by Joe Crouch
“Look sharp everyone, we’re nearly there, ready your weapons because I cannot see it being any easier from now on.”
* * *
Darkness had engulfed the room, the only sign of life that Sean could feel was the rhythmic beating that came from the floor beneath his bare feet. It was almost comforting, like placing his ear on someone’s chest. Sitting there, fading in and out of consciousness, his head dangled and flopped about from the beatings he had taken, he didn’t have enough energy, will, or purpose to even attempt to raise it up. His breathing had become erratic, often he clawed and struggled for each meagre breath, stretching out his last flicker of life as long as he could keep it burning. He wasn’t about to give up, as much as he wanted to, it would never happen, there was too much to live for, too much to see and do.
Time took an age to pass, he felt like he moved through entire epochs as each second passed him by, each second brought him ever closer to the realisation that soon it would be over, one way or another. As the drool from his open mouth slapped against the tops of his feet his ears twanged, a faint sound in the distance drew his attention, almost begging him to listen closer. Willing himself to pick his head up, he focused all his remaining remnants of energy into this one last desperate token of hope, an alarm, he mused, even his inner voice seemed strained speaking, they’re here, they’re really here. The thought alone was enough to push him on past any boundaries his body imposed, anything that happened from now he was certain would be fatal, but there was a thin rope for which he could claw at, and it was enough – for now.
“I’m in here,” he let out, his feeble voice barely travelled past his lips, let alone to anyone that could hear him. “Just help me… please,” he begged as a single tear rolled down his cheek, landing on his freezing cold toes. He was still unrestrained, the Xuron knew he would be no threat in this state, and they were right, Humans had evolved to become incredible animals, many failsafe’s kicked in when one’s life was in danger, but the most he could manage was an attempt at standing, a pathetic one at that. Rocking back and forth in his chair, he built enough momentum to push himself up onto his frail legs and with one final push, he stood, hunched over and swaying side to side, a light breeze would have knocked him down in his state. Grabbing the chair’s backrest, he used it as support as he shuffled about the room, propped up by hope and expectation, two things that have never burned anyone in the history of the Human race… he scoffed.
Stumbling, he collided with the fluidic matter of the interior wall, the liquid tar oozed down his shoulder and pooled around near his neckline. He rested for a moment to catch his breath. His already feeble legs began to fail, each passing moment sapped the last remaining sources of energy from within, but hope soon returned as his hand brushed against a thin draft that whipped through an invisible crack in the wall. Running his fingers around the edges of his immediate area, he found nothing that would open to release him from his misery. He leant against the supposed doorway, suddenly splitting in two the blaring sound of the alarm echoed through the chamber as light rushed back in, he fell to the floor as his support slipped away, a pair of reptile-like feet shuffled about in front of him.
“Trying to find a way out, hmm?” the voice said, a second Xuron propelled him off the floor, slamming him back into his now tar covered chair. Lifting his head, his vision blurred, he caught flashes of red as his eyes lethargically moved up the robed character, “Happy to see me again?” Zao’Ren asked from behind his passionate smile.
* * *
The air crackled with static as pulses of energy screamed between the two engaged groups, each took shelter behind various objects in the cluttered room. The black walls fizzed as plasma fire besmirched their surface, combusting the matter that lay beneath its textured exterior. A thick, grey layer of smog swirled through the dense air, its colour danced to the tune of the projectiles that screamed through it. They were locked in combat, exchanging fire between the short distance that separated them. Running into light resistance after collapsing the floor, the Xuron guarded their most valuable asset with their lives. “Feghouli,” Taris shrieked, watching as a heavy plasma bolt impacted against his defence, debris spewed up into the heavy atmosphere and landed with ferocity into Fez’s guarded face, managing to knock him to the ground. As he pushed himself up, a long string of a saliva bridged between his back and the floor, with a shake he was free.
It wasn’t long before they were on the offensive, the Xuron kept throwing bodies at the problem but had no real plan in place which led to the clueless beings walking themselves onto a pointed spear. Fez speculated that they were untrained workers, lackeys even, that were just making up the numbers in a situation they could never have imagined they would face, an armed, trained force infiltrating their flagship and attacking their core systems from within.
The battle raged on as the air cleared, the dense smog dissipating into the ships already strained environmental systems. Taris darted forwards and slammed her back against one of the many structural pillars which encircled the room, leaving no angle for her opponent to gain a clear shot. Following suit, Fez and another marine hurdled over their respective cover and charged forwards, discharging energy from their weakening capacitors as they tried to score a hit. Taris looked on as Fez slid behind cover, cracking his weapon open avoiding the spent capacitor that jolted out from the system, replacing it with a fresh supply, the lone marine was not so fortunate. Darting through the open battlefield he was caught in no-mans-land, frozen and unresponsive he stood there willingly as plasma tore through his thick armour from every angle, leaving his body a mangled mess.
“No!” the marine Commander shouted, ducking back behind cover, sentiments would have to wait. As time passed, the built-up barrier of enraged Xuron fell, their ranks either not willing to risk their own lives or down to lack of available manpower, but whatever it was, the squad were not going to pass on the opportunity of diminished lines. On the count of three, the remaining marines vaulted over their cover. In the blink of an eye, another marine collapsed to the floor, this time, the wound didn’t appear fatal, but it would need to be addressed and fast. Taris span out from cover and trained her small carbine onto one of the stray Xuron that had broken from the group, trying its best to get the jump on them. Her breath was shallow and stilted as she took aim, building a smooth rhythm to reduce the erratic sway of her weapon. Finally, with a gentle pull of the trigger, the Xuron was no more, its corpse thoroughly decapitated.
The remaining enemy force posed little problem for the trained marines who managed to gun down their foe with deadly precision leaving bodies stacked on one another, their burnt flesh let off a foul odour that stuck to everything.
“I’m exhausted,” Taris wheezed as she strolled towards the gathered group, each Ioution taking a short break, their figures silhouetted against the dank backdrop of the destroyed living surfaces they leant against. “Engineering isn’t far now, right?” she asked, hopeful of an answer that confirmed her own hopes.
“Not far now, it’s two rooms over and I think we took out a significant portion of their defensive capabilities,” Fez replied, huffing through the atmospheric masks they all wore. A cold silence occupied the thick air as everyone caught their breath, the environmental suits they had to employ didn’t help at all, they were fine for short, non-exertive usage, but they were not the modern combat suits the regular Ioution army would use.
After a short break, the group gathered their belongings and continued on. Jamming a device into the entwined set of vines that blocked their path, a short shock was administered. The vines recoiled back with a slap allowing them access. The area they stepped into was ordinary by Xuron standards, support structures dotted its perimeter and several scattered consoles were haphazardly built into the floor. The team took up positions, waiting as the engineer investigated the exposed terminals, curious if they could access the mainframe from the outside.
“I wonder how he’s getting on…” Taris sighed, taking up a po
sition beside Fez who watched on as the engineer jammed an instrument into one of the fleshier sections of the console.
“He’s strong, we will get him back, I’m certain of it,” Fez said, unsure if he believed what he was saying. His words rang hollow with the ever-pessimistic Taris, they rattled about with little substance and were thrown out before they gained any real purchase within her own psyche. Packing away his tools the engineer slung the bag over his shoulder and walked towards the impatient group who shuffled about, trying their hardest to keep their muscles active and ready. Gathering around outside the constricted vine door that led into the heart of engineering, they knew from there they would be able to disable the structures engines, shields, and gather as much information about their activities that was possible. The tension was palpable, everyone hunched over and rocked on their heels impatiently as the work got underway, what awaited them on the other side was pure guesswork.
A fierce snap ripped through the stagnant air as the vines flailed back into their coves. Stepping through, the bay was empty, no signs of life or work were anywhere to be seen. Bringing up a thermal scanner, Fez circled around the large, L-shaped area gathering readings on the banks of terminals that were ordered neatly into rows, all facing a massive ovoid object at the centre of the room. Turning, his sensor went wild as they faced the egg-like object that stood freely, its heat signature spiked past anything his instruments were designed for, “This is what we were detecting,” he shouted to the dispersed group. Encircling the massive structure, each examined its smooth, reflective surface for any signs as to what it could be.
Taris leant forwards, placing a hand on its comfortably warm exterior, she felt a slow, rhythmic beating coming from within, “Look,” she exclaimed, “Put your hand on it, you can feel it beating like a heart.” Each member lay a hand onto the organic structure, recoiling at the strong thrashing that came from within.
“I’ve got something,” the engineer said, walking towards the group with a holo-terminal clutched to his chest, “I think I can open this thing.”
“Do it,” Fez replied, taking a few steps back for safety, motioning for everyone else to follow suit. Within moments, a loud crack emanated throughout the room as a large, vertical split formed, a dim light and gases rushed out from inside the shell as it cracked apart. The assembly was now split into two halves; a gasp of shock came from Taris as she peered into the innards of the structure as it continued to divide.
“There’s Xuron in there,” she screamed, jumping backwards and raising her weapon as she did, “There’s a lot of Xuron in there,” she corrected herself. The sight Taris witnessed came into view for the gathered crowd. Multiple layers of an embryonic structure created platforms that circled the entire inner wall. What appeared to be lifeless Xuron hung from the ramparts, illuminated by the faint purple glow that emanated from the veins that held them in place. Everything contained within pulsed, beating as if it was truly alive. Fluids gushed out as the ovoid fully separated, docking into the large open walls of the engineering bay.
“Oh no,” Fez groaned, “This is no engineering bay -”
“- This is a breeding ground…” Taris snarled.
Chapter 23
Glowing as a beacon in the dark, the pods provided some semblance of light within the massive ovoid structure, the team watched on, staring in amazement at what greeted them. The Ioutions had always suspected the Xuron were made rather than bred and this appeared to be confirmation. Lining the walls were inactive Xuron, they dangled on a thin structure of veins and capillaries that cemented them in place, only the occasional twitch reminded them that these specimens were in fact alive. Thick ooze syphoned off from the translucent, flesh-like surfaces that ran along its interior, splashing down in front of the team in an explosion of alien fluids. “What should we do with it?” Taris asked, breaking everyone out from their fixation with the incubation pod.
“We should probably destroy it,” Fez replied, eying the central joint up and down, searching for the best place to position their explosives, “Does anyone have any objections?”
“No Captain,” the Commander responded, “We have some remote explosive devices, we should identify a suitable place to position them and destroy it.”
“I agree in principle,” Taris trailed off, uncomfortable with her own thoughts, “But these are defenceless creatures, would we be any better than the Xuron if we decided to destroy the – currently – innocent?” Fez initially scoffed, wanting to brush the idea off as little more than fantasy, these were not innocent creatures, they were purebred war-machines that existed for nothing more than to destroy. Pondering the situation a little deeper, Fez felt himself empathising with Taris’ point of view, at least as a concept, a law to live by, but not as a practical application in every scenario, he knew in war, laws and regulations were sometimes an encumbrance to logical action. The situation that presented itself was exactly the type of position they wanted to be in, a vital system exposed and at their mercy, they searched for engineering but found a hive, Fez was unsure which was more beneficial.
“There has to be at least four-hundred Xuron in there, Captain,” the Commander counted, “This is an opportunity we cannot allow to pass us by, sentiments are great, but only when applicable.” Only when applicable, those three words tore at Fez with the force of a tide of emotion, if the Xuron destroyed an Ioution cloning facility there would be outrage, he struggled with the fact that he would be treating his enemy different to as how he would want to be treated himself.
“Do it,” Fez said through gritted teeth, “Plant the explosives.” His thick, hesitant tone gave away his true feelings, but it was something that needed to be done for the greater good, another four words that dictators used to justify their own actions.
“I understand, Captain,” Taris said, bowing her head in a dread-filled respect to the defenceless young that were about to be slaughtered. The team watched on as a small group of marines splashed around in the thick slop, pushing past the dangling bodies and the network of veins that blocked their path. They planted the explosives to cause as much damage as they could manage, destroying the embryonic structure. It didn’t take them long to finish the task, climbing down on one of the larger capillaries, touching down safely onto the gleaming floor. “Alright everyone, get to a safe spot,” Fez ordered as he turned to rush back the way they entered.
With a final check the detonation was primed, Fez looked towards the Commander, who took up position behind cover with his holo-terminal, “Captain?” the Commander knowingly questioned.
“Do it,” Fez replied, and with a loud bang a sonic pulse flashed out, dissipating before ever reaching them, like it or not, Fez knew they were now in a special group of people, the charges for it would never be brought up in an Ioution court, but they had committed the crime.
Genocide.
* * *
Sean let out a bloodcurdling scream, the sheer power of it made the Xuron who lurched over him recoil and move away, giving him a moment of respite. His breathing was laboured and restricted by the tight device that held him in place, wheezing as he drew every breath he clawed at the thin atmosphere. His eyes darted about in a blind panic, he was horizontally suspended and looked down at the murky floor, his heart beat with ferocity, trying its hardest to punch its way from his chest and find its own freedom. “Have you had enough?” Zao’Ren asked, his robe draped across his scarred face as he bent over, drawing his eyes level with Sean’s. All he could manage was a whimper that struggled to pass his lips, the faint squeak was enough for Zao’Ren to light up, a smile filling his experienced face. “No? Do you want more? I can grant that wish,” with a nod to his assistant, Sean’s torture resumed, a hot object impaled into the back of his neck as he tried to flail about to no avail. The screams grew louder as the device burrowed deeper, he clenched his fists tight, his nails ripped into the palms of his hand allowing blood to flow freely from the wounds.
“No more,” he whimpered, “P
lease… stop.”
“Then tell me what I need to know,” the Xuron replied, his arrogant gait obvious as he strolled from one side of the room to the other, “How many ships protect Desciea?”
“I don’t know,” Sean yelled as hard as he could, his voice cracking from the strain, “I honestly have no idea, I’m not privy to…” he was cut off by the hot piercing feeling that darted through his neck and down his spine. The torture lasted for a few seconds at a time as he was unable to control himself, the tears that rolled down his battered face were almost a refreshing comfort.
“If you’re not going to be forthcoming with information, we will need to attempt more… invasive procedures,” Zao’Ren snarled, growing agitated, “I do not have all day to sit here and play with you.” Sean laughed. He couldn’t believe himself, had he been broken? He wasn’t sure, but all he could do was laugh and laugh with such an intensity it felt like he had descended into a pit of madness. Zao’Ren stood back, shocked at what he was seeing as the Human’s laughter echoed throughout the chamber as it grew, “Turn him over,” Zao’Ren demanded to the idle Xuron, without hesitation the table was flipped, he now stared at the dripping ceiling, his vision clouded by the tears.
“Have I gone mad?” he squeezed out between breaths, laughing hysterically, “I do say I’m positively mad, whatever shall you do with me now, Doc?” Zao’Ren had enough, and with a single strike to the face, he snapped from his delusion returning to see the snarling Xuron that stood with a new instrument in his hand.
“Mad? Oh, no Sean, far from it, you’re perfectly sane, and this is a subtle reminder of where you are,” with that, the Xuron placed a small circular device over his forehead, four mechanical arms extended out from its surface and clamped around his skull, within moments a loud, high-pitched whirring noise screeched out from it. The process was relatively painless, at least in comparison to the device the pair last used. He laid on his back and stared blindly, totally motionless and defeated, the wave of despair had washed over him and now formed as a lake in his mind. His eyes opened as a faint blue glow penetrated his eyelids, looking up a distorted image appeared above his face, it seemed out of focus, the image crackled as it attempted to gain purchase before coming into focus.
