The incident Aboard Galaxy9

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say.

I can still hear the screams of Rowan descending into the dark. The worst case scenario on any mission. To be lost in outer space. We all have been educated on what happens in the event of someone being sucked into space. I would have never thought this would happen. Especially, on our last mission before heading home.

Our last day begun just like any other. Routine monitoring, calculations and pressure checks. Excitement filled the cabin as we prepared for our journey home. During our last meal together, we heard the impact alarms sound. Blaring read lights flashed as the room went dark. “Charles! What do you see?! Talk to me!” Commander Hollis yelled as he pulled himself toward the front of our fleet.

“Nothing ahead Commander! Let me do a 360 sweep!” Charles replied.

“Crew suit up! Make sure you are loaded and anchored!” Hollis commanded.

“Prisha, we are going to be fine! Let’s go!” Rowan tried to reassure me. But, I could see in his eyes that he was nervous also. We never had been through a red alert in the 3 missions that we have been on. With the unpredictability of space, this can mean anything.

Hollis was the last to enter “The Vault”. That is what we called the room where our suits were stored. He face was red and eyes bulging with urgency. “Hurry and get suited team! We got debris heading towards us! Make sure you are fully gassed and communications are hot at all times!” Hollis jumped into his suit and started clicking and fastening the straps. He started to brief us on what Charles told him. “As soon as I am suited, I will relieve Charles while he gets his gear on. Rowan, I need you to steer with me. It’s going get rough! Prisha, I need you to make sure we are sealed tight front to rear and prepare Jack. “Jack” was our shuttle named for my father. Captain Jackson Linguardi, he passed away 6 years ago. Charles flew with him as his co captain for 14 years before he retired. It was said that my father always brought them home safe. Hence the idea of the shuttle doing the same.

“Yes Sir!” I made my way to the rear and stopped once a flash was caught in my peripheral vision. Through the “globe” I seen what looked like lightening flashes. In space? I broke my trance and sealed off all non essential compartments and made made my way toward the front of our ship. Rowan, already ahead of me, headed to the co captain’s seat. The commander appeared behind me. “It’s bad, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, its bad.” Hollis said in a somber tone. With a heavy sigh “Let’s get home.”

As we made it to the front of Galaxy9 (the name of our fleet), we ran into Charles, grabbing the handles to propel himself forward faster. He stopped to update Hollis. “Commander, the cluster is gaining on us. We have approximately 23 minutes until impact. The mass doesn’t fit the profile of an asteroid, it’s breaking away into equal parts.” Charles explained in a panic.

“Get suited now and report back!” Hollis demanded. “Prisha, is Jack ready?”

“Yes, all systems hot.”

“Good, we will have less than 5 minutes to get loaded and evacuate. But first lets try and navigate this fleet!” We rushed forward. I grabbed the back of Rowan’s chair to steady myself. Hollis fastened the seatbelt and pressed a button that will allow him to communicate with the space station. “May day, May Day! This is commander Hollis George aboard Galaxy9, we are facing imminent impact! Over!”

“10-4, Captain Charles Perry has briefed us on your status. We are tracking multiple masses heading in your direction with speeds on 5,600 MPH. According to our satellites, these are not, I repeat, these are not asteroids. We are recommending to not, I repeat, do not engage. They are identifying as UFO, unknown if hostile.”

“UFO?” Rowan exclaimed. What do we do? Wait for them to blast us?”

“Calm down, Blake! It is standard not to engage with UFO’s until it calls for it. They are trying to identify their origin.” Hollis explained.

“Have you experienced this before?” I looked at Hollis.

“Twice in my career. One of those times was with your father. Both times they were not hostile. We navigated around them and they were gone quicker than they came. Space station said they just wanted to see who we were. Since we did not engage or become hostile, they let us go.”

“He never mentioned that to me.”

“If he had, you wouldn’t be here. That intelligence is kept strictly classified.

“Space Station to Galaxy9, over.” A voice spoke.

“Galaxy9, this is Hollis. Over.”

“We cannot determine the origin of the UFO heading in your direction. As a result, we have the instruction to advise for you to ready your weapons and await further instruction.”

“Operator, how long to impact?” Hollis asked.

“19 minutes, speeds holding at 5,600 MPH.”

“Copy that”. Prisha, check on Charles. He should be up here.

“Yes, Sir”. I headed toward The Vault. Charles is standing there with his suit helmet in his hands. Quiet and eyes closed. I see his lips moving. He is praying. “Charles?”

His eyes opened and looked into mine. “This is it, isn’t it”.

“We are ordered to prepare to engage just as a precaution. They dont know the origin of the UFO headed our way.” I summarized. “Hollis sent me to check on you. He needs you up front, now.”

Charles inserted his head into his helmet and sealed the locks. “We are going to make it home.” He said to himself.

“Hey, we all are focused on getting home. We all need to focus to get us there. Ok?”

“Where the hell are you guys!” Hollis’ voice blared in our headsets. “We need you front and center, NOW!”

“Let’s hurry, they are getting close. We have about 17 minutes to impact according to the space station.” I said.

“The light be with us!” Charles said as we rush toward the front of Galaxy9.

As we reached the control panels, we heard the Space Station say, “the UFO’s speeds have increased to 6,400 MPH. Recalculated impact 11 minutes.”

“Should we head to Jack?” Rowan asked.

“Not yet. We have to wait on orders. If they attack, we prepare to evacuate. Charles, are you in this? Can you navigate?” Hollis looked at Charles trying to scope out a sliver of doubt.

“Yes, we got this. He reassured.

“Rowan, switch. Prisha, you two anchor down.”

“Space Station to Galaxy9”

“Galaxy9, this is captain Charles Perry. Over”

“Captain, this UFO has been identified as hostile. Repeat. This UFO has been identified as hostile. Origin planet is unknown. Satellite images have confirmed weapon sensors activated on their craft. Impact in 9 minutes. Over”

“Copy that Space Station.” Charles Took a deep breath and said, I am increasing metric speed 30 knots to try to buy us more time.”

“Viewing 360, I can see lights behind our fleet.” Hollis confirmed.

“Space Station to Galaxy9. Over”

“Galaxy9, over.”

“Captain, the UFO has increased their speed. 7,000 MPH. Impact 8 minutes.

“Copy that. Preparing auto pilot sequences.”

“Negative. Await instruction. Do not turn on auto pilot. Over.

“Why not? We need to evaluate before impact.”

“Mission instructions are to seek and destroy the UFO. All masses have combined and there is only one vessel.”

Hollis flipped the transmission switch off. “They just made this a suicide mission. Seek and destroy means…”

“I know what it means, Commander. Kid’s, prepare yourself.” Charles looked back at Rowan and I.

Rowan stretched his arm across the aisle as I glanced over. I grabbed his hand as we stared at each other. “Prisha, we are going to get home”.

“Let’s hope.” I said softly.

IMPACT! A large explosion erupted toward the back of our fleet. “May day, May Day! We have impact! Repeat we have impact! Fleet has rear damage. Sectors 7 and 8 have been lost!” Charles yelled through the microphone.

“Space Station to Galaxy9, are you certain this is enemy fire? The UFO is still out 5 minutes!”

“Affirmative! Sectors 7 and 8 are gone!” Charles replied.

“What the hell is that?” Hollis staring behind us. We all turned to look. What we seen heading towards us was beyond anything sci-if movies showed us.

“Captain Perry! Do you copy? Space Station to Galaxy9?”

The life form blasted its way onto our fleet. Slithering towards us as we sit helpless strapped to our seats. The Speaker loud in our ears as the Space Station called out for a response. We were in a trace. Unbelieving of what we were seeing with our own eyes. It’s long tentacles moving toward us. I couldn’t count how many it had. It’s body, now positioned in front of us. Hovering over the control panel and blocking the view shield of Galaxy9, its tentacles wrapped around each of us. Slithering over our visors and suits. None of us could move or make a noise. I still can hear the Space Station trying to make contact with us.

It’s tentacles unwrapped from three of us. But, they didn’t let go of Rowan. Paralyzed with fear, we sat a watched as the life form stuck one of its tentacles through Rowans visor. Almost as if it was butter. Then, it started covering his face with a slimy material. Suddenly, the life forms tentacles gripped the front view shield of Galaxy9, melting it away. We watched it chip away as Rowan was extracted from his seat. The snaky arms of the alien wrapped around his body and lifted him in the air.

The vacuum increased, breaking the glass of the view shield of Galaxy9 and cracking his shield away from his helmet. Rowan and I locked eyes as he was pulled through the front window of our fleet. His screams. His screams dissipated as he was sucked away into the darkness.