Rotek sat on the edge of her bed, munching on the steak. As she ate, she wondered if she should give the walls of her cell another thorough check. Her meal was suddenly interrupted by an announcement on the ship’s internal com.
The voice of Tarl, “Attention, prepare to repel boarders. They have breached the hull above the upper deck.”
Rotek sat the plate down on the desk and went to the dresser. She tilted it out a bit, reached behind it, and carefully retrieved the shiv which she had made from rolled up paper.
***
The body in the cockpit fought to get the ship airborne. This was difficult as it was working against the weight of the gunship that had landed on top of it. The body that manned the top turret was unable to get a shot, as it was pinned down. The body that manned the bottom turret did another sweep of the jungle around the ship but found nothing. The fourth body was in the armory with Eli, preparing for combat. The flying ones were setting up to conduct last ditch attacks with fragmentation charges.
The system that monitored the hull integrity was warning about a breach. Tarl had no doubt that a boarding device was the cause. It was boring through the top of the upper hall.
Gami and Savaa entered the bridge, lugging weapons. The body that was operating the useless bottom turret got up and took one of the guns.
Gami looked at Savaa, “What’s your plan if they get inside the bridge?”
Intensity in his voice, “To die fighting.”
“Good, don’t disappoint yourself,” with that she left.
Tarl closed and locked the door.
***
Eli left the armory, lugging a massive weapon, some kind of oversized assault rifle. One of Tarl’s butar strolled alongside him, carrying a plasma weapon. Horrible sounds as the ship tried to lift off, pushing against the weight of the craft that sat on top of it.
Eli took aim and fired, shooting massive holes in one of them as they came down the stairs. He switched targets and shot again before his comrades could return fire. A stray round blasted a hole in the wall.
“Stop destroying my ship!” Tarl bellowed as he stripped a hostile fire team of its shields, forcing them to fall back.
“My ship!” Eli corrected, dropping another foe.
It felt like the craft had managed to get airborne. The engines whined as they fought to keep the craft in the air.
Eli and Tarl were forced to fall back into the cargo hold, reloading their weapons as they did so. The enemy flooded in after them.
Something zoomed past, a dark blur. It lashed out with razor claws, severing an enemy’s hand, before bolting away.
Eli activated his com, “Everyone watch out. Looks like an animal got onboard, some kind of fast-moving predator.”
***
Gami swung the sword, the blade passing between the chest plate and the helmet. The head came off, a clean kill. She faded into the shadows. As the body fell, hail of bullets filled the air in the spot where she had been.
She heard Eli’s warning. So, there were native predators after all, or at the very least, one species. Only one species: that was an idea that concerned her. As soon as she dealt with this squad, she’d start searching for what might be the biggest threat on the planet.
***
On the bridge, Savaa stepped toward the window. More horrible sounds as the ship flew along, skimming the tops of the trees. The control panel for the door flashed and chirped.
One of Tarl’s bodies turned away from the controls, “They’re trying to get in!”
Savaa looked around the room in desperation. He spotted the button on the console that activated the ship’s internal com.
***
There it was again. Eli caught a glimpse of the creature as it attacked one of the inquisitors. Strangely, it seemed to be discharging a weapon. The thing fired as it darted around. It jumped, bounding off a wall and slashing open one of the throats of one of the red clad hunters.
Eli wondered who was crazy enough to have deployed a drone. Then he thought about the odd color choice and lack of optics he realized that it was Anara.
To Eli’s surprise, the voice of Savaa came from the ship’s speakers, “Why are you here? Why are you so far from home? Are you here because it is the right thing to do? Or are you here because someone told you to be here? Maybe you’re here because you are afraid of being called a heretic. How pathetic, dying because you were worried about being called a mean name.”
“Don’t listen to him!” one of the attackers bellowed.
“There are very few of you that actually believe. Most of you are just afraid of being called a hurtful name. Maybe I’m innocent. Maybe I’m guilty. Either way, I won’t accept your efforts. I only want to be hunted and punished by those that really believe. No one else is welcome.”
***
“Everyone, grab hold of something!” Tarl shouted.
He tilted the ship forward, as if he was about to lawn dart into the jungle below.
He released a mine, pulled back on the stick and tapped the reverse thrusters.
The mine struck the top of the enemy gunship, erupting in a ball of fire and tearing a massive hole into the hull. After a few seconds the stricken craft detached itself from Cavalier and made a beeline for a clearing.
Other gunships vectored toward them, brutish, darkly painted forms against the untouched sky. The only saving grace was that they were still out of firing range. Tarl turned the ship away, started gaining altitude.
***
Gami stuck the tip of the dagger through the gap in the armor, slid it back out coldly. The death rattle was accompanied by an agonized gargling noise. Then she focused on the thing that she believed to be Savaa’s bodyguard, Anara.
It had eight legs, four on top, four on the bottom. These were tipped with razor claws. The body was a simple rectangular shape and appeared to be built around a short-barreled rifle. A pair of twin pulse weapons were mounted on the sides.
The purple thing laid down a hellfire of energy pulses and rifle slugs. It was slowly backing up, leaping onto the walls and ceiling, hitting them from odd angles, before retreating a bit further. Gami took advantage of this, moving in to execute the wounded and those that were attempting to aid them.
As Gami was slitting another throat, a burst of gunfire struck Anara. Shattered pieces of crystalline bones popped out, scattering across the floor. A few shards and splinters stuck out of the surface of her body. Gami drew her sidearm and went to assist.
***
Eli killed his way to the top deck. He caught sight of one of them as they clambered up through a hole that had been cut in the ceiling. Charging forward, Eli followed, climbing up and on top of the ship. Lifting himself up, Eli reached out and grabbed hold of the enemy as he was still in the process of standing up.
Eli stared into the soulless optic systems, “Who is he? Why are you after him?”
Fear in the hunter’s voice, “His name is Xanten Maduika, but that isn’t who he really is.”
“Who?” Eli demanded.
“He was called Overlord Vallok. He was a tyrant. Hundreds of millions were killed by him.”
“Bullshit! He barely looks old enough to get his dick wet and you’re telling me he’s a deposed despot?”
“Not in this life. He is the reincarnation of Vallok.”
Eli laughed maniacally, let go of the soldier. He drew his pistol and casually shot him in the forehead, letting the body fall off of the ship. Turning and heading back through the hole, he spoke into the com, “Tarl, turn the ship around. We’re going on the offensive.”
