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Captain Marlena didn't like waiting on the bridge. She wanted to be there when they apprehended Ensign Jackroy. She constantly looked at her screen and also at her communicator.
She said, “Lieutenant Karole, have you also been doing deep scans. Have you found Duke Grendel's fleet?”
“Yes,” Lieutenant Karole said, “his fleet is not too far from us. They are in combat.”
Captain Marlena’s first instinct was to fly to her dad’s aid, but she quelled that idea. She had a mission, and she needed to complete it. She couldn't communicate with him but she knew where his fleet was.
“Lieutenant Karole, is there still a fleet of Vvong ships surrounding Earth?”
“Yes.”
The front screen changed showing Earth. And surrounding it was dozens of enemy Vvong ships. She was trying to formulate a plan to bypass these ships. Her first plan relied heavily on the cloaking device, but now they had to find another means to get onto earth. Unless, she thought, maybe a small ship could fly under the sensors of the Vvong ships.
Commander Giles voice came through the communication module, “Captain, we have captured Ensign Jackroy. He is in the brig.”
“Yes, I will be there at once. Lieutenant Karole, you have the bridge.”
She rushed into the lift. Two security men were waiting for her in the lift. Captain Marlena nodded to them. They proceeded down to the brig. They walked down the corridor and moved toward the cells.
Commander Giles was standing at a cell. He was questioning Ensign Jackroy. Commander Giles noticed her.
He said, “Captain, we found this on him.”
Commander Giles was holding a curved round object in his hand. It looked slimy and insectile.
Captain Marlena turned to the Ensign, “Jackroy, do you know why you're here?”
Ensign Jackroy stared at her. “No, Captain Marlena, did I do something wrong?”
Commander Giles said, “What is this device?”
“I don’t know. I never seen it before.”
“It was in your hands,” Commander Giles said, “when we came to your door.”
Ensign Jackroy lifted his hands and tried to grab it through the magical force field.
“Don’t,” Commander Giles said.
But Ensign didn't listen to him and when his hand touched the magical force field, a sizzling and buzzing sound was heard.
“Ouch!” Ensign Jackroy said.
“You tried to grab it several times,” Commander Giles said. “Are you under a spell?”
Ensign Jackroy said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just sometimes forget things.”
Captain Marlena nodded to Commander Giles to follow her. They moved away from the cell. She knew something was wrong with the Ensign. She wished there was a doctor mage on board the ship.
Captain Marlena said, “Commander, you will not get anything from the Ensign. He is enchanted by a powerful spell. He doesn't know what he is doing.”
Commander Giles said, “I don’t like this. There might be more. The Ensign can lead us to others.”
“I think it is fruitless to keep asking him questions. He doesn't know anything. And I think he is the only person on board who is the spy,” Captain Marlena said.
Commander Giles nodded to her. Then a loud wailing noise came from Ensign Jackroy. He was sobbing and saying something over and over,
“Sorry, sorry.”
Captain Marlena turned to him and saw the Ensign with his hands up into the air.
She said, “Ensign Jackroy, what are you sorry about?”
The Ensign didn't hear him. He started to wail as if he was in pain.
“Ensign Jackroy! Can you hear me?” She said.
Captain Marlena check his vitals. Commander Giles moved forward and pressed a holo screen.
“Captain, he seems fine. I don’t understand.”
Ensign Jackroy kept on screaming.
Commander Giles said into his communicator, “Get more security down here.”
A security detail of men and women rushed inside. They held rifles and guns. Captain Marlena felt it too. Something alien had come into the room.
Ensign Jackroy said in an alien tone, “Captain Marlena, you cannot win. Your little stunt didn't stop us. We are the Vvong. We will take your magical essence and you cannot resist us. You will die.”
Commander Giles said, “What do you have planned?”
“Planned?” Ensign Jackroy grinned. “Our Queen is going to Earth to annihilate you.”
Ensign Jackroy had a stupid grin in his face. Suddenly, He started to shake violently. Then he screamed. Insectile legs burst out of his torso. The cell was not large enough to encompass his whole body. He grew until he filled the room. But his face touched the magical force field. He skinned burnt and shrivel.
Captain Marlena said, “Get rid of him. He is hideous and killing himself.”
Each of these cells were connected to the outside by space doors. It was a precaution built into each of their cells.
Commander Giles rushed and pushed the eject button. The creature that was Ensign Jackroy yelled louder. The top of the cell opened and a rushing wind noise was heard. But the Jackroy creature dug its claws into the walls and wouldn’t be dislodged from the cell.
Captain Marlena said, “Purge the cell.”
There was extra backups for creatures such as this. The purge system would destroy anything inside the cell. Commander Giles pressed the controls and a bright light encased the whole room. The creature yelled and then stopped. The dark burnt carcass floated out into space.
The soldiers behind her dropped their weapons to the ground. Nobody said anything for a while. Captain Marlena knew she was stunned like everybody here. She wondered how the Vvong creatures infiltrated and entered the body of Ensign Jackroy’s.
