Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Episode 6
"Souls of the Dead"
by
Keith M. Shaw
Chapter 1
The cockpit was surprisingly quiet, considering it contained Buck, Twiki, and Doctor Theopolis, all of whom normally liked to talk. However ever since they left the Draconian stargate, no one had said a word. In fact they had traveled for nearly half an hour before Theopolis broke the dead silence of deep space.
"Captain Rogers, are you feeling well?"
Buck opened his eyes (he had been trying to nap and the tone of Theopolis' voice jerked him awake) and glanced at the droid sitting beside him. "Yeah," he managed to mumble in a hoarse voice. "Why do you ask?"
"You've barely said a word since we left the Draconia home world."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: he misses Ardala!"
Buck grinned but shook his head as his eyes closed again. "No, that's not it."
"Then what is it?" Theo pressed. "Thinking about how you're going to word your report to Doctor Huer?"
"No, that's not it either."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: upset the party's over?"
"Ugh," Buck mumbled again. "Man, what a party. Ardala's like a 318 V-8: she's got a motor that just doesn't know when to quit."
"Yes it was quite the interesting event," Theo agreed. "It's not every day they crown a new empress. Apparently they weren't ready to end the celebrations."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: neither was Astawnia! Hubba Hubba!"
Buck simply grinned and kept his eyes shut.
"Agreed, Twiki. I believe the Princess Astawnia was quite stricken with Captain Rogers. It was quite the spectacle, watching her challenge Ardala for Buck's affections and attention."
Buck simply maintained his grin but kept his eyes shut.
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: what do you think of Astawnia, Buck?"
He moaned slightly and shook his head. "I'm trying not to."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: if Ardala is a 318 V-8, what kind of motor does Astawnia have?"
"Mmmm," Buck mumbled. "If I was four hundred years younger."
"If you were four hundred years younger, you would still be a hundred thirty-four," Theo said.
"Okay, if I was five hundred fifteen years younger."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Beep-be-de-de-beep."
"I agree, Twiki."
Buck rolled his head from side to side but didn't bother opening his eyes. "I'm not even going to ask." The cockpit fell into silence for another couple minutes before Buck rubbed his forehead. "Man, I haven't been this hung-over since my fraternity days. I'm just glad it's dark and quiet in deep space." He finally opened his eyes and took a quick glance at the droid and the computer hanging from its neck. "Usually," he added.
The cockpit silenced for another minute before Twiki spoke again. "Beep-be-de-de-beep: I wonder what a Draconian wedding looks like."
Without even looking, Buck smacked the little droid on top of the head. "Don't start on me, Twiki. I don't even want to think of going to another party for at least a month. It might be that long before I have another drink, too. Ugh, my head's still spinning, and we're not even near a stargate."
"Actually we are," Theo announced.
Buck glanced at his control panel. "Nah, we got ten more minutes. When we get home, I'm gonna go straight to bed and not come outa my apartment for at least four days."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: not even for Wilma?"
"Not even for Doctor Huer. The last three days feels like it was three weeks."
"It was, for us," Theo said.
"Hmm-mmm, don't remind me. Now if you don't mind, it feels like I got the whole Tijuana Brass playing inside my head. Wake me up when we get to the stargate."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: you got it, Buck."
Once more the cockpit silenced for several minutes. When they reached the stargate, Twiki reached across and tapped Buck on the arm. Buck's body spasmed and his eyes jerked open. It took a minute to realize where he was, but eventually some semblance of cognizance returned, at least enough to type in the coordinates for the stargate nearest Earth. He then leaned back in the seat just as the shuttle entered the stargate.
Before the spinning sensation could fade away, however, Theo's voice sounded sharply in his ear. "Captain Rogers, I believe you typed in the wrong coordinates. This isn't the Terran system. This is the Sirrian system."
Buck forced the hangover symptoms aside and instantly became alert and aware. He checked his console readouts against the navigational coordinates and shook his head. "No I didn't," he replied after a moment's pause. "I typed them in right. I've used them so many times now it's like second nature."
"This is most definitely the Sirrian system."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: taking a detour, Buck?"
"NO! I… I don't know how… alright, let's try this again."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: time for a U-turn."
Buck typed in the course change, but nothing happened. He did it again but still nothing happened. His eyes widened and he bit his bottom lip. "Uh-oh."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: here it comes."
"What's wrong, Captain Rogers?"
"The controls aren't responding."
"What do you mean they aren't responding?"
"I can't change course, I can't slow down, I can't speed up: we're on automatic pilot and I can't take manual control! The controls are completely frozen! I'm locked out!"
"Try the manual override."
"I did! Three times!"
"Isn't there anything you can do?"
"I can try one more thing." He reached under the seat, but as soon as he touched the bypass panel, he pulled his arm back so hard it bounced off the view-screen. "Ouch! Sonofa… it shocked me!"
"Oh dear."
Buck growled as he sat back in the seat. "I'm gonna kill her!"
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Ardala?"
"Anderia!" Buck nearly yelled.
"What makes you think Princess Anderia sabotaged the shuttle?"
"Who else would do it?"
"But she didn't know when we were leaving or what ship we were taking. This is Empress Ardala's new personal shuttle. In fact, Empress Ardala said this was the maiden voyage for this shuttle."
"New?"
"Her last personal shuttle was aboard the Draconia when it-"
"Ahh, right. Pfft, some maiden voyage this is turning out to be."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: I'm too young to die!"
"We're not dead yet, little buddy." Buck tried a few more switches but nothing worked. "Radio's out too. Theo, can you raise Doctor Huer on your subspace communicator?"
"I can, but I can't make point to point communication. I can only send a one-way transmission."
"That'll have to do. Tell him where we are and what our current trajectory is just in case I can't get manual control back. The only thing we can do right now is ride this thing out and see where it takes us."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: what if it takes us nowhere?"
Buck sighed and leaned back. "Then we'll be right in the middle of it."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: just my luck: all dressed up and nowhere to go."