The Key

by Brian Fisher

  Chapter 28

  Wind buffeted the tiny ship as it slipped into the atmosphere. Smoke filled the sky. The ship descended quickly and searched for a clear space to land.

  At the far edge of the city, just above the lapping waves of the ocean was a hanger. It sat open, completely deserted. A few large rusted crates were scattered about the floor, but they left ample room to land the small ship. A wrecked cargo hauler sat in the far corner, never to fly again. Lights that were imbedded in the ceiling flickered on and off sporadically, never in the same pattern.

  The ship hovered for a moment in the center of the hanger then lowered its landing gear and settled easily on its three feet. A hatch on the side of the ship spiraled open. After a brief moment, a ramp extended out, then lowered the end to the floor.

  In the center of the hatch appeared a mammoth creature, easily twice the size of a man. It walked on all fours and was covered in thick rust brown fur. The eyes, set deep in the feline face, seemed to glow a bright yellow in the semi darkness. Paws the size of a man’s head connected the powerful legs and shoulders to the ground.

  The cat's grace and agility belied its size as it loped down the ramp. Upon reaching the bottom, the cat pawed a few discarded items, and then sat patiently at the base of the ramp. A low growl rumbled out of the deepest part of the cat’s throat.

  "Brutus you can wait for one more minute. I'll be right there." the deep baritone voice came from the airlock on the other side of the hatch. A couple of loud monotone chirps came from the hatch a moment before Corin Dante stepped out of his ship.

  He wore a tattered, but repaired olive drab jump suit and a pair of worn old boots. A pistol belt, holding a heavy pistol, hung crooked across his slender hips. Dark hair and a fierce smile dominated his sharp eyes and hawk like features. His lightly tanned skin made his age difficult to determine.

  "All right Brutus, let's do this." he said to the cat as he walked down the ramp. When he reached the end the ramp, it lifted and retracted into the ship. The large cat quickly fell into step next to Corin as he walked across the hanger toward an open door at the far end.

  The air in the hanger was cool with a touch salt from the vast ocean just outside the door. Darkness greeted Corin on the other side of the door. He closed his eyes and quietly accessed one of his cybernetic implants. Instantly a green tinted low light amplified image of the corridor appeared before him. Half a dozen doors hung ajar on either side of the hallway. Most of the rooms looked to be offices of one sort or another.

  Corin gripped the handle of his pistol. The grip felt cool against his sweaty palm.

  "Brutus, stay alert." Corin cautiously made his way down the hall. The moist air from the failing air circulators caused his jumpsuit to stick to his back. A faint blue light flashed in the distance, as a live wire arced against grounded metal. Brutus growled.

  "What is it buddy?" Corin drew his pistol from its holster. Corin instinctively scanned the hallway, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing showed in his display.

  Brutus crouched, ready to spring in any direction. The muscles in his powerful shoulders tensed. His ears flattened back against his massive skull. A faint clicking noise started in the ceiling, approaching them from the far end of the hall. Corin braced him against the wall, and tracked the noise with his pistol. The hair on the back of Brutus' neck stood on end.

  The clicking overhead stopped, barely a meter from Corin. His muscles started to ache from keeping his aim steady on the noise in the ceiling. The sound of rending metal filled the hallway. Brutus spun to face the new threat coming from behind. A gash had been ripped in the wall opposite Corin, only a handful of meters away. The rip started at the floor and was nearly a meter and a half high. Bright red reptilian eyes peered out of the gash.

  Brutus stepped cautiously toward the eyes. They blinked as the cat came closer. Brutus stopped a few meters away from the rip in the wall. A loud, high-pitched shriek erupted from the ceiling, less than a meter from Corin. The metal ceiling buckled, then shredded before a creature dropped to the floor. Corin fired as the ceiling shredded, but missed the creature as it fell.

  Bright red eyes, set deep in the reptilian face, just above the snout, focused on Corin. The creature stood on two legs, with two muscular arms that ended in clawed hands. Short, powerful hind legs ended in large three toed feet with massive, razor sharp claws. Long curved fangs lined the jaws, both upper and lower, with the lower jaw split lengthwise down the middle. Large nostrils sniffed the air, as if testing for fear.

  Corin steadied his aim and fired again as the second hunter burst through the wall. His second shot burst through the center of the hunter’s chest, leaving a gaping hole. The creature staggered, and then regained its balance. Sinew and bone coalesced out of nothingness and healed the wound in the space of a breath.

  "Oh no." Corin whispered. The creature reared back its head. Rows of razor sharp teeth lined the upper jaw. The bottom jaw split in two, revealing more teeth as the hunter screamed.

  Mouth open, the beast charged Corin. The hunter’s hands slashed through the air. The dewclaw from its right hand shot out and grazed Corin’s upper arm as he dove out of the way. He rolled into a crouch and fired at the charging beast. His shot penetrated the hunter in the roof of the mouth and exploded out the back of its head. Blood and brain matter splattered the hallway before the hunter fell lifeless to the floor.

  Brutus snarled at the Ta'Reeth hunter. The smaller creature snapped its three jaws open and closed repeatedly. Its gaze never left the big cat as they circled each other in the corridor.

  The hunter leapt, talons outstretched at the cat. Brutus sidestepped, barely avoiding the vicious attack. A massive paw slashed out, threatening to crush whatever it met. The hunter dodged to the side, slashing the meat on Brutus' left ribs. Brutus yelped in pain.

  "Brutus, move so that I can shoot that thing!" Corin yelled.

  A vicious snarl erupted from the massive cat as Brutus bared his fangs. He circled the hunter, searching for an opening. The hunter glanced at Corin. Brutus lunged at the beast, and with one powerful swipe, separated the creature's head from its shoulders. The head cracked against the far wall while the body crumpled to the floor.

  "Come on buddy, let's get out of here." Corin said as he gently started cleaning the big cats wound.