by Bruce Marcom
The arachnid pulls out all four of her blasters with blazing speed, “I must insist.”
“Woah, chill babe,” Meek says in a panic, as his two friends freeze.
“Besides, she just wants to hire you for a job.”
“Oh, well, why didn’t you say so?”
“Here she comes.”
Eve walks up to the four standing there. She motions to Gothica and she twirls her blasters in cowboy fashion and then holsters them.
“That was so cool-looking,” Sean says impressed by the weaponry display. Meek elbows him swiftly in the ribs. Sean just shrugs.
“I need a lift to Laughing Skull and then into Wolfkin Territory to the capital. You are going to Laughing Skull anyway, correct?”
“That is like a two-month trip. We are all wanted in Wolfkin Territory.”
“You just need to drop my party off. You don’t need to get out of the ship. Remember your ship has the correct papers even though you don’t.”
“Oh, yeah. I am not used to having a legal ship,” Meek chuckles, “You said party?”
“Yes, a party of three. Gothica, Dr. Farshe Mezeenabark, and myself.”
“That will cost you.”
“How much?”
“Three thousand bars plus expenses. Why can’t you take a normal shuttle or one of your ships?”
“I am selling all my ships. As far as normal transports, you think you and your crew are wanted, everyone I meet wants to kill me. I will pay 5,000 bars plus expenses. Besides, hang out with me long enough and I will make you famous pirates, if you live that long.”
“Five thousand bars,” Meek eyes glow with money signs, “Okay, when do you want to leave?”
“Now.”
“Let’s go.”
“The Doc will be meeting us at your ship.”
“Okay.”
They walk outside and get into Eve’s limo.
Chapter 2
As the limo pulls up to the hanger where Meek’s ship is, they see Doc, a pink furry female Wolfkin waiting in front with a bag. Eve, Meek, Shawn, Gothica, and Python pile out of the hover limo. They all go inside.
“Greetings, Capt. Meek. Your ship is almost ready. The mechanic went to get some parts to hook up your cloaking device and he should be back in 30 minutes. You have fuel and food,” Fartan says.
“Excellent.”
“Hello, Lady Eve. I wasn’t aware we had an appointment,” Fartan inquires.
“We don’t. I am catching a lift with Capt. Meek. Have you sold all my ships yet?”
“Not yet, Madame.”
“Put it all in my main account. Tell my personal crew to take a few months off, and I will be back then. Keep paying them their salaries, though. The other crews just lay them off. Get me a manufacturing license and be prepared to do some major corporation takeovers upon my return.”
“Sounds ambitious.”
“You have no idea.”
About that time, incoming weapons fire on the area where they are standing.
“Terminator bots!” Python yells as he draws his blasters and starts to return fire. Gothic whips out all four guns and begins blasting cowgirl style.
Eve yells, “Get inside the ship! Let’s go now!” They all run up the ramp while firing weapons outward. Sean is hit in the leg going up that ramp, and Doc takes a hit in the shoulder.
Eve turns around and sees 12 terminator bots firing blasters. She releases massive chain lightning that arcs out in several directions and hits most of the attacking bots. Their personal shields are not strong enough to withstand the attack and they are destroyed. As the crew pulls the injured up the ramp, Eve picks up the two remaining bots with telekinesis and slams them into a wall. Eve runs up the ramp and hits the close button.
“Lift off in 30 seconds,” Che says over the ship’s intercom. She had been testing the engines just before the attack so they were already on. The ship begins to ascend and shoots off into space.
Meek enters the bridge.
“Report.”
Mcloud says, “All systems check, we are ready for jump.” The android presses some buttons.
“Okay, plot a course to Laughing Skull and jump,” Meek commands.
Mcloud acknowledges, “Plotted.”
On the shipwide intercom, the crew hears, “Jumping.”
The ship shakes as it speeds up. Mcloud’s arm pops off and lands on the floor.
Meek sighs and shakes his head.
“Can someone please put Mcloud’s arm back on?” Meek glares at Cogg.
Cogg says defensively, “Well, he is put together with bandages so what did you expect?”
Che questions, “Who pissed off the Machine People? Why do we have terminator bots shooting at us?”
Meek thinks for a second, “Must have been that shipment of defective parts I sold them.”
“Geez, Meek, is there anyone in the galaxy you haven’t scammed or ripped off?” Che interrogates.
“I am sure there is, but I just can’t think of anyone at the moment.”
Python and Gothica enter the bridge. Chad Wick turns around and sees Gothica.
“Who is the hot-looking arachnid babe,” Chad Wick inquires.
Che turns around thinking Chad Wick is sexually harassing her again.
Che says, “Do I need to web you to the wall again for a few hours?” But then she sees Gothica and says,” Oh, someone else Chad can sexually harass. She is a warrior, Chad. You better be good or she will cut your head off with one of those four swords on her back. “
“I am Gothica.”
Meek says, “We are transporting three people to Laughing Skull and then to the Wolfkin home world.”
“Wolvies….Great. Don’t we all have wanted posters there?” Che asks.
“Yup.”
“How much are we getting considering we launched without cargo. Oh, and that means the cloaking device is not hooked up either,” Che says with annoyance.
“Five thousand bars plus expenses.”
Che whistles, “Wow! That is a lot just for passage. Do we have to kill anyone?”
“Nay, just drop off.”
“Nice.”
Python takes a seat at the tactical display. Gothica goes over to the captain and says, “You are cute for a human.” She runs her hand through his hair.
Meek says, “Oh, I am just old and fat,” attempting to be modest, but liking the attention. He smiles at her and she smiles back.
Intercom comes on and Eve says, “Gothica, come to the sickbay.”
Gothica pokes Meek in the stomach, “I like my mates big.” She winks as she leaves the bridge. Meek is feeling all glossy eyed about now.
Che remarks, “She is still deciding.”
“Deciding?” Meek ponders.
“Whether she is going to eat you before or after she mates with you. In any event, I would avoid any dinner invitations if I were you. The warriors like the plump ones,” Che adds.
“I knew it was too good to be true,” Cogg chuckles.
They all start laughing at Meek’s expense.
“Just my luck,” Meek frowns.
Eve inters the bridge and says, “Sean and Doc will be okay. Sean has a busted leg, and Doc was just grazed. Doc is attending to it.”
Meek says, “Good to hear. This is Lady Eve, one of our passengers, our employer.”
“Well met,” Eve says, standing there looking at them, “I hope you fair better than the last crew of this ship.”
Chad asks, “What happened to the last crew?”
“I killed them all,” Eve says flatly. “I will be in the sickbay.” She walks off the bridge.
Che says with concern, “Geez, where did you dig her up?”
“No crap. She gives me the willies,” Cogg remarks.
Python adds, “You have no idea.”
Capt. Meek, “Yeah, don’t get on her bad side unless you want to end up a mangle headless corpse in some corridor.”
“I have a bad feeling about this one,” C
had says with alarm.
“Yeah, I would think twice about sexually harassing that one, Chad,” Che says with sarcasm.
They all bust out laughing.
“Ho-ho, ha-ha,” Chad responds, sticking his tongue out at Che. Che winks back.
***
In sickbay, Doc has put a bandage on her shoulder and fixed up Sean’s leg.
Doc says, “Your leg should be okay in couple weeks. It is setting fine.”
“Thanks, Doc, it’s weird as I am the one usually doing the patching, he-he.”
“I noticed your degrees on the wall in here. You were a doctor once?”
“Yeah, I specialized in virus research.”
“Oh, a researcher.”
“Yeah, until my family fell out of political favor and was assassinated. I have been on the run since then.”
“That is unfortunate. I am a doctor who does research and application of general medicine to alien races. Newly discovered life forms are what I study the most.”
“Interesting.”
“Doc...help me,” says a voice from outside the sickbay door. Gothica and Doc run outside door and see Eve collapsed on the floor.
“Get her up on the table.” They pick her up and set her on the table. Doc grabs her arm to look at it and her hand drops back to the table as a huge piece of skin comes off. Her arm has rainbow-colored metallic scales and her nails are metallic talons. She screams as her body glows a bright yellow as huge chunks of skin melt away from her face. The ships shakes violently as she yells out in extreme pain.
“You were warned about using your powers, and you have accelerated the mutation. You must fight it or you will destroy the ship. Get her clothes off.”
Bone spikes pierce through her hair and go in a row down her neck and spine. The next glowing tremor removes all of her skin. Eve’s body is all metallic scales with any rainbow coloring. Her eyes increase in size to big yellow dragon eyes.
“What the hell is she turning into?” Sean demands.
Doc does a body scan on Eve. Both of them look at the scan.
“I have never seen anything like this,” Sean exclaims.
“No one has. Hmm...,” Doc continues to examine the scan.
“What are those on her back?” Sean questions.
“Turn her over.” They both grab her and turn her over slowly.
Sean says, “What the...those are....”
“Metallic wings and a tail it appears,” Doc interjects. “She is changing into a new species of Space Dragon.”
“What!” Sean asks. “How is that even possible?”
“It isn’t normally, but she was created in a laboratory. Looking at these scans, she will be a Morphic Space Dragon. Morphic means she will have the ability to shape change into either a bi-pedal or full space dragon form. Morphics are extremely rare, like 1 in 100,000 out in the wilds of space. The more interesting thing is all Space Dragons are born with one color, and this determines their abilities. Since she was created with the DNA from many different types of Space Dragons, she is rainbow-colored. According to the reports from the lab where she was created, they could never duplicate the process again after she was created. She is one of a kind. She still has some human DNA left in her, but it disappears more and more every time she uses her telepathic abilities. If she loses control, she will change into a full Space Dragon whether she wants to or not. That will be very inconvenient if she is in a ship or a building.”
“No kidding. That would destroy whatever structure she is in. She does look beautiful though, as I’ve never seen anything like her, or any Space Dragon of any kind up close.”
Eve opens her eyes and says in a raspy voice, “Doc, report.”
“Bad news and good news.”
“Bad news first.”
“Your mutation has sped up quite a bit. Your human DNA is almost gone. Your body is changing.”
“Good news?”
“Your body has almost completely changed into a bi-pedal space dragon. Your wings and tail will be full size by the time we reach Laugh Skull.”
“Great. I just bought some new designer clothes, damn it.” Eve says with sarcasm. She sits up.
“Mirror?”
Sean rolls out a body-size mirror.
She gets up and parades in front of the mirror and twirls around slowly.
“What the hell? Why are my wings and tail so small?”
“They are growing about an inch an hour, so relax. You should grow about another foot taller, and your wings will be about 2.5 meters in length, each with a 5-meter wing span. Your tail will grow maybe 2.5 meters or more. Looking at the files on Morphic Space Dragons I got from the Consortium does not say much about the bi-pedal tail size.”
“So I will be able to fly?”
“Yeah, but you need to learn like every other Space Dragon does. You will need to learn in both forms. Flying in bi-pedal form is much different than Space Dragon form. That’s why we need to get to our destination as soon as possible. You don’t need to wear clothes unless you really want too. Not mention we don’t have clothes that would accommodate your wings and tail.”
“Hmm.... Okay, I look like a disco ball with wings and a tail. That shiny reflective thing will blind people I am talking to.”
They all chuckle.
Sean says, “You have been watching too many of Capt. Meek’s earth movies from the 21st century.”
“I have some of my own,” Eve informs.
“I think you look awesome, Mom. it’s so cool having a Space Dragon for a mother,” Gothica says with glee.
“Well go and cut some holes in some of my clothes. Wait, nay just the cloaks, as the clothes won’t fit any more.”
“We can try different things, stick with leather, as cloth won’t going against metal scales.”
Eve says, “True.”
The two get up and leave the room. The two doctors stay and keep examining the scans of Eve.
***
Later on the bridge, they crew is trying to decide whether or not to take a shortcut through Elemental space or go the longer route.
Cogg says, “I have no idea what caused the ship to shake, Boss.” About that time, Mcloud’s leg pops off and hits the floor.
Meek sighs and says, “Someone put Mcloud’s leg back on.” He continues to mumble profanity about the topic to himself.
Chad picks up the leg and pops it back on.
“Thanks, Chad. You look mighty cute in those pants,” Mcloud says in a deep male voice. Che is laughing her head off at the front of the cockpit.
“Okay that is becoming quite disturbing. It is starting to weird me out,” Python grumbles.
Cogg says, “Look guys, until I get some more parts for Mcloud that is just all I can do with him.”
Mcloud says, “Capt. Meek, we can save about one week if we cut through Elemental Space or do you want to go the long way?”
“Take the short cut,” Meek says with confidence, then he thinks to himself, this is coming from an android made from spare trash compactor parts.
“Che can you double check those calculations just in case,” Meek asks.
“Sure, he-he.”
“Captain, I assure you I am functioning just fine. May I rub your butt cheeks with some hot body oil?” Mcloud adds.
Meek mumbles some other obscenities. There are some chuckles among the crew.
“Looks correct, Captain. I am changing course,” Che informs with a snicker.
“Very well proceed.”
***
Down below in Eve’s room, Doc, Gothica, and Sean are talking with Eve.
“Can you flap you wings they look full size now,”Sean asks.
Eve says, “Yeah, I grew more than a foot, I am 2.5 meters tall. 8 feet. Wings are 9 feet each, so I have about a 5.48 meter wing span. Tail is 2.5 meters.”
“You got metal bone spikes all the way down from your head to the tip of your tail and on your shoulders, elbows and knees too,” Gothica adds.
�
�According to these records from the Consortium, you are much bigger than any other bi-pedal Morphic Dragon ever discovered. But there has not been that many so, it is hard to say. I am wondering how big your Space Dragon form will be,” Doc interjects with true interest.
“Yeah, when we get to Dragon territory, I hope I can find an intelligent Space Dragon to answer all my questions,” Eve says in a serious tone.
“Well, you still have a little hair left it is falling off as metal scales replace it,” Sean informs.
“Mom, your claws are long, so it might be hard to shake hands with people. I am sure your nail kit won’t work on those suckers,” Gothica teases.
Eve laughs, “No kidding. Gimme that hammer.”
Doc gives her a hammer sitting on a desk in the room. Eve swings hard and hits her leg and the hammer’s head breaks off and falls to the floor.
“I didn’t even feel that. These scales are better than any armor that is manmade, I bet.”
Doc says, “You’re probably right.”
“I feel physically much stronger as well.”
Sean says, “You should be. Could probably tear through most manmade walls or doors.”
“Your PSI strength has gone up tremendously. I created a new scale just for you. The normal scale goes up to 20. My new scale does up to 40. You are a 35 at least in this form. In full dragon form, it will be higher than that, I bet,” the Doc concludes.
“Wow, really. That is useful. I guess when the Element Empire was trying to create a weapon, they had no idea how I would turn out—and to think they thought they could control me like some pet. Looks like the joke is on them. Those wankers…I going to kill them all someday,” Eve assures herself.
“I am going to check on the crew,” Sean declares.
Eve replies, “We should all go up there; boring here.”
They all go into the corridor and head up to the bridge. Eve can barely fit through the doors. They enter the bridge as they crew turns around and sees Eve in her new state.
Python says in amazement, “What the heck?”
“Woah...what happen to you?” Cogg shrieks.
“She is a Morphic Space Dragon, only one of her type,” Sean announces.
Meek looks at her and replies, “I have never heard of a Morphic Space Dragon.”