Conversion - Part 6

“So far we have sixty-five people unaccounted for sir.”

Stone called up a holoscreen that showed the missing crew members. He, Commander Holts and Colonel Melanko sat around the captain's desk.

“Sixty-five? Do we know who or what is doing this?” Captain Hunt leaned forward to read the list. Of the total abducted, three were Ground Command troopers. He hated himself a little for thinking it, but he hoped that this incident will show Melanko what they were facing out here in the cosmos.

“What about on your ship Colonel?”

“The Astral has reported twelve so far but they are still searching the ship.” Melanko looked at the projected holoscreen and scrolled down to read the names of those missing. The colonel stood up and walked towards the door. “I need to return to the ship, the captain should be able to tell me more.”

“Very well, Commander?” Hunt nodded and Holts understood. He got up to show the colonel to his shuttle.

Before the two men could get to the door, the ship rocked violently. Stone felt a sharp pain on his head as he fell. He tasted blood in his mouth as he struggled to steady himself. He could see Holts near the door trying to balance himself by holding onto its frame but the ship shook again and he fell over the colonel and knocked his head against the door.

The cabin went dark and it took the emergency lights a few moments to activate. But before anyone could stand up another hard shake, more forceful than the last two, threw everyone against the bulkhead.

Then everything stopped. The room went silent and no one moved, quietly waiting for another hit. When none came, they started to push themselves up, groaning as they did.

“Is everyone alright?” It was the captain. He held his arm as he moved the desk off him.

“Bridge, report.” the captain punched the console leaning his head against the wall. When his hand moved from his arm, Stone could see that he had a nasty gash on it.

It took a while before they got a reply from the bridge.

“Sir, it's the Astral. She's been destroyed.”

…

Private Eddie Noap opened his eyes. That was about all he could do. Panic swept over him and he tried to struggle, but there were no restraints on him. He forced himself to calm down and let his training take over. He strained his neck and tried to look around him. He couldn't see anything at first. The glare of his surroundings was too much. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for them to adjust. He tried to call out, but he couldn't hear anything. He tried making a sound, any sound, but nothing. It was as if he was in a vacuum and everything was sucked into the nothingness.

He squinted and finally he could make out the shapes around him. There were, from what he could see with his peripheral vision, three or four bodies floating horizontally next to him on both sides. They were human, and they were naked. And it occurred to Eddie that he may very well be in the same situation and condition.

It was difficult for him to judge distance with everything being completely white, but he estimated that there was a distance of about ten feet between him and the next bodies. He bit down on his lower lip and tried to move his head. He could only get about a few inches but that was enough for him to recognize the person on his right. It was Private Jennifer Ollien. She was looked back at him. And blinked once, purposefully. He returned the gesture, hoping that it communicated something, anything, to her. She looked as confused and terrified as he did.

Eddie tried looking to his left. It took him a while but the naked man looked like someone from Starlight. He didn't recall his name. He too was straining his neck to look at him.

Eddie's body jumped when he felt someone touch his leg. Then someone licked his belly, gently grazing his abdominal muscles with a wet tongue. Goosebumps formed all over him as the lapping moved up towards his head. He felt a mouth on his nipples, then suction, then more tongue licking the protruding nub. When the person finally came to view, the young private recognized him as Lieutenant Halloway, a member of the security team from the ship.

There was nothing in Halloway's eyes, he seemed to be under some sort of influence. He didn't even register any facial expressions. All Halloway did was kiss his collar bone while staring staring right at him. There was nothing Eddie could do, he couldn't even clench his fists. He watched helplessly as Halloway kissed his neck and felt the older man touch him, all over.