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

by Combs, Scott A.

  “Doesn’t look like enough to do much,” said Cassie.

  They watched as the tanks gathered into a clump. “That’s not good,” said Rev. “They’re taking a big risk in that defensive position.”

  As if on cue they watched the creatures climbing up the sides of other buildings, heaving themselves at the hover crafts. It was only minutes before the scene turned ugly. Explosions and misfirings shot out in all directions. One of the hover tanks veered off and they watched the craft sailing in their direction. It was evident that the collision was going to be very close to them. They ran away as the tank crashed into the side of their building.

  The floor gave way and collapsed as the tank plunged into the floor just below where they were. Everyone tried to find something to hold onto as they descended into the swirling glass, concrete and metal. The tank somehow survived the crash without exploding. The four got up and brushed the dust from their clothing.

  Rev saw the creature before anyone else and jumped in front of Cassie. He rammed into the beast before it got to its feet. With the strength of a big cat, Rev flung himself on the thing, kicking it with both of his feet. The force knocked the creature off balance and it stumbled on the roof of the tank. It clawed at the turret for a handhold and received another boot for its efforts. It roared out in pain as bones snapped and Rev gave it one more lunging high kick. The creature stumbled backwards. It fell off the end of the tail section falling away to a crushing end among the other angry hordes below.

  Rev righted himself and swung down to the hatch that hadn’t survived the crash. What was left of the pilot and gunner wasn’t distinguishable. Rev slipped in while the others scrambled over the debris. Before they got to the open hatch Rev had removed the corpses from the rear hatch. Cassie found him staring at the controls when she finally caught up to him.

  “You move pretty quick for as old as you say you are,” she said.

  “I might be old but I’m still handy.”

  “You certainly are,” she agreed. “Can you fly this thing?”

  “I think so,” he said. “That is if it can still fly.”

  Fric and Frac leaped into the craft with surprising speed. “We’ve got company,” wheezed Frac. And he pointed outward where they all saw creatures jumping from the chunks of broken concrete that used to be the floor.

  “Cassie.” Rev nodded to the weapons panel.

  She knew what he meant and started scanning the controls. “This must be the targeting screen,” she pointed to the screen and it beeped in protest. “Maybe not. How about this button.” Again she pushed what she thought was the firing button. It screeched again.

  “Hurry it up,” said Rev gunning the engines.

  “I can’t think under pressure,” she said. “You know I’m more of a methodical kind of girl.”

  “I’ll ask the beasties if they’ll wait while you brush up on your reading.”

  “That’s not helping,” she said pushing all the buttons.

  Something responded. The turret swiveled around and tracked the rushing creatures. The cannon erupted and shot out a load of plasma which lit up the interior of the hover tank. Then the concussion rocked them off the floor and dislodged the tank. Rev felt the tank free itself and hover. He yanked the controls back pushing the floor pedals down. The tank jerked wildly, throwing Cassie backwards where she hit her head on a periscope device, stunning her momentarily.

  Fric caught her before she slid out of the hatch, with Frac’s help they barely managed to drag her back in as a creature leaped up and snapped its slobbering jaws like a rabid dog.

  The tank listed backward shedding more debris as the turret cannon continued to deliver a rapid succession of rounds. The building was alive with angry monsters half incinerated while more flooded the level trying to bring the escaping tank back.

  Rev felt the weight of the creature clinging near the hatchway as the hover tank oscillated. Instead of compensating, Rev decided to go with the movement, jerking the controls again which tumbled the tank over towards the heavy side. The creature barely had a handhold as its body was flung out into the night sky. Yet it did grasp the tank and with a mighty effort it brought its hind leg upward to leverage itself into a crouch.

  The passengers rolled inside the cabin as the tank keeled over upside down flinging the creature up into the air awkwardly. Rev gunned the thruster to life. The tank flipped right side up just in time to see a set of beasts leaping from the burning building. Rev felt at least three of the creatures make it to the roof of the tank while more slid down and off the metal decking. The tank whined from the extra weight as Rev pushed the engines for all they had to offer. He turned to see the three in the back trying to stand up.

  “Grab hold of something and hang on for dear life,” he yelled. “It’s going to get crazy.”

  Cassie slid an arm into a harness while Fric and Frac clung to their seats. Rev raised the nose of the tank until they were parallel to the building and pushed the thruster even harder. The creatures clutched madly to the hull plates as the tank roared into a vertical assent. When they started to gain altitude Rev veered off and plunged the tank into a barrel roll. The tank spiraled along whipping faster until the beasts lost their handholds and were flung to their deaths.

  Rev slowed the twirling. He finally righted the tank and then slowed to a stop.

  “Everyone still here?”

  The three looked dizzy but they were all present. Frac turned his head to the open hatchway and threw up.

  * * *

  JIMMY SAT OUTSIDE the closed cabinet meeting of the Alliance waiting for a response to his request for intervention. Rev’s information, which contained Magnus’ involvement to overthrow the Tsunamian government, was too hot not to consider but the debate as to whether the Charrel were a real threat was still up in the air. Some of the delegates said the Charrel qualified as being native to Tsunam since they’d lived peaceably within their society for the last ten thousand years. That proved the escalation was a civil matter and not an intergalactic one. Magnus was the real criminal, engineering the serum that gave the Charrel the ability to morph into beasts to even the playing field with the more advanced Tsunamian technology. The sheer numbers the Charrel could produce into an army of monsters would plunge the planet into chaos.

  The Tsunamian delegate pounded his fist loudly in protest every time another delegate wanted to send in the fleet to police the outbreaks. Then they would start the debate all over again.

  Jimmy had been brought in at various times in the debate to answer questions; some about Magnus and others about Rev. He would flip through his notes and service records and find some fact that to him meant little to the crisis at hand. Earthlings and Tsunamians were about to be wiped from the surface of the planet by millions of giant monsters. What more does anyone need to know?

  A guard came and escorted Jimmy into the inner chamber and he sat himself in front of the panel of delegates.

  “Can you explain to us the significance of the serum Agent Blackheart developed?” asked the Seline delegate in a whispery voice.

  “Yes sir,” said Jimmy.

  “It’s ma’am.”

  “Excuse me ma’am.” He cleared his throat and began again. “The serum is derived from a hormone harvested from human women who’ve been altered by some previously unknown trait belonging to Magnus. As you all know, he is one of only two remaining Earth eugenics experiments known to exist.”

  “And P.I. Smalley is the other eugenics specimen?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “And this serum changes the Charrel’s host into these creatures?”

  Jimmy nodded.

  “Remarkable,” said the Golart delegate.

  “Is there an antidote?” asked the Seline.

  “We believe so,” said Jimmy. “Rev’s companion⁠—⁠a Tsunamian automaton named Flint⁠—⁠ found that Rev’s blood contained a strong agent that kills the Charrel and its host, unfortunately. I brought some I’ve synthesi
zed if you’d like to see.”

  “No, that won’t be necessary. So if we can’t cure them then we could eradicate the mutations?”

  Jimmy nodded again.

  “I have to protest strongly,” said the Tsunamian delegate. “To destroy a species⁠—⁠even one which is violent⁠—⁠is immoral.”

  “We haven’t ruled on eradication,” said the Trillon delegate. “Only the fact that there’s a course of action we could take.”

  “Besides,” said the Seline delegate, “I would think you of all people would want the spread of these parasites contained.”

  “I do,” said the Tsunamian delegate. “But we should consider all the choices carefully.”

  Jimmy was losing patience. “There’s no time. The war has begun. People are dying.”

  “We understand your objections,” said the Seline. “I, for one, wish to put the matter to a vote. Should we intervene or not?”

  The delegates weren’t used to such forthrightness. They began mumbling and arm waving until finally they seemed to calm down after some decision.

  “Since Earth is clearly involved with this disaster,” began the Bliffoffian delegate wagging his tendrils, “the council will abide by what the Earth delegate deems is a wise judgment. What say the Earth delegate our course of action should be?”

  They all turned and stared at a pudgy balding man. “Um⁠—⁠well,” he began. “It appears that an Earth man started this crisis and we do feel responsible for putting order back to the way it was⁠—⁠therefore I cast a vote to⁠—⁠intervene by any means necessary to stop the Charrel.”

  The Tsunamian delegate erupted in protest.

  “That is enough,” said the other delegates together.

  “That is most certainly not enough,” ranted the Tsunamian swallowing something. Then his face started to wriggle and he appeared to have worms crawling under his skin. The man started to alter into a beast as the other delegates looked on in horror.

  His transformation was quick, his clothing became too small to contain his body. He tore them away with newly formed claws.

  The delegates made an effort to avoid the monster. Jimmy was shocked watching the creature destroy the chamber, clawing and biting the furniture that was between him and the Alliance members. Guards, hearing louder than normal shouts, barged into the chamber with weapons unholstered. They reacted with the military precision they were trained to use and began protecting the delegates. The creature only raged on, swinging its massive claws and gutting anyone in its path.

  The Bliffoffs weren’t a speedy species; the delegate waddled his long tendrils in a humorous gait. His mind was willing to effect an escape, but his body just wasn’t up for the task. The creature grabbed a handful of tendrils and pulled them cleanly from his body. The Bliffoff delegate screeched in pain. Then the guards clustered around the wounded delegate and opened fire on the beast. Streams of pulsing energy hit the monster to little effect. Several guards were swept up in the creature’s claws and systematically mauled. The delegates tried to drag the injured Bliffoff to safety but his weight was too much for them to move him. By then the sirens started to sound off which added to the confusion.

  The beast reared on its hind legs and charged into the mass of guards who tried to sacrifice themselves saving the important Alliance delegates.

  Jimmy finally realized what he needed to do. He loaded the vial of anti-serum into a cartridge syringe and deftly loaded the little liquid pellets into his side arm, pointed it at the creature, and shot it squarely in the ass.

  The toxic liquid pumped into the creature and with a howl of pain it turned to see who could’ve caused it such distress. It saw Jimmy still holding his small weapon and lunged at him over the toppled furniture. It died at Jimmy’s feet choking on slimy green pus from its horrid mouth.

  “Wow,” Jimmy said. “You don’t see that everyday.”

  The delegates and the surviving guards applauded Jimmy with a standing ovation.

  Chapter 38

  REV’S HOVER TANK LANDED among the fleet. They identified themselves before they disembarked the craft. Another tank landed beside Rev’s and a Tsunamian lieutenant came to greet them on the tarmac.

  “You Smalley?” the lieutenant asked. Rev nodded. “Good,” he said reaching out and shaking Rev’s hand enthusiastically. “Lieutenant Timms⁠—⁠commander of the Tsunamian fleet. You’re needed inside.”

  Cassie, Fric, Frac and Rev followed the lieutenant inside where they were quickly shown into the temporary command center. There were viewers encircling the room showing various angles of the rampaging monsters pouring through the city’s causeways. The militia was busy evacuating all the citizens from the war zone.

  “We optimistically calculate we can save around eight percent of the population,” said Timms.

  “That’s pretty low don’t you think?” asked Cassie.

  “I’m sorry your name was?”

  “Agent Cassie Townes.”

  “Yes, Agent Townes, it is. But it’s the best we can hope for. Who are these two?” he asked pointing to Fric and Frac.

  Rev piped up, “Two very lucky Tsunamian citizens who work in the eugenics building.”

  “Two true fighters,” said Timms. “I could use a couple of new recruits.”

  Rev pulled Fric and Frac closer and whispered, “Is this a good time for me to pull a few strings for you guys?” Rev put his hands together and put them up to his face and acted like he was going to sleep. The effect was perfect when he opened his mouth and let his tongue roll out.

  Frac shook his head. Fric started to nod when he got a sharp jab in the stomach from Frac. “I’m not going to be a nobody forever,” he said to Fric. “This is our only chance to move up. Are you in with me or do you want to play games sitting behind a desk until you finally get called for termination?”

  Fric looked like he wasn’t convinced for a moment while Frac waited anxiously. Finally Fric plucked up the courage and mumbled his agreement. Timms looked on wondering why they were taking so long to respond.

  “Yes sir,” said Frac finally to Lieutenant Timms. “We’d like to enlist.” Fric looked sick but nodded apprehensively and Rev slapped him on the back to show approval.

  “You just took the first step to a new life,” said Rev.

  “I hope it’s not a short one,” said Fric.

  “Longer than going to the top of the list to be euthanized,” said Rev.

  Cassie gave him a look of confusion. “An inside story we don’t need to rehash,” Rev said to her.

  Timms motioned to a soldier nearby who came to attention. “These two men want to be soldiers. See to it they get the proper gear and have them report to Sergeant Bowlings for duty.” The soldier saluted and led Fric and Frac away.

  “They’re going to need work before they’re ready Lieutenant,” said Rev.

  “Didn’t we all?”

  Rev nodded with a smile.

  “Now, I’m hoping you can help us find Regency Tuloff. Since the government’s collapsed he’s the next in line for high office. Our last intel had him with you and Agent Townes in the Defense Command Center. Since you two are here I can only assume Regency Tuloff was separated somehow.”

  “Yes,” said Rev. “We sent them through a portable transmat with my partner. We followed but they must’ve been sent to another location.”

  “How can we help?” asked Cassie.

  “You can’t, but Smalley can,” he said. Rev looked confused. “Your automaton was in your service?”

  “His name’s Flint.”

  “He’s imprinted to you?”

  “I’d say,” sniggered Rev. “He’s like a puppy.”

  “That’s good. We’ve been having trouble homing in on his signal for some reason.”

  Rev looked a little ashamed. “He’s damaged.”

  “Damaged?” said Timms astonished. “I’ve never heard of anyone damaging this model. The machine is listed as nearly indestructible.”

&nbs
p; “It’s a long story but suffice it to say I fried a few of his internals⁠—⁠maybe even the homing sensors.”

  “That’s not really a problem now that you’re here. We can locate him by his bio-signature. He has your DNA imprinted on him. All we need to do is follow your markers and we should get two locations⁠—⁠yours here and his.”

  “And you still believe Regency Tuloff is with Flint?” asked Cassie.

  “It’s our best shot at locating both of them before the Alliance intervenes.”

  “The Alliance is coming?”

  “We haven’t much time before they arrive,” said Timms.

  Rev had heard some of the stories about Alliance involvement. Apparently, the last encounter had been on Shimi where the inhabitants believed they could seize control of the central sector held by the Astrians. They did actually succeed for a little under an Earth hour until the Alliance intervened and purged the Shimi home world of every living thing. Now Shimi roams the universe barren and scorched forever. All Shimi working off world were gathered and disappeared from the known galaxy. Some thought the Alliance offered them exile and others believed the Shimi met with swift justice. Either way, they no longer existed except in the record books.

  “What will they do?” asked Rev.

  “What they always do in these circumstances⁠—⁠take complete revenge on the aggressor. I’ve been told that Tsunam will be spared utter annihilation but this hemisphere will be wiped clean. That’s why it’s so important to locate Regency Tuloff. We have no leader to rebuild the planet after the Alliance is through.”

  Timms brought Rev to a console and placed a probe in his mouth. Within seconds the viewer brought up a map of the surface of Tsunam. Sure enough, there were two distinct points glowing.

  “This one is you,” said Timms indicating one of the bleeps, “and this one must be your automaton.” The points were fairly close together.

  “That’s good isn’t it?” asked Cassie.