by G. K. Scott
“Please reply.”
“Oran Afros.”
Emma looked at the pad she slowly seated herself watching as Jeuki did the same. She found herself breathing in deeply; she didn’t know what to do. She looked up meeting his amber eyes. “Guy sounds like an idiot.” Jeuki slowly pulled up his clawed hand. “There your race…you should reply.” Oh how he hated saying those words. He could suddenly feel the sadness of this rotten situation kicking in. She would see her race again, he would’ve rather said no don’t meet them lets keep moving. He knew to say that would make her depressed and she had been very depressed recently. No doubt it was the loneliness of not being with her own kind bringing it on. He found himself twiddling his clawed thumbs he wanted to be happy for her. He knew he wasn’t he knew that maybe this was truly the end. May be she’d stay with them. May be she wouldn’t, may be he still had a chance. He pulled up breathing in deeply he should go with her! He had to go with her look after her.
He looked up slowly putting a clawed finger on her note pad “Reply to them.” Emma looked up slightly. “I don’t…I’m not sure.” Jeuki took her hand slowly “I’ll come with you, it’ll be fine. There your race you should see your own kind again, it’d be good for you.” Emma looked down at the note pad. She felt nervous almost scared. She eased up her finger she wasn’t even sure she wanted to be with her own kind. She didn’t miss them and a part of her didn’t care for them. They’d probably shun her anyway. She was a human reject who had loving feelings towards a six-foot tall alien who had a face they’d call ugly as hell. Jeuki rolled his eyes “Look just send the message Emma.” Emma looked up then slowly started typing; she’d changed the code on this pad so they wouldn’t know it was from the Callisto base register. They’d still pick up a human signal but wouldn’t be able to match it to a person. She looked up at Jeuki this all felt so wrong. He’d probably think she was trilled about this whole thing.
Oran sat back looking at the ship from his window, it was still just floating in space “Anything?” The marine looked up slightly “Nothing sir it’s been sitting there for ten minutes.” The woman near by looked up from her screen “Maybe their dead sir maybe the crash killed them. Or maybe they’re getting ready to attack as. We could all die!” Oran pulled up his hand “Be quite!” He watched the woman sit down still looking nervously at the screen. The marine stood up sharply “Hey I’m getting something! I’m getting a human signal!” Oran pulled up out of his chair moving over to the marine “Well don’t just stand there bring it up you fool. I want to read it.” He watched as the marine began to type causing the screen to light up. He leaned closer as the message began to move across the screen.
Thank you for your message…
Since our ship took a blow during our arrival we would like to dock for repairs.
We apologise for any damages made on the Iron Year it was our mistake. We hope no one was hurt or injured.
We are not here to harm any of your crew and won’t fire on your vessel unless provoked.
Please open your cargo bay doors so we can land. We’ll leave if you do not wish for as to land.
Please send yes or no as reply.
CHAPTER 5
IN THE ARMS OF YOUR OWN KIND
Location somewhere in the galaxy. getting ready for the Iron Year to open her cargo bay doors, the hunter vessel is still waiting for reply.
It’s so frightening to think that you’re going to meet your own kind again. The world you left behind that seems more alien to you than it’s ever been. You no longer feel like the human but the alien who’s arriving. I want them to say no, I want them to tell as to leave. I don’t want to dock with that huge science vessel. I mean I’m not like them. I was once but it seems like a lifetime ago when I was afraid when I was a coward. I don’t want to be that person again! I don’t want that boring life! They’ll try to drag me back in to it, say that’s where I should be. Make out that I’ve had some horrible existence and have been bastardized by it. That I’m unclean and need to be washed of my dirt, turned back in to the scientist who has no life. The scientist who was useless and no one listened to on a daily basis. The one who got shouted at for trying to give out idea’s, hell was that my life? When I think of it, it was meaningless. I was just a cog in a wheel that wasn’t going anywhere.
Honour, pride and self worth meant nothing in that world. You don’t gain anything but a promotion. A half assed promotion, which they give you more, credits for getting and try to make out that you’re more important. Yet it’s all just bull since they pull all the strings and you’re just on the end of them helpless. Maybe they’ll make out I’m some kind of hero. Geeze… the thought of that makes me want to puke. You’re a hero for surviving Callisto and being the only one left. All because someone blew up everything, which was brought about by someone else who believed he was a god of science and could control anything. It disgusts me; I’m really here because my race put me here. I love being here though. I don’t want to return to those who made me suffer. I don’t suffer here my life means something I feel that I have worth. And that every time I hunt and bring down a kill I gain something.
Yeah it has its hard days and it’s dangerous but it’s thrilling and meaningful. Having a hunter’s honour means more to me than having some stupid hero message given to me! I don’t hunt to be a hero I hunt because I feel it’s my calling and I feel that I belong. I don’t care for credits, power or stupid titles that mean nothing. There just words. I know I’m beating myself up over this I just don’t want to go back. Please make them say no. Make them say that they’ll open fire on as for hitting their vessel. Emma looked at her note pad nervously. She felt her wrist blades click out due to her nerves. Jeuki looked up slightly he could almost feel the tension in the room. He watched as Emma clicked her wrist blades in then out again. He couldn’t understand the nervousness that was hitting her it was so strange. Why was she so nervous and afraid these where her own kind?
Oomans just like her who where no doubt like her in appearance and she could talk to them. She needed to speak to them it would be good for her. Perhaps she could cope better feeling that she wasn’t alone. He looked down, she was never alone he was always here. He always wanted to be here. No matter what happened. Even if she pushed him away for a male ooman he’d stay. He hated that thought, what could some ooman male give that he couldn’t? He would be just as good a mate and partner as any one of them! He was stronger, bigger and in his prime. He was protective and gentle he also saw himself as loving. He stopped himself mid thought, but he wasn’t an ooman. That was it wasn’t it, it was because he wasn’t an ooman. Maybe if he were an ooman male she’d be in his arms by now. Maybe she didn’t think that he understood love. Because love was an ooman word and his race normally bred not out of love but to have the best offspring.
He wasn’t like that! He didn’t want to mate to for fill his lustful needs. He didn’t want that he wanted to be with someone and for it to have meaning. Wasn’t that what love was? To have meaning and understanding for another being to take care of them and share things as a couple? If that wasn’t love he didn’t know what was, his thoughts matched those in her note pad about love so why couldn’t he make her see? Why couldn’t he break her shield and get her to look past his appearance? He so wanted her to see, if only for one moment. Even if nothing came of it just to see that he could be her mate and partner. He lowered his gaze watching her flick out her wrist blades nervously again. He had to tell her soon he had to do something, anything. Emma listened as a sudden crackle suddenly came through on her note pad. She leaned closer hoping it was a message to tell them to get lost. Jeuki leaned over listening as the message came in the same male human voice hitting the air.
“Well you gave as something of a scare.”
“We weren’t expecting a human signal since you’re not on a human ship, still no matter.”
“If you look to out of the window if you have one, you’ll see that we are opening the cargo bay doors
. We’ll have a dock waiting for you dock nine.”
“Just to put your mind at rest you didn’t cause any injury to my science vessel or it’s people. I mean it’s only a graze nothing a little hard work can’t fix.”
“Please feel free to dock when you’re ready."
Marcus walked towards the docking bay where the large alien ship was going to land. He turned slightly to the female scientist who was walking next to him. “This is going to be so great Lucy a real alien ship docking here.” Lucy adjusted her lab coat “Yeah I know and Mr Oran gave as the privilege of meeting them along with Carlos it’s such an honour.” Marcus adjusted his classes “Think of it, if where able to communicate with them, I mean think of the possibilities.” Lucy turned, as the Leo walked up behind them. Her smile slowly faded “Oh so they let you in here, couldn’t they have sent you back to level sixty to clean materials.” The young man with his black hair sneered slightly, “Get bent you arrogant bitch.”
Lucy folded her arms throwing her long blonde hair. “Yeah you should go back to cleaning things Leo it’s about your level of expertise.” Leo grunted “You just hate the fact I made level two when I retook the IQ test. Which put me higher than average with you people. Now you resent that you can’t boss me around and treat me like your lower.” He leaned forward “I don’t have to clean up your crap anymore that must get to you.” Marcus pulled up his hands. “Quit it both of you! God all you two ever do is argue.” Lucy put her hands behind her back. “Leo there’s still crap around your it.” Leo slowly made a fist. “You know if there wasn’t a law against hitting people on this ship I’d hit you.”
Lucy raised an eyebrow “Would you know Leo, I doubt an asshole like you can hit anything.” Leo leaned over slightly “Oh yeah I would hit you! I’d wipe that bitchy little smile off your unattractive face.” He turned watching as a short black haired woman came up behind them. She turned slightly “Sorry I’m late someone spilt coffee over my lab coat and I had to get a new one.” Leo looked up “And you are?” The girl put a hand on her chest “Oh sorry how rude of me I’m Julia from medical on level twenty. Carlos sent me the details this morning after the crash on level forty.” Marcus smiled “Welcome aboard.” Lucy grinned evilly “Well the brown haired guy with glasses is Marcus I’m Lucy.” She turned eyeing Leo. “Oh and he’s an asshole.”
Leo growled aloud. “Where do you come from again Lucy? Oh yes that’s right some rich pent house in California, did daddy pay for your grades?” Lucy turned slightly. “I’m surprised you even have grades Leo.” Leo pulled up watching as five fully armoured marines came towards them. They where no doubt the leads who where going to guard them. He stared as the female marine with her short hair eyed them. While the butch commanding man next to her moved forward pulling up his large pulse rifle. “Come on get moving! Your holding us up!” Leo eyed the woman’s gun “They call you marines but I’d say your more like mercenaries.” The woman looked at him. “Would you move already I don’t have all day.” Lucy turned grinning at the butch leader “Hi Lexington.” She watched as the big man smiled. Leo rolled his eyes “Oh now that makes a lot of sense you like to chat up people not as smart as you.” He felt the woman push him with her gun “You know that remark wasn’t aimed at your commander just the blonde idiot next to him.”
Lucy turned sharply “Leo, go screw yourself.” Leo sniggered “That’s real funny is that the best you got?” Lucy growled aloud “Would you just….” She stopped as the short brown haired female marine poked her gun close to her. “Listen I’m a very calm woman but you are just getting to me Blondie. Would you just give it a bloody rest? All I can hear is your voice.” Lucy looked at the gun “Sure thing, miss butch.” The female marine snarled aloud “It’s private Samantha Stonewell to you!” Lucy swallowed slightly. “Fine I got that.” They all slowly turned the corner in silence then turned another, which slowly led out in to the bay. The alien ship would be docking soon they watched as the marines closed all the doors.
There where hundreds of onlookers looking through class near by. As well as workers in other bays who’d all stopped, Samantha grabbed her com “I want all forward weapons at the ready every one!” She watched as the guns above the bay pulled down in to position. Lexington eased up his gun watching as Carlos who’d been waiting joined the other scientists. He pulled his gun up watching the moving guns above held by marines. “Okay we just sit tight, no sudden moves and no pulling of triggers you hear me!” He watched the marines nod taking up position around the bay guns ready to fire. He turned watching the scientists move forward. This was crazy and stupid, Oran was nut’s this confirmed it.
Emma slowly closed the straps around her armour plating she heard the click as Jeuki pushed on her mounted shoulder gun. She moved her head watching it turn before she lowered it. She leaned down tightening the armour on her thighs and lower legs. One thing she never minded was the weight of this armour it was incredibly light. She pulled her spear of the wall clicking the middle so each side went inwards. She calmly clicked it in to its holder along with her net gun and dagger. She watched Jeuki ease on his helmet. Then move his shoulder gun checking it was working. He pulled out his spear and his cutting disc. He never really used the cutting disc but then she never really used the plasma gun it was just a spear item.
She heard the sound as Jeuki’s helmet’s air changed. He pulled on his final armour moving his clawed hands before turning to look at her. She slowly eased her helmet free of the wall looking at its red eyes before slowly placing it over her head. She eased the air pipe in place hearing the hiss as it started to move oxygen through the helmet. She breathed in watching Jeuki walk over to the controls. As the ship moved slowly towards the huge ships open cargo bay they didn’t even match the size of this vessel it was a living breathing population. She flicked out her wrist blades they weren’t taking any chances though better to be armed. This could all be a trick or a ruse.
She just hoped Jeuki would stay in the shadows of the ship just until she got out first. It was probably easer for them to contemplate a human presence before seeing an alien one. Plus this place was probably crawling with marines or mercenaries. She hated marines they were stupid foolish morons. Who made chooses with out thinking about them. She’d never liked them on Callisto and there was probably no chance she would get to like them here. She looked out of the window seeing the huge port come in to view. It was full of smaller ships. As well as other ships, which were being filled up with cargo by the lumbering power loaders. Her gaze drifted as the dock that they were going to land in came in to view. The message had stated dock nine. Now it made sense why, the dock was split off from the others so that if anything went wrong they could blow there ship to bits. She breathed in turning to look at Jeuki who was looking back at her. They had one chance to get out of this dock if all hell broke loose. They’d have to smash there way out. Still that wouldn’t be a problem they had hyper speed this ugly rust bucket didn’t.
Lucy looked up watching as the huge alien ship came towards them. She grinned slightly “Well it’s not handsome but it is different.” Leo put a hand on his chin. “Funny you say that it looks a lot like a hunter ship to me.” Lucy turned sharply. “Oh please everyone knows predators are just a myth told by colonists who have issues.” She folded her arms “I mean please you don’t believe half those little incidents do you?” Leo strengthened his lab coat. “Tell me how does men having their heads lobbed of count as a little incident? I also read a report on earth from 1995 about a ship that looked similar to that, his description was clear.” Lucy laughed aloud. “Oh you read that twentieth century cops report…you utter moron.”
She turned slightly “I can’t believe you’d buy in to some dead idiot’s report from that century.” She pulled up her finger. “No one believes that report and no one ever will in the science world. Lieutenant Mike Harrigan was from a century that had no violence control. Everyone was deluded back then. That’s why anyone can read his report and it’s no
t locked away.” Leo grunted aloud. “Oh you’re so sure of yourself, I know I’m right and you’re wrong.” Carlos turned sharply his gaze moving across the ship as it stopped above them getting ready to land. “You know something if you two don’t both shut up I’m going to cut both your weeks credits by half!” Lexington turned slightly watching the two arguing scientists go quite “Thank you I was hoping someone would shut those two up!” He eased up his gun watching the others do the same as the huge ship landed in front of them. He breathed in as the huge engines died down slowly as they made contact with the bay. He pulled back as a few of the side panel raised blowing out liquid and a gas of some kind. He couldn’t see anything the ships panels of glass where black as pitch.
He didn’t even know how it opened. The strange vessel seemed silent so silent you couldn’t hear a thing. Everyone around him was quite and still. He heard some of the pulse rifles rattle slightly “Easy now…no need to fire arms they just landed.” He turned seeing the guns above move as a huge side part of the ship began to come down. He could see some kind of fog drifting upward making it impossible to see inside as the huge vessel. Its opened part hit the surface of the docking bay with a dull thud. He pulled up his gun waiting anxiously, nothing not a damn thing. He turned his shoulder light on shining the light in to the opening. He still couldn’t see anything as he moved closer. Marcus pulled of his glasses “Nothing there’s! Can any of you see anything?” Julia looked closer watching the marines as the lit up there shoulder lights trying to see in side “Oh please if this ship is on auto pilot I’m going to be the laughing stock of level twenty.” Lucy grinned. “You see Leo this confirms that your full of bull and I’m so right.”
Leo watched as something moved through the smoke almost shaping it before disappearing. He blinked “Did something just move?” Lucy narrowed her gaze. “No nothing moved…only in your imagination.” Leo sneered at her “I wasn’t imagining thing’s!” Lucy folded her arms. “Nothing moved so why don’t you just admit you’re wrong?” Leo growled aloud. “Your wrong I know you are…I bet there outside of the ship it’s just we can’t see them.” Lucy snarled, “Using what an invisibility cloak? That’s real impressive thinking Leo your really showing off your IQ.” Leo leaned over. “Well at least I’m thinking outside the bottle unlike you!” Lucy turned sharply “Asshole like you’d understand thinking out side of anything let alone a bott...” Her words felt her as from the smoke something appeared. What looked an invisibility cloak dropped around the being. All she could see was two red eyes gleaming as what ever it was walked through the smoke.
