Fading Stars Ch. 03

If it's not too late for that already, Rejka thought grimly. She listened into herself. Normally, the hive mind would be there, whispering encouragement or offering tactical advice, but there was only silence.

Maybe they're sulking because I snubbed them off earlier. Feeling more alone than she had ever in her life, Rejka thundered on, not caring if the HV clipped trunks or rocks. She didn't plan on using the HV for the return trip anyway. Gritting her teeth against the dull throbbing in her neck, she drove as if all the devils of Hell were after her.

* * * *

A few hours after sundown, she arrived at the dig site. The HV's roof-mounted emergency spotlight bathed the chaos in front of her in blinding white. Shelters had been torn down, mining equipment toppled and everywhere she looked there seemed to be puddles or mounds of that purple ooze. Slowly she drove on, her heart sinking. There was hardly anything usable left intact and with the darkness around, finding any leftovers would be nigh impossible.

The spotlight pulled a geometric form out of the shadows. Rejka's heart skipped a beat. Was that...? Yes! The stubby, wedge-like shape of a shuttle's nose peeked from behind a burning mini digger. She accelerated past it and used her HV's cameras to look for trouble. The shuttle bore the markings of Nor Mining & Metal's security service. Bodies were scattered around the vehicle, most of them covered in ooze. The shuttle looked badly battered, claw marks and more ooze. No one seemed to be inside but, more importantly, none of the monsters which had attacked them seemed to be interested in the new arrival.

Rejka checked the cockpit one last time before disembarking. Robarth may have been inept in a social setting but he was no fool. Under the driver's seat, Rejka found a plasma pistol with two extra reaction mass magazines. She reclaimed her shorts and top and pulled the garments on, depositing the magazines in her pockets. Altering her retinas for maximum night vision, Rejka slipped from the HV. Plasma pistol at the ready, she crept to the shuttle's side door. Why hadn't the pilot taken off? Where was the pilot anyway? She didn't know enough about the organization of NM&M's strike teams to answer this question but she was glad the shuttle seemed to be intact. She heard groans and cracking noises coming closer. Something moved in the forest nearby. Heart pounding in her throat, Rejka pulled with her free hand on the handle of the door, which opened with a pained squeal.

Great. They could hear that back in Landing Point. The door slid open and the shuttle's interior lights came on. The pilot, still wearing his flight helmet, laid spread-eagled on the floor, a glistening stinger protruding from his face. That's why no one had bothered to fly away.

Behind her, something scrabbled closer. Rejka turned, saw some twitching movement, the wet sheen of undulating muscles coated with ooze. She didn't hesitate, pulled the trigger. The incandescent ball of plasma vaporized the thing, leaving behind a merrily burning heap of biomatter. She pulled herself into the shuttle and yanked the door closed behind her. A moment later, something large, heavy and wet slapped the shuttle's side, rocking the vehicle on its skids. Rejka didn't waste any time and slipped onto the pilot's seat. The machine still was on standby, which would explain the shut door. Automated systems had closed the doors after a set amount of time. Another hit rocked the shuttle. Rejka activated the ship's flight systems and yanked back on the control stick. Outside, an enraged roar was heard as the area around the shuttle was flooded with superheated exhaust vapors. Shuddering, as if it were in great pain, the shuttle gained altitude. Rejka ran a quick diagnostic scan of the shuttle and breathed a small sigh of relief. The exterior was badly mauled but there was no hull breach. The ooze, though highly corrosive to organic tissue, seemed to be much less effective against the multi-layered armorgrade alloy ship hulls were made from.

A renewed stab of pain lanced through her neck. The painkillers had worn off. The adrenaline carrying her wouldn't last forever either. She needed to come up with an escape strategy before her body would cocoon up to prevent her death.

A quick glance at the shuttle's dashboard told her she had reached orbit. The long-range radar pinged madly as it found more and more unknown signatures. None of the alien intruders seemed to be interested in her though. Thinking coherently became difficult but the autopilot was built to work even in emergency situations.

"Get me out of the system," Rejka croaked, trying to hold on to the dashboard for sheer life. She could feel her body fighting her already. "Confirm!"

"Course laid in to system edge," the shuttle's computer confirmed. Whatever it said next, Rejka didn't hear.

* * * *

"When I woke up, I found myself on this ship. The surgeon did his best but he couldn't save my hive node," Rejka said, unconsciously rubbing her neck.

"What's a 'hive node?'" Zamos asked around a spoonful of food. Her cell mate was a curious one. A tall Zuthrian, with a simple military buzz cut and mesmerizing, green eyes. His black skin was tattooed, ferocious red lizards clawing at his chest and shoulders. For a navy officer, he was in incredible shape. Not ripped but well-toned, with broad shoulders for his species and nice six-pack abs. She knew about the claw and teeth marks on his arms, back and butt, since there was no inch of skin she hadn't touched during the past six or so hours while they had had sex. Where most people were at least uneasy around her species, he seemed to enjoy her shape-shifting antics. And if he was at all irritated by being locked up on a slaver ship, he didn't show it.

Rejka picked up her own food and spooned a few bites of lukewarm rice and fruit sauce into her mouth before answering.

"Simply put, it's an artificial organ which greatly amplifies our own innate psionic abilities. It's one of the few things we can't regenerate on our own."

"So... you lost your psionic abilities?"

"Not quite." Rejka grew a slender tendril from her palm and extended it across the floor. The flexible appendage slithered like a skin-colored snake up Zamos' leg and curled around his flaccid penis. His thoughts were like a calm, placid ocean, churned only by the first waves of renewed arousal. She could see herself through his eyes. At the moment, she wore a species-neutral shape, a busty albino woman of average height and weight with a warm smile on her rosy lips and not a single hair below her eyebrows. He was a bit disappointed at the lack of tentacles. Rejka grinned. He was the first alien she had met who actually wanted tentacles near him.

"I need to touch my vic...partners to read their minds," Rejka said. "And I have lost access to the Faceless hive mind."

"Is that good or bad?" he asked. He was genuinely curious, not making small talk. So, he wasn't just a looker but smart too. Gathering information, assessing his situation. Rejka could respect that.

"More bad than good," she admitted. "The Collective doesn't appreciate too much individuality. As an Infiltrator, I need to act on my own without constant supervision but now that they don't have any control over me, I have become a problem to them. I know too much about the hive mind, how we operate, the Great Plan and all that. Should another Faceless find me, it will try to kill me on sight."

"That's harsh."

"Well, I can hold my own in a one-on-one fight. And the chances of encountering more than one of my kind at a time are pretty slim. Nevertheless, being on this ship isn't bad. I think I'll enjoy Xeltec's hospitality until I have fully recovered then I'll ask him to release me. Let's see how it goes."

"Hmmm," he said, his member hardening under her touch.

"But enough about me. You are awfully calm for being held captive on a slave ship," she remarked. "Aren't you a little afraid?"

He shook his head. "No."

Rejka's tentacle squeezed him. "Come on. You can tell me."

He sighed, as if admitting an embarrassing truth. "Well, if you have to know. After my first sand dragon hunt, our tribe's Wise Woman called on me during the Victor's Feast. She rewarded me for my bravery, as is custom among the tribes."

"How?"

"Oh, first we had sex all through the night. She was Marked." Zamos blushed adorably. His hand closed around her tentacle and squeezed back. "And in the morning, she let me glimpse my fate."

"And what did you learn?"

He sighed. "I'm not quite sure. The images are hazy, like a dream you can't grasp. But I know for a fact that I won't be dying surrounded by metal. It's the unshakable truth of my life. As long as I am surrounded by metal, I won't die."

"That's why you joined the Navy?"

"Yes. Turns out I'm a pretty good shot, even with ship cannons. When the Nor Navy began its exchange program, I was selected to represent the Zuthrian Dynasty." Zamos put down his plastic dish and rose. "Well, now that I've had something to eat, why not resume what we've been doing?" Careful, as not to step on the tentacle, he crossed the space between the bunks and sat down next to Rejka. He placed a hand on her thigh, his nimble fingers caressing her skin.

"Hmmm, I'd like that," she purred, absorbing her tentacle again. "What can I be for you next?"

There were steps outside the cell. Rejka looked past Zamos' shoulder. One of the black-armored guards, Xeltec's Furies, loomed beyond the force field.

"Rejka, get presentable. Xeltec wants you to entertain a customer. You have half an hour."

* * * *

The lowest deck of Xeltec's saucer-ship was a cavernous cargo hold. Several large containers were arrayed in neat rows, while every inch of the curved walls was lined with shelving. Deeva spotted large, clear boxes holding antique-looking weapons, armor pieces and assorted other items. A part of the floor tilted downwards, forming a gently sloping ramp. She waited on the upper end of the ramp, along with Xeltec and three of his Furies. With a loud metallic clang, the ramp hit the hangar deck below. Moments later, five people came up the ramp, an oversized, casket-like object floating between them on a repulsor field.

Iorec Bloodhand, a muscle-bound blonde Gravon male, was the first. At around eight feet in height and possibly three-hundred-something pounds, he easily towered over the rest of his entourage. He was clad in flowing robes made from a metallic fabric, the color shifting through all hues of the spectrum as he passed under the bright lights of the cargo hold. A broad belt was around his waist, with a long vibro-blade and some kind of handgun on either hip. His long mane was held out of his face by a headband made from a dark metal Deeva didn't recognize. His gaze drifted over her and he shot her a lewd smile.

The rest of his entourage were females. One young Zuthrian, her curly white hair parted and going just below her shoulders, shot Xeltec a murderous glare. She wore a zipped-up jumpsuit in dark blue with white accents which looked painted onto her barely visible curves. Her hand went to the gun on her hip. Iorec slowed his step and closed his hand over hers. Sighing, she released the weapon. Her grim stare never left Xeltec though.

The next appeared to be a Felinoid with striking, copper-streaked white fur. Where Tabby was short and curvy, this one was tall, had long limbs and an almost flat body, with just the slightest hint of breasts and butt. She wore shorts and a colorful crop top, over which criss-crossed several belts with throwing knives. She surveyed her surroundings with alert amber eyes. Her tail swayed slowly around her ankles as she strode up the ramp.

The remaining two were Gravon twins, both with tanned skin and dyed hair. One had streaks of yellow and green, the other red and purple interspersed with their blond tresses. They sported no obvious weapons and wore rather revealing leotard-style clothing. Deeva spotted chromed data jacks on their temples and ports along their forearms and wrists.

One of them had a remote plugged into her forearm, steering the repulsor units which carried the casket-like object. It seemed to be made from metal, stained dark with age. It was about eight feet long and five feet wide and easily as tall. Every inch of it had been carved with lavish decoration, although the effect was ruined somewhat by a host of impact marks and small craters. Deeva felt the buzz of excitement pulse through her, nearly strong enough to displace the feeling of sullen desolation which was with her ever since she had to torture Thexus, the Gravon security officer. She had once been a simple researcher, way back before her life became so utterly complicated. She didn't want to torture people. She didn't want to cause heartbreak in her best friend who was now sitting, utterly terrified, in one of the holding cells three decks above them, awaiting whatever fate Xeltec had in mind for her.

"Greetings, Xeltec. I see you have added to your crew?" Iorec's voice was a deep, sonorous rumble. So much like Thexus'. Deeva winced.

"As have you," Xeltec said with a mean smirk, nodding at the fuming Zuthrian.

"If you have laid even a single finger on Lavasi...," the young woman snarled.

"I'm wounded," Xeltec said, splaying his long-fingered hand over his thin chest. "You should know me better than that, Axilia. Lavasi is alive and well. More than that, actually. Last I saw her, she was fucking a cute Felinoid and enjoying herself tremendously."

Iorec again closed his hand around the Zuthrian's wrist. She hissed angrily and yanked her hand free, piercing the Grey slaver with a furious glare.

Unperturbed, Xeltec gestured at Deeva. "Anyway, this is Deeva, my new pet scientist. I think she will be of use in this investigation of yours. Say 'hello,' Deeva."

"A pleasure to meet you," Deeva said, bowing slightly.

"The pleasure is all mine," Iorec replied, again eyeing her. This time, there was obvious desire in his eyes. Deeva noted with interest the slight movement under his robes. "Shall we talk business?" Iorec asked Xeltec.

"Yeah, let's. And do make sure Axilia doesn't shoot me in the back. So, this is it??"

"Yes, that's the thing we talked about earlier. I found it in an asteroid cluster in the Abyss sector."

"At the edge of known space. Interesting. What do you know about it so far?"

"Not much. It's ancient, obviously. I ran a couple tests to determine its origin but I ended up with more questions than answers. The material is unlike anything we know. It doesn't emit any kind of radiation, which itself is an oddity and it is shielded from any kind of sensor scan. I've tried everything short of drilling into it."

Xeltec rubbed his hands together. "That's my kind of puzzle. Have your girls bring it into my lab on deck two. Deeva and I will have a look. In the meantime, why don't you kick back in one of the lounges? I'll show you my new acquisitions."

"Your hospitality, as always, knows no bounds," Iorec said with a smile. "This time I think I will have a look at this Lavasi as well."

"Huh. And I thought you didn't like dicks near you," Xeltec said with a smirk.

Iorec smiled and strode purposefully towards the elevator, Axilia and the Felinoid in tow.

Xeltec tapped his communicator. Xavra's face appeared before him. "Yes?"

"Iorec is on his way. Help him settle in. Show him our new arrivals. See to it they perform. And make sure his bodyguards stay put."

"Shall I dance for him too?" Xavra asked, a little exasparated. "I am your pilot, not your damn used-pussy sales-Grey."

"We all have to do things we don't want to. Right now you have been promoted to hostess, so act accordingly. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Well, I could ask Deeva to become our new pilot. She seems capable of following orders."

"Fuck you, Xeltec. I'll do it, this once. Don't be such a cheap ass and hire someone for this job already." Xavra terminated the connection.

* * * *

A Fury guided the Gravon twins out of the lab. Deeva was impressed. Xeltec's lab was as much cutting-edge as his medical facilities. Around the room, she spotted numerous devices for analyzing xeno-archaeological artifacts. High-end sensor systems, several computers, containment units and neatly organized racks of heavy-duty tools. Everything you'd ever need to discern an item's true value. Or turn a clump of fossilized matter into a priceless collector's item.

"Where do we start?" Deeva asked while Xeltec changed. The frail Grey slid a clear gown over his robe then put on a set of elbow-length gloves and a clear face mask. "Iorec sounded like this was an impenetrable safe."

"He's a pirate," Xeltec snorted. "He may have more brains than your usual loot hound but he's far from learned. Otherwise, he wouldn't need me. You might want to at least put on some face protection. We don't want any booby traps pulverizing that brain of yours."

Deeva nodded. On a tray nearby, she spotted one of the face masks the Furies usually wore and took it. The polarized material interacted with her subdermal circuitry and became fully translucent, with a smattering of sensor readings surrounding her field of vision.

"Now, to pick up where Iorec left off," Xeltec said, rubbing his hands together. "Like many amateurs, he simply ignored the biggest, most obvious clue. Which would be-?"

Deeva shrugged. "I was trained in astrophysics. Xeno-archeology is new to me. But I'm willing to learn," she added when Xeltec's scowl deeped.

"Like I said, the fucking obvious," the Grey snarled, jabbing a finger at the huge box in the center of the room. "What do you see?"

"A container made from some kind of metal alloy, heavily decorated. It has been out in space for a long time, going by the amount of deterioration and surface damage."

"Not bad, not bad." Xeltec nodded approvingly. "What the trained eye sees goes a bit deeper. This construct was made by the metalcrafters of Gorgon-IX. Ever heard of them?"

"The Gorgon system is a known space hazard. All Silician ships have a hard-wired navigational override which causes them to stop at least ten light years away from it."

"That's because the Gorgonites have the unpleasant habit of capturing ship crews and adding them to their gene pool. Nevertheless, the snake-heads are a highly advanced species, nearly as old as mine. They have perfected the art of metallurgy. See all these fine strata?" Xeltec pointed at a corner of the container.

"Yes. It's like armorgrade alloy, only a lot finer."

"Exactly. At a time where the Zuthrians bombed each other back into the stone age and my species dispersed into the far corners of the galaxy, the Gorgonites had developed such advanced composite materials, they could have conquered the whole of known space with fast, almost invincible warships which used high-penetration ammunition no shields could stop. Lucky for us, they picked the Precursors as targets for their first attack and lost. The Old Ones pushed them back and left them rotting on their homeworld. If they haven't by now, I guess they will die out in the near future from constant inbreeding. No amount of luring unwary space ships to their doom will change that."

"So, since we now know who made it, do we know how to open it?"

Xeltec laughed. "If it were this easy, I wouldn't have asked you to help me out. If the composition of the material isn't a clue, the Gorgonites overcomplicate things to the max. I wouldn't be surprised if this shell is indeed tamper-proof."

"Nothing is really tamper-proof. You just need to know where to pry," Deeva said with a smile. "May I examine it?"

"Sure, go ahead. I'll fire up the subspace scanners and try to find out if this thing is really sensor-proof."