Chapter 21

Aaris led Buck deep into the interior of the massive warship. They traveled through a literal maze of corridors and lifts to get to their destination. Aaris stopped outside a door.

"This is where the tractor beam receives its power. All we have to do is disable it. Follow my lead."

The door opened and they entered into the massive room. Inside the control room was an outrageous number of computer systems and technicians. Buck leaned over to whisper to the slightly shorter Aaris.

"So which one do we blow up?"

Aaris went to his left and walked about a quarter of the way around the circular room. He stopped at an empty monitor and simply tapped a button.

"The tractor beam's been disabled," he said.

Buck furrowed his brows. "What? Just like that?" he whispered. "I don't get to blow anything up? Then what did you need me for?"

Aaris moved his finger. "Come with me."

Hesitantly Buck followed Aaris back out of the room. When they were alone in the corridor, Aaris began to speak.

"That was the easy one. Taking out the sensors will be a little harder."

"How about we take out the ship's weapons? Or the engines?"

"It will be impossible to take out the engines. This ship has four back-up engines. We would have to take them out all at the same time."

Buck nodded. "Okay, the engines are out. What about the weapons?"

"That would be easier than the engines, but impractical. We only have time to take out one of the ship's major components. We can take out the weapons, but since they are unnecessary to the minister's conquest, it wouldn't help us any. The weapon that is going to destroy your world is a biological weapon. There's no way we can stop that. These weapons systems are only for defensive purposes. If we take out the sensors, then not only do the weapons become obsolete, but so does navigation and pretty much everything having to do with the exterior of the ship. The ship would be literally blind and defenseless and unable to fire the biological weapon."

"Good point. The defenseless part is pretty much moot, since we don't have anything to attack the ship with anyway."

Aaris glared at Buck.

"Not that I would attack a ship this size anyway!"

"You have seen your share of battles?"

Buck nodded once. "More than my share."

"And you have always been victorious?"

"Not even close. I've lost my share."

Aaris sighed as they continued to walk down the corridor. "We have not seen any battles, at least not in the manner in which you have. Our battles consist of sending probes of poison into the planet's atmosphere and waiting for the inhabitants to die. That is a cowardly way of doing battle."

"Yeah, it's not exactly a fair fight. Especially if the other people don't even know they're under attack."

"Exactly. Don't get me wrong, uh…"

"Buck."

"Buck. Don't get me wrong, Buck. I do not long for battle. But I do not wish to kill defenseless people either."

"It's not very sporting. Tell me, Aaris. What happens if this whole plan of yours doesn't work? What if we kill your minister and your people are successful in killing the deputy minister? Is there someone else onboard who is capable of going through with sterilizing Earth?"

"There is Captain Arnogg, but I believe him to be an honorable man. I believe he is only acting under orders."

"So when this is over, what happens next? You guys just leave?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Is it possible that you contact our world, just kind of let them know that we're not alone in the galaxy? That could be enough to scare my people into getting rid of all our weapons of mass destruction. It might be enough to encourage them to work together instead of constantly against each other."

Aaris stopped, rubbed his chin. "I don't know. It's against the inter-stellar laws."

"So is the mass genocide of entire planets, isn't it?" Buck asked incredulously.

"True." Aaris nodded once as he turned to Buck. "I will suggest that to Vaahn. That is the best I can do."

"Good enough. Now please tell me I get to blow something up!"

Aaris grinned. He pulled out a tiny steel spherical object from his pocket and showed it to Buck, who began to smile.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Minister Turon lay on the floor, gasping for air. Wilma merely laughed at him for a moment, before reaching a hand down to meet his. With the help of the other six women in the room, they managed to lead him to his lounge chair. He plopped into the chair heavily.

"My heart is racing… I can't breathe!"

Wilma sat on the arm of the chair. "You need to get some more exercise!"

He managed to nod weakly. Wilma held a cup to his lips for a moment. When she placed the cup back down, she picked up one of the pieces of food and proceeded to feed it to the minister. After several minutes, the minister finally returned to normal. He smiled at Wilma.

"Maybe I won't destroy your race entirely. Maybe I'll keep you around for my personal entertainment."

Suddenly a sharp pain struck him in the chest. His eyes widened as he looked at Wilma. She simply shook her head.

"I don't think that's going to work for me."

He grasped at his throat as he gasped for air again. "What have you done to me?"

"Something that should have been done a long time ago. What do you think happened to the souls of all those people you murdered?"

"Urgh," he mumbled.

"Do you believe in poetic justice? You've killed how many people on how many planets? And the first person you actually meet from another planet happens to kill you. Isn't that just the saddest thing you've ever heard? I guess it's time to dig out the blight, don't you think, Minister?"

He managed to gasp for one more bit of air before his body went lifeless. Wilma turned to the six women in the room who had literally frozen where they were. She stood and retrieved her shoes. She reached into one and pulled out the vial that had contained the poison and simply dropped it onto the plate of food.

"I wouldn't eat that, if I were you. Is there someone here who can lead me to the flight hangar?"

One of the dancers stepped forward quickly. "I can. Is he… dead?"

Wilma nodded. "I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to save six billion people on-"

She shook her head. "Do not apologize, Miss. We are grateful to you. He was a very cruel and disgusting man. He got what he deserved."

Another woman stepped forward. "He deserved worse."
"Is there anything we can do you for?" the first woman asked.

Wilma simply shook her head. "All I need is for someone to lead me back to my ship, and for you all to remain silent about this. Do not inform anyone that he is dead. At least not yet."

The first girl nodded, smiled. "We will tell no one. Come with me. I will lead you to your ship."

"What if someone sees you with me?"

"This is the minister's chamber. There is a secret, private passage to the hangar. No one will see us."

Wilma took one long, last look at the dead minister and then followed the dancer out of the room.