"Of in out the strangers in their language decipher, decipher peal in ont krk stisss stop talk, tr e E w c It in m j fit...."

"What the fuck are they on about?"

"You can hear them to?" Corporal Ball utters a question, which sounds stupid after Sub-man Wheeler's words.

"Well sure..are you fucking deaf?!" Wheeler is abrasive, rough, as is written in his C.V on his better points.

"What they intend to do, that's what we should consider," Captain Brice comments.

There are members of our group who say nothing, have said nothing, seeming to intend never to say anything; I don't know their names, they're U.F guys for sure.

The aliens are foremost in all our minds. There's the ever present tension of that idea that all of us are in a lab', in some sick experiment to be monitored by these things from a distance. My very soul feels as though it is being preyed upon. My thoughts being torn apart; not sparking that necessity in me to kill, my feelings toward them growing unbothered.

"I say get the fuck out of here!"

Do I know that voice? Nah. Yeah, shit..it's Reed!

Sgt. Reed walks from other side of banquet hall- a moment ago this place stretched out to miles upon miles of whiteness, like being in a thick fog where God has used His eraser on land and sky. Passing huge windows, they look as though (the whole place does) it all comes from before the Twentieth Century; perhaps Louis XIV. Outside though, nothing stares in.

The aliens have gone. At least it feels as though they have gone. The glow that showed their presence has vanished. Maybe they have turned themselves invisible and are watching our movements?

The seasoned soldier passes me. He winks. I only served with him for two weeks, we didn't get that close. There's something amiss here- in him there's no confusion like the rest of us, no loss of confidence, as though it were everyday to be in a setting such as this.

He stands with the rest of them exchanging small talk, convivial to a degree that shows itself that he is trying to win them over; people he doesn't know that well. I am separate from them. He discusses something with Dobrovowski.

"Are you Sgt. Reed…?" I call out testing an itch upon my mind.

He turns. His expression isn't too pleased.

"Private Walker.....you dumb fuck.......I'm possessed by some fucking alien that's gonna bust out o' me guts!" He approaches with a caricatured squint.

"Who's the dumb arsed kid?" Wheeler jumps on the aggressive bandwagon, I expect that from a Sub-man.

With the sergeant close to me, I see he has Sai strapped secure to his legs. How come he's only carrying one large Japanese knife? Those things usually come in three's.

The French old-looking hall changes. I guess it appeared French. Now it's a courtyard of some sort. Even acoustics here are implanted. Reed' s boots scuff on cobbled stone. The air smells sweet like we're in the country on Earth, an old approximation of our home planet. I wonder why our surroundings refer to it? I do not fear him. That's what is amiss. I stare into the heavens. That white nothingness again. Is this place a mode of thought? Transferred experiences of other people's lives?

"The answer 's not in the sky soldier!" He is now close to me. I shuffle back out of reach.

He moves forward.

I call his bluff and stand my ground, "is it sky? You don't know where we are....or...do you?" It sounded corny (even comic) but it should do the trick.

"Fuck off private!" the veteran turns in feigned, mocking laughter but I can tell I hit a nerve.

"I am no private," this causes everyone to stop laughing. Dying in air their sound breaks as the surroundings suddenly change to some alien temple, "is there any more U.F? None of us know what time it is. What day or year. Sure they may have told us one thing but can you believe anything here?" I lean against a great obelisk, which has replaced the fountain in the courtyard. Huge in proportions, metres and metres tall in a strange dark green stone that is smooth and cold to touch, I doubt myself as I feel it. We are illuminated by a shimmering blue light from a distant roof above. It makes me feel uncomfortable.

Captain Brice intervenes, "we are still serving under United Forces rules and regulations Private Walker, as your senior officer I order you to-"

"To what? To remove us all from this mess? To pitch in with the rest of the squad?" I cannot decipher the foreign inscriptions on the obelisk, pretending to read them to annoy my senior officer. The absurdity of this situation lends itself to absurd actions, "and what of them?"

It is a considerable large group of people who have survived such events that we have been through. I cross over to Ball, Reed and Brice, pointing to the two Sub-men who sit on some creatures grave.

"They were the enemy only.." before I say that it was only a day or two ago I stop myself, "...only some time go. This situation usually demands that we pull together. Can we follow old rules?"

Ball springs at me, lunging to strangle me, "YOU INSUBORDINATE!!"

Reed grabs Ball as Brice gazes on surprised by this uncontrolled outburst. Pulling the corporal back with some considerable strength, he clasps an arm up and through the back of Ball's. In a lock, Ball is rendered immobile with both of his arms tucked behind. "Now corporal, we are going to calm down and not allow ourselves to fall into this alien's trap of getting us to fight each other, " in one well-timed, well-phrased sentence he completely turns the pressure of all my rhetoric to nothing.

Wheeler laughs at us. The Slyth shakes his head in disapproval.

"You dumb bastards! How the fuck do you find your dicks in the morning to take a piss? Fuck me! U.F ? United Fuckwits!" Wheeler laughs aloud as our whole space changes into a small office.

We are stood exactly as we were, the same positions, it is as though this office were designed for our grouping; if we had been further apart, maybe it would have changed into something like a hanger deck. Grey office decor is dull around us. It even smells of boredom. Dusty, inadequate synthetic air. Lighting bright and glaring. Outside windows- whiteness.

For a change the tension is being turned onto the Sub-men sat behind a desk. An alarming fact is that none of us are much bothered about the changing scenery, growing accustomed- a dangerous complacency.

An Oriental man confronts Wheeler and Slyth who stand as he leans over at them, "well at least we are not cut-throats!!"

The sergeant who has held Ball all this while releases him. The corporal flashes me a dirty look.

"Lieutenant," Reed has gone around desk, getting between them, "pull it back Lieutenant Chee."

Chee takes a deep breath and follows the older man's advice. The situation calms down again. The office in which we stand changes into a Conradarian vessel, I recognize the interior from training lectures.

I choose to speak, "maybe we should think of-"

"Are you still here private?" Reed glares at me as though some great U.F rule has been broken. The attention of the group is solely on me.

The pseudo alien ship engines rumble beneath my feet. Lights and receiver switches click around us. Beeping noises punctuate the awful quiet pause that has been thrown over this moment. I feel like I am in someone else's dream. They all stare at me, nobody speaks as they should, an approximation of a nightmare.

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" Captain Brice shouts at the motionless men, "THROW HIM IN THE BRIG!"

That isn't right. We are not in the navy. This situation makes even less sense than it did before.

"KILL THE FUCK!" Wheeler cries as they all lunge forward like pack animals.

I dash through a main port way. Down a flight of steps to hopefully the rest of this ship. Through another port way, wishing to look behind me- to buy time- but can't remember how you shut these things. I hear them behind me, wishing this could be a dream, I could then turn it about. It isn't. I feel coldness of metals. I feel unfit. I am afraid. I smell that stink which always follows Conradarians.

I stumble. Banging my knee heavily on a protruding piece of metal from underneath some bunks- this reminds me I am here by hurting like hell. My leg goes horribly numb. My adrenalin pumps double time. I still feel sickness of pain. Reed is close, I can almost feel those Sai about to thrust into the small of my back; a three pronged dagger.

I run. Turning a corner, hitting a locked port way head on. I fall backwards- bye-bye life.

Landing on the floor, cursing, I know what's happening. I didn't hit my head- forearms stopped me first.

Scene changes- I am in complete darkness. A smell of children greets my nostrils as a chill of fear shoots up my spine. A loud thud lands behind me. Reed curses and I hear other voices from the back of a closed door.

"The fucking door's locked! Where the fuck did it come from? Those bastards are playing tricks on us!!"

I do not want to move. I could be anywhere. Anything could happen. They shunt against the door. What could be the meaning of all of this? My leg hurts as stinging pain greets me.

Wood splinters. I stand unsure in pitch black. Must seek cover. It's no good.

SMASH! Their bodies pile through a sudden stream of light as they enter.

"SEIZE HIM!" Captain Brice screams uncharacteristically for his rank.

Carpet beneath is abruptly replaced by water. All of us fall into a sea, choppy and swelling with ice temp'. Above, a sky hangs grey, storming; pelting down rain. I feel my whole body cramp up as I struggle to swim, to tread water, to keep afloat for survival, panic driving at me as I fear drowning. I can hear and (occasionally) see one of them, concentrating on surviving themselves, they bob up, then down as waves swell and grow. Death. Can't keep going. Body giving in to all consuming element. Black. Pain in lungs.
*
Sea water pukes into sand. I feel my eyes tighten shut as my stomach rejects salt water, a taste foul. I'm alive. I wish I wasn't. I moan loud as again my throat and gullet open.

That's it. I gasp in air as thumping pain in my head clears. The air is hot. My clothes drip. I feel a tremendous heat here. Steam rises off me in great rushes like I were some boiling kettle. Three suns boil down upon me.

Turning my head slowly about I see the rest of them cheering, shouting. Suddenly, as though there has been a lapse in time, Sgt. Reed is dragging me along by my left arm as Brice walks alongside him, commending Reed's technique in an over-zealous style. I am no longer struggling. My little dip has totally drained me- evidently not them. As my brain clicks in now I notice where I'm being dragged to through this arid desert of some strange planet, of some system I haven't got a clue. An old Earth gallows waits for me on the crest of a sand dune, the desert gathering against it. The rest of them have been following our course saying nothing now as Wheeler is the first to get to the gallows. He jumps onto platform whistling to himself.

I pull against Reed but Ball comes over and grabs my free arm yanking it up, controlling my struggle. I pull with all my last remaining strength against them. Two more people, who I can't see as I am face down, grab my legs as I writhe screaming, pleading, saying anything which springs into my head as I cry for my life.

I am kicked in the stomach. Winded. Immobile. Pliable to their cause. Dragged up steps. To the top. Gallows much higher from here, a long way down.
*
Wheeler laughs. Laughing like he is finding amusement in an old granny falling over; a kind of sick humour, he slips a noose over my head as Reed ties my hands, Ball binds my ankles as I still (breath regained) plead with them.

Captain Brice ascends the steps that I have just been dragged up like he were in some national ceremony. He walks slow, with an air regal; head held high and nose upturned. Reed and Ball salute as he passes standing by Wheeler who eagerly awaits with trap door lever in his hands.

Brice clears his throat. I say something to him. He glares at me.

"Sub-man..gag the prisoner!" Wheeler obeys his words, reluctant to leave his post of sending me to my death.

A dirty rag of some sort is stuffed in my mouth. Another cloth twists around my mouth to back of head as my main airway is blocked. I breathe heavily through my nose.

The Captain continues his address to the men below.

"Gentlemen…a word from our sponsors," I feel a well of absurd fear and dread burst through me, "we are gathered here today to commend the valiant efforts of our young comrade....Private Walker."

He pats my chest, breaking for a moment in his address.

"He gave a commendable chase, as I'm sure you will all agree, his efforts were above and beyond the call of duty. Absolutely first class! A tremendous show of courage, strength and fortitude. To attempt to out-wit us; I personally enjoyed the moment when he tried to point-the-finger as it were, at one of us. We salute you sir!"

From below I hear the other men clapping, not able to see them as I squint under the suns, I feel more helpless than I did in the S.C. Sand grains irritate my nostrils as I breathe erratically. I wish to defecate but have nothing in my bowels to punctuate fear, the horror of it all.

Captain Brice goes on and on, talking words like abstract distant noises. I just hear the pattern of his voice going on and on and I close my eyes, the light unbearable bright, squeezing tears, the course rope scratching my neck.

Opening my eyes I see a woman stood in front of me. Brice doesn't notice her, it's as if she were invisible. She is short- five foot three, sandy blonde hair, large hipped, blue shining eyes and my last hope. I try to scream through the gag for her to help me. She looks at me like an angel: with caring refrain. The woman moves close to me, her small feet toe to toe with mine. She seems real. Yet what is real here?

"You realize that as soon as they open this," she taps one foot on the slatted wood beneath us, "your body will fall and your own weight shall strain against your neck resulting in death."

She takes off my gag.

I pull lung fulls of air in, gasping. Brice still waffles on, as Wheeler nods in agreement unaware of what is going on. They all seem blind to her.

"It will be alright Alan, " the woman places a smooth hand on my cheek, I cannot understand why but I have started to feel love, affection, here in this situation. Why? Maybe because it's been so long since a member of the opposite sex touched me.

She unties my bonds quickly. Suddenly I notice that Wheeler has noticed us. He shouts to Captain Brice.

"NOOOO!!" The officer spins about, stopping his gobbledekook.

She throws away the restraining rope around my ankles. She stands back, watching as the captain makes a lunge at me.

I side step sending him keeling over the side of the gallows. Wheeler swings a heavy fist in my direction. I duck underneath, not even attempting to meet his force. Punching in a straight line (karate way) I explode everything I have got into the technique to his lower ribs. The blow does some damage but most is absorbed by his fat. The pain hits him seconds later as his face contorts.

Behind me I hear their angry presence running up the steps. I act on the Sub-man, barging into him with all my might. The over-weight mother doesn't budge. The rest of them are on me. Reed and Ball within striking range.

I kick the Sub-man square and hard in the groin; a snapping kick like a text book karate kin-geri, rattling his family jewels.

Before I am hit by Reed and Ball, before the others totally swamp me, before I am given an opportunity to see Wheeler crumple to his knees, my surroundings change- this time though they dissolve slowly.

She takes hold of my hand like a child entrusting some important show of feeling. She wears a long black dress elegantly; that form of elegance I have not seen for years. She seems to be entering my thoughts and emotions, making me feel for her in this out-of-place dimension. From desert planet with three suns to another planet with green lush pastures. Then other planets, other dimensions appear, throwing my mind out to empty expanses, to places from my past, to places I have watched on T.V, to areas of known systems which I have read about. What is this?

The changing scenes cease. We stand on a shore. Waves lap against sand. Behind us cliff faces reach up. I know of this place, I read it in a book once. I remember vaguely that the main character had just met a woman and both were running from some evil organization that abused human rights. It had been written hundreds of years ago, from what I remember it was pretty crap. Does that mean this is all part of my mind?

"Where is this?"

She merely smiles at my question. My brain is tired, fed up of taking in all these events.

"Where are the others? The real people from the Longfox? What have you done with them? Are you one of..'them'?"

She releases my hand. Walking up the beach away from me. I feel oddly alone without her touch, a strange comfort. This all feels real, yet how can it be? How can I switch from total fear to l'amour?

"Don't leave me…"

She turns and stops as I catch up.

"You need not fear Alan. We have peaceful intentions," the woman frowns at her mistake, correcting herself she adds, "your comrades are safe, when the time comes..you will see them once more."

"'When the time comes'?"

She smiles melting me, I must resist this at all costs.

"Are all of those..Ball..Captain Brice..the others from the Longfox, are they alive? Are they here?" The woman who I gaze directly at calms me with her eyes, "I just wish to know where they are."

"Do you not trust me Alan?"

"It's not a question of trusting you..just understanding what's happened."

"You remember the last thing that happened before your Survival Cone was picked up?"

"But this constant juggling with my perception, with my mind…you cannot treat people like this! It is inhuman!"

She smiles.

"Did we drift for that long in space? Have we all been lost that long?"