Mark McGinnis - The Simpleton

“Yes, the orb mentally… speaks to me; provides me with mental images. That sort of thing.”

“That’s impossible. Take it from me. I’m a doctor… a neurosurgeon, to be more specific. I’m sorry, big guy, but humans simply aren’t capable of doing something like that.”

Jackie shrugged Brian’s hands away from her shoulders and glared up at him. “Well, maybe he’s not entirely just human… did you ever consider that? There’s a lot you don’t know, Brian. Being a pompous ass is only going to alienate you more from everyone here.”

Brian raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, easy does it, there… just getting the lay of the land around here.”

Cuddy, scanning the Viewscape, noted multiple icons now making their way off the surface, heading toward the Evermore . “That’s not good. Incoming missiles! Best everyone sit down and strap in.” Cuddy then looked over to Kyle and said, “Um… can you get everyone out of the bridge… have them strap in out there? I need to concentrate.”

“Sure.” As Cuddy watched Kyle usher everyone off the bridge, he knew they weren’t really interfering with his concentration—except for Brian, who was already getting under his skin. He really didn’t like the guy.

The orb again was communicating within his mind.

Cuddy… I need to break away for a while. It seems my makeshift repairs to the cloaking system on the Revenge have failed. Added to that, the one remaining functioning drive is becoming problematic, as well. My sensors tell me there are numerous incoming projectiles… missiles… coming from various strategic land, sea, and air locations around the planet. It’s a full-on attack, Cuddy. They have locked on to this spacecraft. Unfortunately, without functioning shields, I now need to separate from the Evermore and fend off the attack on my own. Fortunately, the Evermore is fully functional; its shields and propulsion readings are optimal. Cuddy, you have everything you need to progress to the upper atmosphere then beyond into distant space. Increase your rate of ascent, Cuddy… do that now!

Before Cuddy could object, the Revenge was banking away. He tried reaching out to the orb with his mind but knew the physical distance apart was already too great. He suddenly felt alone and vulnerable, but doing as the orb instructed, he increased their rate of ascent. His eyes stayed locked onto the Viewscape display, helplessly watching as numerous missiles approached the Revenge . The Howsh ship took decisive evasive action—spinning off to the right then reversing its direction—then going into a spiraling downward roll. The Revenge next fired off its plasma weapons and two missiles exploded simultaneously.

“There’s… too many!”

Cuddy glanced back over his shoulder to see Kyle standing there. He’d come back in.

“Can’t we do something? He’s being overwhelmed,” Kyle groaned.

“I don’t think so. The Evermore doesn’t have weapons on board… the Pashier were pacifists,” Cuddy told him. Like his brother, he felt increasingly powerless.

Cuddy glanced out the window and noticed the surrounding darkening blue of the upper atmosphere. Soon they would be reaching outer space.

Now staring at the Viewscape with relief, they saw that the orb was getting the upper hand with the ongoing air battle. One after another, all of the incoming missiles were being destroyed.

“Get ’em… get ’em all!” Kyle cheered.

Cuddy smiled at his brother’s enthusiasm and also began to breathe a little easier. Noting they’d now entered space, he brought the ship into a low orbit.

“Um… what’s that, Cuddy?” Kyle asked.

Cuddy turned back to the Viewscape display—something was approaching the Revenge .

“Why doesn’t the orb just get away from there?” Kyle questioned.

“That Howsh ship’s got mechanical issues. The orb mentioned its one working drive was having problems,” Cuddy said.

It was now apparent that the object approaching the Revenge was not a singular thing but a huge foray of multiple missiles—certainly no less than one hundred.

Cuddy’s stomach sank. He whispered, “Come on, orb… just get away from them… do something!” He was aware the others had quietly crept back onto the bridge and were silently watching the Revenge too . No longer maneuvering this way and that, the ship no longer deployed countless plasma bolts to protect itself either. As the first incoming missiles descended upon their intended target, a bright flash at the center of the display indicated a tremendous explosion had occurred. And then nothing could be seen on the display. No missiles… and no Howsh spacecraft. The Revenge had been destroyed, the orb now… gone .

Cuddy slowly turned and stared at all the other stunned faces. No one spoke.

Finally, Brian broke the silence. “The flying robot thing… it’s destroyed, right?”

Cuddy nodded.

“And it was the intelligence behind everything, what you were trying to do… right?”

When no one uttered a word, Brian added, “You need to turn back. You do know that, don’t you? Take us back to the ranch and, with luck, nobody’s jacked with my car yet.”

“You’re a major tool, do you know that?” Tony said, leering at him.

“Look… you may not like what I’m saying, but at some level you know it’s true. I’m the oldest one here and have the most real-life experience. I make life-altering decisions on a daily basis, so it’s time now you let a grownup make the big decisions. I’m telling you, take us back to Earth.”

Cuddy shifted his eyes toward Jackie. Still focused on Brain, she seemed to be considering what he was saying, and he could see indecision in her eyes.

When Cuddy spoke, his words were barely audible. “I’m taking this ship to Primara. Neither you, nor anyone else, will get in my way of doing that. You chose to come along so you’re going to have to deal with it. Now get off my bridge… all of you!” Cuddy turned his back on Jackie and studied the console. He wondered if the orb was right—that possibly he already knew what was necessary for them to reach Primara. He honestly didn’t know. What he did know was that he already felt the orb’s loss. His thoughts turned to another… how can I do this alone, Tow?

His official title was Lorgue Prime Eminence Norsh—but the standard, less formal way to address him was simply Lorgue Norsh. Currently, he was making his way forward, toward the Pintial ’s command center. Normally, he’d stop and converse with officers and crewmembers along the way, but not today. Norsh was in a hurry, and also in a foul mood. He fumed thinking about the news he’d received only that morning—an interstellar dispatch, coming from a distant quadrant that typically was of little concern to the Howsh.

Lorgue Norsh entered the Howsh Marauder-Class star fighter’s command center. Like the spacecraft itself, the command center was voluminous. Norsh strode toward the principal dais—a raised section at the center of the command center—where only the most senior officers were permitted to enter. Norsh spotted the officer he was looking for off to the right of the dais—Sub-Forgue Molth, his second-in-command.

There were nearly sixty command-center deck officers present, and they nervously watched their principal commander make his way toward his first officer. Lorgue Norsh was an impressive sight. Like all those on board this Marauder-Class vessel, he appeared well manicured. His golden-colored body fur was trimmed down to a quarter of an inch in length. He wore a smart white uniform with an angled crimson sash that had row after row of ornate metals and ribbons—each symbolic of some past act of either valor or bravery in battle. Although Lorgue Norsh’s bearlike snout had turned silver, it was the only evidence of his advancing years. There was none other on board the Pintial , young or old, who could match the commanding officer’s capacity for close-quarter combat.