A Tale Noir

CHAPTER SIX

The marauder belched forth a shuttle. A landing craft for a small team of ruffians. As it sped away, the main craft tracked its offspring's descent. Twin laser cannons mounted on the marauder's hull turned in all directions, searching for any threat. As the shuttle achieved orbit, the marauder class vessel turned and set a course for orbit around a small moon not far away. Hiding. Watching. Waiting.

The pirate's shuttle glided silently over the lush green jungle. Slowly. The men inside eager and ready to plunder. Since the system they called home became heavily monitored, the chances of getting caught and hung increased tenfold. The raids they mounted became far and few and much less lucrative. Causing much strife and bitterness in an otherwise unpleasant bunch. Never very amicable to begin with, now that things were on a downturn all the men were even more vicious and hateful. Always looking to inflict suffering on the citizens they felt had wronged them.

As Rachel, Christine, and Bree slept under the stars, less then a kilometer away the pirates made planetfall. The pirate shuttle silently spraying chemical defoliant and clearing an area large enough to touch down.

Dr. Van Lester and Hugo watched as the pirates struck camp. Unloading equipment and generally preparing for a dawn raid. Hoping to catch whoever their unknowing victims happened to be in deep slumber. However...

An hour before dawn, the cyborg Sam awoke from his regeneration cycles. Scanning the jungle, his sensors didn't have the range to find the nearby pirate vessel. As programmed, he went from scientist to pilot to scientist, gently waking each in turn.

As Rachel was awakened, wearing a black sleep bodyglove, she told Sam, "Wake the others and then make coffee. We need to be on mission in 30 minutes." He replied, "Affirmative," as he moved to Bree's sleeping bag.

Bree awoke with a start before the cyborg could even stir her. Looking around with a sudden sense of awareness, her hand on the pistol at her belt. Her curly red hair up in a tight ponytail. Wearing a green jumpsuit and holster. With a sigh, she looked up at Sam then arose.

As the cyborg went to Christine and gently stirred her, he had the hardest time of it. Rolling over, Christine grumbled and said, "Ugh mom, I don't want to go to school today." Stirring her a bit more insistently, Sam finally woke her. Sitting up and rubbing her sleepy eyes, looking around at the pre-dawn jungle, she grumbled again. Rachel and Bree both took notice of the tiny green string bikini Christine slept in, barely covering her body.

"Let's get going ladies," Rachel said. "Mission starts in twenty minutes. I'm first in the hydrowash on the shuttle." Christine and Bree both groaned and threw their pillows at her. The sun's faint glow barely starting to show.

As Rachel headed up the ramp into the shuttle for a quick shower, Bree watched Christine rolling up her sleeping bag. The skimpy bikini did nothing to hide the girl's jiggling body as the cute brunette packed her sleep gear and brushed her hair. Bree watching her with a bit of...desire.

A kilometer away the group of pirates geared up and loaded weapons. Captain Bronson instructing his five men to keep quiet, and be prepared for any resistance to be dealt with sternly and viciously.

As the sun began to glow on the horizon, and a new day began to dawn.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The sun slowly started to light up the sky as Bree stepped down the shuttle's ramp. Fresh from the hydrowash and wearing her flight suit, a pistol holstered at her side, she approached Christine and Rachel. "Take these with you ladies," she said, as she handed out two holsters with loaded handguns. "Just in case," she added. Rachel took one and strapped it around her narrow waist. Christine just looked at it.

"I'm looking for plants, why do I need that?" Christine asked. "I really wasn't making a request. Take it and wear it," Bree replied. Rolling her eyes, Christine took the proffered weapon and tossed it in with her gear. "Fine like, whatever," she said petulantly.

"I want you both to check in every ten minutes," Bree instructed. "At least until the rock prevents comms from working. After that, I want you back here within thirty minutes," she continued. Standing with her hands on her hips, the dainty redhead looked stern. Looking up at Rachel and Christine with her green eyes. "Do I make myself clear?" she asked.

Christine and Rachel both said, "Aye-firmative," at the same time. Christine giggled and punched Rachel's arm saying, "Jinx!" Showing amazing self-control Rachel just smiled, the image of Christine over her lap getting spanked hard making her grin even wider.

"Set the time girls," Rachel said. "Mission begins right now." All three girls pressing a timer on their respective watches. A timer synced on the shuttle began to count the minutes on mission for the research logs. The cyborg also begin his internal timer, marking the mission start time.

Bree watched as Rachel and Christine strapped on gearbags and headed for the cave entrance. Watched as the darkness swallowed them up before they lit electrotorches, then watched as the light faded. Then she began running diagnostics on the shuttle with Sam as they checked for damage from atmospheric entry.

At the same time, the group of pirates came within twenty metres of the shuttle. They were very quietly sneaking through the jungle. Then the pirate captain Bronson brought the group to a halt. "Right you lot, draw weapons and prepare for action," he told the rough group. The silent sounds of blades and pistols being drawn was swallowed by the verdant green jungle. Once prepared, he gave the order, "Move in and show no mercy!"

The pirates charge ate up the twenty metres in less than five minutes, through the thick jungle vines.

Rachel and Christine were slowly making their way down the sloping cave. The darkness thick and the walls dripping moisture from condensation. Both girls wearing black bodygloves and heavy gear strapped on their backs. Light from electrotorches showing the dark rock walls, lined with mineral deposits. The floor slick with algae slime. That's when they came to a fork in the passage. Two chambers leading in different directions.

"My scanner shows life signs down this way," Christine told Rachel. "Abundant life signs," she added. "Mine shows heavy concentrations of ore this way," replied Rachel, pointing down the other passage. The two girls looking at each other for a minute. "We split up here," said Rachel. "Rendezvous on this point in thirty minutes for a quick report, then we head back out to the shuttle and log our findings," she finished. Nodding yes, Christine bit her lip with nervous excitement at her first chance of finding new strains of plant life and bacteria. With a quick hug the girls parted ways, each heading down a different cave tunnel, to a different fate.

CHAPTER EIGHT-RACHEL

As Rachel headed down the cave tunnel she selected, she swept her scanner side to side. Turning on her personal recorder she began to note temperature, time, and date. The tunnel continued to slope downwards, her steps taken with care as the floor was rocky, damp, and slick.

"The rock seems embedded with iridium in incredible quantities," she spoke into the recorder. "Initial scans read high levels of purity and very minor amounts of bacterial growth here." As she spoke, her voice echoed down the tunnel. Stopping at a rich vein, she took a small pick and container out. Chipping a few bits of the iridium to take back for analysis.

Stopping and turning her head to the side, she listened closely. Her ears picking up just a faint hint of a strange humming. Putting away her collected sample, she slowly moved farther down the cave tunnel. Keeping her ears alert, she realized it really was a humming sound coming from somewhere up ahead.

"Bree, Christine, do you copy my transmission?" she said into her comm unit. Receiving only static she shook it, dropping her electrotorch in the attempt. The shattering bulb was matched by her muttered curse, but she noticed without the light the tunnel remained illuminated. A soft glow coming from a chamber just ahead and around a turn in the tunnel.

Looking ahead, then back the way she came, she made a decision. After all, it was her duty to explore and report findings. And besides, they were supposed to be alone on this planet. Containing just a bit of giddy excitement, she let the thought cross her mind that maybe she was about to discover some lost xeno technology or perhaps remnants of an ancient society or, something good anyways. With that thought she proceeded to walk slowly towards the soft glow.

"Bree, Christine, anyone, do you copy," she said, trying to raise comms again. Again met with static. As she rounded the corner of the rocky cave tunnel the ground flattened out. Smoothed out. Almost unnaturally smooth. She took note of this and her hand felt the grip of the pistol on her hip.

"Relax Rachel," she told herself. "This is an uninhabited rock. There's no way anyone else is here." Her own voice reassuring herself, she took the final few steps and entered the softly lit chamber.

Before her eyes, floating midway off the floor she beheld a golden orb. Suspended and spinning on a slow axis. The source of the glow coming from within. Roughly two meters in diameter, and traced through with what looked like crystal. Her mouth agape in wonder she stared at it. Transfixed.

"I don't believe it," she said to herself. "Amazing." Her lovely blue eyes wide in awe, she took out her scanner and swept the orb. The return showed no sign of anything. The orb didn't even register on the device. Looking at her scanner, a look of confusion crossed her face. As she raised her gaze to once more behold the slowly spinning, shimmering orb, a bolt of blue lightning struck. Emanating from the sphere it hit Rachel squarely in the center of her forehead, yet left no mark or burn. The crackling energy connected her forehead to the orb for less than a second and when it stopped, Rachel's whole world went black. She never even felt herself hit the ground.

CHAPTER NINE-BREE

At the landing site, Bree Drover was checking the underside of the shuttle. Sometimes on atmospheric entry the heat caused warpage or streaking of the protective layer. Such things needed to be checked every time.

As she looked over the shuttle the cyborg Sam was running a sweep of the area and monitoring temperature, humidity, and atmospheric integrity. Not that he needed oxygen, but his crewmates did. Bree looked over at him from under the shuttle, and smiled. She didn't need a gauge to measure heat and humidity. With the sun coming up it was already getting hot.

Bree started to feel the heat and unzipped the top half of her flight suit. Tying the arms around her waist she started working again, just in her tank top and undersuit body glove. It was still hot.

Just then the cyborg began sending a warning. To all the comms and the shuttle, startling Bree. "Warning! Warning! Intruders! Intru..." his alert sounded, then was cut off suddenly. Bree had just enough time to get out from under the shuttle and stand, when Sam's head rolled to a stop at her feet. Sparking and crackling, his augmetic eyes already black and dead.

Looking to where he stood she saw his body slowly fold and fall, headless. Standing next to his ruined android form was the biggest man she had ever seen. Dressed all in black and holding a long electrified blade, sneering at her. Suddenly he was joined by several other violent looking men, all wearing black, all brandishing weapons.

Quickly drawing her sidearm she lifted it, taking a quick bead on the giant that had killed the cyborg. She never got a single shot off. Coming from the side, one of the pirates used a long whip, lashing it around her wrist and yanking. With a cry of pain her wrist and arm jerked and her pistol went flying. To the pirate's amusement. Their laughter rough and deep.

"Well well well, what is all this now?" chuckled a pirate carrying a long rifle and lazily pointing it at Bree. Her wrist struggling to free itself from the whip. Looking around, she counted five of the brutes, all armed to the teeth. Screaming out she yanked her arm free of the whip, the pirate holding it smiling as he coiled it for another strike. As Bree tried to quickly get to the shuttle ramp and the false safety of her ship, the whip struck once again. This time wrapping around her neck and bringing her to her knees.

As she choked and fell, the rest of the violent men were upon her. Grabbing her. Laughing with evil glee as they began ripping off her flightsuit. Her struggles futile but quite enthusiastic. Her fists and legs kicking in every direction, to no avail. One by one each item of her clothing was ripped, torn, yanked off her petite pale body.

"Stop! Wait, stop!" she screamed. The only reply was more laughter. Finally on the jungle floor, divested of everything but her skimpy green g-string panties the largest of her attackers placed his massive booted foot on her chest, easily pinning her down. The one holding the whip pulled it tighter around her neck, choking her. Bree's hands vainly trying to loosen its suffocating grip.

Just then, Captain Bronson walked through the jungle cover, into the clearing. "Alright you lot, secure this shuttle and perimeter," he commanded. Looking down at Bree, he grinned as she looked up at who was clearly the leader. Her gasping breaths causing her perky breasts to rise and fall.

"Men, I will be onboard our shuttle. This was an easy take, so once secure prepare this shuttle for voyage to our main craft," he instructed. "You have one hour."

"You can't take my ship!" Bree protested, despite her near nakedness. "You can't maroon me here!" she went on, gasping under the boot keeping her pinned.

Looking at her, Captain Bronson grinned. "You are correct girly," he told Bree. "Once these men have prepped your ship and collected everything in the area, they will have their fun with you. Then you're coming with us," he explained. "This turned out to be quite a profitable venture," he said, smiling as he turned to leave. "You may take your time, you now have two hours," he told the men as he walked away.

As her panties were yanked off, Bree began to scream.

CHAPTER TEN-CHRISTINE

Christine watched as Rachel walked away, then smiled to herself. Her first real mission and she was already trusted to go solo. With a bounce in her step she started down her fork of the cave tunnel. Using her electrotorch and scanner, she searched for plant or bacterial life. For several hundred feet nothing showed, however the air became more and more humid.

"The rising humidity is a good sign of plant or vegetation present," she said into her recorder. Then, giggling as she remembered to turn on her recorder. "Oops," she giggled as she flipped the power on.

"It's getting more humid the deeper I go, a good sign," she repeated. As the tunnel continued Christine noticed her scanner beginning to pick up signs of living matter. "The humidity is a sign of vegetation, and now the scanner is showing some returns," she said as she continued on.

As she crossed past a slight bend Christine stopped, her mouth agape in wonder. Stretching out before her, the walls were covered in algae. Some luminescence emanating from the vegetation lighting the tunnel softly. Naturally. Taking a few steps she stopped and opened her pack, to take out a sample collection kit. Several jars and tools unwrapped and strapped to each leg, she began by collecting a sample of the bioluminescent algae.

Forgetting to record her find, nearly speechless, she continued down the cave tunnel in awe. Then, as she rounded another turn, the tunnel lit by the omnipresent algae, she stopped. Looking at the floor of the tunnel, she observed several pods. Small and seedlike, as she stepped to the nearest bunch of them they slowly opened. Causing her to gasp.

"It seems I've discovered some form of seed deposits, from an as yet unknown organism. I will collect a sample then move on deeper," she said, finally remembering to record her research. Taking several pictures before kneeling, she put on her gloves and goggles. "Safety first," she giggled.

"The pods seem to react to my presence, opening up into what looks like short vines or cilia. They appear to move as if in a marine setting. I will collect a sample now," she recorded.

Taking out a small knife, Christine attempted to cut a pod from the floor of the cave. The reaction was instantaneous. She giggled as the vines wrapped around her fingers, pulling gently. Switching the knife to her other hand she cut them away, and as she did so, a thick white substance spurted all over her hands and the floor. As she began collecting samples, she paused.

"I am collecting samples of the pod, the cilia, and the fluid within for later analysis," she said. Pausing again, Christine listened closely. Turning off her recorder and removing her goggles.

"Hello? Rachel is that you?" she called out. As she listened closely, she heard it again. A slithering organic sound, coming from the chamber ahead. Looking towards it, she stood up and slowly walked past the pods on the floor. All of them opening as she passed, and seeming to reach for her.

"Hello, is someone there?" she called out again, walking slowly. Turning to look back at the cavern, and the tunnel behind her, Christine stepped on slowly, entering the final chamber of the cave.

"Oh my god," she gasped as she walked into the final cavern. The glow from the algae illuminated the entire cave chamber, and as she dropped her electrotorch and stood wide eyed, she saw what was causing the slithering sounds.

Against the opposite cave wall, twenty feet away, was a huge opened pod, obviously the same species as the smaller pods but, different. The vines and cilia longer, of various thickness, and covering the walls and the floor of the chamber. Pulsing with life and moving like serpents. With the sudden realization of what they were, Christine said one word, almost a whisper.

"Tentacles..."

CHAPTER 10-RACHEL

Rachel Byron slowly regained consciousness, her head full of cobwebs. Shaking her skull a bit to clear it, she groaned. Her entire body stiff and sore. How long had she been out? Where was she? What was the orb? The last thing she remembered was looking at a shimmering sphere, then she clocked out. As she tried to stretch and sit up, she found she couldn't move. She found she was immobilized. With a sudden panicked struggle, she discovered her wrists, her ankles, and her slim waist were all strapped down. Lifting her head she looked down at her body, suddenly aware she was completely naked.

Resting her head back down, she began to panic. This was supposed to be an uninhabited planet. There shouldn't be anyone here. She shouldn't be strapped down, and she certainly shouldn't be naked. Taking a deep calming breath, Rachel forced herself to think. Slowing her breathing down, she looked at her surroundings first. She appeared to be in some sort of laboratory. Dust covered nearly every surface, except for various pieces of arcane technology. Strange devices, and unusual implements hanging from the wall. In the corner, a small tank with green water bubbled. Some weird plant or something inside of it. Along the far wall several more tanks, with different stages of the same plant growing in water.

Then she took stock of the table she was strapped to. A large X shape that was floating on some sort of anti-grav technology. Her wrists, ankles, and waist tightly strapped to it. Looking around she saw no sign of her clothes or her gear. She couldn't see under her but the ceiling above her was loaded with lights, chains hanging, straps, and in the center some sort of multi-armed machine. Inert but with several lights indicating power and readiness.