by G. K. Scott
There was no way she could get through the ooman corridors and for her to try it would be to slower task. So she’d made them kill themselves so there acid and dead bodies would burn there way through the levels so she could get up! Emma pulled back in horror realizing what had just come to pass. The huge batted crested head moved upwards. Its huge black body followed as the hybrid queen crawled out of the massive opening. She didn’t know what was worse seeing the hideous face again. Or realizing that there killing of all those Knopf had been nothing more than a trick set up by this evil bitch so she could get to them. She could see that the queen’s body was even more battered than before. Her upper crest was tattered and she had teeth marks in all over, no doubt from her fight with the other queen. Who was probably dead, since this queen looked so battered it was highly unlikely this queen had run away. She pulled up her spear watching as huge mouth opened its saliva dripping downwards as the huge tail swung.
Erisoki roared in anger, watching as the two young bloods readied them selves as the queen lowered her head looking through the double doors. She hissed anger before turning her head slightly she turned back her long fingers twitching as her feet hit the floor. He watched as the mandibled yaws flared open as the huge queen came forward. The steel doors where smashed apart as her huge crest broke through. She hissed in anger smashing her shoulders through followed by the rest of her body. The massive clawed feet rocked the floor as she ran at them full force her screech hitting the air. Jeuki pulled back this was not good the bitch wasn’t stopping! She was forcing them back towards the smashed glass! He looked over it was a long drop. A huge slopped metal wall would take you down where you’d hit the bottom of the dock hard. Erisoki turned looking at the glass. They had two choices ether jump through it and hope that she followed. The open space bellow would take away her advantage.
Or face her in this room were she had all the advantages. She had set this up for them so she would have the advantage of close quarters. The other room they’d fought her in had been five times this size. He had seen what happened when a hard meat queen had these kinds of odds before. When trying to drag a queen abroad ship. He’d seen what happened when hunters got trapped in a tight space with her. They couldn’t fire their cannons because they’d hit each other. Plus the queen had full use off her tail. Hunter’s died quickly and painfully because she could use it in its most deadliest manner. Along with her clawed hands and teeth. Over twenty hunters had lost their lives, and all for an egg-laying queen. The same egg-laying queen who’d had fought this hybrid queen and had ended up ruining their chances of killing her. He had truly hated his leader after that mission, because of his methods and arrogance. He’d had given that queen just what she wanted!
He would not do the same! He was a better leader than that! He looked at the smashed glass before turning around ignoring the pounding of the queen’s feet, as she got closer. “Get out of this room! Now!” He turned watching as Idosoi turned with Adarmi realizing what he was asking. They took one look back before leaping through the smashed glass. Jeuki grabbed Emma of the ground as he leaped through the shattered glass. His gaze turned as Erisoki followed leaping with all his might. He thrust out his wrist blades slamming them in to the metal to try and slow him self as he skidded down the steep sidewall. He held Emma tighter as they shot towards the docks lower half.
CHAPTER 22
THE SHADOWS OF THE PAST ECHO IN TO THE SHADOWS OF FUTURE
Location somewhere in the galaxy, falling towards dock nines main bay on the Iron Year science vessel.
Is there such a thing as fate, I mean are we all destine to meet things we fear more than once? May be it’s just me but I’m beginning to think that this queen hard meat won’t go away until she’s killed or we are. I never believed in destiny, come to think of it I didn’t believe in anything because every thing I could see was on a screen. That screen, that fed me bull and made me in to a cog in a never-ending wheel. I believed what they told me because I thought that was okay. I thought it was okay to sit by a computer screen and agree with the messages that went up every five minutes. I believed my company was nice that a nice man was in charge off it! Honestly how stupid of me! To honestly believe that that nice guy in the advert for Callisto was giving me a chance at a better life. I doubt he even gave a damn! I bet he was just sitting there smiling because he knew Oran would give him his filthy pay check to lure in ignorant scientists. Callisto opens its arms to you…who thought that line up?
I mean please do people like being ignorant to the world? Is being ignorant is it just a layer people put up so they can hide from the world? Does hiding behind a sheet make it better? It’s just like trying to put up a wall around your self so you can hide behind it and pretend it doesn’t exist. Sad thing is it does exist. It not like it’s going to piss off and go away, it’s still there like some angry cat hissing at you. Ignoring it won’t change a thing it won’t make it go away in the end it’ll be there like a nasty shadow hunting you. I wish that when I’d been on Callisto I hadn’t brought in to that lie, I wish I hadn’t hid behind the screen ignoring what was going on. I only looked up at the end when it was to late. I ignored the hard meat soldier experiments with their daily broadcast because every one else did. I mean I through the black alien with acid blood being dissected was in the first broad cast by Utro was like any other animal a great find that was harmless. No more vicious than a Desert Wolf or a No-Bo.
Unintelligent beasts just like the rest, no big deal because Utro claimed it was fine when handled and bolted down. I even watched them move some of them through our lab for testing. All I did was glance at one then look back at my electronic note pad ignoring the situation completely. Why oh why did I do that? How stupid of me! I believed they weren’t smart or intelligent because the talk from Utro’s helper was they weren’t. I can’t believe that I told some red haired girl who was a technician in our lab to shut up when she perked up saying that these creatures looked dangerous and that they frightened her. I never even knew her name. I saw a hard meat put its tail through her chest killing her instantly. She was probably fresh out of the institute nothing but a trainee. Yet she was so right, that little girl who was three years younger than me was the smart one. She wasn’t ignorant like I was at the time, if I could back I’d ask her name but I can’t do that.
One thing I truly had to come to know from my time on Callisto is true regret. I’ve sadly picked up skeletons, which hang in my mental cosset, their bones shaking with the questions of what if? Or why didn’t I change that? Ignorance being the driving force behind them coming in to being. Ignorance and cowardice which I’ve come to despise I guess everyone wants to rid themselves of something I wish I could rid myself of those memories. Saying that though I need those memories, because they fuel who I’ve become it’s such an irony that the things you have to have these memories are they only way you change yourself inner change being the final outcome. You can never rid yourself of them fully, no matter how hard your try these skeleton will always shake with your memories. You just have to be brave enough to find courage to see your faults and change and become a better person. I guess through doing that you can rise up like a phoenix and find your true calling.
Now I guess comes the time of finding out if I’ve come that far or if I just believed I have. Since it’s so easy to delude yourself or hide from the truth when you don’t see fit to face it. Oh hell! Emma turned sharply seeing Jeuki’s wrist blades come free as he lost control. She felt him grab her tighter, almost causing her to be winded. Jeuki turned as his claws feet lost control over the metal surface. He found himself being thrown backwards as he slipped hitting the metal slipway hard. He heard Emma yelp painfully as she totally winded by his sudden over protective grip. He turned his head fast this was going to hurt! He tried to grab the wall with his clawed hand to gain some control. All he felt was the sharp pain as his claws screeched the metal getting no grip at all. He turned sharply only to feel the pain go through his body as
hit the end of slip way hard. He couldn’t stop the sudden barrel roll as he hit the docks solid deck. He watched in panic as Emma shot right out of his arm slamming in to the floor full force front first.
Emma opened one eye painfully, feeling the air slowly move back in her lungs. She groaned pulling herself up slightly trying to shake the stars. That wasn’t the best landing in the world. Her gaze turned to Jeuki who was flat on his back his clawed feet outstretched. She moved closer to him watching as he growled shaking his head. She turned sharply as the others came down stropping themselves at the bottom of the deck. It seemed they’d had a better landing than they had. Her gaze turned back as Jeuki pulled him self up slowly he hit his helmet slightly. She moved closer something was wrong. She grabbed his plating pulling him up as best she could, which wasn’t far. Jeuki hit his helmet again he watched as the right eye socket blurred something had come loose in side his helmet’s electronics. His inferred sight had gone totally black in one eye. He grabbed the cords of his helmet he felt a small hand take his hand then ease his air cords free. He squinted as his inferred sight came back in both eyes as gentle hands eased his helmet off.
He could make out Emma’s form clearly he eased up a hand running it along her cheek. Emma looked up hearing a horrible screech her gaze turned to the others who were standing near by watching. She smiled feeling Jeuki’s clawed finger move across her face. She smiled slightly before turning his helmet, her gaze slowly moved across the in side. Jeuki heard the queen screech again above he leaned forward. “I can’t see through the right eye.” Emma looked at the helmet seeing some of the pathways had been pushed apart. “You must have hit your head hard when you landed.” Jeuki pulled up a clawed hand. “I didn’t hurt you did I? I didn’t mean to hold you that tight.” Emma slowly pulled the red lens free from the good eye of the helmet. “I’m fine don’t worry I just got winded it’s no big deal.” She turned clamping the broken helmet to his side. She eased up a hand moving his head as she put his vision lens on. “I can’t repair your helmet Jeuki you’ll have to use your sight lens.”
Jeuki heard the click as the sight lens was placed fully he quickly eased up his wrist armour typing in to it watching as the lens came on. He slowly changed it moving through the sights until the ooman eye vision came on. He had put in this ooman eye for hunting oomans on Callisto originally but had found it more useful for other things. He watched as Emma’s colours slowly cleared up in his right eye. He squinted it was an odd sight to get used to but he liked it. It had come in useful when being with Emma it had been how he’d come to understand colour. He could also tell what she really looked like thanks to it. Emma ran her hand gently over his lower mandibles. “Better?” Jeuki nodded. “Much better thank you.” Emma looked up again hearing the hybrid queen screech in anger. Her gaze turned as the marine drop ship was suddenly shaken forcefully as it was hit full force. Emma blinked her whole world slowed down as the huge ship shook coming loose from the windows above.
She felt the air get trapped in her lungs. Jeuki turned seeing the huge ship come free it’s huge bulky body fell forward them as it came free from the opening. This was not good! He looked at Emma flaring his mandibles. “Run!” Emma felt Jeuki move suddenly as they both got up trying to run away as the huge ship sped towards them. Erisoki turned running in the opposite direction with both the young bloods as the huge ooman ship fell towards the dock. He turned to see Jeuki and the little ooman run as fast as they could away from the falling hunk of battered ship. Jeuki felt the force as the ships nose hit the dock full force. He grabbed Emma’s hand so she couldn’t fall back. Emma turned seeing the battered ship twist as it hit the dock, it’s huge wing breaking off as it fell of the solid dock. Its huge body leaning as it fell forward in to the docks bottom. She heard the ear splitting crash as it crashed bellow, which was followed by the roar of flames which shot up high above them as the body of the ship broke with the force of its landing.
Jeuki turned watching the flames rose higher before sinking back in to the depths of the dock bellow. He turned sharply watching as the hybrid queen smashed her crested her through the now open gap. Her black jaws moved as she screeched smashing her shoulders through the bent metal. Her head turned as she looked in their direction. Emma looked up watching as the hybrid queen’s head thrashed as she pulled herself through the bent metal opening. Her huge body leapt as she got clear her clawed feet digging in to the metal as she moved down the long metal slope towards them. The huge body leapt up in to the air Emma felt the dock shake as she landed. Jeuki grabbed his spear raising it as the huge queen hissed rising to her feet looking at them. Her huge tail swung as she twisted her head looking around her. Emma pulled up her spear trying to keep herself steady, the huge queen turned noticing the elder hunter before turning back to look at them. Emma narrowed her gaze.
She felt her shoulder cannon rise, what was the ugly bitch up to? Jeuki watched as the queen’s huge arms rose as she screeched her huge feet hit the floor as she started to move towards them. He pulled back flaring his mandibles in anger, he pulled his cutting disc free watching as her feet hit the ground as she got even closer. Emma turned there wasn’t far they could move sideways without falling off the side. She could see the power loaders sitting quietly near by. A huge frame was standing near by an empty power loaded was sitting close by it. She watched the huge mandibles jaws open as a low hiss hit the air. Her gaze travelled upwards as she backed off. There were more power loaders sitting on the level above as well as heavy chain. She turned sharply seeing Jeuki’s amber eyes meet hers. “She’s going to block as off again!” Jeuki roared throwing his disk he watched as it hit sliced through the already tatted crest before coming back. “Any suggestions?” Emma fired her shoulder cannon watching it hit the target.
The queen screeched as blood flew from her shoulder she turned swinging her tail causing them both to duck. Erisoki turned in anger that annoying hard meat queen! She was trying to block both of his hunters off! Jeuki and his mate were stuck on the opposite side of the dock. He ran forward ignoring the heat in his sandals from the heated dock. He watched the two young bloods follow him he roared in anger as they got up behind the queen who was trying to lash her tail out at the others. “Kill her! I want her dead!” Idosoi grabbed his plasma gun. “With pleasure!” Adarmi turned firing his shoulder cannon watching on off the already broken spines come off the hard meat queen’s back. Emma watched the queen turn slashing her tail back wards causing the other hunter to leap back. Her gaze moved to the level above. “Jeuki I need your help!” Jeuki turned watching his disk cut through the queens turned neck. “You have an idea?” He grabbed his disk only to see the queen screech as she was hit the back again by a plasma fire.
Emma looked up again. “I’ve got something! If it works it could end this!” She slashed out her spear as the queen lunged her head down. Jeuki turned slightly. “I’m with you.” Emma looked at the rigging firing her shoulder cannon again causing the queen to screech as it hit arm her. “We need to climb the rigging!” Jeuki looked at the rigging his eyes moved to the heaped chain and heavy human contraptions. “Oh I see” Emma smirked slightly watching the queen turn trying to slash her tail at the others. “It’s gonna really hurt her.” Jeuki laughed slightly he turned jumping on to the rigging Emma turned jumping on to the unmoving power loader. She grabbed the rigging making her way up it watching the queen swing her head at the others hissing. She was paying attention to them at all she watched as she turned swinging her tail again, only to have one of young bloods net gun slammed in to her face. Erisoki turned watching as one of his young hunters slammed his spear in the queen’s hand.
His gaze turned as he saw Jeuki and his mate who were climbing up the ooman rigging. What were they doing! It made no sense at all they needed all the firepower possible to take this hard meat queen down! What were both of them thinking at a time like this they were endangering the young bloods with this foolish tactical move! Jeuki pulled him self up on to the ooman
raft with it ooman machines he watched Emma turn grabbing the heavy chain. “I’ll tie it for you!” Emma heaved the chain up it was solid five inch thick rigging chain. The same chain Lexington had tied her up with only a bigger version for tying power loaders in to place during space travel. Emma tossed the chain to him watching him catch it. “Tie it to one of the power Loaders arms!” Jeuki opened his mandibles in excitement. “With pleasure!” Emma watched he heaved up the chain wrapping it around the power loaders inner clamps. Emma jumped up in to the cockpit she leaned over turning on the controls.
She really didn’t have a clue how to use this machine she’d almost fallen in asleep in the lesson at the institute when they’d gone over it. She’d had way too much to drink the night before with her teenage friends. Too much alcohol and not enough sleep causing to doze off half way through only to be shouted at by the tutor for lack attention. He’d tried to make her repeat the inner working of some other simple machine which she was to tied to remember. She pressed a button quickly watching the fire drill come out. Okay she should’ve really paid attention in that lesson she slammed another button watching the huge vice like clamping hand close around the chain. She grinned getting out of the cockpit. “I got it.” Jeuki looked down at the queen watching her slash her tail out as she tried to pry a spear free from her hand. “We don’t have much time, what do you want me to do?” Emma half leaned in to the cockpit hitting one of the buttons watching the metal clamps on the feet of the loader lock solid in the floor.
