TDM 11 "Premature Departure"

Fi leaned her face close to Glask and for all the fun and amusement she had with kids on alien planets, it was absent from her now. She was absolutely furious and spoke in a strangely altered voice.

Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE THE DREAM MACHINE The Lost Saucer Can't Get Off This Crazy Ride ! © September 2013 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER ] CHAPTER 11 - PREMATURE DEPARTURE * * * This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE Fi looked again at the apparatus and chair where Jerry was being held down in and smiled. It required maintenance and she could see there was one siphon emitting some kind of liquid, a sleeping draught that would be exhausted by tomorrow. Unfortunately she couldn't remove it herself without hurting Jerry, but she knew whoever was responsible would be here in the morning. So she back up into the shadows and touched a few keys buttons on her chest with the familiar bleep and blurp sounds, put herself on minimal power usage mode and waited. Back at the saucer, Fum was completely unaware of what was happening outside or that the saucer had even been moved. He was just busily trying to get everything in good working order again for Fi's return with the kids. It looked great ! All the wires and panels were cleared up, circuits were reconnected, the main console was fully repaired, and the computers all around the walls were lit and flashing their readiness. Even DORSE had used his furry paws and pushed some of the debris into a pile which Fum swept into the recycle bin. Pushing a button on the side, a large wastebasket opened and emitted out the side. Fum took it. It was all the mess and wires. "We need to throw this away somewheres, Dorse." Fum told the furry creature. Dorse nodded in agreement that he was ready to leave the planet himself. Fum lifted the bin with one hand and went over to the console and touched the button to open the hatch. Nothing happened. He tried it again and once again there was no response. "Waal that shore is a funny thing." he said. Then he set down the binnister and went over to look at the computer console on the far well. The display showed a series of concentric circles, a green light shone in the middle. Outside the circles was a red flashing one. "Hey now ! We've all moved all of a sudden ! Somebody done moved our sawer-ser Dorse !" Dorse put his furry paws on his horse's head and shook it back and forth making a worrying sound. Outside the saucer the last cables were connected. The general re-arrived to survey the work. Smiling to himself he went over to a computer console of his own and snapped it on. A bright green display shone showing a skeletal view of the Saucer including the interior showing a wire-frame version of Dorse and Fum still moving about inside. "It is as I thought, no humans. Just some stupid android and a creature, too small to be of any use to us. It's perfect." looking up he barked out an order to his lieutenant who was standing by, "Prepare to engage the inverter ! I want to see this saucer 1/100th of it's size right now !" "Yessir." he said and saluted. The general half-saluted in return grumbling under his breath. Then that same lieutenant spoke up to a 2nd landing where a large display platform was and several scientists in white labcoats were busily analyzing the saucer's contents and occupants. "OK, you heard the general, let's invert this thing !" On the 2nd landing the scientists went to work at once. One went to a console to rapidly type out on a 4x4 16-keypad with odd symbols on it. Another went to a panel of dials and looking at an acrylic page of data, carefully adjusted them to the proper setting. A pretty violet glow suddenly emitted from the cables and encircled the saucer. There was a sound - hard to describe - like air that was whooshing and was suddenly being sucked down. Back inside a warning light flashed for attention. "What's that, what's that ?" Fum asked. Dorse was beyond panic and went back into his cage fearing the worst. Fum looked at the console to read the display. After a moment he rose his head up and the camera closed on his bewildered face. "Imminent structural collapse ? Something is trying to crush the saucer ? Let's get outta here, Dorse !" Dorse spoke, "Brauuf brauuf whinny !" Fum took the center joystick, you remember the one ? That could be pushed up, down, left, right, rotated clockwise, counter clockwise, and could be pushed in and pulled out ? Well Fum just took his metallic hand and smacked the middle of it, hard ! New pretty colored bright lights emitted from all around the saucer and the button suddenly started to descend and then vanish, straight into the console ! Right then outside the ship a new sound appeared, the familiar warbling sound of the saucer's engine and it was taking off ! The cables connected to it were breaking and snapping in all directions. In seconds the violet glow was replaced by cataclysmic sparks and explosions. And - it seemed for a moment that the saucer might not break free of all the cables ! The whooshing sound from the inversion process took on an eerie deeper sound and the violet aura that was surrounding it seemed to suddenly squeeze like terrible fingers in a deathly vise right around the craft, trying to crush it. * * * "Increase power !" the General said angrily seeing he was going to lose his prize with the current low energy output. Back at the control platform everyone was bustling. By the saucer trying to break free it had shorted out several of their own computers and circuits and additionally a fire had broken out ! 2 doors slid open and new technicians arrived with fire extinguishers to put out the flames and everyone was arguing and pointing and carrying on in a panic. "What's going on up there !?" the general bellowed seeing no change in the energy readings. Back below though, there was an almighty snapping sound and the last cable that was connected suddenly flung off of the saucer whizzing angrily through the air to collide against the far metallic wall scorching it with an eerie violet radiation that melted the silver paint off revealing glowing rock beneath it. "Clear the deck !" the General cried furious and frightened combined at what he was seeing now. The inversion effect was clearly out of control ! People scattered in all directions and the magnificent UFO, free of its harnesses now hovered several feet over the platform for just a moment to suddenly smash straight through the ceiling of the hangar pitching debris and fallen steel girders in all directions causing new panic and mayhem. New fires broke out below and there was the thunderous sound of falling debris. The console that housed the wires however was looking more dangerous by the minute. The general started to step away from it with wide eyes when a frightening lash of violet energy reached out like 4-finger from a forbidden region and attached itself to his face. A fusion of new energy occurred and with a horrid sizzling sound he was vaporized in an almighty flash of bright light right where he stood in mere seconds. New terror was now heard from the remaining troops as they saw this display and they scattered away and the console sparked and hissed and reached out new fingers of violet energy, as if tasting the air. It was a ghastly scene indeed. Back in the saucer though, everything was okay. Apparently Fum's earlier action caused the craft to go into an emergency retreat mode and after bursting through the hangar it hovered several hundred feet above the surface of the planet, still beneath it's protective shield, waiting for new commands. Fi meanwhile was awoken to hear someone entering. She had leaned up against the far wall out of sight to surprise who would enter. She knew whoever it was would be the one responsible for the terrible thing that had happened to both kids. She stilled herself watching carefully. It was the doctor, Minister Glask. He had come into adjust settings. He went over to the computer and entered in new figures. Then he went over to the siphon tube tapping it, seeing he would need more sleeping draught if he was going to do another sale of dreams for today. Now as you know both Fi and Fum were never programmed for violence, but seeing the kids in this terrible predicament caused Fi to act outside her safety margins. She suddenly reached over and grabbed him by the back of his neck and he collapsed to his knees in seconds from the powerful grip. "Owww, hey ! Who's there ! This is a restricted area ! I can have you - " but he didn't continue because she squeezed even tighter now. Fi didn't look so well now. She was angry, and it was against her programming. Her head twitched a little and a few soft sparks emitted from inside her chest and she knew her programming would take back over in a few minutes so she had to hurry if she was going to do this. "Did you do this ?" she asked, her eyes ablaze with fury. "Who me ?" Glask laughed weakly and tried to rise but Fi's grip on the back of his neck was rock solid so his feet just shuffled on the ground unable to get any leverage. "Hah - heh - no ! Me ? No, of course not. I -uhh- was just passing by and -" "You're lying !" Fi said and her fingers tightened another millimeter making metallic squeaking sound. She knew she couldn't kill him. Her programming would prevent that - but perhaps he didn't know that. Glask collapsed another few inches and felt like he was going to black out. Fi leaned her face close to his and for all the fun and amusement she always had with the kids on alien planets was absent from her. She was absolutely furious now. In a strangely altered digital voice she spoke and sparks appeared from inside her mouth. "Release him !" "Yes, yes, of course I will. I'm - sorry, it's just that we, well, you can see he's perfectly safe and if you only - " "Now !" she shrieked and it held a weird warble to it like she was clearly going to go ballistic on him. He coughed, terrified at the strange way her voice sounded, "Absolutely. If you'll -uhh- just release me, I can - that is I'll - " She let go of him and pulled back. She watched him with severe stoicism. He looked back at her and realized she was going to take his head off if he tried any tricks. He still had the girl. He knew this malfunctioning robot thing would be after both children and perhaps he could do something before he released her. Giving her another look he went to the main computer and spoke. "Release product Jerry - code 1, 1A, 2B 3." (with apologies to Star Trek) :) * * * Fi relaxed for a moment seeing the connectors release from Jerry, but in that self-same distraction it was then that the doctor launched into her for an attack ! As they were scuffling on the ground. Jerry's chest suddenly heaved and the odd grayness in his face dissipated to be replaced by his healthy brown mahogany glow again. The cables and clamps pulled free and aside from a few red pinch marks in his skin, he was okay now ! He leaned his head forward dizzily. "Oh man ! I feel weird. How long have I been - drea - dreaming ?" he spoke to himself. Glask was rapidly pushing buttons on Fi's chest hoping to short-circuit her and while she was laughing and kicking her feet up and down, she still wouldn't let go of one of his arms which was held with an iron grip. Jerry was doing better now and saw them fighting. "Hey, Fi ? Where's Alice ? what's going on, huh ?" Fi was giggling and shaking all over. The doctor leered wickedly at her. He was learning a pattern to the buttons on her chest now and was certain she was losing energy from all of the frantic movements he was causing her by having her run through a test of her flexibility that would drain her power. "Jerry !" Fi said in a strange voice that showed she was losing energy from all of her actions, "Help me get him to the chair !" END OF CHAPTER 11 Return back HOME   You are Earth Visitor #