we landed. But when I woke up … I remember everything until we fell asleep on the bridge.” I look at each of them with a small smirk. “And I definitely remember kissing you guys.”
A knife clatters to the floor as Emerson makes a sort of strangled noise. But he picks it up, cleans it, and says nothing.
Jack smiles. “That’s good to hear, baby. But if you forgot, we’d be more than happy to remind you.”
I feel my cheeks flushing with heat even as Emerson coughs awkwardly.
“We also don’t want you to worry right now,” Brian adds. “Whatever’s going on between us isn’t as important as your health.”
My grip on Jim’s hand tightens.
“Lovely, we’re not going anywhere,” he says, holding my gaze. “We just don’t want you to stress about this. Understand?”
Jack finds my other hand and kisses it. “All we want you to worry about is feeling better, sweetheart. If you want us to back off, or not make any moves, or—”
“No!” I yell, causing all three of them to jump slightly and the background chatter to momentarily stop.
I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and only focusing on where the four of us are touching.
“I need you three right here. I need you with me. I want to move forward, not backward.” I blink back tears. “You three have been here through everything. I … I just need you.”
Brian wraps his free arm around my back. “You’ve got us, sugar. You’ve got us.”
~~~
The radio I’ve been given crackles to life after I finish getting dressed.
“Kiddo?”
I pick it up and press the talk button. “Hey, mom.”
She sighs audibly in relief. “I can’t tell you what it’s like to call and just have you answer. I’ll never take that for granted ever again.”
I blink back tears. “Yeah. Me either.”
“NASA, the CIA, and the Navy are working on getting you all personal devices. There’s obviously a lot of security concerns.”
“That’ll be nice. I just took a shower too. The speed at which all this gets done is impressive.”
“Hopefully that holds true when it comes to finding the answers to separating you from the ship.”
I swallow hard. “I feel like that might not be as fast. But we can hope.”
“I … I wish I could be there with you.”
“I know, mom. But this is the last place the President of the United States should be. Congress would have a conniption.”
She laughs. “Yeah. That’s true enough. Vera is picking up a lot of my duties while I’m still stuck in bed.”
“You know … the more you rest, the faster you’ll get better…”
She groans. “You know how hard it is for me to sit still. This is torture.”
“Do we need to send Emerson back to keep an eye on you?”
She’s quiet for longer then I expect.
“Mom?”
“No. He needs to stay there with you. He promised me he would keep an eye on you. I know the other guys will, too, but they’re not parents. They don’t know what it’s like. And he’s not gonna take anyone’s shit either.”
“Okay, mom. I won’t joke about that. Just … promise me that you’ll rest?”
“I promise.”
“What are you having for dinner?”
“Oh, who knows. Probably some tasteless broth and Jello. That’ll drive me nuts all on its own. I’ve heard you guys are getting a special treat though.”
I smile. “Yeah … pizza fresh from New York City. Or … as fresh as it can be after being flown here.”
“You enjoy that. I know it’s been a bit since you’ve had proper food too.”
“I will, mom.”
“Call me anytime. Day. Night. Doesn’t matter.”
“Same for you. If you need to call just to hear my voice and make sure I’m still here, I don’t care if you wake me up.”
“I love you, kiddo. Have fun.”
“Love you, mom.”
There’s a knock on the door.
“Milashka? Are you ready for dinner?”
I smile and open the door. “Sure am, Dmitri.”
His curly hair drips a little. “Feels good to finally get clean, yes?”
“Absolutely. And have … well, somewhat decent clothes,” I say, vaguely gesturing to our charcoal sweats. My head jerks up as the unmistakable smell of pizza wafts down the hall. “We should go … or the guys might not leave us any.”
Dmitri smiles, and we follow our noses down the metal hallway. “It smells divine.”
“Have you had New York pizza before? Ever been there?”
He nods eagerly, sending his curls bouncing. “Yes! I did a semester there for school. It was wonderful! So, yes, I am looking forward to this.”
I watch his face light up as we enter the dining room, glowing brightly with strands of multicolored Christmas lights. The long tables have been bedecked with red and white checkered table cloths and real candles. Pizzas with all different toppings just barely leave room for plates.
“Zis is spectacular!” Dmitri exclaims. “Like … like scene from an Italian restaurant! Or the Godfather!”
Jim, Jack, Brian, Alex, Emerson, and Linus are waiting for us along with what appear to be Coast Guard personnel and a few people from NASA.
Alex pulls out a chair for me, and I’m a little relieved that all the people I know sit down at one long table together.
I know all these people are here to help, but it’s a little overwhelming. Especially with what we just went through.
“I can’t believe you guys put all this together,” I tell Linus as I sit down. “It looks absolutely amazing.”
Linus blushes a little. “It was our pleasure. And we know it’s important.”
Jim sits on my left, and Jack sits on my right. Brian and Dmitri sit across from us.
For a moment, none of the guys move, and I turn to look at them. “Uh, what are you waiting for? A dinner bell? Dig in!” I immediately grab the nearest slice of cheese pizza and bite in with a contented groan.
This breaks the ice, and everyone else begins to eat eagerly.
“Geez, guys, I’m not the queen or something. Don’t do shit like that,” I tell them, my mouth still full.
That causes a few of them to laugh.
“Sorry, darlin’. It’s not like all of us have ever sat down together to eat like this,” Brian replies.
“Yeah, we’ve just ridden on exploding spaceships and traipsed through crumbling hospitals. You think I’m suddenly gonna be Miss Manners now?”
“They’ll get used to it,” Emerson assures me.
“Well, I mean, you and Dmitri did quite literally save the world. This is partly in your honor,” Jim says.
Dmitri coughs a little, blushing brightly and muttering in Russian.
“Alex … you done with the red pepper flakes? Or can you still see cheese?” Jack asks, holding out his hand.
Alex grins unrepentantly and passes it to him. “Sure you can handle it?”
Jack shakes his head as he sprinkles it onto his slice of Hawaiian. “Just ‘cause I’m from the Midwest doesn’t mean I’m allergic to flavor.”
“I dunno, Jack,” Brian teases, “I heard it could have salt AND pepper. That’s what you might call spicy.”
Jack rolls his eyes. “Want any, sweetheart?”
“No, but I will take the parmesan, please.”
Brian slides it over to me from the other side of the table.
“I’m just waiting for the Navy to bring in a few more appliances in the morning. Then the kitchen will be fully functional,” Emerson states.
“Have you heard from Derek?” I ask Jack.
He nods. “Yeah. I checked in with him. Seems like he didn’t worsen his injuries in his heroic efforts. He’s just a bit miserable stuck in bed. Totally wants to be here, exploring the ship. He said to call him after dinner, but I have a feeling he’s gonna be passed out sleeping.”
The time seems to pass quickly as more and more slices of pizza disappear.
“Miss Carter? I’m so sorry to disturb your meal, but I just wanted to introduce myself.” I look up at the African-American woman in a NASA uniform. She adjusts her glasses. “My name is Dr. Wendy Welch, and I’ll be leading the team that’s studying how you and Mr. Sidorov are tied to the ship. Our first and only priority is understanding the technology and getting you out of here as quickly as we can. The rest of my team will be in here in the morning, and we’ll dig right in.”
I hold out my hand to shake hers. “Thank you, Dr. Welch. Dmitri and I appreciate that.”
She smiles. “Please, call me Wendy. Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your food. Enjoy.”
As I turn back to the table I notice that Jim, Jack, and Brian are all sitting straighter than they were a moment before. We all have our own demons to deal with after all this. They’ve seen me go through hell, and they’re protective. I reach under the table to quickly squeeze Jim and Jack’s hands and nod at Brian. I’m okay. I’m safe.
The three of them look at each other, seeming to notice their reaction and relax a bit.
“Dmitri? You okay?” Alex asks.
Dmitri pokes at his food. “Yes … I just … There’s a lot to take in. Like roller coaster. One moment, I think I will die alone and far from everyone I love. Next we are saved except … not quite. Safe … but not free.”
Emerson picks up a pitcher of water and refills Dmitri’s cup. “Just take your time. I know we’re not therapists, but … we’re here, and we’re listening.”
Dmitri forces a smile and goes back to nibbling.
“Um, Emerson, did, uh, they manage to get that other New York specialty?” Linus asks.
Emerson grins. “They sure did, kid. There’s a couple boxes over there on the counter. Bring them over?”
Alex gets up to help him, distributing pastry boxes to both tables.
“I figured if we’re getting New York pizza … then we may as well get New York cheesecake.”
I gasp as he lifts the lid, revealing a perfect, creamy cheesecake. I squeak and throw my arms around him. “You’re a genius!”
His face is bright red when I pull back. “Y-You’re welcome. And … it was a little selfish. Cheesecake is my favorite.”
“You’re not about to hear any complaints from us,” Brian says, eagerly cutting slices.
I sit back down and cover a yawn as a plate is slid towards me.
“You tired, lovely?” Jim asks.
I nod, leaning against his shoulder. “Yeah. I know I only did a couple things after sleeping for half a day, but … I’m exhausted.”
He wraps an arm around me. “Too exhausted for dessert?”
I smile up at him. “Never.”
He smiles back, kissing my forehead. “Glad to hear it.”
~~~
Dinner and dessert gradually wind down, with everyone heading off to bed.
Jack rubs his eyes. “Sweetheart, we know you’re exhausted. You need to get some more sleep.”
I fiddle with the tablecloth and don’t answer.
Brian comes around to our side of the table and crouches next to my chair. “What is it, darlin’?”
I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want the nightmares. I don’t want to be alone. I want to stay in this moment.
Jim slowly reaches towards me and tenderly thumbs away the tears on my cheek. “Talk to us, gorgeous. Tell us what you need.”
I can’t manage to talk past the lump in my throat.
“Sweetheart … we did set something up for sleep. But there’s absolutely no pressure from any of us. It’s your choice on what you want to do. So … can we show you?”
I look up at Jack and nod.
He smiles in response, offering me a hand up.
Brian takes my other hand as we walk down the now quiet and dimmer hallway. We make a few turns, and I start to wonder if I’ll ever learn the layout of the ship.
Jim walks ahead and opens a door to a dimly lit room. “Remember … if this isn’t what you want, then we don’t have to do it. There’s no pressure.”
I step in and see a room that’s been cleared out. But in the center seems to be a pile of the mattresses from the bunk beds with extra pillows and blankets. Softly glowing lanterns sit on the floor, gently illuminating the room.
“You don’t have to sleep alone, sugar, if that’s what you’re afraid of. But if that’s what you’d prefer, or if you just want one of us–”
I turn towards him, throwing my arms around his waist. “It’s perfect.”
Brian has to steady me as my stress begins to melt away and my exhaustion wins out.
Jack helps him lower me into the soft nest of blankets. “We got you, sweetheart. We’re right here.”
“I’m – why’m I – why am I still crying?”
Jim lies down with us and reaches out to rub my back. “Because you’ve been through so much. Your brain and your body are trying to make sense of everything. And you can’t when you’re so tired.”
Jack tucks a blanket around me. “However you feel, whatever you need to release, we’re holding space for all of it.”
“And you’ll stay?” I ask, my eyes finally unable to stay open.
“All night long, darlin’. We won’t leave. Just rest now.”
I feel them settling around me, and something inside me finally releases. I stop fighting the sleep I can feel pulling my under. I’m safe. They’ll keep me safe. And make sure I’m not alone.
“That’s our girl.”
I sleep dreamlessly.
Day Two
“Guys, she’s still out! Sweetheart—”
“Lovely, please!”
“Conduit …”
“Milashka!”
“Sugar, wake up. Wake up!”
I open my eyes with a scream. “GET AWAY!”
“Whoa! Baby, you were dreaming! You’re okay!!”
I see the walls of the alien ship all around me and try to scramble backwards.
Jim’s voice is clear and calm in my ear. “Lovely, just breathe. You’re not alone.”
It’s not enough.
Something touches my back, and I panic. I try to run away, immediately stumbling as blankets tangle around my feet.
Somehow, I don’t hit the cold, metal floor.
“Kiddo? Look at me.”
I blink frantically until Emerson’s worn face comes into focus.
“That’s it,” he says patiently. “You’re safe. You just had a nightmare. That’s all.”
“A-Aliens …”
“They’re gone, remember? They can’t hurt you anymore.” He carefully sets me back down on the mattress. I take in the worried faces around me.
Jack tentatively reaches for my hand, and I let him take it. “We’re here, sweetheart.”
“I know it’s not easy waking up in this place, darlin’,” Brian states, sitting gingerly on my other side.
“And I’m sorry if I startled you, lovely, I was just trying to keep you from falling,” Jim states.
I laugh awkwardly, fighting the urge to hide under the blankets. “I feel like I should be the one apologizing.”
“None of this was your fault, kiddo. And you’ll probably feel a little better once you eat something. I’ll go start on breakfast.” He leaves the bedroom and heads down the hallway.
“Was he just passing by or …?”
“Yeah. I was already awake and saw him walk by. He doubled back when he heard you,” Jack answers.
“Thanks for … leaving the door open, guys.”
“Honestly, I think I’d panic if it was closed,” Jim says. “I’d be so scared it would accidentally lock or something.”
“Same,” Brian agrees, rubbing his neck. There are still faint red claw marks that aren’t completely hidden by his beard.
“How’d you guys sleep?”
Jack rubs a hand over his face. “Not great. This place makes all different noises now that we’re … well, not exactly under water but on the water. I kept waking up randomly and had to remind myself that the door wasn’t locked.”
Jim’s cheeks turn slightly pink. “I slept better than the other nights on this ship. I think … being close helped.”
Brian smiles at that. “Yeah. I get it. I woke up a handful of times, but … seeing you all helped me get back to sleep faster. So, yeah. Some improvement.”
Jack reaches out and cups my cheek. “You didn’t have any nightmares til morning, sweetheart. That’s great.”
I try to smile, but I can’t hold it. “I have a feeling that pattern won’t last. But … just hope for the best, I guess.”
“And know that we’re here for you,” Brian says. “You wake us up for anything you need.”
I look at the mess of mattresses, blankets, and pillows the four of us made into a nest. “Hopefully, Emerson doesn’t tell my mother everything.”
Jim chuckles and then nuzzles my shoulder. “Why? You embarrassed?”
I turn my head and kiss him quickly. “No. Of course not. It just might be an awkward conversation at some point. But then again, I’m pretty sure my mother is eager to pin medals on all of you, so she probably won’t be too bothered about, uh … this.”
Jack and Brian smirk at each other and then look back at me.
“This? Meaning what?” Jack asks so innocently as he snuggles in closer.
“Whatever could you be talkin’ about? You’re gonna have to use your words, darlin’.”
His Southern drawl makes me melt every time. “With … this. Us … being an us. A we? I — words are hard. Stop teasing and just kiss me, will you?”
Jack laughs. “But teasing you is so much fun.”
I make a sound that could be classified as a pathetic whimper. “But it’s not fair … it’s three against one.”
Jim’s voice is behind me again. “I mean, I’m sure we could try—”
He’s cut off by frantic yelling in Russian.
Jack sighs. “Seems like Dmitri’s having nightmares too.”
I disentangle myself and stand up. “I should check on him. I don’t want him to be alone right now.”
“I’ll come too … and hopefully he doesn’t puke for once.” Brian gets up and takes my hand.
Jack takes my other hand and kisses it. “See you soon, sweetheart. We’ll go help out with breakfast.”
~~~
By the time we reach Dmitri’s room, he’s awake — pale and breathing harshly.
I step in slowly. “Dmitri?”
He blinks a few times. “Milashka?”
“I had a nightmare too.” I sit down on his bed.
Brian bends down, picking up a water bottle from the floor and handing it to Dmitri. “It’s all over now.”
I rub Dmitri’s back as he takes a few sips from the water bottle.
“D-Do you think they’ll come back?” he asks, giving voice to my worst fears. “What if they come back for the ship?”
“I mean, they’d have you to worry about,” Brian replies with a slight smile. “You two took them down hard enough that I think they might just decide to forget about humans.”
I nod. “I hope so.”
Brian wraps one arm around me. “If I was an alien, I’d run like hell from you.” He kisses my cheek. “Good thing I’m not.”
“What if it’s not just the aliens we can hurt? I could’ve — Jack — I almost —”
Brian cups my cheek, holding my gaze. “You weren’t trying to hurt him. We all know you’d never do that.”
“I’m worried too, milashka. But we’ll figure these things out together, yes? You wouldn’t abandon me, and none of us are going to leave you alone.”
The smell of bacon and pancakes drifts down the hall.
My stomach growls. “Emerson’s probably right. He said earlier food will help.”
Dmitri nods. “Definitely big improvement over terrible rations.”
“Guess all the equipment must’ve arrived overnight,” Brian comments. “Well, either that, or it’s takeout again.”
I look at Dmitri. “You all right for now? See you at breakfast?”
“Da, thank you both.”
~~~
When we arrive at breakfast, it seems like barely contained chaos. Linus is nervously setting the table while Emerson seems to be barking orders at Alex, Jack, and Jim.
“Emerson, will you just use our names? Then we know who you’re talking to!” Jack exclaims.
“I am!” Emerson says, pointing with a spatula at Jack. “Prince Charming.” He points at Jim, “Goose.”
“The fuck—?”
“Doc.”
“Not a doctor,” Alex replies, shaking his head.
Emerson points at Linus. “Kid.” Then at me. “Kiddo. That won’t be confusing.” Finally he points at Brian. “Peaches.”
Brian raises an eyebrow. “I’m from West Virginia, not Geor—”
Alex just laughs as he stirs scrambled eggs. “Too late, man. Once he decides, there’s no going back.”
I can’t suppress my giggles as I start helping Linus set the table.
“You feeling all right, Miss?” he asks, looking me up and down quickly.
I nod. “I can handle setting the table. I’m not about to fall over.”
“That’s good. Just let us know if anything changes. And we need to give you and Dmitri — well, probably everybody really — a checkup after breakfast.”
I look at him more closely as we work. “Are you okay?”
He pauses for a moment and then resumes working. “Yeah. I was, uh — um. Maybe your mom should fill you in on what happened.”
“Linus … if you need to go home, or you don’t want to be here—”
“No, I do. I know that sounds weird, but … we’re the only ones who know what we’ve been through. I’d rather be with you guys right now. Plus … I think Emerson and Alex want to keep an eye on me too.”
I bite my lip. “It was that bad?”
Linus nods jerkily. “It was bad. It’s thanks to your mother and Derek that things didn’t get worse.”
Somehow through the chaos, breakfast makes it to the table. Jack goes around, pouring coffee for everyone who wants it.
“No thanks,” I tell him politely.
“Lovely, would you like tea instead?” Jim asks, fiddling with an electric kettle.
“Yes, please.”
Jack smiles and bends down to kiss my cheek. “Just learned something new about you, sweetheart.”
I feel my cheeks growing warm as he pours a cup for Brian. I look around to see if Emerson reacts, but he continues piling more pancakes on Linus’s plate.
Just as we start digging in to eat, the first Coastguardsman we saw sticks his head in. “Morning, folks. I’m Lieutenant Ford, for those of you that haven’t met me or were asleep when I introduced myself.”
“Ford! You should’ve told me you were coming,” Emerson says. “I would’ve made you breakfast.”
Ford looks around at the remaining piles of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. “Gee … how will I manage now. There’s only scraps left,” he deadpans.
Alex cracks up. “He’s too used to cooking for the whole fire house.”
“I really just came to drop off personal devices for everyone. These are completely secure and can only be used to contact the whole team here on the ship, the President, and the dedicated team coordinating things back in Washington. Any outside contact still has to go through the Secret Service. But there’s also entertainment on them as well.”
He unzips a bag and digs into it, pulling out white cardboard boxes with our names on them.
“Lieutenant, do you know if we’ll be able to talk to Derek too?” I ask.
He smiles. “Yes. He’s part of the team. And I think I overheard the reasoning that it might also aid in his recovery.”
“Oh, I’m so starting a group chat right now to harass him,” Jack says, pulling his phone out.
Emerson puts his box aside and gets up to make a plate for Ford.
“Uh, Captain Doss — er, you don’t have to …”
“I told you to call me Emerson. And you stand in my kitchen long enough, you’re gonna get fed.”
Ford chuckles. “Now you sound like my aunt.”
“The fireman is a very good cook,” Dmitri adds.
Ford smiles gamely and sits down with us. “You know, if enough people hear about that, you’re gonna have a line out the door in the morning.”
“Do we know if he’d even notice?” Jim asks. “I think he’d just start assigning more nicknames and handing out plates.”
Alex snorts. “Yeah, probably.” I notice the way he checks Linus’s plate and worry again about what happened back on Earth.
Emerson sets down a plate and cup of coffee in front of Ford.
“Wow! This looks amazing. Thanks! I thought I was just delivering phones, now I get a full meal.”
I smile at him. “Well, you guys deserve it. I’m sure some of you were working overnight putting this kitchen together. Thank you for everything you've done for us, Lieutenant,” I tell him, digging back into my breakfast.
“It’s our job, ma’am, and we’re proud to do it.”
~~~
Alex takes his stethoscope out of his ears and smiles. “That’s you done, honey. You’re healthy, far as I can tell. From the human perspective anyway.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I was the last one, right?”
“Yep. Between me, Linus, and the Navy medics, everyone’s gotten a checkup.” Alex pushes the curtain open, revealing the crowded room. Beds, chairs, and partitions take up almost all the available space.
A short man in a NASA uniform with close-cropped dark blond hair steps into the center of the infirmary, looking around. “Miss Carter? Mr. Sidorov? If you’re finished, we need to give you a more scientific examination.”
I feel my pulse start to race and close my fist to cover my glowing tattoo.
Dmitri looks equally bewildered. “What?”
“We need to determine the depth of your infection and start gathering data about how you’re connected to the crystal.”
Jack steps out from a partition. “I’m sorry, did you just call them infected?”
The man stares back blankly. “What would you call it?”
I can see Jack getting angrier, so I quickly ask, “Where’s Dr. Welch?”
“She’s waiting for us in the lab. So if we can prevent any further delay …”
Jack reaches for my hand and squeezes reassuringly.
“We only need the two of them,” the scientist says, gesturing to me and Dmitri.
Brian comes out behind the partition, putting his shirt back on. “How about we all just back up a second. You haven’t even told us your name.”
“Is that relevant?”
“Yes, it fucking is!” Alex shouts, getting between us. “You’re coming in here and acting like they’re science experiments. You may not be trained to have a bedside manner, but you should be able to treat them with dignity and respect. And we’re honestly not gonna stand for anything less. Especially after they saved the whole goddamn planet. You got that?”
The man seems annoyed, lowering his tablet. “I’m Dr. Jordan. I’m with NASA– one of the members of Dr. Welch’s team. She sent me to retrieve you and bring you to the lab that we’ve set up on board. So, if the two of you could please come with me–”
“Wrong again,” Jim says, standing behind Jack and Brian. “Unless Miss Carter requests otherwise, we come with her.”
Jordan looks utterly flummoxed by this, and I start to feel embarrassed.
“M-Maybe we should–”
Dmitri shakes his head. “No, milashka. Whatever you need is what we’re going to do.”
I smile at him weakly. “What about what you need?”
“Honestly, having both you and them helps me, too. I was … alone for so long, it seemed.”
Jim reaches out and squeezes his shoulder.
“Lead the way, doctor,” Brian says with a wave. “We’ll follow.”
Jordan leads us out of the infirmary and through a dizzying array of hallways, twists and turns.
As we’re going, I see daylight pouring in one hallway and stop short. “What’s that?”
Jordan makes a noise of impatience.
“They’ve cut some bigger holes into the ship to make getting supplies and personnel in and out easier,” Jack explains.
Jordan clears his throat loudly. “Now, if we can continue …”
Everyone turns to keep walking, but I can’t stop staring at the sunlight I haven’t seen in days.
It’s so close.
I judge how far away everyone is and then break from the group and run for the hole.
“BABY, NO!”
“I need to know!” I yell back. “I need to know if it’s true!”
I shove a stunned crew member out of my way and push my way through the protective layers of plastic. Without another thought, I grab the ladder and start to climb up.
I see Ford at the top of the hole trying to wave me back. “Miss Carter, don’t!”
“Get out of my way! I deserve to know if they told the truth! Just let me try!”
He hesitates, and it’s enough time for me to crest the top of the hole and stand on the hull of the ship. We’re still encased in a plastic dome that’s been installed to prevent contamination, but I figure it’s close enough to test my theory.
“LOVELY! Get back in here! You’ll die!”
“I NEED TO KNOW!” I scream back. I brace my hands on my knees, breathing hard.
Please, let it have been a lie. I don’t want to be trapped here. Please, please please …
I clutch my chest as pure fire starts to spread from my center straight through my veins.
Fuck, no! Please!
Ford grabs my arm. “Miss Carter! We need to get you back!”
I try to force it to stop, even as Jack charges up the ladder after me.
“It – can’t be –” My breathing becomes more difficult.
“GET THE MEDICS!” Brian yells from below.
Jack wastes no time, throwing me over his shoulder and starting to climb down.
Brian and Jim help to steady us both as we descend back into the ship.
I can hear Dmitri sobbing in the background. “Why did you do that?! Why, milashka?!”
“Lay her down,” Brian says.
The pain is incrementally going down, and I suck in deep lungfuls of air.
I look up at them, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Don’t – don’t be mad – please – please!!”
Jack takes my hand in both of his and kisses it. “Just look at us and breathe, baby. That’s all I want you to focus on.”
Jim stands and backs up. “I’m gonna be sick.”
I sob harder at that. “Had to – had to know – I had to know!”
Brian cups my cheek, tears also running down his face. “Shhh. Breathe. I’m not mad.”
“I’m sorry!”
“I know, darlin’, I know. Easy now. Deep, slow breaths.” He bends down and kisses my forehead.
Jack squeezes my hand gently. “Is it getting better?”
I manage to nod and then look at Dmitri. “One of us had to test it. We had to know. Before – before we do anything else–”
Jack shushes me. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We understand.”
The fire in my body continues to gradually fade as the medical personnel reach us.
Jordan starts to come in, but Alex yanks him back and out of the way.
“She just got us valuable data! We need to get her to Dr. Welch–”
“NOT until I say you can move her,” Alex snarls.
Brian starts to get up to make room, but Alex puts a hand on his shoulder, telling him to stay put.
“Honey, I’m gonna take your vitals, okay?” Alex says, putting on a stethoscope.
I blink and try to focus on his face, but my vision is blurry.
“Sweetheart? Alex, what’s happening?!”
“Hey! Stay with us, honey! Keep your eyes open!”
“Sugar, don’t you dare!”
Their voices fade as darkness rises up and swallows me.
~~~
In my dreams, I see the holes cut in the ship closing, the hatch sealing, and the giant, empty ship sinking further and further under the waves.
I’m alone … They left me …
Sobs roll out of my chest one after another as the light fades away and all the panels go dark.
“ –lex? Why – why’s she doing that? Can she hear me?”
“ –not sure –”
I can still hear them …
“Lovely, can you hear me? Can you feel me holding your hand?”
… Jim?
Something strokes my cheek, and I try desperately to swim to the surface.
“–honey. Open your eyes.”
My eyes? Aren’t they –
I blink, and the world is suffused with bright light. I cry out, trying to shield my eyes.
“Lights down!” Alex shouts.
The bed dips beside me and gentle arms wrap around me. “Shhh. Easy. Easy. I’ve got you, gorgeous.”
I can hear Jim’s steady heartbeat as he holds me. His shirt is soft against my cheek, but it’s quickly drenched.
I’m crying …
I can feel his breath hitching as he rocks me very slightly. He’s shaking.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers through his own sobs. “I’m right here.”
I can hear some kind of alarm beeping.
“Jordan, will you please turn that the fuck off?” Alex snaps.
“D-Don’t … don’t don’t –”
“Shhh. Don’t what, lovely? Don’t leave?”
“Don’t … be mad.”
He kisses the top of my head and holds me tighter. “I’m not mad. I promise.”
“No one’s mad, honey,” Alex says gently. “You’re in an impossible situation. I understand why you did it.”
Jim pulls back to look into my eyes, and I force myself to open mine in the dimmer light. “We’re not gonna leave you. But don’t you leave us either. Promise me.”
I shake my head, starting to cry again. “I’m sorry.”
Jim pulls me back in. “Shhh. Just … promise me. Please.”
“P-Promise.”
He breathes a little easier and gently rubs my back. “The others aren’t far away. They’re probably asleep. It’s the middle of the night. I think.”
“Honey? You don’t need to move yet. Can you just tell me if the pain’s gone?” Alex asks.
“Y-Yeah. Completely.” I open my eyes again and look around. “Where … are we?”
“You’re in my lab,” Dr. Welch answers, stepping forward. “Well, one part of it, anyway. The other side is for the examination of objects. This area and these two beds are for you and Dmitri while we run tests.”
I hold onto Jim more tightly.
Tests. Experiments … just like the aliens …
“Hey hey, take it easy, gorgeous,” Jim soothes. “Easy … take a deep breath.”
I can hear the heart rate monitor I must be attached to beeping rapidly.
“Honey, I need you to listen to me,” Alex says, stepping closer. “No one is gonna make you do anything you don’t want to. No one is going to force you. I swear.”
“Unhook her,” Emerson states.
“Uh — Emerson, we … we need to monitor–” Wendy stutters.
“She’s safe now, right?” he asks. “All that equipment was just telling us that she was back to normal. She doesn’t need it. Not right now.”
“But–” Wendy starts.
“Doc, do it. She needs to rest. We can try this again later.”
After a moment of quiet, Alex starts gently detaching the sensors from me. “Where’d you even come from, man? Weren’t you asleep?”
“I was close by. And anyone who’s worked in a firehouse or hospital is a light sleeper, Doc. You know that.”
Jim softly smoothes my clothes back down. “That better, lovely?”
“Kiddo, you wanna get out of here?”
I nod, tears coming to my eyes again.
Emerson and Jim help me off the bed, and I hold onto Jim’s hand like a lifeline.
Wendy opens her mouth to say something and then closes it, looking lost. As we leave the room, we nearly crash into Jordan, who was lurking around the corner.
Emerson gives a slight growl, and Jordan practically trips over himself to get out of our way.
“Guys … I’m okay, but … I’m just so tired … I feel like I’m just gonna faceplant any second, and I don’t want to freak you out.”
“Can I carry you?” Emerson asks.
We stop walking, and I nod at him.
He picks me up and resumes walking down the hall. “I’ll give your mom a call once you’re settled again, kiddo. She wanted to know soon as you were awake. This’ll be close enough.”
I fall back asleep before we make it to the bedroom.
At least I know now.
~~~
I wake up on the nest of mattresses, the guys sleeping soundly beside me.
The door is open and dim light spills into the dark room. I have no idea what time it is or where my phone might be.
I can hear someone talking in the hallway and abruptly realize it’s my mother.
I carefully untangle myself from the cuddle pile and step quietly into the hallway, listening.
“Ma’am, you need to go back to sleep. She won’t be awake til the morning now, I’d guess,” Emerson says. “She’s exhausted.”
Mom’s voice comes from the phone in his hand. “Gee, I wonder why?! Is it because none of you could stop her from hurting herself?!”
“Ma’am, you’re going in circles at this point. We talked earlier, after she went back to sleep. Now it’s even later, and honestly, you’re making less sense. You’re exhausted, too. You need to rest.”
“You promised me!” she yells tearfully. “You promised!”
“She’s here. She’s safe now. And, given her logic, she won’t try it again. Kim …”
I gasp and try to cover it.
Her first name?!
“Please. Sleep some more. I will have her video call you first thing at breakfast.”
“You know some of the Navy personnel wanted to … to …”
“I know. But she’s already restricted enough on this damn tin can. We don’t need to add to it.”
“I just — I need — I need her to be okay …” She sobs softly.
“I know. And she will be.”
“Do you really think those guys —”
“I saw it, ma’am. They’re her anchor. She needs them, and truthfully, they need her. They’ve sacrificed a lot to keep her safe, and … what happened today wrecked them too. They need each other. It struck me as odd, but … it works for them.” He pauses. “Ma’am … you drifted off for a sec there, didn’t you?”
“…no.”
He chuckles. “Want me to keep talking while you go back to sleep?”
“…yes. Please.”
“Okay.”
I sniffle quietly and wipe my eyes, heading back to our room.
If I interrupt now, she won’t go back to sleep. I’ll talk to her in the morning.
Jack stirs as I climb back in. “Mnnh … baby?”
“I’m here. Go to sleep.”
He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. I listen to his steady breath against my neck and slowly drift off to the sound.
Day Three
As soon as the guys all leave the bedroom to get cleaned up, I swallow hard and call my mother.
She answers almost immediately, her worried face appearing. “Kiddo?”
“Hey, Mom.” I try to brace myself.
I watch her steadying herself and blinking back tears.
“I had to know,” I tell her. “What’s the point of poking, prodding, all these tests, all this equipment, if the aliens lied to us? How could I do that to Dmitri? Or even myself? What’s the point? They could’ve lied.”
She clenches her jaw. “You were both hurt when the panel was damaged. That should’ve been proof enough that they were serious.”
“That was only one part of their threat. And they were probably closer to us at that point. Now they’re long gone.”
“One part was true. Why would you assume —”
“NO!” I yell. “Assuming is what everyone else was doing! Assuming that the aliens were honest. There was a simple, effective way to test it! Do you think I wanted to do it? Wanted to hurt myself? Or that I was just suffering from cabin fever?! Do you really think that little of me?!”
We’re both crying as she shakes her head. “No. I think you were reckless. Impatient. Just like you were at the hospital. And it could have killed you. I have … almost lost you so many times in the past few days. My heart can hardly stand it. But that’s part of what being a parent is.” She sniffles and wipes her eyes. “All I’m asking is that you don’t take any more unnecessary risks.”
I wrap one arm over my stomach, trying to comfort myself. “I promised them I wouldn’t leave them.”
“So promise me. Promise to not be reckless.”
“I …” I shake my head. “Mom. What we’re doing is dangerous. And Dmitri? He’s been through everything I have except with zero support. No rescue. How can I ask him to—”
“He’s your friend, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“Friends help each other, kiddo. I know Dmitri’s had a rough time and … I also know …” Her voice breaks, “that you’re an adult. I can’t order you to do or not do something.”
“Then don’t. Trust me. I did what I did to get a quick answer to one question: can we leave? Because if we can, then other effects and issues can be studied out there. In labs that are already suited to it. I’m not apologizing! And I won’t make a promise I can’t keep. There might be more dangerous decisions ahead. All I will promise … is that I won’t make them alone.”
She looks off to the side, pressing her hand to her mouth for a moment. “Then I guess I’ll have to take what I can get.”
I rub my forehead and breathe deeply. “Mom, do you have someone to talk to there? I just … I wish I could clone Emerson, so you’d have someone with you.”
What she’s going through is insane. But I can’t make a promise and then break it.
She nods. “Yes. And there will be someone coming to the ship to help you all as well.”
“A therapist?”
She nods. “A therapeutic team.”
“Smart.”
She smiles. “I’ve been known to have good ideas from time to time.”
I close my eyes, causing more tears to spill down my cheeks. “I’m sorry I can’t give you the answer you want.”
“Kiddo … you gave me the answer that was honest. I’ll take that over platitudes any day. And you reminded me that I’m not the President of everything.”
That makes me chuckle, and I wipe my face on my sleeve.
My phone beeps. A message from Alex pops up, announcing that breakfast is ready.
“Mom, I gotta go. Breakfast beckons.”
She nods. “I love you, kiddo. Talk later.”
~~~
Breakfast is a little quieter but not much, especially since Jack has his phone perched on a stack of boxes, and Derek is on a video call.
“Good to see you, lass,” Derek greets me as I start making myself a plate.
I smile at him. “You too. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Aye, a bit. Not enough for them to let me out of this bloody bed though,” he complains.
“Try not to give the medical staff too much of a hard time,” I tell him.
“Or more of a hard time than you already have,” Alex teases.
“Oi! I’ll have you know—”
Jack reaches up and shakes the phone. “Oh nooo, losing connection …”
“Will you STOP THAT?!”
Brian almost spits out his coffee laughing.
Emerson takes a fresh batch of muffins out of the oven. He sticks two on Linus’s plate unasked.
“Want some, kiddo?” he asks me. “They’re strawberry.”
I nod. “Yeah, I’ll take one.” It’s hard to ignore the way Alex is once again keeping an eye on Linus.
“Wish you could send some of that my way,” Derek complains. “Looks good. I’m still on a blasted restricted diet.”
“I wish we could, Derek,” I say sincerely. I look around the table as everyone digs in.
“So, I hate to just bring this up without warning,” I begin, “but … I think some of us would really like to know what happened on the ground while we were up here.” I look between Emerson, Linus, and Alex. “Something big went down. And I haven’t had a chance to talk to my mom about it.”
“Dunnae look at me. I was unconscious for most of it,” Derek replies.
“I know,” I respond with a chuckle. “But I thought you might want to hear it too.”
Linus has frozen in place, shoulders tense.
Alex reaches out and pats his back. “Maybe it’d be better to get it out.”
Jack looks concerned. “I mean … you don’t have to tell us everything if it’s … painful.”
“Yes, only if you feel ready,” Dmitri says.
Linus seems to shake himself a little out of his daze and looks at Emerson. “You do it. Please?”
“Linus and I can fill in the blanks from our end,” Alex adds. “Then we’ll have the whole story.”
Emerson refills his cup of coffee and sits down with a sigh. “Well … I suppose since it’s all been taken care of … it won’t do any harm to tell it now. I just don’t want any of you worrying about it. But if everyone’s okay with it … then I can tell it.”
Linus nods. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”
“Besides, I heard Derek was the hero in this story, and I need the facts to back it up,” Jim jokes.
Emerson finally smiles at that. “Well, maybe we can call this the Scotsman … and the Drumstick.”
~~~
“A lunch tray, huh?” Jack asks as the story wraps up.
“Anything’s a weapon if you swing it hard enough,” Derek replies.
Linus actually looks a little more relaxed when it’s done. Like he was carrying something heavy, and it’s finally been released.
“I’m so sorry that happened, guys,” I say. “That sounds awful.”
Alex shrugs. “Well, things were pretty tough up here, too.”
“Yes, but we don’t compare trauma,” Dmitri responds. “That is … unproductive.”
All of our phones start beeping at the same time.
Jack bursts out laughing as Derek has fairly taken over the group chat with chicken drumstick emotes.
My smile fades as an alert from Wendy pops up on my phone. I look across the table at Dmitri and see his shoulders slump.
“Darlin’? What’s wrong?” Brian asks immediately.
“Dr. Welch needs to see us,” I answer. “They can’t figure out how to get us off this ship if we don’t let them run some tests.”
“We’ll come with you guys,” Jack states.
“Or is that too many people, lovely?” Jim asks.
“Maybe just one or two,” Dmitri suggests uncertainly.
I nod, thinking that he probably doesn’t want a big audience. I look around the table, eyeing everyone.
“Perhaps the fireman and Jim? You two are related, yes?” Dmitri suggests.
Jim looks very confused, and I burst into laughter.
Emerson chuckles. “No, we’re not related just because we both have red hair.”
“Honey … is it all right if I come with you?” Alex asks quietly. “Dr. Welch is fine, but if Jordan’s around …”
I nod. “Jack? Come with us?”
Jack reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Of course, sweetheart.”
Emerson grumbles as he starts collecting dishes. “I won’t be far off.”
~~~
The lab smells sterile as the four of us step in. Dr. Wendy Welch smiles at us. “Morning, all.” She frowns slightly. “Well … you all look nervous as fuck.”
That causes a small ripple of laughter.
“Little better. Now, come on over here.”
We follow her to a small control panel. “There’s a pretty strong tradition in NASA of bringing music with us wherever we go. We’ve loaded basically every music streaming service we could think of into here. Should be able to find any kind of music you want. And you can control it from your phones.”
Jack immediately grabs his phone and barely two seconds later “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley starts playing out of the speakers around the room.
I start laughing. “First rickroll on an alien spaceship?”
Jack grins and kisses my cheek. “You bet.”
Wendy smiles indulgently. “Get it out of your system now. Let’s try and not pick too many things that’ll make these two laugh. You’re going to be getting a lot of scans done today, and you’ll have to lie still.”
Alex looks around at the machines. “CT scan? MRI?”
Wendy nods. “The works. I hope neither of you are claustrophobic.”
Dmitri and I look at each other and shake our heads.
Jack nudges me gently. “Pick some songs, baby. Get them on the playlist.”
Alex snorts as he looks at the group chat, which someone has renamed “Team 1.5.”
“A-And you won’t mind if I add Russian songs?” Dmitri asks.
I reach out and squeeze his shoulder. “Of course not. Go right ahead. Whatever you want. This is for all of us.”
“Alex, would you mind helping me with IVs?” Wendy asks. “I told Jordan to stay out of here today.”
Alex puts away his phone and nods. “Of course. Anything I can do to help.”
Jack looks at the MRI machine. “You done this before?”
I nod. “Yeah. Once. They asked me if I was okay, and I said it sounded like being in a gigantic game of Simon. There was this really long pause, and then they came back and said no one had ever said that before.”
Jack smiles and takes my hand in his. “You have a way of looking at the bright side of things.”
I squeeze his hand nervously. “I try.” A tear escapes down my cheek. “I don’t want to do this. I’ve had enough experiments to last me a lifetime.”
“I know, baby. We’re gonna do everything we can to get you through this, okay?”
Alex comes to the bedside with supplies. “Honey, we’re gonna be able to stay right in the room with you, okay? Portable MRIs use a lower magnetic field.”
I wipe my eyes. “Really?”
He smiles. “Yes. Now … can I get you ready for this? Still need to do an IV for the contrast, okay?”
“Yeah. After that … will you keep an eye on Dmitri? I’ve had you guys almost all the way through this thing. He hasn’t had anyone.”
“Yes. I’ll keep him company. Promise.”
“Hey, it’s the best kind of test, right baby? All you have to do is lie down,” Jack teases gently.
A few minutes later, I’m lying back and putting my head into this strange-looking round machine. I last exactly one second – then push myself back out.
“I can’t — I can’t do this!”
Jack sits on the bed and hugs me. “I’ve got you. Just breathe, baby.”
After a moment, Wendy quietly murmurs that she’s going to get Dmitri’s test started.
“Tell me what you’re feeling,” Jack says gently.
I huff a laugh through my tears, picking up Rick Astley again. “I … just wanna tell you how I’m feeling …”
Jack laughs. “Yes. Exactly. Make me understand.”
“The memories are all fuzzy, but … there were so many different machines and things they used on us. I never knew what they were, if they would hurt. If they would kill me.”
Jack kisses my hair. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner.”
I hear footsteps nearby. Then Emerson says, “Can I try and help, kiddo?”
“What, were you eavesdropping?” Jack jokes.
“Listen, when the President of the United States orders you to keep an eye on her daughter, you do it. Right? Right. Okay, kiddo. How about we take this one step at a time. And you can keep your eyes closed the whole time if you want.”
“Y-Yeah. I think that would help. I just want to pretend I’m anywhere but here.” I close my eyes.
I hear Emerson fiddling with his phone, grumbling a bit. Then the sounds of gentle ocean waves come over the speakers.
“I think I’m impressed,” Jack comments.
“I have kids. And younger coworkers. You pick things up. Now, just try and picture yourself at the beach instead of here, okay?”
Jack picks up the thread immediately. “It’s sunny. Soft sand. I’m still holding your hand.”
“We’re gonna start by just lying down. Nothing else,” Emerson coaches.
“I’m here, baby,” Jack murmurs as he guides me to lie back. He keeps a tight hold on my hand. “Now you’re just looking up at the beautiful, blue sky. Maybe there’s a fluffy cloud or a kite floating above.”
I smile very slightly.
“You’re doing great, kiddo. Now, you might hear some sounds now. But we’re going one step at a time. You just keep picturing that beach,” Emerson says.
I squeeze Jack’s hand hard for a second as I hear Wendy step closer.
Jack takes my hand in both of his and kisses it. “I got you. We’re not gonna let anything happen to you.”
I jump a little as I hear the portable CT machine start on the other side of the room.
“That’s just Derek racing down the beach on a four wheeler,” Jack says quickly. “Some seagulls frantically fly out of his way. Brian’s hanging on for dear life.”
That almost makes me laugh, but I hold it back. I hear some clicks and movement above me and try to tune it out.
“What color’s the ocean, kiddo?”
“Bright turquoise.”
The machine whirs to life, and I squeeze Jack’s hand hard with a whine.
“We’re right here, kiddo. Breathe. Who else is at the beach? What do you see?”
“Am I right beside you, baby?” Jack asks. “Laughing at Derek? Reading? Building you a sandcastle?”
“Heh. Sandcastle?” I murmur.
“Yeah. Anything you want. Jim’s coming down the beach carrying way too many ice creams at once for everyone. Maybe Linus is helping him. They’re melting pretty fast. Alex is chatting up the cute lifeguards.”
“And I’m telling him to stop distracting them,” Emerson adds.
“You’re doing great,” Wendy states. “Almost done. But there’s one more thing we need you to do, Miss Carter. Keep relaxing … but do you think you can very gently reach for your power?”
“Wait, what?” Jack asks.
“Just to create the glow,” Wendy says. “We want to study what happens when you do. Please. It will help us solve the mysteries of this place more quickly.”
There’s an awkward silence.
I try not to panic, try to keep my breathing slow. My stomach twists.
I don’t want to hurt anyone!
“Okay, sweetheart. So, I’m building the sandcastle, right? But I came upon the hole in the sand that goes down pretty deep. And I think I dropped my keys down there, because I’m an idiot. We need your light. So, hold your hand over the hole … and just make it glow a little, so we can see.”
“Deep breaths, kiddo,” Emerson reminds me.
I keep my eyes squeezed shut and try to imagine exactly what Jack’s describing.
Just a little. Just one hand. Like you showed Dmitri.
Jack’s voice stays calm. Even. “Good. That’s perfect. I can see those keys shining at the bottom of the hole. Great job, baby.”
A moment later, the machine turns off.
“Let me move this, and then you can sit up,” Wendy tells me. “Okay … there you go.”
I bolt upright and reach for Jack.
He sits beside me and holds me tight. “You did amazing, sweetheart. It’s over.”
Emerson clears his throat. “Wendy …”
“Emerson, I know what you’re gonna say,” she cuts him off. “You think I should’ve warned her before asking her to use her powers. Firstly, I needed a baseline to work with. And secondly, I would’ve added to her anxiety. I wanted one obstacle at a time. She was free to say no.”
“She deserves to be informed,” Alex snaps back. “Just like any other patient. She’s not a child, and she has a choice.”
“It’s okay,” I say softly. “Just this one time. I was already having a hard time getting on the table. But next time, I need to know. Please.”
Wendy nods. “Deal. I apologize for throwing that at you, but …” She sighs, taking off her glasses and rubbing her temple. “I’m under an enormous amount of pressure from so many different directions. Everything that happens on this ship ripples outward.”
“Sweetheart, do you want a break before the next test?” Jack asks.
I shake my head. “No, let’s get the big, scary machines out of the way. Then maybe lunch?”
He smiles. “Sure. And, if I’m not mistaken, your mother’s arranged a surprise for lunch. Something about your favorite seafood place?”
“Really?! Oh, that sounds so good right now! Not that your cooking isn’t good, Emerson—”
“Oh, I understand, kiddo. It’s a taste of home,” he replies.
Jack kisses my hand again. “That’ll give you something to look forward to during the next test.”
Dmitri crosses over to us. “Ready to switch sides, milashka?”
I nod. “Yeah, I think so. The only way out is through, right?”
“Da. That is the only way. But at least this time, neither of us are alone.”
~~~
Jim rubs his belly after we finish lunch. “That … is probably the best seafood I’ve ever had from the East Coast.”
“Yeah, you’ve got good taste, sweetheart,” Jack agrees.
“I mean, it impressed city boy Jim there, so that’s high praise,” Brian adds.
The tips of Jim’s ears turn pink, and he mutters something unintelligible.
“You look more relaxed than you did this morning, miss,” Linus observes.
“Yeah … until I find out what tests they have cooked up for us this afternoon.”
“Actually, I’ve heard that might be kinda interesting … and even kinda fun,” Alex says.
I raise an eyebrow at him. “What?”
He stands. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
The seven of us follow Alex through what feels like miles of ship corridors until we reach a large, open room.
“Whoa!” Jim cries. “This is huge! What do you think they used it for?”
“I would guess cargo, perhaps?” Dmitri ventures.
“So, not only can they run some tests in here, we could also … I don’t know, set up some goals and kick a soccer ball around,” Alex suggests.
“It’ll be good to have one space where we don’t feel quite so cooped up,” Brian agrees. “Think we could get a basketball hoop in here?”
“I mean, we kinda saved the planet. So, shouldn’t be too hard, right?” I say with a smile.
Dr. Welch and Jordan come through the open doors, carrying equipment. Brian and Emerson run over to help them.
Jordan looks somewhat subdued and avoids eye contact with everyone.
“What now, doctor?” Dmitri asks as they begin to set up.
“Well, hopefully, these tests will be a bit less stressful … if everything goes right. We’d like to do some more experiments and take readings on your powers. If we start to understand how they work, then hopefully we can understand more about how the crystal works.”
I look around nervously. “Are … we going to clear the room?”
“We have blast shields,” Jordan states. “We’ll be safe.”
“But a few less people might be ideal,” Wendy adds.
I still worry about people thinking of me differently because of all this.
“Can I stay, gorgeous?” Jim asks quietly.
I nod. “Yeah. Of course.”
“I’m gonna go call Derek and bug him,” Jack states.
“I’m gonna go ask about basketball hoops,” Brian adds.
They both stop and kiss my cheek before they exit.
Linus looks to me. “I have a call scheduled with my family. Is that okay?”
“Of course. Go talk to them.”
Alex and Emerson share a Look.
“We’ll stay,” Alex says, folding his arms.
“Erm … so … if we’re going to be using our powers … how do we protect the ship? We don’t want to sink,” Dmitri asks.
Wendy smiles. “First of all, the Coast Guard’s put all kinds of flotation around this thing. We’re not gonna sink. Second, see those big target-looking things? We at NASA designed those to absorb your power. So if you feel yourself losing control, aim for those.”
“Do your powers amplify if you work together?” Jordan asks.
I look at Dmitri. “I … never really thought about it. But I guess when we started blowing things up, we were holding hands.”
“Yes, but you kept going after I hit the deck,” Dmitri reminds me.
Jim stands closer to me, rubbing my back. “One thing at a time, okay? We’ll go slow.”
I turn and hug him, trying to take a few deep breaths.
“I got you. If you need to wait on this, then we can do it later, lovely.”
I shake my head. “We can’t … we need answers, and we need to get off this fucking ship.”
He turns and kisses my cheek. “Okay. But we’re with you every step of the way.”
I sigh against his neck. “I know. I couldn’t do this without you guys.”
Jim chuckles. “Jack told us that he used delicious seafood to help motivate you this morning. Want me to motivate you now?”
I pull back and look at him curiously.
“So, I don’t know about basketball hoops, but I do know that there’s a volleyball net that can be set up in here. We could do all kinds of different teams. Coast Guard versus Navy, civilians and scientists versus military. Whatever we want.”
I smirk at him. “Soooo … you gonna play shirtless?”
His face turns bright red as he quickly ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck. “Uh … do you want me to?”
I step closer and kiss his cheek. “Well, it certainly would be motivating.” I touch my forehead to his. “But only if you want to.”
As I start to pull away, he yanks me back in by my wrist and kisses me breathless. “I wouldn’t mind doing that for you.”
I stutter for a moment, trying to get my brain to re-engage. “Now … if that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is.”
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