Chapter 5

Two for two.

After several minutes of walking up hill in the tunnel I finally started to see signs of creatures that did not completely disintegrate most where dead from what I could tell but a few were struggling with the lack of limbs and the likes. Creepy looking things scorpions with two heads bears with four arms you get the idea absolute monsters and I began to wonder just what kind of experiments they were doing back at the lab or was these things already here and like that it was hard to tell in a game like this just about anything was possible.

The tunnel finally excited into a large caravan with stalactites hanging from the celling looked like there this was a four way the path that I came from that goes down a path on the left that more bears were coming from and the path on the right that the scorpions were coming from and the straight across from me is the path that goes up that’s where I needed to go and in the middle was a small pond.

Of course, this is where both umm clans’ hordes I don’t know what to call them they were anywhere from 10-13ft tall freaky looking things. The hordes were massing in the middle.

If I was by myself, I could maybe climb up and over or I could try the jet boots again but without Livy I still don’t know how to turn them off and with Jeff that was just a bad idea.

Time to wake up Jeff, I sat him down against the rock by the door I tried to shake him nothing hmm I slapped him that did the trick.

Jeff woke up muttering to himself then his eyes found the massive horde of monsters destroying each other.

I grabbed his shoulder “hey we are alive, and I intend to stay that way” he nodded “here” I handed him the extra pistol from my bag he looked at it in fear.

“Ok so here is the plan I’m going to start shooting and try to clear a path to the exit on the fare side of this cavern stay right behind me this is probably going to be a shoot and run type of deal” put your left hand on my back and let’s go”. I slipped my pistol back into inventory and pulled out the B24.i felt Jeffs hand flinch on my shoulder when I did this hum inventory might just be a player thing I honestly did not know. Oh well time to Leroy this dungeon I spun up the B24 and started spraying laser toward the scorpion’s side thinking they might have less armor but then the bears if I concentrate on one of them, I could take them down but several at a time not so much it defiantly made them mad several of them started to head straight toward us.

But the bears used this time to overwhelm them. It was brutal limbs snapping Bears were pulling apart the scorpions.

The scorpions that brook off towards up finally gave it up after putting enough led umm lasers in them the last one was in striking distance, but it fell. “NOT TODAY” I screamed adrenaline pumping.

There was now a gap between the water and the scorpions quickly running through that gap; we made it passed the scorpions bears and the pond “up the hill lets go”.

Running up the hill my Hud started flashing RECONNECTING RECONNECTING CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.

I could see sunlight just a bit more running into the sunlight are path turned from hard cave floor to sand than we made it out.

Into the desert I could see smaller versions of scorpions and bears about half the height of the grown up one in the cave putting them at about 4-5ft tall fighting with each other I guessed the purge drove them out.

But that’s when I noticed a filmily person on a hill fighting a small scorpion with a large hammer, I laughed Slate kind of looked like a dwarf with a hammer this far away and he looked to be holding his own in a world that use blasters I wander why he was using a hammer.

With ease I started mowing the little nasty's down with the B24 these guys where much weaker and easy to take down Jeff finally took his hand off my back once I had killed most of the little nasty's.

Slate was standing there dumbfounded the confusion was evident in his face.

Slate made his way down the hill towards us holding his oversized hammer. He looked formidable to be honest.

“How are you here I thought you went into the lab with Bryan”.

“I did and me and Jeff came out the back way so to speak also Bryan tried to kill us both so he is on my KOS list (kill on sight) if given the chance” but why are you here Slate you couldn’t have known we would come out here did you”

“Uhh no actually I was going to ask for your help clearing out these nasty's before you went into the lab you see I gave what credits I had to pay off the debt, but that #&$&# man said that because it took so long, I had incurred interest and was tasked with clearing out this nest he did give me a second option I could give him my daughter I told him he could stick”

“I cut him off I can guess what and where to stick something so option one. I didn’t kill everything inside the cave, but everything out here is gone is that good enough or”

“He said he would only call it completed if I brought the Queens heart from the scorpions and one alpha Paw from the bear”.

I did not even question what the guy needed these items for “ok than looks like I’m going back down Jeff stay with Slate I be right back”

Jeff protested but I ignored him.

I quickly ran back down the cave entrance came back into the room where the pond was. Everything there was dead. I didn't see anything that looked like a queen or an alpha, so I decided to try the path leading to where the scorpions were coming from. In theory, the queen would be down there.

Let's do this trying pump myself up.

Walking down the much smaller tunnel it looked pretty much like the other, but the ground was heavily warned down, and it seemed to go on forever I finely made my way to a much bigger chamber and there was the scorpion queen she was massive about 20ft tall and about the length of a school bus pear black with red eyes only one head that was strange the smaller one all had 2 heads.

Ok you big overgrown scorp time to meet your maker I switched the B24 to charge mode and started it up it started to charge up as the massive scorp begone to move in my direction eyeballing the charge meter it was almost there just a bit more the scorp made her move as my overcharged cannon fired a giant beam of energy right into the oncoming maw it turned last second blocking with its pinchers the blast eat right through one of its pincher than splashing it in the face but by that point its damage was reduced.

Before it regrouped, I switched to the vibroblade it was basic but hopefully it would do what I needed it to do.

It Swung at me I rolled under its attack from its remaining pincher I came up swinging the blade as hard as I could into one of its leges I was hoping for a clean cut, but the basic energy sward just did not have what it takes.

I would have to get a better one in the near feature the sward did leave a deep cut that was bleeding a black iker nasty I rolled out and away from the thing as I was within month eating distance.

The scrop took a few steps back to as it did this, I noticed it had a slight unbalance from my strike on the leg a plan begone to come to mind take out all of its legs than take the thing out I believe Slate said I needed the heart that was going to be gross to get.

I ran at the scorpion it got ready to receive my charge I was going to faint than roll under its swing but the way the thing was positioned it looked like it was ready for that at the last moment I did something stupid I lunged and shoved the sward straight down the month of the scorpion it tried to bite down on the sword and began to thrash around not sure why it did not just use its remaining pincher it's as if it forgot it was there maybe I struck the brain quickly I tried to twist the sword for more internal damage than its month un clinched and we fell to the ground.

Trying to catch my breath I keep an eye on the thing as I was not sure if it really was dead after closer examination, it was indeed dead, I had stabbed it in the right spot killing the brain it just took it a bit for it to realize that it was dead.

After a few minutes of figuring out where the heart was and how to get it I finally managed to get it out and after throwing up a coupler of times it got easier to deal with, I just had to convince my brain that this was just a game harder than it sounds honestly.

I made it to the central chamber it looked just like it did before, lots of dead things ok the bear is next.

I pulled out the B24 and started to charge it who said you must be sitting steal to charge the thing. You did have to have two hands on it and of course aim it, but I had a crazy idea if the thing was as big as I was hoping it should be easy running down the other tunnel I just kept going until the end.

Just like the other one I found the larger chamber with the normal looking bear besides the fact that he was 30ft tall with a month that could swallow me whole.

The room was darker and there were piles of bones in different places and the big bear himself was in the middle of the room eating what was left of a scorpion. It looked my way scorpion bits falling from its month “UH hello there”. It swallowed what was left of the scorpion then turned toward me.

I ran at the thing at full speed it opened his mount wide I shoved the barrel of my b24 Spindel gawk in the open mouth and fired it tor straight through the bears insides and coming out the back side the bear.

It was now a bit smokie but without its insides it collapsed to the ground it would have crushed me, but I stowed my gun in my inventory and dove out of the way. The heavy thing slammed to the ground creating aloud thud dust rose out form around it.

Dusting my hands off on my pants, I pulled my sword out and cut the huge paw off the bear. It took a few swings the bear was tough.

Looking around I did not see any loot I mean I know I was just here for the paw but come on.

I was about to turn and leave but then I heard a whimper like a dog would make looking around a second time I seen a fury ear behind one of the piles of bones.

Walking around it I seen a small bear cub. It was light brown colored 2 arms so not a mutant one it was just lying there it saw me. The cub made its was over to me and licked my leg. I tensed up for a moment then I relaxed, it did not seem to be aggressive. I cautiously reached down and screeched it behind the ear just like a dog it loved it.

well, what to do I couldn't just kill it my morals wouldn't allow it and Slate said nothing about completely wiping them all out.

I did just kill its dad at least I think that was its dad was not sure if it was a boy or a girl.

I was thinking to myself when the cub made its was over to me and licked my leg.

I backed away from the little guy and it came closer towards me well I guess it decided the ship just got a new member. I picked up the little guy and started towards the exit and it nuzzled it's head into the cruck of my arm.

Walking out of the main exit I saw Slate and Doctor Jeff on the hill.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I waved to them and after they noticed the wolf cub, they gave me confused looks.

After giving Slate the paw and the nasty heart, I told them about the fight and the wolf cub Slate let me know it was a female and they were normally aggressive by this stage but in a few rare cases they could be tamed but even more rare is the fact that there even on Desicronn they are not native to the planet at all.

the Doctor looked like he wanted to say something, but he in didn't.

Time to get out of here I called Livy on the coms now that I was above ground it worked just fine.

“Greeting captain how have you been” Livy asked.

“Man it's good to hear your voice doing great any chance you can come pick us up”?

“One moment” the comes went silent.

I looked over at Slate and Jeff then I heard a whooshing sound and sand begone to blow past me.

I turned and saw the Star Hummer approaching it was an amazing sight because I'm normally inside it so it was nice to see my ship in all its glory It was beautiful.

The ship landed and lowered the ramp we got inside as fast as we could to get out of the hot sun. Astra was waiting inside the holding area, she noticed the bear cub in my arms and got existed.

I brought the cub over to Astra and let her sniff her just like a dog she licked Astra on the check Astra giggled see she's nice I handed the little cub over to Astra.

“Does she have a name” Astra asked I thought about naming it, but I probably came up with something dumb.

“Uh no you can name her” I winked and walked toward the cockpit.

“Livy take us back to the port I need to visit a certain doctor”.

It turned out Livy could fly the ship if I gave her permission to do so that meant that Astra was doing all the flying, because I never told Livy to do so.

I still needed to talk to them about that.

We landed back at the port we left the ship minus Astra and the bear, she has yet to tell me its name.

Slate went to finish up his quest with the debtors.

I made my way over to the lab with Jeff and my blaster pistol on my side ready to shoot Bryon in the face.

Walking in we found our way to the receptionist from early she looked at me then Doctor Jeff with a confused look on her face.

Jeff walked past her desk and was heading to the elevator, I decided to check something.

“Hi, there is Doctor Bryan still here. I took care of the issues he was having down in the labs”.

“Um you went down but I don’t remember seeing you come up” she looked even more confused.

“Ya you see I kind of had to use the back door but that’s not important, is Bryon still here” I asked her.

“I'm afraid not he came back up a few hours ago and boarded a shuttle off world I know not where he went or when he will be back”. Jeff turned around after hearing what she said.

Jeff walked up to her. “I have top level clearance where did he go” Jeff asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.

“I honestly don’t know he did not tell me where he was going only that he would be gone for an extended amount of time”.

He nodded at her and walked back toward the elevator he motioned for me to follow.

We went back down toward the lab sure enough it was closed for cleaning and Doctor Bryon was gone and the guards that were with him early were also gone.

Jeff clinched his fist then walked back to the elevator. I stayed quiet and just followed him.

We came out of the elevator into a white room with big doors at the end of the room the doors opened automatically but they were the old fashion ones that swung out instead of sliding inside the wall.

The room was also white but no orange the desk looked like it was made out of oak wood he hit a button on his desk and a view screen appeared behind it.

Doctor Bryon appeared on the screen.

“Oh, Doctor Jeff, I see that you somehow managed to slip away and the daring captain I suggest you pack up and levee old boy as for you captain our next meeting will be your end”.

The screen turned off and the call ended.

“Blast it all I knew Bryon was up to something how was I so blind I need to get out of here”. He begone to grab stuff out of his desk then he looked at me.

“I have nowhere to go that he won't find out. all the ships here are company ships I know what you're thinking can't we just track him the answer is no he left on a URSC ship”.

“Well you could come with us I can drop you off”.

“Oh that would be wonderful, let me just grebe a few things”.

We left the building without saying anything to the receptionists, the walk back to the ship was uneventful and it looked like slate was wafting at the ramp of the ship.

Slate had somewhat of a smile on his face but at the same time something behind his eyes told me everything was not ok.

“All set Slate? I don’t know about you but I'm ready to get off this rock”.

“Ya I'm defiantly ready to go Uh captain is Jeff coming with us”?

“Yes, well you know the 1st part of the story let's get in orbit we can talk about it more”.

After getting the doctor settled in, I made my way to the bridge and found Astra sitting in pilots’ seat she was primed and ready to go at a moment's notice.

“Hey thanks for flying the ship I can tell you really enjoy it you’re a natural”.

She relaxed and I saw her smile.

I was going to make her go to the copilot's seat but decided her smile was worth it.

“Astra takes us into orbit, nothing fancy”.

Slate seat down in the one of the extra seats he also noticed Astra smiling than he smiled I thought I seen a tear run down his check I hated to ruin the moment, but I needed to know where we were going the doctor also came in and seat down in the last chair by the door. We started to take off and move towards the atmo.

“Ok guys so Slate would like to go home not sure where that is also the Doctor here will need to be dropped off somewhere as well Jeff where would you like us to take you, I'm hoping the two places are not opposite directions”.

Slate looked like he was about to say something then he waited. Jeff took this moment to speak up.

“I need to go somewhere I will be safe from Bryon hum I might have to relocate a few times but it’s a start as it is I will be looking over my shoulders until that monster is gone so take me to Drars 67J”

Livy cut into the convo.

“A course to that planet will take approximately 12hours in a hyper jump”.

I looked at Slate and he just nodded. I had a feeling he did not trust Jeff, that is why he did not want to disclose his home planet and I was ok with that if it made Slate feel safer all the better.

We broke atmo “Livy plot a course for Drars 67J”.

The jump was always a sight worth seeing the way the stars seem to go past the window. It kind of reminded me of a snowstorm when I was driving through it when the snow would fly past you, but it made it hard to see anything else “beautiful” I said aloud.

“I know it reminds me of Mom” Astra said.

I did not realize I said that last part out loud.

If she is anything like you, I am sure she was just as beautiful.

she got a bit teary eyed but quickly got her composer together.

“Jeff you might want to get you some rest the Ships umm nav system will alert us when we are about to exit hyperspace”.

Livy chimed in “yes captain” slate gave me an odd look but then nodded, he understood that I was also playing it safe with the doctor on board.

We all exited the cockpit Jeff went to his bunk and so did Slate Astra went to the cargo holed to check in on are fury friend before Slate closed the door to his bunk I told him that I would be logging off for a bit and told him to keep an eye on Jeff I don’t think he is a threat but no since in giving away info unless it was necessary to do so he agreed.

I went to my cabin it was the larger room with a bed in the center and armor stand on the left wall a small bathroom in the corner it looked like a fancy hotel room I kept my armor on and locked the door and went and laid on the bed I could just log out anywhere but I thought I would try and get in the habit of logging out in more realistic place.

The world faded from my vison as the real world came into view it was always abit disorienting at first my man cave came into focus it was 7pm Thursday.

Time for the usual routine bathroom break than something to eat.

I was in the mood for burgers and fries ya not that healthy but hey I will make up for it in the home Gym.

I got the burgers cooked and the fries where almost done I also had some bacon to go with it and some people may think I'm strange, but I absolutely must have a fried egg to go on it so it’s a bacon egg cheeseburger I used Swiss cheese I also like cheder and Peeper jack but Swiss is my normal go to add some BBQ ketchup and just a tad bit of A1 Sause perfection add a glass bottle of root bear pure nostalgia.

Unfortunately, I was all out of root bear so it looked like ginger ale would have to do.

Dinner was amazing if I do say so myself, but I will really need to hit the Gym hard to make up for all this nonhealthy food I have been eating the last few days.

I have to keep my real world body healthy since my job pretty much consisted of VR gaming that and I wanted to look good for Kira.

After cleaning up my mess and doing the dishes it was almost 9pm 12 hrs in game would be 6hrs in the real world so 1am are ship would be coming out of hyper space.

Another long night it would seem, but I had time to do some cardio and then get a shower.

After a good work out and a cool shower it was midnight close enough, I laid down and put the VR equipment on and hit the log in button.

My vison faded then the VR world begone to metalize in front of me what I saw was a gray cooler it took me a minute to realize I was laying on the bed looking up at the celling.

Walking into the corridor I heard laughter coming from the cargo hold, it had to be Astra.

Walking into the cargo hold I lost gravity and I saw well boxes floating and Astra was floating around the room in zero G along with the bear cub chasing after her by jumping on walls or boxes I realized Astra had turned off the gravity in the hold.

I had a thought to turn it back on but then I remember the fun things I did when I was a kid like twisting tire swing up so when you let it go it would spin on its own for what seemed like forever.

Astra noticed me and flinched as she thought I might get upset but instead I smiled at her as I shot towards her and slapped her softly on the shoulder “tag your it”, I jumped away as fast as I could.

“Hey” she squeaked I just laughed as I jumped around in zero G the bear cub was starting to get the hang of it as well before I knew the little thing ended up on my back hitching a ride Astra thought that was just the cutest thing.

She finally got me but shortly after she did her dad walked in.

“Whaaaa what in tarnation is going on it here” he lost his balance and was spinning in circles until he hit a box.

“Hey there Slate want to join a friendly game of tag” he looked at me than Astra.

“Erm you’re playing tag in zero G” we both nodded “we’ll all right I guess you’re never too old to play tag”. Astra smiled. We played tag for several minutes. I finally decided I would leave them to it you know for some father daughter bounding.

It wasn’t until I reached the cockpit that I realized I still had a small bear cub on my back because when I went to sit down I heard a light grunt like when you get squished up against 2 objects and all of the air come out to make more room I sat up quickly looking over my shoulder at a sleepy bear cub “sorry little fella forgot you was back there” she detached from my back and climbed on top the chair like a cat I laughed you know “you won’t be able to do that when you get older” she just gave me the sideways look that a dog would do.

“Livy, how much longer we got”?

“10 minutes captain”

“Thanks, alert the crew I don’t want any surprises”.

Several minutes later the whole crew was on the bridge I had Astra take the bear cub and put in in a cage just in case oh and she named her Amber it did not seem very intimidating, but I could see messing with someone telling them Amber would rip the arm off and them of course not expecting you know a bear.

Dropping out of hyperspace in 3…2..1 the star filled view changed to well a space station. “Livy confirmed location and scan for nearby ships”.

“Location confirmed Drars 67J a few ships are In the area none of them are of USRC origins”.

“Jeff, is this the place”? He nodded in the affirmative “ok take us in”.

Are ship landed in a hanger I could see the hanger crew running around moving stuff about If I had to guess are ship was bigger than what they normally have landing in here.

I walked with Jeff to the cargo ramp I was not planning on sticking around.

Jeff grabbed his stuff as we made our way down the ramp.

“You going to be ok Jeff”.

“Yes, no I think yes ok will be I transmitted my contact information to your ship if you need anything also I left coordinates to let’s …just say a long forgotten cache of ammo for your gun” he winked as he walked away from the ship.

Ammo for my gun ohhh he meant for the grenade launcher I smiled as I walked back up the ramp of my ship.

It was time to take Slate and Astra home I would defiantly miss them the ramp closed behind me, and I made my way to the cockpit I looked at Astra and Slate “yall ready to go home” I said in my best hick accent they both looked at me for a moment until Astra lost it in a fit of laughter Slate even chuckled a bit.

“So you do know the place”.

I laugh “no i was just messing around but if they really sound like that there all the funnier lest go to wait what was the planet called”?

“It’s called Fentmar Slate said with a comforting look on his face”.

“Let’s go Livy plot a course”.

“Yes, captain time in hyper jump is 48hrs also note we will need to recharge are power cells after this jump before jumping again”

“Wow, that was going to take some time plus the power cells all right lets motor hit the hyperlane Livy”.

We entered hyperspace that will never get old.

Slate motioned to me “you got a minuet captain” he asked.

“Ya what’s on your mind”.

“I wanted to well so my wife used to be a pilot, the best in her class best in her unit you name it if it wasn’t for her skills as a pilot the UCR would have lost their ruler in the last war”.

“Over the core world she used her own ship to deflect a shot that would have taken down the planetary shield generator even before her ship exploded she made a short jump into the enemy’s midst and took several of theirs ships with her I was both proud and distort when I heard the news my wife sacrificed herself to save millions but at the same time she left her only daughter and her husband that was low born miner behind I couldn’t give Astra the life she deserves that’s where that lone I was paying off came in I had to go into debit to survive”.

“Seeing Astra fly gives me mixed emotions. I just don’t want to lose her like I did (add wife’s name here)” he started sobbing at this point.

I was not good at this kind of thing I did not know what to say so I said nothing and let him work it out.

He got himself together and that was pretty much the end of what he had to say.

He asked me if I would be logging out for most of the trip, he still thought it was strange but was getting used to me doing it.

“Ya I will be gone for most of it I need to take my Girl out to dinner and maybe” I thought about it for a moment maybe ice skating I hadn’t done that in a long time.

“So you have a woman back in the other world Slate asked”.

“Yes she’s also here but I haven’t been able to meet up with her yet she’s in the mid rim on the far side”.

“It will take several jumps to get to her from here Livy said 12 days with are current hyperdrive and since we are currently moving in the opposite direction”.

“Will add a couple more days to the trip I finished but that’s ok. I finish what I start, I said I would and that is getting you home”.

I logged out in my cabin as I was trying to get used to doing that.

The real world materialized I did not waste any time I sent Kira a msg hey I just logged out our ship will be in hyperspace for the uhh doing some math 24hrs real world I’m thinking if you’re available maybe you like to go ice skating? Maybe get something to eat afterwards I’m setting my alarm for 10am need to hit the gym I should be done by 12 or so let me know. Then I passed out.