Lucky encounters (standard:science fiction, 4454 words)
Author: David Lamb	Added: Jul 03 2006	Views/Reads: 3885/2298	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A man with nothing tries to start a new life with the help of the union goverment, but things are not as they seem... With the help of a fugitve woman, will he be able to survive?

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

climbed into the shuttles luggage compartment, she imagined the 
corridors, the halls, the vents. It gave her Goosebumps of excitement. 
This was going to be the best game of hide and seek ever. Just as the 
police ran round the corner, the shuttle broke the bonds of gravity, 
and soared of into the sky. 

As Steven gripped the holds on his seat, the shuttle around him roared
and screamed as the metal strained against the pressure. The windows 
were closed, but through the cracks, red-hot light spilt through, the 
fire caused by the friction of the atmosphere. Shaking, Shaking, Steven 
thought that his teeth would crack with the sheer force of it! His 
fingers squeezed into the polystyrene seat. And then it suddenly 
stopped. “Thank you for your patience ladies and gentleman, we have 
left atmosphere. We shall arrive at the mother ship in 30 minutes.” 
Steven opened his eyes, the sweat of fear pouring down his face. He 
took a deep breath, and then washed it off with his handkerchief. He 
hated flying. After a while, once his body had calmed down, he let 
himself sit back and smile... He was finally off that rock. That scummy 
crappy excuse for a planet. Whoever had let it get into that state 
should have been ashamed of themselves. The pollution, the horrible 
stale air, and worst of all, the dead ground. No wildlife, just 
buildings, wrecks of buildings, and the burnt ground of a war long 
forgotten. Who the hell could do that to a planet? 

“Ladies and Gentleman, on behalf of the union, we thank you for visiting
Earth.” 

The woman waited in the cargo hold, as quite as a mouse... listening for
her sign to move... 

Steven sat with the other passengers, watching the in-flight movie. It
was on old sci-fi one, from the 21st century. Retro was really in these 
days. He smirked as the hero of the tale fought off a horrible 
space-blob. Its funny, he thought, how wrong they were back then... 

As the human race extended to the stars, they had explored and explored,
until they could explore no more. On the constant search for other 
intelligent life, Homo sapiens had to finally accept that they were 
completely alone in the universe. Nothing out there. Not even a 
slightly interesting variety of pot plant. So mankind had committed 
itself to spreading across the universe, and bringing their might onto 
planets, turning them into other earths, until eventually the original 
was forgotten. The union of Humanity ran everything, and the space age 
prospered. In the Space age there was a good life for everyone. At 
least that's what the people were told. 

Steven woke up with a start in his seat. He had drifted off, and as he
rubbed his eyes, someone nudged him sharply in the side. “Good to see 
you're up mate, here, look out the window...” What Steven saw was 
possibly the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. Outside the shuttles 
window was another ship. If you could call it a ship. It was a city! A 
city, floating through space, lights bouncing off every surface. For 
the first time in a long while, Steven smiled with feeling. Out there 
was his salvation. Another try... A new life. 

As the shuttle began to dock with the mother ship, the woman began her
countdown. 1... She heard the ship enter the shield, and with it the 
sucking sound of oxygen surrounding it... 2... Clamps locked down onto 
the shuttle, as it was pulled slowly past the walls of the ship... 3! 
The woman burst out of her hiding place, pushing open the emergency 
hatch and throwing herself against the walls. She gripped on to them as 
hard as she could, until the shuttle had completely passed her, and 
then dropped down to the floor. Staying crouched, she looked around 
until she saw it: The ventilation grill, part of a chute system that 
stretched across the whole ship. The woman climbed into it, grinning to 
herself. Cara had always been the best at hide and seek. 

Steven walked through the corridors of the ship, fighting to keep his
jaw from dropping at every moment. The ship was beautiful. Every 
surface of it shined, and the uniforms, the people, it had such class! 
Steven knew with a certainty that he'd found the life he was meant to 
lead. Of course, knowing for certain still doesn't mean you're right... 
Steven finally reached a reception desk, we're a woman who looked like 
she had come off the advertisement posters for make up sat there, with 
a smile as white and shining as the ship itself. “Hello sir, how can I 
help you?” Steven tried to smile back, but he felt slightly inadequate 
for it. His teeth hadn't seen a brush for a good few weeks now. “I'd 
like to apply for citizenship on board, please.” Said Steven, awkwardly 
trying to talk without showing his teeth, or let out enough breath for 
the young woman to smell. “Well I could just have you identification 
card...” Steven handed it over. It was one of the only possessions he 
had successfully managed to keep, and as the nurse swiped it, and it 
told her everything about him, Steven wondered what sort of life that 
this ship would give him. Designer perhaps? Cook? Or maybe something 
really special, for important people, like an officer of the ship... 
“Captain...” muttered Steven, as the woman looked up at him. “This all 
checks out sir. Just follow the guard over there; he'll help you settle 
in.” As Steven walked away, the receptionist picked up a microphone, 
and quickly whispered: “Another one for slave labour.” She quickly put 
the microphone as another ragged looking man stepped up. And another 
coming, she thought. 

Cara crawled through the vents, until she could find a suitable opening.
Eventually she found one. Cara hopped out of the vents, and into a 
bathroom. After giving herself a quick wash, and using the other 
facilities, she walked proudly out. When she opened the door to face a 
very surprised looking old man, she decided to just smile and keep 
walking. Walking fast. “In the future”, she reminded herself, “Don't 
drop into toilets with urinals.” 

Steven followed the guard into a large elevator, trying to contain his
excitement. As the lift went down the shaft, he grinned away, like a 
child about to open a Christmas present. Then the doors opened. The 
guard smiled and pushed Steven into hell. As the elevator lifted 
upwards, the guard's com beeped into life: "McKay, hurry back up here, 
we've got seven more for the hold.” McKay loved his job. 

Steven couldn't believe it. Around him were hundreds of people, covered
in dirt and grime, moaning and groaning. He had heard rumours about 
this, but he had never thought them true. He was going to be a slave. 
He was going to be dropped off at a planet, and forced to work in the 
mines, or whatever other cruel fate awaited him. He would work the rest 
of his days then he would die. Alone. Steven sat down, put his head in 
his hands and cried for the first time in ten years. 

Cara walked around the ship admiring its chrome walls and shining
floors. Artwork was everywhere and friendly smiling people. Cara 
immediately decided that the first thing she was going to do was have a 
good drink. She'd earned it. As she walked around looking for a bar, 
she wondered in her head how long she could stay here. As she walked 
through two metal bars suspended in the doors, her question was 
answered, because suddenly alarms were wailing, and red lights were 
flashing. All eyes turned to Cara, but she was already running. 

Escape. It was the only thing running through Stevens mind. He had to
escape. He couldn't be a slave. He wasn't cut out for it. The last time 
he had done a hard days work was... Well he still had to do his first 
hard days work. But to hell with it if it was going to be as a slave. 
He had to escape before the ship reached wherever they were taking him. 
He had to get off the ship, and he had to do it quickly. Steven stood 
up, and looked around. He was in a huge room, filled with hundreds of 
people, all sitting round dirty homemade beds, and the people sitting 
at them wore the faces of people who had given up on everything. The 
room had no exits, except the elevator. He was trapped. Panic gripped 
his body, he felt his breathing increase, and all he could hear was the 
fast paced thumping of his heart. No, his mind said to him, there's 
something not right. Think. Think... 

Cara ran down the corridors, klaxons blaring, and the footsteps of
guards behind her. Yet again, she was running for her life, and yet 
again, there seemed to be no way out. No rest for the wicked, thought 
Cara. She needed an exit, another corridor, a room, a... No way. That 
would be too risky. Can you think of anything else? No, but surely 
there must be something else... Well there isn't. Call it a leap of 
faith if you want. Most leaps of faith aren't so literal, thought Cara, 
and then she leapt... Limbs flailing as she plummeted down the mile 
long elevator shaft... 

Steven waited by the elevator shaft. When the next guard came, he would
be ready for them. “You're gonna get yourself killed son.” Came a 
withered voice behind him. Steven turned round to see an old scrawny 
looking man sitting on the ground. “Dontcha think people have tried 
that before? All that'll happen is the guard will see you, and shoot 
you dead.” Steven looked around himself, taking it in for a second 
time. “Better dead then this.” He said, and turned back towards the 
elevator. 

THUD. Cara hit the top of the elevator, and opened her eyes, only to see
flashing lights swirling around her. She took a deep breath, and then 
tried again. I told you so. Luck be a lady. She had fallen 20 feet and 
hit the elevator. Cara sat up, her head thumping, and kissed the cross 
that hung from a chain round her neck. As the elevator shot downwards, 
she searched around until she found an opening, she looked inside. One 
guard. Easy enough. The last thing security lieutenant McKay saw was a 
foot come flying out of the darkness, and then all he saw was black. 

Steven Tensed himself, as he heard the whine of the elevator coming down
the shaft. 

Cara waited, and readied herself for whatever was coming next. The guard
was neatly crumpled up in a corner, and as the elevator slowed down, 
she clenched her fists. You've gotten out of worse before. The doors 
opened... 

The doors opened and Steven jumped, arms outstretched, expecting a hail
of bullets to hit him. This made it all the more surprising when he saw 
the quite pretty girl standing there. 

A scruffy looking man came flying through the doors, arms flailing
towards Cara. His face turned to surprise when he saw her, then to fear 
when she caught him by the neck, delivered a winding blow to his 
stomach, and shoving him against the wall. “Please don't kill me!” 
croaked the man. His breath wasn't too nice. Then Cara saw what was 
beyond the doors. She couldn't stop herself from gasping. “Oh God. It's 
true.” The slave ships. Fairy tails told by mothers to bad children. 
And here they were, filled with starving people, horrible proof of what 
really happened in the union's universe. Through the horror before her, 
Cara felt a slight proud ness. Proud to be an anti-unionist. Proud to 
be fighting against this. If being on the run constantly could help 
stop this, it was worth it. She was bought back to the present by some 
gargling sounds from the man she was holding. His face had turned 
purple. She dropped him immediately. “Oh my goodness I'm so sorry!” But 
before they could do anything else, the elevator doors closed, and they 
shot back upwards. 

Steven sat on the floor of the lift, gasping for air. Question raced
through his mind: Who was this woman? Why were they going back up? And 
how the hell was he going to escape? “This isn't good.” Said the woman. 
“The guards have called the elevator back up.” She looked quite 
worried. “Well what do we do then?” gibbered Steven. He was already 
panicking; he could feel the sweat pouring off him. The elevator began 
to slow. “If I were you, I would stand up and put your hands on your 
head.” Said the woman, and she did exactly that. The doors opened, and 
for the second time in his life Steven had the feeling of guns being 
pointed at him. Of course the first time he had been ten, and it was 
his brother with a pellet gun. The fact that these guns were real, and 
would send his brains up the walls rather then leave a small bruise did 
nothing to reassure him. “Come out slowly!” barked one of the guards. 
Taking the woman's lead, Steven did so. He was shaking. The woman was 
turned around as they began to search her. She looked at him straight 
in the eyes. “You know that old story” she started, keeping her eyes on 
his almost unblinkingly. “In a bad situation just close your eyes, 
click your heels, and say there's no place like home.” She winked. 
Steven closed his eyes... The woman clicked her heels... And everything 
went white... 

Steven gasped. Even though his eyes were closed, he could still only see
an amazing bright light. His eyelids were burning, and there was a 
small ringing in his ears. “You can open them now.” He did, and the 
woman was in front of him smiling at him. “Flash-bang concealed in my 
shoes. They never see it coming!” she said with a lopsided grin. She 
walked over and took two pistols away from the guards and threw one too 
him. One of the guards began to stir, making both of them jump. “What's 
your name?” she said quickly. “Steven...” he muttered slowly. He was 
still trying to catch up with what was going on. “Nice to meet you 
Steven,” she said happily, cocking the gun, and giving him a wink, she 
suddenly set off down the corridor at a quick pace. “Keep up with me if 
you want to live!” she said. Without thinking about it, Steven was off 
after her. His brain had officially decided to take an absence, and 
when he looked back on this, he would wonder what he was thinking. 
Quite simply, he wasn't. So the two felons ran down the hallways of the 
humongous ship, with alarms blaring, and messages being screamed to 
everyone on board. Steven was smiling, even if he didn't know why. 

“What are we going to do?” Steven asked. “And what is your name?” “My
names Cara.” She panted, as they were both still sprinting as alarm 
bells screamed around them.  “And what we're going to do...” she 
faltered, “We're gonna get of this ship, get some help, then we're 
coming back here and getting those people.” From her lips, the task 
sounded like the easiest task in the universe to Steven. 

This should be simple, Cara told herself. Find an escape pod, blast off,
and then I'm home free. Things are never that simple though are they? 
For instance, how many guards between you and the escape pod? We'll 
overcome that problem when we reach it, Cara thought. Exactly. WE. 
Since when did you take passengers? What else could I do? Leave him to 
be shot by the guards? All I'm saying is when you meet trouble, how 
useful is he going to be? Cara shook her head and concentrated on where 
she was going. She was running short of breath, and looking at Steven, 
well he looked like he was about to have a heart attack. When he saw 
her looking, however, he took a gulp of air, and grinned at her. But 
was he going to be a danger? She'd put people in danger before... Could 
she handle doing that again? Little did Cara know, in precisely 37 
seconds she would find out. 

Steven knew he was out of breath, and that he should stop, but he had to
keep going. He owed Cara his life, and he had to prove his worth to 
her. They rounded the corner, and Steven had the breath knocked from 
his lungs as Cara slammed herself into him, sending the two both of 
them flying through the air, and then scraping along the ground and 
behind a box. Steven wondered why she had done this, until he heard the 
guns firing, and the bullets smashing into the wall above them. Steven 
felt the elated happiness he had felt before leave in an instant, as if 
his brain had come charging back, and now wanted to know what the 
bloody hell was going on. He felt panic grip his soul, felt his heart 
beating, they were doomed, they were going to die, it was all over... 
And then he saw her. Cara, a beautiful angel of death, as she rose up 
from their cover, and fired off shots at the guards, not even blinking, 
her arm not even affected by the power of the guns recoil.  Through a 
crack between the crates, Steven could see the guards falling, the 
surprise on their faces. This is what it should be. Good beats evil. 
Hope flickered in Stevens mind. And then that brief moment of wonder 
and hope was gone. The first bullet hit Cara in the leg, the second in 
her shoulder, and the third in the centre of her chest. The angel 
fell... And Steven rose. His brain was there, but he was no longer 
listening, and for this moment in time, his being was purely hate and 
vengeance. He lifted the gun in his hand. 

This is not a story of fate or destiny. This is a story of luck, and
goodwill. 

And as luck would put it, there was one bullet remaining in Stevens's
gun. He didn't know this, but its worth mentioning. Through his fury, 
Steven lifted and fired the gun, spitting a bullet faster then the eye 
can see. At a probability of 32 to one, the bullet Steven fired missed 
the guards. At a probability of 3459 to one, the guards missed Steven. 
At a probability of 9083490 to one, the bullet went past and hit a fire 
extinguisher. At a probability of 902184218421.5 to one, the bullets 
impact set of a spark, that at a probability of 576 to one, was enough 
to set off a chemical reaction. The fire extinguisher exploded, and the 
shrapnel, sprayed around the room, ricocheting everywhere, and killing 
the guards instantly. At a final probability of 8976764729456398287 to 
one, none of the shrapnel hit Steven or Cara. All together, the events 
just described where the most improbable things that ever happened in 
the Universe to date. Steven, who had stood completely still through 
all of this, took a deep breath, and let the oxygen rush round his 
body. Then he caught up, and ran back over to Cara, who was clutching 
her leg. For a women who had been shot three times, she wasn't bleeding 
much. She looked up at him and smiled, and he realised she was wearing 
a bullet proof vest. This hadn't saved her leg, but it was enough to 
make every cell in Stevens body scream for joy. He helped her up, and 
watched her look of surprise when she took in what had just happened. 
As he helped her limp past the doors, and into the elevator labelled 
“POD ACCESS” she said one thing to him. “Beginners luck.” 

Inside the elevator, Steven took of his shirt. Cara took this as quite a
mixed signal, as she thought he was coming on to her, and not as he was 
actually doing, using the shirt as a makeshift bandage for her leg. 
Steven was having a lucky day. 

The couple hobbled out of the elevator as one, Cara needing to put even
more weight on Steven as time went on, and her claims of that she was 
fine were becoming less believable as her groans got louder, and her 
face paler. It was with great relief that they stumbled into the small 
escape pod. “Have you got any idea how to pilot one of these?” said 
Cara quietly. “No,” replied Steven, “I thought you knew how!” his voice 
becoming suddenly less confident, as his brain conjured images of how 
flat his body would be when they crashed. “Figure it out quickly 
please.” Said Cara quite calmly. “Because I now need to remove a bullet 
with my fingers, and no anaesthetic.” Steven looked away. He didn't 
like blood that much. He busied himself with the controls. This was an 
ESCAPE pod. It shouldn't be that hard to work! For the first time that 
day. Steven was right. For an advanced spacecraft, it was quite amazing 
that the controls were limited to a big red button, and a arcade style 
joystick that looked that it would have as much effect on the flight 
pattern of the ship as would a grain of sand be able to stop a bull. He 
reached for the button... and hesitated. What would happen next? Could 
they help the slaves? Could they run from the Union? What if... As his 
brain busied itself with this, his body took sides with his heart, and 
hit the button as hard as he could. The pod screamed out of the ship, 
and then it was alone, with its two occupants at its mercy. 

Their journey had only just begun. Because in the Unions galaxy there is
a place for everyone. But it isn't necessarily a good place. Cara and 
Steven would help. With a little bit of luck... 


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