Cutlass Sharpened

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  Oliver’s pensiveness melted slightly. “If you can help me feel like I won’t keep crashing into the ceiling each time I take a step in this low gravity I would be beyond grateful.”

  “Stone we should do the triple line formation. Oliver is no lightweight… even in this environment.” Steven’s smile turned serious. “Not like we do with our kids.”

  “Triple? Like slack training we did as children with our parents and teachers?”

  “Yeah. Usually one would be good enough, but as I said, Oliver is larger than any one of us.”

  “Alright. Hook him up. I’ll be lead.” Stone decided as he went to his belt and drew out the grappling hook and the thin nano-fiber wire. Deegen and Steven likewise got theirs out. “Oliver, we’re going to lead you in basic maneuvers. We’ll start in this environment since it is a quarter less than Old Earth’s equivalent. Your task is to do as I do. Landing on your feet is key. Follow me. Move as I. This will teach balance and show you where your center of gravity lays.” He hooked the grapple to the front of Oliver’s pants before the other two did the same on either hip.

  Stone turned and touched his belt when five meters of line separated them. The others did exactly the same to even the slack. The lead seasoned Hunter saw the look of intense concentration in those eyes that looked more like miniature stars. Stone leaned forward, bending one knee and watched Oliver follow. He leapt and so did the man in the center, but too hard and fast to be properly controlled. Three lines snapped tight, but the combined weight of Stone and the two jerked Oliver to a stop.

  They started coming down and Steven gave a tug on his line which corrected Oliver from hitting face first. Steven had to step back into position as the tug also brought him closer to the trainee. The result of equal and opposite force in action.

  The thing is Oliver thought This is GREAT! Moving is so much better than sitting still. Whoa! He jumped again, feeling a flutter in his abdomen. He knew scientifically for a moment his body was weightless, but drops back on landing. It was jarring. Exertion was exactly what was needed. They jumped again. I can do this all the time. Uh oh! Oliver stumbled in the landing and fell hard. Deegen was right there to offer a hand. “Let’s keep going!”

  “We got ourselves an adrenaline junky, boys!” Steven grinned fully.

  “All Hunters are, Dumbass.” Deegen taunted as they readied for another forward leap.

  “We do love the rush of adrenaline when a Beast comes knocking at our front door.” The tan man with a lance agreed with fondness.

  “Hold a second.” Oliver called. “Twisted my ankle.” He rolled the foot around and around. “Alright.” They leapt again and this trip he caught himself by both arms rather than his face again.

  Stone led to the port edge before changing direction to the bow. The first hundred or so leaps were a total disaster for Oliver as he needed help of the guiders on either side to keep from hurting himself. He had little control of how much strength to apply. Usually going too high.

  In around seven kilometers of jumping, close to the forward mast, The Hunters began to notice a subtle change occur within Oliver’s moves. His leaps were making fewer jerks to their lines, but it was how he spread his arms out with his legs trying to maintain a vertical balance through the air. His landings stumbled less and less. Only when he got too excited did he relapse into a bumbling fool. Scold himself and get back.

  Repetition trained reaction time. Over and over. Land, lean forward while crouching, push ahead, leap, glide, drop, land. Again and again. By the tenth kilometer Oliver said “Let me try on my own.”

  “Fine. Word of warning. I’m going to laugh when you bust your ass each and every time.” Steven warned as he unclipped his hook along with the rest.

  Oliver launched himself like before, but the Hunters stayed lower and faster than his more lazy bounds. Steven hadn’t have given forewarning as Oliver began moving unaided and continued the motion with another launch. Sweat slicked his skin and he was getting slightly tired. Just because he was chemically strengthened into his physique didn’t mean his endurance wouldn’t be endless.

  Halfway back he came to a stop and huffed “This is about all I can handle for now. Thanks guys.”

  “I think he’s got potential.” Deegen commented as he let his dreads fall free around his back and shoulders again.

  “No doubt about it.” Stone nodded slowly and tuned his head just as Satellite swooped down and landed on his raised arm. “You look flustered. What is the matter?”

  “Word of warning” the woodsy patterned falcon said. “Renee is on the warpath looking for Oliver and is on her way.”

  “Oh hell! We got to run before it’s too late.” Steven’s eyes darted left and right suspiciously and with dread.

  “It’s already too late… I smell her, but cannot see her.” Oliver said as he sniffed the air.

  “What are you? A bloodhound?” came a feminine voice and suddenly Steven yelped as an ark of electricity zapped him in the ass. Enough to gain attention and more.

  Oliver looked to where her voice came from, but saw nothing at first. As he stared out over the deck there was a ripple. A distortion. A shape he knew well. It struck a cord and he gasped at what it meant “No way! Renee, you’re… you’re a Phantom!?”

  Blue psionic energy rippled away from being wrapped around, to stop concealing her from the visible spectrum. She was again in her skintight white flight suit, but didn’t activate her helmet. A waterfall of crimson curls tumbled down her back and her green eyes gradually lost their brightness. But not their heated intensity. Still she was surprised enough to ask “So you know what a Phantom is do you?”

  “Not until I fully finished psionic uses. Phantoms are psionically gifted people class ten and above who can cloak themselves in a kinetic shield to hide their bodies.” He gulped and instinctively stepped back. He’d seen many pictures of what the last three classes were capable of and he did feel fear towards her now.

  Renee’s grin grew more as she saw what most do when figuring it all out. It gave her a great deal of satisfaction. “So you finally get it don’t you? It’s no secret, but since you have yet to come outright and say it… I’m class twelve.”

  Oliver fell back, his legs suddenly giving out. “Stars, you’re beautiful!”

  Silence.

  Stone managed to move only because Renee wasn’t glaring at him, grabbed his men and got out of dodge. Leaping for all they were worth.

  Did he just… no, he’s too simple to still understand. Too stupid… Renee though asked is a neutral tone “What did you just say?”

  “I didn’t say anything.” He got back up, stopping against the ship’s railing as it seem to just suddenly appear, trapping him. Getting cornered by a wild lioness.

  “You just called me beautiful.”

  “NoIdidn’t.” he said so fast it came out one word.

  She stepped closer and he had nowhere to go. She was much taller and sturdier than an average woman, but even with his bulk he felt tiny under her withering glare. “Liar.”

  “I swear I only thought it.” He slapped a hand over his mouth.

  She got up close and personal and held still as her hair began rising without wind and her eyes faintly glowed once more. Air faintly hinted with the smell of ozone. “I don’t care who you lie to, but no one lies to me. You got that? No lying!” She shoved a stiff finger in his chest enough to sense pain.

  “Then tell me why you hate me!” he poked her chest right back. Anger suffusing him.

  Renee faltered, misreading how far she could push him. He suddenly glanced over her, grabbed both her shoulders and lifted her up till they were face to face. He was about to say something, but she cut in first. “I warned you never to touch me, Oliver.” He seethed and her green eyes flashed bright.

  Oliver was slammed by a kinetic black. It shot him up over the railing and every muscle felt to go rigid from the electrical attack. A human taser. He then slammed into the ship’s barrier to keep from b
eing thrown aimlessly forever and his rage ignited like a star.

  Renee at fist felt a smug satisfaction seeing him feel the smallest effects of her powers, but it changed as his clothing reverted to the body suit and cape. And that was not all, the cloth crept up his neck and around his entire head. All she could see were his eyes. He no longer looked at all human with that organic helmet covering every part of his whole body.

  Oliver grabbed his sword and freed it while sliding down the barrier. He landed on both feet and right hand, the left sticking out.

  Before Renee could mount a defense against the fury of Oliver crouched, he sprang off the railing and would have taken her head if he had aimed for it.

  A ship wide siren blared as space fairing Beasts had gone unnoticed by radar and managed to start attacking. These Beasts were Stingrays, but were the size of elephants and had bodies as supple as real stingrays, but the hide was tough enough to live in the harshness of space.

  A pod of sixteen Stingray Beasts attacked the Dorgenox, all aimed at the choicest morsels upon it’s deck.

  Three aimed for Renee and the remainder split up to target the Hunters drawing their attention from the other crew fleeing to the airlock.

  Renee had been too livid with Oliver to sense the Beasts coming in from behind, but Oliver did only because he tried getting her behind him and end his first argument.

  He leapt just over her and brought the cutlass around, connecting with the flat snout of the gray and black Beast. He yelled and its sharpness coupled with what little psionic energy at his disposal, cut through with almost no resistance. His sword coupled with the momentum of the leap slid all the way along its thin body. Barely did he avoid the stinger of the flying Beast.

  Two asymmetrical halves of Stingray landed on the deck to twitch with nerves.

  Unfortunately Oliver’s mastery of movement was far from perfection as he hit the ground awkwardly and yelled through his mouthless mask as his shoulder hit wrong and dislocated. The density of his bones would be difficult to even fracture, but joints slipping were another matter.

  Renee saw Oliver’s heroics, but also cringed hearing a bone slip with a sickening ‘pop’. And he was in the direct path of two more Stingrays without benefit of his sword which fell away in the limp arm.

  Renee this time was ready, but unlike a gentle rise of her hair, they snapped straight up. Each hand pointed palm first to a different Stingray flying nearly straight down for wounded prey. Sparks of psionic plasma condensed into a ball over each before releasing a kinetic blast that fired at the speed of light like a straight bolt of lightning. A massive hole was left behind, two meters wide, taking away everything between those widely spaced eyes. They fell several meters away from the brown cloaked man who saved her from being eaten.

  Near the deck’s main airlock Deegen’s whip crackled with blue-white power and cut four Stingrays in half while throwing one chakram at another coming up behind Stone as he leapt, hacking through. It was wounded, but was enough for Stone to finish both.

  Steven defended four cowering women who didn’t manage to get away to lead the flying Beasts with his long lance as bait. When they took it they were met with a crushing blow by a flail. Two now lay dead at his feet.

  Stone then fought four singlehandedly as Deegen finished the last. Stone though made sure they were in range before unleashing a sharp wave of power from his hatchets just like Oliver had against the Salamander, only Stone’s moves were specific and refined to use only necessary quantities of energy. The remaining four creatures fell in eight separate pieces.

  Oliver was in tremendous pain. It was different from a groin kick. This one didn’t leave him weakened till it stopped. The shoulder caused tears to sting the corner of his eyes, but he could get up. It hung limp as he began a wound check.

  “Oliver!” Renee yelled and hurried over. Concern replacing all other emotions.

  Fingers touched the warm armored shoulder and he jerked away angrily saying “Don’t you fucking touch me, Renee.” And walked to the railing.

  “I’m trying to help, asshole! I need to relocate your shoulder. You can’t do it yourself!”

  “Watch me.” He turned his head as the helmet over his head rippled away like water. Oliver grimaced as his right hand grabbed his left bicep, pulled it up and slammed it down atop the starboard railing. “AH!” he yelled as a hot whiteness stole his vision for a moment. Not realizing till this moment why many refer to it as a white hot pain.

  The medic winced, hearing the sound of it going back in the socket. He flexed his fingers, showing the arm was functional again. “Let me see it now.” She demanded with forced softness.

  “Fuck you!” he glared, his chest rising and falling in both anger and pain. The venom in his words froze her to the core. “I don’t trust you. Not anymore. You crossed a line when all I’ve been is willing to learn and help. Right now I’d trust a Beast over you. At least they don’t deny who they are. You say you are a medic? What about the code of do no harm to innocents?” She winced as if he struck her. “You’re worst than a Beast. If you knew anything by how difficult all this is for me you’ll finally pull your head out of your steel trap of an ass! I don’t want an apology. I may be different, but you have no right to treat me like a fool.”

  He walked past and she fell to look up in complete shock. She saw him stop cold and look down and saw a deep sadness. A sadness she knew all too well. It was a sadness of being alone. He turned away just as fast.

  He lifted his sword and swung it to remove nearly all the purple blood to sheathe it. Then he threw the smaller half of the Stingray he slew atop the larger. Oliver then grabbed the long tail and began dragging it away.

  Behind he didn’t see or hear Renee silently crying her heart out in remorse.

  Stone and the others were speeding over. He asked “How is Ms. Dorgen?”

  “Go see for yourself.” He said bitterly without stopping.

  “What are you doing with that?”

  “I’m hungry and found it didn’t happen till I killed this one. Renee killed two, but only this one makes my mouth water. If you want to find me I’ll be in my quarters across from the med bay.” ‘shht’ ‘shht’ ‘shht’ it sounded as each step pulled it long, leaving a bloody purple trail.

  He took the shortest distance, but didn’t go unnoticed. The crew backed far away from such a huge Beast being taken by a man with a cape. Along the way both Stephanie and Jessica appeared, but he didn’t acknowledge them. They took the hint he wanted to be left alone before reaching the elevator taken down.

  Oliver made it to his room and folded the supple fins so it could fit inside. He dropped it over the much smaller table. As soon as he door closed he sat down ashamed and broken.

  Throbbing in his shoulder prompted him to get up and go over to the refreshment pod in the wall and made it eject a large amount of ice he wrapped into his cape and tied it around the whole shoulder. Ice’s cooling effects were fast acting.

  Hunger took over, but he was conflicted. Raw, uncooked meat was not healthy, but he craved it as fresh as intended. So he made a compromise and used his sword to slice off a strip of the fleshy Beast and set it over his vambrace and hoped it worked.

  Better than expected, but made him marginally more exhausted. The strip laid across began to sizzle and pop like bacon. As it did he was thinking how psionic technology worked. It drew on synaptic strength. The vambrace and sword did the same thing. With a glove covered hand he turned the thin strip over till perfection, or to his untried assumption.

  At first touch on the taste buds the cooked meat wasn’t revolting, but not tasty either. It was edible.

  Tasting raw on the other hand was delightful. It was delicious to him in every possible sense he could think up. Juicy, sweet and sour, tough and tender at the same time. His sword perfectly cut it’s tough hide and noting other than cartilage would be spared. During the feast he was drawn to the large brain and it was more delicious than the meat. It energized
him, replenishing reserves. Once every part of brain was gone he returned to the meat and organs his body craved.

  Nearly five kilos disappeared along with five glasses of purified water from the wall.

  “Ahhh…” he sighed, completely sated. Licked his lips and began deciding how to preserve the meat. And didn’t need to bother as the multi-tool had an infinite range of uses. It thinned considerably to a bracelet, throwing the rest of itself out like a net without a hole. Blackness enveloped the entire Stingray to begin shrinking, compressing all vital nourishment down to a kidney bean sized ball. Left behind on the table was the cartilage skeleton and a two meter long stinger.

  It was so compact he decided to do what felt right and swallowed it whole since he would have broken a tooth otherwise. Oddly it didn’t weigh heavily. It felt lighter than possible and chalked it up to the thing attached to his arm.

  It would dissolve over time, making him not need to eat for weeks to come.

  Sadly, not all rooms were fitted with sanitation crystal nanites by empire law. Only medical, and certain facilities that need a microbe free environment can use them. It kept humanity from becoming fat and lazy… too reliant on technology. Cleaning up your own messes by hand or with basic tools such as a mop or broom remained. Living longer let basic chores eat up ones boredom since eternal boredom led to unrest and chaos in any society.

  Oliver stood and went to the closet to grab a bucket, microbe cleaning solution and mop more sanitary than ones of the twenty first century. He filled it with water in the bathroom sink and got to work after wiping the Star-saber clean, but as soon as he thought about doing it to his suit it began moving every splatter of blood to his palm. He couldn’t help smiling as the blob fell in the toilet. Next came the main room.

  An hour and a quarter passed before there was a knock on his front door followed by “Oliver, are you willing to see me. It’s just me.” Stephanie’s voice.