by G. K. Scott
8
Marcus pushed his glasses on further as he looked at the open side of Oran’s ship. He slowly pulled the cables free to the hyper drive. He had no idea what kind of a hyper drive this was he’d never seen anything like it in his life. He slowly pulled the other cord away his gaze slowly met Lucy’s. “That’s done it, it’s none operational.” He sighed aloud. “Now all we have to do is pull it free.” Lucy eyed the odd looking hyper drive “How heavy do you suppose it is?” Marcus breathed in slightly. “Probably very heavy, where did Oran find the resources to make this? I mean it doesn’t even look human.” Lucy put a hand on the hyper drive. “My guess is from Jeuki’s race.” Marcus pulled feeling the part come free slowly. “He must have I mean did you see those hunters in the pen on the video. There were three more besides Jeuki.” Lucy grunted aloud. “I’m trying to remember what it was that made me take this job…oh yes that’s right that wonderful add that blurted out you’ve been picked for a chance of a lifetime.”
Marcus left the weight as they lifted the hyper drive part free. “I got sucked in to, I thought I’d get a great career opportunity.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “I want to know what the advert was for Callisto. I mean Emma took that job so how did she get sucked in?” Marcus left the weight as they put the hyper drive next to the marine ship. He pushed up his glasses. “I’ve actuality seen some footage of her from Callisto. Video notes from her building the breathing device.” Lucy moved closer to the marine ship. She breathed in hoping the codes that Eddy had given would work. “Really what did she look like before meeting Jeuki?” Marcus looked up slightly. “It’s like looking at an opposite reflection.” He watched as the marine ships bay door began to open. “You know what the scary thing is?” Lucy looked up slightly. “No tell me.” Marcus breathed in deeply. “The eyes are so different, they’re the same eyes but when you see the way she looks at you now. It’s almost like there’s fire burning in them period, inflamed spirit is a better term.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Julia showed me the footage first night she arrived she said she’d pinched it from another higher level. Frankly though now I know she was lying.” Lucy eyed her blood soaked shoulder. “Well you know what I hope Emma and Jeuki turn that bitch in to a trophy.” She slowly began to lift the hyper drive of the ground. Marcus laughed slightly. “You, no that wouldn’t be a bad thing.” He moved further in side the ship as they put the hyper drive down. “Well now that, that’s done we just need to put the plating back on Oran’s ship.” He slowly moved back his gaze suddenly turned as the lights above him dimmed. “What the hell?” Julia turned gazing at the lights. “That’s impossible…the grid is meant to supply power twenty four seven.” Marcus watched the marine ships door closed. “What can knock out the grid?” Julia put a hand on her head. “You can’t just knock out the grid, you’d have to wreck the central core.” Marcus turned hearing the power go out in the docks computer room. “Ah…hell!”
8
Jeuki looked up at the towering view above him, they were standing next to a huge lake. He could see the medical box near by had been smashed. He cocked his head to one side meeting Emma’s gaze. “Which way?” Emma looked up above her. “We have to go up, it’s the only way out.” Erisoki tapped Jeuki’s shoulder. “Which way did she say?” Jeuki pointed upwards. “Up we have to carry on upwards.” Erisoki nodded slightly. “Very well.” He looked at the others. “The ooman says it’s up! Move quickly now the hard meat queens might have offspring!” He watched as the young hunters slammed their wrist blades and spears in to the walls as they started to climb upwards. Erisoki pulled himself up on to the wall as he started to climb he watched as Emma jumped on to Jeuki’s back again as they started working there way up. Jeuki slammed his spear in to the wall as they carried on moving up his gaze met Erisoki’s. “Is something wrong?” Erisoki turned slightly. “Your ooman female fights well.”
Jeuki heaved his shoulder grabbing the rigging as it came towards him. “Thank you.” Erisoki moved slowly upwards he could see a bridge far above them. “She’s going to make a fine mate.” He heaved with shoulders. “I can’t speak her language well, or I’d say she fought well.” Jeuki jumped slightly. “Can you turn your voice recorder on?” Erisoki nodded before turning slightly. “I’ll begin?” Jeuki stopped turning to Emma. “You fight well.” Emma held on tighter. “So did you, we almost had her.” Jeuki turned slightly. “Erisoki the elder he wants to say something to you.” Emma watched the elder swing slightly on the railing looking down at her. “You fight well.” Jeuki tensed his shoulders as Erisoki repeated the recording. “He can’t speak ooman, he just wanted to say it though.” Emma looked at the elder hunter. “Tell him I said thank you.” Jeuki looked up. “She’s thankful.” Erisoki nodded then carried on moving. Idosoi moved closer so he was by Jeuki’s side. “I think she’s a puny warrior.”
Jeuki growled in anger. “How dare you mock her! She’s more warrior than you are!” Emma raised an eyebrow. “What did he just say?” Jeuki growled aloud. “He called you a puny warrior.” Idosoi looked around only to be kicked hard in his masked face by the ooman. He pulled back in pain, only to hear Jeuki laugh. “I wouldn’t mock her again.” Idosoi rubbed his mask before shaking his head in annoyance. Jeuki turned hearing a horrible rumbling bellow. He watched as the form of the Knopf queen smashed through the wall. The hybrid queen screeched as her opponent hit the lakes water only to rise again and come after her. The huge tails swung around as the screeching hit the air. In seconds a horrible masses of mandibled Knopf soldiers flooded through, like a blanket of blackness swarming upwards while others attached the Knopf queen. Erisoki looked down watching, as the Knopf’s started climbing. “Climb! All of you climb!” Jeuki pulled up moving faster he watched as the ooman workers screamed as the soldiers attacked them.
The Knopf queen moved forward slamming in to the other queen full force. Her tail swung around slamming in to the already torn crest. She watches as her opponent jumps on to the shattered bridge as she comes towards her. She grabs one of the attacking soldiers throwing it off as her head hits her opponents again. Her head moves around, as the opponent’s claws tear at her crest taking chunks off. The lake hisses and boils as acid blood spills in to it. The mandibles slam in to her face going through her tongue. The hybrid queen pulled back bringing her tail down full force on her opponent’s back. She watches as the spines break with the force. She will rule supreme! Her lesser will not succeed! Her tail flies out slamming in to her opponent, causing her to hit the solid walls. Her opponent rises again as she hisses. Her claws come down tearing at fallen victim before she can rise. Both heads slam again as the fight for supremacy continues. The Knopf queen hisses only to be tossed again.
She swings her tail hitting her opponents shoulder only to screech in agony as one of her lesser arms are ripped of by her opponent’s teeth. She pulls up only to have the other one ripped off. Her head turns as she slams in to the hybrid queen there huge arms lock as they force against each other. The water boils as the screams of the prey come from above. The hybrid queen turns only to be thrown. Her body’s smashes in to bridge she turns only to feel pain as her opponent slams her claws in to her chest area. The Knopf queen’s teeth come down biting one of her arms. Her victory is at hand! She will kill her opponent! Then she will take control of all armies and rule this place! Her head rises, as slams her foot down so the opponent can’t move. Her head turns slightly, as she hisses she was always the strongest. This queen was born from her but it is not like her, she won’t allow this daughter to rule in her place! She opens her mouth leaning forward. It’ll be a horrible death once her tongue penetrates the head.
The next moments cause pain as a huge tail swerves up its point hitting on contact. The hybrid queen turns slowly looking at opponent the tail point has gone through her opponent’s lower head. She watches the jaws open their tongue flaying out as long painful hiss moves through the air. Her soldiers surround her watching in triumph. Her tail moves shovi
ng right through the throat and out of the head, acid blood splashing the walls. The hybrid queen slowly rises watching her opponents tongue snap and shake. It slowly begins to fall back in to the mouth she watches her opponents body slowly go limp. She hisses in anger before throwing the body off. She watches as it crashes through the opening lying limply on the ground. The acid blood slowly eats through the floor. Her mother’s death uttering her supreme ruler of this place she leans back as her screech fills the air echoing upwards. Her soldiers move forward crawling over her. As there saliva drips in to her wounds numbing the pain.
The hybrid queen turns as she remembers those who interfiled before she met her opponent. They wounded her body! Her head swerves as she looks up at the rigging! They must not live! They will be a threat to her offspring. She watches as her soldier’s jump of her body after numbing her pain. She'd kill them all five of them! She slowly begins her climb watching as her soldiers swam even more as they find openings and tunnel each heading towards his goal. As the nursery assistances follow getting ready to do there’s. Her mighty army will not be stopped! These enemies who opposed her with there strange weapons will be stopped! Nothing will stop her rule! Nothing!
8
Oran turned sharply watching as his panel screen began to fade out. He grunted hitting it with his hand this was third time it had almost gone off! He slowly began to type. He narrowed his gaze pressing the panel. “This is Oran would you people in the central grid stop messing with my power! I’m a busy man a very busy man!” He turned hearing only silence. “I’m speaking to you people! Pick up the line now or I’m going to make it so heads roll!” He pulled back still only hearing silence. He slammed his fist down hard. His gaze slowly moved as Neil and Luther walked in to his office. “What is it now? I’m busy!” Luther breathed in deeply. “Sir we have a serious problem.” Oran narrowed his gaze. “Oh really…and what might that be?” Neil breathed in. “We’ve lost contact with levels eighty and ninety. There is also a serious problem with the main power grid, we are loosing power in most sectors.” Luther folded his arms. “Plus in the last two hours we’ve had reports from scientists taking the lifts of a black demon fighting a woman.” Oran growled aloud. “That black demon is Oni Jui you fool! He was running an errand for me!” Neil pulled back in annoyance. “His errand just got cancelled sir. He was seen ten minutes ago desperately fleeing like a coward from level ninety.” Oran looked up slightly. “Oni Jui would never flee!” Neil growled aloud. “It’s on video, watch it yourself!”
He turned sharply. “Julia Ibos was right behind him and the only thing her face told me was fear! Sir we have a serious problem on that level. You have to do something!” Oran looked up slightly. “You know what you right, I have to do something. Here’s what I’m going to do, I’m gonna send you two down there to find out what’s going on!” Luther pulled back in horror. “What! We don’t have any fire power, there are no marines with as!” Oran slowly lit his cigar. “Well you’ll just have to find some won’t you?” He watched as both men pulled back in horror. “Like I said I’m a very busy man! Now get out of my sight!” He watched both men look at each other before leaving. He slammed his foot on the desk incompetent idiots. He growled aloud he was surrounded by idiots!” He kicked the screen with his foot as it blurred. “Some one was going to pay for this mess on level ninety. And when he found out who they were he’d space them!” He breathed out his cigar smoke watching it move through the air.
CHAPTER 18
FROM THE BOUNDS OF IMPRISONMENT THE DEMONS RISE UP
Location somewhere in the galaxy, trying to find some way out of the central ventilation shaft on the Iron Year science vessel.
Do the hard meat care? I know it’s a stupid question to ask but it’s just stuck in my head. I was wondering if these hard meat despite there intelligence and large brains care. Do they only care about the species like their queen? Or do they comprehend their own existence as predators. I mean if the queen dies where do they sit in the fabric of life? I only ask this question because Jeuki’s race comprehends their existence just like the human race. So who’s to say that these soldiers left to there own devices with out a queen wouldn’t have there own. As much as they’re my prey there intelligence puts them on a level with both our races which is strange and frightening. I’m just thinking this because as much as the prey is there to be hunted it must still be respected. I guess I can now say that the humans who worked in the lower levels had no respect for the hard meat. Now because of their ignorance and delusion what they thought they could control is now in control of them and the sad thing is they won’t escape from it.
There are hundreds of soldiers crawling these rigging vanishing in to ventilation shafts they’re even pulling away and bending piping so they can get in. I know what they want; the want food but they also want hosts. I know I shouldn’t care, but there are a lot of innocent people here who don’t deserve this and did nothing wrong. It will take the hard meat a while to get to them but I still believe they should be given a chance to flee. No ones set of the alarm to flee and just like on Callisto the gun racks for emergency and civilian use are locked up tight. I mean this ship is still attached to the Sirun battle cruiser; the people can flee there and be protected. Why oh why are you thinking about this Emma Wingates? You’re not even in the same world as them anymore. I guess I’m just thinking that maybe I should do something this time around. I’ve been where they are, I know the terror they’ll go through and that none of them will live. I know the nightmares they’ll have and how long it’ll take them to get over the event.
If they ever get over it at all, it’s not like I ever really got over the nightmares they still haunt me. Maybe when I find a main panel I can help them. I mean if I hack I can give them at least a fighting chance. I mean I’d be doing to save them, it’s not like they can save themselves. It’s crazy to think that they’d ever thank me but I would still do it. Emma looked up as one of the opening came in to view. It was from the smashed bridge, which Oni Jui had destroyed. She could see the door at the far end was now open. The two marines who’d both died had, had that door closed when she’d landed on the bridge. All the other bridges doors had been slammed shut. Emma turned slightly as Jeuki moved up the rigging. “We can go through that door.” Jeuki turned slightly looking at the half open door. He watched as Erisoki turned looking at where she was pointing. Adarmi jumped on to the remaining bridge his gaze turning to the door. Idosoi follow him he turned slightly. “Why would the oomans leave this door open?”
Adarmi grunted aloud. “Ask Emma.” Idosoi snorted aloud. “Ask the ooman, please the ooman female might be a warrior but that doesn’t make her one of as.” Adarmi turned sharply. “Shut up! I’m tired of your stupid comments! Your last in this line because you where dishonored by Jeuki. His ooman is a warrior so get over it!” Erisoki landed on the bridge. “Silence!” He watched as Emma walked up to the door. Jeuki looked at the half open door. “Strange that this door would be open but none of the others are.” Emma looked down she could still hear the screaming bellow. She leaned forward eyeing the panel before typing in to it. “This door wasn’t hacked maybe its open because of the power fluxing.” Jeuki cocked his head to one side. “Trap maybe.” Emma carried on typing watching the door move. “No probably Julia, or Oni Jui.” Jeuki watched it creak open fully. “I thought as much.” Emma pulled up her hand to the other hunters. “Go through!” She watched as the elder ran through the two younger hunters following him.
Jeuki moved through the door he watched as Emma moved through. His head turned as the screeching got louder the hard meat where coming! Emma turned as black-clawed hands appeared on the riggings. Those sons of a bitches had been following them! She moved forward typing in to the panel this was great just great! She carried on typing watching as the door started to grind as it moved slowly downwards. She growled aloud punching the panel watching as the hybrid soldier moved towards them. Five others who all hissed in her direction followed i
t. She growled aloud typing faster as they started to come towards them. The first of the hybrid soldiers came forward it pulled up its tail hissing. It’s four mandibled jaws opened, as it got ready to pounce. Jeuki raised his spear he could see the door was moving to slowly at least one of the hard meat was going to get in! Emma punched the control panel with her fist, why wasn’t it working faster!
Jeuki watched as the soldier ran at them it slid under the still half opened door. It rose up its tail screeching Jeuki pulled up his spear slamming it around its face before it could react. The hard meat hit the floor near Emma’s feet only to rise up swinging its tail causing her to duck it raised its head hissing. It pulled back getting ready to jump it’s feet felt the floor as it leapt clean over Jeuki. It hit Idosoi full force knocking the young hunter over. He swung his head as the tail came down; he tried to move only to be scratched across the chest. The next moments caught him be surprise as Jeuki grabbed the hard meats legs. Jeuki roared as he swung the heavy hard meat with all his might slamming its head in to the walls. He watched the metal buckle with the force. He turned seeing Emma standing by the closed door which was being hit on the opposite side. He narrowed his gaze as her shoulder cannon went up getting ready for his next movement.
He swung the huge hard meat again watching its head hit the walls before turning in her direction and tossing it. He watched it fly thought the air screeching its arms flaying. Its whole chest blew apart in mid air as the Emma’s shoulder cannon fired. The hybrid hit the floor full force its head twisting with the impact. Its body tumbled coming to stop near Emma’s feet she looked down watching as its mandibles twitched in death. Emma slowly stepped over the dead kill, she eyed it before looking up. Erisoki looked up slowly he could see the two young hunters staring in shock at Jeuki and the little ooman. He had not expected that. Perfect teamwork, he’d seen hunters work together many times but he’d never seen anything like this. Hunter teams who worked together didn’t always click but these two did, they worked like a perfect hunting unit. It was like one knew what the other was going to do before they even did it. No wonder Jeuki wanted this ooman so badly as a mate.
