THE HUNT
ABOARD THE HUMAN MOTHER SHIP PLANET
EARTH
STANDARD HMS TIME: 16:45
DATE: 04/06/2020
LOCATION: CLASSIFIED
MAJOR GENERAL ASI
I walked up to the computer console; I played the pad and watched the
data reel with unemotional eyes.
"Do we have enough?"
I heard Mac's voice in my earpiece.
"Just
a second." I said. "There I got it, and no, we don't."
"How
much do we need?"
"At
least fifty more Andalites."
"That will not be a problem, major general, we will have
you hunting for them."
"When
do I leave?" I asked.
"Be
at docking bay 71 in ten minutes."
"Lock
the entrances." I snapped at an attendant, "I'm finished here."
"Yes,
sir."
At a fast but steady pace, I walked to the drop shafts; I
reached my required destination in exactly seven minutes, making me three
minutes earlier. Good, early is good, late isn't so good. And I wanted time to
prepare.
What would be at docking bay 71? I thought to myself as
the doors slid open, it wasn't what I had expected.
I was greeted with the sight of three Masi, they
were fighter pilots, anyone could tell the difference between fighter pilots and
ordinary foot soldiers or officers, fighter pilots seem to have a certain
swagger and there was this look in their eyes. They were definitely fighter
pilots.
But that wasn't what really caught my attention; at
first, it actually took me a while to notice that there were actual fighters in
the docking bay 71.
They were…unusual.
No more than two meters high, the metallic black fighters
hovered an inch off the polished floor, the cockpit was diamond shaped and two
sleek wings swept back with a sharp pointed curve. Along the length of the
curved sharp edged wings were serrations, like those on a hunting knife.
Theses fighters had a tail; short, much like the tail
feathers of a bird of prey, the cockpit had a windshield, made with what looked
like dark black reflective glass.
You couldn't see where the engines were, and as I peaked
into one of the open fighter I realized you couldn't stand up in this thing,
there was an actual seat, with all the controls within arm's reach.
I stared at the fighter for some time, they reminded me of
the fighters we used to have on Earth, but this thing was…it was different.
"They are called S-Dows." One of the men said,
grinning like a kid who discovered a new toy, "Never seen one major?"
"I've heard…but no, I've never seen one."
"You
think you can rein this baby?" Another one of the Masi said, he was doing
something with the interior of one of the fighters; he tossed an oily rag at the
ground, grabbed what looked like a wrench and started screwing something in.
I walked down the side of one of the S-Dows; my hand
touched the surface gingerly. I looked at my fingertips. Then looked at the Masi
who had spoken out, "I can manage. "
"I don't think you generals, and majors and officers
do a lot of piloting do you? Nope, you'd have someone do that for you." He
said, he seemed to be leering slightly, but what he said, he said it in an
offhand way, he wasn't implying anything.
"If I were in my own fighter, I'd be at the helm." I
replied casually.
"You've got a fighter? What type?"
"Styroid 25."
He whistled. "You wouldn't mind after all this is over
with, me taking it for a cruise?"
"Ignore him." Said a voice behind and to the left of
me, "Rex here is always looking for an opportunity to get his dirty hands on
something nice and polished."
I turned, one of the Masi was leaning against a
wall of docking bay 71, his arms folded across his chest, his head bent and a
tangle of wild black hair concealed his eyes. I saw the corners of his lips curl
upwards in a smile.
"That's ironic coming from you." Rex muttered.
I looked back at the Masi called Rex, and then to
this other one. "Oh really?"
"Yeah." He drawled. "That right Rexy?"
Rex shook his head and went back to his work.
The Masi with the wild hair pushed himself off the
wall, he walked towards me and stuck his hand out, "They call me Tetrass."
"Major general Asi." I heard myself saying, I was
staring at his vivid emerald green eyes.
"That there is Rexroth, we call him Rex." Tetrass said
nodding, "And him, he's Narl."
Narl, which had been staring blankly into space, focused
his gray hypnotic eyes at me, threw me an expressionless, blank look and went
back to staring at...at whatever it was he was staring at.
"This isn't all of us," Tetrass said, "I'm the
captain of this little team, we've got one more pilot, his name is Chase."
"Chase?" I repeated.
"Uhuh. I don't think you'll like him. He isn't
really military regulation." He laughed wiry.
I didn't know what was more bizarre, the fact that he
was laughing about another comrade, which he sees as unfit, or the fact that
captain Tetrass didn't look like military issue himself.
For one thing his hair was worn longer than what was
allowed for Masi, I mean, it wasn't shoulder length, no one, not even
the Asi could have their hair that long, but it came down to cover three
quarters of his ears, that wasn't really allowed for the men, us yes, but not
them.
And besides, nothing about him was…serious. All the
captains I've seen –and I'm comparing him to Darrell- are stiff, uptight
and well, Tetrass seemed to have a permanent boyish grin stuck on his face.
It ticked me off, I didn't know why.
That's when Chase came in, and I had to struggle to keep
my temper checked.
"Hello all…and oh wait, who have we got here." The Masi
walked closer to me and flicked at my hair, "We've got a pussy with us
guys."
Rex laughed and Tetrass grinned slyly. Narl was still
staring off into space.
I grabbed his retreating arm. With that he said, "Whoa.
Hold your horses lad-"
I interrupted him, speaking in a cold, harsh voice, "Do
you know who I am?"
"No pussy, haven't got a clue, who are you anyway?
Maintenance?"
"Major general Asi." I snapped, "I'm here to
supervise this little trip." I shoved his arm away.
Chase grinned, scratched his head and said, "Eh?"
I glared at him.
He shook his head and ran a hand through his slightly long
spiked blond hair.
"Ausi." He smiled, "Great name."
"Asi." I snapped, "It's Asi."
"I heard." He looked at me in disdain. "She got a
call sign everyone, welcome Ausi to the team!"
I opened my mouth to object but my words were swallowed by
Rex's clapping and hooting and Tetrass' cheering.
Narl looked at us as if we were aliens. Crossed his arms
and said, "I'm confused, who are we supposed to listen to? Captain or
major?"
Tetrass said, "Sit down before you hurt yourself."
"And?" He asked, shrugging his massive shoulders, his
voice was deep, like he was talking from the pit of his stomach, "By this you
mean…?"
"I am of course, she's here to supervise, I'm the
one who bosses you around. Yet again." He flashed another grin.
"When do we leave?" Rex asked suddenly.
"Tomorrow." I replied.
"See you then, major." Chase brought up a hand to his
head and pulled it up into the air, mocking a salute.
Tetrass threw a rag at him, I left before I got dragged
into the starting argument.
I barged into the nearest office I could find, there were
two officers in there, "Get out."
They did, they knew who I was.
It took me a minute to locate and call him.
"Well hello there-"
"What were you thinking?" My voice was less than
steady.
Mac gave me his I'm-annoyed-so-don't-you-annoy-me-too
look, "Thinking about what?"
"Docking bay 71. Be there in ten minutes." I repeated
shrilly. "You want to know how many times you put me in situations like these?
I can count I tell you-"
"Asi." He snapped, "Look, their attitude is less
than flattering, I understand-"
"Ah, so you knew." I said in a loud sarcastic voice.
"Asi, they're the best of the best." He commented
plainly.
"They're not very high on obeying military
regulations."
"Which ones?"
"A lot more than you can on your fingers, Mac, the way
the things are going."
"It a first impression."
"A bad one at that."
"They'll get better when you get to know them,
you'll get used to them."
"Get better? Get better?! What are you nuts?" I could
hardly restrain from yelled, "I didn't come all the way here to get…to get
that kind of utterly foolish, and childish behavi-"
"Look, you have to get them to respect you, show them
the lines, tell them what you're thinking." He paused and added,
"They're not used to working with an Asi let alone the Asi."
"Oh that's very well, let the under-ranked lay the
rules. Well, I've got news for you," I snapped. "I'm not having this."
"Very well Asi, I knew you were always a great
disciplinary officer." He smiled blandly, "Good luck on your mission."
I terminated the channel.
I stopped in front of the doors, ready to get out. I
caught my reflection, halted then angrily stepped out of the office, "I'm
done." I said to the officers.
They went back to their duties.
I headed to docking bay 71 for the second time, this time
I knew what I would be expecting.
The unexpected.
That's for sure, with a team like this, everything,
everything could go wrong. I hoped I was wrong, I really did. The double doors
slid open and I caught a flash of-
BONK!
"Offf!" I gasped. I hit the ground hard. Whoever
slammed into me didn't.
"Eh, sorry Ausi." Chase held out a hand.
I scrambled up, leaving his hand in the air he pulled it
back.
He seemed to be studying my face intently. I bit back a
response; it's what he wanted me to do. I wouldn't do it.
He was actually pretty focused, his blue eye seemed to be
staring at my cheek, his hand reached out for my face, he bit his lip, "I
think you got a bruise…"
I jerked my head out of his reach and felt my screaming
cheekbone yeah it felt like it. "Nothing is wrong with me." I said briskly.
"No, I tell you it's going purple." He attempted to
reach out again.
"Oi!" A voice said, "What are you doing?"
Chase turned, "Oi? Oi?"
"Yeah, I heard a British guy say that, it's better
than yo, when you think about it; Yo is for 'Yo! Look at me man! Yah!
Whasus my brother', Oi is more like, 'Hey you! OI!
What do you think you're doing?"
"Really?" Chase said, "I've heard an Asian guy
yell Aiwe, that's even cooler, 'Aiwe, you, look at me' He said
it's like yelling 'hey!' Only a lot ruder. I think he was Asian."
"Back to what I said," Tetrass said, still grinning
stupidly, "What were you two doing?"
"Me?" He gave Tetrass a worried, concern looked, then
in a thick Scottish accent he said, "I'dn't know my-lad, I think we
got'r'us a stifl' 'ere, Gotta haul'er back up the shop, I need ta
loosen a few screws off beauty. What do ya thinking Cap'tin?"
Tetrass frowned, he looked at me, "When he was born a
translator popped up with him, I can't seem to find it now a days, er, can you
help me translate?" He whacked Chase on the back of the head, then mimicking
Chase's Scottish accent, "That ought'ta fix 'em."
They were impossible, that's what I realized. And I
wondered, I really wondered why no one could tighten their screws.
It's
going to be a long hunt. I thought wearily, and if I want it to pass quickly
I'd have to…adjust.
So I did something I normally didn't do, I laughed.
Chase stared at me, "Boy do I need to catch up to this
world, you girls change the second I lay an eye on you."
"Maybe it's just you." Tetrass said leering.
"No, maybe its me." I muttered underneath my breath
and shoved past the two to get to know the last of the group, I had a feeling
Narl was different, and Rex too, he was different. Chase and Tetrass? They were
just boys, having a 'blast'.
