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Chapter 16: Cleanse the System (Part 2)

Alvin's POV

"Shit," I cursed under my breath.

Having just barely allowing myself to feel like I was kind of close to being done, my first sigh of relief had just been interrupted by the distant but unmistakable signs of what was left of the Martian pack stomping back my way. I could see dust rising in the distance, over the top of the solar panels that I had been busy dusting off.

With the solar field being directly in between the approaching Martians and the mountain where there nest was, I started frantically searching around for the best place to hide. I couldn't run inside, as then I might be seen and it would put everyone in danger.

I began to breathe quicker and quicker knowing that my time was ticking if I didn't find a way out of this. Looking around, the dirt all around me was level. There wasn't a single rock, ditch or hole to hide. As the Martians got louder, I could hear them snarl and howl at each other. I took a deep breath and turned in the direction of the single metal leg that was holding one of the solar panels several feet up in the air. Taking the rusty thing in both hands, I hoisted myself upwards and then wrapped my legs around it as well.

Grunting with every little bit of progress I made, I began to climb.

Eventually I had made it all the way to the top of the stem, just underneath the face of the panel. Without wasting time, I grabbed one of the cross beams and pulled up my legs so that not one of my limbs was dangling down. After that, it was all I could do to turn around so that I was facing the ground and wait. The aliens were fast-approaching. I was gripping the cross bars for dear life, holding myself in the air, panting.

I could hear the pack of killers marching their way angrily through the solar panel field. They were growling at each other and pushing into each other as they went, not being at all sneaky. I took one last deep breath before the massive queen trudged angrily into my line of sight. She was a few steps ahead of her minions, who followed her cautiously. She walked across my line of sight, past the solar panel that I was hiding on, totally unaware of me.

Her soldiers seemed not to notice me either, as they trudged along acting completely disgruntled. They had likely seen dozens of their friends, siblings, whatever blown up in an instant. These were the survivors. And they seemed pissed. Their mannerisms told me that if i were caught, they would make damn sure that I died slowly.

Hanging several feet above their head, I was just waiting for one of those freaks to look up even just a little bit. It wouldn't end well for me.

Finally, the last two stragglers, pacing shoulder to shoulder in order to catch up to the rest of the pack, came into view. They jogged until they were directly underneath me, when suddenly the one on the right accidentally stepped on the other's front paw. The hurt Martian lifted his paw off the ground and hissed at his buddy. The one on the right responded by snapping his jaw just inches away from the other's face. Still nursing a sore paw, the other backed off and went right back to running to catch up to the group, followed closely by the other one.

I waited in my hiding spot for what felt like an hour, panting, eyes wide with shock that I had just made it out of that situation. I stayed up there listening for their marching and angry growls to get quieter. Eventually, I got up the courage to once again wrap myself around the single pole that held up the panel and climb down just enough to make sure the coast was clear. The Martians were nowhere in sight. To my relief, I realized that they had gone back into their fortress in the mountain.

I slid down the rest of the way like a fireman, landing gracefully on my feet. It was time to get back to work.

As I busied myself dusting off the remaining solar panels, I had plenty of time to think. Think about my brother, think about getting off of this planet, think about Brittany, think about the baby. I suddenly caught myself daydreaming about being a father. I liked to imagine myself as the fun, cool dad who was always making his kid laugh.

Was that what I was really going to be like, though? Was being a father going to bring the worst out in me? How would I know when to be stern and when to be soft? At first I told myself that I wasn't going to be like Dave, but then I realized that we had all turned out just fine and that Dave had actually done a fine job. I just didn't think his parenting style would match well with mine. But then again, how could I know that? Having a child could totally change me, forever.

None of this would even matter if we didn't make it out of here. I shuddered, as I couldn't stand the thought of dying on this ugly rock of a planet, especially not with my baby inside of her. I'd never forgive myself if I made it back to Earth and she didn't. I'd definitely give my life to saver hers.

I paused and ran this scenario through my head. Would I really? Yes, I finally assured myself that I would. I'd sacrifice myself for my family. If it came to that, of course.

At this point, I was surprised to realize that I only had a few more solar panels to clean. I smiled and shook my head, relief kind of flooding me over. There sure was something about being surrounded by red emptiness that allowed you to get trapped in your own thoughts.

Letting out one more sigh, thinking back to everything that had gone through my brain just moments ago, all I could do is mutter one word: "shit…"

Eleanor's POV

I wrapped the replacement bandage around Simon's empty eye socket one more time. Since Theo's first trip to the rover and back, he had brought me many more useful items, including disinfectant, pain killers and even tylenol (the tylenol was for me). He had, of course, also continued to pile up the stash of weapons that we had brought with us. He had also piled up our food stock, but I wasn't able to fix anything up yet as he was saving the hydrating machine for the last trip.

I didn't mean to freak out on him before. This kind of stress would take a toll on anybody, an it took a toll on me. I just hoped he knew that. Everyone was counting on me to keep Simon alive, but I wasn't given the proper tools to do it with. I wasn't even given the proper training. I'm not a surgeon, I just know how to use a first aid kit properly. There was so much pressure to nurse him back to health. I didn't even know if he was ever going to wake up again, to be perfectly honest.

Theodore was taking longer on this trip than he had on past trips, and I wondered what was taking so long. I knew that he had been getting more and more exhausted each time he had returned, but I still felt curious. I just hoped he was ok.

I looked down at our once-proud captain. What if I failed? The thought of it triggered a little hyperventilation inside of me. As I breathed harder and harder, oxygen became thinner and thinner inside of me and tears started welling up in my eyes. I sat down and clutched my helmet in my hands, wishing dearly that I could touch my head. I curled up in a ball position and began rocking back and forth, but that only made me feel a little better.

Not knowing what else to do, I quietly began to murmur a song to myself:

"Somewhere… out there…" I sang, "beneath the pale moonlight… someone's thinking of me… and loving me tonight…" I suddenly trailed off and giggled at the thought of Theodore all the way in the rover singing the next part of the duet, perfectly on cue. Realizing that was impossible, I continued: "somewhere out there… someone's saying a prayer… that we'll find one another… then meet somewhere out there…"

I kept going: "and even though I know how very far apart we are… it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star… and when the night will start to sing some lonesome lullaby… it helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky… somewhere… out there… if love can see me through… then we'll be together… somewhere out there… out where dreams… come true…"

As I finished singing I was relieved to realize I was feeling better. But that was cut short by Simon's body suddenly stirring to life.

Simon's POV

As if waking up from a long and deep sleep the night after drinking, I slowly came back into consciousness. I groaned as I tried to lift my head. I had a splitting headache, my shoulder felt sore, my leg still felt ginger as hell which I expected because I had felt it snap in the air vents. But my biggest surprise was when I tried to open my eyes, only my right one would open.

Eleanor ran to my side. "Simon!" she exclaimed. "Thank God! How do you feel?"

I winced even as she gently touched my bad shoulder. "Not good," I responded through gritted teeth. "I feel dehydrated. Where are we?"

"The Omortson base," she said, "we had to blow up the Caesar just to get away."

I realized that this was the giant computer table that I had been on top of before. And I knew without looking that that meant the surrounding floor was littered with human skeletons. I was just trying to process all of this.

"Is there gauze over my left eye?" I asked her.

Her smile left her face so quick it was like I had just smacked her. Her eyes darted to the floor to avoid eye contact with me. "Um, well, Simon there's something I'm going to have to tell you."

My heart dropped as deep down I knew what she was about to say.

"Simon I… I'm sorry but… I did everything I could but…"

"Eleanor just get it out. Please?"

"I couldn't Save your left eye, Simon. I'm sorry there was just too much damage. It's gone." She looked like she wanted to break down and cry. "I didn't even have the supplies necessary to preserve it. It's just… gone."

I turned away from her. "I need a moment," I muttered.

Without saying another word she stood up and walked to the other side of the table, pretending to count some medical supplies.

I sat, hunched over with my elbows on my knees. I was staring directly at the huge blockade that had failed to keep out the Martians. Every single what if went thru my mind in just a few seconds. What if this affects my ability to lead us out of here? What if we make it out anyway? What about all of the things that I won't be able to do anymore because of bad depth perception? Will all of the children on the streets stop to stare at me because of my eye patch? What if Jeanette doesn't love me anymore because she thinks I'm ugly?

I sighed. "Fuck this place," I said out loud. I heard Eleanor pause, then go back to work.

Suddenly, my little brother Theodore appeared through the tunnel at the top of the blockade carrying a pile of supplies. The first thing he did was scan the table, before he finally realized that I had woken up. "Simon!" he yelled down at me with glee. "You're alright!"

I chuckled. "I guess you can call it that," I called up to him.

Without hesitating, he began carefully navigating the path down the blockade with the pile of stuff still in his hands. He made his way down to the bone-riddled floor. He was clearly in a hurry as he dropped a thing or two on his way towards the table that we were sitting on. He did eventually climb up to us, and the first thing he did was drop the stuff carefully and run over to where I was standing waiting for him. I spread my arms to embrace him in a hug but he almost knocked me over with how forcefully he ran into me and wrapped his arms around me.

"I thought you were gone for good," he whispered.

"That makes two of us. Where are the others?"

He broke away from me. Through tears of joy, he told me, "Jean and Brittany are exploring the base. And Alvin's outs-"

He suddenly stopped, prompting me to look behind myself. Alvin had just stood up from the hole in the blockade. He looked like he was covered in red dust, which he was actively trying to brush off if his shoulders with a huff. He took a while to look down at the computer table, but as soon as he did he seemed overjoyed.

"Simon! Oh my God!"

I laughed.

Alvin rushed to meet us on the tabletop as quickly as his legs would carry him. The athletic one of the group, he was with us in what felt like no time at all. Like Theo, he hugged me so hard that it actually hurt. But I didn't care.

"How was being unconscious?" he joked with me.

"You know, oddly enough, I don't quite recall," I joked along.

As if on cue, Brittany emerged from the blockade tunnel. She gasped as she saw me immediately, and then turned back around to wait for Jeanette who was right behind her. As soon as Jeannie saw me her jaw dropped. She reached to cover her mouth with her hand but she seemed surprised when she couldn't because of her helmet.

Quickly shaking that off, she laughed and also began running down the blockade with Brittany following behind her going just a little slower.

Jeanette seemed like she was totally unable to control herself as she eventually flung herself onto the top of the table, lifted herself onto her feet a ran over to me. She gently placed her helmet against mine, knowing full well that I probably had a headache. And then she just held it there, looking into my one good eye as if trying to convince herself that I was really back.

Brittany eventually made it over to where our group was huddled together, and she also embraced Alvin in a big hug.

"I love you." Jeanette whispered at me.

My heart fluttered. I guess that answered my last question.

She suddenly cleared her throat and once again stood up. "Did everyone complete their assignments?" She said aloud.

"Just unloaded my last load of stuff," Theodore said, puffing out his chest.

"Yeah," Alvin chimed in, "and those solar panels are all cleared."

"Excellent," Jeanette replied cheerfully. "Brittany and I found some very useful hardware while we were scavenging the base, but I'll fill you all in after this."

"After what?" I asked.

She looked down at me with that smart-ass smirk on her face that I've always loved. She cleared her throat once again and said, "computer, can you hear me?"

The screen that made up the table we were standing on suddenly came to life.

"Good," Jean continued. "Power capacity should be much higher, now. I want you to cleanse the system."

The computer paused to understand the question, then responded with, "are you sure you wish to cleanse the system?"

There was no hesitation from Jeanette: "Yes."

"Very well," the table responded. "Cleansing the system."

Suddenly, whatever life this place had seemed to die. The humming in the walls ceased altogether. We all held our breaths, as it became pitch black. The computer screen shut down. There was nothing for a solid few seconds. For a moment I was afraid that we had just killed this base completely.

Then, out of nowhere, the computer screen came back to life. Followed by every single light bulb in the room. The humming in the walls came back.

"System is cleansed successfully," the computer told us. "Power intake is at 93%. All base systems functional. Heat levels currently rising to automatic standards. Emergency mode is deactivated."

We all jumped for joy, except for me for obvious reasons. It felt so good to finally have a victory, of any kind. Pretty soon we were gonna be able to take these suits off and, not that I was very hungry, but we could eat.

"Now what did you guys find?" I asked Jeannie.

She smirked at me again and turned back down to the computer. "Show me a blueprint of the entire Omortson station."

The screen took a moment to process what she had just said, before finally almost the entire table became an overhead structural view of the base. Almost like a giant floor plan for a house. Jeanette used her hands to scroll around and zoom in before she finally said, "there!"

She zoomed us in on a small portion of the main building of the Omortson.

She pointed at a room on the screen. "This is us," she said. "And this corridor right here is the only way in," she traced her hand through the blueprint to show us what she was talking about. "Now, there are these two intersecting corridors here and here, but both of them hit dead ends and you would have to already be within striking distance of the blockade, which is right here, in order to get into them."

Alvin interrupted. "Is all you two did that whole time just go down hallways?" he asked with a huff.

"Pretty much," Brit replied sarcastically giving him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Hush," Jeanette said impatiently, "that's not the point. The point is that the Marine's definitely knew all of this when they set up sentry guns here…" she had to walk from spot to spot to illustrate this, "...and here. And then set up the blockade."

"Where are you going with this, Jean?" I asked.

"Look," she took a deep breath. "As long as we can deter them from getting through this corridor, we'll be safe!"

"Cause that worked out so well for the Marines, right?" I said, sounding more cynical than I truly meant to be.

"But they went about it all wrong," she responded, matter-of-factly. "My plan isn't to barricade them out altogether. My plan is to invite them in, but only in small intervals."

We all looked at her in confusion.

She continued, trying to explain herself. "We found some meshed wire, perfect for fences. It's too thin for them to just go thru. I say we put up a wall to wall fence here… right in front of sentry guns A and B. And another wall to wall fence here… right in front of sentry guns C and D. The Martians will be just busy enough trying to chew through the wire that the guns will be able to take them down more efficiently."

"And what about once they get through all of that? What then?"

She suddenly pointed up to the top of the blockade. "That tunnel. All six of us will have our barrels pointed down to the other side. They'll obviously be trying to climb through the same way they came last time, don't you agree? We can pick them off one by one."

After a moment of thinking about it, I shrugged and said, "I suppose it's as good as any plan we have right now." I suddenly realized we had a fully functional NASA computer right under our feet. "Has anyone tried to establish a connection with NASA headquarters on this thing? Maybe we could get a message to Dave!"

"H-has no one told him yet?" Jeanette asked, looking around at the others.

"Told me what?" I folded my arms in confusion.

Jeanette sighed, then grabbed her arm nervously, not really looking me in the eye. "Simon, I have a lot to catch you up on about NASA. But the bottom line is, they won't be passing any messages along to Dave."

And that was chapter 16! Sorry it was slow, and sorry it took so long to get out to you guys! Hit a little bit of writer's block…

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'Till next chapter!