Hancock watches Dr. Lopez curiously. She’s finally lightened her visor, since she had to turn her screen’s brightness all the way down to maintain their cover in the dark cubby they found. She’s sitting on his shins facing him with her thighs up to support her computer. Their stunt worked to get them to the ship, but he dislocated his left shoulder and partially cracked his left forearm with their landing.

Once they entered the top hangar door, they were on a catwalk running just inside the hangar’s upper threshold. From there, they found an electrical panel, which Lopez was able to successfully tap into, and they stashed Marvoni out of sight while they squeezed into the cubby behind the panel.

The young marine is amused at something he just noticed though. He’s watched a lot of animes. And, in a lot of them, an otherwise unpopular, unremarkable, normal or nerdy guy suddenly becomes popular, specifically with girls, thanks to a sudden shakeup. He knows this isn’t actually a real phenomenon, but many times, he wished it was.

Now, though, he can’t help but wonder if he’s wrong. Sure, Dr. Lopez isn’t fawning over him like a smitten girl, but she has glanced at him over a dozen times since they squeezed together into the cramped space. He’s not sure if she’s glancing at him because she’s afraid of him, or if she’s worried about his arm, which he’s carefully bracing with his boot lace and parts of Marvoni’s weapons. But, he is amused that she’s so attentive of him instead of her task on her computer.

She finally asks, her voice soft and nervous, “A-… Are… Is your arm…?”

Hancock replies gently, “I’ll be fine. You okay?”

She nods without looking at him. There’s another quiet pause. She squeaks, “Th-Thank you… f-for not letting go…”

Hancock looks down sheepishly this time. The knot MAY have come loose during their tumble, and Hancock’s boots and desperate, painful grip MAY be all that kept Lopez and Marvoni from drifting into oblivion. He would NEVER hold that over them, though. He’s just glad he did it. This whole week has been full of unthinkable firsts for the young marine. Many of them are even heroic, which surprises no one more than him. Who knew luck was such a heavy portion of heroism? With that, of course, it’s sometimes little more than luck, right place, right time, and having the simple moment of courage to act, or even more simply, not let go.

Hancock replies softly, “Same to you.” Just as important as him hanging on is the fact that Dr. Lopez trusted him and didn’t let go either.

She tries to bury her face below the edge of her screen, but Hancock can still see her. She glances to make eye contact for a moment and looks back at her screen with a quaint smile.

She sits up, saying, “I’m in!”

Relieved, Hancock perks up too, asking, “You got access to their main network?”

She nods, checking the plug on her laptop for the fifth or sixth time to ensure it’s not lost now. She explains, “It looks like their encryption isn’t key-based like ours typically is, but… math based. I don’t know an easy way to explain it, but they’re using logarithmic…”

Hancock’s ears start to fog as she spirals into something he recognizes as computer talk, but little else. He maintains interest, though. She knows not to expect too much feedback from him on this topic, and so she is more airing her thoughts for her own benefit. He made the observation when she was explaining how she was accessing the intercom that she seems to tune out human presences when she starts talking computers –or technology in general- and talks a WHOLE lot more. The floodgates are open again, but he doesn’t mind. He’s glad she’s talking. Her voice, wavering as it is from fear, is still gentle but energetic, easy to listen to, and reassuring for Hancock, reminding him that the hope is far from gone. They could easily see the ship Kane mentioned, Lopez is making progress, and they’re still alive. If Dr. Lopez alone makes it back to the Polonia, humanity could still win this.

Suddenly, his attention is grabbed when Dr. Lopez asks, “Do… I’m talking too much, aren’t I?”

Hancock replies genuinely, “Not at all. Whatever you’re saying, you’re in a good mood. So, everything’s going good.”

She smiles and focuses on her screen. She says more normally, “It is. I’ve found ship controls. Their program language and file systems are rather odd, but…” She stops herself, locking eyes with Hancock for an apologetic gaze. She adds, a little embarrassed, “I’m figuring it out…”

Hancock chuckles, “Sounds good, Doc.”

She nods and continues.

Hancock’s job in this little cubby is simple; lookout. Or, as visibly restricted as their position is, he’s listening. He says softly as he hears heavy footfalls approaching slowly, “Cover your head and don’t move, Doc.”

The young woman does as instructed without hesitation, and Hancock’s right hand tightens on his grenade launcher’s grip. The heavy footfalls stomp closer with a purpose.

Without pause or warning, the electrical panel is yanked open, revealing a particularly large alien. Although, it’s been some time since Hancock saw one this close, so maybe it’s the same. However, he is more surprised by the human being dragged by the leg; Sergeant Marvoni. The senior marine still appears to be unconscious. All of that only really processes as Hancock’s finger crosses the point of no return. His trigger clicks, his launcher coughs, and the alien heaves its torso back in the absolute nick of time. His grenade soars out over the hangar bay, exploding somewhere out of sight of the marine with a distant thump.

The alien growls, dropping Marvoni’s leg to reach in and grab Hancock’s left arm. The young marine wails in pain, and Lopez tumbles off of him. The hulk drags the weakly resisting soldier out, holding him up to inspect the small specimen.

The alien chuckles, taunting in its broken English, “Hoomins naught azz cleever azz teenk day arr. {Humans not as clever as they think they are.}” It looks at Lopez, taunting extra eagerly, “Feemall? Goo. We haff breed pah-er. {Female? Good. We have breed pair.}”

Sudden movement scuffles below Hancock. Marvoni suddenly coils around the alien’s leg like a python, and he jams a knife into the back of its knee. The alien roars, and its leg buckles, causing it to fall against the handrail. Marvoni uncoils, drawing his pistol. He fires several times as the alien drops Hancock to support itself. Thinking quickly, Hancock snatches the alien’s tuning fork device with his right hand, and he fumbles to activate it.

The blade ignites with a crackle and a hiss, and the alien tries to swipe at them. But, it’s Hancock’s turn now. He swings in a wide arc, and the alien barely manages to dodge its head out of the way, losing its right arm with little warning but a meaty sizzle. It’s not the only thing the blade cuts, though. Hancock’s momentum made instant work of the railing the heavy alien is leaned against. The railing gives, and the bulky alien wails as it falls over 100 feet to the hangar floor below. Its foot trips the marine though, and Hancock loses the alien sword to barely catch the catwalk edge with his good hand, narrowly clinging to life.

Dr. Lopez screams, “HANCOCK!” She bolts out of the cubby to grab his right arm as she dives to the floor. Marvoni is next to her in an instant, yelling, “Give me your other hand!”

Hancock can’t move it at all. Even trying to shoots pain across his chest. Lopez shouts for him though, “HE CAN’T! HELP ME!” She reassures Hancock, even as bolts zip by from alien troopers firing long range shots at them, “I WON’T LET YOU GO!”

Hancock could try to tell her to focus on the mission. He should, even. But he knows it will do no good, and she’ll only get distracted yelling back at him. She’s not a marine. Loyalty to the mission doesn’t carry the weight it does for a marine. And… a shameful part of him doesn’t want to say it because he wants to live.

Hancock heaves with all his strength, immeasurably aided by Lopez keeping him steady on the floor and helping lift some of his weight. Marvoni leans over her, gripping Hancock’s safety loop on the back of his collar. They manage to get him to where he can get footing, and he springs himself onto the catwalk, diving away from the edge as the other two scramble clear as well. They catch a breather for the briefest of moments, and Hancock pants, “Thank you both.”

Lopez smiles. But, she quickly scrambles back into her cubby. Marvoni helps Hancock to a kneel, and the two ready grenade launchers. Marvoni states, “Thanks to you, too. Last I knew, we were on the transport.”

“Long story, Sergeant.”

He nods, and the two notice Lopez hasn’t crawled back out yet. Marvoni says, “Let’s go, Doctor. We have to move.”

She says nothing. They both look to find her typing away. Hancock says, “Doctor, we need to…”

She looks at him to plead, “Please!? I can do this, Hancock. Trust me!”

Marvoni barks, “We don’t have time! They’re coming!”

Her gaze doesn’t leave Hancock. She squeaks desperately, “Please…”

Hancock calls out, “Sergeant, she’s already in. We just need to hold a little longer.”

Marvoni is surprised at first. But, they spot a pair of shock troopers ascending a ramp the way they need to go. Marvoni sighs, retorting, “We’re having a talk, marine. Cover! Doc, you have one minute! Maybe!”

She instantly springs to work, typing more furiously than before. Hancock and Marvoni tuck into cover behind wall columns, and they open fire, alternating grenade shots to push the aliens into cover as well.

The seconds tick by painfully slowly, as the aliens fire back, cautious about being shot, but still aggressively firing their superior firearms. Marvoni yells, “Last shot. DOCTOR!”

She says nothing, whimpering a little as she types faster than Hancock could pound on keys for gibberish.

Marvoni fires, “Swapping!” He trades his grenade launcher for his pistol. Hancock fires his grenade. He states nervously, “Last grenade.” He waits a moment, squeezing seconds out for the doctor. He fires, stating, “Out!” He swaps to his rifle, and he and Marvoni keep firing. However, the two aliens are realizing the marines’ situation.

The two hulking shock troopers start to cautiously creep down the catwalk while hugging the wall. Marvoni bellows, “DOCTORRRRR!”

There’s a sudden pop, and then a growing whoosh. An alarm blares in the hangar, and a blue light flashes. Startled aliens glance around from all over the hangar bay. Even the two shock troopers recoil in surprise. The whooshing grows deeper, but also seems to be growing quieter. Hancock can feel his suit shift a little, and he realizes Marvoni looks like a marshmallow man. The air is being pulled out of the hangar.

Hancock notices crying coming from his radio; soft and relieved sounding. He glances at the two shock troopers, who scramble back toward the ramp.

Hancock sighs. He climbs partially into the cubby to sit in front of the young woman still typing. She sniffles, unable to wipe her eyes or nose.

Hancock says tenderly, “Good work, Doc. You saved us.”

She whimpers, “P-please…”

“Please ‘what’?” asks the young marine gently.

She’s barely audible as she whispers, “Please… d-don’t let them make me do this again…” She chokes out, “I… I can’t do this… I’m not… I can’t…”

Hancock squeezes beside her, gingerly hugging her with his right arm. He says softly, “You’re doing awesome, Doc. We’d all be dead without you.”

She whimpers, trying to complete her task. “I just… I… I’m so afraid right now… I… I think… I… um… s-s-s…”

Hancock replies, “It’s okay. We’re all okay. And, we’re going to win. You know why?” She pauses to look at him. Tears glisten in her amber colored eyes. He finishes, “I trust you.”

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Her eyes water more, but her face shifts. She takes a deep breath and focuses. She explains, likely to ease her own nerves, “I’m… trying to bypass what seems to be a firewall now. Everything seems to be on this one network, which is weird. Like… eggs in one basket.”

Hancock knows this one. He jokes, “So, like our networks are becoming?”

Lopez giggles. She replies, “Fair point. I’ve definitely identified their propulsion and the pulse generator –the uh… ‘burper’-…”

Hancock chuckles, “NOW you’re speaking my language.” He asks sincerely, “What happens if they lock out your computer though? Can’t they… do that?”

“Yes and no. I’m not ported in like a computer is supposed to be, so they’d have to identify our machine I.D.. I used the transport though to mask our computer like it’s one of theirs, so it won’t be easy.”

Hancock chuckles, “Sounds good to me. So… you’re a… computer scientist, then?”

Lopez shifts, replying, “Believe it or not… This is a… h-hobby. M-my fields are aerospace engineering a-and… um… a-astrophysics. W-with a minor in… quantum mechanics…” She sounds almost ashamed.

Hancock replies playfully, “That’s all? I have a major in ‘high school diploma’ and forty seven minutes of dive school under MY belt. Go ahead, be amazed.”

Lopez giggles softly. She says solemnly, “P-people are so hard to talk to… I’m… I’m good at science… It makes sense…”

Hancock jokes, “Huh. I like it. I’m not ‘people’.”

Lopez looks up at him for a moment. She looks back at her screen, finally waiting while a loading bar progresses. Marvoni asks from outside, “How are we doing? I think the gators are readying EVA teams to come in after us.”

Hancock waits, but Lopez seems afraid to answer. He states, “Downloading now, Sergeant. One minute.” He nods and continues lookout.

She whispers, “Sorry…”

“For what?”

“If… If I could talk… I… M-Mr. Right…”

Hancock replies, “Don’t worry about it.”

She relaxes a little. Hancock remarks, “Bet you never thought you’d be talking to a low I.Q. Jarhead like me, huh?”

She looks at him, but then looks down ashamed. She doesn’t know how to answer without being rude.

Hancock states, “Sorry. Loaded question. I’m sure you didn’t MEAN to work your ass off to get where you are while I always knew I was going into the marines.”

She giggles, pouting, “That’s not funny.”

Hancock smirks, but he says sincerely, “Look, I don’t care that we might never have been friends in a million years on Earth. But I’m damn glad you’re here right now. And, I think it’s awesome what you can do. So… let’s save humanity.”

Hancock holds his fist out. Lopez is surprised at first. She remarks, “How… can you just say that so confidently?”

“Eh, I soiled my pants like an hour ago. Figure, at some point, nothin’ to be afraid of after that.”

Lopez scoffs, whimpering, “That’s… I… That’s not funny… I… I…”

“I know. But, I’m not lying.” He says more dryly, “Really starting to chafe, honestly.”

Lopez sniffles. She bumps her fist to his, replying softly, “I… I don’t let people close, easily, Hancock. Don’t die on me.”

Hancock chuckles, “I’ll do my best.”

The download finishes, and Lopez adds softly, “I… still only talk to Zane and Mr. Right through message…”

“Wait… seriously?”

She nods nervously. “I get so nervous. They’re both surrounded by colleagues and businessmen and…” She trails off.

Hancock scoffs in amazement, replying, “That’s awesome. You’re SO good at your job, people let you stay silent?”

She looks down sheepishly.

Just before she unplugs, a static crackle buzzes in the radio. It’s replaced by a gruff, familiar male’s voice. “Rookie! Rookie, you out there? I see your signal. Talk to me, Rookie.”

Hancock replies excitedly, “Holy crap! Sarge!? Is that you?”

“Who else, numb-nuts?”

“I missed you too, Sarge.”

“Where are you?”

“We’re on a catwalk overlooking the hangar. We can actually see the ship Lieutenant Kane mentioned. Right now, it’s under vacuum, so the crocs had to fall back.”

“Doc Lopez and Marvoni are with you?”

“Yes Sarge! Dr. Lopez has the data she needs. She also has some limited control of the ship, at least for now.” He looks when he realizes she’s tugging on his sleeve.

Her computer is showing a schematic with glowing blue sections. Words in her interface window indicate, “{Falight Drive Active. Time to jump: 5 Min.}”

He whispers, “You?”

She shakes her head, nervous. Hancock quickly says, “Sarge, there’s a time limit! Five minutes! -Less!- The ship’s going to jump! We have no idea where!”

Tachibana orders, “Repressurize the hangar, Marine!”

“We can force…”

“NO! Caldaren’s hit. His suit’s compromised. Re-pressurize NOW.”

Hancock nods at Lopez, and she quickly starts typing. Hancock replies, “Pressurizing Sergeant. We’ll open the door as soon as possible.”

“We’re counting on you Marine!”

Hancock scoffs, careful that Tachibana doesn’t hear. Grey’s compliments are typically to the point and well deserved. Rarely does he add pressure by saying something like that.

Marvoni states, “EVA teams have entered the hangar, Rookie. We need to move.”

Lopez squeaks, “Hancock, are… are all of your boots on?”

Hancock registers it only a second, shouting into the radio, “MARINES! Make sure your boots are on!” He then says to Lopez, “Do it.”

Lopez hits enter, and a weird feeling comes over Hancock like he’s falling. She just turned off the ship’s artificial gravity.

Marvoni states, “Good thinking, Doc. We’ll go down the wall. Let’s move, before they turn it back on.”

Lopez closes her laptop and unplugs, and she helps Hancock out of the cubby. The three run carefully to the end of the catwalk opposite of the ramp, where four shock troopers are ascending more clumsily. They seem more competent in zero gravity than a human would be, but their suits appear to provide no compensation, which makes their movements awkward and dramatic.

Marvoni aims and attempts to fire, but his pistol’s hammer triggers nothing. Hancock says quickly, “Not enough air, Sergeant.”

He grunts, holstering his pistol. Red bolts zip by, indicating the alien weapons don’t have the same problem. “Time to jump!” He grabs Lopez’s safety loop, yanking her back as he pulls both of them over the middle railing of the catwalk. Hancock follows, and they push off, drifting carefully.

The three land carefully, sprinting for the desired ship. Hancock can hear his footfalls echoing, along with the shrieks of the alien shots. It clicks what that means. He pivots, hip-firing his rifle with his right hand. He hopes it works, because he can’t cycle the bolt carrier if it dry-fires the first shot.

While quieter and less flashy, his rifle kicks, spitting a round down range. He shouts, “Sergeant!” He hands his rifle off to the senior marine, who carefully cycles it, firing bursts at the shock troopers now drifting through the air. While there’s enough air for the rounds to burn and thus fire, the room is still under soft vacuum, and the alien hit bursts air out, rocketing off course suddenly.

A whistle comes from a door, followed by air rushing. One of the hallway doors opens fully, and thunder fills the hangar. A second alien is thrown like a ragdoll, but with blood spurting out of its suit.

Alien blaster fire storms from the hallway, but the wielders are much shorter than the original owners. Hancock cheers, “Hooah!”

Sergeant Grey asks casually, “Did somebody call Steve Irwin?”

Fisher retorts, “He captured them humanely, Sarge. He was an animal activist.”

“Screw off Fisher.”

Tachibana orders, “Focus, marines. Get to the ship and secure the area.”

Lopez slams into the ship’s ramp with her hands, moving as quickly as possible. She pries open a small access port with her screwdriver as Grey and Marvoni keep their bodies between her and the hostiles. It only takes a moment for the woman to bypass the door; just enough time for the squad to join them. The ramp opens, and she scrambles inside, wasting no time finding an access point in the cockpit. This time, she struggles and Hancock steps in to add extra force. The panel pops open, and she says quickly, “Thanks!” The scientist works quickly to wire her laptop in. Hancock tries to absorb her wisdom, but she moves blindingly fast, fumbling occasionally.

She whimpers, “T-Tell me nice things again, Hancock… P-Please…”

He’s put on the spot, thinking quickly as he glances at the marines fighting. Dr. Caldaren is propped up against a seat, unconscious, as Brown stays close to him.

Hancock says quickly, “Uh! If this mission –sorry- tonight, when we succeed, I owe you a drink. And, don’t worry, my squad all owes me twenty, so…”

Grey barks, “The hell you say, Rookie!?”

“Sarge! We’re working here!”

“Well, look at the Rookie! Mr. Confident after he fights a handful of aliens.”

The young marine ignores the teasing, saying to Lopez, “Sarge likes you, apparently. No easy feat. Oh! Also, since we’re space pirates now, you have to say ‘Arrrr’.”

She glances at him, surprised. She sheepishly replies as she works, “N-no…”

“Come on! You’re a space pirate! Right now! You’re the most badass kind of person in existence. Super scientist AND space pirate.”

The marines in Grey’s squad all cheer, “Arrgh!” “Arrr!”

Hancock insists, “Do it! For me?”

There’s a pause. The ship suddenly hums to life and powers up. The walls turn transparent, providing full view. The marines pile in, and Hancock asks, “Kane?”

Tachibana replies, “There isn’t time! He’s not in contact! Go! That’s an order! I accept responsibility!”

Lopez hesitates. She squeaks nervously, “Y-Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum…” She uses her keypad, and the ship lurches, lifting off and banking up towards the hangar door. The marines all cheer; Grey’s squad and the twins with, “ARGH!” and Tachibana’s squad with “Oorah!”

Lopez gets comfortable in a secluded corner of the cockpit, deftly piloting the ship out. Hancock stands in the doorway, admiring the view of space once again. It only takes a moment before the blinding white bubble silently envelops the alien battleship, and it disappears with a flash.

Tachibana remarks solemnly, “Good work team. But… I’m surprised your squad… Sergeant, I’m so sorry…”

Grey shrugs, “Nah, he’s fine. Rookie, ask the Doc to do a radio scan.” Hancock glances at Lopez, who nods. He replies, “She’s on it, Sarge.”

Hancock eases closer to her and asks, “May I?”

Lopez glances up at him and nods. She scoots in her corner to give him more than enough room to ease down beside her. She’s cycling through ship’s functions with her interface program. After a moment, she turns something on and nods. Hancock asks, “Lieutenant?”

Kane’s voice replies in the whole ship, “Hey! You guys made it. Thank goodness. Everyone okay?”

Tachibana replies, “As good as you last saw us, sir. Dr. Caldaren is stable for now.”

“Good. Good. If you can spare a minute, I’m in an escape pod. Uh… We’ll have to figure out what to do without ‘north’, ‘south’, ‘east’, and ‘west’ now… Starboard? East of the battleship’s heading?”

Lopez gives Hancock a thumbs up, and he looks at her screen. She has a GPS-looking screen up showing a blinking red dot. Hancock says warmly, “We got you sir. On our way.”

Lopez pilots the craft like she’s playing an extremely old video game, cautiously approaching the escape pod with gentle puffs of the engines. She manages to dock the pod, and Dumas calls out, “We got it! Hatch opening.”

Lopez squeaks quietly, “Hancock?”

“Yeah?”

“Can… Can I ask you to help me? I-In the future. I-it’s… it’s nice… having…” She trails off.

The young marine replies gently, “Of course. Something tells me, civilian or no, you’re going to outrank me anyways.”

Grey peeks into the cockpit, saying gruffly, “Hey, love birds, we got the sir. Let’s get back to the fleet.”

Lopez slinks behind her monitor, nodding silently. Grey asks, “You good, Rookie?”

Hancock replies, gesturing at his broken arm, “This? Yeah, Sarge. God saw fit to grace me with a spare.”

“How bad?” asks Grey bluntly.

Hancock sighs, replying, “Dislocated shoulder and cracked-hng-!” As he shifts, the pain intensifies, and he corrects, “Maybe broken- forearm.” He relaxes, adding, “It’ll keep to base, Sarge.”

Grey nods contentedly. He adds, calmly, “Good work, marine. You, too, Doctor. You’re not half bad, for a civvie.”

“Thanks, Sarge,” replies Hancock. “And thanks for the save.”

Grey chuckles as he disappears into the cabin, “Other than your sci-boo, the rest of us are even. Whole of humanity should worship her.”

Fisher’s voice comes across the radio, “Our Lopez, who art in the cockpit, hallowed be thy science…”

Dumas adds, “Thy big brain come, thy awesome be done, on croc-ships, as it is, we won.”

Tachibana grumbles, “Idiots…”

Mina Coulson continues the modified prayer, “Give us this day, our daily science, and forgive us our ignorance, as we are lowly marines hence.”

Lopez whimpers quietly, “I… I didn’t do anything…”

Hancock replies gently, as Dumas continues the joke, “You did exactly what was needed, Doc. And for that, we finally caught a break.”

She glances at him, but quickly returns her focus to the piloting. “You’re close to that girl, aren’t you? The one you were with.”

Hancock is a little surprised, replying, “I… I think so. Everything… kinda happened with the invasion… It all fell together fast. Kinda like us.”

“I-… If you can’t help me… you don’t have to…”

“No-No! Of course! I don’t know what you think I can do, but I’ll do whatever I can! For sure. Obviously, we all have to work through surviving this, right Doc?”

Lopez smiles gently. She replies quietly, “Levi… You can call me ‘Levi’.”

Hancock smiles, “Then you can call me Rex. Or, anything, really.”

She teases, “Minion it is.”

The young marine chuckles, “Minion it is.”

The young scientist is startled, squeaking, “What!? No! You-you were… You… I…” She whimpers as she slumps into the corner. “I’ll do it… I… I will.”

“Sounds good.”

She glances at him sheepishly, trying to hide her embarrassment by focusing on piloting. She finally jokes softly, “Minion…”

********