M114 - Commander Richard Smith - Ripley

From Create Your Own Story

The old saying is, “There are no secrets onboard ship.” So Commander Smith did not return to his vessel to discuss the situation with Able-Bodied Spaceman Forrest Ripley, who was also a PhD in Xenology in Civilian Life. Instead, the two strolled around outside and Smith recounted the story that he had heard from Professor Carter. About how Nancy Carter was not really Nancy Carter but some sort of alien life form who could project illusions of her appearance into other people’s minds. About how she seemed to use semen as food. He also explained about how she had killed at least one of the six scientists who had landed on the planet. At the end of the long and strange tale, Commander Smith asked, “What do you think?”

“I think that I do not need to report for a Psyche Exam,” Ripley replied. When the Captain looked at him quizzically, he explained. “When Mrs. Carter, or whoever/whatever she is first met us. She looked at me first. I saw her as a young, foxy blonde. Even when she…” He hesitated, took a deep breath, and pressed on, “She performed oral on me, Captain. It was not until after I had, er, you know. Finished. That I saw her as a middle-aged brunette. I thought my mind had snapped.”

“You’re partial to blondes, I take it?”

“Very much so,” Ripley answered. His tone suggested there was a whole other story there. “Perhaps when she looked into the eyes of the other two, she got a better… reading… of what we were expecting and she projected Nancy Carter to them immediately, but waited until after she was finished… feeding… to change my illusion.”

“So at least that part of the story-- the unbelievable part-- is true,” Commander Smith commented. He shoved his hands into his hip pockets and tilted his face skyward, squinting his eyes from the glaring sun overhead. After several moments of trying to decide what he definitely knew and what he did not, he tried to weigh his options, balancing the safety of his crew against the needs of the mission. “She is dangerous but perhaps does not pose a threat at the moment. I could kill her outright, but scientists back home might want to come here to study her; she is the last of her species. If I slay her, that would leave the Professor utterly alone.”

“You could lock her up until we are ready to leave,” Ripley suggested.

“Put her in a position of her back to the wall?” Commander Smith asked. “A cornered rat?” Again he fell silent for a few moments. Finally he said, “Right now only four of us are aware of the situation. You, me, Carter, and her. Here’s where you are going to earn your pay for the trip. I will make the final decision, but I need facts. Study her. Learn what you can and report back to me. In the meantime, it sounds like sperm really is her food source. Let’s keep her belly full.”

“Should you warn the rest of the crew?” Ripley asked.

“No, that could just complicate things. Who knows what sort of rumors the men might come up with if they discuss this?” Again Commander Smith paused to think. “But Ordinary Seaman Newman is an M.D. I’ll have him review whatever medical records might be in that antique computer Carter has. I won’t telling Newman what he’s looking for, just say it’s to satisfy my own curiosity. But Carter claimed one of the men died from a heart attack. There might be some history of heart problems in his files.”

"In the meantime," Commander Smith said, feeling better now that he has formulated a course of action, "I need to have a little chat with her. You see what you can discover tomorrow and get back to me."


M114 - Commander Richard Smith - Nancy Carter

M114 - Commander Richard Smith - Day Two P.M..

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