Lust transitioned back into the Leaders bedchamber, as she arrived she moved her hands out and activated her abilities. Energy flowed through her and she was able to stop the river of time from flowing. She turned to see the disgusting, monster stumbling towards his bathroom. He hadn’t seen her, part of her wished he had, as then she would have been forced to act and slaughter him.
She felt her muscles and tendons tighten, as she imagined tearing the little, rotund man limb from limb. A sardonic sneer spread over her face as she pictured his own expression, part shock and surprise, mixed with agony and terror.
She barred her eyes and forced the images from her mind. She took in slow, shallow gasps and allowed herself to calm.
“That is not who I am anymore,” She whispered, more in attempt to convince herself.
She shifted her attention to the job at hand, she saw the two children, huddled inside the cage. They were emaciated and caked in dirt and grim. They looked upon her with haunted eyes.
She edged towards them slowly, “You have nothing to fear now.” She tilted her head slightly as she studied them, they were so small, so fragile, so weak and pitiful. The wrath began again and her skin flushed. She felt her hand reach out, seeking the life force held deep within them, the souls as humans liked to call it. She could almost taste it, the delicacy of something so pure.
“NO!” she screamed, a mix of primitive pent up fury and her own guilt.
She fixed her gaze on the children, and smiled. “I’m sorry,” she pulled her hands apart and the cage dematerialized, into a cloud of dust. “Your safe now, no one will ever hurt you again,” she whispered.
She knelt down in front of the terrified minors, they stared at her with a mix of shock and horror.
“You have nothing to fear, soon all this will be nothing but a bad dream.” She shuttered her eyes and reached out towards the youngsters. They tried to cower away from her but were unable to move. Tentatively she placed her hands close to them heads and was shown the pictures of their lives. They were so disturbing and appalling that they even made her blanch, they had experienced suffering which she could barely describe.
She focused her talents and removed all the memories and pain. Leaving them only a basic framework of memories and without the burden of all they had been through.
She opened her eyes and peered down at the children. After several seconds they seemed to blink and light returned to their eyes. They looked around quickly, suddenly confused and scared.
Before Lust could speak, the little boy grabbed hold of the petite, shaking girl, his sister and shouted. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“Be still,” She replied softly. “You have nothing to fear, from me,” She edged back slowly, so as not to make the children feel as if they were cornered. Yet always keeping herself between them and the bodies that lay draped on the bed. “I will not hurt you.”
“Who are you? Where are our parents?”
She beamed softly, “My name is,” She stopped, aware suddenly of her own name and its connotations. She had never questioned it before, but now it seemed sinister and abhorrent. She sought her mind quickly and then it came to her. “My name is Elle, what are your names?”
The boy was hushed for a second, his eyes darting around the room, like a frightened rabbit. When he finally spoke his voice, was harsh and crackly, “My name is Adam and this is Evelin “
“Well it is nice to meet you both,” Elle replied. “Do you like toys?” She asked.
Evelin stared at her and answered with a reluctant, but thin grin.
“Well I am glad to hear it,” She reached her hands behind her back and the image of the toys she had seen in War’s mind returned to her. She felt them flicker into existence in her hands, the cuddly toy she had played with and the spaceship that War had. She removed the presents from behind her back and offered them to the startled youngsters.
Evelin tried to reach out for the stuffed animal, yet Adam held her back, his distrust clear.
“It’s ok Adam,” Elle grinned broadly. “Take them, it’s perfectly safe.”
She reached her hands out further, so the children could see that the toys poised them no threat, it was Evelin that grasped out first, frail, filthy hands grabbed the cuddly toy hungrily and pulled it close to her. Burying her head into its soft fur. Adam was more cautious, he took hold of the spaceship, yet he just studied it.
“Do you know our parents?” Adam enquired hesitantly.
“Something like that Adam,” Elle retorted, aware that she didn’t want to lie to the minors. “They have asked me to look after you for a time, so we will have to go away from this place.” She lowered her voice, so it was little more than a murmur, “It’s a long journey so you will fall asleep and when you awaken you will be somewhere else. However you don’t have to worry, you will be quite safe there and you will meet my friend,” She grinned, “You will like him.”
Without another word she flicked her hands slightly and the children collapsed to the ground, eyes shut and their respiration slow and steady.
She bore them in her arms and stood up, the weight was negligible to her. She strode past the bed and once again glanced over at the leader. Her desire to see him not only dead but to suffer, resurfaced, yet she battled to control her feelings. She would still need him, if she was to complete her mission.
She peered down at the two, minute children, she could feel their tiny hearts beating and she knew now that they would only live if she fought to save this place. She finally knew what she had to do, what the next part of her plan would entail.
She fastened her gaze upon the leader’s frozen, form. “You don’t realize it yet,” she whispered, “But you’re going to help me save this universe.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
THE ECLISPE ONE
Daniel stood face to face, with the darkness that twenty years ago had destroyed his life. He felt his grip tighten around the assault rifle and his finger teased the trigger.
“For twenty years I have waited to face you again,” Daniel roared as fury filled his heart.
“Who are you talking to Lone Star?” Denzel asked, never taking his eyes from the shadow, “Are you talking to the crazy fog?”
The harrowing laugh filled Daniel’s mind, “For twenty years we have sought you out,” the voice hissed. “Now instead you have come to us and we will make you our plaything, as your sister is.”
“Fuck you!” Daniel hollered.
“Fuck who?” Denzel’s enquired, his voice dripped with nervous energy. “You’re freaking me out now, Captain, if I wasn’t freaked out enough already.”
He didn’t reply, instead he simply glared towards the gloom, as it continued its primal dance, toying with them, like a cat encircling a wounded bird.
“You don’t scare me anymore,” Daniel spat, hatred laced within every syllable. “FIRE!” he bellowed.
He depressed the trigger on his weapon. It thundered in his hands and he watched the bullets tear across the corridor. He didn’t witness the impacts, he knew that they would be unable to kill this entity, certainly not with what they had. Once his magazine was expended, he let the rifle drop and hang at his waist. While he reached to the intricate webbing on his chest.
He turned to Denzel, “Light’em up Killer!” he snarled.
Denzel answered by unleashing another round of flame, which ripped towards the shadow. When it got close, Daniel drew out the small barrier grenade and pulled the pin. It began to vibrate gently inside his hand, he held it for three seconds and then let it fly. The small black cylinder hurtled through the air, slowly it became encompassed by what at first seemed like blue fire, but soon could be seen to be electricity.
“Barrier,” Daniel shouted, as he hunkered down and turned away.
Behind him the grenade detonated, just after the wall of fire, it spread what seemed like a web of electrical energy, that appeared to fix itself to every surface, and then it began to pulse.
Daniel
glanced over at the blockade, of what seemed like living azure flames.
“A barrier grenade, where the hell did you get that?” Denzel asked.
“Let’s just say I have my sources.”
“Yeah right,” Denzel chuckled. “You definitely stole it.”
Daniel shot him a smile, “They were just lying around.” The barrier grenades were a present from the Sci-corp, they incorporated, stasis technology and quantum mechanics, all of which was basically lost on him. What he did know was that they were strong, could stop just about anything and they cost about as much as he would make in his lifetime. Hopefully it would be able to hold back the bleakness and at least buy them enough time to get off this colossus.
“It won’t buy us long,” He exclaimed. “We have to move, now.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice, Captain.”
Daniel swung round, crested the corner and began to run along the passageway. Run was probably the wrong word, as in the bulky space suit it was more of a swift waddle.
“EMERGENY, EMERGENCY. REACTOR NOW REACHING CRITICAL LEVELS. UNDER SCI-CORP DIRECTIVE ALPHA, CHARLIE, FOXTROT, THREE, ALL SECURE LABRATORIES ARE NOW BEING JETISONED. ALL CREW MUST REACH MINIMUM SAFE DISTANCE, REACTOR MELTDOWN NOW IN FIVE MINUTES.”
He felt the ground quake below his feet, somewhere far off he heard ancient, rusted metal, screech out.
“Christ I hope this old girl can just hold together,” He whispered.
It took what seemed like hours to reach the airlock, where they had first entered this eerie, leviathan, yet it had been little more than minutes. He turned to his left and found himself in a small access corridor, steam was pumping out of fissured pipes. He pushed through the spray and was greeted by the wolf. It began to howl, its tongue moving excitedly and its tail thrashing.
“Hey there boy,” He beamed.
“Let’s save the bonding for when we’re actually off this ship, Lone Star, or we’re all going to be glowing in dark.” Denzel retorted as he pressed past him.
Daniel set off and found, Kelly and Hollis just ahead.
“What took you so long?” Hollis asked nervously.
“You know, crazy living fog, straight out of hell, just the usual.” Denzel shot him a smirk.
“How we looking Geek?” Daniel queried as he shifted his attention to the bank of escape pods.
Kelly had her tracker hooked up to the third pod, and looked like she was desperately trying to jerry rig it back to life. “The first two are dead, am just trying to get this one up and running.”
Before Daniel could reply the shrill computerised voice came again, more garbled now as obviously the speakers around them had deteriorated. “EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY. REACTOR AT CRITICAL LEVELS, ALL PERSONNEL MUST REACH MINIMUM SAFE DISTANCE, REACTOR MELTDOWN NOW IN TWO MINUTES.”
“That voice is challenging my calm.” Denzel spat.
“Geek how we looking?” Daniel asked passionately, as he rushed next to Kelly, “I don’t want to put any more pressure on you, but our lives are quite literally in your hands.”
Kelly didn’t look at him or take her eyes from the tracker, as her finger tore over the keypad. “Yeah no pressure,” she whispered.
“Yeah no pressure,” Daniel laughed.
“Yeah two minutes left to live, could be worse.” Hollis added, and then began to chuckle himself.
“Dying on a fucking ghost ship, just my luck,” Denzel spluttered, trying to hold his own amusement in.
“You guys are not helping,” Kelly exclaimed, before yelling, “Shit yes, who’s your daddy?”
Abruptly a green light began to flare above the escape pod and the door, slid open with a whoosh of escaping air.
Daniel beamed, “Now that’s some fine work Geek, I’ll see you basically get all the medals for that.”
“Yeah and the beers are on us for the rest of your life,” Denzel proclaimed, slapping Kelly gently on the back.
“Damn right,” Kelly chided, as she yanked her tracker away from the exposed cables and held it aloft like some kind of trophy.
“Right, who wants to get off this,” Was all Daniel was able to say before the scream began.
He spun round, to see the shadow, floating through the water vapour, red eyes aflame, it snaked forward and sought them out. He beheld it to be like a thousand clawed fingers were reaching out towards him.
“NO!” he bawled, as he brought up his weapon and depressed the trigger. It boomed in his hand like some ancient warrior, unleashing rounds of white hot metal along the hallway. “Get out of here!” He shouted, pushing Kelly into the escape pod.
Denzel released a torrent of flame, which rolled past Daniel and into the darkness. The creature or creatures squealed, it was something so ghastly and bestial that it made his stomach turn over.
Daniel ejected the empty magazine from his gun and fumbled to find another one. As he edged back towards the safety of the doorway, he arched to see Hollis and then Denzel pour into the cramped interior.
He twisted back to face the enemy, once again he was a boy, clutching the tiny teddy bear to his chest. Terror and panic stretched out into his guts like the roots of a tree, making their home within it. He knew that he could make it to the escape pod, but if he did, so would the gloom. He smirked, after twenty years, death had finally caught up with him. He turned and took one final, brief look inside the confined pod, his troops were shouting and beckoning to him.
“No one is left behind,” he sighed.
He hit the release button and watched the door slam shut, through the tiny porthole he witnessed flames as the emergency pod jettisoned from the ship.
He spun back and faced the bleakness.
“For twenty years I have been waiting to face you.” His voice secure, his eyes fastened on the undulating, darkness.
The voice came again, mocking and taunting him. “We thought you might try to run, however you have chosen to stay, we are grateful, we were tired of waiting for you. Your sister will be grateful too, she has been lonely here with just us.”
“Well I’m here now you motherfucker!” Daniel yelled as he began to fire, round after round bore into the shadow, dark, viscous blood splattered over the walls of the corridor, yet it kept coming unbowed by the onslaught. He took one hand from his weapon, pulled the thermal grenade from his webbing and placed his thumb over the arming button.
The gloom seemed to pause, as if it somehow it sensed the explosive. Then he glanced down and saw the wolf was still with him. He wished the animal could have escaped this place with his troops, but at least this evil would not get either of them, he would make sure of that.
“It’s ok boy,” he whispered. “Don’t worry we’re getting off this ship,” his thumb gently drifted over the control and he began to push it down serenely. He wasn’t afraid anymore, he was ready to face whatever was to come next.
Abruptly the wolf strode in front of him, its body held high on its haunches, its fur darkened by the wisps of vapour. It began to howl, quietly at first and then gradually getting louder until, Daniel thought his eardrums might actually explode, then his world was filled with light and he heard his sister’s voice once again.
“Not today, Brother.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Peter sat lethargically in the command chair and gazed at the tactical display. They had little over two minutes before the Eclipse one’s reactor went critical, although the Troy was shielded and could probably survive the impact, he didn’t like the idea of hanging around to find that out. Not after he had worked so hard to gain this mighty prize for the Sci-corp.
“Marine,” he spat, turning to Jasmine. “How are our jump preparations going?” His voice was cold and devoid of even the most basic human emotion.
Jasmine favoured him with a thin smile, “Jump beam is almost ready commander, and coordinates have been laid in.”
“Very good,” he sneered. He had hoped to return to his Sci-Corp master’s with a worthy prize like the Eclipse one, yet the
surviving marines who had boarded the ancient hulk and this destroyer would have to be good enough. He wasn’t a religious zealot like some of those, who had betrayed Earth. Force, he was just playing the numbers game, like he always did. The Sci-Corp was going to win this war and he wanted to be on the victorious side. Of course the small fortune they had offered him, certainly didn’t hurt, it would enable him to finally live out the life that he had always fantasied about. To quench the morbid desires that lingered within his darkened soul.
At a more basic level, it could be said that he also just wanted to survive. After all isn’t that the most elementary human desire, to simply endure. He leered at Jasmine, perhaps they would even give him her as a reward.
“Escape pod detected,” A voice barked.
Peter peered at the tactical board and saw the tracking signal of an escape pod, which had jettisoned from the Eclipse One.
“Signals?” he shouted.
“We have marine trackers, three of them,” Jasmine retorted, as she studied the holographic screen meticulously. “Definitely part of our team.”
Peter laughed, “Good, more for Sci-corp to play with, prepare the stasis beam, they can ride that through the Jump beam.”
“Another escape pod,” Jasmine exclaimed.
Peter stood up and strode towards the tactical display, “signals from that one?”
Jasmine visibly shuddered when he came to stand next to her, which he enjoyed and when she spoke her tone was awkward. “We have one final marine signal, and also something strange,” her voice trailed off as she studied the readout. “One more reading, it might be an animal of some kind.”
“Excellent!” Peter exclaimed, as he slapped his hands together eagerly. “I want that one as well.”
He turned and sauntered back to his perch, “How long, until that reactor hits critical?”
A disembodied voice replied meekly, “thirty seconds commander.”
The First Dawn (The Sci-Corp War Saga Book 1) Page 23