Now, for something completely different…
Time and Space Experiment
"... and then he said "Read it? I've already ruined it!", finished Ko'skarr to his listening audience.
"That's disgusting!", Lit'thicka grimaced, as she looked at the Xenomorph in disapproval. "Ko'skarr, sometimes I wonder why our leader even chose you."
"Because, my dear hybrid", Dan said, as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, "I think it's good to have someone with a sense of humor in case we all get depressed and need a morale boost."
It was something of a break time for the team. The past few days had been relatively quiet, so their leader had granted them a day of free time to do whatever they felt. Ko'skarr was telling Dan and Li'thicka amusing and sometimes rude stories, Lu'saa was cleaning her duel SMGs, the Wolf was polishing his trophies, Angela was in the battle simulator and Nightshade and Clanker were working on a project of his. This was the subject Lu'saa bought up as she looked up from cleaning her guns.
"Does anyone know what it is that Cylon's working on?", she asked, her voice echoing through their minds. "It seems to me he's told nobody except Nightshade. Must be something real special if he's not telling us."
"Can't argue with that," said the Wolf, though he barely looked up from his work. "I may have to force the information out of him if he doesn't tell us soon."
"Well wonder no more," said a Southern accent and they all looked to see Nightshade, her usually pristine, shiny body grimy from oil and burnt in some places where sparks had made contact. "Clanker sent me to tell y'all he's done and he wants ya to come see," she finished with a smile.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Dan, rising from his seat, a wide grin on his face. "Let's take a shifty at this thing."
"Sure thing boss!" said Ko'skarr enthusiastically and scaled up the rails, leading the way to the labs. When they all arrived, they could see what it was that had taken their Cylon comrade to work on. It was a circular structure, about 8 feet tall and just as wide. Electricity jumped in between conductors built into the center and there were many wires connected to it, supplying unknown amounts of power to whatever it was. The robot stood up in full view of everyone. His long arms and legs made him look intimidating, his face showed no emotion and his eye was a black slit, with a red light moving back and forth between the ends of it. He spoke in a mostly emotionless, metallic voice.
"Greetings my friends," he said to them with a nod of his head. "As you can see, my project"- he stopped when Nightshade cleared her throat, her arms folded and an annoyed look on her face- "Sorry, 'our' project is complete. What do you think?"
"Well, for starters, what the pauk is it?" asked the Wolf, his eyes travelling over the device.
It is a time space portal. While we were fighting with Shadow the Hedgehog, I payed attention to the ability he calls 'Chaos Control.' I calculated the variables to travel through time and space and the power required and created a channel for it in the form of this archway. I have yet to test it, but I think it will work," he explained impressively while gesturing at a holographic board with a series of complicated mathematics on it.
"Wow! This could be a real breakthrough for us!" Ko'skarr said in an excited tone. "Come on then, lets test this thing!"
"I was about to suggest that myself," Clanker stated, moving over to the controls. After twisting a few dials and pressing a few buttons, glowing blue, swirling mass appeared in the centre of the archway. Everyone watching was held entranced by it.
"Wow, that's quite a sight," breathed Angela, who had just arrived, her eyes glowing as brightly as the portal. Her long claws slid in between the fingers of her lover, who smiled at her. Suddenly, lights began flashing and an alarm sounded. The portal was now glowing blood red and now had created a pull, sucking everything into it. "Clanker, what the hell is going on!" shouted Angela over the tumult. Everyone had grabbed onto the nearest thing nailed down.
"I don't know, I can't control the energy going into it. It's going unstable!" Even as he said it, he lost his grip and was sucked in by the pull.
"Clanker!" yelled Nightshade, staring desperately into the red jaws. Ko'skarr had sunk his claws into the metal floor. Now, he too lost his grip and not only did he go spiraling towards it, he knocked the Wolf from his holding place and took him in as well. Lu'saa had to show a lot of restraint and held on, even as she screamed her mate's name and feelings of shock and loss flowed from her mind.
"Don't worry Lu'saa, I'll find him!" Dan yelled at the screeching alien. "See you on the other side!" he then let go and free fell into the portal. Then, abruptly, it stopped. Everyone fell to the ground and Nightshade got up and checked the controls.
"It ran out of juice," she told the remaining team members. "As for where they are... I can't say." No one said anything. They all just stared at where it had once been, wondering what their fate might be.
Good start, don't ya think? Zombie action in the next chapter, until then adieu!
