by G. K. Scott
Samantha eyed her. “Cold blooded murdering bitch!” She turned pointing her gun at the elder hunter’s mask. “I’m gonna kill one of you first! Before you take me out!” She didn’t get a chance to fire as one of the younger hunters slammed his wrist blades in to her upper chest full force. She could only scream as she was lifted of the ground then thrown. Jeuki watched as she hit the floor, she wouldn’t be considered a high prize trophy. The only reason she’d been left till last was because Erisoki had believed she would be more difficult. He watched her gag loudly before going limp on the floor. Still she’d a lesser trophy for Adarmi. Who slowly leaned over looking at his dead prey. Emma tapped her spear turning slightly as the younger hunter moved in over his kill. Oni Jui had fled he hadn’t stayed to help the other human’s fight. The coward. She looked at the bloody mess around her, now it was just a case of them all getting of this rust bucket. Erisoki turned sharply looking at Jeuki. “The oomans took our ship do you know where it is?”
Jeuki shook his head. “No but we have one up above.” Erisoki turned nodding slowly. “Then your ship will be our territory.” Emma turned watching as the lights above her started to flash. That was odd; she turned taking a step back watching they carried on flashing. Something was messing with the main power. The whole of the ship was run through a main power grid. The central grid was normally in belly of the ship. She watched as they carried on flashing her gaze turned as devices for the tests started to shut down. She nudged Jeuki slightly watching him turn. “Something’s wrong.” Jeuki turned looked at where she was pointing something was wrong the ooman lights were dimming.
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Carlos watched as the lights started to dim, his gaze turned to Oni Jui. “What did you wreck when you were down in level ninety?” Julia watched the hunter pull of his mask flaring his mandibles. “I destroyed nothing!” He watched as Julia typed quickly in to the closed door locking it. She turned eyeing him. “You could’ve helped them!” Oni Jui shrugged slightly. “I don’t hunt with oomans warriors.” Julia snarled aloud pulling away from him. “Oran is going to be very displeased with you!” Carlos growled aloud. “Displeased wont cut it your cowardice will anger him a lot!” Julia looked at the Knopf queen. “I guess we have no choice now you’ll have to use her to kill those hunters!” Carlos watched the tights dim again. “Send a message to the hybrid pen. Tell those idiots to quit messing with the power!” Julia eased up her note pad typing. She listened for the beep. “Okay you guys I don’t know what you’re doing but quit it now!” She listened waiting for an answer only to hear silence. She pulled the pad up again. “Hello hybrid queens pen!”
She typed again. “Look this isn’t funny anymore! You son of bitches need to quit messing with the grid! You’re sucking up our power!” She pulled back in anger. “I’m talking to you people! Pick up and answer the main line!” She pulled back as a crackling sound hit the air followed by silence. She blinked in confusion. “What the hell?” Carlos looked at her. “What now?” Julia eyed the pad. “No answer…it just crackled out.” Carlos folded his arms he pulled back. As he heard a smashing at the metal door the hunters were trying to get through! He turned sharply. “Call the hunter ship room!” Julia eased up the pad again, while typing in the code. “Hello this is the Knopf floor please pick up.” She listened only to hear silence again. “This is crazy! Pick up people what are you on a lunch break?” She turned slightly. “There dead to…what if it’s faulty soft wear in the pads?” Carlos growled aloud. “These pads are in no sense faulty! Try again!” Julia breathed in pulling up her pad. “You guys you know your starting to annoy as! Pick up the damn line!”
She pulled back as a terrified male voice hit the air. “Evacuate! Evacuate the… ship! She’s free!” Julia raised an eyebrow. “Whose free?” The male voice came again. “The queen!” Julia laughed slightly ignoring the bang at the door. “Please is this some kind of a joke?” She pulled back as a blood-curdling scream came from the pad. She listened as it went silent then began to type. “Hello! Hello!” Carlos turned sharply. “What is going on?” Julia looked at her pad. “They’re…saying the hybrid queen is free.” Carlos raised an eyebrow. “Please she couldn’t get free even if she wanted to! There’s four foot of space glass sealing her tight. She isn’t going any where!” He stopped as a rumbling hit his ears. He turned watching as the equipment began to rattle. “What the hell is going on here first the lights then the queen and now this!?” Julia turned hearing everyone go silent in the next room. She watched as everyone around her went silent as well. No one dared move or speak, as the rumbling got louder.
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Emma raised her weapon she watched as Jeuki looked down. The rumbling was coming from under there feet. The elder hunter slowly signalled for them to move back. Jeuki looked around him what was going on? It was like the ooman ship had gone mad all of a sudden! He put a hand on Emma’s arm as the shaking came closer. Erisoki watched in horror as the floor close by began to buckle. Its floorboards bending as the metal bolts came free the huge metal plating began to break apart. He watched as a huge black mouth burst through it lines of teeth gleaming as its four mandibles flared open. The rest of its enormous crest smashed through the floor. He watched its huge mandibles open again as it screeched for all it was worth. Then slamming it’s back up so the whole floor around it broke with the force. The enormous black body with its long arms and think black spines rose upwards. The two smaller arms moving as the long neck turned. The powerful back legs moved the body forward.
The huge tail swung as it came free. The huge hybrid queen finally stood up to her full height. Emma could feel her hand shaking on her spear as the huge head turned to look at them. The jaws opened their screech filling the air. Somehow she wished she didn’t have to look in to this face again. The mandibles made it look even more terrifying. She felt Jeuki grab her hand to stop her shaking her spear. She turned slowly looking at his masked face. She closed her eyes for a spilt second. This wasn’t going to be like the last time! This was different this time she wasn’t alone! This time she was a hunter and this time she would face her darkest fear! This time she wouldn’t cower or run away from it. She had Jeuki with her and she could do anything with him by his side! She slowly raised her spear watched as the huge tail swung around again. The queen screeched again as she moved towards them.
CHAPTER 17
THE DARKEST FEARS THAT SWAY THE HEART AND SOUL
Location somewhere in the galaxy, on level ninety looking death in the face on board the Iron year science vessel.
Would you run if you could run away from all that you fear? Its funny human beings may be one of the most intelligent races in the galaxy. Yet we still run away like any lesser species. The built in fight or flight response dictating whether we cower and cry or face the thing we fear. We tend to forget that the primal urges are still there because we live in such an advanced society. We forget that we were no more than primal soup once. Becoming strange walking apes that fought for territory, which was no more than grassland. While sabre toothed tigers stalked as all those centuries ago. We’ve come to forget what it’s like looking death in the face. Because on earth there are no more predators left that eat as. Technology has made the human race forget that it was once a piece of the brutal food chain. We forget that we are still mammals, were just intelligent ones. May be that’s why some one was meant to find these hard meat. To remind as that intelligent predators do still rule and that we shouldn’t be so arrogant.
Looking in the jaws of deaths make you comprehend your existence. I’ve looked in to these same jaws before only they didn’t have mandibles on them. I ran away, I couldn’t save my friends. Looking in to them again is just as frightening, it’s not like the like the face helps. It’s sightless and ugly. Funny I once called Jeuki ugly. He’s not ugly though; the real issue was I couldn’t tell who was the truly evil race. Now I know it’s the hard meat queen, and this bitch is about the ugliest one I’ve come across. I mean Christ was this what the
se people wanted a hybrid? I mean they caged Jeuki’s people like animals to make this! It’s so disgusting! Emma narrowed her gaze she moved her neck feeling the shoulder cannon move towards the queen. She could hear the thunder ringing in her ears, as the queen got closer. Jeuki turned watching as Emma moved forward getting ready to fire. Erisoki turned slightly this was going to be rough. He had to get them to surround the queen!
He pulled up his clawed hand hoping Adarmi and Idosoi knew what his signal meant. He watched them look at each other before instantly running outwards. He watched Jeuki moved position, he pointed to the ooman female to go the other way. So far she was proving herself well. He hadn’t had to look over his shoulder once or worry about her. He pressed his spear watching as its sides came out as well as its razor edged blades and lacerating points. A special spear given for courage and bravery when leading a very successful hunt he watched as the clawed feet moved closer as the queen screeched. He pulled up his spear roaring for all he was worth so the others would attack. He watched as the ooman fired her shoulder cannon instantly, the bolt hitting the queen’s upper crest blasting of the edge. Idosoi ran firing his plasma gun he watched it hit the queen’s side causing her to turn. Giving Jeuki a chance to slam his spear in to her rising tail he watched the ooman fire again this time her shot hitting the side.
The huge queen turned her acid blood spilling out of her fresh wounds. She turned only to meet Erisoki who threw himself in to the air bringing his spear down across the front of her head. Adarmi hit the ground hard as he was knocked over by one of the arms. Emma pulled up her net gun firing it as the queen as she turned on the fallen hunter. The net slammed in to her face directly causing her to turn away and throw her head trying to get it off. Jeuki slammed his spear upward jamming it in to the queen’s neck as she shook her head trying to get rid of the net. His gaze narrowed as she pulled it free only to be hit in the head with a plasma bolt from Adarmi’s shoulder cannon. He grabbed his disk throwing it full force it hit one of the lesser arms taking it clean of on contact. He watched the queen screech in agony before trying to bring her tail down on Erisoki who leaped out of the way. The elder hunter slammed his spear in to the huge queen’s leg before pulling away. Her head turned as she looked at the door for a moment. Jeuki roared aloud he ran faster firing his shoulder cannon near the queen’s head. The huge queen screeching at them with all her might before turning to face them again Erisoki turned slightly, the queen was trying to get away! He wasn’t going to let her go! He pulled up his hands looking at his hunters “Surround her!”
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Carlos turned slightly looking at the silent room all he could hear was screeching on the other side. He pulled back as another blast hit the door causing it to shake. He turned not seeing the Knopf queen raise her head slowly, she let out an ear splitting screech causing everyone in the room to turn around. He grabbed the device. “Quite!” Julia watched in horror as the queens head turned to look at them. She turned sharply watching Oni Jui raise his shoulder cannons gun. “What just happened?” Carlos pulled up the device. “It was nothing just a power flux!” Julia turned slowly seeing that the cases of face huggers had begun to rattle as the offspring in side thrashed around. She watched as one of the scientists moved back, as a case slammed in to the floor. Julia didn’t get a change to think as screams hit the air as the queens tail shot out smashing the case. The face hugger rolled out causing terrified cries as it ran towards its queen. Carlos pulled up the device. “Stop, I said stop obey my orders!”
He turned sharply as the face hugger jumped on to its queen’s hand crawling up her body. “Obey my order! Kill your offspring!” He watched the huge jaws opened hissing. He looked up in shock as he scientists around him began to flee. Julia backed away feeling her heart beat faster as the queen’s tail swung. What was going on? It was like they’d lost control of her! She looked at her hand seeing the scientists in the other room flee. Despite Carlos’s shouting for them to stop they didn’t. More face hugger cases hit the floor as the queen screeched. Carlos looked at the queen who slowly pulled up a clawed hand towards the face hugger. “That’s it kill your offspring! Do as you’re told like a good bitch!” Julia swallowed as the queen grabbed the hugger her head turning as she fought the device. She pulled the face hugger up above her crest. Carlos felt his jaw drop as the offspring was crushed it’s acid blood spilling over the device. “No! No! That’s not possible it’s not…” He turned watching as Oni Jui turned fleeing closely followed by Julia.
The huge device hit the floor in front of him. It’s burnt electronics smouldering. “You can’t do that! You weren’t meant to do that! It’s not possible!” The Knopf queen slowly moved forward. She leaned over looking at him her head moving to the side as she hissed. He could hear the roar of the turbo lifts in the other room as the scientists carried on fleeing. The queen eyed the trapper, the trapper who had made her suffer! He had played with her bounds to harm her. She would make him suffer, her long arm reached out grabbing the terrified trapper. Her tail swung around smashing all the cases open. She watching her offspring crawl free, they scrambled after the still fleeing trappers. She grabbed the trappers arms with both of hers lifting him up then with her lesser arms grabbed his legs. Before hissing angrily, what it was to be pulled so that your arms hurt terribly. Carlos could feel his body shaking in fear he tried to struggle only to find the Knopf queen wouldn’t let him go. He watched in terror as she moved her head again looking at him.
What was she doing? He stopped as the sudden realization hit him. He turned looking at the empty room hoping someone would hear. “Help me! Please someone help me!” He found himself howling as the queen began to pull on his arms and legs. He cried out as he felt the snap of bones in both his shoulders, the pain was horrible. He could only howl as one of his arms was ripped clean off closely followed by his leg. He watched the teeth open hissing at him. His blood and limbs hit the floor bellow. He cried out as she let go of him, he felt the floor as his broken body hit it. He tried to move away only to find he couldn’t. The Knopf queen hissed loudly.
Carlos cried out in horror as three face huggers crawled out from under the lab tables. He tried to move only to feel his bleeding body move slowly across the floor. His left arm tried to grab while his right leg tried to kick the face huggers as they came towards him. He watched the queen moved her head in amusement as her offspring scrambled over him. His scream seemed to echo, only to heard by no one as the limbs wrapped around his face and the tail around his neck. His good arm flayed outwards, only to go still as the face hugger finally gained control. The queen hissed at him before turning to look at the huge door she heard a huge bang behind it. Her rival was there!
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Jeuki jammed his spear up as the queen brought her head down to try and attack. He watched the queen screech in pain as plasma bolt made contact with her shoulder. He turned watching Emma back off again as the queen swung her tail around. Her mandibled jaws opening in a screech of anger she moved forward coming at them again. Her head turned suddenly and her body stopped in mid motion. Emma turned angrily what was going on? All they needed was one more charge and they’d no doubt be able to take this beast down. Her gaze travelled as the metal door behind them buckled as something slammed in to it full force. She watched the elder hunter signal to move back. The metal grinded and creaked as what ever it was slamming it again with more force. The final slam caused the door to be smashed as a pair of black jaws came through it. The whole door came crunching downwards as the Knopf queen smashed through full force. The hybrid queen turned as her opponent’s jaws dug in to her tattered crest.
Erisoki pulled back this wasn’t good! They couldn’t take down two queens! His gaze narrowed as the two queens smashed heads full force as they started to fight viciously. He turned looking at the wrecked door; they could now get free of this place. He watched as the normal queen clawed her already wounded opponent, who fell back hissing. He growled in anger the trophy was lost! They ha
d no choice but to retreat! He wouldn’t risk his warrior’s lives for something they couldn’t defeat. He pulled back meeting the oomans gaze. She had fought incredibly well it was little wonder Jeuki used the term warrior soul for her. He signalled watching as his hunters moved closer to the trashed door. He ran through watching as the others followed, he could see they weren’t happy about this change in action. Emma turned watching as the two queens carried on fighting. She’d wanted to kill that queen! They had been so close to victory! Yet it had been taken away from so quickly! They couldn’t fight both queens.
She watched as Jeuki leaned back taking her hand as they ran through the shattered lab. She could see a severely wounded man with only one arm and one leg lying on the floor. A face hugger was wrapped around his throat. She could tell from the lab coat it was Carlos. This had been his end somehow that didn’t surprise her in the slightest. She narrowed her gaze seeing the acid eaten controlling device lying on the floor. The queen had tricked them just like on Callisto, she turned away as they carried on running. Her gaze turned as the way out came in to view. She watched the other hunters stop looking at the opening above them which was the way she’d come in. Her gaze moved as the queens battled on. She heard the ear splitting screech of the hybrid queen’s toothed tongue tore one of her opposition’s spines of. She watched the hunters jump on to the rope as they started to ascend upwards. The glass cases of their clan still motionless around them, no doubt they’d stay to smash them if time had been on their side but it wasn’t. She put her arms around Jeuki’s neck quickly feeling him push her on to his back so that they could climb upwards together.
