by G. K. Scott
Location somewhere in the galaxy, in the science labs on level twenty on board the Iron Year science vessel.
People see themselves in all kind of ways. Yet they never contemplate what it is to see one of them on the other side of the equation. Some say the grass in greener on the other side. Personally I agree with them, sometimes you jump in to a burning garden and wish you could go back. I thought at first that that’s what I done. I was wrong the hunter’s garden is so much brighter than the one I left. The one I left was clinical and annoying! Right now I hate that I’m back in it. I feel like I want to escape. I will escape. Mark my words I will because all this is doing is bringing up memories I want to forget. I keep seeing the scientist Leo and feeling sorry for him. The blonde woman who is something of a bitch treats him horribly. I mean who pushed her out of the bed on the wrong side? She acts like she owns the place and I don’t like her smile. It’s so bloody false what does she think I am stupid? I used to use that smile myself because Utro forced me to use it. It’s that clinical you’re the patient smile.
What it actually means is you’re my genie pig and your going to make me famous. I mean I admire Leo for getting that far up the ladder. I was never given a chance to rise and he did it. Respect to the man where it’s due. Yeah he might have only been a technician but to rise up a level, is something to be proud of in my view. Marcus I don’t get he’s to quite. He reminds me of a friend I used to know on Callisto. Julia I know she doesn’t like me I mean it’s in her eyes. Or maybe she just doesn’t know what to make of Jeuki and me. Oh wait she probably thinks I’m disturbed really disturbed. I hope she’s not the Psychoanalyst since she said was from medical. I don’t need a shrink and I don’t need analysing by her or anyone else. I’m more mentally stable than I ever been in my life. My only denial is I’m love with someone who’s not my own species. Other than that I’m fine I don’t need a couch and a demoralizing pep talk. Oh! I really wish she would stop with the poking and prodding!
Emma pulled out her hand grabbing Julia’s hand before it poked her side again. “Will you please stop doing that?” Julia ignored the woman’s raving. She’d only just got the info on who this woman was. She was apparently the only survivor from Callisto, originally a scientist like herself. She hadn’t read the full report but felt this woman should have a check up. Emma squinted as the light was shone in her eye “You know I am not sick!” Julia sighed aloud pulling up the woman’s arm. “Doctors always make the worst patients.” Emma blinked “I am not a doctor I was an electronics scientist!” Julia breathed in pulling out a syringe. “You know it doesn’t matter ether way you’re still getting this check up.” Emma grunted painfully feeling the syringe go in to her arm. She watched Julia pull it out with her blood sample “You could’ve told me you where going to do that!” Julia looked at the blood sample “Look this is company procedure, I believe you know that. Plus we need to see if you’re healthy and well. You’ve spent a hell of long time in space on an alien ship.”
She turned looking at the long horrid claw like scars across the woman’s back. “I mean your back is a shining example of why we are somewhat concerned.” She looked at the scars. “I mean these look like they were made by a some big animal.” Emma smiled widely. “Oh I like those. They’re my scars of pride and courage. You like them?” Julia blinked was this girl messing with her head or something? She pulled up the second device with its syringe that extended. “Okay I need a little stomach fluid. I guess you know how this works. It’s just to check your having a good diet. She jabbed the electronic syringe in to the woman’s mid section watching a little fluid move in to the tube. Emma felt the needle pull away she groaned painfully. This was worse than the check up she had at fourteen. When she had been hit in the face with a hockey stick by a girl who was bigger than she it had broken her lower jaw and cost her five teeth. She’d had to have stem cell replacements to fix the damages
Hey you’ve bust part of your skull. Let’s re-grow the DNA stands for you in a petered dish. Having stem cells injected directly in to your broken jaw so the bone would re-grow faster and teeth would grow back was an agonizing experience. Okay it was common surgery but all she could remember was pain and agony in the sick bed. Then they’d tested over and over on her making sure everything was just right. It was so intrusive and she’d always hated check ups after it. She was hating this one right now with out a doubt. She winced as the scanning machine moved over her head taking a brain scan. Then moved back and down taking a bone x rays followed by an internal x-ray.
What were they thinking with that? She wasn’t pregnant and had nothing wrong with her inner workings. She didn’t get a chance to think that thought further. As one of the moving limbs of the medical machine leaned over, slowly taking a scan of her eye. Or more the iris it was one of those stupid things to match her last iris scan she’d done five years ago. It was so they could be positive that she was really Emma Wingates and not a copy. Since everyone was so scared by clones they’d set up this procedure. Clones normally had a slightly altered iris pattern due to the cloning sequences that never matched the originals. She watched the two iris codes come up on screen with the words match underneath. She tried to sit up only to be pushed down on the bed again “You are not taking a urine sample!” Julia pulled up a little vile “No but your going to give as one today.” She smiled pulling up a thin electronic pad. “Please will you type in your dates when you’ve been on and off in the last few months.” Emma blinked “Excuse me?” Julia rolled her eyes “Your menstrual cycle.”
Emma grunted aloud this woman was more like a torturer than a doctor. “Can I change this to space time instead of Earth time?” Julia turned sharply. “Why?” Emma looked at the pad “Because I don’t know what the Earth date is.” Julia slapped a hand on her face. “Fine…just do that instead.” Leo looked at Emma. “Julia stop putting her through hell.” Julia put a hand on her chin watching Emma type she was such a pain in the ass. Still this was the first thing with every new human visitor give them a check up. It was especially important to those who had been in space for long amounts of time. Still none of her strange armour had gotten in the way of the scans. And she’d finished all the tests minus one. The psychoanalyse but that could wait. She watched Emma sit up her gaze drifted to the scars “You know we can remove those scars for you Emma. A little stem cell surgery will fix them no problem.” Emma turned sharply. “I don’t want them removing I like them right where they are.” Julia put a hand on her chest. “Look it’s a painless surgery.” Emma eased up her hand. “No it isn’t, I had it done once to fix my broken lower jaw.”
Jeuki watched the oomans from his position near by he tapped his clawed fingers. This was a strange ooman custom called a health check. Which hadn’t been in Emma’s note pad. It was apparently to make sure Emma was fit and healthy. Personally she was fine from what he knew. He’d checked her for broken bones after every hunt. He tapped his upper right mandible saying this though he didn’t know ooman physiology. Plus there was the factor that she’d been aboard the elder ship for a long time. He had no idea if it had had effects on her. He pulled up his breathing mask taking in a deep breath he didn’t like this air one bit. He watched in surprise as Emma unclamped her silver-breathing device.
Emma looked at Jeuki he couldn’t breath the air right. “Jeuki here.” She tossed the device over watching him catch it. “The collars adjustable just put it on your upper throat it’ll adjust to fit.” Jeuki slowly pulled up the device ignoring the head doctor’s surprise. He put it to his neck feeling it resize as it clamped above his armoured collar. He found himself having problem breathing as the device adjusted to his air. He put a clawed hand on it feeling his breathing become easier. He laughed slightly “Better much better.” Carlos raised an eyebrow looking at the device. “Is that the breathing apparatus from Callisto?” Emma coughed slightly getting used to the air again “Yes.” Carlos looked up as Julia passed him the note pad on the woman’s details. He looked at it the
n turned to Emma. “So you’re the head researcher behind this device?” Emma looked up slowly. “No I was the second but my co worker’s dead, I just carried on where he left off.” Carlos touched the device “You’ve improved it. I mean it’s working far better than our chunky prototype.”
Emma turned slightly clamping her now shorten spear back in to her leg armour. “It works at half power now, I found a way to reduce the level of power in put with out ruining the effectiveness. It also works five times better than it used to.” Carlos looked at the note pad then turned back at her. “Hang on you’re a level two and yet you pulled this off.” He looked at the device. “This is more a level three’s expertise you should be upped a level.” Emma rolled her eyes. “You know no offence but I’m not going back to being a scientist, so don’t bother.” Carlos looked at the girl in surprise. “Come now you are human after all, and science was your job wasn’t it?” Emma sneered slightly. “Yeah and look what science did to the Callisto colony.” Leo moved forward “Carlos she has a point, I mean give her a break. If she doesn’t want to get back in a lab coat then let her be.” Marcus pushed his glasses back on. “Understandable if you think about it. I mean if I where to see everything blow up around me I’d not want to go back to my old life.” He paused. “Speaking of which Emma how did you survive?”
Lucy grinned widely. “Yeah how is it you didn’t end up like burnt toast like everyone else?” She watching as Jeuki moved instantly over to Emma’s bed sitting him self on the floor next to it. That was strange behaviour it was almost like he was trying to be a bridge of comfort or something. Julia eased up her personal note pad. “How did you survive?” Emma looked down this was so embarrassing. She felt like everyone was trying to look in to her soul. It was bad enough knowing she’d have to tell them and they’d probably laugh at her. Since her method of surviving had been humiliating and horrible. It was something she tried everyday to forget. She looked down slightly thinking back.
8
Emma found herself running through the narrow corridor. There were aliens everywhere! She could feel her heart racing it was like some horrible nightmare. She wanted to cry she wanted to scream but nothing came. She was too terrified for rational thought. Only running took her mind of her fear which was getting stronger. David and Charlotte where right behind her. Charlotte turned her blonde hair moving “The protection door! We have to get to the door!” David ran faster trying to ignore the screams and the blood all over the corridors. The lights where starting to go out also. Emma turned almost tripping over a died marine who was close by. She carried on running door 60 the protection door; the marines were behind it and had to let them in. She stopped watching as the door came in to view. Its metal sides gleaming she could see marines behind the glass. David pulled up banging the door watching the first marine turn to look at him. “Let as in! Open the door! Charlotte looked at the marine who ignored them. “Come on you asshole let us in!” David hit the door hard. “There are aliens out here let us in!” Charlotte watched the marine stand. The next moments where horrible as he pulled the metal down over the glass ignoring them. “You son of a bitch! I hope you burn in hell asshole!” David turned shakily. “They’re not going to let as in!”
Charlotte shivered looking at the corridor behind them whose light suddenly started to go out. “What do we do? What do we do? They’re going to kill us and eat us!” David pulled up his hands. “Calm down Charlotte just breathe in deeply.” He eased up both hands. “If we carry on through the corridor we can get to the mess hall.” He put a hand on his chin. “We just go through there maybe the main lab room will have places to hide. Maybe we’ll find a contact bay there.” Charlotte looked around. “Are you crazy!” David folded his arms. “Well if you’ve got a better idea tell me now!” He watched the woman go quite, “Good now that that’s settled.” He pulled the breathing device out of his pocket handing it to Emma. “Look after this.” Emma looked at him for a moment. “What did you bring this for? What possible use could it have in this situation?” David snarled aloud. “Look if I get out of here alive I want to sell my design and get credits! So just hold it for me would you, I don’t intend to die here.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe this we are going to die down here and all you care about is getting stupid credits, for our breathing device. Which is sixty percent my design and not yours might I add!” David growled aloud. “You’re a level two I’m a level three and Utro always said I was the brains. So it’s my project.” Emma put the device in her pocket. “Asshole I thought you said this was my work as much as yours!” Charlotte found herself screaming aloud. “Please shut up both of you!” She found herself bursting in to tears. “There are two types of aliens hunting us! Who gives as a damn about who made your stupid little device? Were all going to die anyway!” David snarled pushing past Emma. “Move to the mess hall!” Emma narrowed her gaze watching as the tearful Charlotte followed him. It was her work as much of as his on the breathing device! Hell if he lived she wasn’t going to give him his precious little piece of so called profit back! So much for him being her friend, so much for all those nights of drinking wine and talking together.
She thought he cared about her that they were close friends yet all he cared about was the device. Charlotte had always been kind and thoughtful to her even if she was a rather insane level three Gene spicier. From the second unit building that worked on DNA and some rather horrible experiments. The domestic cat with two heads had never sat well with her, but then medical science never had still it wasn’t her area of expertise. She’d never questioned Charlotte’s motives in the two whole years she’d worked on this Colony science base. She just preferred to ignore the domestic cat in the woman’s quarters with two heads and strengthened legs. Even if it was a pet Charlotte had made from pure DNA she shook her head that animal was died now. She’d seen one of the black nightmares grab it and put its horrible toothed tongue through one of the heads. She carried on running following David and Charlotte she wanted this nightmare to be over! Even if it meant her death, it would at least be an end to it all.
David kicked the two huge doors open walking in to the main hall it was completely empty. Food was lying all over the floor. While dead marines and scientists where lying all around. It looked like a battlefield only one which would give him nightmares. He turned watching as the two girls caught up. “It’s through here the door is at the far side.” All his words left him as the main computers voice hit the air. “Commencing countdown three minutes to self-destruct.” Charlotte turned. “Where dead where all going to die!” David turned sharply. “Shut up!” He turned picking up a fallen handgun. “I’m not going to die in this place! I’m going to live on and be a rich man!” Charlotte turned sharply “David!” David didn’t get a chance to move as a huge spear shot through his chest. He was slowly raised up in to the air. His blood hit the ground. Charlotte screamed in panic and fright as the huge hunter alien with its gleaming armour lifted her dieing friend up above her. Her panic was only made worse by a group of five black aliens moving down the wall behind them.
The hunter alien threw David’s dead body of its spear turning on the black aliens as they jumped down hissing at them. Emma grabbed Charlotte’s hand pulling her she didn’t have time for this. The hunter leaped up putting his spear through two of the aliens in two swings. He turned on the others killing them with his wrist weapon. He watched as the dead bodies hit the floor. He pulled up his spear in victory. Only to roar in agony as an enormous black tail went thought its body causing glowing green blood to hit the floor. He was raised in to the air. His armoured head meeting an enormous crested head that hissed as two huge arms came up ripping his body from limp to limp. Green blood hit the walls as the huge black queen moved forward.
Emma slammed her shoulder in the door it was locked. Oh this was just wonderful! How could they lock this? She felt Charlotte grab her arm in panic. “What I’m trying to!” She stopped turning slowly seeing Charlotte shi
ver in terror as the monstrous queen moved towards them. Her huge black clawed feet hitting the ground as the huge tail, which was stained in glowing green blood swung. Emma turned pulling at the door “Help me!” Charlotte had gone in to utter fright. “Help me! Help me get the door open! Charlotte!” Charlotte kneeled down as the monster moved toward her. She huddled in fright. Emma turned only to have her lab coat splattered in red blood as the queen put her toothed tongue through Charlotte's huddled body. She looked up as the queen rose above her screeching before swinging its tail around so the point was aimed directly at her. She looked up slowly watching the huge queen hiss again “Bitch! You killed my friend! You’ve killed everyone I know, I won’t give you the luxury of killing me!” She ran forward as the tail came down moving through the monsters legs.
It turned swinging full force chasing her. Her gaze turned to the ventilation shaft, near by which was half open. She ran faster ignoring the stomping of feet as the queen moved in on her. Her hands grabbed the metal railing pulling it off. Thank god it was close to the floor. She jumped up scrambling in to it. The huge head slammed in to the opening its tongue biting through the small hole narrowly missing her feet. She carried on moving through the venation shaft. She ignored the hissing behind her. The voice hit the air again. “One minute to self destruct.” She felt her hands hit the grate only to feel it give way under her, as she saw the main science room bellow. She felt the agony go through her body as she hit one of the tables below. The force sending test tubes everywhere along with other equipment she sat there for a moment only feeling pain and agony. Her gaze drifting over the shattered glass and spilt substances around her. She got up ignoring her bleeding arm, which had a piece of glass in it. The voice came again “Forty seconds to self-destruct.” She wanted to cry she had lost all her friends. Everyone she knew was died and she was alone. She felt the tears pour down her face. She was such a coward she’d run away. She’d not been able to help them. David was died and so was Charlotte, it should’ve been her not them. She should’ve died she was the coward.
