“The infections are only in the beginning phases at this stage. When they remove them from these vessels to the Hives and place them into the tanks to soften their skin is when the infection truly takes hold,” Khoth explained. “Their skin rips at the slightest touch which releases the larvae… I think you can imagine the rest.”
“Uh, yeah… definitely. Not touching anything inside the ship,” Jace said, swallowing a bitter bile that rose up in his throat.
The Hive is the mothership. It is circling Earth right now, Gehenna explained and showed him the image of a vessel that looked like a wasp’s nest.
Jace’s stomach roiled somemore. He saw William’s shoulders tense as well. William was listening intently, but Jace didn’t blame him. He was amazed at how professional the soldiers had been. Aliens. Space craft. Giant metal squids. And whatever he would be considered in the soldier’s eyes.
“Why haven’t the ships returned to the Hive?” Jace asked. “Or do they need pilots?”
He had killed all the pilots and he felt even better about that then he had.
“No, they should return to the Hive once full or when an order is given by the Hive,” Khoth stated.
Gehenna was the one that answered, The Osiris puts out a field that interferes with Khul’s vessels.
“We believe the Osiris--”
“Is keeping them here,” Jace filled in. “Okay, makes sense. Oh, man…”
“What?” Khoth asked.
Jace had caught sight of where they were. Just a few blocks away from the Con-Ve. His stomach clenched as he saw the empty streets and signs of the former firefights. He could see the needle-shaped ship that he had passed along with Sami and George. He wondered if they were okay. Were they back home or had the Army kept them on base to interrogate them and make sure they wouldn’t tell anyone the truth of what had happened?
“I was just here this morning,” Jace said softly. “And everything is changed. Including me.”
Khoth surprised him by reaching over and touching the back of his right hand. Even with the armored gloves on he could feel that touch. Gehenna had twisted around in her seat and was looking down at their hands. Jace felt so grateful for that touch. He looked over at the Thaf’ell Commander, but the moment he did, Khoth removed his hand and was staring out the window as if that momentary touch hadn’t happened.
The Jeep’s brakes squealed as if in reluctance to stop this close to the still-smoking Khul ship. The gangway remained down. The inside was filled with a velvety blackness. What was inside there? What would he say? Were people in agony in there? Was he really going to kill them?
“We should have our helmets up and shields engaged,” Khoth said after silence fell again. “Also, you should have a weapon handy. The pistol or rahir would be best in such close quarters if there are any Khul inside.”
Jace’s mouth was dry. He just nodded. Then the three of them exited the vehicle.
“Stay here, William,” Jace instructed.
William nodded jerkily. He definitely wasn’t leaving the Jeep. Jace wouldn’t have been surprised if he took off back to the base or simply kept driving until he’d put thousands of miles between himself and the Khul ships. Looking at the long, narrow, matte black ships, Jace wanted to do the same. But instead they were going in.
He merely had to think about the helmet closing over his head and it did it while Khoth had to touch a part of his suit right over his heart to cause the helmet to come up. Khoth unsheathed his rahir while Jace took out his pistol. His hand was much more steady around it this time around. Gehenna twisted to the right and left, her tentacles swaying nervously.
I should go first, Gehenna stated. I will be able to sense any life signs once we’re inside.
You can’t sense them from here? Jace asked.
There is some… interference, she answered uncertainly.
That worried Jace a bit. But it wouldn’t stop him from going inside. After hearing what Khoth said, he didn’t want the poor people inside to suffer any longer than they had to. So the three of them approached the gangway. Gehenna glided ahead of them up the metal grating. She disappeared inside the gloom. He could just barely see the lights in her squid head.
Gehenna? Jace asked, nervous the moment she was inside that ship, and tempted to call her back. There was a little of that electronic fuzzing for a moment which caused him to jerk upright. Gehenna?!
I’m here, her voice flickered in and out. No Khul. Just… people.
“Was it it?” Khoth asked, putting a hand in front of Jace.
Jace hadn’t realized he had taken two steps up the gangway. “There’s interference. And I… I’m having tinnitus again.” The high whine of the drill was in his ears. The terror he was backsliding though was more easily pushed aside than easier. “I think it's the Khul ship.”
“Should we abort?” Khoth asked. “Should you remain outside?”
“It’ll never be completely safe,” Jace said after a long moment considering this. “I need to go inside. I need to see.”
