Far Space

by Jason Kent

  Myrna looked around the worshiping statue to the sanctum entrance.

  “Help me, Myrna!” Rosh said, a fresh urgency in his voice, “Before it’s too late!”

  Together, the two Soosuri were able to force the protesting door open until there was enough room to get the human though.

  Sue gently lifted Jennifer higher and carefully angled her awkward parcel around the statue and toward the doorway. She felt the hunter’s presence before she saw it as a disturbance in the current behind her. “Rosh!” Sue pushed Jennifer’s limp form through the water toward the other Soosuri.

  Not pausing to watch whether or not her friends were able to catch the human, Sue jetted to the center of the room where she snatched up the broken spear shaft with its razor barb. Armed, she spun to face the door.

  “Makaro!” Sue chattered, both identifying the dreaded creature and cursing it with the same word.

  The makaro, easily three times as large as Sue, was probing the inside of the doorway with its four thickly muscled arms. Jagged talons scraped against the stone floor and wall. From Sue’s point of view, the rest of the creature was all teeth and gapping maw.

  Sue spread her tentacles and clutched the spear shaft tightly. She screamed a war cry, guttural and primal in its challenge.

  The makaro growled back, turning its full attention to the soosuri with a challenging, booming cry. Wiggling its snout through the doorway, the creature found it was too large to enter the room. As it shoved and maneuvered to get its bulk through the entryway, the beast made the mistake of taking its full attention from its prey. Distracted for an instant by a fresh concentration of blood sucked into its gills, it’s excited rage made it careless.

  Choosing her target carefully, Sue shot across the chamber, the thin shaft slicing through the water ahead of her.

  The hunter caught the movement and opened its maw in preparation to catch the impudent prey which had chosen to attack rather than flee, as most did.

  Spinning in a flail of arms and body designed to confuse the makaro, Sue stayed just out of its snatches. At that same time, she managed to drive the spear shaft directly into one of the creature’s eyes, driving it deep until it was embedded in the stiff cartilage which made up most of the creatures skeleton.

  Howling with pain unlike anything it had experienced in its long life, the makaro thrashed madly, catching Sue with one its wicked claws. It still thrashed even as Sue pulled away and succeeded in driving the shaft deeper into its own body several times as hit the door frame. With a final crash into the lintel, the makaro retreated to the creation pool.

  Sue managed to propel herself back to the doorway where Myrna and Rosh were still trying to get Jennifer through without knocking her injured side against the doorjamb.

  Myrna turned to look at Sue, her eyes wide with fear. Seeing the gash on Sue’s side, Myrna forgot the human for a moment and rushed over to her friend. Myrna wrapped her arms around Sue, cradling and probing the wound at the same time. Clicking with concern, Myrna said, “Silly brave Suse, what have you done?”

  Sue had to concentrate to focus her eyes on Myrna. Painfully, she turned to take in Jennifer, now all the way on the other side of the door, thanks to Rosh’s maneuvering. Sue locked eyes with Myrna. “Save Jennifer. Save my taio.”

  The hideous cry of the wounded makaro had faded to an occasional screech but was suddenly answered by more fresh cries.

  Myrna turned her head as a new chorus picked up the hunting cry. “More of them, Great Yu’os, Suse, there are more.”

  Sue heard her friend but it sounded as if Myrna was far away in murky water. Her vision blurred as she felt Myrna pulling her through the hidden door. Suddenly, the water all around her was a brilliant jade color, its brightness shocking after the dim glow of the inner sanctum. Sue let her eye covers drift closed; satisfied she must be on the way to meet Yu’os, to finally and enjoy the iho of life in the presence of the Son.

  Jennifer awoke to the sound of distorted screams reverberating through her skull. Opening her eyes proved difficult and required greater concentration than normally was needed for the simple act. Finally, fighting against the bright, aquamarine light, Jennifer forced her eyes to open in a squint and found herself in the middle of a nightmare.

  Two Soosuri were whirling, their long arms moving like striking snakes, their defensive spines deployed and being put to savage use. The center of their attention was a monstrous creature with a huge mouth full of teeth and four huge arms. As the attacking beast used it claws, trying to snag the Soo, Jennifer realized the Soo were Rosh and Myrna

  Giving in to her first instinct, Jennifer attempted to swim away from the creature which was obviously intent on eating them all. Hot knife blades cut up through her shoulder and chest and plunged down her legs. The searing pain caused Jennifer to scream inside her face mask. Her vision turned red and she had to choke down the vomit rising in her throat. Her renewed screaming cut out the battle cries issuing from the three sea creatures locked in a life and death battle just a few meters away.

  Jennifer took in the makeshift bandage around her chest and sides. The memory of Tom spearing her in the worship chamber came rushing back.

  “Sue…”

  Her movements circumscribed by intense pain, Jennifer turned her head enough to see Sue floating nearby. Even from a distance she could see the nasty gash along Sue’s lower abdomen.

  “No!” Jennifer screamed, the shock of seeing her injured friend drowned out her own pain.

  Fighting against the waves of nausea, Jennifer used her left arm to pull herself over the sandy sea floor.

  A deafening screech brought her attention back to the struggle between Soosuri and monster now raging directly above her head. Both Rosh and Myrna, looking much worse for wear, were trying to keep the creature away – slashing and jabbing with their twenty centimeter spines and snapping their sharp beaks at whatever part of the beast they could reach.

  The creature saw the injured human and lunged for her.

  Jennifer pulled out her dive knife and arched back under the creature’s onslaught. Ignoring the pain piercing her side, she jammed the blade into the beast’s belly, slitting it open from one end to the other as it sailed past.

  The attacker died with a horrifying bellow.

  When Jennifer was able to open her eyes again, she saw the other two Soo swimming through the swirl of blood and offal drifting away from the sinking enemy. They joined Jennifer at Sue’s side.

  “We must go!” the translator spoke in Jennifer’s ears. The device was familiar enough with the two other Soosuri to recognize the speaker as Rosh and gave him a correspondingly masculine voice.

  “We will not be able to fight another makaro if they come,” Myrna said, her gills fluttered rapidly.

  “What’s wrong with, Sue?” Jennifer asked, watching the two Soo as they scanned the distance as far as visibility allowed.

  After the translator clicked and burbled its version of Jennifer’s question, Myrna looked over into Jennifer’s eyes and said, “Suse attacked another makaro.”

  “She gave us time to save you,” Rosh said, as he wrapped his arms around Jennifer and pulled her up. Together they jetted around a jumble of coral.

  Jennifer gritted her teeth as Rosh’s grip dug into her side. Myrna was doing her best to pull Sue beside them. Jennifer thought she was about to lose her fragile grip on consciousness when a horrendous thundering cry passed over her and the Soosuri.

  “We are too late,” Rosh said, kicking in more speed despite his statement.

  Looking past her feet as best she could, Jennifer caught sight of six dark shapes emerging from the distant haze.

  “Makaro,” Rosh said, pouring on what little additional speed he could muster..

  Jennifer guessed they were no more than seventy meters away, the maximum distance visibility allowed even in this bright, clear water.

  “Oh, God,” Jennifer muttered.

  “Yu’os’ help is all which wil
l keep us alive,” Rosh replied.

  A keening noise drew Jennifer’s attention to Myrna and Sue. Myrna was chittering and gurgling something. Jennifer did not need the translation to guess the terrified emotions pouring from the Soo’s mouth.

  Jennifer was in too much pain to think of anything other than just staying conscious as Rosh dragged her through the water. She looked back and immediately wished she had not – the creatures were now only thirty meters behind. To Jennifer, they appeared to be the same species as the one she, Rosh, and Myrna had just dispatched. “Anytime you want to jump in, God…” Jennifer muttered.

  At that moment, Rosh let go of Jennifer and turned to face the attackers, spreading his arms in a defensive posture. “Forgive me for failing you, Human,” Rosh said. He put himself between Jennifer and the attackers.

  Jennifer sensed Myrna slowing.

  Rosh must have seen the same thing, “Make for the home natata, Myrna! Do not stop! The others will help you!”

  Clicking her beak in agony, Myrna obeyed. Still holding Sue tight, she shot past Rosh and Jennifer.

  Jennifer watched, wide-eyed as the nearest beast hungrily reached out its four clawed tentacles, ready to snatch both her and Rosh up as meals. She reached for knife but found only an empty sheath.

  “Crud.” Jennifer realized she had let go of the knife after the last encounter. “Rosh, Help Myrna with Sue!”

  “You are taio,” Rosh said as way of explanation.

  Jennifer heard new cries in the water. Her translator was suddenly filling her ears. “Makaro!”

  Long spears struck the nearest creature, which had been intent on eating Jennifer. The Soosuri projectiles impaled the creature with deep, moist sounds.

  The beast spun away, shrieking in pain.

  It was music to Jennifer’s ears.

  It took a moment for Jennifer to appreciate the change of fate. She turned her head enough to catch sight of the twenty Soosuri jetting to battle with the hunters.

  It was over in a few minutes. Though savage, the larger hunters were no match for the smaller Soo or their coordinated feints and counter attacks. Six carcasses were soon drifting to the reef covered floor of the amphitheater-like space.

  Jennifer pulled herself across the sand of the brightly lit sea floor with her left arm, unable to use her paralyzed right arm. She managed a few flopping kicks to push her toward where Myrna had paused with Sue’s still form, her gaze held by the spectacle of the warrior Soosuri taking on the attackers.

  Finally able to lie next to Sue, Jennifer reached out and touched the Soo’s face. “Sue?” Myrna floated close by, trying to keep the wound in Sue’s side closed. Jennifer and Myrna’s eyes met. Myrna dipped her head toward the wound. Glancing at the gash, Jennifer’s heart sank. Given what she knew of Soosuri physiology this was not a wound Sue would likely be able to survive. In fact, Jennifer was surprised Sue was still alive at all.

  Jennifer glanced back at Sue’s face and found the soo looking back at her in an unfocused way. Sue’s iris’s dilated as she reached out for Jennifer’s arm. Jennifer offered her hand and squeezed Sue’s hand.

  “Jennifer will be okay,” Sue managed.

  “Sue will be okay,” Jennifer offered.

  “Ahe’,” Sue said after a moment of intense pain crossed her face. “Sue joins the Son…life aniya…life aniya.” She slipped the gold band from her kannai finger and pressed it into Jennifer’s grasp.

  Unable to speak, Jennifer squeezed the ring tight and lowered her forehead to Sue’s. Holding Sue in those last moments of her life, it took her a moment to realize the rest of the Soo had gathered around.

  Myrna started the Soosuri chant. She was soon joined as more Soo picked up the song. Jennifer was soon lost in the rising, wordless tune which managed to convey grief and hope, pain and joy. Consumed for the moment in her own sorrow, Jennifer felt as if she could stay there on the ocean floor listening to the song forever, holding her friend, her taio.

  Grief flooded her mind. Pain enveloped her body.

  A dark shadow passed over the amphitheater and caught her and several other of the Soo’s attention. The song faltered and drifted away on the warm currents.

  Jennifer’s heart pumped harder until she realized it was not another attack.

  It took a moment for her translator to pick up the muttered word being passed around the group.

  “Va’a. Va’a…”

  Before passing out again from her pain, Jennifer felt a tendril hope. Something she had not felt in weeks. “Va’a. Thank you, God.”

  A ship had come.

  C-31R SOF Reconnaissance Spacecraft - “Reaper 16”

  Star System 4576B, Far Space

  Ian gazed at the main monitor. They had just executed their sixteenth jump from Jupiter Space. Since the tragedy at the fourth jump, there had been no problems. Due to the extra time they had allowed for some of the quiet observation in a few of the more cluttered systems, the trip had taken longer than expected – nearly nine days. Still they had made it.

  Once in System 4576B, Ian ordered nearly twelve hours of quiet time. This was supposedly a system with a confirmed Soosuri presence. Whether they were some sort of religious outcasts or not, they were still Soosuri. And in the three encounters with which Ian could use as a meter, the aliens always shot first and never asked questions.

  Reaper 16 had been in system for fifteen hours when they finally reached the second planet from the local sun.

  “There’s no sign of a ship?” Ian asked. Where could Jennifer be?

  “No sir,” Ghost replied. “We’ve been able to scan all the landmasses, which is not saying much. Nothing is popping up.”

  “Would we be able to see a stealth ship?” Ian asked.

  “You can if you know what you’re looking for,” Ghost replied. “Stealth is made to make detection hard, not impossible.”

  “All ships with wormhole drives have some sort of stealth coating,” Robin volunteered. “We’d be able to find anyone except another SOF ship who really did not want to be found. These guys didn’t have a SOF ship, that much Yates would have known.”

  “Let’s check the islands again,” Ian said. “Make sure we don’t miss any small ones. They made it here about two weeks and ago. They shouldn’t have picked up and left already. That’s not nearly enough time to do a meet and greet, especially if you have to learn the language first.”

  “What if they found what they came for,” Robin began, “or decided to go to another Soosuri planet?”

  “Then we need to find out what they learned,” Ian said. “Pick up their trail here and see where it leads.”

  Robin nodded and went back to her controls.

  The bridge was quiet as the trio let the spacecraft’s sensors do their job.

  Ghost leaned forward suddenly. “Sir, I think I’ve got something.” He tapped his control board and sent the feed to the main display.

  The screen showed a patch of white-tipped waves rolling across the ocean. In the distance there was a stretch of rocky land. Below the waves there were several large black objects.

  “Are they animals?” Ian asked, his mind immediately thinking of whales.

  Ghost shook his head. “No, sir. It’s a debris field, all metal. And a strong magnetic reading…the signature matches a solid state anti-matter containment sphere. Those things are designed to survive anything but a direct hit.” Ghost paused a moment before adding, “It’s strange though…”

  “We’re in Far Space. You’re going to have to define ‘strange’.” Robin said.

  “The equipment’s having trouble sorting it out,” Ghost said, “but there may be two sources to this mag reading. It’s weird.”

  Ian thought back to the ship they had encountered after their fourth jump. The massive explosion had probably been from a containment field breach from one of their rail gun shots. “Take us down low.”

  Ghost skimmed the waves. No one spoke. They saw no signs of survivors.

  “Ci
rcle around the island,” Ian said. “Maybe something washed ashore.”

  Ian’s heart sank. To come so far only to find wreckage was more than he could absorb right now. All he could do was focus on the next step. At least that way he did not have to imagine Jennifer, after all they had been through, dying out here on this nameless planet.

  “There!” Robin pointed at the main screen. “No! Go back!”

  Ian took control of the camera and zoomed in. The sand was disturbed around a rocky shelf and what looked like packing crates had been piled against a rock wall. “There were survivors,” Ian breathed. “There must have been another ship or something and they were trying to hide whatever they salvaged.”

  “Shall I land, sir?” Ghost asked.

  Ian wanted to do nothing else. He paused though and verified, “Still no contacts?”

  Robin checked the sensors again. “Sky is still clear. And the minisats we left in orbit are reading a lot of nothing.”

  “Take us in, Ghost,” Ian said. “Nice and easy.”

  “As always, sir.”

  On the ground, Ian had to force himself from bursting out of the airlock. People smarter than him had thought about landing on other planets and had provided the SOF crew with protocols in case they ever found themselves in this sort of situation. This was a good idea since SOF crews did most of the recon work. Until a settlement with the Soosuri could be reached, the civil authorities were not about to let any exploration missions or colonization move beyond the solar system again. So, it was left to the stealthy military forces to explore Far Space where they had to be ready to deal with any hostile environment.

  Staring at the view screen, Ian thought the environment looked anything but hostile. He had been on beaches back on Earth which were not as nice.

  Within a few minutes, the exterior sensors had concluded the air was breathable and a first run at the bio sensors showed nothing which could hurt humans. But it was humans they were missing.

  Ian began to wonder if the ship had crashed after the crew had stacked their gear here. Perhaps they were attacked, which would explain the dual readings Ghost had gotten over the wreckage.