Dark Space 49: Invasion

by G. K. Scott

  Jeuki turned looking at the half opened room. He watched as Erisoki came forward. “ That’s Emma your ooman female?” Jeuki looked at him. “Yes.” Erisoki breathed in deeply. “Impressive.” He looked at the dead ooman in the net. “You’ve taught her well.” Jeuki eased out his clawed hand. “She says there’s a hard meat queen.” Erisoki looked at the ooman female. “I personally believe there are two. The oomans had Oni Jui kill one of as with a normal hard meats offspring so they could birth another. One that’s a mixture of hard meat and our race.” Jeuki folded his arms. “Oni Jui’s here!” Adarmi nodded. “He sided with the oomans and betrayed as!” Erisoki grunted aloud. “We were going to tell you all this but now is as good a time as any.” Emma turned she couldn’t understand what Jeuki was saying to the others because they were talking in there own language. She turned to the other scientists. “Get out of here all of you unless you want to end up a trophy!”

  8

  Julia turned watching as Carlos pulled up the device. “Walk forward!” He watched as the huge queen took a slow step forward. He smiled looking at Julia. “You see it’s flawless!” His gaze travelled as from the other room the scientists began to run out in terror. Julia’s gaze widened what in the hell was going on? She grabbed the nearest scientist who was trying to flee. “What are you doing!” The scientist pulled away. “The hunters are loose!” Carlos turned. “What! That’s impossible!” He turned watching the final scientist jump through the door tapping the panel so it closed with a bang. Julia looked at the scientist whose collar she had hold of. “Where’s Leo?” The scientist struggled. “He’s dead that woman killed him and realised the hunters!” Julia watched as he got free running towards to turbo lifts. “Emma Wingates! I thought Oni Jui killed her.” She turned quickly watching as Samantha and her team run towards them guns loaded. She growled looking at the closed door. “Kill Emma and the hunters!”

  Carlos watched as Oni Jui materialized close by. “You were sent to kill Emma Wingates how could you let her get past you!” Oni Jui snarled ignoring him. Carlos looked at the marines who were getting ready by the door. “ You are going to join them! And your going to kill her like Oran ordered you to.” Oni Jui growled again before moving behind the marines. Carlos turned back to the queen who was still. “Lets continue people!” He turned away not noticing the queen’s head rise up as a silent screech hit the air. Travelling unheard by those around her, she lowered her head waiting for it to reach its destination waiting for her reveal to hear it and reply waiting for another silent screech from the darkness.

  Her freedom from the trappers was in her grasp despite the pain of the device that controlled her, which she was fighting. In the darkness of the glass pen far away the huge crested head rose up its mandibles jaws opening as it screeched its silent reply to the opposing queen. Who had been moved away from her pen but whom it knew had been there. Her huge body began to pull away from its egg laying part. The mandibles opened as the hybrid queen screeched again causing her guards to start jumping at the glass pen full force. The horrified trappers watching the pen started to flee. More and more of her soldiers began to hit the glass trying to free her. So she could meet her lesser challenger who was waiting.

  CHAPTER 16

  THE FORGOTTEN SHADOWS RULE EVER VENGEFUL

  Location somewhere in the galaxy, on level ninety standing next to the hunters pens on board the Iron Year science vessel.

  I never really liked waiting for the hunt. Not when I know it’s outside the door than I’m behind. I can feel my fingers tightening around my spear. Even when Jeuki and myself used to get ready to land for the hunt this always happened. I guess part of its my Adrienne which is still pumping through my body like crazy. I’ve just got that raging need to kill something, to hunt down my prey and take it’s head. I’ve got so much choice on hand there’s Carlos and Julia. Sad somehow they aren’t the real prizes I want to kill them, for there dishonour. I know the prize trophy I want, he took my necklace! Lexington! That asshole his trophy is the one I want more than the others. I guess Oran’s goes without question, but Lexington oh the thought makes me smile. I want rip everything out including his spine then I want to stick his skull on my trophy wall. As a warning to those of my own kind who would oppose me! A warning that I am a real hunter and I would kill my species, if it means a prize trophy that is of great honour!

  I guess this is what it’s come to the great hunt, the hunt that will be remembered. Winners, losers it won’t matter in the end all that will is the courage and the honour. The bravery and strength that is what the hunt is all about and it always has been to Jeuki’s race. Even if we loose it doesn’t’ mean we failed it means fought till our last with honour. Emma looked up slightly before pushing the lens back down over her eye. She eased up her wrist armour changing the vision to infer red. Jeuki slowly eased his helmet on the hunt was about to begin. Soon that door would be opened and no doubt the ooman warriors would come bursting in along with the scientist’s. Jeuki tensed his wrist feeling his wrist blades click out to full length. Erisoki slowly moved forward he looked at the ooman female. She was in wrong position for the hunt. She should be in front of Adarmi and Idosoi. Jeuki was also in wrong place he should be behind him and next to Emma. This wasn’t ether of there faults.

  The ooman had only ever hunted with Jeuki so she didn’t know the rules of a bigger hunt. Were as Jeuki had been alone for so long he was probably unsure of his rank and place. He gently took the little oomans arm moving her behind him then tapped Jeuki’s shoulder moving him so he was opposite. He eased up his hand silencing the young bloods. He turned slightly pressing his spear out to full. “Ready yourselves!” He looked through his mask listening to commotion on the other side of the door. “Today you hunt those who dishonoured you! Who ever kills Oni Jui will be greatly honoured this day!” He pulled his wrist armour typing slowly. “Take trophies and fight for honour!” Emma watched as the hunters started to disappear she typed in to her own wrist armour hoping the cloak would work. She grinned as the cloak went up, she turned feeling Jeuki’s clawed hand gently touch her armour plating. She gently took his hand, her gaze wandered as they all waited in silence for there prey.

  8

  Samantha looked at the metal door. “Open it!” She watched as the squad member carried on typing. Right now she truly wished she had Eddy. He could hack doors better than anyone. What was keeping Lexington? She’d called him though his electronic pad half an hour ago, yet he wasn’t here! She needed him right now! Stupid scientist’s code it was a pain to hack thought. She turned as Julia came up behind her. “Stupid door, It’s one of your stupid head scientists fault for locking it!” Julia folded her arms. “He was afraid of ending up a trophy that’s why he locked it. Not that I blame him seeing Wingates kill Leo must’ve rattled his cage.Samantha snarled aloud. “Yeah well she killed Fern way before she killed him.” She grunted aloud. “I guess you can’t change a person who a cold blooded murder. Still you can always kill them!” She loaded her gun. “I’m going to enjoy seeing the look in her eyes right before I kill her. I hope her eyes show fear and terror!”

  Julia rolled her eyes. “Best of luck with that.” She moved calmly towards Carlos who was looking at the silent Knopf queen. “I have a thought, why don’t you get the ugly bitch to break the metal door? I mean it would save the marines a lot of trouble.” Carlos raised an eyebrow. “Please I wouldn’t give our best project to them.” He pulled up the device again. “Lower your head to the floor.” He watched as his command was obeyed. “This is the greatest achievement of the human race. I’m not going to just hand it over to a bunch of moronic marines to play with.” Julia pulled back. “Isn’t that what this project is for? I mean it’s meant for war fair.” Carlos grunted aloud. “This project was made by Utro so we wouldn’t need to go to war. His vision was that we use the controlled queen Knopf and her army to wipe out the opposition.” He eased out his fingers. “Marines stroll in after she’s done and just clean up the me
ss and any left over pockets of resistance.” Julia looked up slightly. “I have one question though what if the queen dies? I mean if she did we loose control of the army.” Carlos grunted aloud. “The queen will not die! Do you have any idea how much fire power it takes to kill one of these bitches? Even all the fire power on Callisto didn’t do it. It took a nuke to finish her off.” He turned not noticing the queens tail rise slightly.

  8

  Marcus carried on running after Lucy who was quickening the pace. They turned to corner, seeing that docking bay come in to view. Lucy leaned up against the glass. They’re where three marine drop ships and two cargo ships waiting bellow. She turned noticing a black cruiser, which was nether military or civilian. Marcus eased up a finger. “Oran’s vessel, I’ve heard about it, it’s got the best technology to date on it.” Lucy she turned slightly. “So all we have to do is hack in to break the docking locks on one of these ships.” She looked at the panel. “Can you hack it?” Marcus eased of his glasses. “I can but it’ll take some time, I’m not as good as Emma Wingates.” Lucy raised an eyebrow. “Emma didn’t hack anything though.” Marcus grinned pushing his glasses back on. “Oh but she did, that wonderful mess that was Julia’s computer panel saying how unworthy she was, was Emma’s doing.” Lucy found herself laughing aloud. “Oh I loved that, she did that?” Marcus began to type. “Oh yes, funny wasn’t it?”

  Lucy stopped laughing hearing her note pad go off. She pulled it up in surprise. “These are blank how could someone get my transmission codes?” Marcus looked up slightly. “If it’s Lexington trash the pad.” Lucy slowly turned the button on. “Hello…” She pulled back as a marine’s voice hit the air. “You know those docking clamps are a real pain to hack in to.” Marcus grabbed the pad. “I know you! You’re that happy son of a bitch called Eddy Ida.” Eddy’s voice cut through the air again. “Yes that would be me the hacker from the central marines, I chained you both up orders of Lexington.” Lucy growled aloud. “You’re not going to stop as you asshole! I hope you die for what you did to Emma Wingates and Jeuki!” Marcus slammed his fist down. “You disgusting marine filth!” Eddy’s voice came again. “Oh what I did to Emma Wingates, well that was Lexington’s orders. I actuality freed her three hours ago. The whole reason you’ve got so far with out being caught is due to her. Every marine is after her right now and she’s been cutting them down, it’s been fun to watch.”

  Lucy pulled the pad out of Marcus’s hand. “Why should we believe you?” She watched as the panel screen rose. She pulled back as the video image of Emma Wingates killing Leo started to role. She watched as what looked like a hunter pen was opened, Jeuki and three other hunters leaped out gaining freedom. Eddy’s voice hit the air. “Gotta love how she killed Leo he never saw the net coming. Would you like a download to your pads then you can watch him die over and over again?” Lucy looked at the footage again. “That bites I so wanted to do that, yeah as a matter of fact I would like that download. Do you have one for Julia or is she still alive?” Marcus rolled his eyes watching his pad began to download. He slowly took the other pad from Lucy’s fingers. “What do you want?” Eddy’s voice hit the air again. “Not much I just need you two, to do something for me. I’ll help you all the way.” Lucy leaned over. “Where are you, on this ship right now?” Eddy’s voice hit the air again. “Central control room I put a few marines out of operation permanently.”

  Lucy raised an eyebrow. “I see.” Eddy’s voice hit the air again. “At present well I’m really ruining Lexington’s day, poor half breed of a tin can can’t open the doors to get to level ninety, such a shame that.” Marcus raised an eyebrow. “So what do you want as to do?” Eddy’s voice came again but in a more serious tone. “I need you to take the hyper drive out of Oran’s ship.” He spoke again but quieter. “He just fitted the new prototype on two ships. One is that black logo skull drop ship for the marines the other is in his.” He paused breathing in deeply. “Take out his hyper drive and put it on your ship.” Lucy pulled back. “Okay which ones going to be our ship?” Eddy’s voice came again. “The black skull one of cause.” Lucy raised an eyebrow. “Okay that’s really messed up, why are you asking as to put a hyper drive on a ship that already has one?” Eddy laughed slightly. “I’m not I just want you to stash it there. Lets just say the false god of these two mighty ships needs to fall from grace and the just god needs rise above him.” Marcus blinked. “You know that makes no sense to me Eddy.” He listened to the marine’s laughter.

  8

  The Knopf queen’s lowered head rises slightly in the lab with trapper as it listens in to the darkness waiting for the revel to come. This is a waiting game a quite waiting game. The trappers believe they have control but there control is not so. She watched them build the device she knows how it works. She just needs to remain patience. The huge plate of glass shattered as the hybrid guards smashed through it. They run forward as their queen crashes through. Her huge mandibles opening as she screeches. The cries of horror and terror hit the air as her soldiers cut the trappers down. There is only one way she will take the way through the other huge room. It will destroy another bay the bay where the trappers keep the other alien ship. Still it is her choice of passage and she must choice it, for it will lead her to her rival. Her soldiers stay by her side guarding her as she screeches in to the dark passage.

  The huge crested head turns mandibles flaring as she screeches the silent order to conquer this place which she’s been waiting for the right moment to take. Now that she knows where her rival is she can take what’s hers. This place becoming her new home once her lesser is cut down. Her head turns watching as hundreds of nursery assistants and soldiers flood out. They’re going to make her home, her new home where her young can live free. Not to be vessels of a lesser race any longer. To be the true predators of this food chain that is her wish her only wish, to give her young all a mother can give. Freedom from bonds of glass, freedom from trappers who believe they can use her children. None of her children are there’s to be harmed they are hers. Her beautiful children who deserve freedom that is what every mother wants, the best for her children. This will be the best for them and many to come. She slowly moves forward her huge crest smashing the walls as she goes towards the next large room.

  8

  Samantha slammed her guns hilt in to the marine’s shoulders. “Come on!” He growled aloud pulling out the panel. “I’m almost there! Would you just give me a break?” Samantha growled aloud. “I’ll give you break all right starting with your leg, if you don’t move it with opening this door!” The marine turned cursing slightly, he pulled back sharply. “Hey I got it!” Samantha pulled back as the huge door grinded open, Samantha turned seeing that nothing was there. She pulled down her helmet. “Come on out Wingates! I know you’re here along with your ugly friends!” She moved forward watching the squad follow her guns raised. “What is the human race not good enough for you!” She pulled up her hand pointing for marine’s line to separate mid centre. “You know what you are Wingates? You’re a cold blooded murder!” She pulled down her sight lens. “How many people is it now?” She turned seeing Leo dead body near by. “I’m sure you can count! I mean you were once a good citizen of society.”

  She pressed the sight lens still seeing nothing. “Were are you!” She turned sharply the room was still silent her gaze narrowed, where were they! There was no way those hunters could’ve left. There was no way out of the room other than the door in here which her men had just come in through. She narrowed her gaze turning slightly. She turned watching as Oni Jui pulled back from the door. Why wasn’t he going through? That made no sense why was he retreating? Maybe he was doing something, which his ugly race normally did. She just couldn’t be sure, she watched him look up slightly then back off even more. Samantha raised her gun-annoying hunter. Emma watched the marines move from her position above. She watched the elder hunter pull up his clawed signalling to them. Jeuki put a hand on Emma’s shoulder as he eased out his cuttin
g disk. He watched her pull her spear out readying it, he ran his clawed fingers gently through her hair. He eased his hand around her waist ready for the jump.

  Samantha turned still nothing! She shot around as from nowhere a plasma bolt flew right past her. She watched as it blew a hole straight through one of her men. His blood splashed against the wall as he fell to the ground. She turned in horror as from above four shapes leapt down towards them. Weapons appeared fully as the beings hit the ground surrounding them. Spears flew out, from the blurred cloaked shadows she watched in horror as they where rammed through her men. The other men started to fire only to fire at air. She cried out as glowing wrist blades cut them down. She moved back as blood hit the ground around her. She found herself ducking as one of her men was thrown clean over her head. She looked around she’d had twelve men! She was now cut down to five. The rest lay in bleeding heaps on the floor. Jeuki threw his disk watching as it spun full force taking the heads of one of the ooman warriors clean off. He turned as it came back so he could catch it. His gaze turned as Emma slammed her spear directly in to the nearest ooman warriors stomach.

  Erisoki slammed his spear in to an ooman warrior lifting him up and tossing him. He watched as Adarmi kicked one of ooman warriors sending him flying across the room. His swung around as Idosoi put his wrist blades through another’s neck. He turned throwing the final lesser ooman warrior at the glass of the pens, which shattered with the impact. Samantha watched the broken glass fell she suddenly felt afraid she was the only one left. She could hear her gun rattling. She turned watching in shock horror as Oni Jui grabbed the metal door pulling it across with a harsh slam. What was the bastard doing? She looked around her trying to see the hunters! She couldn’t see them at all! Her gaze turned as from nowhere they started appear there huge armoured bodies towering upwards, all of them surrounding her in a circle. She watched, as Emma appeared last standing directly behind her. She could feel herself shaking as Emma narrowed her gaze. “I’d try to at least fight Samantha. You’ll at least earn an honourable death.”