Being inside the village barrier, many opted to forgo their armor. Especially bikini clad women and topless men who watched over more than three hundred children ranging from three to ten years old. The older children were in training up behind the Elder’s Lodge working on honing their Psionic talents. Some adults were playing in the river too that cut through the center of the village to keep cool.
Wearing the fearsome Solarian armor and bright amber gaze drew the attention of all when glimpsed, but these battle tempered people weren’t struck by fear like most. Instead they cheerfully waved him and called greetings as he returned. Some wanted to come over and introduce themselves officially, but he was currently walking where there was only open grass and well worn dirt trails. Mud clung to his boots as Zerika rarely went three weeks without a storm throughout the long year. A Zerika’s year was two hundred days and an additional two hours in each day compared to Earth Standard. Seeing his approach towards the other temporary Elder though made the majority of onyx skinned villagers postpone going over.
Spray from the waterfall was cooling in the overhead star and a little loud, but since both men had stronger hearing and training to discard other sounds to focus on another. Elder Scimitar smiled kindly, his inky skin-tone a stark contrast to the pearly straight smile behind the lips. “It is good to see you well after all that has gone on since we last spoke.”
They stopped shaking hands. “For me especially. How was it in Sector 336 this past year?”
The smile faded. “Not as good as I had hoped. We’ve been experiencing problems on that front in the past six months. I had just some to gather some new recruits after one of our orbital platforms were crippled minutes before the Keptl arrived in force. I was among only nine ships able to get away before they swarmed it and made us lose that whole system. Luckily I got word an armada was made and sent two months ago and we were able to take it back…” He paused, expression pensive.
“How many.” Oliver asked, laying a hand on the man’s shoulder.
“Thirty thousand plus civilians, five thousand Marines and a thousand veteran Hunters under my command. Only sixty three brothers and sisters made it out after the retreat was called.”
“Sabotage?”
Elder Scimitar barely gave a nod. “I heartily believe it so. It was no coincidence the Keptl suddenly show up with our pants around our ankles. But no one knows how the barrier fell. The battle still rages, but the loss of life was great to reclaim that foothold for resources.”
“I forgot what is mined there. Graphite right?”
“Chromium and Alkaline actually. Chromium to make metal shiny” Scimitar rolled his eyes as his armor was showing very little silver and as proof he didn’t care about frivolous things. “and Alkaline for Psionic energy storage our ships need. Especially our fighters. Starships are good and all, but in the thick of battle it’s our fighters who need as much stored power as they can get for long and drawn out confrontations.”
“Thanks for clarifying it. Sorry I wasn’t there to help out.”
Scimitar waved him off. “It is done and in the past. There is nothing you can do, Brother. Besides, your quest is much more deadly and needs your talents than protecting a resource planet that has never seen life before. You likely would have gotten killed too during battle. No, right now you need to find out what happened to the Solarian people. That is where you need to be at this time. When it is over I hope to fight alongside you.” He gave Oliver a hard look. “This village has been telling me of your mate’s attempt to increase our potential by making us into a semblance of… well you. Do the rumors have merit?”
“Actually she did and Yes she has discovered a way.”
“Then why do you sound so guarded?” Scythe motioned and they moved to a nearby wooden bench beside the roaring waterfall. Less than a meter from the frothy bank.
“Because there are some issues doing the Solarian gene therapy.”
“Tell me.” The man kicked back languidly, gauntlet covered fingers playing with the skull etched pommels of his old and well used blades.
“I don’t remember all her geneticist jargon, but there are some risks.”
“And our lot in life as Hunters isn’t?”
“Point taken.” Oliver put his elbows on his knees, interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on the meshed digits. “The problems I understood are that human brains aren’t actually wired like ours exactly. She found out that her readings by human technology couldn’t differentiate between our species all that much. And I mean that literally. We might look damn near human, but our evolution branches are too far apart for the gene therapy to rewrite your neural pathways to ours without serious and irreparable brain damage. But our species aren’t so different that we cannot breed…”
“But our sisters told me you…”
“If I wasn’t the strongest Psionic user in all Solarian history, an anomaly, my seed could be safe for a human. But because I am what I am, no woman could survive the fever one of my children induces in the mother, aside for Renee. But my newborn daughter Isabella can conceive a child from a human… which she will if she ever wants a child of her own.
“The therapy can’t make you think on mine and Renee’s level, but that isn’t all that must be considered.” Scimitar remained quiet, but lifted a lone curious eyebrow. “Just like Renee was when she got pregnant, introducing the gene which allows Beast essence to combine with DNA heats the body to the point it shuts down… permanently.” Oliver was quiet for a minute. “Renee’s results show there is a one hundred percent chance of death if the person has the rejection reaction. The rejection, she says, is due to those who lack the gene she calls Monoam… something…”
“Monoamine Oxidase A? or the MAOA gene.”
Oliver sat up and gave the Elder a confused expression. “Yeah. How did you…”
“It is the hidden requirement to become a Hunter. Civilians who choose to join our brother or sisterhood are tested to see how significant the gene dominates and we let them experience our training, but if they do not have the baseline level for the gene we ultimately tell them no. Most opt out early on in our strict training regimen, near always giving up on the idea soon after testing. Only about sixty percent of the whole human population has it. The aggressive traits are a survival instinct. It is why our female warriors do not breed with untested civilians. We are trying to produce more with the gene needed. The MAOA gene was known as the Warrior Gene back in the twenty first century. It makes us more resilient to the harsh reality of war. A survival necessity to cope. It is what lets us push forward when civilians run in terror or freeze in shock.” Elder Scimitar closed his eyes to ponder for a moment. “The Marines often run a high percentage as well… about eighty percent their overall ranks if I remember correctly. So this therapy only will work for those who have it? Any other side effects?”
“Yes to the first. There is nearly no chance of overheating or rejection to those who have it. She told me she even programmed a cryo simulation to keep the patient cool, but the therapy completely takes over human biology and without an innate natural defense it’ll spread like a virus. As for side effects, should you choose it, you’ll be unable to eat anything other than Beast. Drinking isn’t altered.”
“Like you and Vanishing Claw? Not much of a change in my normal diet. Having a high protein based diet speeds healing and muscle efficiency anyway.” He shrugged.
“Let me be clearer. You’ll get violently ill on just one bite of bread. One piece of fruit. You can drink things without pulp, but anything of substance is rejected so badly you’ll puke enough to want someone to do you a kindness and knock your ass unconscious. I know I did and I’m glad Stone did it for me when I got too sick. But you should know there are benefits.”
“Like an increase of power?” Scimitar asked with a wry smirk.
“For one thing. Yes. Renee estimates you’ll be capable of reaching a human pinnacle about that measurement of where Jake Dorgen or Vanishing Claw
is right now.”
Scimitar’s jaw dropped. “That much of an increase?”
“Thereabouts. Depends on how much Beast essence your body can naturally assimilate. You won’t reach me by a long shot, but you can be assured you’ll pack a much larger punch. The other aspect is you pass along the genes of Psionic and bio-immorality to any offspring as well as know with assurance that the ‘Warrior Gene’ as you called it is passed along no matter what. You no longer need to regulate strict mating for the purpose of passing the gene along and hope it remains strong. If one of the women mated with a civilian and had a child, it would have her stronger influence as the dominant gene. Same goes for the man if the woman doesn’t have it.”
“Generational offspring with a one hundred percent guarantee?”
Oliver nodded. “So long as they have it, but Renee hasn’t started live trials. We’ve been rather limited in that regard isolated on the mountain. Aside from a few animals she worked on, it seemed to work before I fed the subjects to my Pride. She needs volunteers now.”
“Then I will request it when we are finished. I’m glad I chose not to interrupt the time of peace with your mate. This therapy could be the key to holding our own against the Keptl and stronger Beasts. We’ll never beat them, but if our brothers and sisters can hit back harder against an enemy, they can stand a chance to survive more than a century or two.” His wise countenance animated a little. “And it will benefit the whole Empire because in time more of the population will have the inherent genes of their forefathers. Like I am a symbol that my own ancestors fought long and hard to produce me. And my children live because I do. Each new child born will eventually pass it on. It will save lives and resources.”
“It is the reason Renee concentrated so hard to unlock the hidden key to hers and mine DNA to do so. It was through me she found my sperm carries innate Psionic gene and she synthesized it. She told me mine aren’t natural either, but my daughter already has proven she carries my gene for immortality. My woman may hate people as a whole, but as a medic she feels responsible for each and every death she could have prevented.”
“Wait, but if this gene takes over, won’t it try and cause brain damage as you said earlier?”
“It would had Renee not developed a revolutionary genetic limitation to safeguard the mentality of the person as well as through their way of mating for having children. Any child produced through the union will also have it, preventing any true Solarian mutations.”
“Mutations?”
“A mind the human body cannot be compatible with. Our minds are too fast if you haven’t forgotten how our bodies can move.” Oliver smirked and the man lightly punched his pauldron. “Your splicing may have made you faster, but nowhere near as fast as me nor my woman for that matter.”
“That armor of yours it a mite different.” He said, noticing them not for the first time.
“Has to do with my biology. It seems reflects how strong I have become. After I passed being a Class Twelve it stopped changing, but grew more dense without altering the shape further. Your swords can’t cut me, not even with a slicing wave.”
“Let me test that theory.” Came a malicious sneer from behind.
There came a painful strike from behind before the words registered from a powerful blue arch powerful enough to slice a planet like a sharp knife through a ripe apple, but focused within a half meter span. It exploded against his back. The impact slammed Oliver forward to the ground like a ten ton boulder a moment before another weight impacted hard, landing large booted feet on either arm. Oliver was stunned and effectively pinned. Being so close to the water, Oliver’s face was almost submerged.
Standing triumphantly above was a silvery polished giant of an armored man wearing a blank white mask. Clutched in his upheld hands was a pristine, snow white double edged longsword. Both hands raised, blade angled downward. “Seems your boast was right. But let’s see you stand up to Father’s gift.” And stabbed the wide blade downward, intent to run it through Oliver’s heart.
Beneath the black cape was the indigo shield the attacker didn’t know about. It was the only thing that saved him from a true end. As sword tip met smooth shield, the sword’s inflexibility glided over the domed surface, deflecting the fatal stab. The attacker said indifferently “Interesting.” When the edge of the shield allowed the sharp weapon to cut down.
Hot pain slid through the left side, parting armor, flesh, muscle and a rib as well as adding a small cut into Oliver’s left lung. Rage filled him an instant after the surprise as the person standing on his arms began to withdraw the longsword. Pain seemed to wash away the shock of surprise by a stunning blow.
Elder Scimitar was on his feet, drew both of his curved swords in that same motion and infused them with Psionic energy out of trained instinct from countless battles. He struck the intruder’s descending sword as it was aimed again, but this time for the back of Oliver’s exposed neck that was in the act of rippling up and around to put up the helmet. Before the murderous stab could behead, Elder Scimitar was just in time to deflect the pale longsword with one heavy blade and aimed the second for the neck of the plastic or ceramic masked man. Seeing glowing black eyes burning malevolently through thin eyelets. Almost making the white mask smoke out black tears.
The first strike deflected the longsword, but the second missed as the tall attacker jerked away at inhuman speed. Stepping back from the Elder Hunter, landing on air rather than water.
Armor sealed the gap caused by the sword’s piercing and helped also put pressure on the open wound the nanites were bust trying to seal as Oliver heard the human Elder yell “HUNTERS! KILL HIM!!!”
As soon as the rage he felt was complete and consuming he was up on his feet faster than the blink of an eye. Already drawing his midnight cutlass and indigo shield in the same motion. He had his helmet on, coursed electrical energy throughout his entire body to make the armor even harder and then locked eyes with the masked person sending out unintentional mild telepathic intent he was going to enjoy killing everyone, especially Oliver.
Off to the side Oliver noted the parents were telling the children to run and hide while drawing their own swords, spears, knives and bows while running to their Elder’s call to battle.
Too fast for the Elder’s reactions, the assailant jumped forward, swinging his right arm horizontally to decapitate the Elder at Oliver’s side, but Oliver threw his right arm out and knocked the strike upwards by the shield. Decapitation was averted. Being scalped through the helmet wasn’t. Thinking at inhuman speeds Oliver calculated the survival rate of the Elder and everyone else. His attack of a slicing wave holds power enough to destroy planets. His speed of that strike proves he is as fast as me and deadly accurate. No one here can hold him back other than me. Survival rate without my aid is zero. Anyone else will be killed so I need to make an opening. Otherwise there is no chance anyone will survive this fucker.
Decision made in that nanosecond. With a kick to keep him out of danger, Scimitar flew seven meters away and fell in the water in the time it took the sword to shave off the top of his head. Flying into the river, missing most of his scalp and a chunk of skull.
Oliver though engaged now in a calm rage after the calculations were in his favor. Eighty eight percent success rate to defeat the enemy. The cutlass screaming its melody and striking the other sword, building power at the same time. The sparkling black blade seemed to grow wider, a trick of the eye by how fast it sang through the air. The cutlass’ reach was nearly half the longsword’s yet it was faster. Speed trumping power. The strike of swords crackling with energy the magnitudes the other Hunters had never felt before made intervening impossible. But the Hunters readied weapons, kinetic blasts in their hands as well as lesser kinetic streams that were more like bolts of lightning rather than a beam. Ready to unleash the moment they got a clear opening.
Time didn’t slow for Oliver, but he did process more and it fortified his combat capabilities. A part of his mind cata
logued the attacker also gathering and enhancing his armor from being cut in half. If not for the power, the cutlass would have gutted in another strike the pale blade missed. In return from the glancing blow, Oliver was kicked in the sore ribs again and managed to throw up a barrier a moment before a kinetic blast appeared on the foot. The power didn’t hurt Oliver, but it did send him up thirty meters up. The attacker’s polished armor was easy to spot perusing when he countered the momentum. Oliver acrobatically dodged under the following sword sweep and returned with an enhanced kick of his own that knocked the man sixty meters higher and shattered the femur. He followed, watching as the man drew out a simple long dagger hidden from underneath the polished backplate, infusing the new weapon while gathering even more and directing the energies up his esophagus. The damaged leg sustained hardly slowing him. Oliver read the energy surrounding the man and readily countered them and knew what he planned almost before the man even decided what he was doing next.
Metal rang out loudly, even from afar as battle joined. Going at speeds even trained Hunters could not even follow made them halt their charge. Some flew up, holding distance to help as soon as there was an opening. Not before.
Four Hunters though dove into the river to drag out the unconscious Elder before he sunk and drowned.
Far away came the enrage roar of eleven adult Ligers that hurried to their master’s aid, ready to tear through this dishonorable enemy, but they were too far away at the moment.
The long dagger joined the longsword when the man learned Oliver was not one to challenge lightly after all. The dagger made up for the speed of the cutlass, but what was odd is Oliver kept throwing every ounce of speed he could muster into the attack flying through the air. That the man moved just as fast was ridiculous.
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