MONARK

Chapter Two: Conspiracy

"Did you know that the Monark not only holds a large amount of humans, but also has nearly every kind of animal from our planet as well?" Rick told her daughter, Violet.

"Really?" Violet replied. "Can we go and see them?"

"Maybe tomorrow." Rick said.

"But I want to go nooow." Violet whined.

"Great. You've awakened the monster." Gina, Rick's wife and Violet's mother, muttered only loud enough for Rick to hear.

"Jack." Rick called.

Jack soon arrived at the connecting doorway. "Yeah?"

"Take your sister to see the animals at the Animal Reservation Center." Jack's father told him.

"Why can't you do it?" Jack asked, sounding a little angry.

"Just go." his dad commanded, then handed Jack what looked like a handheld computer. "That will tell you everything you need to know about this ship. It includes a map."

Jack looked at the high-tech device for a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Fine. Let's go."

"Yayyy!" Violet nearly shrieked.

---

Jack walked down the hallway with his right hand in Violet's left. His other hand was trying to get the computer to work. He wasn't being very successful. "C'mon, where is this A.R.C. at?" Jack muttered.

A robotic voice suddenly emitted from the device. "The Animal Reservation Center is located on Floors 20B to 25B." The screen then showed a 3D map detailing a route from their current location to the A.R.C.. Jack noticed that the Monark's floor numbers went up and down from the central lobby floor. 20A was above the lobby, while 20B was underneath.

"Oh." Jack said dumbfoundedly. They then made their way to an elevator and down to Floor 20B. When the alevator doors opened, they were greeted with a warehouse-like room filled with cages of many shapes and sizes stacked on top of one another. Inside them were many species of cats, dogs, birds, squirrels, raccoons, and mice. And just about any other small animal you could think of.

"Wow." Violet gasped and ran toward them.

"Violet, wait!" Jack called. But it was too late. Violet had already disappeared among the cages. "Crap." Jack rolled his eyes, then followed after her.

---

Captain Berkley sat down into his captain's chair as the final countdown commenced. Once Valerie reached zero, the last of the ship's thrusters were activated and Monark began its voyage to Earth. Berkley once again smiled.

---

Jack stopped for a moment upon feeling a slight thrust under his feet, as if he were in a horizontal-moving elevator. The ship was finally on the move, he realized.

He called Violet's name a few more times, but no one answered. No one except the animals anyway. Jack continued onward through the seemingly endless maze of cages. He soon found himself surrounded by the largest of cages. These were stables with horses in them. Jack carefully approached a horse who was poking his head out of his stable and gently petted her mane.

"You've never seen a horse before?" a female voice asked.

Jack turned and saw the most beautiful girl who looked not much older than him. He tried his best to keep cool. "Not in person. I'm more of a suburb guy."

"Ah. I'm Lyra." she told him. "I help take care of the animals."

"I'm Jack." he paused. "And I... am on this ship."

Lyra laughed, and then looked toward the horse. Jack took this chance to check her out with his eyes. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

It took a moment for Jack to realize that Lyra was talking about the animal. "Uh.. Yeah, yeah. Very." He then smiled.

"So what are you doing down here?" Lyra asked, smiling back.

It also took a moment to remember the answer to this question. "Well... My little sister insisted she come down here to see the animals. But then she ran off."

"Jack!" Violet called.

Jack turned and saw a man holding Violet by the arm. "Civilians shouldn't be down here without proper clearance."

"Patrick, calm down." Lyra replied. "They're fine."

Patrick let Violet go and she ran up to Jack. "No, they're not. They shouldn't be here."

"Let it go. I'll take care of them." Lyra told him.

---

Patrick resigned, left the intruders with Lyra, and made his way back to his office. Just as he was about to enter, he received a call. He pulled out his handheld, saw who was calling, and answered. "Yes, sir?"

"When will the package be ready for delivery?" the caller asked.

"Tomorrow morning, sir." Patrick replied.

"Very good. Someone will arrive for it then." With nothing more to say, the mysterious caller hung up immediately.

---

Once his family had returned from the evening's dinner at the humongous food court, they chose to watch some family movie in their room. More like Violet demanded it for the twentieth time. Jack didn't want to have any part in that. Instead he sat alone in his room trying to find something on TV. Not long after he gave up, there was a knock at the door.

Jack stood and answered the door. He was surprised to see Lyra waiting on the other side. And she was dressed quite differently from what she had been wearing earlier that day. Jack tried to keep his jaw from dropping.

"Hi." Lyra said, smiling.

"Hi." Jack replied. What to say next? What to say next?, he thought.

After a few moments of silence that felt like forever, Lyra finally spoke. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Jack replied and ushered her inside. He had had some pretty girlfriends back home, but none of them was as beautiful as Lyra.

"I'd like to apologize for Patrick. He's always the by-the-books guy." Lyra told him.

"It's fine." Jack replied, then went silent for another moment. "Want to watch some TV? Sure, it's all recorded repeats from the ship's central server, but it's not all bad."

Lyra looked at the TV for a moment, then smiled. "I have a better idea..."

---

Jack and Lyra entered a club, took seats at a small table, and ordered some drinks. "This is going to be a lot more fun." Lyra said and smiled.

Jack then realized something: could this be a date? It surely seemed that way. He looked out toward the crowded dance floor. What if she--

"Want to dance?" Lyra asked.

--asked him to dance? "Sure. That'd be great." Jack answered. Lyra then dragged him to the dance floor and they began moving to the music. Not long after that, a more slow song started. Some people left the dance floor. Jack moved to hold Lyra. She nodded and helped his arms to where they should be. They then continued dancing, though a little slower than before.

"I noticed you checking me out today." Lyra said.

"Oh. I'm so--" Jack began.

"Shh.. I'm here, aren't I?" Lyra told him. "Why else do you think I asked the question... about the horse?"

Jack let out a short laugh, partly out of nervousness. And before Jack knew it, Lyra's lips were on his. Then he began kissing her back. He couldn't believe what was happening. It felt like no other kiss he had had before. Then Lyra pulled away at what felt like way too soon.

Lyra looked into Jack's eyes for a moment, then their lips met once again in another passionate kiss. Jack tried his best to push aside the nonbelief he had and just enjoy the moment.

---

Rick Sellers couldn't believe what was happening. He knew that his boss would be asking for a few favors of him because he got his family on Monark, but this was not what he expected. His boss called Rick's room at 5AM and asked him to report to his office. Rick wasn't some troublesome high schooler always being sent to the principal's office anymore.

Rick was ushered into his boss'es grand office and tried not to look as if he were pissed off. He surely didn't what him and his family to be shoved out of an airlock or something.

"Welcome, Mr, Sellers." Victor Powers greeted him. "How are the accomodations treating you?"

"Just fine, Victor.. er, Mr. Powers." Rick replied. He had been friends with Victor. Until he got rich and became an arrogant asshole. The kind that demanded his employees not to call him by his first name. Even if you were a friend in a previous life.

Victor began typing on his desk's computer keyboard. "I need you to go down to A.R.C. and pick up a package for me. Ask Patrick and he will give it to you. Take it to the quarters that these directions show you."

Victor pressed Enter on the keyboard and Rick's handheld beeped almost immediately. Rick looked and saw directions already on his screen. "Do not ask anyone what's inside and do not open the package. Am I clear?" Victor's tone of voice was quite serious.

"Yes, sir." Rick replied.

---

Jack awoke in a desk chair and soon noticed that he was in Lyra's office at A.R.C.. He and Lyra had hung out at the club for awhile, then came here. He must've fallen asleep at some point. He couldn't really remember. Jack looked around but didn't find Lyra anywhere. She must've taken off.

Jack stood and stretched. Then he noticed that his father was outside, beyond the mostly-glass office walls. He hid as quickly as he could. What was his dad doing here?

He peeked over the top of the desk and watched as his father talked with Patrick. Is he here looking for me?, Jack thought. Patrick walked away and Jack's father waited. Patrick returned a minute or so later and handed Jack's father a sealed box. Then he left with it in his hands.

What was that about?, Jack thought. He then left the office and began to follow his father.

---

Do not open the package. Do not open the package. Victor's words repeated in Rick's head as he finally reached the package's destination. He was really curious about what was inside now that his boss demanded he didn't know. Rick examined the box but found no clue as to its contents. He gave up and knocked on the door.

A few moments later, a rather strange-looking man answered the door. He grabbed the package from Rick's hands and quickly slammed the door.

---

Jack watched as his father delivered the box. What was he delivering and why so early? Before he could contemplate any further, he noticed his dad was heading toward him and back towards the elevators. Jack quickly found a closet to hide in just before he walked by.

---

The mysterious man walked though his dark quarters, placed the delivered package on a table and opened it. He looked over the contents for a moment. It didn't take much longer to recieve the phone call. The man answered immediately.

"Have you recieved it?" the caller asked.

"Yes, Mr. Powers." the man replied.

"Good. Do you now have everything you need?" Victor Powers asked.

"Affirmative." the man replied. "The Monark and its humans will not make it to Earth."