By Chris McCarthy

The conclusion of our story finds our heroes saved by something unexpected by everyone but Chase...

CRAACK. Another fist pounds into the door, leaving another huge indentation. Lisa looks at the marks in the steel door and her mouth drops. She looks at Ambassador Trong with a look of disgust. 

“You had him kill the magno-puppy?” Lisa asks.

“Yeah. I did.” Trong responds. “Do you have any idea how dangerous those magno-puppies are? How big they get? Besides puppy is a misnomer—they’re more like bears. There’s no place for those beasts on planet Tumis.” 

Lisa looks at Winston. “It’s all my fault. That innocent creature is dead because of me.”

“Well, we can’t do anything about it now. Besides I’m the idiot who helped you catch it. It’s not all on you.” Winston says.

“Guys, enough. Open the door, Sal,” Amanda says. 

“What do you mean open the door?” Salamander looks from the door back to her. 

“I mean, open the door. Like I just said.” Amanda responds, walking over to the door. 

“Fine.” Salamander says. “Why delay our inevitable gruesome deaths, right?”

Salamander taps a button on the command interface screen. The door at the back of the bridge slides open. On the other side is a hulking half man, half mechanical monstrosity. He has a powerful titanium exoskeleton frame grafted onto his muscular body, with pulsing bright blue energy lines pulsing visibly between the seams. One arm is an interchangeable weapons system that in its current form identifies as a sleek plasma cannon, softly humming with power. One eye can flip around revealing a powerful laser. He’s just under seven feet tall and weighs four hundred pounds. 

“Holy sh…” Salamander says just before he passes out, falling to the floor of the bridge with an echoing thud. 

Amanda tries to turn her head away from the blue-hued monstrosity but can’t tear her eyes away. She just ends up turning her head slightly in Lisa’s direction. “Help him, Lisa.” 

Lisa looks from Amanda to their giant visitor, speechless, then over to Salamander. “O…K.” She walks over to Salamander and takes a knee, gently slapping his cheek to wake him up.

Winston looks at his hand. Whatever he did with the blue energy stream earlier, he can no longer do. He says, “Well, I guess this is it, everybody. Really wish I hadn’t helped Lisa steal that mango-puppy because now Ambassador Trong is going to have this biomechanical freakshow kills us all.”

“That’s rich coming for a metal head like you.” Trong says. 

“Hey don’t call him metal head, you anti-mech bio-traditionalist. Like you’re not going to seek augmentation when you get old and ugly. Or I should say uglier.” Lisa says. 

Winston continues to himself, “Why do you always try to impress the wrong women? Three hundred years old, eleven marriages, and you still make the same mistakes. I should have just stayed out of it.”

This hits Lisa. “Excuse me? Stay out of it? Catching mango-puppies was your idea. How convenient for you to forget that now.” She points at the biomechanical monster in the doorway.  

Amanda puts a hand on Trong’s shoulder, “Man, he looks like he took a nosedive off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down before landing in a pool of, well, ugly. I mean, talk about darkening a doorway, jeez. This guy’s probably in the dictionary for that term.” 

“I don’t think they have terms in the dictionary. Just words right?” Maritha asks. 

“Will you shut up, Maritha?” Trong says. 

“Wow, you let him talk to you like that? You wave flags for this guy?” Amanda asks. 

Winston walks up to Lisa, “But the way, I’m no longer in love with you.”

“What?” Lisa says. 

“I’m not sure I was ever really in love with you.”

“Great, thanks for that. I’m gonna lose so much sleep over this realization. I would NEVER date you. Just fyi. But you don’t care anymore so that’s great.” Lisa says, with a pettiness that shocks even Amanda. 

Winston continues. “I think I’ve just been trying to prove to myself that I’m…still a human. Then, for a moment, having otherworldly power and shooting blue laser beams out of my hands, I thought I’d transcended my hybrid nature becoming something more. But that was just a fluke. I have to come to terms with the fact I’m neither human or machine. And that proof is standing in the doorway.”

Lisa takes in Winston’s admission and looks over at the blue mech in the doorway, her eyes following the blue pulses of energy in the cracks of his titanium frame. 

Chase, who has been sitting this whole time, stands up and turns around to face the doorway. He jumps back. “Jesus!” 

Chase gathers himself and nods at Trong. “What’s with death incarnate over here. And why is he just standing there. Is he waiting to be invited inside?” He looks at the mechanically augmented man standing the doorway. “Hey, God’s mistake, are you a vampire?” 

“No, he’s not a vampire. His name is Olg. He’s a terrifying specimen who’s going to kill all of you.” Trong then turns to the mech, embarrassed. “Come inside.” He waves him in dismissively. 

“Olg?” Chase says. “That is the dumbest name I’ve ever heard. Other than Trong, of course.” 

The crew laughs at this joke, making Trong uncomfortable. 

“Guess they modified everything but the brain, huh?” Amanda says. The laughter continues.  

“Looks like he doesn’t understand English? I’m not fluent in dumb, otherwise I’d see if that worked.” Salamander says.

The crew is in tears, including Amanda, who laughs so hard she leans on the wall for support. They’re tee-ing off on Trong and his associate. 

“It’s called gallows humor, Trong. Feel free to laugh with us. Release the tension. It’s stressful murdering a whole crew of innocent people, isn’t it?” Chase says. 

“I said you can come in, Olg!” Trong says.

“I said you can come in Olg!” Lisa repeats in a mock-serious voice, to everyone’s uproarious laughter. 

Olg takes a few steps inside the door. His arm cannon whirs and lights up a brighter blue. His eyes turn red and get larger.

“What is your command Ambassador Trong?” Olg says, his voice so terrifyingly low that it seems to shake the room. 

The crew get so silent you could hear a pin drop. Trong smirks. 

“Kill them all.” Trong says. 

Amanda stands frozen. “I guess this is it.”

Then Chase takes a knee. “Here boy.” 

Olg looks at him curiously, his arm cannon raising up to Chase’s chest level. Then suddenly, Olg gets on all fours, running around and bouncing off walls and consoles and the viewport. Amanda and the crew look on, in confusion. 

Chase watches Olg bout around the bridge. “Trongy, did you know that magno in magno-puppy is actually short for magno-morph?”

“Magno-morph? What does that mean?” Trong looks around, lost. “Maritha, what does that mean? What does that mean?”

Winston touches his temple then whispers in Amanda’s ear. 

“It means these animals can turn into any other creature they see, a defense mechanism they can access if they are in enough danger.” Amanda says.

“No. No, that can’t be…” Trong says. 

“Salamander, get us out of here. Go back to wide orbit. We’re leaving.” Amanda says. 

“God you’re good at leading, Amanda.” Salamander says. 

“Keep that kind of fawning inside Salamander, but I appreciate it.” Amanda says. 

Sal runs over to the front of the bridge and hops into his seat and hits a few buttons for new coordinates. 

“Lisa, can you chart a safe course out of here? I want to make sure those ionospheric disturbances don’t cause any more problems for us on our way out.” Salamander says.

“Look at you, Sal!” Winston says. 

“On it.” Lisa jumps into her chair, hopping over Liam’s body on the floor of the bridge. She activates her holoscreen, which pops out in front of her face. She looks at it. “Everything looks good, Sal. Just a couple of quick modifications to the flight plan and we’re good to go. Initiating now.” 

“So you’re saying…that’s the…” says Trong. 

“Oh yeah, you’re still here.” Amanda says. “Yeah. That’s our magno-puppy. To be honest I thought he’d kill and eat us all, but it seems like he’s… a part of this messed up family.”

“I don’t buy it. You must have hacked into his system somehow.” Trong says. 

Then Olg transforms into the magno-puppy, his body shaking, the metal exoskeleton seamlessly being replaced by hair. Back on all fours now, he sticks his tongue out and runs over to Chase, who reaches down and ruffles the dog’s face fur with both hands.

“Who’s a good boy? Oh…yes…that’s my good boy. Wait…” Chase looks between the animal’s legs a bit closer. “Who’s a good girl? That’s my good girl.” 

Lisa runs over to the five foot tall puppy. “I’m so glad you’re alive!” The puppy turns to her and starts licking her face. 

“Oh, you’re so sweet. Yes, give me all those kisses…Wait, is that? Is that…?” Lisa asks. 

“It’s blood,” Amanda says. 

“Ewww.” Lisa blinks both eyes quickly and her holoscreen pops up, already with a front facing camera feed running live. She looks into it at her face and wipes the blood from her lips and nose. “That is so disgusting…” She turns to the puppy who stands back from her, chastised. “You’re lucky you’re so cute.” 

The huge bear-like puppy spins around in excited circles then runs to Salamander and jumps in his arms, knocking him down to the ground. 

Trong takes in the scene. “What is…happening?”

Chase says, “The figs.” 

“Huh?” Trong says.

“When you and your retinue were boarding, I went down to check on our little…our huge… gal to make sure she was secure down in the brig—and to fuck with you by not being there for that fucking song and dance reception bullshit. Anyways, he was curled up in a corner. Turns out the gal had a ridiculous case of gas since we’d been feeding her popcorn for six days straight. Note to the crew—popcorn is not good for puppies. Anyways, I gave her some Parthian figs and won her over.” Chase says.

“And that’s when your freak of nature science project showed up at the ventral airlock—you thought you were being so slick, sneaking him aboard through another entrance while the crew was distracted on the bridge getting ready for receive you,” Chase continues, pacing away from Trong. He turns on his heels, the detective delivering his final blow. “But unluckily for you, our puppy, having had some of the figs, had gotten her appetite back.” 

Chase looks over at the puppy. “Isn’t that right, girl?” The puppy jumps down from Salamander’s chest and runs full speed back to Chase, who falls to the floor with her and rolls around. 

Trong shakes his head. “I’m not sure I’m catching the logic. She ate him…then became him?”

Amanda jumps in. “I think what he’s trying to say, Trong my good man, is that your human specter of death scared our puppy so much that his defense mechanisms kicked in and he morphed into a carbon copy. Then, spurred on by the taste of figs, he ate your man.” 

“So did he eat my man when he was a dog or did he eat him after he looked exactly like him…I’m just trying to get the picture here.” Trong says. 

“Don’t think too hard about it. It’s something I’ll never unsee if that helps.” Chase says. “Hey crew, I’m thinking we name him…Olg.”

The crew all nod and agree. “Excellent idea,” says Lisa.

Trong shakes his head, resigned and annoyed. 

“Well, isn’t this a…very strange and dysfunctional domestic picture. I think it’s time we took our leave…Maritha, what are you doing? Do not play with the creature.” 

Maritha is down on one knee waving her flags at the puppy. She looks up at Trong. “Oh come on, Trong. She’s so cute. Why can’t we ever have fun when you’re around?” 

“That’s Ambassador Trong or sir to you, Maritha. You insolent…” Trong says. 

Maritha stands up, “Ambassador? Are you sure about that?”

Trong takes a step forward. “Of course I’m sure… What do you…?” 

“Well, you’ve lost your entire retinue… And by Legion dictates, that means you have to relinquish your title.” Maritha says. “You’ve lost your people’s faith.”

“But, you’re still here, Maritha. I still have you. You’re on my side, right?” Trong says. 

“Nope. I don’t like you.” Maritha says. 

Amanda covers her mouth to try to hide her laughter. “Hah!” 

Amanda’s crew all cheer as Trong loses his last supplicant. He looks totally alone standing on one side of the bridge. 

Amanda walks over to Edwin and puts her hand on his shoulder. “Edwin, things just arent’t working out for you are they? Is this how you thought our reunion would go?” 

“No—hey, look, everyone. I think we started off on the wrong foot. Let’s reset.” He turns to Amanda and walks toward her, both arms extended. “Amanda, so good to see you!”

Amanda backs up and pushes Trong’s arms away. “Are you delusional? You were about to kill us.”

“Yeah, how are we supposed to get past that?” Chase asks. “Look, I see you sort of as a distant step-son, re your mom, of course, and…”

“What does that mean? RE your mom? I don’t understand…” Trong says. 

Chase looks around the room, then at Amanda, who puts her face in her hands. Her father’s infidelities are no secret to her. But Chase quickly tries to cover. 

“Nothing. Sorry—I just mean I like you a lot kid. I remember driving you and Mandy to school. You were always nice, just a bit clueless. But now it’s time to take the hint.” Chase says. 

“What’s the hint?” Trong asks. 

“Oh, that the puppy is going to eat you.” Winston says, as the puppy licks his face. 

Trong runs to the hallway exit, but it slides shuts just before he gets there. He looks over at Salamander. 

Salamander looks to the rest of the crew. “That’s the coldest thing I’ve ever done.” 

“Hell yeah, greenie.” Chase says, proud of Salamander’s assertive move. 

“Look at us,” Amanda says, looking around the bridge at the faces of her crew, a proud look on her face. “Coming together, like a real spaceship crew, over a thirst for vengeful blood. I could almost…No, I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to cry.” 

Lisa looks on empathetically. “Oh my gosh. Don’t cry, sis.” She walks over and hugs Amanda, moved by her emotional response. “I feel like we’ve gotten so close.” Both women hold back their tears. 

“What…the fuck…” Trong says, walking backwards to the wall, trying to keep distance between himself and the crew who seemed so ragtag a few moments ago but now seem to revel in a sudden bloodthirsty confidence. 

Trong trips on the foot of Lisa’s station. He trips but regains his footing and falls slightly against the back wall of the bridge, his face slamming against the aft viewport. 

The huge puppy takes several heavy steps and bares his teeth at Trong. 

Trong gulps. 

——

Later that night. 

Chase and Amanda sit on the bridge. 

She’s in the captain’s chair and he’s in Salamander’s. The rest of the crew sit in a circle behind them playing with Olg. 

“You know, when I was young, my dream was to work as a crew member on your ship.” Amanda says. “I mean, before…”

Chase turns to her. “Before everything went to shit?” 

Amanda nods affirmatively.

“By went to shit, do you mean your two decades long campaign of drinking and womanizing yourself through the galaxy while leaving me and mom behind?” 

Chase looks at her, unsure how to take this, and for once has no words. Then Amanda cracks a half-smile and shakes her head.

“Well, I guess we’re here now. And maybe we can make the best of it.” Chase continues. 

Amanda smiles. Twelve years into her career as a ship captain in the Legion, she’s intimately familiar with the punishing toll the job takes on people and can see her father better than she ever could before. 

“Do you think we were too hard on him?” Amanda asks.

“Who?” Chase is genuinely confused. “Oh…him.” 

He looks out the viewport and angles his head down a few degree to look at the bow of the ship. Wearing a white thermasuit and pressurized helmet, Trong is attached to the front of the ship. 

“I mean, he’ll be fine as long as we don’t go too fast.” Chase says, leaning back in his chair. 

“That’s what I was thinking,” Amanda says.” 

Amanda smiles, enjoying the moment with her father. 

End

Copyright Chris McCarthy and MDA Press, 2024, Graphics by Chris McCarthy with Imagen3.