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Chapter 11 |  |
Chapter 13 |  |
Fun For All The Family
The Beserkers slouched like world-weary
giants, their huge metal knuckles scraping the ground. Even from
some distance away they were quite visible, towering taller than
the buildings around them.
As the skimmer approached the edge of the desolate marsh Ship
rammed it into high gear, sending it soaring out of the water and
crashing into a gift shop. She cheerfully bounded out of the
rubble and fluttered overhead as the Jotun climbed out.
"Okay," said Thjorska. "We get to the Beserkers
and call for a pick-up. Then we set up the SNAME and get the
vortex out of here."
"We run away and blow shax up. Sounds like a plan to me."
Pitrak boosted Bjors up to the leg of his Beserker, where he
climbed up to the top. After disappearing down the hatch for a
minute or two, he returned with a small metal box tucked under
his arm.
"That's it?" Thjorska blurted.
"Yes. Why?"
"It's tiny!"
"Well," mumbled Bjors, shifting from foot to foot
uncomfortably, "it is heavier than it looks, you know."
"Will it blow the planet up?"
"Well, yes-"
"Good, now-"
"And all the moons, and
the sun, and us if we're still within
range."
"Which is..?"
"Only about eight hundred million miles."
"ONLY-?!"
"If we hit maximum warp as soon as we get on board, then we
might outrun it."
"MIGHT-?!"
"It's the only way to make sure these things are utterly
dead."
"We're going to have to risk it then. Set up the comms and
hail the Honour."
Bjors slotted the last piece of equipment into place and turned
it on. The lights flickered on, and static hissed from the
speaker. He held down the transmit button and spoke.
"Imperial Honour, Imperial Honour, come in Imperial Honour."
"This is the Imperial Honour. We haven't heard from you for
hours now, Bjors. What is the probl-"
The message was cut off briefly, and there was only the hiss of
static. Bjors looked up, and skewering the comm was a long,
scythe-like blade. Attacked to that blade was the largest,
ugliest and angriest creature Bjors had ever seen. Green slime
dripped from hard, shiny brown skin. White, bony thorns jutted
out from arms, legs and body, and gargantuan tusk-like teeth that
dripped saliva. The creature was lithe and muscular, with long
insect-like arms ending with scythe-like bony blades.
"Oh... shax..."
He rolled sideways as another blade bore down at him. A gigantic
foot with curved claws stamped the comm to pieces, and the huge
beast advanced.
"SHAX!" Lokan screamed, and fired his Fusion
Flamethrower at the thing. A torrent of starfire engulfed the
creature, but a blade emerged from the inferno and shattered the
gun barrel.
"SHAX!" Lokan screamed again, and ducked the next
whirling blade. The creature leapt, and soared through the air
towards Thjorska. He pulled the trigger on his Kinetic Blaster.
The beast slowed in mid-leap, and then shot backwards at high
speed.
"We can't hurt it!" Tiaman yelled. The creature swung
around and launched at him, blades slicing through the air. The
lean Jotun held up his forceshield and the thing bounded off,
leaping towards the next target; Ship.
Cooly, she raised her Plasma Lance and charged it up to full. It
speared through the beast's chest, emerging from the other side.
The beast seemed to slow for a second, but then twisted suddenly
and wrenched the Lance from Ship's hands. It struck her with the
flat of a blade, knocking her across the floor.
A large metallic finger tapped it roughly on the shoulder. It
turned, puzzled, and saw the rest of the hand bunch into a fist
and impact it's jaw. Fragments of teeth fell to the tarmac,
followed by a lot of blood. The beast reeled as three pairs of
fists repeatedly smashed into it's face until blood was streaming
down it's face.
Pitrak steadied the creature with two pairs of hands as another
pair repeatedly pummeled the chest. As it swayed in shock and
pain, he drew one leg back.
"I have one advantage over you," he hissed, and brought
his knee up as hard as he could. The creature emitted a high-pitched
scream, quivered violently and fell sideways. It lay there
shivering on the ground, occasionally squeaking.
"I don't breed."
"I think Kajiro wasn't being entirely truthful with
us, Thjorska," said Pitrak, studying the shaking beast.
"This thing was purpose built, and has a lot of Kajiro's DNA.
I think the little zeg was planning something."
"Correct," said Kajiro, walking from behind a building.
Behind him dark shapes loomed. "I was planning your deaths,
and the demise of the Empire."