The Last Invasion
Mary Beth's Return
Stokely sighed, arms folded across her chest, "If she didn't answer the phone, what makes you think she'll answer the door?" Stan stopped mid knock with his fist hovering over the door, glaring over his shoulder at the girl. "What do you want me to do, then? Break a window," he paused, straining a smile, "honey?"
She rolled her eyes, dropping to the porch steps. They had been pounding and hollering on Riva's doorstep for fifteen minutes without so much of the alien's presence within. "I know she's in there, but she's scared Stan." Stoke leaned against her boyfriend's shoulder as he sat beside her. Stan nodded, resting his chin on her head, "Well, we have to talk to her. We don't have a lot of time either. Any ideas?"
Stokely shook her head, and then froze, "Did you hear that?"
"What?"
"Shut up," she hissed, craning forward to listen. Whirling around, she caught sight of the door creaking open wide enough for a hand to beckon them in. Stokely was up in an instant, dragging a questioning Stan behind her as she zipped through the door. It slammed shut behind them with Riva locking numerous, complex locks. The alien turned slowly to look at her friends, with a weak smile. "Greetings."
Stokely and Stan stared at Riva, it seemed she had aged ten years in less than a week. She was considerably thinner, and her tan skin had a blue hue to it. Her hair was frazzled, sticking out at odd angles around her head and face, dropping into a set of dull eyes. "Riva, you look." Stan's voice trailed off, but Riva nodded. "I know, as you say, I've seen better days. We are not safe to speak up here, please follow me."
She led the couple to a stairwell at the back of the house that led into the basement. The stairs were made of rotting wood, unstable and creaking. It took some coaxing on Stan's part to get the girl to creep down them, gripping the railing with white knuckles. Riva led them on into the dark basement without pausing even when the stairs gave a vicious creak, swaying from the strain of three bodies. Stokely yelped, gripping Stan's shoulders, "Aliens are suppose to have advanced technology, and we're going to die because of stupid stairs?"
The boy laughed, gripped his girlfriend's wrist firmly and led her down the stairs to where Riva patiently awaited them. "I'm sorry about the stairs, Stokely. I suppose it would provided sufficient defense to hide the technology you spoke of though," Riva commented as she flipped on the lights, flooding the dark room with illumination of the largest computers either human had seen.
Along the adjacent wall, and three quarters of the room was a huge computer console. Read outs and screens dotted the machine, as well as input devices at waist level. Stokes whistled in admiration, Stan stared wide-eyed, "What does it do?" Riva smiled proudly and patted the gleaming metal hull with her hand, hearing a dull reverting sound in effect. "It monitors Earth's atmosphere, collects data of all sorts. It organizes and categorizes the data for future use, when I wish to research something. It also watches the skies, and allows me to search for transmissions from other planets. Though I must admit, I've fried a few local earth transmissions, but nothing I couldn't fix."
Stan began to slowly make his way across the computer, staring at all the knobs and keys on it, all foreign to him. He forced himself to stop and turn around when he heard a certain ahem from Stokely, catching the look in her eye. He glanced longingly at the computer, itching to play with the gizmos and find out the true potential of the machine, but other matters came first. "We need to talk Riva."
The alien girl nodded solemnly, motioning to a doorway off the main room. The couple followed her into a simple room decorated with a few chairs, lamps and a large telescope facing the only window. Stokely wandered over to the window, craning her neck to peer up at the sky. The sun was still shining as brightly as ever, yet its rays didn't penetrate down to the basement they were in. Stan dropped into the nearest chair; waited patiently as Riva carefully choose the seat across from him. Stokely eventually returned to the chairs, leaning back into the plush fabric, eyeing her boyfriend then the alien.
"I'm sure you know what happened to Casey and Zeke," Stan began slowly, choosing his words carefully. Riva nodded, "Yes, I intercepted a few messages the Atlantians had sent out. I believe they wanted me to be able to decode them, other wise I would have never been able to. I'm sorry they've gone after you instead."
"It's not your fault, entirely. They've only gone after Case and Zeke so far, we aren't sure what they know about Stokes and me, and our involvement with Mary Beth. They want you mostly, I don't think they're too happy that you escaped, or something. But Miss Levinson, she said something about Atlantians never dying. That they always have a pod-I think that's the word- left behind." Stan paused, stole a glance at Stokely, then proceeded, "She said you have what's left of Mary Beth."
Riva licked her lower lip uncertainly, a human habit she had picked up during her time on Earth. She stared intently at the floor, eyes downcast enough that her liquid eyelids shone in the lamp light, casting a slight glow on her cheeks. Stan and Stokely exchanged nervous glances, when the girl slowly raised her head, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's true, I do have Mary Beth."
"B-but why? Why didn't you tell us, Riva?" Stokely asked, her voice soft, soothing. She leaned forward, placing a reassuring hand on the alien's knee. Riva slowly moved her leg past Stokely's reach, "Because I knew if I told you, you'd want to destroy her!"
"Of course we want it destroyed! We don't want Mary Beth coming back and taking over our world! And now look, we've got three other aliens like her breathing down our necks." Stan's words caught in his throat from a particularly nasty glare from his girlfriend. He caught the look in Riva's eyes, the fear, more tears brimming there.
Riva stood, turning her back to the two. "I knew that's what you would say. I do not blame you. But what you don't understand is the relationship I had with Mary Beth. The Atlantians are my people's masters back home, and most of them are cruel and careless with us. But Mary Beth was different; she saw things differently than the other Atlantians. She trusted me with her deepest fears and secrets, and I with her. Don't you understand that? I couldn't let you kill her!"
Stokely was up beside Riva, wrapping an arm across her shoulders, "It's alright, Riva! We understand. Here on Earth, Mary Beth would be what we call, a best friend. Listen, it's okay, really. Settle down and we'll talk." Slowly, Riva allowed herself to be led back to her chair and soothed by the human. When she had gained control, and apologized profusely for her behavior, Stan spoke again. This time, choosing his words more carefully.
"I understand where you're coming from. And I'm sure you know where we're coming from. I'm not going to ask you where Mary Beth is; truth is, I don't want to know. But we need to know for sure, that the Atlantians won't get their hands on her. We need your promise that you will keep her safe from ever coming back and falling in the wrong hands. Can you at least do that?"
There was a short pause before Riva nodded, "I promise that."
Stokely and Stan grinned, "Great. Now, on to other matters."
A.N.: As promised in the previous chapter, updates are limited. I've been very sick lately, and stressed. This is probably the worst chapter I've written! I've lost my touch for writing lately, so sorry about it. It's not long, I'll work on making the next one more interesting, better written, and longer. With Christmas coming up, I hope to have some more time on my hands to get better and write. Anyway, reviews will be gloriously received and thanks will be given multiple times. I'm rambling.
Mary Beth's Return
Stokely sighed, arms folded across her chest, "If she didn't answer the phone, what makes you think she'll answer the door?" Stan stopped mid knock with his fist hovering over the door, glaring over his shoulder at the girl. "What do you want me to do, then? Break a window," he paused, straining a smile, "honey?"
She rolled her eyes, dropping to the porch steps. They had been pounding and hollering on Riva's doorstep for fifteen minutes without so much of the alien's presence within. "I know she's in there, but she's scared Stan." Stoke leaned against her boyfriend's shoulder as he sat beside her. Stan nodded, resting his chin on her head, "Well, we have to talk to her. We don't have a lot of time either. Any ideas?"
Stokely shook her head, and then froze, "Did you hear that?"
"What?"
"Shut up," she hissed, craning forward to listen. Whirling around, she caught sight of the door creaking open wide enough for a hand to beckon them in. Stokely was up in an instant, dragging a questioning Stan behind her as she zipped through the door. It slammed shut behind them with Riva locking numerous, complex locks. The alien turned slowly to look at her friends, with a weak smile. "Greetings."
Stokely and Stan stared at Riva, it seemed she had aged ten years in less than a week. She was considerably thinner, and her tan skin had a blue hue to it. Her hair was frazzled, sticking out at odd angles around her head and face, dropping into a set of dull eyes. "Riva, you look." Stan's voice trailed off, but Riva nodded. "I know, as you say, I've seen better days. We are not safe to speak up here, please follow me."
She led the couple to a stairwell at the back of the house that led into the basement. The stairs were made of rotting wood, unstable and creaking. It took some coaxing on Stan's part to get the girl to creep down them, gripping the railing with white knuckles. Riva led them on into the dark basement without pausing even when the stairs gave a vicious creak, swaying from the strain of three bodies. Stokely yelped, gripping Stan's shoulders, "Aliens are suppose to have advanced technology, and we're going to die because of stupid stairs?"
The boy laughed, gripped his girlfriend's wrist firmly and led her down the stairs to where Riva patiently awaited them. "I'm sorry about the stairs, Stokely. I suppose it would provided sufficient defense to hide the technology you spoke of though," Riva commented as she flipped on the lights, flooding the dark room with illumination of the largest computers either human had seen.
Along the adjacent wall, and three quarters of the room was a huge computer console. Read outs and screens dotted the machine, as well as input devices at waist level. Stokes whistled in admiration, Stan stared wide-eyed, "What does it do?" Riva smiled proudly and patted the gleaming metal hull with her hand, hearing a dull reverting sound in effect. "It monitors Earth's atmosphere, collects data of all sorts. It organizes and categorizes the data for future use, when I wish to research something. It also watches the skies, and allows me to search for transmissions from other planets. Though I must admit, I've fried a few local earth transmissions, but nothing I couldn't fix."
Stan began to slowly make his way across the computer, staring at all the knobs and keys on it, all foreign to him. He forced himself to stop and turn around when he heard a certain ahem from Stokely, catching the look in her eye. He glanced longingly at the computer, itching to play with the gizmos and find out the true potential of the machine, but other matters came first. "We need to talk Riva."
The alien girl nodded solemnly, motioning to a doorway off the main room. The couple followed her into a simple room decorated with a few chairs, lamps and a large telescope facing the only window. Stokely wandered over to the window, craning her neck to peer up at the sky. The sun was still shining as brightly as ever, yet its rays didn't penetrate down to the basement they were in. Stan dropped into the nearest chair; waited patiently as Riva carefully choose the seat across from him. Stokely eventually returned to the chairs, leaning back into the plush fabric, eyeing her boyfriend then the alien.
"I'm sure you know what happened to Casey and Zeke," Stan began slowly, choosing his words carefully. Riva nodded, "Yes, I intercepted a few messages the Atlantians had sent out. I believe they wanted me to be able to decode them, other wise I would have never been able to. I'm sorry they've gone after you instead."
"It's not your fault, entirely. They've only gone after Case and Zeke so far, we aren't sure what they know about Stokes and me, and our involvement with Mary Beth. They want you mostly, I don't think they're too happy that you escaped, or something. But Miss Levinson, she said something about Atlantians never dying. That they always have a pod-I think that's the word- left behind." Stan paused, stole a glance at Stokely, then proceeded, "She said you have what's left of Mary Beth."
Riva licked her lower lip uncertainly, a human habit she had picked up during her time on Earth. She stared intently at the floor, eyes downcast enough that her liquid eyelids shone in the lamp light, casting a slight glow on her cheeks. Stan and Stokely exchanged nervous glances, when the girl slowly raised her head, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's true, I do have Mary Beth."
"B-but why? Why didn't you tell us, Riva?" Stokely asked, her voice soft, soothing. She leaned forward, placing a reassuring hand on the alien's knee. Riva slowly moved her leg past Stokely's reach, "Because I knew if I told you, you'd want to destroy her!"
"Of course we want it destroyed! We don't want Mary Beth coming back and taking over our world! And now look, we've got three other aliens like her breathing down our necks." Stan's words caught in his throat from a particularly nasty glare from his girlfriend. He caught the look in Riva's eyes, the fear, more tears brimming there.
Riva stood, turning her back to the two. "I knew that's what you would say. I do not blame you. But what you don't understand is the relationship I had with Mary Beth. The Atlantians are my people's masters back home, and most of them are cruel and careless with us. But Mary Beth was different; she saw things differently than the other Atlantians. She trusted me with her deepest fears and secrets, and I with her. Don't you understand that? I couldn't let you kill her!"
Stokely was up beside Riva, wrapping an arm across her shoulders, "It's alright, Riva! We understand. Here on Earth, Mary Beth would be what we call, a best friend. Listen, it's okay, really. Settle down and we'll talk." Slowly, Riva allowed herself to be led back to her chair and soothed by the human. When she had gained control, and apologized profusely for her behavior, Stan spoke again. This time, choosing his words more carefully.
"I understand where you're coming from. And I'm sure you know where we're coming from. I'm not going to ask you where Mary Beth is; truth is, I don't want to know. But we need to know for sure, that the Atlantians won't get their hands on her. We need your promise that you will keep her safe from ever coming back and falling in the wrong hands. Can you at least do that?"
There was a short pause before Riva nodded, "I promise that."
Stokely and Stan grinned, "Great. Now, on to other matters."
A.N.: As promised in the previous chapter, updates are limited. I've been very sick lately, and stressed. This is probably the worst chapter I've written! I've lost my touch for writing lately, so sorry about it. It's not long, I'll work on making the next one more interesting, better written, and longer. With Christmas coming up, I hope to have some more time on my hands to get better and write. Anyway, reviews will be gloriously received and thanks will be given multiple times. I'm rambling.