The Beast of Tsunam (Rev Smalley: Galactic P.I. Book 1)

by Combs, Scott A.

“They wouldn’t just kill her after they’ve gone to such lengths to keep her?”

  “If I know Cassie, she’s being the biggest pain in the ass you can imagine. Sooner or later they’ll get what they need from her and then we’ll be visiting a real funeral.”

  Flint turned and his expression soured. “Over my broken circuits.”

  “That’s the spirit,” said Rev smiling at the little automaton. “Let’s hope you don’t have to fulfill that promise. Cassie’s one tough lady.”

  “I hope to meet her in person some day.”

  “I hope you do too.”

  * * *

  REGENCY TULOFF STOOD over the command console and watched the report of the explosion at the Eugenics Lab in disgust. The video surveillance showed Rev being dragged by the automaton down the hall until they were off camera. He rolled the video back and zoomed into the picture to assess the wound on the human’s leg. Tuloff’s aide handed him a clipboard. “What’s this?”

  “Our official response to the Earth Coalition on their agent’s disappearance while under our jurisdiction,” he responded.

  “What a farce,” scowled Tuloff. “Earth knows we’re aware they tricked us with that tourist⁠—⁠what was his name?”

  “Mr. Yani Horowitz I believe sir.”

  “You made arrangements to send him on his way safely?”

  “Yes Regency. And he’s been compensated for his discomfort.”

  “Good. We must carry on this charade for a little while longer,” said Tuloff reading the official document, signing and handing the clipboard back to the aide.

  “Do you think Earth really believes we’re so inept?” asked the aide.

  “It doesn’t matter what they think, just so long as they allow us to unofficially allow their agent to continue his investigation.”

  “He appears to be injured,” stated the aide. “Shouldn’t we send assistance?”

  “Absolutely not. If he dies we’ll still achieve our goal. It’s best if the human stirs up as much turmoil as he can. The noisier the better.”

  “You know best sir.”

  “I do.” Tuloff puffed with pride. “We’re closer to finishing this disaster than we’ve been in a thousand years. I’m not going to jeopardize my plans over a few expendable humans even if they don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into.”

  “Not to speak of the millions of Tsunamians who’ve suffered and terminated,” said the aide.

  “They are casualties of war and will be honored when we’re through,” Tuloff snapped with a defensive tone. “You sound like you don’t believe in the cause anymore?”

  “No sir,” stammered the aide. “I have the utmost confidence in the cause. I’m saddened by such a waste of life.”

  Tuloff stroked his hair and watched the figures of the dead tally on the vidi-screen. “I know the sacrifices are great but the consequences of failure will be much worse. We aren’t a violent race like the primitive humans. We’re just beginning to understand emotions. The Tsunamian race is a meek species who’ve tired of living. This war will test us to the very fiber of our resolve as to whether we’ll survive as a species or be enslaved and domesticated.”

  “I for one,” said the aide, “am willing to die for you and your cause.”

  “You’re a true Tsunamian,” said Tuloff, patting the man on his shoulder. “Soon you’ll see the aliens die for their arrogance. We’ll purge them from our planet and Tsunam will regain a golden age of peace and prosperity.”

  “How soon?” asked the aide. “I fear there’ll be no Tsunamians alive to rebuild at this rate of termination.”

  “If my hunch is right, we’re on the verge of the final encounter.”

  “Then you think open warfare is eminent?” asked the aide.

  “Yes.”

  “Shouldn’t we notify the cabinet and the people?”

  “No,” barked Tuloff. “That would just incite further panic and riots which will hinder our plans. Let the human push our enemy out into the open so we can crush them once and for all.”

  Tuloff turned, re-watching the video surveillance of the beast chasing Rev. It lunged into the pressure chamber pushing Rev out the other side. It was fascinating to view the destruction of the creature as the automaton increased the pressure. Soon the beast collapsed.

  “Don’t stop,” Tuloff encouraged the video. “It’s not dead yet.”

  He watched as they continued pressurizing until the gauge reached three thousand atmospheres and the body of the beast had shriveled to a small ball of mangled flesh.

  “That’s right,” said Tuloff satisfied. “It’s dead now.”

  The aide turned in disgust at the sight of seeing what was a Tsunamian citizen-turned-beast looking like a pile of waste. Tuloff saw the look of horror on the aide’s face and shook his head.

  “Dr. Ziller was guilty of collusion with the enemy,” said Tuloff.

  “I know. But its hard to accept the senseless loss of a brilliant mind.”

  “He was one of our best,” agreed Tuloff. “It’s a bigger shame he didn’t come to us before he was enlisted. He got what he deserved. A death is a death. You can go quietly or not⁠—⁠peacefully or violently. The result is the same. We tried to warn him of his peril but he didn’t respond. Now we will miss him and start again with the training of another scientist.”

  The aide realized that the Tsunamian way was a passive approach towards the betterment of their species. “How long until we find another mind capable of returning to his work?”

  “If we’re lucky, only a few hundred years,” said Tuloff.

  The aide shook his head. “If not, it will be thousands of years and hundreds of candidates before one emerges as good as Dr. Ziller.”

  “You may be right,” agreed Tuloff. “Regardless of how long it will take, we’ve lost him.”

  Tuloff returned to watching Rev and Flint in the infirmary. He opened the audio port on the console and listened to their conversation. Rev was talking about why no one had responded to the explosion. The automaton was becoming more Earth-like than Tsunamian. The Regency was fascinated that the little machine was taking on more of the human’s traits. Then Rev made the point that aliens were about to attack.

  Tuloff pointed to the big human on the screen. “Did you hear what he said?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “At least this Earth man has a brain,” said Tuloff. “He’s almost figured out what’s going on.”

  “Do we have a chance for success?”

  “Yes. A very slim one.”

  * * *

  REV FLEXED HIS LEG and gave it a kick in the air to test for pain. There was a little bit but not enough to hinder walking on it with confidence. “Feels pretty good.”

  “How about the rib?”

  “I’ll survive as long as no one kicks me again.”

  “Good,” said Flint. “Where to now?”

  “Let’s go below and get into that restricted level,” answered Rev.

  They left the lab heading for a transmat elevator. Soon they arrived on the twentieth sub-level. Rev expected the guards would be conveniently missing. The hallway was completely devoid of anyone, let alone guards. This corroborated his theory that the authorities wanted him to infiltrate the forbidden level. Still, it made him edgy being led into a trap.

  They reached the entrance and the door opened automatically. “We’re expected,” said Rev flatly.

  “Is that good?” asked Flint.

  “What do you think?”

  Flint looked nervous and shook his head.

  “Me too,” said Rev. “Be careful.”

  “You can count on it.” Flint floated past the threshold.

  The room inside looked very much like the other rooms they had access to. The only difference was the fact that there was blood everywhere. Blood on the floor, the walls and the ceiling. The smell of the congealed liquid was heavy in the air.

  Rev pulled his weapon and flicked off the safety. Flint also extend
ed his weapon. Quietly they advanced until they located a blood trail. The stains no longer looked haphazard but were patterned in long smears. Soon the blood lessened and stopped altogether at a door. The surface of the door had claw marks and charred holes from laser fire. Rev tried to open the door using the access pad but the door didn’t respond. Then he put his fingers in the joint and slid the damaged door open.

  Flint zipped around checking for movement. The dark interior held no threat so he entered. The lights came on and the source of the blood was evident.

  “Damn,” cursed Rev examining the room.

  There were mutilated bodies heaped in the corners. Each of them wore white lab coats stained bright red from various wounds. Most of the victims had missing parts⁠—⁠an arm or a leg was the typical mutilation du jour.

  Flint checked each body for life as Rev looked at the evidence from the battle. “Looks like at least two beasts did this damage.”

  Flint finished his survey. “They’re all dead.” He looked at the laser wounds on the temple of a victim. “Most from suicide.”

  “Figures,” said Rev rolling his eyes. “No one’s got the guts to be eaten.”

  Flint went over to Rev and watched him fiddle with a torn, charred piece of flesh. “So there was a fight in the hall. Then they fled in here until the beasts tore through the door and had their way with the victims.”

  “Not much of a mystery about what happened,” said Rev looking around. “Except here’s a piece of a beast.”

  “So they were able to stop one of them,” said Flint.

  “Slowed it down is more likely⁠—⁠hey!” Rev jerked his hand back when a tendril from the torn flesh lashed out and struck him. He watched a welt form on the palm of his hand. Surprised, he watched the thing lash out again and wrap around his wrist. “Shit! Get this off me!”

  Flint flew around him in an agitated state. The little robot then grabbed the slithering tendril with a translucent hand and pulled it away with all his strength. The thing resisted. Rev waved his hand as if he could fling it off. Flint held Rev’s hand tightly with his other arm and pulled hard. The tendril shook and then came free without resistance. Flint threw it to the floor with a thud.

  Rev rubbed his hand and looked at the small wound on the fleshy part of his palm. A single drop of blood trickled from the puncture. “Damn, the thing bit me.”

  Flint watched the tendril thrash whip-like on the floor until it convulsed in a spasm of pain and stopped moving. “Good thing it did,” said Flint.

  “What?”

  “You poisoned it.”

  “I did?” Flint nodded. “Good. Serves it right trying to bite me.”

  “This is significant don’t you think?” asked Flint.

  “It’s significant that I have a hole in my hand?” growled Rev.

  “No. The fact that something within you kills the parasite.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not putting myself on the menu just to get rid of these things.” Rev was smearing the blood on his hand, plugging the hole from spouting anymore fluids. He frowned when he looked at the dead parasite and stepped on it with the heel of his boot making a sickly crunching sound.

  “Don’t you see?” Flint asked Rev.

  “I see that I’m pissed off.”

  “The reason you’re on the case,” prompted Flint. Rev stared at him waiting for the answer. “Someone in the government knows you’re toxic to the parasites. You have a better chance of success defending yourself against being infected. If a Tsunamian tries to get close to these things they’d be infected and taken over. You can resist them.”

  “Some resistance. I have to get bit before my voodoo kills the beasts.”

  “Maybe we can find a less painful mode of defense. Build a toxin from your blood and synthesize it, then use it to poison the aliens thereby saving the infected.”

  “Sounds good to me as long as I don’t get bit anymore. I’m tired of being attacked. One more surprise biting and I’m going to go ballistic. I don’t mean just mildly miffed⁠—⁠no more playing fair.”

  Flint came closer and extended a syringe at the end of one of his fingers. “I need some of your blood for analysis.”

  “I just stopped the bleeding.” Rev displayed the puncture on his hand, but gained no sympathy.

  “That’s all right,” said Flint. “I don’t need much blood.”

  Chapter 29

  “OUCH!” FLINT EXTRACTED blood from Rev’s arm and pulled out the syringe, sealing the wound.

  “That should do it.” The AI retracted his probe and arm.

  “You’re like some mechanical vampire,” protested Rev. “And just about as gentle too.”

  Flint paid him no mind while looking about the room for some diagnostic equipment he needed. Seeing everything was either smashed or contaminated, he decided to forego the analysis of Rev’s blood for the moment. “We’ll need to locate a lab that’s still in working order to make a clinical report of the toxins you possess.”

  “Now I’m toxic?”

  “To the parasite,” clarified Flint hovering around until he found a clear bio-bag marked with a danger symbol. “Do you mind putting the specimen in this container?”

  “I do mind,” said Rev. “You put it in the bag if you want it so badly.”

  “It’s completely harmless now. You killed it, remember?”

  “I’m not taking any chances.”

  “Now you’re acting like a juvenile.”

  “How do you know how a juvenile acts? Don’t Tsunamians birth as adults?”

  “Of course,” said Flint. “And they already have an adult mental capacity too. I was just trying to⁠—⁠”

  “I know what you were trying to do and I’m not touching that thing again. The first time hurt,” said Rev scooting the dead parasite over to Flint with the toe of his boot.

  Flint opened the bag and with two long fingers he carefully plucked up the dead parasite. As fast as the eye could blink, he had it in the bag and sealed tight. He then raised it to Rev to carry. Rev shook his head refusing to carry the disgusting tendril.

  “Okay, I’ll carry it, you big baby,” huffed Flint as he placed the sample bag into his retractable bin and sealed it shut with an electronic snap. “Besides, I don’t want you tossing it into the garbage before we can put it on the scanner.”

  “That’s good enough for me,” said Rev. “Let’s get out of this death hole.”

  Rev felt much better after retracing their steps back into the familiar hallway. He decided to continue exploring new frontiers so set off in a new direction. The floor cleared of any traces of blood and that made both of them feel calmer. Not far along they reached what looked like a cafeteria after rowdy school children had had a food fight. The tables and chairs were tossed about haphazardly and plates of nasty looking pastes were smeared on every surface. Glass was broken and metal chairs were torn to pieces but they found no new bodies. Closer investigation proved that the creatures had ransacked the food lockers and left nothing untouched.

  “I guess they didn’t like what was on the menu.”

  “People are on their menu,” said Flint suppressing a shiver. “How many creatures do you think are loose in here?”

  “At least two from the looks of it,” said Rev examining the remains of a chair twisted like a pretzel. “These bastards are way too strong. This looks like titanium.”

  Flint touched the chair. “It is.”

  “One of these things took two charges in the teeth and still managed to walk away from the blast. Think what it would take if we had a whole room of them together.”

  “I’d like not to,” said Flint. “My circuits are nearly overloaded from our last encounters.”

  “My nerves are shot too,” admitted Rev. “When we get done with this case I could use a good stiff drink.”

  “I’m ready to try another drink myself,” said Flint, “even if it does incapacitate me.”

  From then on, Rev could think of nothing more than to es
cape from the feeling of dread in the air. They found no more bodies, no more evidence of struggle, and no roving beasts ready to tear them to pieces. What they did find was a loading bay. It contained large bins lined up, docked to loading platforms. Eight huge containers were right in front of them, each individually marked with tallies of the contents. Apparently, the bodies would be stripped and then cataloged as to sex and model. All bodies would be stacked and packed into their container and logged for recycling.

  Rev and Flint watched the huge containers move along the bay powered by small automatons in trolleys. When one container stopped to be inventoried another would pull up and wait its turn. The other automatons who attended the bay would transfer the manifest to the computer and then the container traveled along the bay to a conveyor at the far side. The trail of containers never seemed to stop arriving.

  “So this is where everyone ends up,” said Flint. “I had no idea it was so large.”

  “Or so busy.”

  Another container rolled past them and stopped, waiting for its turn to unload. Rev reached out and touched the manifest screen and the video monitor lit up with the face of a Nordic female. The face smiled and proceeded to inform the pair that the container was running efficiently with an interior temperature near freezing and all reclaimed bodies would yield a ninety-five percent recycle rate. Then it ran a manifest of the names of the individuals contained in the bin. It scrolled on the screen and continued scrolling endlessly until Rev got angry and pushed the cancel button.

  “There have to be hundreds of bodies in each of these containers.”

  “Over a thousand in each, I’d venture to say,” said Flint. “All perfectly preserved to be harvested into new Tsunamian citizens.”

  “That’s just sick,” said Rev.

  “It does seem a little morbid now that you mention it,” said Flint. “I never thought I’d see so many at one time.”

  “This beast scare has become an epidemic,” said Rev. “We better hurry or the whole planet will be decimated from these suicides.”

  “Hurry to what?”

  “We have to stop these parasitic invaders and find out who is making them into those killing machines or your planet will have no one left to be infected.”