THE VROL TRILOGY (163 page)

Max noticed a little too late, as a Vrol
flyer attacked their craft, grabbing onto it with its claws and
ripping the engines off one side. The ship careened to port, with
Max and Jennie nearly falling out of the open door. Max knew the
ship was doomed, so he did what was instinctive - he slipped all
four of them out and to an open area.

"Holy crap! What happened? Where's the ship?"
the lieutenant cried out in dismay. His weapons officer lie on the
ground, knocked unconscious by the attack.

"Hang on a sec," said Max, adjusting his
vision and looking at the pilot through his enhanced Primulus
meter.

"
Jen, he's
lycan. The weapons officer is a normal. Should we pump him
up
?"

"
I'd say no,
but he does deserve a small explanation
."

"Lieutenant… Rodriguez," Max started, looking
at the pilot's name badge, "I assume you watched the entire vid of
the joint session of Congress, right?"

"Yes sir, I did. Why do you ask?"

"Do you recall the part where we said that
Mankind used to have enhanced subspecies?"

"Um, yes sir. Why?"

"Well, you're one of them."

"Oh god. Am I going to be arrested?"

"Huh?" Jennie and Max both exclaimed
simultaneously.

"About one-third of Congress was removed, I
heard they were arrested."

"That wasn't on the vid. How did you find
out?" asked Jennie.

"Rumors fly around. So, am I in trouble?"

Max laughed. "No, not at all, Lieutenant.
There are two main subspecies - lycans and vampires. You're lycan,
like us. Well, not exactly like us. Our abilities are in full
bloom."

"So, we're lycans, like in the old Underworld
movies?"

"Not even close. We're much cooler than
that. Plus, we're super sexy in comparison. I swear, lycans
so
got the raw end of the deal when
it came to fantasy writing and movies on Earth," complained
Jennie.

"So, if lycans are good, are vampires
bad?"

"All the congressmen who were detained were
gen-vamps; vampire-potentials, and had some really nasty
traits."

"Chairman Johnson?"

"Vamp!" Max and Jennie laughed out at the
same time.

"And what do these vampires look like... hey!
Is that Senator Byrd?"

All three watched as a naked politician ran
screaming by them, holding the severed arm of an unfortunate victim
in his hand.

"Looks like it. And he's an active vampire.
Hang on," said Max, as he impossibly drew a sniper rifle out of his
sub-dimensional pocket, aimed and blew the back of the fleeing
senator's head wide open, dropping him to the ground like a sack of
lead.

"Looks like the Military Scientific Research
Department has some new toys these days," said Rodriguez, wearing a
smile.

"
We don't have
a full moon for weeks. I'm doping him
," said
Max.

"Lieutenant. I'm activating your lycan
genome, under the direct authority invested in me by Admiral Luigi
Bagatelle."

"Um, how can you… ouch!"

Max grinned as he capped the syringe and put
it back into his pocket.

"You'll start feeling the effects soon
enough. Come with us, we need to acquire you a new ship and get
your weapons officer to the infirmary."

The previously unconscious weapons officer
started to regain his wits, but Max snapped his fingers, knocking
him out again.

"What I'm about to do is classified. You are
to tell no one of our method of travel. Do you understand,
Lieutenant?"

"Yes sir. Oh. Sharga." Rodriguez saw his
surroundings suddenly shift to an infirmary in Buenos Aires' naval
base.

After Jennie had consumed a pound of beef,
and getting the weapons officer admitted to the infirmary, Max gave
the lieutenant a hub-relay comm. The three then took off for the
hangar, with Max signing off on a new ship for Rodriguez and
sending him on his way with a new weapons specialist.

"In about an hour you'll start hearing
communications in your head. The comm is basically telepathic. I
want you to keep me updated with what you see from low altitude.
Avoid bugs and just look for vampires. If you see any, hit me on
the comm. Just think my name and I'll hear you."

"Thank you, sir. We'll find them. And
sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Vampires really aren't sexy, beautiful
immortal creatures like in Earth's movies, are they?"

"No! They die young and smell like ass!"
Jennie blurted out, laughing as the two of them disappeared with a
light pop.

I wish I had paid more
attention in science class
, Rodriguez thought to
himself.

Chapter 31 - Pure Genius!

After five days of ground and air fighting
the Azulian forces were still unable to quell to constant barrage
of Vrol troops. To make things worse, the Brood Carrier was nowhere
to be found, but bugs were still being transported to populated
areas, forcing the science team to create more radio frequency
transmitters. Max wracked his brain, trying to figure a way he
could detect the Vrol's main vessel, but without side space drives
they were stuck in the water. Draagh said he could not detect the
craft, but for some reason he seemed a bit aloof, as if he was
waiting for something to happen.

Then Max suddenly realized he had what he
needed all along.

Stupid! Stupid! How come I didn't think of
it before?

###

Standing on the steps of Seven Sins, Dons'
nightclub in PAH, Max steeled himself and walked up into the bar.
He was instantly recognized, and had numerous beers shoved into his
face before he could get to his target - Lennie.

"Heya Maxie! Good ta see ya, mate!" exclaimed
the good-natured vampire.

"Hi, Lennie. You are looking well. How's
Jelly?"

"'Bout ready to pop any day! Little Max will
be healthy and happy, we hope."

"I'm sure he'll be just fine. Lennie, I'm not
here on vacation. You know, the Vrol attacked and we're at
full-blown war."

"I heard. So why
are
you here, then?"

"I need your help. I need your blood."

"Huh? Sure, but why?"

Max sighed, trying to figure out how to tell
his friend the truth. He chose otherwise.

He lied.

"Lennie, you know how vampires are really bad
actors where I live, right?"

"If you mean assholes, yeah. I know."

"Well, I believe a sample of your blood will
enable me to make a cure for them."

"A cure? So they can be more like us
here?"

"Exactly."

"Take all you need, my friend."

Lennie pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and
exposed his alabaster-white arm, smiling and willing to do anything
to help his friend. Max honestly wished what he was saying was
true, because then he'd be able to take Lennie and Jelly back to
Azul for a decent chance at life. But he needed the man's blood for
other reasons. Max pulled a syringe and two vials out of his pocket
and drew a substantial amount of Lennie's life fluid. Not nearly
enough to make the man weak, but enough for what he was about to
do.

Max pocketed the vials and walked back to the
bar, calling Marko over. He had earlier asked the mutated lycan if
he wanted to assist in the recapture of Azul, to which the man had
anxiously agreed.

"Marko!"

"Sir! It's really good to see you."

"Still want to see the galaxy? And get into
some fights?"

"You bet! I'm your man! But… what about the
clan?"

"I already ran it by Dons," said Max, as they
both looked over to the clan leader. Dons merely waved and smiled.
He wasn't about to leave his home, but had no problem letting
anyone else help Max out.

"Okay, stand next to me. You start basic
training now."

"Basic… training?"

Max Gunnarsson and Marko disappeared from the
bar without further ado.

###

"Josh, use this blood. I've made it so
Johnson's crap devices will read it as live," said Max as he
approached the young LTJG while accompanied by a homeless-looking
man.

"Captain, when did you find Johnson? I've
heard nothing."

"This isn't… Johnson's blood. I just hope it
will work."

Josh gave Max a quizzical gaze, and then
excitedly turned to his test equipment. Generating the same type of
gelatinous card as he did with Ryder Johnson's remains, he inserted
the card in a slot.

Stage One: complete.

Stage Two: complete.

Everyone held their breath, only exhaling
when the hook pushed out of its encasement and started to glow.

Cheers filled the hall, while Josh shut the
machinery down, not wishing to activate a live hook in a warehouse,
potentially murdering everyone in its vicinity by sucking them into
a chaotic, sub-dimensional realm.

"What was that? What did you do,
Captain?"

"Never mind. The sample was close enough.
You're coming with me. Which is the primary vessel that will
activate all the other ships?"

"Um, that would be the Revolution, sir,"
responded the young man.

Max looked at the junior officer, and
gave him a great smile. Then, taking a step back, he put on his
best
official
face, and said,
"Josh Mannheim, Lieutenant Junior Grade, I hereby grant you a
brevet promotion to the rank of full lieutenant, to be made
official by Admiral Bagatelle as time permits."

Josh nearly stumbled back, stunned. Smartly
saluting Max, he was surprised when his superior officer grabbed
and hugged him, while grabbing Marko's arm. Josh was even more
startled when he found himself in a small room.

"Where are we, sir?"

"On the Revolution. I just don't like
slipping into crowds of people. Only a few know of my
abilities."

"I think I'm gonna puke, Mr. Max."

"Marko, you'll get used to it. We're only
here for a few, anyway. Josh, where's the thing we need to stick
your card into?"

"On the bridge, sir."

The three made a mad dash for the bridge,
which was on the other side of the ship. Josh was no longer the
anti-athletic geek he once was. His activated lycan genetics had
turned him into the practical equivalent of an Olympic decathlon
athlete, and if anyone appreciated that fact it was his wife.
Marko, however, had yet to be inoculated and was struggling to keep
up.

They reached the bridge, startling Bagatelle,
who had his eyes glued to the numerous view screens, as usual.

"Permission to enter the bridge, sir," said
Max.

Bagatelle waved the two in. "Hello Captain.
Any news? And why did you bring the junior lieutenant and the
Hollywood bartender with you?"

"Wanna start the hook?"

"Are you saying you can activate the side
space drive?"

"Yup. And he's now full lieutenant. I gave
him a promotion."

Bagatelle nodded his head as Josh dashed to
the equipment Johnson had his techs install in the Revolution -
equipment that required live samples of the dictator's DNA in order
to activate the hook drive. Josh pushed his card into a slot
similar to the one in his test equipment.

Nothing.

"Lieutenant, what happened? Why isn't
anything working?" demanded Bagatelle.

"I don't know, sir. It should work."

Max carefully scanned the panel where the
card was inserted, and realized the equipment wasn't started by a
card. "Josh, look, there's a thumbprint on the console. Pour some
of this blood on it." Max handed the young man a vial of Lennie's
blood. Josh then carefully put a drop on the thumbprint. Almost as
if by magic, a panel of lights started flickering wildly.

"Sir, we have hook drive control," barked
Alicia Vasquez, seated at the command chair.

"Check with the other ships and see if they
are similarly affected," the admiral ordered.

Moments later they received confirmations.
All ships on Azul's fleet now had side space capabilities,
including the Draeders that Max had previously deactivated and then
reactivated by merely disconnecting and then reconnecting some
wires.

"Start searching all side space frequencies
for occupiers. Immediately," said Bagatelle. "And Lieutenant, make
sure this is permanent. By the way, good work. As for your
promotion, whatever Max said is official in my book. We'll make a
record of it later."

"Sir, thank you, sir."

Max looked out at the depths of the galaxy,
as the Revolution was sucked into side space. Wildly weaving
strands of multicolored light ran in all directions, each a path to
a different place in the galaxy, and potentially the known
universe. No one knew exactly what side space was, but it was the
fastest way to get around the universe at the time - for humans.
Max and his family could go much faster. Still, he felt stupid. For
as smart as he was, he tended to be too logical in his thought
processes, and not creative - at all. Lennie was the key all along.
He had guessed Lennie, the kindly vampire drummer from
Post-Apocalyptic Hollywood, was Len Johnson's doppelganger long
before, but never made the genetic connection for starting the hook
drives.

I'm gonna have to take some creative writing
courses or something. I just don't see things.

"Admiral, I'm picking up Jennie and getting
back to the Reagan. Plus, I need to drop Marko off for training.
Then we're going to start hunting. Josh, would you like a lift back
to the base?"

The lieutenant paused briefly, and then
looked at his superior officers. "Actually, sirs, could I stay
aboard the Revolution for a while? I've worked with this technology
so much, and I'd really like to experience it a bit if I
could."