“Aye aye.” Abdul greatly slowed the Dorgenox.
“Give me a window of time the team can have before we leave.”
“At this rate… maximum time without coming back is ninety six hours fourteen minutes. The Keptl won’t see us directly for another eighteen hours.” Since light from the twin stars had only just begun to reflect off Dorgenox’s body and hadn’t yet had time to reach the moon in question.
Jake tapped his ear and activated the ship’s speakers. “Wonderful news, Lads, no exceptional danger levels in this system. Renee, ye have no more than ninety six hours from now to get the job done, Lass. Ye should be getting data flashed to ship computers. Everyone else, stay near yer quarters, but ease yer minds.”
Renee got the data and transferred it to the fighters. She contacted her father. “We’ll be back long before then, Papa. Just keep them off our ass.”
“Aye, but keep an eye on yers and do not scan till ye are out of sight of the hive.”
“Yes, Papa.” She transferred to video screens of the four fighter pilots and their companions. “We got two Salamanders and five Keptl Trackers in the area we’re heading to. Oliver, I’ll give you one hour to learn how to fly the Flare, but then we got to sneak through the blind spot of the moon as practiced. We’ll take out the Trackers first from the air, but the Salamanders are inside our target area. Hunters, we’ll need to flush them out and deal up close if they aren’t out when we arrive.” Heads nodded. “Alright, let’s go hide behind that gas giant for that one hour.”
Oliver was last to fly out the hanger and found out quick that the Flare really was touchy. The slightest pressure in any direction was read and responded to. Flying straight wasn’t easy at first, but he gradually got the hang of it and increased speed. When going in a single direction was no problem, he floored the accelerator and everyone’s jaw dropped as he rocketed faster than they had ever seen a fighter pick up speed. It exceeded their estimations. Renee’s face was on the corner of his screen and she asked “And why are you going so fast?”
“You gave me an hour, I need every second.” He explained, face set in concentration. In no time he was on the dark side of a gigantic planet made mostly of dust and gas. He had plenty of room for trial and error so decided to not go easy. He jerked back on the stick at full throttle and the nose lifted hard, doing a loop in under a second that shot plasma in a bluish expanding ring. He jerked it left to roll and didn’t let up. Before considering fine functions he made flying look chaotic.
Steven said “Shit! Talk about durability! It doesn’t look like its taking any strain to the systems. Look at engine output. No vibrations. It may be a prototype, but damn! Galicom’s pride on superior quality shows..”
“Steven, you should be looking at Oliver.” Renee said.
“Damn, he’s enjoying it.”
“WAAHOO!!!” Oliver was alive flying like this. He was gaining control and having the time of his life. The speeds were perfect for him. He could keep up with the sudden turns and maneuvers. This fighter was much more of a challenge than all other simulations. He felt almost nothing to the forces thanks to the dampeners. He didn’t experience motion sickness even slightly though the stars were little more than streaking lines across the screen.
Jerking motions became crisper, cleaner and more smooth as the thrills lowered and he remembered why he was playing. Stopping was nearly as swift as accelerating and his mere touch made ready for impossible turns.
In the time of a half hour he flew over to the four orbiting ships, the Dorgenox long gone from visuals, and he touched the cool, clear sapphire screen displaying target range and speed of every object it flew towards. His touch brought up the faces of everyone in the cockpits. “Steven, Stone, Deegen?”
“Need something?” Stone spoke first.
“Yes. Set your cannons to simulation and team up against me in a dog fight.”
“Oh, I’m definitely up to shooting you out of the sky.” Steven’s broad grin grew and his brown eyes sparkled at the very idea.
“Three on one?” Renee walked in on the cockpit of her shuttle when she got bored watching him fool around, secretly wishing to do it too. “Good idea. Every hive has Dragoons. Even if they were a day away, they are nasty flyers. Boys, don’t hold back. Shoot Oliver down… pretend to shoot him down. My shuttle’s weapons aren’t a match for yours, nor is it built for high speed maneuverability.”
“Yes, Ma’am!” Steven was stoked to finally do something. “Setting blasters to SIM’s.”
“On my mark begin.” Stone took lead. “Three. Two. One. Mark!”
Three fighters flew and tore off after Oliver who threw the stick forward and shot down for their position since direction was meaningless in space.
Oliver cursed as his cockpit flashed red, getting shot down. Stone said “My shot.”
He flipped around and slipped between two of them and decided evading was good enough for the moment. Hunters were all excellent pilots and the three here were all aces in their own rights. They were relentless, but after about fifteen kills, they found it increasingly harder to lock onto his position. More and more he grew accustomed to evading and tricking pursuers. The Hunters then began to find themselves fatigued keeping eye contact on the randomly flying ship.
When Oliver didn’t even get clipped after five minutes he changed up tactics by how he moved and went on the offensive. In doing so, his helmet grew on and he began zipping around his friends and repeatedly taking them down, going so fast that they couldn’t coordinate a response let alone use one another as bait before his fighter flipped around and fired practically for their faces in the cockpits every time.
“Well damn, I give up. I’ve been his sixty three times in ten minutes.” Deegen admitted as he broke off from the fight.
“Lucky bastard. I told you I wanted her all to myself.” Steven did likewise along with Stone.
“Now I see why. I need to thank the captain for this beauty.”
“Already did, Lad.” Jake Dorgen’s face came up on screen. “She’ll take care of ye better than me daughter.”
“Watch it, Papa or I’ll zap your ass.”
Jake roared with laughter. He sobered quickly though. “Now that ye got control of yer very own fighter, Lad, put it to good use. Use it to keep me daughter safe and it’ll continue to be all yers. Fuck up and it is going to be taken back. Now get going and do not forget to return the cannons to lethal.”
“Understood.” A single touch on the screen switched from simulation back to actual firing capability. The Hunters all did likewise.
“Alright, we need to loop around and go in.” Jessica said as she piloted the shuttle. “Keep us up to date, Brother. Without long range scanners we’ll mostly be blind till they’re on us.”
“Ye know I will alert to any changes.”
Chapter 14
Nine hours flying on sublight engines were spent mostly in tedium silence. All the fun was long since left behind along with five planets. The tiny binary stars steadily grew as they went deeper into the system. Oliver was glad for chilled water and a urination collector for either sex to use. After reaching maximum speed they merely coasted through the endless vacuum to conserve power. They already passed the slower Dorgenox in terms of deepness, but they looped clear away so as to not be spotted. And periodic updates from the captain or Abdul showed minimal activity in the hive that would indicate an ability to attack from the inhabited moon.
Eventually the boredom went away and was replaced by the knowledge danger fast approached. Oliver took lead among the three Seeker fighters with the shuttle lingering behind till the threats were eliminated.
They slowed a great deal so atmospheric entry didn’t build up enough friction to burn into a seeming falling meteor. Alerting anything as ferocious as Keptl was a very bad idea. It was extremely dark on the moon in question, being in the shadowed side of the planet, which made it prudent not to gain any form of extra attention. Oliver said to the others “The Keptl
are spread out. I can shoot down two faster than your ships can turn. You each pick one and on my command we take them out simultaneously so whatever guides the swarm won’t realize just what happened right away.”
The Hunters flew stealthily to the signatures.
The Keptl in question were Trackers, lowest of Keptl in terms of strength and psionic sensory, but also most numerous by a wide margin. It was they who fed the hives mostly, supplying fresh meat to the ravenous horde or becoming the meat to stronger predators. They were like worker ants in a nest. Soldiers were the real ones to fear. Trackers sought food and brought it back. Oliver dipped the sharp nose of his ship down and initiated the softer, close range surface scanner which picked them up right away. Even in the dark they were found by DNA scan as well as through infrared body heat since they ran hot. Fitting considering their temperament. A rotating image of the type of Keptl type came up on screen. It was a sleek quadruped, larger than a brown bear yet shaped like a wolf without a tail, had triangular teeth like a shark and a tough exoskeleton though it wasn’t an insect. Their only attributes were great speed due to large back leg muscles, a bite able to tear through some of the hardest alloys and long claws that disembowel prey. Most of all when not swarming, they were stealthy predators. Basically anything with a pulse was considered prey for them. All Keptl were like that. It is really bad when they swarm and killing one just brings a thousand in its place.
Everyone was in position and the oblivious menaces were targeted. “Three. Two. One. Fire!”
In under a second, five Trackers were blasted apart by a short burst of light. All Keptl life signs disappeared in the area. But of all the luck, the Salamanders had returned to their nest inside a cave and didn’t sense anything that made them want to come out. “Deegen, scan the area thoroughly while the rest of us clear out the Beasts. Renee, you can come down, but don’t land till the Beasts are gone.”
“Save me some. I’m tired of Piranha every couple days.” It was the best he would get. He didn’t doubt she intended to land soon. “Variety is good you know. Oh, and be careful. I’m reading atmospheric disturbance for a gathering storm.”
Gravity manipulators made for a soundless landing in a clearing halfway up the mountain. Being closest, Steven landed first and as soon as the cockpit opened, Visor’s armored body took to the air, wings spread wide. He needed to be able to breathe too, hence armor and helmet. Oliver dropped in next, landing facing the opposite direction so their ships could fit more easily in the small landing area. He lowered the landing gear and touched down. Stone followed up, completing the front to back to front landing and like Visor, Satellite was flying.
Hot air reminding of Zerika filled the cooled cabin as Oliver exited, but lacked the oppressive humidity. He closed the lid, looking up into the cloudy sky circling a giant planet that blocked visuals, coming and building faster than expected. Winds were rather strong, rustling large leaves on trees to make for an ominous feel to the jagged landscape. Like himself, Stone and Steven had their helmets up and ready since Salamanders were no pushover.
It was Steven though who looked up touching the area located where his right ear was. “How is it looking up there?”
Deegen, slowly circled the mountain and his professional tone was mixed with genuine surprise “The captain wasn’t bringing us on a suicide mission. The mountain is a starship covered over by time and debris. Most of it is collapsed and filled in. If it were at the edge of Keptl space we could bring a full squadron to take it, but this deep would not be possible. Stealth is our only option. It is the largest ship on record, larger than the Emperor’s by fifty kilometers. Judging by the structure it could be a medium size star port, but I’m not finding any personal crafts. I’m guessing they abandoned ship when this monstrosity was doomed for a landing it couldn’t survive.”
Stone said “Keep scanning to make an ideal path for us to follow, but send me where our fire breathing friends have made their bed for the evening.”
“No need. I smell them.” Oliver said behind the helm and his stomach rumbled. “And I hunger for them nearly like the Fire Wyrm.”
“By all means,” Steven’s tone spoke of a hidden smile behind the mask. “follow your nose. Just don’t come crying if one farts and you pass out.”
“Ha ha. I fear your smelly ass more than theirs.” Oliver quipped.
“Got a point there.” Steven chuckled and made his lance extend and also took out the flail from the ring at his hip. “I sure can funk up a room.”
“Do you have a plan?” Stone asked.
“Yep. I’ll go in and draw them out. Since there are two I think you and Steven can renew yourselves over the last Salamander fiasco. Charge up and let loose when they come out to play. From the readings I studied, their cave is too small and I can’t produce a shield capable of holding back their fire breath. If I can kill them in their sleep I will, but…”
“They have an excellent sense of smell and can sense changes in the air. Even Phantoms can’t sneak up on a Salamander half the time.” Stone nodded, understanding. He drew his large hatchets and readied.
Oliver let his nose guide and followed the scent of the mouthwatering prey up the thick foliage of an untamed jungle. Despite the overall darkness, he could just barely see and the scent grew more pungent the closer they made it to the cave. The two men followed his path crashing through the windy forest.
Not even remotely winded Oliver stopped at the mouth of a well used cave that had many telltale signs of scorch marks from when Steven lifted a wrist and created a kinetic plasma ball for some added light between his fingers. Visor and Satellite swooped down to land on a nearby tree branch and not making another sound.
Without needing to be directed, Stone and Steven moved to either side of the cave mouth. They hid from sight and nodded once they were in position. It was clear Stone would get the first kill and Steven would get the second since his flail and lance combination could react to close or long range kills depending on how the creatures would react.
Cutlass sang upon release and Oliver silently stepped into the oppressive darkness. Howling wind of an approaching storm quieted in the cave. It was clearly unnatural, having a slight square shape caked in scorched stone. Additional light was given by the curved blade flickering in Oliver’s left hand. Thinking about hunting these creatures made the orange arm spike dangling around his neck weigh a little more heavily. He clearly remembered the long necked, fire breathing, winged Beasts. He remembered the spiked arms, dragonfly-like wings and a stinger that resembled a scorpion. Like most of the higher ranked Beasts, these had more than the ability to eat. They had extra physical abilities.
Caution took precedence, but no fear held him back. Hunger led him on. Their scent held powerful essence that called out to him more than any lesser Beast. It made Oliver come to understand the deadlier the creature, the more he craved to assimilate it into his very being. His hunger found worthy prey that would in turn make him stronger or would make the Beast stronger if he were slain. Either way, he could not deny it was a thrill. To find strength and to become more.
Thousands and thousands of years had changed what once was a space faring ship into something less than ruins. Nature had reclaimed what once had purpose. Here and there were the grey signs of petrified wood, revealing the ship was made much like the Dorgenox rather than out of metal or pure gemstone.
Steadily Oliver took hallways and turns, keeping to the areas that hadn’t collapsed or filled completely with debris.
A rustling sound is all that gave warning before bright orange light from flame filled the hall. Oliver turned around and jumped much like a grasshopper, met a wall and used it to spring down a free corner backwards. He tapped his ear and spoke confidently. “They found me before I got anywhere close. I’m on my way.”
“We feel the ground shaking.” Stone said.
Behind came the unmistakable sound of two different irritated roars from Beasts wanting to kill and consume whatever came
into their lair. Intruding on their territory. They half flew and ran down the oversized tunnels.
Coming around a corner Oliver moved just slow enough to make sure the Salamanders didn’t lose him. Even with all his speed, he could not get close enough to kill all alone. His suit may resist fire, but not the jaws or that stinger already moistened and dripping venom. He was fast, but not that fast in such a confined space. Add to it the wing generated by buzzing wings and he would not stand a chance. Thankfully they had a one track mind. Kill. Not smart enough to plan steps ahead. That is what made the difference.
He found the exit and said “I’m coming out in five seconds.”
At three seconds he saw the faint flickering of electricity’s glow emanating from either side of the entrance. Oliver shot out and let his blade start consuming his power, making it a beacon to focus on mostly.
Out first was a smaller, but still twice the size of an elephant Salamander and with so much momentum carrying its bulk, it never saw Stone chopping through the air and sending a thin, but sharp wave of energy which beheaded it halfway down the scale armored neck.
Number two was even larger and clearly male, but like the smaller female who slid lifelessly, it didn’t see Steven swing down his spiked flail during a jump, accurately blowing it’s head off its neck. Oliver’s needs had him stopping one rolling head with a foot as the other came to a stop thanks to a tree grouping.
His sword plunged and circled out its skull before prying it out and gaining access to the prize. It took two hands to wetly rip the brain from the spinal cord and he ate as if he was starved. Absently he watched Stone sever the stingers from each twitching corpse.
The second brain also vanished before he realized he should have saved some for Renee who just so happened to chose that time to show up scowling. “Sure, you would let me have something to sink my teeth into. And here I find you having dessert first without sharing with your woman. What kind of a provider are you?”
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