by Devin Cain
Chapter Forty-Five
"That guy gave me the creeps," Levi said on our way back. "But he was so cool! I’ve always loved robots and stuff!"
"Calm down, little girl," Samson laughed. "I should be the one saying that, no? But seriously, having them on our side would be amazing. I’ve studied his equipment while we were up there, and damn, that material is unlike anything I’ve seen."
"He may be special, but the others aren’t I reckon," I said. "They’re most likely cannibalizing the dreadnought to create those things."
"And who’s to say that the metal it’s created from isn’t of super high quality?" Gremory asked as we approached the hatch. "You’ve probably read or heard about their ships, and how a single one of them can take out task-forces with ease."
"That there is precisely the reason why we need that ship, even if we have to decline your old friends."
"Cain! Is that what’s become of us?"
"Yes! Thousands of people are far more important than someone you used to know a long time ago! Especially now that we’re on the run, Gremory! Besides, have you been listening to the mechanoid? They’re not even people!"
"You’re seriously trusting an ancient robot race that merges the brain of anything it wants with their bodies over Humanity?"
I sighed, not really interested in this argument. She had the right to her own opinion, but the main reason we were in this mess, were Humans and their fickle nature, their warmongering and lust for a good life.
"You do remember why we’re here, right? Because people want us dead and gone. And what brought us to that point? People who wanted to torture us, to ruin our lives and to treat us as nothing but garbage. Now you tell me to trust someone I don’t know and is acting awkwardly?"
"How is she acting awkwardly?" Gremory protested.
"Umm, guys? I don’t think this is the right place to argue, is it? We’re floating dead in space and all," Levi interrupted.
"No, it’s the perfect place, because no one can hear us. Now, tell me, how are they awkward?"
"You even need to ask me? After calling her over for a drink, she’ll have all the captains join us in an hour, in basically hostile territory. You’ve seen the corpse" I added and nodded toward the body bags, and to top it all off, we even got Cafka!"
"Hey—can I say something?" he pleaded as Samson held on to him.
"Shut up!" I snapped.
"No! I know you’ll kill me, but I rather have a swift death than a slow one!" he protested. "I’ve overheard the robots speak many times when they thought I was out of it, so let me tell you just one thing. They are out to live a peaceful life and have speaking about trying to find a giant ice-comet, or a dead moon or something so no one would find them. They want to stay out of politics and fighting."
"Says a traitor and a scumbag and whatever other words I can come up with!" Gremory snapped, backhanding him. His bubble burst, but I quickly created a new one, so he didn’t pop like a melon.
"What the hell has gotten into you?" I hissed, pulling her aside.
"She saved my life on more than one occasion, and you want me to turn my back on her?"
"I didn’t say that! But we need to be careful, and in the end, I rather have a Quazzarian dreadnought on my side than a few obsolete, old ships."
"So if I became obsolete, say I stayed a tier-three for a while, and everyone else rose to tier five, you’d throw me away just like that?"
"This isn’t the same, Gremory! And we don’t have the time to be doing this right now. Look," I growled, pointing at the incoming ship. "Come on, we’ll talk once we’ve heard their side of the story."
She remained silent as her hands worked the air-lock. It hissed open, spilling light into the void around us. She got in, followed by everyone but me. I remained outside for a moment longer, enjoying the cold and absence of sound. I needed to do this more often, to escape and to be with myself and my own thoughts.
I sighed and turned to the group. They were still waiting for me, so I followed them inside and closed the airlock. Cafka was as frightened as a mouse while we paraded him through the corridors and finally up to the bridge.
"Sit," I ordered, pushing him into a chair. His large bulk didn’t let him sit comfortably, but I didn’t care. "Delay them once they get there, Samson. Devil, do we have any room that could quickly be transformed into a meeting room, but much better reinforced than the others?"
"As in that it could withstand a blast from the inside?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Sure. I’ll contact some of the maintenance crew and have them bring in furniture and set it all up. I think we’ll need half an hour or so."
"Thanks. You’re more appreciated than you might know, big guy," I smiled.
"Oh, don’t you even dare go there. We have a healthy relationship that can only function if we insult each other and play hard to get."
"Oh shut up, will you?" Khepri sneered. "You’re like a little child when you get going."
"Damn you, woman! Not in front of him!"
I couldn’t help but laugh. It was met with strange stares and looks from the bridge crew, however. They still weren’t used to me speaking mentally to the ship.
"Samson, thirty minutes. Then bring them to the room Devil specified."
"Yes, sir," he saluted and stormed out, Levi close on his heels.
"Gremory, we’ll meet them together, just you and me," I whispered. If they can prove they’re who they say they are, then we’ll see how to integrate them into our military, if they wish so. But not before then, so don’t go promising them anything just yet."
"What do you take me for, a kid?" she hissed. "I’m much older than you, and more experience in anything you can imagine, so don’t go pushing me around!"
"Go do whatever it is you need to do and meet me in thirty minutes at the new conference room. Until then, I suggest you calm down and come up with a way to verify if it’s them."
"Yes, sir," she growled through clenched teeth. "See you then."
I sighed, annoyed by her constant rebukes and hissing and throwing a fit. It was unlike her, and there was much more to this situation than she wanted me to let on, but I wasn’t going to pry unless needed.
I ran off to shower and grab a bite, needing a little time for myself to mentally prepare to face the other captains. It was highly unusual to see someone as young as myself in such a position, even if I were to be royalty, they would question it. However, I had an ace they didn’t, a trio of parasites occupied me.
Kris walked in and sat next to me, grabbing a bite of the sandwich I had left untouched. Her eyes were full of care, but I could feel she was worried. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to understand Gremory, and I had been fighting, but she didn’t say anything, and instead just sat there, comforting me in silence.
"Are you feeling alright?" she asked once I finally finished my food. I shrugged, not quite having an answer to the question. It felt like ages ago when I talked to Gremory about the commanding position, and ordering people around.
"I’m fine, but I can’t understand her at all. She has such mood swings and is constantly bitter. One moment it’s great, the next she wants to bite my head off."
"And you’re trying to diffuse the situation every time, right?"
"Well, no, but mostly. Look, she’s been the apex predator for a very long time, and now she’s feeling threatened. I would be too, it’s only logical, but she’s mine and always will be, so I don’t understand her."
"It’s not about her, you don’t understand us women. But it’s only logical, we don’t understand ourselves most of the time. But try to give her more space, give her breathing room, especially when it’s about fleet matters. Gremory’s been here for a long time, much longer than both you and me, so trust her, alright?"
"I trust her, and—it’s just that the possibility of new allies has blinded me. If the situation is handled carefully, we might become so much stronger than we are right now. And that’s al
l I want, for us to be strong enough, so no one comes knocking on our door to kill our people."
"We all know that, and that’s why we follow and trust you. But as I said, trust for her to do the right thing. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together, you know?"
"I do. See, maybe this is why they don’t promote young people to high-ranking positions very often. We get clouded by emotions very quickly, no matter what they might be."
"Speaking of emotions, what are we gonna do with Cafka?"
"Let him listen in on our conversation," I replied. "He knows the old Captains very well, so if anyone can distinguish if they’re impostors or not, it should be him. I’m afraid Gremory’s judgment on this one might be clouded."
"If you say so, I’ll prepare for it right away," she replied, putting her arms around my neck, planting a kiss on my lips. "Don’t make them wait, it’s rude, even though this is your ship. Military courtesy is very important if you expect to be on the receiving end as well."
"Yes, Captain," I replied, kissing her in turn, then smacked her ass as she ran out. What a woman, in every way imaginable. I put away the remaining food in the nano-container and made my way to the new conference room. Samson stood outside at attention and was accompanied by Gremory.
"The guests are already inside, Admiral."
I nodded and placed my hand on the panel. Gremory pushed it aside and pressed hers to open the door.
"Never go inside first as an Admiral. We’re expendable, but you’re not," she whispered as the door hissed open. I wasn’t sure if she just insulted me, or if she meant it, but decided not to dwell on it. We had much more important matters at hand.
"Thank you, Lady Death," I replied instead and let the two of them walk in first.
The room was quite lavishly furnished, at least for something that had been put together in half an hour. Twelve chairs sat around a large, oval table at the center, while a bar had been put up at the left corner of the room. A large, three-dimensional screen rose directly from the table, showing the system and the position of our forces. Four paintings adorned the walls, two on the wall to my left, and two on the right, while the bar was on the far opposite wall.
"Admiral," Captain Scarlet said as the group rose.
"Captain Scarlet," I nodded in response and looked the tall woman over. She was as tall as Gremory, and build as an athlete, even though her skin couldn’t hide her age as well. I put her in her early forties, though it wasn’t like it mattered much. "Thank you for joining us on such short notice. We’re sorry about the earlier misunderstandings, but you see, we’ve had a rough ride for the last couple of weeks, so you’ll understand?"
"So I’ve heard. I’ll be honest to say that I’m rather shocked after hearing the whole story. See, I didn’t know if I’d have the guts to something similar."
"Neither did I until it all happened. I just went with the situation and did the best what I could. Speaking of which, how did you stay alive in such a hostile place? Your task-force was almost wiped out as well from what I understood?"
"We—yes, it is a hostile place. Alien races dwell here quite often because of the gas giant and the three gigantic comets in the vicinity. They’re rich with metals."
"So you’ve lost your ships to them?"
"Not quite. I’ve lost a handful to them, but most against—Earth's forces."
"Enough of that," Gremory interrupted as she leaned in on the table. "How have you been, Captain? It’s been a while now, hasn’t it?"
"It sure has, old friend. How has the Admiral been treating you if I may ask?"
Gremory laughed it off as a joke, and I did my part, putting up a fake smile.
"Good, good. We’ve been doing quite well. In fact, we’ve conquered a planet for ourselves. Along with the goods, we liberated a colony of Sqvadrians along with a group of Gebradim. They’re to live with us on our new homeworld of choice."
Captain Scarlet frowned and made a sour face as if she disagreed with us.
"Living together with the enemy? What gave you the impression that it would be a good idea?"
"The situation we found ourselves in," I said, annoyed by the tone in her voice. "Who are you to berate me on how I deal with my legion?"
"Someone who’s been doing the dirty work since before you been born, boy!"
"Captain?" Gremory growled. "I would suggest you dial that tone down, or I won’t be able to calm him down."
"Calm whom down? That boy who’s playing Admiral? And you, Lady Death, you’re even letting him use you! Tell me, what does he have on you, huh? It can’t be that bad, surely?"
"You have no idea what’ you’re getting yourself in, Scar. Stand down!" Gremory snapped. But the Captain wouldn’t stand down. Her face turned a couple of shades darker as the men and women behind her got up, drawing some kind of gleaming-white guns.
"Now, I think we are in a dire need to have a very short but meaningful conversation. Don’t you think?"
I didn’t even hear half her words from my own laughter. She didn’t seem to understand what was so funny that I laughed certain death in the face, which only made it even more fun.
"Support staff, Samson, Gremory, all of you outside, now," I ordered. The four serving personnel walked past me and exited the room. Samson was a bit more reluctant, but Gremory outright refused to follow the order.
"Fuck that! I want to see the end!" Gremory hissed. "And you, stupid bitch, I argued against the Admiral, telling him how good a person you are—no, were. All that you’re now is a sack of dead meat."
"Oh, don’t be so rude to our guests, Gremory. After all, people only see a thirty-year young in front of them, nothing else."
"Of course, Admiral, if we're already honest, may I speak freely?"
"Go ahead," I replied, curious at what she would say next. "Devil? Are you listening in?"
"Yes, Captain Scarlet, I am," he replied, equally curious as I was.
"As the oldest holder of a contract between Lucifer and me and this ship, I’m invoking my right on taking possession of this ship and the two others effective immediately."
Chapter Forty-Six
"You’re joking, right?" I sneered. "On what ground do you even hope to think you have the right to take over what I’ve spilled blood for?"
"Because I’ve been doing that for years before you were born as one thing," she yelled, "And if you already want to know, the contract between Lucifer and me states that I can demand Devil if by any chance Cafka gets outed."
"I see," I said calmly. "Very well. What’s the ship’s tier? And what’s the second Armament that has taken up housing with Devil?"
"W-what? What do you mean with a second Armament?"
"Don’t tell me that you haven’t noticed that Devil one, two, and three look the same. I’ll be insulted if your sensors didn’t give you even that."
"They didn’t give me anything! The jamming was too hard!"
"I’m at a loss for words, Captain. Please, you do me a favor in turn, just one."
"What?" she hissed, still holding her gun pointed right at my face.
"Answer one of Gremory’s questions. If you know the exact answer, I’ll give the ships up to you. However, if you fail to give the correct answer, I’ll eat you."
"You will what? What kind of ridiculous proposal is that?"
"One on which your life depends. Now, do we have a deal? Or should I proceed to eat you one by one without a fight?"
"Now this escalated quickly," Devil snickered over the room’s speakers. "I sure wouldn’t mind raising the satiation bar, after all, it’s barely at forty."
"You aren’t—normal, are you?" she asked, fear slapped all over her face.
"And you’re realizing that just now?"
"Alright, I got it. The question is as follows: how did you save me the sixth time?"
"Huh? What do you mean? From Cafka? Or in battle?" Captain Scarlet asked, studying Gremory’s reaction.
"Just generally, what did you save me from?"
"From Cafka’s madness, like usual."
"Nope, not think again."
"Just kill them already!" the Captain screamed as her body started turning. The skin became a grey-greenish color, and looked almost lizard-like, while her body deflated and was barely half of what it had been moments before.
"What the hell? There’s not even any meat on them bones!" I cursed right before three bullets struck my chest. From there on out, I couldn’t hold back anymore. My body twisted and turned, pushing the bullets out as Khepri and Devil’s genes kicked in, turning me into the black monstrosity I both loved and hated.
High pitched noises assailed my ears as the Captains started screaming in unison. For a long moment, I just stood there, dazed by their mental attack. More gunfire erupted, but different this time, as their weapons had changed with them. Each slug burrowed deep into my flesh and exploded on the inside, tearing me apart. Gremory stood there, horrified by the scene. I knew she still couldn’t believe what was going on, and that her long-time friend wasn’t what she thought she was. It only served to annoy me even more that she defended this Scarlet when we were out in space.
"Gremory!" I yelled. " A little—help?"
She transformed almost instantly, just as some of the fire shifted from my body to hers. The door opened, revealing a changed Samson charging right at them, crashing right through the furniture. Projectiles dinged off his skin and struck the wall, exploding on impact and peppering the conference room with shards of steel. His hands started going up, ever so slowly. It felt like an eternity to me as explosions hammered me, but finally, they came together and released a blast of energy that sent us all sprawling.
I recovered quickly, jumping over the mess he just created and grabbed hold of the first creature. My claws dug deep into his rubbery skin, tearing him open like a doll. His insides spilled over me, along with the heart. I bit down on it, chewing at its softness. It— served its purpose, but it tasted sour as if it went bad. I spat it out and charged the second alien, ripping him in half with ease as Gremory joined in on the melee. Samson had two of them dangling by the neck, their spines snapped.