Captain Kratz picked up the bottle of whiskey. His hand shook. He stroked the label then put the bottle back down again. He’d signed the pledge ten years previously after the disciplinary court gave him his final warning. The unopened single malt was his badge of honour.
Ten years captaining a deep-space mining ship had taken its toll; trouble amongst the men, repairs not carried out, food poisoning, sanitation robots malfunctioning. The ship smelt like an oil-filled latrine. If only he could hold his command together for a little longer. Just six more months sober and he could retire with his pension intact.
The piercing scream of the ship’s alarm shook him from his reverie. The holo-screen filled with the startled face of First Officer Benson.
“This had better be good, Benson.”
“It’s Arthur, sir, Arthur Bean, he–it,” Benson gibbered.
“What are you blathering about? Bean is dead.”
“Bean has escaped, sir.”
Kratz drummed his fingers on the desk before replying.
“So this would be the same Bean that was killed on Theta Prime?” His voice was smooth with sarcasm. “We only found his legs and lower torso which you locked in the hold. What the hell are you talking about!”
“When I checked the legs on the holo-screen I saw that spaghetti fungus had grown from his wounds. I went down to investigate. When I opened the door the legs attacked me. Kicked me and ran off.” Benson hung his head and sobbed.
“Have you been drinking, Benson?”
“There were tentacles growing from his pelvis. They twisted round and round, grabbing things.”
Kratz grimaced.
“I want a category red alert. All men to form a SWAT team. Proceed with extreme prejudice. Destroy those legs.”
Burly crewmen armed with soft target blast cannons marched down access corridor 33. The captain watched on his holo-screen as they cornered what was left of Bean.
The legs stood akimbo. The tentacles dangled like a grass skirt.
The crewmen squatted in an interlocked formation, their blasters leveled and primed to fire.
The tentacles rose, twisted and stretched.
Everyone watched in fascination.
The knotted tentacles morphed into a spinal column, ribs, collar bones and arms with twig-like hands. A skull uncrumpled from the spine like a ripening seed pod. Organs grew in the cradle of the pelvis; pallid intestines, glistening liver, purple kidneys. A heart inflated and fluttered within the new ribcage. Empty sockets filled with milky eyes. Muscle formed, skin slid up to encase the new body of Arthur Bean.
Bean’s new mouth twitched, and then smiled.
“Don’t fire!” the captain shouted over the intercom, “It might be friendly.”
The mouth gaped impossibly wide. A purple tongue dimpled with suckers lashed out and ripped off a crewman’s face. He fell to the ground, his finger tight on his blast cannon’s trigger. As he jerked and twisted in his agony his cannon hosed everyone in the room. Men exploded, their body-parts rained to the floor. Dying crewmen opened fire. Bean’s body erupted, showering everything with green goo.
Kratz punched the Omega code into the Comand Console. The ship shook as bulkheads sealed shut on every deck.
Six months before the ship docked–six months to watch the holo-screens and witness the body parts of his crew stir and move. Their wounds sprouting fungus. A smell like boiled cabbage drifting through the air ducts. Their bodies re-grown. Purple tongues probing hatchways, loosening panels, widening inspection conduits, room by room towards the captain’s office.
Kratz picked up the bottle of whiskey and stroked the label.
Bill West lives in Shropshire, England. He is a member of the Shrewsbury Scribblers Writers’ Group, I*D Writers’ Group and a number of on-line Writers’ Communities. His work has appeared in Boston Literary Magazine, FlashQuake, Mytholog, Heavy Glow, Right Hand Pointing, 21 Stars Review, Foliate Oak and other places.
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36 Responses to “WINDING DOWN TO RETIREMENT • by Bill West”
Comments
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May 8th, 2008 at 12:13 am
It’s okay, not fantastic though. Personally i’m not a science fiction person myself so dont take my critisim to heart much.
The last section was quiet pleasing to read, and gave quite a horror based undertone that is quite chilling.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:42 am
I loved it.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:25 am
wow. usually sci-fi shorts make no sense. this was pretty darn amazing; the writing alone is top notch. simple, clear, not overdone, yet descriptive and technical. i loved the ending; a writer very comfortable in his own skin.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:46 am
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Sorry it didn’t work for you.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Hi Gerard
Glad you liked it!
Thanks fo reading and commenting.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:50 am
Hi Daniel
Thanks for the very positive feedback. Glad you liked it.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Bill
Brilliant writing, a great read. Loved the final sentence – will he? won’t he?
Regards
May 8th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Excellent Bill. Kept me reading on.
Jennifer
May 8th, 2008 at 5:18 am
Good story! Heh. I wouldn’t want to be that captain.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:50 am
“Ten years captaining a deep-space mining ship had taken its toll;” I love the way you put me into the human condition: the holding on, the temptation of the easy way, then I love the way you took me out of the common everyday world and slapped me into a space ship. And it kept getting better. Excellent job.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Ooh, very nice read. I love the way you brought it full circle with the captain caressing the bottle. First you make the reader want him to hold it together by not drinking, then in the end, you make the reader want to join him in that drink. I loved the touch of humor, as well, with the arrested legs. Well done!
May 8th, 2008 at 7:28 am
I really liked this. The circular structure was particularly effective.
I like that the moment of hesitation, thinking that it could be friendly, killed all his crew and probably him – it’s a harsh lesson on sentimentalism, but well illustrated.
Thank you
May 8th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Tell you what, Bill pet…you’re the bees knees!
May 8th, 2008 at 8:36 am
This was a good attention grabbing story. Nicely told, and an original twist on aliens. I enjoyed it lots. Well done to you!
I’ll bet I remember this when next I boil cabbage!
May 8th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Great! A well-paced read. He’ll drink it. Especially once those tongues start tearing open the bulkhead to his hiding place.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi John
Thanks for reading and for your supportive comments.
Glad you liked it and that it wasn’t too violent for you ;¬)
Bill
May 8th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Loved it, Bill! So much sci-fi is all about the tentacles and the science and the poor old human interest gets lost and then I lose interest. You got me hooked and kept me hooked. Job done!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Yes – but he does great tentacles – and the poor captain – wonderful!
I also love the ‘will it be friendly?’ moment!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Hi Jennifer
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for reading and commenting.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Hi Scott
Makes me thirsty just thinking about his situation :¬)
May 8th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Thanks Gay
May 8th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Thank you for reading and for your kind comments.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Thanks Rosie
Yes I’m afraid he was too indecisive for his own good.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Hey, thanks Oonah!
That gives me a real buzz :¬)
May 8th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Thanks Avis
Cabbages have feelings too!
:¬)
May 8th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Hi Kevin
Thanks for that.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Hi Sarah
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You have encouraged me to write some more!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Thanks Sarah
Yes, I was that captain. Always hoping for the best …
Glad you enjoyed it.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Good sci-fi in a small packet. The ‘maybe it’ll be friendly’ moment was a gas!
May 9th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Hi Bill,
great ‘Golden Age’ piece of SF. Give us more!
Cheers
Mark
May 9th, 2008 at 2:31 am
“So much sci-fi is all about the tentacles and the science and the poor old human interest gets lost and then I lose interest.”
Good observation. That’s probably why I liked it so much.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:34 am
Thanks Gerard
May 9th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Thanks for your comment. Glad the humour worked for you.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Hi Mark
Will try!
Thanks
Bill
May 9th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I love this piece, and the description work of the newly formed body is awesome. Top notch stuff!
May 9th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Thanks Gaiko
Keep up with your writing. You show great promise.