Callacean: Fractured Space Book 2 (A Novella) (Fractured Space Series)

by J G Cressey

  Cal bashed tentacles away as he swam to her. One tentacle coiled around his neck, but he wrenched it away; the beast was dying and no longer a match for his boosted strength. Taking a firm hold of Eddy, he pressed his mouth against hers and pushed air from his gum breather into her starved lungs. The girl’s convulsions eased, and she stared at him, her shock and confusion acute. Pulling back, he offered her a quick, encouraging nod before getting to work. The creature had gone limp, death having finally taken hold, but two of its tentacles remained stubbornly tangled about Eddy. Cal tugged at them as Eddy twisted and turned, heaving at the jelly-like flesh in an attempt to free her much needed cybernetic arm.

  But their efforts were short-lived.

  Another tentacle seized Cal’s right arm—this one full of life and brimming with power. He tugged against it, but it didn’t yield. Then another wrapped around his chest and squeezed hard. He grasped it with both hands, his heart thudding at the realization that another Kratanu had descended on them. Eddy let out a watery cry and reached out to claw fiercely at his attacker, but it was too little, too late. This beast wasn’t near death or hindered by injury.

  Cal felt himself being yanked backwards, the creature’s cold, smooth body enveloping him as it drew further away. He fought the beast with all his might and could see Eddy continuing her own struggle, desperately digging her fingers into the swathes of dead flesh that still partially cocooned her. Unlike him, the girl was gradually succeeding. But also unlike him, she had no lasting supply of air.

  Cal’s dread rose further as Eddy’s struggles turned frantic, her small frame again starting to convulse. Utilizing every ounce of his anger, he pushed, pulled, clawed, twisted, and even resorted to biting his assailant. But it was no good. He would continue to battle the beast until his very last breath, but in truth, he knew the fight had been over before it began.

  Her body jerking violently, Eddy allowed herself one last look in his direction, eyes full of fear and desperation. It was a look with the power to remain etched in Cal’s mind forever. He felt cold fear at being consumed by the monster, but the emotion was swamped beneath the searing pain he felt as Eddy’s convulsing body finally went limp and began to sway gently in its watery grave.

  Her eyes remained open but now saw nothing.

  She was dead.

  Chapter 12 Jaxen

  Cal almost lost his gum breather as he vented his anger in a watery roar. He continued his fight, twisting about in a rage-filled attempt to face the creature that imprisoned him. He wanted to tear it to pieces—a wholly unrealistic aim, but his fury left no room for logic. But the beast gave no quarter and dealt with his struggles almost idly, as if savoring the moments before its meal. Unwilling to accept his fate, Cal roared again, straining every muscle to its absolute limit.

  Then, something strange happened. An occurrence that birthed utter confusion. With his attacker at his back, it was hard to know for sure, but he was fairly certain the bastard had just exploded.

  A great wash of turbulence spun Cal through the water, and once it calmed, he found himself immersed in a misty soup of severed tentacles and chunks of transparent flesh—a sight that seemed good confirmation of his supposition. Dismissing the idea that he’d miraculously gained the ability to obliterate his foes with the power of his voice, Cal concluded that his attacker had just become victim of a very large gun. One of the Star Splinter’s Jaxen cannons to be exact.

  His vision hindered by the drifting particles of dead Kratanu flesh, Cal caught a blurry impression of more cannon blasts streaking through the water above. Having become disorientated, he turned about, waving aside the larger bits of flesh in an attempt to locate Eddy.

  How long since she’d stopped breathing? How long since she’d…died?

  There was a shape, little more than a dark smudge. Hoping to God he’d caught sight of her, Cal swam as fast as he could in that direction and within moments was relieved to see he’d been correct.

  But Eddy wasn’t alone. Melinda was embracing the girl’s limp body and, in the same way he himself had done minutes previously, was attempting to breathe life into her—something Cal hadn’t even been aware she was capable of. Swimming over to them, he wasted no time wrenching the last of the tentacles from Eddy’s waist. Melinda didn’t so much as glance at him but instead put all her attention into the resuscitation attempts.

  Cal moved back to give her room. It took everything he had to just float there idly and watch, but he knew Melinda had this in hand. And who better? She was already proving that she could deliver air into the girl’s lungs, and she undoubtedly had the ability to sense and monitor Eddy’s heart and lungs. But perhaps most importantly, the cybernetic woman wouldn’t panic. She would administer the resuscitation correctly and efficiently without letting fear of Eddy’s fate hinder her. Something that Cal wasn’t sure he could have said of himself. Even now, the sight of Eddy’s ghostly white skin and wide, lifeless eyes was smothering his capacity for clear thinking.

  Removing her mouth from Eddy’s, Melinda turned to Cal and with one hand motioned him to move further back. He obeyed without hesitation. Then, Melinda did something that proved her worth way beyond that of a human in the same situation. Holding the girl firmly with one arm, she placed her hand on Eddy’s chest and sent a jolt of electricity into her. The girl’s back arched, limbs briefly going rigid before she fell back into her limp state.

  With barely a pause, Melinda glanced at Cal and nodded upward then gathered Eddy in close and began to ascend. Pushing off the rocks, Cal followed as fast as he could, but even bearing Eddy, the power in Melinda’s cybernetic legs propelled her through the water at a pace his enhanced limbs could not match.

  As he ascended, Cal became aware of numerous Kratanu in the surrounding water. But almost as fast as he spotted them, the familiar bright blue blasts from the Star Splinter’s cannons tore through them, obliterating their soft forms in an instant. Confident he needn't worry, he looked up to see that Melinda was already breaking the surface of the water. She’d chosen the edge of the jetty just to the left of the Star Splinter’s long, sleek hull, and within the blink of an eye, she’d climbed out of the water, effortlessly taking Eddy with her. Fixing his eyes on that spot, Cal struggled toward it, his efforts seeming painfully slow.

  Finally, he breached the surface, and spitting out his gum breather, he quickly pulled himself to the edge of the jetty. As expected, there was a mass of people, but sufficient numbers had backed up to give Melinda space. Many of the onlookers stared with shock at the pale, lifeless girl laid out on the deck, but just as many were looking about fearfully, no doubt afraid of what might burst out of the water or come crawling mercilessly over the crowds.

  Cal paid the crowds little heed; his eyes were on Eddy’s face, which remained worryingly slack as Melinda leaned over and sent another pulse of electricity into her. Why the hell isn’t it working? He pulled himself fully onto the deck and continued to stare, willing Melinda to work some sort of miracle. Again, the cybernetic woman pressed her mouth against Eddy’s, and Cal unwittingly held his own breath as the girl’s chest rose and fell.

  Another jolt.

  More breath.

  Cal heard a commotion and looked up to see Toker forcing his way through the crowd carrying a pair of five-click pulse rifles. He shoved a few more people aside before his eyes fell on Eddy. Cal gritted his teeth, imagining that the look on his own face probably mirrored Toker’s.

  More breath.

  Another jolt.

  Come on, Eddy, come on. His young friend was a natural fighter, that much he knew, but was there any part of her left to fight? Perhaps that chance had passed? Cal had never been a religious man, but in that moment, his urge to pray to something, to anything, was overwhelming.

  Melinda leaned down again, breathed air into her once more, then straightened up with a pause.

  Eddy coughed.

  It was a shocked, painful cough that sent a trickle of water spilling from her mou
th. Then, she flailed weakly, looking like a wide-eyed newborn utterly bewildered at the world around her. There was more coughing followed by a clumsy attempt to sit up.

  Cal moved closer as Melinda firmly laid the girl back down.

  “It’s okay, Eddy,” Melinda said as she tenderly placed a hand on her neck. “Lay back for a moment, and try to breathe steadily.”

  “What…how…what…” Eddy’s voice was a weak rasp.

  “You’re okay, Eddy,” Cal said, an uncontrollable grin spreading across his face that pushed tears into his eyes. “Welcome back.”

  “Where’d I go?”

  Cal continued to grin and shook his head. “Not sure we know the answer to that.”

  Toker knelt down beside them. “Jesus, Ed, I leave you for one frickin’ minute…” His tone was light, but his expression was quite the opposite. “You gotta stop doing this to me.”

  Eddy shook her head at him, looking unsure of what to say. Then, she looked at Melinda. “Did you kiss me?”

  Melinda gave her a soft smile. “Perhaps…in a way.”

  “Bloody hell, Ed!” Toker exclaimed, roughly pushing his hair off his face. “She just flippin’ revived you. You were…well…you were…”

  Eddy coughed and tried unsuccessfully to sit again. Finally conceding to Melinda’s restraining hand, she looked back at Toker and nodded sharply at the five-click pulse rifles nestled in his grip. “Shouldn’t you be shootin’ those things?” She turned her progressively annoyed look on Cal. “Shouldn’t you all be bloody shootin’?”

  Cal shrugged with an uncontrolled laugh then nodded.

  She had a point.

  Chapter 13 Aftermath

  Cal watched grimly as Jumper prodded at one of the many blaster holes in the dead Kratanu with the tip of his bliss rifle.

  “Nasty way to go,” Jumper said as he retracted his rifle and slung it over his shoulder.

  Aware that his old friend was referring to the human who had been consumed by the beast rather than the beast itself, Cal nodded in agreement. Despite the grisliness of the scene, Cal couldn’t help but look, a morbid fascination taking hold. The person in question appeared as though they’d been bound in ice—the ice in this instance being the clear, gelatinous body of the creature. The person’s arms were curled up, and their eyes and mouth were wide open in a silent scream frozen in time.

  In truth, it was only half a person. That was the grisly part. Most of both legs and a good deal of the torso were missing. But traces of those missing body parts were evident in the slight coloration to the central part of the beast’s own body. Cal felt a shiver run down his spine as he thought of his own near death experience in the cold grip of one of the creatures.

  “They wouldn’t have known much about it,” Douglas assured them as he came to stand nearby. “They would have suffocated long before the dissolving took place.”

  “So that’s how the creatures lose their transparency?” Jumper asked.

  Douglas nodded, his expression solemn. “If they survive long enough and consume enough prey.”

  The three men moved on, slowly continuing their search for survivors along with many others. The floor was littered with the remnants of the chaos that had taken place, a battlefield in every sense of the word. So much so that on occasion, it was near impossible to continue forward without stepping on dead flesh, be it human or Kratanu. Cal hated to think what the rest of the city was like, particularly those stairways and gates that branched off from the central dome.

  For the time being, they’d managed to effectively secure a relatively large portion of the main thoroughfare and passageways around the Northern Dock, barricading the entrances and appointing a number of armed guards at each in case of a breach. There was no doubt that survivors were still holed up in the maze of passages and apartments, but the unfortunate fact was that they didn’t have nearly enough trained individuals or firepower to deal with the thousands of Kratanu still roaming beyond the barricades.

  Captain Stevenson had successfully made contact with the Aldular authorities—as had many others, it seemed—and Cal had been impressed at the man’s calm but forceful approach in conveying the severity of the situation. Once they had assurance that a suitable level of aid was on its way, a plan was agreed to sit tight and ensure the safety of the thousands of people this side of the barriers.

  Toker had insisted on remaining on the Star Splinter with Eddy—not that insistence had been necessary. Cal had made him promise that he’d activate the restraints if the girl tried to leave the med cot. Melinda had stayed too, in part to keep monitoring Eddy but also to aid Viktor as he continued to man the ship’s cannons. The stream of Kratanu finding their way into the waters of the dock had slowed almost to a stop, but Viktor had assured him he wouldn’t become complacent. Cal hadn’t doubted him for a moment. He’d also been sure to thank the boy for saving his life. It had been answered with a quick grin and the suggestion for some sort of scoreboard.

  Cal, Jumper, and Douglas continued with their search until it led them to a small group of guards who’d paused in the corner of a large atrium—the very one that boasted the sculpture Cal had admired on their arrival. Captain Stevenson was among the group, his two young lackeys, Jacobs and Peterson, still lurking dutifully in his shadow, both now looking heavy-eyed and about ready to drop. The effects of the Xcel had long since worn off, and although the serum left no negative side effects, it couldn’t prevent the depleting nature of injury and mental trauma.

  The group of guards stood in silence, and as Cal approached with Jumper and Douglas, he caught sight of what had stopped them in their tracks. There was another Kratanu with a partially digested victim encased within its transparent form. But this time, Cal recognized the body.

  Fincher.

  Cal winced as he stepped forward and took in the full horror of the sight. Most of the man’s right side was missing, but enough of his face was left to reveal that familiar silent scream.

  “Gods above,” Douglas breathed. “Poor bastard.”

  Cal could understand the reaction. It was one thing to see a complete stranger having suffered this fate, but seeing someone you’d conversed with only a few hours earlier was quite another—even if most of the conversation had been infused with hostility and anger.

  Cal’s first impression of Fincher had been that he was an arrogant prick, and one could easily argue that this entire disaster could have been avoided had he endeavored to be less of one. But the glimpse Cal had caught of him aiding one of his fellow guards amid the chaos still lingered in his mind—an undeniable act of bravery and kindness that had put a sizable dent in that first impression. Still, even if he hadn’t witnessed the act, Cal would have never have wished this on anyone. No one deserved such a fate.

  “I’m sorry,” Cal said, looking toward Stevenson.

  Grim-faced, the captain nodded then looked back down at Fincher’s remains. “He suffered no worse than countless others,” he said quietly, letting the simple statement hang in the air.

  There was silence for a time as they all stood around the deceased; then, Stevenson eventually looked up and glanced purposely around. “Well, I guess our search is about over. Not much more we can do in that regard except wait for the cavalry.” He turned to the two guards on his left. “Cooper, Beachum.”

  The pair in question snapped to attention as if nudged with an electric prod.

  “Head over to the eastern side of the barricade, and join their ranks. They were two short.”

  The two guards nodded their understanding and, with one last glimpse at their deceased boss, walked carefully away.

  “Schiele, Richter.”

  Two more guards straightened up with a well-practiced snap.

  “See if you can start identifying the deceased. Make a photo record.”

  They nodded and set about their duty without question.

  Satisfied, Stevenson finally turned to Douglas and took a deep breath before addressing him. “I’m very
sorry you weren’t listened to, Mr. Douglas,” he said, looking the big man in the eye and holding up his chin as if offering permission for it to be punched.

  Douglas stared at him for a moment before grunting and waving him down with a flap of his big hand. “Not your fault,” he said gruffly. “You weren’t the one in charge.”

  Stevenson offered him a tight smile. “Maybe not in charge but close enough. It’s only right that I shoulder a good deal of the blame.”

  Douglas eyed him for long enough that Cal thought he might be considering that punch. But eventually, he waved him down again. “Just see that those idiots from Aldular do right by this city. It would be a tragedy to lose it.”

  Stevenson nodded, looking a touch dissatisfied with the outcome. Cal suspected that he’d actually been hoping to be hit or at the very least subjected to an angry outburst, something to numb his guilt. “I’ll do my best,” Stevenson replied, his tone sincere. “I promise you that.”

  The captain turned to Cal and Jumper. “Words seem insufficient, but I’m indebted to you both. And the rest of your crew, of course. How’s the young lady…Eddy, how’s she faring?”

  “She’s recovering well,” Cal replied. “Don’t be fooled by her small stature; she’s as tough as they come.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” Stevenson replied, sounding genuinely so. “I really can’t thank you all enough not only for the weapons you handed out but for your help getting my men and me to the docks.”

  “No thanks necessary,” Cal said.