| The Hunters� Chapter Twenty-One In a desolated area far away from where the six were, the three E.C.M. shuttles slowly landed. Soot and dust was scattered around until all engines finally stopped. A high pitched whine sounded through the area followed by three explosions. The bay doors to the shuttles fell off � the army of E.C.M. enforcers filed out of the ships and stood in military formations. �It has been determined that the prisoners we seek have in fact escaped here. Although this world is a big place � there are only a few places that their fragile species could survive. All reports say that their ships crashed in the ruins of what was once called New York.� The leading C�an E.C.M. commented. �As he said, there are only a handful of places that they could survive � and even then � not for a great deal of time. the radiation from the wars and the lack of ozone would cook anything living in a matter of minutes. The only place they could possibly go to escape � is down.� The leading Kjoranan E.C.M. added. �The time for talk has ended. No one is to leave this planet until those fugitives have been executed. The doors to the shuttles were purposely blown so that nothing living could use them for any means of escape. Go now and destroy!� the leading Storg E.C.M. concluded. All of the remaining E.C.M. enforcers shouted out �Sir � yes sir!� and raced towards the distant ruins of New York. The three that had spoken to the army remained and watched until the others had vanished from sight. �The masters will commence shelling of this pathetic orb within two hours. We shall take the ships and make sure that we aren�t caught in the crossfire.� The Kjoranan E.C.M. stated. The others nodded and returned to their ships. Within seconds the three ships flew away from the plain and vanished into the sky. *** At that moment at the Archive, the six had returned. They had gotten a short distance away before they realized that they had forgotten the translating devices. Oddly enough, as soon as they had put the translating units on, their bodies somehow absorbed them. �This language barrier will be a huge problem between our peoples.� Sie commented. �Only if we let it.� Motun replied. the others were going to comment when an alarm began to sound. They were about to ask Gee or Grey what was going on when a monitor activated. �Proximity alarm! Proximity alarm! Army of intruders approaching from northern districts. ETA until arrival � ten minutes.� A computer sounded. They all looked at each other and tried to think of who would come to this world let alone this area � then they all tensed up � they knew � the Watchers. �I guess it�s show time.� Grey commented. �Army? I thought there were only two Watchers.� Samona commented. �Maybe C�antora?� Sie suggested. �No � couldn�t be. anything living would die in this type of environment.� Motun answered. The group tried to think of what kind of army could survive in such a place � as if the collective thought the same thing � all tensed up. �Kjoranan�� Tauhn muttered. �C�an�� Sie added. �Storg�� Gee concluded. �If those godlike creatures are in fact machines � it is possible that these Watchers mass produced them. so what do we do now? Try to take down an army of things that our armies couldn�t?� Grey asked. �We don�t have any other real choice. Whether we fight three or three thousand � we still have to go through them to get to the Watchers. Stay here if you must � in the name of the sacred apostles � I will end their madness!� Sie commented. Before the others could respond, his wings swished out and he flew away. �Sie!� Samona called out. �We have to hurry. Those monsters will cut him down.� Tauhn added. He rushed out with his lance arm ready. The others shook their heads and followed after the two that sought to stop an army by themselves. *** A short while later, Sie exited from the tunnels and found himself in the center of what used to be a busy intersection. There was nothing around the former Insectorr except the sound of hundreds of beings heading his way. �Great apostles. I know that peace is the way � but I fear that to get this peace � we must first end this war. Apostles forgive me for what I must do.� Sie stated. He knelt down and began to quietly chant. Seconds later, Tauhn emerged from the what was left of a subway entrance. Where did that bug take off to? He asked himself. He quickly looked around until he saw where the bug was praying. Tauhn shook his head. This was a war � not a chapel. Only strength would win the battle � not faith. He was about to rush over to where he was when he saw dozens of Kjoranan E.C.M. enforcers charging forward. �Kjoranan�� he muttered. As a youth, he remembered seeing one of those beasts rip through an entire village. Despite the fact that he was no coward, he felt himself taking a step back. He then remembered why they were here. �If a holy bug can stand up to those things�� he muttered as he hurried over to where Sie was. All of the Kjoranan stopped when they saw the two creatures. They did not look like the creatures they were sent to kill. �These don�t look like fugitives from the three worlds.� One of them stated. �Creatures born of evil�� Sie muttered quietly. In his mind he could remember all of the suffering caused by C�an � he remembered the pain and death caused by the C�antaris � he then realized that these creatures were causing such pain to one of the other worlds. Tauhn looked over and could see that the Insectorr�s body was now trembling with rage. �Prepare to meet your maker!� Sie shouted. He leaped up and flew towards the metal creatures before him. before he could get close, the Kjoranan legion raised one arm and pointed it at the charging target. A secret gun popped out. Tauhn watched as hundreds of shots blasted right through the bug�s body and sent him recoiling back. Tauhn looked down and saw all of the holes in Sie�s body. �Surrender or meet his fate!� a Kjoranan ordered. Tauhn looked down at Sie and could barely believe what he was seeing. All of the holes in the bug�s body were slowly beginning to heal. That formula didn�t just affect our skin � it completely changed our bodies. He thought. within seconds, Sie began to stir. He looked up and saw Tauhn looking down at him. �That � that didn�t hurt.� Sie commented in mild disbelief. �Show off.� Tauhn muttered. the two slowly got up. The Kjoranan took a step back. They had shot that silver bug enough times to kill ten times his number � yet here he was slowly beginning to get up. �I believe you boys were saying something about giving up? Allow me to give you my answer�� Tauhn growled. The two charged towards the mildly startled attackers. Tauhn concentrated � his lance arm quickly extended and smashed through the chest and out through the back of a Kjoranan. �Now � who is showing off?� Sie asked humorously. Tauhn would have replied but the rest of the Kjoranan attacked. But nothing seemed to work. They shot at them, the holes healed. They cut them in half � they reformed. No matter what they tried, the aliens seemed to take it and continue to get up. On the other hand, the Kjoranan were no where near as lucky. Every attack that the two landed seemed to do extreme damage to them. one hit took the head off one Kjoranan. Another such attack cut the Kjoranan in half. Some lost arms � some lost legs � and within half an hour � almost eighty Kjoranan E.C.M. enforcers were sparking in ruins all around the two. �That was almost tiring.� Sie stated seriously. Tauhn looked over and saw another wave approaching. He tapped the Insectorr on the shoulder and pointed at the charging attackers. �I-I believe it would be selfish of us to try to deal with them all.� Sie commented. �There you two are � what the? What happened here?� Gee asked in disbelief. �We dealt with the first batch. It was really therapeutic.� Tauhn stated as he looked at the grease and oil on his lance arm. Gee and Grey looked over and saw dozens of Storg E.C.M. enforcers hopping rapidly towards them. �Don�t let them scare you. They don�t seem to have anything that can harm us � believe me when I tell you that these ones tried everything.� Tauhn commented as he wiped the oil and grease off his arm. Gee and Grey took a deep breath and charged towards the approaching metal monsters. One E.C.M. wound up to land a powerful squishing punch at Gee, but before he could her arm shifted into a blade like shape � extended at it and cut its arm off with the ease of a hot knife cutting through ice. �Nice�� Grey commented. Before he could continue a large fist slammed into his head smashed him into the ground. Gee was about to panic when she saw Grey slowly reform. �The formula didn�t affect our skin � it affected our DNA.� She muttered. �So I gathered.� Grey commented. Before they could say more, the others leaped forward and joined the attack. This time, the fight ended quicker. The piles of destroyed E.C.M. enforcers began to grow. �I believe that these monsters are sincerely trying to harm us � but why does something feel terribly wrong?� Samona asked as she cut off the arm of a Storg E.C.M. Upon hearing this, the others began to notice it too. �I feel it too. I mean it feels as though they are just trying to delay us.� Motun added seriously. He quickly looked around and saw that more were coming � but all of the monsters that they had dealt with had come from the same direction. �This way!� he shouted. The six charged towards the approaching cyborges. As they did, thy mercilessly cut through them to get passed them. as they continued outward, they came across the place where they must have landed. �There must have been hundreds of them.� Motun muttered. �Three hundred � three perfect military regiments.� Tauhn corrected. �But it looks as though they blew the bay / loading doors off the ships. Why would they do that?� Samona asked as she looked at one of the singed doors. Gee and Grey walked over and looked at the door. �To make sure we couldn�t steal the ship and get away. They didn�t anticipate us finding a way to become immune to this planet�s negative environment. But then all of those monsters we have been cutting down were sent here to die. That doesn�t make any sense.� Gee stated. �I believe the term is acceptable losses. If they can make more of them � they wouldn�t really be losing anything � would they?� Tauhn asked seriously. The others remained quiet as the reality of what was being said began to set in. �We have to get off this planet.� Sie muttered. �Not that I�m disagreeing or anything � but why?� Grey asked seriously. �The apostles sent me a vision � a vision of this world�s end � and I do not mean what we are witnessing now. This world will soon be no more � and if we do not find a way off it � the same will be true of us.� Sie explained. �Visions huh? If someone were to tell me that I would be listening to the �visions� of a Khorta two weeks ago � I would have deemed him mad and killed him to put him out of his misery.� Tauhn commented. �Perhaps we can salvage something near the archive? We saw something that looked like Kjoranan�s ship among several other kinds of weapons.� Samona suggested. The others nodded. It was a long shot at best � but it was the best chance they had. *** Aboard the G.W.S. Crusader, the two Watchers were readying all of the planetary weapons. For some unfathomable reason, almost all of the settings were off or not working. �What is the status now?� he asked seriously. �If I was a gambling woman � I would say � sixty percent.� She replied. just then, one of the newer models of E.C.M. enforcers entered the room. The two stopped what they were doing and looked at the thing that had entered without permission. �I see that they need more work.� She muttered. �Apologies for interrupting masters. It appears as though the attacker � are having � difficulties. By our count � eighty percent of the attack force has been slain beyond repair.� It stated slowly. �Slain? I thought that all of the weapons were destroyed. How could those backwater misfits find a way to cut though an army of beasts that managed to enslave their worlds in single numbers?� he asked on the brink of rage. �They must have found some secret in the Archive.� She replied. �This is becoming more than a serious problem � it is becoming a serious threat. Did they manage to steal one of the ships and escape?� he demanded. The E.C.M. thought for a moment and then shook its head. �No. hatches were blown upon landing. Nothing living could have used them. besides � ships returned twenty minutes ago with commanders inside.� It replied slowly. He could feel his hands beginning to twitch. �Scrap that useless thing or I will.� He hissed. �I � will deal with it.� She warned. �Return to the lab for further testing.� She instructed. It bowed and then walked away. She then looked over at him and saw that he was getting extremely agitated at how things were not going according to plan. �First � these mongrels escape from planets under close scrutiny � it happens. They survive a planet that could kill a healthy creature in ten minutes � they aren�t human it is remotely possible. They find an archive that was believed long since destroyed � something is clearly amiss. Now � they have destroyed an army of nearly three hundred single handedly it seems � and our planetary weapons are not working!� he shouted. �Screaming at me won�t make things happen any faster.� She commented. �We are so close to having everything in our hands � and I can feel it slowly slipping away. I have worked too hard to risk losing everything now!� he added angrily. She shook her head and leaned against the wall. �You? You were sitting on your ass most of the time while I was doing most of the real work. Who did most of the work making this ship? Who did the finishing touches of the Gateway? As I think back � I don�t recall it being you. You were too busy making plans to conquer everything.� She retorted. �Don�t push me�� he warned. �Don�t even imagine it in a dream. You haven�t got the balls for it.� She retorted. They were about to fight when one of the consoles beeped. They quickly looked over at the planetary weapons panel. all of the systems were normal. �Commander to Watcher. We apologize for the inconvenience. Several of the Glacorians in the Control Room expired at the same time. The Mutate that was keeping watch was appropriately executed for gross incompetence.� An electronic voice stated. �Keep up the good work.� He stated. �Is this over?� she asked coldly. �For now. Come. We have a planet to destroy.� He stated. �At least that is something you are good at.� She mocked. �Push me one more time you stinky little bitch and I will do to you what your people did the females when you invaded Earth.� He warned seriously. She laughed at the threat, hopped up onto a table and spread her legs apart. �Go ahead and try.� She goaded. Before she could goad him again he leaped at her and threw her to the floor. He cocked his arm back and savagely punched her across the face repeatedly. Just then a powerful kick to his head sent him back several feet. The two slowly got up. �So � you think that now � because our plans for these pathetic wretches are almost done � that you can do away with me?� she hissed. She slapped her hand to the back of her neck and pulled out a long thin knife. �I am going to cut your fucking dick off � shove it up your ass and pull it up from your throat!� she hissed. She lunged at him and tried to take his head off. He was able to side step the attack and land a savage punch that sent her to the other side of the room. �I � I think we are getting ahead of ourselves dear. True � we are close to completing our plans � but we do still need each other. Without my strength � my military prowess, you would not go far.� He stated seriously. �Without my superior computer knowledge of everything in this ship � everything, and I do mean everything would crash. Trust me � honey � I set it up that way.� She retorted seriously. The two slowly moved towards each other. Once they were a few paces away from each other they calmly shook hands. �One of these days I will kill you for all of the aggravation you have caused me.� he stated in a friendly manner. She quietly laughed and then quickly slapped him across the face. �You would never see the one that gets you. You forget � while you have studied strategies and planned � I � have studied you. I will be honest and admit that I don�t know as much about war as you � but I know more than you might think.� She replied. �Heh, I will keep that in mind � just as you should know that I have found four of your well hidden computer viruses and have successfully disabled them. I am on the brink of disabling seven more, but as you said � I too know more than you think.� He replied coldly. �How about we take our frustration out by destroying an old eyesore.� She suggested casually. He laughed and let out a sigh. �I suppose Earth would be an eyesore for a Colony whore.� He stated. �I am what I am � and that was more than enough to smash through your strong defenses and literally rape your world � and I didn�t have to sneak in to do it. I didn�t use a stealth based missile � I used hungry � experienced � bloodthirsty soldiers.� She retorted with a smile. �Hmm? Indeed you did. By the way � how long did it take for the colonies to die of radiation poisoning?� he asked curiously. She scowled at him and sighed. �A few months � but, it took your wife and sweet little daughter longer. I let all of my boys and men play with them � in every � sickening � disgusting � imaginable � way. And when they were all finally done � then I had my turn. In the end I believe they both died slowly from some sort of sexual disease. It was very painful or so I was told.� She commented with an evil smile. �Acceptable losses.� He replied coldly. �I suppose so � but for a daughter so young � she learned so much.� she added. �If you know me as well as you claim, you should know that I am not bound by emotion. I did feel something for them at one time, but it passed. Besides wartime is no time for emotion.� He responded casually. She studied his cold expression and could see that he was telling the truth �Hmm. You are a cold bastard. I like that. I�ll aim you shoot?� she asked. �It usually works best when we do it that way.� He replied seriously. �Then what say we kill the trip down memory lane and get back to business?� she asked curiously. He nodded and the two walked over towards the controls. They both flicked several switches and pushed the buttons necessary to power up the planetary weapons. �How long until the target lock is secure?� he asked seriously. �Give me a minute.� She replied. she moved her fingers across a mouse pad and then turned three separate dials. Just then a picture of what was left of the Earth appeared on the screen before her. She watched as a red circle slowly began to move towards the center of the planet. One the red circle was dead center she pushed several buttons and turned the three dials again. �All weapons are aimed and locked.� She replied calmly. �Then I guess it is my turn.� He replied. he slowly pushed a gear switch forward. They all could hear a low hum resonate throughout the chamber. �First�� he began. He then pulled the gear slowly down. The hum that was resonating grew a little louder. �Second�� he continued. He pushed the gear forward again. The loud hum now evolved into a high pitched whine. He lifted up a small panel and looked at the isolated red button. He removed the protective shield and smiled. �Fire�� he stated. He pushed the button. *** Outside of the ship. All over the huge vessel hundreds of spots of light began to appear. The mouth of the large cannon began to glow as well. One second later � all weapons fired down on Earth for approximately ten seconds. After that � all shooting stopped. All was quiet. Just then, bright red cracks in the surface of the planet began to form. The cracks seemed to get bigger and bigger. The black and brown planet that was once home to the human race � began to slowly churn into bubbling reds and oranges. Just then � the planet violently exploded. Debris bounced off the huge ship, but within seconds � all that remained of Earth was a field of debris. Having done what they had gone there to do, the huge ship began to slowly turn around and head towards the Gateway. |