by Anna Carven
The Human nodded attentively. His right eye twitched every now and then, due to some sort of nervous tic. Whatever General Tarak had said to him had intimidated him enough that he’d become nicely biddable. “Wh-what do you want me to say?”
“Tell them there is a Xargek infestation on the station. Warn them not to leave their rooms. If Xargek larvae are encountered, they can be killed with heavy blows from a blunt object, with stabbing from a penetrating instrument, or with shots from those electrical bolt weapons your people seem to carry. If in doubt, run. If an adult Xargek is encountered, run at all costs. The latter are recognizable by their significant height and long, powerful foreclaws. Do not underestimate the adults. They will kill in a heartbeat.”
Kalan took another bite of his highly concentrated protein-mix. He needed to feed his nanites, otherwise they would absorb back into his bloodstream and start to consume his own muscle.
The color drained from Emin’s face. “Is that all?” His voice was hoarse.
“No.” Kalan stood as he finished his protein-mix, lifting his plasma cannon and strapping it to his back. “Order all peacekeepers to assemble in the dock.”
“For what reason?”
“None of your concern,” Kalan replied, as he activated his comm. “You on the way, Nythian?”
“Almost there, Kal,” the other warrior replied, speaking Kordolian. “My turn to supervise the Human, huh?”
“He’s their authority figure.” Kalan did a quick mental check of his arsenal. Along with the plasma cannon, he had two longswords strapped to his back, a selection of short throwing daggers and two fully recharged plasma guns. Callidum blades at close range were the best way to kill any adult Xargek, hence the longswords. “If we have him under control, we have the station under control. The peacekeepers won’t go against his orders, not yet, at least.” Kalan really didn’t want to start making an example of peacekeepers at this stage. It was better for them all if the Humans stayed in line. “Remember your basic colonization training. Go for the top, then they’ll all fall into line, at least temporarily. Takes a lot for most alien species to willfully go against their conditioning. That’s how societies are built, Nythian.”
“Well, aren’t you the closet philosopher?” The other Kordolian sounded mildly surprised.
“Nah,” Kalan said gruffly. “I’ve just fucked over too many planets, that’s all. You weren’t with us in the early days. We used to have to do a lot of this kind of thing, and believe me when I tell you that the way we’re going about it now is tame compared to some of the things we’ve done.” There was a dark undercurrent to Kalan’s voice.
“I hear you, brother,” Nythian said cautiously. They all knew of Kalan’s dark moods; of the nightmares that plagued him from time to time, with no discernible rhyme or reason.
Half the time, Kalan didn’t even know what they were about.
It frustrated him that out of all of them, he was the only one who seemed to be afflicted by this weakness.
Fucking night terrors.
“I’m almost there, Kal,” Nythian informed him. “See you in a siv.”
“Yeah.” Kalan terminated the comm, turning his attention back to the Station Boss.
Emin stared at him with barely disguised horror, even though he would’ve had no idea what they’d been talking about. Kalan found a shred of pity in his black soul and nodded towards a collection of beverages lined up on a sleek cabinet. “Pour yourself a drink, Station Boss,” he suggested. “It’s going to be a long shift for you.”
The Human stared at him in disbelief, before his eyes flicked longingly towards an amber liquid stored in a clear bottle. Kalan waved his hand. “Go on.” It was good, apparently, to intersperse threats with random acts that might be perceived as kindness.
It kept the prisoners off-guard.
Emin walked across to the cabinet and poured himself a drink, his hand trembling slightly as he tipped the amber liquid into a low glass. Kalan caught a whiff of something acrid and potent. He decided that whatever Emin was drinking was probably poisonous to his kind.
Soft footsteps alerted Kalan to Nythian’s entry. The younger Kordolian was in full battle-gear, but as he entered he respectfully retracted his helmet, acknowledging Kalan with a slight tip of his head.
Although they were all trained to operate autonomously, and therefore regarded each other as equals, Kalan was the most experienced member of the First Division after General Tarak, and as a result, he was the unofficial second-in-command.
That was their interpretation.
Kalan hated the mantle of authority. He wore it when he had to, when it was absolutely necessary, but he preferred to hunt alone.
Tarak was good at the authority shit. Kalan preferred to work behind the scenes.
“Something’s going down in the Human residential sector,” Nythian said quietly, as he reached Kalan’s side. “I think the Xargek might have claimed their first Human victim.”
“Where?” Instantly, irrationally, thoughts of Jia sprang into Kalan’s head. For his own selfish reasons, he decided he’d locate her, just to check on her, nothing more.
“Fourth quadrant is what they call it. Below the loading dock. I was on my way to check it out when you called.”
“I’ll go.” Kalan glanced at Emin, who downed a large mouthful of his drink, before pouring himself another glass. “Let me know if the Human tries anything stupid. Don’t kill him.”
“Naturally.” Nythian pulled a chair and made himself comfortable, laying his large twin swords on the plush, carpeted floor. Emin eyed both of them warily. “I’m not some trigger-happy recruit, Kal.” He pointed at Emin, motioning for him to sit. The Human nodded, taking the glass and bottle with him. “Nah. The Human and me here are going to get to know each other, and he’s going to tell me all about that bizarre green-and-blue planet of his.”
“That remote backwater called Earth?” To Kalan, it was just another planet, no different to the hundreds they’d seen and conquered.
“Planetology’s my thing, didn’t you know that, boss?” Nythian grinned as the Human slid back into his seat, an expression of mild terror on his face.
“Just don’t let him poison himself,” Kalan growled, eyeing the Human’s foul smelling drink with suspicion. “We need him at least half-conscious so he can issue commands.”
“Noted, boss,” Nythian said wryly, as Kalan left the room, thinking of a certain dark-haired Human female. He would check on her, that’s all. He’d check to see that she was safe, then he’d move on.
For some reason that Kalan couldn’t quite understand, he felt responsible for her. Protective of her.
It was the first time he had felt this way about any being, alien or Kordolian.
A Human?
Ridiculous.
He would go down to the fourth quadrant, make sure she was safe, then get back to what he did best.
Fighting. Killing. Destruction.
He was a hardened warrior, but even worse, he was an aberration, his body changed beyond anything the Goddess would have ever intended.
Such tender emotions weren’t meant for monsters like him. Kalan had realized a long time ago that there were some things in this life that he’d never have.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The screams started just as Jia was about to enter her quarters, just after the second lockdown announcement had come over the speakers. The announcement, delivered by a strangely subdued sounding Station Boss Emin, had included a chilling warning about the Xargek. Obviously, the Kordolians had gotten to him.
Jia raised her palm above the door-panel as the dull grey doors of her tiny capsule room beckoned to her, offering her a place of safety and solitude. Part of her wanted to retreat into her warm bed and binge on her favorite Netcom series.
Escapism was the best escape, especially when your mining station was being overrun by aliens.
She froze, torn between the temptation to retreat into her cozy little pod, and the natur
al instinct that urged her to go and help her fellow Human.
But what could she, a girl with a freeze-stick, do against a whole room full of flesh-eating Xargek? By the time she froze one, the rest would jump her, and then she’d be no good to anyone.
Fucking peacekeeper. He should have listened to her.
Jia sighed, stomping down the corridor, heading in the opposite direction. She wasn’t going to go in there alone and try to save him, because she didn’t want to die. There was no point in her getting overpowered by Xargek and both of them dying. No, she was going to call for help. She was going to go and find the rest of his peacekeeper team, and they could try and kill the Xargek. With bolt-guns.
Dull thuds echoed down the passageway. They were the sounds of a bolt-gun being discharged in close quarters. The thuds were followed by muffled shouts.
Jia started to run, her silky pink robes flapping around her feet.
She sprinted towards the infirmary, because that’s where the other peacekeepers would have taken the injured woman.
She pumped her legs, breathing heavily as she rounded a corner, the freeze-gun held tightly against her chest.
She skidded to a halt, her fluffy slippers making her slide across the polished floor, as a dark shadow loomed before her.
“Oh, shit!” she cried, as large gloved hands wrapped around her shoulders, slowing her down.
She ran into a wall of solid muscle.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Kalan glowered down at her. “What are you doing, Hu-”
Jia grabbed one of his wrists. “No time. Follow me,” she said, sounding breathless. It was a gamble; he could easily fob her off, but someone’s life was at stake here.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he growled. He probably wasn’t used to being pushed around by anyone.
Jia stared up at him, taking in his fearsome expression, the huge-cannon thing strapped to his back, and the twin hilts of the Callidum swords that rose above his shoulders.
The whole package said: Do. Not. Mess. With.
What the hell are you doing, Jia Morgan?
If she stopped to think about it, fear would paralyze her. There wasn’t time for that. She started to pull the warrior in the opposite direction. “Please, Kalan,” she urged. “There’s a room back there that’s full of Xargek, and we need your help. You know we can’t fight them as effectively as you.”
Did this hardened Kordolian warrior even care if Humans got hurt or killed? If he didn’t want to go, there was no way in hell she’d be able to get him to budge.
But to her intense relief, he began to walk, shaking off her grip with a light flick of his wrist.
“Where are they?” he asked darkly, allowing Jia to walk beside him.
“Follow me,” she replied, all too aware of his intense gaze.
Suddenly, she felt self-conscious.
If the situation wasn’t so serious, Jia might have found it comical. Actually, it was ridiculous. Here she was, in her favorite silky pink gown and fluffy slippers, walking alongside a Kordolian warrior in full battle-kit. She was a bunny walking alongside a wolf.
And right now, the wolf was scrutinizing her with his beautiful jewel-colored eyes.
He had such beautiful eyes, set in a face that was as hard as stone.
She must be going nuts, to think such a thing at a time like this. She looked away, feeling ridiculous as they increased their speed, Jia taking the lead as they headed towards the shower room.
The screaming had stopped.
Everything was eerily silent.
She led Kalan right to the door of the shower room and any fear she had of those terrible Xargek disappeared, because this Kordolian was by her side, and she knew he could handle them with ease.
“In there?” He drew one of the short guns he kept holstered at his side.
Jia nodded. Kalan slapped his hand on the door-panel, but nothing happened.
“Doesn’t recognize your bio-sig,” she said, pushing his hand away. Alongside his big, black-armored fingers, her hands looked almost delicate, although Jia thought of her hands as rough mechanic’s hands.
Her nails were chipped, and there were calluses on her palms and fingers.
Jia slapped the door-panel and the twin doors slid open. Kalan stepped in front of her, gently pushing her to the side. “Stay here,” he said softly, “and close the doors behind me.”
“There’s a Human in there,” Jia said. “Please try and save him, not kill him.”
Kalan raised a pale eyebrow and gave her a cryptic grunt. A Xargek larvae skittered through the open doors. Jia flinched as Kalan drew one of the long swords from his back and impaled it faster than she could blink.
Its legs twitched as yellow liquid started to pool around it.
Jia had no idea if Kalan cared whether Jones would live or die, but right now, he was their best chance of defeating the Xargek, and the peacekeeper’s best chance of survival.
If he was still alive.
“Close the doors,” Kalan said ominously, as he crossed the threshold. Then, he disappeared from sight.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The room was hot and humid, and the putrid stench of spilled Xargek hemolymph was everywhere. Even with the protection of his helm, Kalan could smell it. The foul Xargek-stench mingled with a metallic scent, which he recognized as the smell of Human blood.
Kalan kicked a Xargek larva that was in the process of trying to attach itself to his leg, sending it flying. He pulled his other sword from its sheath and started the dirty work of killing larvae, impaling, slashing and slicing. In close quarters, Callidum blades worked best.
Kalan moved swiftly, not allowing any of the Xargek to touch him. They kept coming, and he kept slaughtering them. There were hundreds of the vile creatures, moving chaotically around the room. In one corner, the floor was thick with them. Kalan saw a barely moving figure on the floor.
A Human.
To the unaware, a single Xargek larva might seem like a nuisance; a trivial irritation, an inferior life-form that could be easily killed. But when there were hundreds of them, one could easily be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Once they dug their fangs into a body, they could latch on with debilitating force, and if they found a main artery, death could come quickly.
Kalan’s exo-armor protected him from the Xargek, but not everyone had virulent Callidum-impregnated nanites coursing through their body. The impenetrable armor Kalan called upon was a construct of nano-particles, fused together to form a flexible, impossibly tough outer layer.
The armor protected him now, as the Xargek, attracted to his heat signature, tried to latch onto him. Kalan strode over to the quivering pile in the corner and started to skewer Xargek with absolute precision, aiming for the soft spot where the head joined the neck before the body disappeared under the carapace.
As Xargek started to topple, he realized there was a body underneath, just as Jia had told him there would be.
A Human male.
Several Xargek had latched onto him properly, their vicious fangs embedded deep in his flesh. Kalan couldn’t even tell if he was still alive, or if the Xargek had sucked him dry.
Why should it matter, anyway? This was a Human, an inferior species. Kalan didn’t know him; he didn’t have any ties to him.
But he remembered Jia’s wide-eyed request.
Please try and save him.
How could he resist her, when she looked at him that way, completely unafraid and trusting?
As if she had faith in him.
And if he didn’t attempt to rescue the Human, he knew she would be disappointed.
With a grunt, Kalan impaled another larva on his sword, and then another, and another, like pieces of lamperk meat on a rikshash stick. He kicked them off and narrowed in on the Human.
From what Kalan could see, the Human was curled up in a ball on the floor, several Xargek feeding directly from him. He wore the attire of a peacekeeper, down to the cumbersome white helmet.
Pale fingers curled around a bolt-gun, but the Human wasn’t moving.
Kalan flicked his wrists, clearing the hemolymph and gunk off his black blades, before sheathing them.
This was about to get messy.
He waded into the Xargek mess, grabbing the insects with his gloved hands and yanking them off the Human, flinging them away. The fangs of the insects remained embedded in the man’s flesh, but at least he was no longer losing as much blood.
Some of the Human’s strange metallic red blood had pooled on the floor, creating a warm slick around Kalan’s feet.
Growing frustrated, he picked up the Human and dragged him away from the swarm of larvae. The Human’s primitive bolt-gun clattered to the floor. He was unconscious, and fading fast.
Kalan ripped the last of the Xargek from the Human’s body. The fangs of the Xargek larvae pierced through the thin armor that shielded his chest and arms, leaving twin puncture marks in the stiff material.
Kalan lifted the Human in both arms and took him away from the seething mass of black creatures.
He reached the doors, Xargek larvae spilling around his feet. Grabbing the Human’s limp hand, he slapped it against the door-panel, exiting the room as the twin doors slid open.
Dozens of Xargek swarmed through the opening before Jia lunged for the outside door-panel. She hit it and the doors slammed shut, crushing several Xargek between them.
There were other Humans in the corridor now. Their uniforms identified them as medics and peacekeepers.
“What the hell?” One of them strode over to him, taking in his comrade’s near-death state. His dark eyes blazed with hatred and mistrust.
“Take him,” Kalan said grimly. “He’s on the brink.” Any more blood loss, and the Goddess would be welcoming him into her dark embrace. A stretcher appeared and a sea of gloved, sterile hands swept the injured Human away, out of Kalan’s arms and onto a stretcher, which was whisked down the corridor.
A yelp from Jia reminded him some Xargek had escaped into the passageway. She danced around as the black fiends went for her bare ankles.