Far Pangaea 03 : Out There

"Slow down, Kid. You don't know anything about this hardware. I doubt anybody does." Malcolm repositions his gun belt and wipes his brow of beaded sweat.

James Ian Pryce chuckles, "Above your pay grade. The super powers of the world all knew about different alien species since forever. Eisenhower made a pact with aliens years ago. Time irrelevant now of course."

"How the hell could you know that?" The Sargent grimly scowls.

"Hacked the Pentagon when I was eight. Never knew I even did it. Area 51, Dulce Base, Denver Airport, a dozen more locales. All interconnected by alien races allying with us to conduct our future. Those are just in the U.S., plenty more in the Soviet Union. Argentina. Norway. All housing alien tech and live aliens."

Malcolm squints at the boy's honesty. Did he really know as much as he said? Was he just playing games? Obviously if Ruby Goddard was his caretaker there must be more to the kid than meets the eye.

"Ships as big as a three block radius. Finding a door will take some time." The giant of a black man hissed looking around at the silver plated ship.

James turns to face him and reaches inside his jacket's interior pocket, pulling out a latex glove. He lifts it toward Malcolm with a devilish smirk.

"Easy as pie."

Pulling the glove over his fingers he fits it properly on his hand, then takes the time to straighten the micro thin fibers embedded within the glove. Once perfect he lifts his palm toward Malcolm to show him that his fingertips were glowing green.

"This ship is Goranthian design. The glove mimics the dna and identity of alien officers that habitat within these type of ships. Watch and learn Sarge."

He then touches the ship's surface and awaits a section of the ship to open up a lowering staircase of gravity steps.

"BEEJEEZUS!" Malcolm steps back three feet in awe, "You just happen to carry a glove like that on you?"

"Never leave home without it. I know. I know. Kid you're a God." James chuckles, "Just really smart. Come on it's safe to enter. Although I'm not certain what might be inside that's alive."

With a coaxed whistle James sends Xander up into the craft ahead of them. As the dog vanishes James looks at the ground and closes his eyes. As if in deep thought.

Malcolm observes with an unbelieving wince but keeps calm.

"Six dead. No survivors. There's seating for eight though. Might be Goranthian's still around somewhere. They're a docile race luckily. They age slower than humans do. Primarily they only eat plankton based carbon. That's why they generally reside off of Catalina Island in the trench. Come on Sarge."

James takes off up the steps and stops at the top to look back. Malcolm swallows dryly while gazing up at him in awe. Finally Malcolm treads the path and joins James.

"Hey Kid? How did you know there were six dead bodies and all?"

James kneels beside his faithful pup and scratches behind Xander's ear.

"Telepathic link. I see and hear through his senses. Brain surgery at age twelve. Trust me I have it all going on."

The teen then moves around exploring the ship with low visibility. He locates a panel to the left of the staircase and looks it over under the green light of his covered fingertips.

"Navigation failure. Power core depleted. This baby has been here awhile. Neutron core takes awhile to fade when unused. I think I can get it re-energized to keep us warm and safe from outside elements."

"Can it be flown?" Malcolm still stands unconvinced fully.

"Nope. Dead in the water. I'm smart but the navigation links are tied into their cerebral cortex. These guys have been dead way to long. Even if I fixed the ships navigation I would need a live brain. I read up on the Goranthian's but falsifying brain pattern's is more complex than mechanics. Quantum or socket turning."

"Anything we can use here at all?"

"Ohhhh yeah! I can hook us up big time."

He begins by removing a choker like collar around one of the bodies necks.

"These are Linguistic Collar's. With this we can decipher any language that it hears, or determine what we see in written form by coordinating with our own cerebral cortex. It might help if we find anybody else that survived here. French and German. Alien and Atlantean."

"Atlantean? Say what?"

"Come on Sarge. All the myth's are true. The Government's know more than they let on. You should know that."

"Yeah! Well I don't. Until now. What else do we have?"

"I'll catalogue things here. Why don't you go back and get the others. We can use the ship as a safe house."

"Not leaving you Kid. Colonel's orders." Malcolm stands tall.

"That's cool. C'mere Xander."

He crouches in front of his dog and attaches the alien collar to his existing collar.

"Go get the other survivors Boy."

The German Shepard swivels on his paws and darts down the steps out on to the rocks below. He then scurries through the wreckage to join Ruby and the others.

The group had made it's way out of the plane with Jack. The sun felt reviving accompanied by a gentle breeze.

"There's the kid's dog." Elle acknowledges it's approach.

Ruby and Cameron lower Jack to the ground, allowing Ruby to kneel and greet the dog.

"Where's your Master?"

The dog pants as the collar spouts what the dog hears and sends it back to James telepathically. In reply the collar speaks in James voice.

"Bring everyone over to the space ship. Front doors open."

Every set of eyes there bulge out as the dog appears to speak in human tongue.

Sophia in particular leaps behind Cameron for protection.

Ruby shakes her head, "Brainiac. Alright, James. We knew we needed a shelter for the night. Better there than us scouting all evening with Jack in tow."

"Bring the Colonel's arm with you. We can freeze it here. I think internal power can keep the cells alive long enough for me to re-attach it."

"You can give him his arm back?" Cameron huffs.

"We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Six Million Dollar Man. For you old folks. I love the classics."

"Whatever." Ruby turns to Elle, "Go wrap the arm up for travel."

The woman races away and return's in ten minutes. Once the group is ready they carry what was possible and head toward the large ship in the distance. It took them thirty minutes to reach the steps. They had to stop and marvel at it's grandeur.

"I always knew they existed. Fucking Brass." Cameron hisses and shakes his head.

Sophia drops her bags of food, water and knapsack of clothing.

"Is it safe?" She frets crossing her arms with a fearful glare.

In response Xander moves over and nuzzles her leg with a whine. He then yelps at her causing her to crouch down and pet him. The dog licks her face then her neckline. She giggles at the canines attempt to cheer her up. As the dog lays down at her feet his eyes look up at her.

Ruby growls and snatches Sophia up to stand beside her. The Colonel rolls her eyes and sternly looks at her.

"You're being played. The whiz kid just looked up your skirt."

"What?" Sophia turns pale.

"Knock it off James. This isn't the time for perversion. We're coming up now."

Sophia looks down at the dog when she hears Jame's voice, "WOOF?"

"Oh my God! Why didn't I die too?" She wheezes.

Elle pats her shoulder, "Worry about this later. Sun's down in two hours. We need to go back for more supplies."

The journey upward freaked them all out. Especially the scent of decaying corpses. The distasteful mustiness of being sealed up for years made them all wince.

Once inside Malcolm takes over carrying Jack to free up Ruby. He led Cameron to a room with a comfortable casket like bed. There they removed Jack from his makeshift stretcher and got him cozy enough to relax. Elle returned with James beside her to examine a wall console with a glass enclosed space. Using his glove James activates a stasis unit before removing Jack's arm and allowing it to float within a gravitational chamber. Closing the hatch around it he activates a cooling unit. Everyone in the room stood mesmerized by his skills.

"There. We can work together tomorrow on replacing his arm." James smiles at Elle.

She offers a fearful glare, "I've never sewn an arm back on. The nerves alone won't be right."

"Alien tech and Genius I.Q. Trust me."

Moving away James winks at Sophia who creases her brow. She was traumatized at every turn today. Before he leaves he turns to her with a fidgeting expression, "I'm sorry. I may be a genius but sometimes I just don't think. I won't tell anyone you're not wearing underwear. And, I'm sorry about your Mom. I can save a limb but death is impossible to revive. At least, the way you knew them. Yeah, zombies are real too."

She weeps, "God! You're so weird. Morbid even."

He nods and realizes his stupidity, "I'll be going now."

Malcolm and Cameron stepped beside James. One to each of his shoulders. Both men took an arm and escorted James out of the room followed by Ruby..

"Time to talk Smart guy." Cameron murmurs.

As they left the room they moved to the control center. Ruby was examining the alien corpses still buckled into their seats.

"Little Grey's?" She expresses toward James.

"No. The Grey's are a different species. These were Goranthian's. Similar but greenish blue. Almost amphibious in appearance. Well, they are Amphibious. Very high tech. The gear they have here is off the charts." James smiles.

"Do I wanna know how you know this much?" Ruby frowns.

"Doesn't matter here. If we were in our own time or dimension you could have me locked away at "REGION". I hacked into every known source of data. Yeah, I'm that smart. If the Government had info, diagrams, codes, you name it, I know it. Photographic memory at it's highest level. I use 60% of my brain. Something I never let the science community figure out. We all know how that system works. Locked down and forced to punch a clock and give up my freedom."

Ruby puckers, "Probably so. Please tell me you didn't plan on trapping us here."

His eyes bulge, "No. Honestly, I never predicted this trip. But, once it began I knew my hunches were correct. It was a Time wave. Scholar's and writer's for centuries knew of it . They just couldn't prove it. We now get to experience it."

Malcolm groans, "Experience it? Kid, we're going to die here."

The boy shrugs without confidence, "I don't like to be so negative, but you're probably correct. Let's just hope not. I don't think it's impossible to survive this and make it home."

"If these aliens here were so high tech and couldn't escape, what makes you think we can?" Cameron adds.

"Eight seats. Six dead. Two of them obviously survived." James points out.

"The crash maybe. If they went out there it's safe to say they were eaten or died a normal death trying to survive." opinionates Cameron.

"We don't know." Ruby pinches the bridge of her nose.

James lifts a finger, "Not at this second. There are communication devices on board. If he or she still lives they might have a comm device on them in hopes of finding their own kind. They were too intelligent to not come prepared for anything."

"Do you believe they had the knowledge to communicate through dimensions?"

"We do. Dreams. It's like Tibetan meditation. We go outside our bodies and communicate elsewhere." James prides himself on his discoveries.

Malcolm ponders on the situation, "Colonel? I'm going back for more rations. Do I carve up the turkey out there and build a fire?"

"No fire. Not yet. Let's see if we spot fire in the distance once it's dark. If there's anybody out there let's know in advance." She eyes James, "Do you think that Prehistoric birds healthy to eat? We can freeze it here safely right?"

"Hard to say. Parasites on it might be carriers. There's no documentation of Jurassic cuisine. I say bring a sample and let me look at it biologically. If there's no strain that looks deadly? Fry it up."

Ruby fidgets slightly before eying Malcolm, "Take Cameron with you. Don't over do it. Clothing. Extra food, flashlights, weapons from the cargo."

"Got it, Colonel." The men salute her and carry on with their mission.

Once gone Ruby drags a corpse from it's chair in a ripping sound that disgusted even her. "Let's get these guys out of here. The stench is horrid."

"I'm certain they would say the same of us." James chuckles and assists her.

After a lengthy cleaning of the seats and the bodies deposited outside the ship, James stops Ruby from going back up.

"We need to bury them as their civilization dictates."

"How do you know what their customs are?"

"I told you I hacked my way into Dulce Base. Area 51. Gulag 15."

"Gulag 15?"

"Siberia. Moscow's Area 51. Gee, even the U.S. didn't know that one."

"Okay, so we bury our own first. Tomorrow. Then we honor these guys. The least we can do for kicking them out of their ship."

"Awesome. Hope we have shovels. Is there any need for one on a plane?" He scratches his scalp.

"Standard issue in cases like these. So how do we bury these guys?"

"Easy. We dissolve them. Which makes me wonder, why didn't the survivors do that before they left?"

"Are we even positive there was a seventh or eighth? Just because there's two vacant seats."

"Holy Moley Batman." James bulges his eyes, "The other members of the crew might not have been Goranthian. They must have been Human. Military liaison."

Ruby stands stunned, "That mean's our survivor is one of us."

"Let me see if the onboard ship has a surveillance feed. We can learn more about them."

"I'm glad you're on our side James." Ruby grips his shoulder.

"If I didn't trust you Ruby. I would never have come along with you. Trust me I could have ran away and never been found. My parents would have suffered for that though."

"I'm glad you didn't. For everyone's sake."

They return inside to see Sophia wandering aimlessly, avoiding Xander who tries to be friends, sensing her sadness.

Ruby pats James, "Go locate that footage."

He realizes Ruby was going to talk with Sophia and lowers his gaze. He still felt awful over how he acted toward her. She was the closest to his own age.

Ruby sits down in one of the seats and grimaces at its leftover owners. There was no cleaning that could fix that.

"Sophia? Sit with me."

The 20 year old blond fidgets then decides she had little choices. She was internally lost. Finally, she inhabits the chair next to Ruby.

"After tomorrow. I need you to realize our predicament here. I know this is hell on you, losing your Mom. Your Dad out there in another dimension. Yes, other dimension. There's no other explanation. We're trapped here. Survival depends on all of us working together. Emotions need to be isolated. Yours specifically. Your days of designer clothes and a rich man's jewelry are gone."

Sophia responds with a tear, "I know. Dad taught me strength, as much as Mom taught me how to be a woman. As much as she could that is. I can deal with this. I know there's no alternative. Besides suicide. So not me."

"Good to hear. I'm proud of you. Oh, and concerning James? He may be a bloody Einstein but he's lacking in manners. He's fifteen and discovering girls. In his own crude way."

She giggles, "At least he doesn't have x-ray vision."

"Don't rule that out. He's brilliant."

"Wow!" Sophia sits intimidated.

"Help out Elle as much as you can with Jack. Just back up whoever needs your help."

"Alright. Thank you Colonel."

"Ruby. Just call me Ruby. Out here there's no need for too much respect."

A smile crosses Sophia's face, "Ok Ruby."

Returning to them James handles what looked like a electronic notebook. Swiping his fingers with the glove he creates a holographic image in front of them. The entire array was the ships collision with the time wave and the alien response. Suddenly, the image of a uniformed officer for the U.S. Army appeared escaping his seat restraints. The aliens around him were dashed about until their fragile bones snapped.

"Who is that?" Sophia asks.

"Major Lucas Dorsey. This craft has been here since 1966. Dorsey was MIA. Covered up by saying he and a small plane crashed in the jungles of Vietnam." James adds.

Ruby shook her head in disbelief. Her own Government was evil. She felt betrayed just knowing all this lost info. Hidden secrets. Dorsey looked like an evil bastard.

She observes the holographic image of a brutal crash that breaks the fragile bodies of the aliens. The audio was non-existent. Only Dorsey survived and escaped the ship after a month within. It took him that long to realize how to leave the ship.

"Wonder where he went?" opted Sophia.

"Out there!" Ruby surmised.

"Dorsey's records were spotted by his own interests. Majestic Twelve knew that when they compromised with the Goranthian's for their knowledge. It was Dorsey that designed the Men in Black program to protect his own agenda."

Ruby holds up her hands, "James! You know too much. Are you positive of any of this?"

"Dead on positive Colonel."

"Ruby." sighs Sophia.

James smirks, "You can get away with that. General's daughter and all."

Ruby Goddard faintly smiles, "You can call me Ruby too."

"Ruby Tuesday!" He teases allowing her a brief chuckle.

"Last time I heard that was from my Dad. Every time he got stoned. Pardon the pun." She palms her cheek while recalling her childhood. Then reality returned.

"James? What can we do with this ship?"

He grins evilly, "What can't I do with this tech? Luckily Dorsey didn't know what this tech could do. I don't think it would have been good."

Sophia tries to smile, "Can it charge my Ipod?"

"Right after I charge mine." James laughs.

"Okay children. As fun as this appears we need to concentrate on our welfare. Let's get Jack up and about top priority. I need that bastard alive."

"Oh, I'll make him better than good as new Colonel...Ruby. I know what Colonel Ramse can do. He's Rambo on steroids. Eastwood on a bad Harry day. Frank Castle times five."

Ruby shakes her head, "Whatever that all means. Yes, he's a soldier with skills."

"Mad skills. Do you know how many people he's killed in action?" James gets excited by knowing so much.

"Slow down. We don't need any body counts. Besides I can see it's making Sophia stressed."

She giggles, "I'm not stressed. Jack's just cute."

"Too old for you Sophia. Stop fantasizing already. He knows you teased him every chance you had. Time to grow up."

Sophia frowns, "I am grown up. I can tease if I want to."

After standing up for herself she walks away and heads down the gang plank out into the rocky terrain. She needed to be by herself.

Ruby holds her temple, "James? Can this ship be flown?"

"No. I told Sargent Brand that before. Navigation is totaled. The power source is drained from nearly fifty years sitting here. But, I'm thinking it's good for another ten years. We can manage a lot utilizing the battery cells. Home sweet home."

"You say the tech is useable?"

"Heck yeah. If you let me I can make us all kinds of cool gadgets."

"Do it. Keep busy. Fix Jack."

"Trust me Ruby. I got this. All of this. You just do your thing I'll do mine."

She nods and watches him leave her to an area of the ship she hadn't explored. Xander sat at Ruby's feet looking up at her without a sound.

"Hey Dog. Go keep Sophia company. She doesn't need to be out there alone."

With the merest of whines the German Shepard obeyed her and bolted down the ramp.

Outside Sophia tapped her feet talking to herself quietly for a good twenty minutes.

"God, I need a joint." Her favored response to her depression.

She narrowed her eyes to see Malcolm and Cameron returning with crates and bags. They were using a dolly for transport. It was difficult in the rocks but still they tried. She hoped at least for a cigarette.