Nightfall

I clenched my teeth as I was guided to the satellite room by Andromeda. I felt a widening gap where my official Pilot keyes had been embedded in my soul. It was empty and the more I searched the more I found the tiny cavern empty. I had given my keys over willingly there was nothing to find yet I hoped every time I foolishly searched the in-between. Nothing no keys no triphone no nada.

I wanted to run and lock myself away. How was I gonna face Lana and Bart now that we had no ship? Yes, their actions caused this but I think stranding us on a planet not our home was wrong of the council. I never trusted the whimbags, but this was proving my theory and with my ship and this satellite who knew what it was, they were capable of? Now more than ever I should refuse to work on the satellite, but no it was a condition of our stay otherwise we were banished.

I gritted m teeth and silently held it together. I knew the others wouldn’t. The others. They were with Jude right now. I would have to wait til dinnertime to approach them all. I faced the satellite door with trepidation. Something was going to happen today, worse than losing my pilot privilege and keys. I hunched over the satellite and began to work. No reason to invite danger when I could avoid it like a champ.

Andromeda advised me when the clock struck five. My belly sounded but we made no light of the situation. Instead, we walked to the mess hall where I collected food. Strange-smelling food at that. The meat smelled like lavender and the rice was green and salty. It smelled a little tangy and it tasted like ripe fruit might taste. I ate facing a quiet Lana and Bartholomew. Jude was still recuperating.

We ate quietly. After I asked to view Jude. I was taken in a completely new direction from the med bay and instead led deeper closer to what looked like abandoned soldier barracks. There were a few windows so we were closer to the surface than any other room. Jude lay piled on a few pillows and had a dusty blanket over him. Not exactly a five-star occupancy and Jude knew it by the look on his pale, gaunt, face.

He was paler than before but otherwise seemed fine well as fine as someone with a big hole in his arm can be. To my side, Bart and Lana were watching Jude with wary eyes. They were afraid and they showed it. I wasn’t. It was Jude. Stupid Jude, whose actions had damned me in giving away our ship.

“Hey, guys!” Jude said, waving lazily at us. “How’s it going? They still haven’t fed me yet, something about a liquid diet for now.”

Bart shifted slightly forward. “Hey, Jude. How are you? We’ve been waiting for you to awaken all day.”

Lana smirked and pointed to his arm. “Looks like that bug took a big bite from outta ya.”

“Yeah well I didn’t run unlike a pansy cyborg I know,” Jude muttered trying to slowly get up from his bed. Bart offered him his shoulder. Jude had tried to shoot Bart a night ago or was it all a scam to get me in place? I didn’t know anymore and it angered me. My fists clenched as I watched the three joke around like nothing was the matter.

“I-I h-have s-some news,” I said glaring at Jude when he rolled his eyes.

“Well go on, Captain,” He said smirking as if everything were a joke. He almost lost his life and he still thinks this is a joke?

I almost punched the wall hard enough to draw blood. “Do you think this is a game? I’m not the fucking Captain anymore. Thanks to the three of you I had to barter our ship for our lives.”

“What!” came the cry from three different orifices.

“Matt you idiot! How will we get home now?” cried Bart angrily.

“How could you!” screamed Lana raising her hand to smack me.

I glared at Lana and caught her hand. “D-Don’t p-pin t-this on me! I-If y-you i-idiots h-hadn’t tried to e-escape none of t-this would have h-happened. I had e-everything under c-con control. T-There was n-no need for y-your little c-coup! It was that or our l-lives I c-chose our l-lives.”

Jude smirked at me and shook his head. “The council took our ship who knows if they weren’t planning to all along.”

I growled. “W-well Jude i-if y-you are s-so d-damn s-sure why d-don’t you l-lead! I’m sick o-of leading y-you m-morons!

This time when I punched the wall, blood spurted from my wounds. Crimson poured from the small fisher wounds spilling down my closed fist in rivulets.

“Damn!” I cursed and moved to bring my fingers to my lips.

It was instant. Jude rushed me like a freight train off the rails going at ninety miles an hour. I was bulldozed to the ground with a heavy Thud! Jude climbed over me taking my wrist in his long hands and lapped at my wrist. I pushed Jude’s slight frame. Bart and Lana were shocked as Jude found my vein and bit down viciously.

I screamed.

“Get him off!” I cried feeling my strength leave as Jude slowly drank my blood. It’s what he was doing. The alarm bells of Reynold’s warning came back. Your friend may be a blood drinker.

What did that make me then, a snack?

Bart moved to help but Lana held him back. “What! Lana, I gotta help out!”

“You have to do no such thing. Matt got himself in trouble he can get out of it himself. Let’s go.” she said taking his hand and leading him out of the room. Bart glanced at me unsure before following Lana out.

“Wait!” I yelled hoarsely not believing Lana. I met her eyes briefly and saw the anger and hate for me there.

“Please!” I begged. “Get help! A-Androm-da’s not far off!” I was slurring my words.

Lana smirked and shook her head. “Sorry, Matt. We’re better off without you. We don’t need a Captain anymore. You sold our ship! Now you gotta pay the price.”

She left me there with Jude feasting on me. I shoved the vampiric son of a bitch and nailed my elbow in his ribs.

Crack!

OWW!

He was as strong as stone!

If I was going to die here I was going with one hell of a fight. I slowly raised my hand and poked Jude in the eyes. He hissed and jerked back his face, a macabre mask of blood and red glowing eyes. Jude licked his lips and slowly brought his hands to my neck. I peeled them off but he was far stronger, having drained me nearly dry. I thrust my palm at his face pushing with all my strength. I managed to unhinge the bastard from me and I bucked him off the rest of the way. Sitting up I breathed and glanced at the unmoving body. Having better sense than to stick around, I rose slowly to my knees taking deep breaths and shaking from that move alone. I was badly weakened. As I got to my feet I glanced at Jude. Still no movement. I started for the door when Jude leaped to his feet and slammed into me again. We went tumbling to the floor. Jude pinned my arms beneath me, bearing his weight over me. I jerked up into his mouth, at the prick of fangs on my neck. I knew I was done then.

My world was darkening when a cry was heard and I felt Jude’s weight lifted from me. I was far too groggy to care, however. The bastard had drank me dry. I was dying and all because I had saved their miserable lives.

“We have to stop the transformation!” came Andromeda’s voice.

“He’s nearly gone he’ll turn!” Tarric said slightly panicked as always lately.

“No, he won’t,” said Andromeda.

Turn? What was I becoming? A vampire or something else?