The door crept slowly into the wall to his left.
Jack paused, then took a step back.
The dim blue outside now crept in; blue, dim, and harsh on the eyes. He saw something. Wasn’t quite sure what it was.
What he was sure of is what he saw and that was a foot-long hooked knife, it was a green and black arm of a praying mantis. It stabbed through the open door and sank deep into the floor. It jerked back, seeming to only struggle for a second before its arm blade left a deep hole in the steel-wool carpet and a deep hole in the floor underneath.
Positive now that he was outright approaching 'strange', he watched in silent tension as the door continued to open. Incredibly, miraculously, it jammed after opening a quarter of the way. The blade hook was joined by a hard chitinous-claw that searched for a proper grip against the stuck door. The pincer and blade worked together, a quiet groan came from the door. It was peeling the door open like a can. Not pausing longer than he already had he ran back to the Terminal to see what he could find out.
“Terminal can you just unlock the Locker?”
The same set of numbers flashed across the screen. He was sure the 1’s and I’s were now in different positions. Remembering the Terminal's "joke" about the brain drill he decided to try something else.
“Is there anything else I can do?”
Initial Gear Requisition, Current Ship Requisition Chits Available: 100
A list of options flashed by.
Limited supply at this terminal, Basic Items Depleted, Foraged Items Available to Security Personnel:
Armitron Industries MechaSuit: 10000 chits
Clarabin Class IV Force Shield: 850 chits
My First Gauntlet (Upgradeable): 300 chits
+Shield Attachment (Sold separately): 500 chits
+Punch Blade Attachment (Sold Separately): 500 chits
He scrolled through, and each name made less and less sense or if it did make some sense, it was outrageously priced.
“Show me something I can afford you piece of crap!” he shouted at the Terminal as he kicked the wall underneath the panel. To be fair it was less a shout and more of a scream but he could hear the door being pried open.
The three dots “…” on the screen flickered one after another.
Too long, why was it taking so long?
Still going, now a whine and of metal.
“I’m... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that please hurry!” He didn't like having to apologize to the thing. He took a deep breath as he remembered that he wanted it working with him.
The list populated, he took half a step back and paused in suprise, not sure if it was fortunate timing or that the Terminal was actually responding to his apology. He didn’t have the time to consider any deeper implications. The knife-claw and pincer-claw were enough curiosity for the moment.
Horn’s Toothpick: 80 chits ->
Kron's Third Child: 90 chits ->
Algorathean Wrist Rocket (ammo sold separately): 80 chits ->
No Ammo Available at this Terminal Location.
Zapp Kill’s Electro-Kill Far Zappa: 45 chits ->
Medjel Kit: 15 chits ->
Water: 3 chits ->
Ration Bars (assorted): 5 chits ->
First-time Limb Replacement: 10 chits ->
Gamble: 10 chits ->
[https://i.postimg.cc/NjNFhJkH/Screen-Shot-2022-10-23-at-10-00-27-PM.png]
He shot a glance from the side of his eye. The blade had been pulled back, it looks like it was taking a break.
Thud. A chittering screech. Another thud.
His eyes flashed back to the Terminal. He had no idea what any of these “NonStandard” items were but it seemed like an easy choice. He jabbed his finger onto the “Gamble” option. Feeling lucky that he might get the shield, some other useful thing, or even the mecha at dirt cheap.
Under the panel, a hooped tray popped out and through some unseen tunnel, a “Soldier’s ProChoice Protein Bar: Stem-Cell Fortified” ration bar slid into the tray. He pocketed it and decided to stop playing around with his 90 remaining chits.
He started to ask the computer about the ration bar but the renewed thumping and the fact that he couldn’t see the crab unless he stopped using the Terminal spurned him on. He noticed the dryness of his throat, it had gotten overwhelming, like he'd never taken a sip of water in his life.
Loaded with his ration bar and 3 Chit sack of water he asked the computer about the "Toothpick" but the “…” returned. He didn’t have time to figure out why the Terminal wasn’t working properly, for all he knew maybe this entire ship was screwed, including the AI. He didn’t think properly working AI would let this crab wander around in the hallway. He looked through the list, he would do it his damn self.
First, there was absolutely no way he was getting close enough to that thing's claw or blade to use a “Toothpick” to poke it. That was an easy out. He glanced around the room, somehow a “rocket” seemed like a poor choice, he couldn’t imagine that the ever smaller appearing room would handle that well at all. Or its inhabitants, aka ME he concluded. Plus, no ammo. Next he had no idea who Kron was or why its child was here but for 90 chits he had no desire to find the answer. He checked his balance, only 87, nevermind then but even at 90, he wouldn’t have gotten it.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
That still left him with a pretty decent choice though. There was an item that had “kill” twice in its name as well as “electro.” It was also at a pretty fair price.
He smiled. He wanted to kill it and if he made it hurt at the same time, he was ok with that. Plus it had “far” in the name.
He selected it. A slot appeared to the right of the Terminal screen and a sleek black box came out. He grabbed it and flipped it around.
“Uh, how is this supposed to work? Computer! Terminal! How do I work it?” I glanced back down at the screen.
Verbalize “Analyze” once you have removed the item from its packaging.
The thudding stopped and his head snapped up in a rush. The good news was that it wasn’t in the room. Yet. That was quickly followed by the bad news which was its new horrifying tactic that let him see its head through the gap now. Its thick eye stalks look at him in all its horrible, malicious glory. It was a crab, but not like any of the crabs he had an idea of. It was a filthy green that was nearly black, between chitinous flaps was a dull crimson red that seemed to only make the creature fade into the background more.
It had 6 glowing-red and beady eyes at the end of stalks, filled with hunger. That hunger was personified on its oval carapace the front of which had an awkwardly large mouth that contained rows and rows of teeth, more teeth than anything should have had. They all ended in sharp points that sawed rhythmically back and forth. Behind the claws he could barely make out six other legs unevenly clacking against the ground as the creature shuffled back and forth in agitation.
Jack’s primary concern turned from the monster to opening the damned box. The box was black and rectangular, the top part fitting snugly to the bottom, covering it completely. It felt like a vacuum seal was holding the two pieces together, he desperately tried to wedge a fingernail into the bottom of the box and get some leverage.
In progressing volume he yelled, “Why. The hell. won’t. this. open!”
The sentence resonated with the abomination that resumed its clawing attempts with renewed vigor.
Finally, by rocking it back and forth he got was able to slide it open. It made a sucking vacuum sound as the top finally slid from the bottom part. He looked in the box and lifted a piece of paper that appeared to contain instructions on it.
Zapp Kill’s Electro-Kill Far Zappa
A famous bounty hunter, Zapp Kill was to be feared.
“Oh nice.”
Ironically enough besides his eponymous name, Zapp Kill was famous for his non-lethal takedowns.
His small grin retreated.
This Zappa this is modeled after is one of Zapp’s personal creations before he became a bounty hunter as he worked as a bouncer to settle club fights between heavily intoxicated Iridians. This model is mostly aimed at trendy urban dwellers who, on occasion, may have to scare off large rat-kin, small to medium-small canines, the occasional trash demon, and too insistent dates who don’t get the hint.
To Charge, shake the Device back and forth.
To Use, simply press the button to shoot an Electro-Zap up to six units away. For Close Contact use, hold the button and apply to target.
Not for use ages 10 and under.
Not sure why he knew but he had a distant thought that an Iridian was somewhat small, maybe reaching his waist or just above, and bluish. It wasn’t that reassuring of a thought wherever it came from. The fact that it was ok for children ages 11 and older to use, conflicted heavily with all the “kills” in the name.
He glanced at the hell-crab as it changed its approach, it turned itself sideways and attempted to squeeze through the slightly enlarged door gap. Jack dropped the piece of paper to the ground and moved back to the center of the room. As he looked at the Electro-Kill Zappa in the box, an odd thought flowed through his mind that he couldn’t help but feel a brief moment of appreciation for its clean and efficient, aesthetically-pleasing look.
The box, the sharp foam lines, and the device in the middle. About as long as his hand and half as wide, it was relatively thin with a clean matte black finish lined with silver trim circling the edge. He pulled it out and held it comfortably in his hand. As he fidgeted with it he noticed that while it was comfortable it didn’t hold great in his hand. Slightly above where he would want his grip rested an indented button in the middle of the device, below it, near the bottom were a series of 6 green lights in a row.
Even though it looked like Zapp Kill preferred form over function, still, seeing the wide, slightly above knee height, crab-like monster trying to figure out a way into the room he cautiously took a few steps towards it. He took a quick breath, in and out, then aimed the Electro-Kill Zappa towards its head. It chitter-roared and he pressed the button.
The bright ball of lightning the size of his thumb shot out and towards the crab. It fizzled and zapped the room white before it returned to its washed-out, acidic-green. He looked at the crab and felt a moment of worry that it would only have hurt the creature or make it mad. He looked at it and realized that there was a worse outcome. The creature didn’t even notice.
Shit.
He gave it a few more zapps, aiming for the eyes and the mouth but the little shit knew when it was a good time to retract its eye stalks and when to keep its mouth open or closed. The device gave out a heavy haptic buzz as the 6 lights flashed red. Experimenting with its recharging he found that holding it vertically and shaking it up and down was the best way to recharge it.
He sat in a half crouch sipping water as he jerked the Electro-Kill up and down.
Maybe that would do it. I settled on getting close to it. It looked mean… and sharp, but he didn’t see any way around that. Its eyes moved pretty quickly, like it was on reflex.
If he didn’t want to have to get at the thing mouth first he was going to have to get try the eyes. Up close.
“Well,” standing up he patted his hands on his sides, “no time like the present. Better to do it than live in fear of it.” He felt focused, a sliver of anxiety kept him cold and alert. His hands clenched and he noticed that his forearms did get a bit of a workout charging the Zappa.
He got in close, just outside slicing range. The crab didn’t stop trying to squeeze through the door. It was still sideways but couldn’t get the fattest part of its shell through. The six eyes kept tracking him.
“Ok you little fuck,” Jack whispered. He took a step forward and another. Not trusting the obviously evil crab he kept his weight on his back foot. It was a good call. The crab flashed out its knife claw and on pure reflex he pulled his foot back. Its praying mantis knife claw sank deep into the metal. The strange angle it had extended its claw prevented the crab from immediately pulling it out.
He took advantage, shifting to the right and around its back. He darted forward and plunged the Zappa into one of its eyes and kept the trigger down. Brilliant arcs of electricity flared out as the crab tried to retract its eye deeper and deeper into its shell and sizzled and popped, ichor burst across both man and crab. That didn’t phase Jack as it shrieked and twitched. A mean rictus pulled across Jack’s face as he pushed deeper.
The next moment only took a few seconds. The Zappa started to run out of charge and instead of dying the voltage started to spike and arc up his hand. A shrill whine grew and picked up steam as his thumb and fingers went out of his control and wrapped around the trigger. He was flung backwards as the crab loosened its blade from the ground, slipped it up, and scrapped against the Zappa taking Jack’s thumb and connective tissue with it.
Sitting on his butt, he fought off arm spasms from the shock. It took him a moment to realize his thumb was missing. He looked from it to the crab with the Electro-Kill Zappa stuck halfway out of its eye socket. The crab repositioned itself just outside of the doorway and used its right pincer-claw to delicately pick up his thumb and place it into its mouth.
Jack wasn’t exactly sure how to feel about that but the adrenaline coursing through his body was hot, he moved to snatch the Zappa while it was distracted. He almost squeezed through the door as he reached out and immediately pulled back as a claw clacked towards his remaining uninjured hand.
Worth a shot, not worth losing the other hand though.
He looked down.
Dammit, that's the one I liked the best.
He knew he shouldn't be this calm but odd as it all was, now that he was confronting the creature up close, he didn’t feel the same anxiety he felt before. It might have been the gallons of adrenaline pumping through his system but he didn’t feel that jittery either. He was starting to lose his cool as the pain pumped heat through the rest of his body.