Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 154 of 365. Sol standard year]
Days after of Crash landing/ 3
Uninhabited Island /Beach route to Yard-Ship
Galactic Standard Time / 0835
Al looked around as they passed over the dune. The capsule on the beach within stone walls with gates caused him to feel shocked. He had seen what Locke did, but this seemed a little bare bones. But he didn’t know what they had experienced over the last few days. There had to be a reason one of the Scholar’s Way had made it like this. That thought caused Al to feel a little sick in his stomach as he got closer to talking to the brother of his teacher. He knew that they had been close, and he didn’t know how the being would react. After all, his own family had betrayed him and tried to kill him!
“Don’t worry! The weapons we’ve got set up handle all the breaches and we’ve got overlapping fields of fire!” Sal’go said with a laugh.
Al only smiled and tried to appear relaxed. He had gotten so used to acting that it was easier, but then he was a terrible game player. But then he had always been better when the stacks were as high as they could be. And if the Chief wanted him killed, all he would have to do was act.
As they came closer to the wall, Al was able to spot a few guns on the walls facing the sea. His eyes locked on them as his internal library went to work. Within moments he had found a match to its basic chassis and figured out some modifications made to it.
“Those guns, their Stag-Hunter model 9000 form the Zonlic Corporation. You found them in the Capsule. Military-grade weapons!?” Al asked in shock.
Sal’go only looked at Al and smirked. “You know your tech. And yeah, we were shocked when we found it. But after everything, we knew we needed them. So we didn’t ask questions,” Sal’go said with a shrug.
“That’s a bit concerning. I mean if that was in yours what’s in the others?” Al asked as he looked around. Mentally going over some plans he had for the Yard-Ship, he saw that there was more he could do. The ships he had been designing were meant only to take the people, but now there was another option here. If the other capsules had military hardware to the same
Walking into the camp, Al looked around. The Escape Capsule wasn’t at the center but towards the back, near two gun stations near the forest.
“So you’ve been okay with the forest around here? We’ve been attacked three times from all over!” Sara said with a shudder.
“How bad?” Sal’go asked with a tired horrified tone.
“A beast that could paralyze people with a roar. Before that a pack of wolf-like lizards that killed three people we had sent out. We couldn't even recover their bodies,” Sara said with a thousand-yard stare.
Sal’go looked at Al for help and he shrugged. “I fought the paralyzer after the group I was with came back from a failed scouting mission. And on said mission, we fought humanoid bugs that chased us, and a giant one ten feet tall. It was only after that trying to get back that we found the reason we’re out here.”
“Yikes. We fought this wave of these crab-hybrid things. Imagine wolves with crab shells and claws on their front shoulders. They just attacked us on the first day when we were looking around. If it wasn’t for Locke making a wall and Xordig pushing it onto the creatures, we would have lost. And then we heard something salvaging the remains that night! “ Sal’go said with a small sigh and shook his head.
“And yesterday, was it better?” Al asked as he looked around, trying to find anything to let him stay outside. If there was a problem that he had to deal with, he could try and not see Tomkin. But he knew that Tomkin would have already seen all the problems and dealt with them.
“A tiny bit. See the remains of some kind of shark washed up on the beach! It had armor of all things like a lobster but no arms. We found out we could eat it and served it as soup!” Sal’go said and laughed as he looked out over the waves. “But then that night something came back and hunted along the tideline. We didn’t lose anyone but we heard the screams of the scavengers as
something ate them all.”
Al nodded, finally finding out why the sea had more guns pointed towards it. The idea that something could kill the things Sal’go spoke of so loudly, was worrying.
“Wait, humans make up a small number of the people here, don’t they?” Sara asked with hope in her voice.
Al looked around and smiled as he saw all the nonhuman shapes. Three child humanoid otters were looking at the sea through the forward right breach. Behind theme were three six-foot-tall furred bipedals. They looked like humans, but their green fur covered their bodies. They were watching six younger members of their kind half their size play by the lower left entrance. And here and there nonhuman deckhands were standing guard.
“Yeah, what? Was yours all human?” Sal’go asked jokingly.
Sara looked away and Al coughed.
Sal’go looked at them and winced. “Oh, that means you were at that party for the people from that ‘human only’ world, right?”
“Human only!? Oh. I remember seeing that,” Al said as things made sense to him. That explained so much, but then he frowned. “But I’m not slated to work those events…… maybe there was an issue that needed a mechanic. If I was nearby and I was the only human available that might explain why I was nearby when whatever happened?”
“Lucky! I was working in one of the parks. At least that was on my duty roster. Never check yours?” Sal’go asked with a grin and Al looked away. “What is this your first trip with the Spirit?”
As Al nodded, Sal’go’s face fell. “Oh.”
“It’s the first for most of us,” Sara said softly.
Sal’go looked around at them, and his scales lost their colors.
Al understood his reaction. After the first tour, it was customary for deckhands to get codes to connect to the ship’s network. They also let them send wireless messages to other ship’s crew they had the handshake for. Without them, it was a testament to their wills that they were still alive.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“And you’re all alive?” Sal’go asked in shock.
“Not everyone. We found Roy when he was escaping from a massacre after his capsule went mad. They were about to sacrifice a baby to the monsters when some others disagreed violently. Roy was one of the sacrifices and then we saved him from what was hurting him!” Sara said as she glared.
Al looked away, trying not to let his face show his feelings. There was something about the way that the hunters chased Roy that bothered him. It was only looking back that he saw it. There was something about the way they zeroed in on the baby and Roy, that wasn’t natural. They should have stopped once he left their territory, that was the way animals hunted. So why keep tracking Roy and the Baby, why?
“Oh, there you are Chief!” Sal’go said with relief in his voice.
Al turned around and saw him. There in all his baboon-like glory was Tomkin Arlon. The parts of his fur not covered by the crew jumpsuit were as red as he remembered it. The way his black eyes went over the group and only paused on Al for a minute was telling.
“So who are these punks Sal’go? And where is Xordig?” Tomkin asked and Sal’go saluted.
“Sir, we and the kid went over to the left this time and over the dune there. We found a river, and a few members from another capsule sir! Xordig went with others to rescue other survivors! A native went with them sir, but you had to know!” Sal’go reported.
“A native!? There are natives here?! Why haven’t they rescued us yet?!” Tomkin demanded and Al took a deep breath.
“Bit of a story there. And he’s kinda on the run,” Sara said.
Tomkin zeroed in on Al, and then nodded.
“Then you can tell me. Everyone else, get to work. Miss?” Tomkin asked.
Before Sara could say anything, Sal’go spoke up.
“Sir, we ran away from a giant monster fight,” Sal’go interrupted Sara before she could say anything.
“Giant monster? How giant?” Tomkin asked with a hard tone.
“At least thirty feet tall on one. And there were two other giant bugs around that size. It’s possible they were defending their eggs.” Al said. He looked at Tomkin and knew that he had understood who was speaking.
Al felt the looks on his body and only nodded as Tomkin’s eyes widened.
“Let’s have that talk then,” Tomkin said as he turned around.
Al followed him into the capsule, and then into the office set to the side.
As soon as Al closed the door, Tomkin turned to Al and started to cry.
“ALBERT! I never thought I would see any of you again!” Tomkin said throwing his arms around Al. Al just looked down at Tomkin as he hugged him, tears flowing from his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Tomkin asked as he reared back, moving his hands to Al’s shoulders. After a moment Tomkin frowned and his eyes went hard. “What, do you think I believe that lie that you all did restrict research without a letter of research? My brother was too smart to do that without a safety net! And he would have taught all of you that too!”
“He was, wasn’t he?” Al asked as he let a tear leave his right eye. “I don’t know what happened boss. I’ve got most of my friend's research, and nothing makes sense! From what I found there was no reason for them to react so hard! I mean I know your brother liked to research genetic Chimera’s sure! But there was a public game and a place to submit bio designs! And he was the best at figuring out the way bioweapons worked! How could the Pope betray him!?”
“I don’t know. But that one, I always didn’t trust him,” Tomkin said with a snarl on his muzzle.
“They didn’t even give us a day, they just attacked at night! By the time we knew what was happening everything was already lost!” Al said with a somber look as he remembered what had happened to him. He shook himself back to the present and looked at Tomkin. “Your brother died defending us. He took out this exo-frame we had all been working on as a group project. We had put in some mining tools to test the generator, and he used them to destroy the bots attacking one side. He stayed back and covered our escape, we spent the next few months dodging killers and I got off word.”
Tomkin looked at Al and shook his head, massaging his eyes as he looked at the boy. “I knew my bro was dead. But to hear he went out protecting his charges makes everything a little easier to handle. I’ve had my time to morn, but knowing that gives me a bit of peace.”
Al only nodded, a somber smile on his face as he looked into his past. The years he was under Tomkin’s brother were some of the best of his life. And at least he had a good memory of how much that being cared about his charges.
“But tell me about these monsters. And this native you found. What’s his story? How far is his home?” Tomkin asked with excitement in his voice. “How long an overland trip would it be?”
“We found a Yard ship on an island a bit farther down the coast. You can’t see it from here but it’s there,” Al said with a somber tone. “And the native, Burt. He told us this was an island. An uninhabited island that pirates are coming towards.”
“Pirates?! And how bad are they?” Tomkin asked, worry and dread in his voice.
“The tech level around here is crazy. And there might be more people among them like Locke, plus unknown numbers. So yeah, we’re looking at a threat that I can’t reasonably predict,” Al said with a hard tone in his voice. Being one of the Scholar’s Way, that admission was as close to painful as there could be. But that was the truth, and Tomking needed to hear it.
Tomkin only looked at Al, his mouth dropping open in shock.
“And the monsters? One of them is from this tree that grows plant copies of beings. A plant-based DNA stealer. And according to Burt, this kind of planet is a Folk Tale. And in said Tale it ate a whole city,” Al said with a hard tone.
Tomkin looked at Al as he fell against the wall. “How is this place still alive?”
“I think the sea, or maybe the giant bugs. I need more data, but I can find that after we control the Yard Ship,” Al said.
Tomkin looked up, and Al hoped he saw hope in Al’s eyes.
<>------------------------------------------------<>------------------------------------------------<>
Outside, Sal’go looked at the capsule and frowned. There was something here, something that he didn’t like. Since they came down, the Chief tried to keep everyone in the know about how he made decisions. To just call Al for a private debrief, was something that was out of character for Tomkin. But then there were none of his Religion among the survivors, maybe there was something there. Maybe the ’Way had a secret tech to tell if they were telling the truth between members? He might needed to unburden his soul to a being that followed the same path or something like that.
“Don’t like it boss?” a voice from behind caused him to turn.
“Sk’p, what have I told you about calling me that!? And it’s probably a religious matte,” Sal’go said with a scowl.
Sk’ip only chuckled. Sk’p was one of the humanoid otters, the Aolrgic race. He had brown fur, a normal color for his people, and black eyes with membranes to keep out water and omnivore teeth. Sk’p was one of the passengers but had volunteered to help out. It was what Sal’go expected, the Aolrgic culture had an element of helping the community that Sk’p seemed to love.
“Still, what’d you fight out there? And where’s the big guy?” Sk’p asked.
Sal’go just barely kept a sigh in. The way that Sk’p kept giving nicknames to people was starting to get on his nerves. “Some kind of water monster with tentacles. Then this cat thing appeared and bowed to us. Let the lookouts know that things could jump! I’ll talk to Tomkin about destroying the bridge we found. We’ll do it once the others make it back.”
“And where are they?” Sk’p asked.
For a moment, Sal’go was almost tempted to keep quiet. Sk’p was a far better shot than he’d expected. But then he realized what he was thinking of and almost laughed. The idea that Sk’p was a threat was almost as stupid as Xordig being a member of the Special Services!
“Mission to save other survivors and a baby human,” Sal’go said absently. He looked at Sk’p and sighed. “Look, love to talk but I need to get up on the walls to watch the dunes for attackers.”
“Why? What’s you find out there?” Sk’p asked with a note of worry in his voice.
Sal’go only looked at him and sighed. “Trouble, lots of trouble.”
<>------------------------------------------------<>------------------------------------------------<>
“HERE WE GO!” Locke called before stone walls started to rise.
“Good hunt!” Burt called out as he and Xordig ran towards the middle Beasts.
Jinn ran at the Giant, a smirk on his face as he jumped over one of the walls. Sometimes, he had to admit that fighting foes that might kill him made him excited. Battles where the edge of victory or defeat was measured by an inch. Where one mistake could have killed him instead of leading him to victory. And this was looking like another one of those times.
And this ten-foot-tall Giant sent by the ‘Daughter Tree’, looked to be one nova of an opponent. He took another step and grinned. “Aether Comet!”
As the blue energy aura engulfed him, he felt the power flow through him. For a single moment he felt the power stabilize before he jumped at the Giant’s left side. Take out its weapons, then go for the head. But the Giant pointed its club at him before the thorns shot out as missiles trailing smoke! As one came towards him he slashed out with his blade and it exploded, sending him flying back!
Jinn spun as the explosion sent him flying and saw a tree coming at him. Flipping, he landed on it and pushed off. Moments after he jumped the other thorn missiles hit and destroyed the tree in an explosion.
As he flew away, he thought of everything that had just happened. A glance at the giant showed that it was slowly replacing its organic ammo, so that was what he had to get around.
He took a moment to sneak a glance around the clearing and felt a surge of relief. Locke’s walls had risen to fifteen feet high cutting off the creatures from each other. But as he couldn’t see them, all he had to go that the others were fighting was the sounds of battle. With the Giant, it would probably be able to climb over the walls to get at the others.
There had to be a way to kill it. Or if not kill it, keep its attention on him. He had to have a way to do that, he felt it! Just then, Jinn remembered something from fighting against the creature in the cavern. “Why not, this might work. Or it might now.”
Jinn landed over thirty feet away from the Giant. As the others attacked the Beasts, the Giant turned towards them. Jinn couldn’t let that happen so he started his experiment. He tried to imagine the flame of the Power engulfing his legs. Releasing a deep breath he moved and suddenly he was over ten feet closer to the Giant. He held his blade out as he angled himself at the Giant’s leg and did what he did twice more.
The Giant roared as its right leg was suddenly sliced through and a large spurt of black blood shot out of the wound. As it went to its knees, it moved its head around until it faced Jinn. Jinn was just standing there, his sword dripping the black blood and skin from the leg. Jinn only glared at the Giant and flicked his sword. “How do you like that, you monster?”
With a roar, the Giant charged at him, and Jinn led it away.
“Good luck!” Jinn called out as he away normally ran, waving his sword to keep the Giant following him.