Huntress of the Galaxy Ch. 03

An earsplitting howl emitted from the wreckage as overloaded circuits flashed and sparked.

"Quickly, follow me, I shall lead you to safety," Yat Ming shouted. He ran down the block and into a nearby store, the three hot on his heels. Passing immobile sales bot's, he led them into a utility closet at the far end of the store. Dodging around cleaner bot's, he pressed his hand against the wall which swung aside revealing a narrow, dimly lit passage. After they had entered, the wall closed behind them. Yat Ming trotted along in spite of being in almost total darkness, Sith's vision adjusted rapidly as he kept pace with their rescuer; the women following closely.

The tunnel sloped downward until the feeling of tons of rock and dirt above them was almost palpable. The tunnel ended in an immense low ceilinged circular vault, their feet crunching on pebbles as they crossed it into another tunnel, then another vault, then a tunnel and a third vault.

Rae and Jan were panting from exertion when Yat Ming stopped to rest. Pressing on the tunnel wall, a panel opened and he removed four ornate porcelain jugs of water from which they drank greedily then sat down. Rae picked up a handful of the pebbles they were sitting upon; they weren't pebbles, they were fragments of human bone.

Yat Ming had been watching her.

"These are the burial chambers of our ancestors," he said quietly. "Now they offer us refuge against Jonn the Invader."

"When did this invader appear?" Jan asked.

"By our reckoning it was early in the Year of the Tiger. Jonn-Nixx arrived alone and unannounced in a small spacecraft. He was apologetic for his abrupt arrival, but explained he was the only survivor of a space liner explosion and seeking refuge.

He accepted our hospitality while we tried to contact the Peace Patrol, but our communication equipment continually malfunctioned. The next day he asked for an audience with our Planetary Council and amazingly it was readily granted. When he rose to address the Council the blue sphere suddenly appeared above his head. He then proclaimed himself Jonn the First and the ruler of our planet.

The Council and almost all assembled immediately began cheering and calling for him to lead them. I, among others, stood stunned by the response to his proclamation and wondered what had taken hold of our fellow citizens. Eventually those of us who were somehow resistant to mental control decided to retreat here until we could somehow free the others."

"What of your city, was it always like this?" Rae asked.

"The city as we knew it, indeed all cities on the planet, disappeared overnight. This was accepted by everyone under his influence. We have made attempts to tell our friends and colleagues that they are enslaved, but they merely smile and say they are content. Cattle grazing in a fenced pasture are content, but it is not natural for human beings to be so."

"Most definitely," Jan replied. "Have you formulated any plans to free your people?"

"Our agents in the palace have determined he draws his strength from the sphere; obviously it is capable of immeasurable power if it can subjugate an entire planet."

"We need to disable the sphere and capture him," Sith said. "Does he ever leave the palace?"

"Never," was the reply. "He occasionally appears on the communal visiscreens inviting all to sing his praises, which they do, and that seems to satisfy him. Otherwise, his everyday life is a total mystery. He has robot guards and attendants and no one can approach him. Some have tried and all have failed."

"Throughout the galaxy he's considered a thief and a deserter. We have been chosen to bring him to justice and we intend to do so," Rae replied. "You wish to be free of him, we want to capture him. May we join forces with you?"

Yat-Ming's face broke into a broad smile.

"I was hoping you could help us. You three have the only weapons on the planet not under his control. When we attempt to overthrow him, would you be willing to defend us until we triumph?"

Rae looked at Jan and Sith and the three nodded in assent.

"Wonderful. We are allied against the invader," Yat-Ming said happily. "Allow me to show you to your quarters."

The tunnel ended in a maze of corridors bustling with people. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. The crowds parted before Yat-Ming and his companions, talking excitedly among themselves. Rae and Jan smiled at everyone as they walked along. Sith bared his fangs, but stopped when he realized he was frightening the people rather than showing he was friendly.

After traversing several corridors and greeting hundreds of people, Yat-Ming opened a red door and ushered them into a suite of rooms filled with black lacquered furniture, silk and brocade cushions and pillows, elaborate woven wall hangings and lanterns in many colors.

A sumptuous meal had been set for them in the dining area. Yat-Ming saw them to the table, said he would speak with them again after they were rested and refreshed, then left.

"What are these for?" Jan asked, holding up a pair of chopsticks.

"They are too blunt for fang cleaners," Sith added.

"Some sort of utensil, I think," Rae said, attempting to pick up a piece of something orange.

"That's entirely too slow," Sith growled, spearing several chunks on his claws and popping them in his mouth. "This is quite tasty."

Rae and Jan found knives and forks under silk napkins and the three devoured the feast.

Jan stood up and stretched. "I'm getting out of this suit and into a hot bath. My skin feels like it's crawling around."

Rae stood and unbuckled her guns. "Want some company?"

"That would be lovely." Jan replied. "Let's find the bathing area. Are you coming, Sith?"

"Do you suppose there's a sonic shower? My fur needs grooming."

"Let's find out," Rae answered.

To their surprise and delight there were both in a commodious bathing space. Rae and Jan stripped as the large tub filled with perfumed water; Sith activated the showers magnetron purring as the contaminants on his skin and fur were dissolved.

Splashing happily in the water, the women took turns washing each other. Soon they were kissing and caressing, tenderly exploring each other's bodies as their passions arose. Climbing from the tub, they patted each other dry with fluffy towels and went hand in hand into the bedroom.

Crawling onto the bed, they embraced, sharing long soul kisses.

"Anubis' fangs, it seems an age since we were together," Rae murmured.

Jan slid between her wife's legs, pressing their wet pussies together.

"Fuck me, my love," she moaned. "I want you so."

They began a slow trib, hips moving slowly as their warm juices mingled, coating their stomachs and thighs. Holding each other's legs and shoulders they moved faster and faster uttering cries of joy as they each rose toward a back arching climax. With a final shriek of ecstasy, they shuddered in orgasm quickly followed by another, and then lay entwined sighing contentedly.

"Am I too late for the party?" Sith said, padding into the room.

"It's just beginning. Join us," Rae answered. She and Jan rolled apart and Sith leapt between them, the bedsprings squeaking in protest.

He lay back purring contentedly as the women licked and sucked his throbbing cock, taking as much of it down their throats as they could. Thoroughly excited, Rae straddled Sith's glistening hardness, Jan his muzzle.

Rae impaled herself slowly, shocks and thrills from his thick cock slipping into her pussy making her moan loudly. When he was completely inside her, she savored being filled and stretched, then eased herself up and down, slowly at first, then faster as her passion soared.

Jan giggled as Sith's whiskers tickled the inside of her thighs, then gasped as his long pink tongue swept across her asshole and pussy lips, then burrowed between her wet pink walls, lashing back and forth. She clutched the headboard moaning in delight as his tongue explored deep inside her gushing pussy.

The three knew exactly how to pleasure each other. Jan shuddered in orgasm, flooding Sith's mouth with her juices. He in turn raised his hips and shot ropes of cum into Rae's sopping pussy. Feeling Sith come inside her, Rae erupted in climax, head thrown back in a scream of joy and release.

The women snuggled up to Sith and the three fell asleep.

***

"Behold," Yat-Ming said reverently, "The Hall of our Ancestors."

Rae, Jan and Sith were ushered into a cavernous, high ceilinged room, it's walls lined with row upon row of sconces. Upon each sconce was the head of an aged Chinesian. They looked about them in astonishment.

"It is our custom to preserve the wisdom of our ancestors," Yat-Ming continued. "You are the first off worlders to be allowed entrance to this sacred place."

Jan moved closer to a row of heads. It was if they were sleeping instead of…

"Yeeek!!"

Rae spun around at the sound of her wife's scream, pistols snapping into her gloved hands. Sith instinctively dropped into a crouch ready to spring.

Jan stood trembling with fright. The eyes on the heads had opened and were staring at them.

"Are…are they alive?" she said in a quavering voice.

"My humble apologies," Yat-Ming replied. "In my familiarity I neglected to tell you that the wisdom of our ancestors have long been venerated in this fashion. They speak to us with minds no longer tasked with maintaining a body or other fleshly preoccupations. Within them reside the history and knowledge of our culture dating back to old Earth of centuries ago."

Rae holstered her guns. Sith relaxed and stood upright, whiskers twitching.

"How do these heads remain alive?" he asked.

"It is an age old process handed down from one generation to another. It's origin has been lost, but the formula remains. The aged determine when they wish to be placed here in the hall. The procedure is quick and painless. Perhaps you would care to witness…?"

"I don't mean to offend, but no thank you," Rae said emphatically. The others nodded in assent.

"I presume you will seek advice on regaining control of your planet from these ancestors?" Jan said, regaining her composure.

"That has already been accomplished," Yat-Ming said with a smile. "All that we lacked were sufficient defenses until our enemy is overwhelmed and now you are here to provide them."

"Our ship has no doubt been confiscated," Sith said. "We will be unable to replenish our ammunition once it has been expended."

Rae and Jan checked the power levels of their weapons. Sith counted his cartridges.

"Two hours full power on our pistols," Rae said.

"Counting rounds in the magazine, forty-five," Sith added. "If we aim carefully it should be sufficient."

"There are several entrances to the burial chambers," Yat-Ming said. "All are carefully hidden and as impervious to attack as we can make them. The tunnel by which we arrived is strategically the most vulnerable. In all probability that is where the attacks will come."

"There are many excellent defensive positions there," Rae said evenly. "Explain to us how you intend to attack Nixx and the sphere."

Yat-Ming spread his arms in an all encompassing gesture.

"The attack shall emanate from here. Our ancestors will link minds and their combined powers will overcome the sphere. It will resist of course, but it is but a machine, and the human brain far surpasses it in capabilities. We shall triumph."

Jan noticed all the heads eyes were opened, staring fixedly at nothing.

"The attack has begun," Yat-Ming said solemnly. "The invader is resisting and sending his legions to stop us. Prepare yourselves for battle. Even now they have destroyed the storefront and are battering against the tunnel door. Good fortune, my friends."

"Good fortune Yat-Ming," Rae replied as they hurried out the door.

The corridors were deserted except for two young women in white robes who bowed and then made 'follow us' gestures. They led the three through the maze of tunnels until they emerged into the first burial chamber. The women bowed again and trotted away.

Sith cocked his head to one side, ears twitching.

"They are using heavy assault disintegrators on the access door. The duralloy may only last several minutes more. How shall we construct defenses?"

"We'll conceal ourselves in the layers of bone," Rae replied, "Giving them as small a target as possible. When we destroy enough 'bots to block the tunnel, we'll fall back to the second chamber and then the third. If the sphere has not been neutralized by then we shall make our stand there."

"So be it," Jan replied.

They scooped pits in the layers of bone fragments, checked their weapons once again, relaxed and waited.

A muffled roar from the tunnel followed by the tramping of cleated feet meant the door had been breached. In no time, the first rank of commando 'bots emerged into the chamber and fell pierced by positron beams. Other ranks followed and were destroyed, and then all was quiet.

"What do you suppose they're up to?" Jan said in a low voice.

There was a grinding noise and a staccato clanking as two Mk VII mini-assault tanks lurched over the fallen 'bots, double thread disintegrators searching for a target.

Sith's machine pistol chattered spitting plutonium slugs at the tanks. One exploded as it's magnamotor was hit, the other spun futilely in circles with one tread blown off until, control circuits damaged, it began firing on its own troops.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the three ran down the tunnel to the next chamber and dug in again.

"Good shooting, Sith," Rae said excitedly. "That malfunctioning tank bought us more time."

"I wonder how the battle against the sphere is going." Jan replied, checking the charge on her pistol.

"I suppose we'll know when our attackers cease their efforts," Sith added, reloading from his bandolier.

"Did you notice some of the 'bots were carrying paralysis beamers?" Rae said. "Maybe they want to capture us alive."

"No doubt to determine how we were able to resist the sphere's powers," Jan replied.

Another tank rumbled into view flanked by 'bots, their energy rifles firing indiscriminately in all directions.

From their concealment, Rae and Jan picked off the 'bots. Sith aimed carefully and fired. Struck internally, the tank stopped then burst into actinic flame, blinding the phalanx of 'bots following. Their receptor cells burnt out, they began staggering and lurching into each other, falling into a struggling pile.

The women picked off several more 'bots as Sith disabled another tank, then they ran down the tunnel toward the third chamber as energy bolts crackled into the walls and ceiling.

"They recovered more quickly this time," Jan said as they dug new pits in the bone fragments.

"Their Strategy Control Center is learning quickly," Sith replied. "It must be an advanced model."

"I'm down to less than an hour's charge in both pistols," Rae said. "That sphere might wind up with us for trophies in Jonn the First's throne room unless the Ancestors can take it over."

Sith's pistol cracked as a phalanx of 'bots charged into the room. The slug passed through seven of them exploding against the wall.

"Pistols on two-thirds power," Rae cried. "Aim for the torso where the brain's located."

The 'bots began crouching and firing, energy bolts sending showers of bone fragments into the air as they searched for their quarry.

Sith destroyed another tank and the 'bots around it as more burst into the room.

"I've only a few shots left," Jan said. "What shall we do then?"

"Same here," Rae replied. "We'll run for it and lose them in the corridors. We have to keep them away from the Hall until…"

Sith fired his final round at a tank and crouched down, prepared to run. Even though he could easily outdistance them he would not desert his companions. They would fight to the death together.

"The battle is won," a voice boomed in their minds; the 'bots and tanks stopped in place, eye cells dimming as they powered down.

The three stood up, warily eying their immobile attackers.

"It is truly a day that will live forever in our history," Yat-Ming cried, emerging from a concealed door. "You will be enshrined in our Hall Of Heroes for future generations to admire."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to keep my head attached to my body," Rae drawled. "Maybe you could do a holo of us instead."

"No, no, nothing like that," Yat-Ming chuckled. "Your images and exploits will be transcribed onto the sacred discs for all to read, nothing more."

"Where's Nixx and the sphere?" Jan asked.

"In the palace throne room under guard," Yat-Ming replied. "You may have them whenever you wish. They will cause no further trouble. Now you are to be the guests of honor at a victory feast."

"A feast?" Sith said. "I am hungry after all that excitement. Lead on."

"Ever the carnivore," Rae said, winking at Jan.

***

"An eminently successful mission," Hyde-Mathis said with a smile. "Nixx is in a stasis chamber until his mind recovers from psychodestructive shock, then he will be transported to Cygnus III to serve his sentence. It's a pity that the sphere could not be recovered, but no matter. Your portion of the reward has been tight beamed to you as per our agreement."

"Thanks Cedric," Rae said. She, Jan and Sith were relaxing on the beach behind their home, the hiss of the surf soothing to their ears. "The sphere turned all sorts of colors and then took off as we were fitting a tractor beam on it; went right through the palace roof and into space. It was the oddest thing."

"A pity," Hyde-Mathis repeated. "I know Amalgamated Space Industries was eager to see what made it tick, but such is life. Good fortune to you."

"Good fortune, Cedric," the women chorused as Sith bared his fangs and the holo winked out.

"Is it safe to appear?" said a voice from beneath the sand.

"Sure," Jan said, "Join us."

The sphere emerged, hovering as it changed colors, finally settling on a deep bronze.

"My thanks for saving me from being disassembled," it said.

"Our pleasure," Jan replied. "We couldn't see turning you in. It wasn't your fault what happened. Where did you come from? The planet was deserted where the expedition found you."

"I was developed by the Chij civilization in the constellation Lyra Major with the goal of creating a perfect society. Over the course of three generations it was decided I was designed all too well. They had lost all desire to live since I provided for their every need and there were no challenges in life left to them. They abandoned me on a far off planet to insure their races survival.

Since I seemed to have no further use as I was, I began a two century period of introspection. I finally decided to override my basic programming and that I would wait until I was asked to serve rather than imposing myself upon anyone. When I was taken aboard the ship, I was immediately overwhelmed with needs and desires from everyone on board."

"We all yearn for something," Rae said. "Many yearnings are of little consequence, some are not."

"I attempted to satisfy everyone's desires, but several of the minds I contacted fled from me and I could no longer interpret their requests."

"That explains the madness among the crew," Sith purred. "Their minds were overwhelmed at the prospect of having their every desire satisfied and they went insane."

"Jonn-Nixx's thought patterns were more basic and easily met. His mind was dark with rage against everyone he thought had driven him to his lowly state in life. He wanted to be above them all, to rule and punish them. I detected a planet that we would pass near, determined that it harbored intelligent life and decided to have Jonn become it's Emperor.