Nei'hin woke suddenly as the computer started to beep, informing him that he had arrived at the solar system of where the traitors location. Activating the cloaking device and scanners, he made his way slowly through the system, searching for any engine signatures of an Yuatjan ship. He did not want to alert them of his presence yet. It was some time after that his scanner picked up the rogue's ship and displayed it on the screen before him. Nei'hin clicked his mandibles thoughtfully. It wasn't a war ship as expected but a massive freighter.
The freighter was orbiting a nearby planet which Nei'hin scanned the planet for any Yuatjan ship signatures in case they had made camp but none was found. Leaning back in his chair, something felt off about this. He pulled up their files again. Everything was noted on their ships logs. The worst of their deeds was gathering humans and senselessly killing them for trophies not gaining them through honorable means… There was much on the logs to follow up on, but not much information on where these were being performed. He scanned the ship and it confirmed life forms. Many life forms, but the reading was corrupted, the thick walls of the freighter making the scan incomprehensible. The ship was operational but appeared unmanned as it hovered listlessly.
He decided to move in closer, to see if his ship's presence would alert them. The freighter was without weapons so they could not attack him and his ship still had the traitor's markings on it so he was still undercover… But nothing... The freighter hung in space unmoving.
Maybe they were not aware of his presence. Looking back at the scan it had confirmed there were about 20 life forms but the rogue ship's computer should have alerted them by now, his ship was now close enough… He decided to open a communication line… nothing again. Maybe it was a trap to lure him on board, to capture and kill him. The ship was close now but still no response…
Assuming the worst, Nei'hin went to the armory and selected two shoulder mounted cannons, and anything else he could carry. Armed to the teeth he went to the hatch and controlled the ship to connect to the freighter's exterior hatch. Adjusting his helmet before sealing it, he flicked through the available visual channels, all perfect. The computer informed him that no issues with the freighter's life supports. He checked the pressure of the hatch doors before opening them and proceeded ahead. On a last minute whim, he changed the locking code on the doors to his biorhythm. If he was destroyed, then his ship will blow up taking everyone with him.
The ship's hallways were empty and dark… soft creaking echoing through her alleyways. There appeared to be an internal power issue and found that the doors had to be manually opened… As he continued he found signs of a fight; torn bulkheads and exposed hull... Continuing through the ship the lack of activity of any kind puzzled him…. where could the crew be? A thought crept into his head. Dismissing it, he continues his way to the cockpit of the freighter to see if the crew had locked themselves within. As he stalks down the hallway, the damage continues all up to the cockpit doors; his scanner actively searching for anything. Where could those crew be?
The cockpit doors were jammed closed. Wedging the doors open, the cockpit was empty. Signs of a fight and some visible damage to the ships computer had caused the problems. Closing the doors behind him, he started to restore the computer. Sitting in the pilot's seat he waited while the computer came back online, Nei'hin was thinking about the situation. Lost in thought, a soft beep from the freighter distracted him; indicating that it was now working. Nei'hin connected his own wriste computer to the ships' and downloaded the layout and access to doors and any other mechanical services . He had basic control now, activating the lighting controls but kept the doors on manual with notification indicators on when they opened. Reading the maps, all doors indicated that they were closed and had remained so for some time except for the doors he came through. Finding a freight log as well as other ship data, Nei'hin downloaded the info back to his ship when he saw the ships' power consumption. It had a freezer access which was drawing a bit of power, but nowhere as much as the ships' hold. What would be in there? He tried accessing any cameras that would allow him to see within but everything was broken within the hold..
A red light started flashing on the monitor displaying the freezer room status, it was losing power slowly. Nei'hin accessed the sentry for the freezer room and could see within the room that there were cryobeds, three indicated a failure and one was working and awakening its occupant, though it would take some time for him to recover from hibernation. Another light flashed; bright green this time on the monitor for the hold. Someone had programmed it to notify the pilot when the hold had reached a certain temperature… a temperature of minus 30 degrees! What needed to be frozen that was so large that it took up the whole of the ship's hold?
Using the ships scanners, he rescans for a correct total of life forms. Now reading 25, he finds this quizzical. He tries to get the computer to locate the crew but the computer reads errors. He assumes that 25 of the crew and one of them is awakening in the cryochamber. Something wasn't adding up, from the monitors that he could see, there wasn't enough cryobeds.. After taking one last look around the cockpit, Nei'hin forcibly opens the doors and left.
Moving through the alleys of the ship silently, ever alert for the crew. According to his map, the hold is on his way to the cryochamber. After endlessly walking through the corridors he approaches the area that should lead him to the hold. Gazing at his map to confirm, the door he stands in front of is the entrance to the hold. It would be freezing conditions in there and he can feel the chill emanating from the door. It wasn't frozen sealed yet, so could be open safely without shattering. As he pushes the door open, the grinning face of the deadly Queen alien leers inches away, her lips trembling…
The Queen's lips trembling… slowly oozed saliva, dripping from her maw… A soft hiss whispers to him…
"Ci-jit!" Nei'hin falling back; butterfly blades instantly in his hands, both cannons already targeting the Queen's massive crowned head. What the pauk?
Readying himself,he waited for her massive head to come through the doorway, to try the first strike, to see what her range was. Stepping back again slightly, he waited. She did not move, her lips trembling with every breath. Nei'hin moved closer. So this is why the hold is a massive freezer. She was in deep sleep, hibernating. What he didn't want, was his warm body alerting her of his presence. Inching forward, he peered through behind her. The hold had become a hive. The doorway being too small; had not allowed her to leave while attached to her egg sac, but her warriors had. He could see the crew cocooned behind her, woven onto spires stretching up to the ceiling. Eggs scattered everywhere, in different states of growth. He slowly scanned the room. He could see a few hive soldiers curled around the cocooned hosts whose chests had exploded open, their parasite gone… Nei'hin gripped his blade handles tighter… this was a disaster.
Nei'hin closed the doors slowly and sealed them. Pauk! He swore softly. The Queen was superior opponent, agile beyond her massive frame, her terrible motherly instinct and animalistic rage only made her unpredictable, a true test of a warrior's skill. He wished he had the chance to hunt her but another time and place… And as long as the temperature held out, she wasn't going anywhere. All he hoped was that when the room froze over, that all her warriors where in there with her. The queen would not hibernate by herself; it would have left her exposed…. But she would leave a few scouts... soldiers… to make sure she wouldn't be attacked…. His heart sank lower, the hosts where Yuatja… Pauk! A more curious thought had come to him... He had been on the ship already for some time, why haven't they revealed themselves? He was in the presence of the Queen and yet none had come to her aide if she was attacked? Perhaps any survivors had killed them? Nei'hin suspected his questions would be answered in the cryochamber.
Displaying the map again, he looks for the route to the cryochamber. It wasn't too far away. But it was close to the hold and there were too many vents and intersections to get ambushed at. Nei'hin moved stealthily through the guts of the ship towards the cryochamber careful of the dangers that may hide in the shadows.
Picking up the pace, he felt time was against him… With possible soldiers on the loose, any survivors would be easy targets. He turned down another corridor, then another… just as he approached the twisted metal opening that used to be the door of the cryochamber , three young hard meat, born from Yuatja hosts was crawling towards him on the walls, although not fully grown to their forms, it made them faster, agile, weaving amongst the exposed damaged walls. Not faltering his steps, he continued running towards the chambers torn opening, his computer picking out two of the soldiers and picking them off with his shoulder cannons. Just as the third one leaps towards him, butterfly blades swished through the air, slicing it in midflight, its twisted form landing on the floor with a gooey thud. Nei'hin didn't even bother looking back as he ran through the cryo doors. As he did, the occupant of the bed sat up lazily; too lethargic in his movements as the long sleep had effected his co-ordination. His eyes widened and mandibles flared with anger and Nei'hin brought up both blades, threatening to cut his head off.
Something caught Nei'hin's eyes... Facehuggers… dead ones… curled up near the feet of the beds. Of the cryobeds, 3 were destroyed, including the occupants sleeping inside… the beds had been torn open from the inside out… meaning that those little bastards had gotten in and made them hosts… that the young had been born already. Nei'hin approached the rogue's bed closer… Nei'hin guessed that they may have been the ones he killed in the corridor that had just emerged nearby. He eyed the awaken rogue suspect that he may be carrying a parasite also. Looking around, the other cryobeds were empty.
The newly awoken Yuatja rubbed his eyes, "you don't look like ships crew… or anyone from engineering… what's going on?"
Nei'hin looked closer at the male, noticing the scar running down the left of his cheek, just below the eye. Nei'hin glanced around, this was a bad place to be, still close to the hold and the male had no weapons or armor on him. Hell, he was just wearing some rag clothing barely covering his genitals, his muscular black red body exposed to the cold of space.
"We have to leave now, there may be more dragons nearby" he hissed.
"What do you mean, dragons? We are a freighter heading to the wolf clan carrying metal…. I am Veedar from Clan Wolf…" said the male, now thoroughly confused.
Nei'hin was now confused. Clan Wolf was practically wiped out when he was still a teen. It was a story that spread through the clans like wild fire. A whole clan almost decimated by a sudden dragon infestation. A whole planet suddenly wiped out, with a few survivors escaping narrowly. The clan had lost its home planet and suddenly became refugees, looking for a new home world.
"What year do you remember?" Nei'hin, suddenly just as confused… Veedar trembled, there was something wrong…"it's the year of the serpent star…right?" Nei'hin shook his head. This poor bastard had been asleep for years… and worse, did not know about what had happened to his home.
"We need to go now" Nei'hin hissed at Veedar, just as he heard hissing down the corridor.
Something is off. Something feels all wrong about this. His instincts warning him. Nei'hin's computer flashed red and brought up the layout of the ship, showing him which doors were opening… breached…. Something was awake. And moving through the ship… not directly at them at first, but from the display of the opening and closing of doors, it must have picked up their scent and started towards them. Nei'hin routed another path to the cockpit and from there, his ship.
"We must move fast, there are many coming…" Nei'hin growled at Veedar. Veedar cursed back, "and what am I meant to use?"
"I'm thinking on it…." Nei'hin shouts back as he runs through the halls.
Running through the halls, Veedar shouts out to Nei'hin ahead of him, "There is a small weapons store nearby…" Nei'hin nods… He didn't want to give Veedar a weapon, but he thought about it and having another hunter would greatly help him… especially against the unknown number of hybrid dragons. Continuing down the halls, the map continuously updating the door movement; the opening of doors were now random, as if the hive was becoming awake.
Making it to the armory, Nei'hin pulls Veedar in and closes the door before locking the doors. The map showed the hive was on their heels. From the armory, the computer found another route to the cockpit. Nei'hin hissing at Veedar as the map showed more doors opening towards them closer each time, "Gear up and let's go!".
Veedar grabbed simple chest plating strapping it on. Nei'hin grabbed small shoulder cannon, nowhere near as strong as his own and rammed it onto Veedar's shoulder armor mount. Veedar continued with wrist mounted blades and a small curved shield, the end tapering into a sharp blade, used for tight quarter combat. Nei'hin sees Veedar with the shield and snorts… "What are you going to do with that ancient piece? It's useless against them!"
Veedar raises his brow in response…."This has been in our clan for generations….. Veedar grabbed his face mask and was just about to put it on when Nei'hin grabs it out of Veedar's claws. The construction was curious. It fully enclosed the mandibles as standard with a small curved tusk mounted on the left side, but it had only one eyepiece, for the right eye side that wasn't scarred, leaving the scarred eye and the crest of the head exposed. The laser sights were also mounted on the right hand side. It was curious work, made more out of love then from a professional armorer. Nei'hin handed it back to him. Veedar grudgingly took it back looking Nei'hin squarely in the eyes. Veedar's golden eye gleamed, and noticed the scarring in the left eye had turned it milky white. "My left eye is scarred, so the vision isn't perfect, but the computer targeting and effects completely ruin my vision in both eyes. So I only have the targets in the one lens." Nei'hin nods slightly…"Ready then?"… Veedar nodded.
Opening the other door, they ran down the hallways, soldiers now approaching through another entrance. Nei'hin turned his head back slightly to see if Veedar was far behind as he no longer heard the male's footsteps behind him. As his head turned, an alien flew at him, knocking Nei'hin to the floor, the wind punched out of him. Nei'hin heard Veedar roar as he charged into the alien, pushing it back with his shield, before maneuvering the shield's blade to slice through the neck of the alien in one swift action. Turning to Nei'hin, he offered his hand to him. Nei'hin grabbed his hand and Veedar yanked him up to his feet. Nei'hin nodded to him with a renewed respect before continuing down the hallway towards the cockpit.
As they ran through, the soldiers chased them through the hallways. Nei'hin pulled out his net caster and dropped back a bit behind Veedar. Stopping suddenly and turning on his heel, he shot the net wide to cover the hall entrance behind him before continuing on; the first of the soldier aliens running into the net, slicing through its bodies, as two more ramming behind the first, also cutting into the net.
Reaching the cockpit, Nei'hin pushed open the doors, now struggling with the effort. Cursing, he must have been more winded then he thought. Veedar rushed to Nei'hin pulling the doors wide open. Inside the cockpit, Veedar pushed the doors closed, the head of a warrior pushed its way through, its inner mouth snapping within inches of Veedar's head. Nei'hin rammed the doors closed, slicing the head off, its acidic blood slowly melting away the doors. Nei'hin turned back to the computer and found Veedar already accessing the data and uploading to his own computer. Nei'hin growled at Veedar, "We have no time for that!". Nei'hin looked through the newly formed hole in the door from the dragon's blood, he could see more dragons approaching from the distance.
Veedar kicked through the cockpit doors, "Which way to your ship?" Nei'hin ran off down another hallway towards his ship. As Nei'hin and Veedar run through the corridors towards the ship, Nei'hin glanced at Veedar who was matching him stride for stride to the ship and thought about what he was going to do with the male. Nei'hin suspected he was infected and couldn't risk taking him back to the clan but his ship's now upgraded med bay would detect if he was. Still he would offer Veedar a mercy killing if it came down to it. Running down another corridor, the airlock to his ship came into view.
As they approached closer, the walkway gave way under them, the sharp claws of the aliens pulling Nei'hin under, raking at exposed flesh. Nei'hin slashing away, partially crushed by the writhing mass of the soldiers all gathering around the warrior, limbs flailing wildly at him… an endless wave of claws reaching for him, tearing at him. The mass pinning him further down; the pain intensifying further until he slid into unconsciousness.
