In the Arctic by Art Collins Page B

signal.
    “Well, that’s about it,” Dr. Henderson concluded. “It’s not too late to change our minds. What does everyone think?”
    When Jockabeb reached for his coat, saying, “What are we waiting for?” everyone gave the Mission Commander a thumbs-up sign.
Round Three
    Archibald, Jockabeb, and Meatloaf were dressed in their cold weather gear when the transport pod’s hatch was opened. Peering out and seeing no sign of Malum, Zenda looked back inside and said, “A good start, at least.”
    Minutes later, Zenda took up her position just as planned. Soon after, she’d called out Malum’s name.
    It wasn’t long before the alien from Lues walked out of a tunnel and confidently made his way toward her. However, before Malum reached his archenemy, he circled the transport pod, as if suspecting a trap.
    Zenda was standing against the wall so that Malum would not be able to see the chopper unless he turnedaround. She pressed the button on her transmitter the moment he arrived in front of her. Per the plan, Zenda then began to plead her case as to why it wasn’t necessary to kill more humans, finally begging for the carnage to stop.
    Once the buzzer sounded back in the transport pod, Dr. Henderson opened the hatch. Meatloaf and the boys moved quickly and quietly as they made their way to the back of the Chinook. When the boys were safely on board the chopper, Meatloaf walked to a spot where he could see Zenda and Malum. With a trap of his own ready to be sprung, he raised his one arm and waved.
    Watching the Comis pacifist grovel and beg for his mercy gave the heartless Lues great pleasure. That all changed when she looked up and appeared startled. Swinging his dark head around, Malum saw one of the humans standing by himself next to his flying machine.
    As the powerful alien turned to give chase, the human bait dashed inside the chopper and yelled, “Get ready.”
    Hunched over in the cockpit, Meatloaf watched the deadly creature move with surprising speed. The closer the deadly alien from Lues came, the more terrifying it looked.
    Archibald had already slipped off his mittens and was clutching the blue feather tightly in his hand as he lay motionless under his blanket. On the other side of the cabin, Jockabeb was well hidden and doing his best not to shake.
    Malum entered the chopper’s cabin thinking how easy it would be to enslave the stupid Earthlings after enough of them had been killed to destroy their will to resist. Looking around and seeing no sign of humans he would soon dismember, the alien killer moved toward the cockpit, already drooling at the thought of how good his next victim would taste.
    The alien and the three humans had no idea that a second otherworldly being had just entered the Chinook. This one had floated in right behind Malum and had hovered undetected as the Lues walked forward.
    Meatloaf had already shifted his position so the pilot’s seat was between him and the alien that would arrive momentarily. While he thought he was prepared for what he was about to see, he recoiled once Malum’s horrifying head came into view. Then quickly collecting himself, he yelled, “Come and get me, you sorry sack of dung.”
    Hearing what he knew would be the pitiful Earthling’s final words, Malum slowly opened his drooling jaws and smiled. Once the deadly tongue emerged, the alien’s giant head shot forward with lightning-fast speed.
    “Now, Archibald!” Meatloaf bellowed as he felt a searing pain in his throat.
    Knowing that seconds would decide whether he lived or died, Archibald raced into the cockpit and dove onto Malum’s back, peeling back the scaly protective flap as he landed. Before the startled alien could react, Archibald rammed the blue feather quilldeep into the exposed gray flesh. The moment he did, Malum’s taught body went limp.
    When Jockabeb yelled, “Nito, Vito, Samu,” nothing happened. Smiling up in the darkness, the Spirit of Simtu nodded its head. It was then and only