Morrigan stepped onto the bridge with Xol as the Archangel transitioned out of FTL, the universe quickly snapping back into shape at a speed the human brain could comprehend. Far off in the distance was a large planet, roughly the size of Jupiter as far as Morrigan could guess, as well as a massive stone white battleship ebbing its way towards them.
The ship was twice the size of a cruiser, with a simple, blocky design that spoke of the sheer integrity of the Marmuro’k. She knew it was a Marmuro’k ship due to grilling Xol for information on the species as well as information about Tik’Taq’To over the past 24 hours.
“Mori, we’re being hailed by the incoming ship. Would you like me to put them through?” Sister announced.
“One moment Sister,” she responded before eyeing each member including Admiral Shepard. Sarilla seemed excited, while Luisa, Gunnar and Avery all appeared to be nervous by the approaching vessel. Shepard gave her a curt nod, letting Morrigan know they were prepared before Morrigan turned to Xol.
“You ready?” she asked.
Xol side eyed her and rumbled a hum, giving her a sharp nod and squaring his shoulders.
“Alright Sister, let them through,” Morrigan ordered as she turned her head at the sound of the elevator door opening again to see Nora stepping into the bridge.
There was no image that appeared above Morrigan’s station however, the second the audio connected, a stream of gibberish squawks and warbles came over the bridge’s speakers. Morrigan was instantly relieved that Xol was spearheading the communications because she had no hope in conversing with a S’randin. She could barely communicate with Yekku and Qiote, only marginally being able to due to living with them long enough to pick up their physical social cues.
As Xol started speaking, her attention moved to Nora who slipped her arm underneath hers.
“Hey precious, how are you feeling?” Nora asked softly, taking surprising care to not speak over Xol as he spoke in the Marmuro’k language.
Morrigan gave her a small smile as she slipped her fingers between Nora’s, pulling her hand up and kissing it, “I’m okay, nervous though. If this goes south, I’m not sure the Archangel can outgun that ship long enough to escape…” she said, motioning towards the gargantuan ship with a nod.
Nora snorted softly and grinned, “I don’t know, I bet you can rip that one in half too,” she mused as she kissed her cheek sweetly and settled her head against Morrigan’s temple.
Morrigan rolled her eyes at her comment and went back to listening to Xol.
Yeah, don’t listen to her. I mean, sure you probably could but after last time, let’s not do that again until we’re sure what your body can handle it, Apollyon pleaded.
“No worries, I don’t intend on doing that ever again,” she replied in her head.
“On the honor of Clan Tau, I, Xol-Tau, warrior of Clan Tau, come under the guidance of Red Death of the Inquisition with Qiote-Arak’tarul, Yekku-Kri’ket and Hî’tet-Tau. You will give passage to Tik’Taq’To and allow Marmuro’k to return home!” Xol growled out as Morrigan watched his fists clench. She could see him becoming increasingly aggravated and began to wonder if perhaps Yekku may have been a better option to speak to the Marmuro’k ship.
After a long moment of silence, the S’randin on the other end chirped before the communication status went offline. Xol turned and gave her a firm nod.
“We land, one kêsta…” he paused and looked at Shepard, “Archangel, to stay in high orbit.”
Morrigan looked at Shepard who shrugged, “Seems we have our passage. I’ll have the hanger two prep a ship; will you be needing an escort?”
Morrigan shook her, “No, I think the less people the better. Sigurd will remain on ship, but Nora and I will go along with the Marmuro’k and a pilot.”
Shepard turned to Avery, “Take us in slowly and within range of an orbital drop, let’s not press our luck out here…”
“Aye, aye, boss lady!” Avery cheered nervously as he took control of the ship’s main engines.
“Sarilla, how long until we are within range?” Morrigan inquired.
“Uh, about 30 minutes according to our scans, is there anywhere we should be heading towards in particular?” Sarilla asked.
Sister automatically generated a real-time three-dimensional rendering of Tik’Taq’To, including environmental data from the ship’s long-range scanners. The data showed that the planet was mainly a mixture of lush jungles, deserts and mountainous regions with very little surface water however, a massive underground water table existing beneath the jungle and mountain regions.
Morrigan gestured to the map and looked at Xol, “If you would please.”
Xol hummed and studied the map with intensity, walking around to pin point where they needed to go. Eventually, he raised a clawed finger to a spot within the lower hemisphere along the edge of a jungle and series of mountains, “Here,” he gruffed.
Sarilla went to work coordinating a flight path and sent it to Avery.
“This… how hot is your planet, Xol? I’m getting sweaty just looking at it,” Nora questioned with predetermined complaint.
Before Xol could respond, Sister interjected “Tik’Taq’To, though having an atmosphere similar to Earth, appears to have an overall temperature 13% warmer than Earth’s temperate biosphere.”
Nora groaned as she stamped her foot causing Morrigan to chuckle, “Hun, why are you complaining, you’re a literal ice cube or did you forget your power?”
Nora spun with a mild look of shock on her face, “I totally did! Never mind Xol, your planet looks lovely!” she exclaimed.
Xol bore his fangs at her, unamused by her antics as Morrigan shook her head, leading the squirrelly blonde back to the elevator, “Come on you, unlike you, my armor will roast me alive so I need to change. Xol, gather the others and meet me in hanger two please.”
Xol clicked his jaw as he stepped into the elevator, Nora giggling and making lewd comments about keeping Morrigan cool as the gate shut and they descended into the depths of the Archangel.
As Morrigan headed to her quarters after parting ways with Nora and Xol, Yekku stuck his head out of the door with a gleeful squawk.
“What are you doing here buddy? Aren’t you supposed to be in the lab?” she scrutinized.
Yekku bobbed his head and took a step forward, keeping low in nervousness as he warbled something she could not understand however, the look in his eyes held an essence of hopefulness she did recognize.
Placing her hands on her hips, she smiled, “You want to come to the surface with us?”
Yekku stepped closer at an angle and gave a dejected chirp as if asking such a thing were above him, flicking his tongue nervously.
She snorted and lowered herself down to his level, despite the fact he was actually taller than her if he stood at his full height, and brushed his snout and frills.
“Of course, you can come with, Xol is going to round everyone up so go meet him in hanger two, okay?” She said warmly in amusement.
Yekku looked at her wide eyed as she told him. He chirped and warbled excitedly as he unceremoniously flicked his tongue across her face and scurried off at speed down the corridor, leaving Morrigan laughing as she nearly fell over.
Even though she knew she would miss Qiote, she was happy Yekku wanted to stay with her. The puppy dog personality he possessed held a large spot in her heart and she would never wish to be without her crazy, excitable S’randin.
Morrigan stepped in her room and changed into lighter clothes similar to her loungewear she wore around the ship, something light enough not to bake in the intense heat of Tik’Taq’To but offered minor resistances.
Attaching her gunblade to her back along with two dispensers of shells on her hip and her Inquisitorial badge to her shirt, she was ready to greet the world of the Marmuro’k.
◇◇◇
Morrigan’s heart hammered in her chest with excitement as they descended through the atmosphere. Ever since she was 14, she always dreamed of seeing the Marmuro’k home world and now, she not only had loyal Marmuro’k friends, but her dream was coming true.
The shuttle rocked violently as they broke through the final layer of atmosphere, “It’s going to be a little dicey Inquisitor, it appears the planet has nine percent more gravity than Earth does, I’ll do my best to compensate,” the pilot called back from the cockpit. She didn’t respond as she braced herself as the shuttle rocked again.
Xol hissed in laughter as he watched Nora and Morrigan steady themselves, where as his weight left him firmly planted and the S’randin sprawled low on the floor on their hands and feet, using their tails to balance.
“Laugh it up shit head and I’ll put your head on a spike of ice!” Nora complained.
“Like to see you try,” Xol rumbled with amusement as the shuttle began to smoothen out.
As soon as the rocking stopped, Qiote darted to one of the side hatches and pulled it open and warbled excitedly. In curiosity and wonderment, Morrigan moved across the shuttle and braced herself along the door.
The view was magnificent as the setting sun highlighted a distance mountain range with the towering peak casting a shadow over part the jungle canopy that glistened under the amber light.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“It’s beautiful…” Morrigan admired as she took in the damp, floral smells of the world below. Yekku chirping and brushing his head against her hip earning head pets from her.
Nora peeked over her shoulder, “Oh wow, it actually is pretty nice, a bit musty, but pretty,” she mused casting a glance at Xol who nodded sagely.
“We have incoming!” the pilot shouted before the static sound of electricity came crashing into the shuttle, throwing it violently to the side. Morrigan was thrown out as everyone braced themselves, Yekku leaning out with an alarmed cry as he tried to catch her.
Wind rushed past Morrigan’s ears as she tumbled through the air, catching glimpses of the smoking shuttle as it too plummeted out of the sky.
“Shit, shit, shit!” she exclaimed as she tried to right herself.
Use your wings! Apollyon roared in her head.
Morrigan called out her wings mid tumult however, between the speed of her trajectory and internal disorientation of the higher gravity made it difficult for her to find her balance.
Her vision went spotty as she was stopped by a massive tree, the back of her head slamming hard against the trunk before she dropped to the ground.
Damn, that was a doozy, you good? Apollyon inquired as Morrigan got to her hands and knees with a groan shaking her head.
Spots danced in her vision as her focus slowly came back, “Yeah, that just…” she paused as she looked around trying to spot the shuttle from her position.
“Remind me the next time someone shoots me out of the sky; to burn their fucking planet to the ground,” she finished with a wince as she touched the back of her head, thankful that her skull had not been split open even though she knew she would heal from such an injury.
Apollyon chuckled, You know, after getting all bent out of shape over the ship, I really doubt you’d do that, but I’m all for real genocide if you’re feeling French hehehe.
Morrigan leaned against the tree as she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the pain in her head to ebb away.
“Well, this is the second time I’ve been shot out of the sky and I’m getting real sick of it already… and what does being French have to do with anything?” she asked incredulously.
Ha! Froggy girl, if you’re feeling froggy, Apollyon mused.
“That’s a lame joke,” she said with a snort before absorbing her surroundings. The jungle floor was damp, covered in thick tree roots and jungle vines with small thick leaved saplings starved of sunlight from the dense canopy above.
The trees were covered in a thick bark and held no foliage or branches except for the tops of the trees that stood over a hundred feet tall, similar to mighty redwoods of Earth.
“Did I really just fall from that high?” she asked in disbelief before inspecting her body.
Yeah, yeah you did.
“Huh…” she huffed out, deciding how she managed not to have any broken bones was something to worry about later.
She touched her comm bead, “Sister, do you read me?”
“Yes Mori, I am receiving your signal,” Sister responded.
“Are you able to triangulate where the shuttle landed? We got shot down and I got thrown from shuttle,” she asked as she tried to spot smoke from the few breaks within the canopy.
After a moment Sister replied, “The signal from the shuttle is unresponsive however, I have pinpointed Xol-Tau and Nora’s communication signals Northeast of your position, eight point two kilometers away from you.”
“Thanks,” Morrigan said before switching over to Nora’s frequency as she started walking in a northeast direction, “Hun? Are you there?”
Static greeted Morrigan’s ear before the line popped and she heard Nora groan, “Yeah, we’re here… pilot is dead but everyone else is fine, shit that sucked. What the fuck happened to having passage!?” Nora complained, given her tone she had been yelling at Xol.
“Well, Sister pinpointed your location to me so I’m heading to…” Morrigan cut off as Nora exclaimed.
“Mother fucker Xol! Why are they shooting at us? Babe get here now before I murder everyone!” Nora roared as Xol’s own roar and the energized whine of his mace bled into the line before it went dead. Morrigan’s anxiety and pulse quickening at the implication of the Marmuro’k attacking her group.
Well, this has become a shit show, hasn’t it? Apollyon queried with amusement as the deity felt her anger rise.
Morrigan growled in irritation, “Shut it an keep a look out would you?”
She climbed over roots and cut through vines with her crimson claws as the sound of Tik’Taq’To’s jungle wildlife became more lively, possibly having gone silent from the noise of her shuttle getting shot down.
Insects, birds and other wildlife echoed around Morrigan as the heat set into her, breathing heavily as it felt like the temperature was rising through the twilight hour of dusk. Despite the sweat, stress and discomfort, the symphony of nature was beautiful to her, even soothing to a degree.
The rustling of leaves caught her attention, having her spin around to see a draping sapling swaying followed by a chirping cry off in the distance.
She inspected her surroundings with furrowed brows as she saw nothing else moving, spinning on her heels as she heard something scrape across bark behind her. As she studied the tree, she could see feint scratch marks that trailed up the length of the tree.
“Do you see anything?” She asked in her head as she slowly drew her gunblade from her back.
No, but I definitely hear something, Apollyon mentioned as a high-pitched growl came from behind Morrigan.
She slowly turned to her left, resting the flat of the blade on her forearm to keep the barrel of the shotgun level as the creature behind her came into view.
What she saw was some kind of feline the size of a mountain lion with six legs and a long tail with some kind of barb on the end. Upon further inspection, the creature was hairless, with four pupil-less orange eyes and some kind of natural camouflage that caused it to blend in with what it was touching like a hyper reactive chameleon.
The creature ducked its head low with its ears folded back as it watched her look upon it.
“Its okay kitty…” she started before yelping as its tail snapped forward and buried its barb into her shoulder, instant burning pain radiating across her chest and arm as the venom it excreted coursed through her blood.
She squeezed the trigger and a buck shot buried into the side of the creature causing it to wrench out the barb from her shoulder as it leapt back defensively.
Well shit, focus on killing that thing, I’ll take care of this! Damn, this is some nasty shit, Apollyon shouted in her head as she felt the burning sensation in her chest seep away.
Morrigan grit her teeth as she focused on the cat-like creature who reared up and let out a bellowing screech that echoed throughout the jungle. Morrigan took aim and fired again, plowing part of the creature’s skull apart, dropping it dead before her as she breathed heavily and sinking the blade into the dirt as she fell to her knee.
“What the hell did that thing do to me?” she asked aloud.
Apparently that thing had a very nasty neurotoxin, if not for me and such, you would’ve been dead within five seconds. Just give me a minute and I’ll get it out, Apollyon mentioned as the burning sensation and muscle tightness went away even faster.
Before she could respond, three more of the creatures bound out of the foliage and snarled aggressively, letting out low hissing growls as their tails prepared to strike.
“Oh fuck me,” Morrigan muttered as she left her gunblade in the dirt and lashed out with a crimson claw.
As she expected, her destructive energy ripped through one of the creatures, rending its flesh and severing limbs as it met little resistance.
As she went to lash out at another, a fourth creature pounced onto her back and sank its claws into her arms and back, its fangs burying into her shoulder and collar as she let a cry of pain.
The creature tail pierced her side and her leg as it assaulted her. She let out an aggravated growl of her own as her crimson claws gripped into the bone and meat of the creature’s shoulders and slammed it into the ground before her, stomping down on its throat with enough force to shatter its neck.
Looking around at the two last targets, Morrigan’s breath hitched as she noticed the number of the cat-like creatures had tripled.
“Fuck this,” she heaved as she grabbed her gunblade and awkwardly started running as her muscles sought to lock up.
As Apollyon burned the toxins from her body, Morrigan focused on keeping ahead of the creatures hunting her, casting a glance over her shoulder to watch them bound over roots and jump off of trees.
Each time one of them nearly caught up with her, she took a swipe with her claws or fired her gunblade to deter them.
“This is such bullshit!” she exclaimed as she vaulted herself over a fallen tree.
Come on little goddess, are you really going to let these things make you prey?
“Pardon me for not enjoying their poison! Even if it won’t kill me!” she exasperated as she moved northwest.
She bound down a hill into the basin of a small cliff to find three more of the creatures blocking her path, trapping her within the basin as the rest surrounded her.
“Well, looks like I’m out of options,” she said aloud to herself as she reloaded her gunblade and readied herself, watching them prowl closer with bared fangs and readied stingers.
Hehe time for a new set of clothes, eh? Skin the bastards, little goddess!
One of them pounced at her only to impale itself onto her raised weapon, thrashing and flailing manically with feline howling until she pulled the trigger, blowing its chest out its back and sliding the corpse off her blade.
Three more pounced as she crouched low, allowing one to sail over head as she blocked one with the shield she summoned. The creature slammed into the wall of energy hard as it bounced back as she fired twice at the third as it tried to move around her, missing both shots.
The creature that leaped over her came from behind and sank its fangs into her calf as it’s stinger plunged into her left kidney.
Morrigan screamed in pain and anger as she swung back and severed the stinger from its tail as well as the vertebrae in its back, paralyzing the creature in a pathetic yelp as it tried to shuffle along the ground away from her.
Morrigan grabbed it by the hind leg and swung it at another leaping creature, batting it away with its sibling or pack mate.
Using her crimson claws, she stepped on the head of the one she brandished as a weapon and disemboweled it while firing two more shots at another preparing to pounce on her, the loaded slugs tearing through it and stopping it cold in its tracks.
Two of the creatures bound behind her and struck out with their stinger tails, piercing her muscles and bone several times as she ripped another in half above her with claws and blade, drenching her in thick purple gore.
Apollyon swore a string of curses as an intense amount of neurotoxin began to overtake her body. Despite being able to fight off a sting or two worth of toxin with ease, the creatures now assaulted her body leaving Apollyon just barely capable of keeping it from knocking her out or killing her.
Morrigan fell to her knees sweating and panting hard as breathing became harder, eyeing the remaining cat-like creatures that moved in on her.
“I think I hate this planet,” she forced out as she struggled to remain upright.
A long, distant howl echoed throughout the jungle followed by high pitched cackles. Morrigan furrowed her brows realizing it was something new and apparently dangerous as the creatures that attacked her all froze before looking around defensively, offering one another alerted chirps as their panic caused their skin to start blending into their surroundings.
What emerged from the jungle was a massive wolf the size of a horse, bounding into the middle of the basin and diving onto one of the cat-like creatures and snapping down on it with its powerful jaws.
Morrigan shuffled back and pressed herself against the cliff, raising her crimson shield as she watched the massive wolf-like monstrosity spread the tentacles from its body, two from its cheeks and two from its shoulders, and release an electrical discharge that either killed or stunned the cat-like creatures.
Morrigan was horrified despite her exhaustion, pressing herself against the cliff side as much as her stiff muscles would allow as the new creature cackled and pounced on its stunned prey with its large pads, tearing them in half with its jaws and swallowing the parts.
Some of the cat-like creatures fled, while a select few tried to retaliate only to get electrocuted, the creature laughing its hyena laugh as if it were a game. Morrigan swallowed hard as it watched the brief mayhem in worry.
You’ll be fine, just keep your shit up girl, no way that thing can get through it, Apollyon pointed out, sounding rushed in its words as it continued fighting off the toxins.
“Yeah, no kidding,” she whispered as she watched the wolf-like creature bite cleanly through the neck of one, swallowing its head in one gulp before looking up at her.
Morrigan began to panic as the creature stepped towards her in a curious manner, sniffing at her shield as it raised its twin fluffy tails, its piercing green eyes inspecting her with interest as it yipped.
It’s right cheek, fur covered tentacle, slowly wormed its way through the air and came closer to her cautiously. The electrical discharge between the tentacle and the shield caused the creature to yelp in surprise and jump back slightly as Morrigan winced, feeling a large amount of energy drain from her as her shield blocked the electrical prod.
Shit, stay awake Mori! Apollyon pleaded.
“I… I’m trying…” Morrigan breathed out as she felt herself slump over, her vision darkening as her shield failed to stay up. Between the creature’s attack at her shield and the other cat-like creatures who pumped her system full of toxins designed to kill her, she was beyond exhausted as her fading vision captured the final moments of consciousness; the wolf-like creature stalking closer to her.