by G. K. Scott
No living thing will survive apart from the hard meat that will wait patently for another ship to come. I don’t even want to envision how tragic the loss of a second ship would be if they overrun both. Then another docks with them, it’s a horrible though. I guess I’ve made up my mind I will help them because I just can’t do nothing. I can’t ignore what’s happening to them any longer, I’ve been where they’re standing. It’s just echoing in my mind over and over the images of Callisto and how we never had a chance because no one gave it to as. When I was there I’d have given anything for someone to give me warning. Or to have someone unlock the weapon bays so I could have a gun. Emma slowly moved her hand slowly over Jeuki’s lower chest. She moved her fingers in a gentle motion feeling him move his clawed hand through her hair. Jeuki tapped his upper right mandible he heard something bang against the locked door, causing it to shake. He watched as it shook again, the hunters on the other side had started their onslaught.
He turned sitting up slightly, watching it shake violently again, he slowly stood up gently pulling Emma to her feet. He turned slightly. “I told you they wouldn’t leave as.” Emma smiled easing up her hand running down his lower mandibles. “We ought to really help them.” Jeuki looked at the door. “No I don’t think we should.” Emma turned slightly. “Why not?” Jeuki pulled back as the long bolt closing the door spilt with the force as the door was hit again. “Because there doing just fine with out as.” Emma stepped back as the part of lock came flying off landing near her feet. She looked down at it. “Your right I don’t think they need as at all.” Jeuki watched as the door was smashed open. Erisoki roared in anger as the door gave way. He moved through it only to stop in surprise, Jeuki was holding the little ooman Emma in a very different manner to normal. He watched as she her hand moved over his mandibles. He shook his head Jeuki really was full of surprises. Adarmi looked at the scene before nodding and turning away out of respect. Idosoi growled aloud. “An ooman and Yautja being mates, that is so disgusting.” Idosoi turned only to feel an agonizing pain as Erisoki hit him around the back of the helmet. He pulled away avoiding Erisoki’s angered gaze as the elder snarled at him.
Erisoki moved slowly forward watching as Jeuki put his helmet back on. “I’m glad you two finally worked out what needed to be worked out.” Jeuki turned slightly eyeing Idosoi. “The ooman is my mate now! If any one has an issue with that then you can take it up with me!” Adarmi turned slightly. “I have no issues with that.” He looked at Idosoi. “You don’t have an issue with that do you Idosoi?” Idosoi growled turning sharply. “I have no issue.” Erisoki watched as the younger hunters started to move forward. He watched as Jeuki and Emma came forward. He patted Jeuki’s shoulder. “Don’t concern yourself with Idosoi he will open up to this new way of thinking in time.” Jeuki nodded taking Emma’s hand. “I don’t care for his way of thinking I used to think like him once.” He turned looking at Emma as she pulled her site lens down. “I just know now that, that way of thinking can leave you very narrow minded.” Erisoki leaned over patting Emma’s back. “We are hunters we can never be narrow minded.”
8
Lucy pulled back as the computer conceal came to life. She grinned as the screen lit up. “Marcus you did it!” Marcus pushed his glasses up slightly. “No we did it.” He stood up patting the computer. “Now all we need to do is free those docking clamps.” He stood up slightly watching as the docking lights came back on. He grinned widely. “You know come to think of it I thought that would be a lot harder.” Lucy shook her head her gaze turned as she watched something long and black jump over the ships. She leaned forward eyeing the bay again. “Hey did you see that?” Marcus began to type. “See what?” Lucy blinked meeting his gaze. “That black thing with a long tail!” Marcus eyed her for a moment. “Are you feeling okay?” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Look I’m not loosing my mind, I just saw this three meter long black creature with a tail jump over one of the bays ships!” Marcus laughed slightly. “Look there are no black creatures running around here! I mean come on where would someone get something like that?”
He looked at the glass. “I mean come on this is…” He pulled back as a black head suddenly slammed against the glass its long head moving as it hissed its four mandibled jaws opening. It slammed a clawed hand against the glass. Before creeping up over it out of sight Marcus pulled back in horror. “What in the hell was that?” Lucy grunted aloud. “Oh now you believe me. After you’ve seen it up close and personal!” Marcus watched the black tail swig down followed by the head reappearing. It watched them hissing again. “What do you suppose it is?” Lucy folded her arms watching saliva drip from the jaws. “Apart from really ugly I have no idea.” Marcus raised an eyebrow. “What do you suppose it wants?” Lucy watched the mandibles flare again. “How should I know? Why don’t you go outside and ask it?” Marcus growled aloud “Oh that’s funny real funny.” Lucy watched as what looked like a tongue flew out its four teeth snapping at the class. “Maybe if we should throw it something it might go away.”
Marcus turned eyeing her. “Throw something! Were in the hell did you get the idea of throwing something from?” Lucy pulled up both hands. “What! That’s what you do with pissed off dogs! You draw their attention by throwing a stick!” Marcus picked up a piece of steel moving it from side to side. “You’ve got to be joking.” Lucy eyed him. “Marcus.” Marcus carried on moving the metal. “So you think if we play fetch this ugly son of bitch will go away!” Lucy narrowed her gaze. “Marcus!” Marcus pulled up slightly. “What!” Lucy eyed the window. “It appears ugly is following the stick!” Marcus turned sharply watching as the black creatures head move as he moved the stick. “Okay you were right and I was wrong…” Lucy turned slightly. “How’s about carry you carry on drawing it’s attention and I’ll get a gun.” Marcus looked at the closed gun bay with its five pulse rifles locked down. “Fine by me, I’d rather kill it.” Lucy turned walking up the gun bay. “Do you know how to fire these?” Marcus looked at the guns. “Aim and shoot in rapid bursts.”
Lucy slowly pressed the button watching the guns come out still locked tight. “This is stupid! Why haven’t they opened the bays?” She suddenly felt something cold press against her back. She turned only to be faced with a pulse rifle. She watched as Julia’s eyes narrowed in anger. “The bays are locked so assholes like you die!” Marcus waved the metal. “So nice to see you Julia I was hoping you’d died.” Lucy eyed the gun it had something sticky dripping of its barrel. “Yeah I’d hoped that to I mean Leo’s death was so funny. I was hoping Emma had killed you to.” Julia raised her gun to Lucy face. “Shut up bitch or I’ll shoot you!” Lucy eyed the gun. She eased up her hands. “Be my guest you hard nosed evil bitch!” Marcus turned sharply. “Lucy!” Julia pulled up the gun she’d kill them both! Then take one of the ships! She pressed the trigger only to here a wiring sound. Lucy raised her eyebrow. “You know with those guns you really are meant to have bullets or they don’t work.”
Julia turned only to feel an agonizing pain as Marcus came forward hitting her full force across the shoulder, with the metal piece. She didn’t get time to react as Lucy grabbed her gun slamming it backwards in to her stomach knocking the wind out of her. Marcus pulled up his fist. “I always believed my self to be a gentleman.” He crackled his knuckles. “That I shouldn’t hit women, even the ones who are bitchy and traitorous but in your case I’ll make an exception!” He brought his fist down full force across her face. He watched as she fell back wards. Her body hit the floor full force. He turned as her eyes rolled back in their sockets as she lost consciousness. He turned eyeing her fallen body. “That ones for chaining me and Lucy up!” Lucy looked at Julia she turned looking at Marcus. “Nice shot.” Marcus looked at his fist. “She deserved it the bitch.” Lucy turned slightly pulling up the pulse rifle. She pressed one of the buttons. “She should’ve really leant that there’s such a thing as a reload chamber.”
She watched as the counter slowly went back up to
two hundred. “ Marcus turned slightly seeing some cargo chaining cord lying near by.” You know what I’ve just had a really interesting thought.” Lucy slowly grinned as she caught sight of what he was looking at. “Oh you know what I think I’ve just had the same evil thought as you.” Lucy handed him the gun. “You take this I’ll tie her up solid.” Marcus looked at the glass the black creature was gone. “I’ll keep a look out for ugly.” He had a gut feeling that odd creature was still around. He turned back watching as Lucy began to pull Julia towards one of the metal cupboard. Similar to the one they’d been chained up to. “Chain her legs as well.”
8
Emma turned firing her shoulder cannon at one of the hard meat who blew in to pieces. She watched as the others fired taking down more and more as they tried to get through the narrow corridors. They’d been fighting for what felt like an eternity. The hard meat had already gotten on to level sixty, which they’d been moving through. The whole place was a horrible blood bath. Bodies of scientists and marines littered the floor. She’d seen movement guns lying broken on the floor. Their empty barrels covered in hard meat saliva. Red blood was spattered against the walls and dripping from tables and chairs. Turned over coffee cups and vending machines scattered the floors. The marines had tried desperately to hold this level but had not succeeded. She turned shooting another hard meat solider down watching as its dead body hit one of the vending machines. She’d seen this all before, the only difference was that she wasn’t afraid this time around. Deep down she only felt depressed for those who hadn’t lived.
They turned another corridor seeing that it was empty of hard meat soldiers. Erisoki turned slightly seeing that there was nothing this didn’t surprise him. They’d killed so many hard meat soldiers that the others had no doubt backed off to regroup. He raised his fist looking at his hunter. “You fought well! I’m very proud of you all!” Jeuki nodded slightly as did the others. He turned looking at one of the doors, which kept on opening and shutting. He looked down seeing another died ooman warrior. All these warriors had fought with honour trying to hold this place. He looked at the Jeuki’s mate something told him that none of this was sitting well with her. He could understand these beings were her race. Even if they didn’t like her anymore it didn’t mean she didn’t care about them. It was always far harder when it’s your own race being slaughtered by hard meat and powerless to stop them. He’d been on a hunt long ago as young blooded warrior where almost half of the young bloods had died.
It was tough and hard and he’d felt powerless, as he’d watched his friends die around him. He put a hand on his chin slightly. Most of these oomans had no weapons anyway they were the type he wouldn’t hunt period. Female and males oomans who weren’t fighters and didn’t stand a chance or so it seemed from looking at this place. Emma turned another corridor; she stopped backing up seeing a large room on the far side. She moved forward stopping as they came to it. She watched as Jeuki turned stopping watching as the others did. She ran her hand up the door seeing the bloodstains over the sigh, which said central control. She couldn’t take this anymore! If she didn’t do something she’d never be able to live with herself! Jeuki put a hand on Emma’s arm. “What’s wrong?” Emma looked at the door. “I have to go in here…I have to do something.” Jeuki watched as the elder came forward trying to see what was going on. Jeuki looked at the corridor. “You want to help the weaker oomans don’t you?” Emma looked down slightly. “Yes.”
Erisoki listened slightly trying to understand ooman language. Jeuki pulled up a clawed hand. “Why? I mean look what they tried to do to you.” Emma turned sharply. “I can’t just stand here Jeuki! I was like them once! I know what they’re going through.” Jeuki pulled back slightly. “You do know if you give them guns they’ll become prey.” Emma nodded slowly. “Yeah well I’d rather they have a chance against the hard meat even if it means I end up hunting them as well.” Jeuki breathed in deeply. “What do I tell Erisoki?” Emma looked at her wrist blades. “ Tell him I’m going to make the hunt more challenging.” She lowered her shoulder cannon. Jeuki slowly pulled her in to a hug. “Very well.” He watched as she went through the door. Erisoki came forward. “What’s going on?” Jeuki looked at the open doors. “My mate is going to make the hunt truly challenging.” Erisoki shook his head. “What’s really going on Jeuki?” Jeuki breathed in knowing he wasn’t going to get out of this.
He looked at the open doors. “She’s giving the weaker oomans a chance to hunt hard meat for themselves as well as escape.” Erisoki nodded slightly. “I see.” Idosoi growled aloud. “You call your ooman mate a wonderful hunter Jeuki. Yet she’d still betray as by helping the other oomans!” Erisoki turned slowly. “You will be silent or I will kill you!” Jeuki turned in anger. “My mate is not a traitor! She’s killed her own kind just to free you and this clan!” He found himself snarling aloud. “She isn’t doing this for the ooman warriors she hates them! She’s doing this for the weaker oomans who can’t fight!” Erisoki eyed Idosoi. “Tell me if the hard meat were hunting you and you had only a wooden spear.” He eased up a clawed finger. “If someone could give you a metal spear so you stood a chance would you take it?” Idosoi nodded slightly. “Yes I would take it.” Erisoki growled in anger. “This is what she’s doing! It is no different to a hunter trying to give you a metal spear so you can survive!” Jeuki turned eyeing the young blood. “She’ll hunt them to if they have weapons! There still prey to her regardless.” Erisoki looked at the door he slowly typed in to his wrist armour watching as his cloak went up. He watched the others do the same. “I want to watch Jeuki's mate and you are all going to follow me in! Because I believe you young bloods need to learn that hunting is not just about killing hard meat. It’s about others around you be they your race or not!”
8
Emma watched as the door half closed behind her. She slowly looked at the room whose tall sections of glass stood out. They were information screens. Huge glass ones no doubt for scientists to ponder their thoughts over. She looked at the long panel stacked up with papers and spilt coffee cups and half eaten sandwiches. She grunted in annoyance putting her hands on the papers throwing them off full force. Who ever worked here before they died was a slob. She grabbed a half full coffee cup throwing it at the glass panel near by. Couldn’t people at least clean up places before they died? She began to tap in to the panel watching as the screen went up. She began to type she’d probably get in to trouble from the elder for this. She sighed aloud she was willing to take the punishment if there was one. Some might see what she was doing as being a traitor. Not that she blamed them she was meant to be a hunter yet she could be seen as trying to give her race to much help.
She watched as the screen brought up the by pass for the guns. She hit the main panel watching as the as the interlock began to click on the screen. Her gaze turned as the gun racks around her opened and he guns came out. She put a hand on her face obviously no one was watching the computers anymore because no one had blocked her. In fact it seemed like something was making it easier than normal. She sighed aloud as she carried on typing all she had to do was gain control of the voice computer for the ship. She found her self-sweating this was hard, some of her hacks weren’t working. She breathed in trying to by pass the system all she had to do was get voice control, she could do this! She watched as the screen brought up an access bar, she sighed aloud. It had taken her more than five minutes to get through. She slowly began to type in what the computer had to say. Her gaze turned to the main panel button, once this message went out every electronic pad would go off. As well as the main voice, which would keep repeating.
She slammed it hard her gaze turned as the ship began to speak. “This is an evacuation notice from level fifty central control. This ship has become compromised please move to the Sirun for protection. This is not a drill please evacuate immediately, I repeat this is not a drill you are in very serious danger, please leave now. She turned slightly, why could she hear footsteps? So
meone was right behind her! She turned only to grabbed she watched as a long marine dagger moved close to her neck. She felt some one grab her hair tighter, she couldn’t move. She turned slightly seeing a bone necklace hanging from the person’s neck, her necklace! “How nice to see you again, Lexington.” Lexington growled aloud. “You stinking bitch you killed my marines!” He raised the dagger running it along her cheek watching as the blood started to flow. “I’m going to enjoy cutting you in to little pieces!” Emma slowly looked at her wrist blades. “Not as much as I’m going to enjoy turning you in to a trophy you stupid bastard!” Lexington held her hair tighter. “Disgusting alien fucking bitch like you’d be able to fight me!” Emma felt her hand form a fist. “My god you really are a moron! I was right your mother must feel really sorry for you.” She looked at the dagger. “You being not nearly as smart as a dog and all it must really get to her mustn’t it?”
Lexington pulled her hair back. “Shut up! You’re stuck here and you’re not moving!” Emma raised her hand slightly feeling him trying to push against her. “You know what your problem is Lexington?” Lexington snarled aloud. “No what is my problem you dirty alien-humping bitch?” Emma narrowed her gaze. “You’re a stupid son of a bitch who talks too much!” Lexington didn’t get a chance to move as Emma’s blades slammed backwards ripping through his armoured shirt. He pulled back yanking at her hair. He felt one of the dread locks rip off as he moved back. He stepped back looking at it before tossing it aside. Emma pulled back clutching her hair that hurt! She raised her shoulder cannon but stopped it before it rose fully. Her gaze narrowed as she lowered it turning it off fully. “You know what I’d get no satisfaction from blowing you up, you stupid bastard. I’d rather kill you the old fashioned way!” Lexington grinned as he pulled out his pulse rifle throwing it on the floor. “Likewise bitch!”
