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Chapter 2
The sleek-shape steel-like land cruiser purred to a halt, dust plumes billowing against the jagged matter of its sides. A soft hiss pressed against thick, brittle air as the side door slid open. Four creatures emerged, appearances differentiated only by stance. Scanning the smooth outer wall for signs of movement or danger, they paced ten or so yards of it in each direction.
Apparently satisfied, a loud form of dialect errupted from their mouths, and they set to work unpacking various bits of equipment and weapons.
Triy watched the foreign beings settle themselves at the base of the wall, eyeing their movements curiously. Peering from one of the openings near the top of the structure, too far up to detect, it wondered at their presence. Were they hostile? Why were they here? Tapered fingertips grasping the ledge tightly, Triy leaned out of the opening as far as it could, attempting at a better perspective. One of the creatures below was looking up, something glinting in its hands. It raised the object.
CRACK!
Triy jumped back at the sound, scooting into the shadows. Silver eyes watched the metallic claw arch through the sienna sky, a long black rope or wire trailing its movement. With a dull clink and sudden scathing penetration the claw fixed itself to the tip of a ledge not far from Triy's own perch.
Stepping back, the deep-sea tinted being strode out of its current niche and across the narrow passage to the one presently being breeched. Kneeling at the edge, the creatures came into view. Triy inhaled sharply, dextrous fingertips digging deeply into the hard substance of the ledge. Long tendrils of fluid motion fanned about its head in annoyance, lengthening and shortening with worry. It retreated into the darkness beyond the passages.
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"Great." Ripley pulled the cruiser to a halt beside the enormous structure, frowning. She stepped out of the vehicle behind Chip, examining the surface of what appeared to be an enormous wall. It was smooth and cool to the touch, although it resembeled no Earthly metal in appearance. A gentle hum spilled from it, yet no vibration could be detected. Solid and sturdy to the touch, the structure's appearance was misgiving to say the least. Fading from one color to another, never once repeating a hue, Ripley found herself staring at tints of the spectrum completely alien to the human eye. A faint light seemed to radiate from within, shifting across the surface like a flashlight beneath a sheet.
Unappreciative of the "light-show" as he so named it, Terc and the other soldier who had stepped outside began walking the perimiter of the wall. After roughly ten yards in each direction revealed no difference in the structure's anatomy, they returned and began unpacking utilities at Chip's command, chattering quietly among themselves.
A slight movement at the top of the wall caught Ripleys attention. Unable to see clearly that far up, she closed her eyes and placed hands and forehead to the smooth surface. She let her non-visual scrying sense scan the wall's composition, seeing and tracing the odd metal without eyes. She tuned in to the faint vibrations of an unidentified shifting of weight. A whisper of a breath. The soft clasp of slim digits on a far-above ledge.
Smiling inwardly at the potency of the non-human sense, the cloned woman pulled an old-fashioned grappling hook gun from a hip holster, clasping it with both hands and taking aim. Looking up, she moved her arms a couple of feet to the left of the location of the creature and fired.
Chip and the others spun quickly at the sight of the extending cable, following the hook's burst of motion to one of the ledges. None could see precisley what it clasped onto, and turned to see Ripley test the durability of the cable once before beginning to climb.
"What's going on Ripley?" Chip grasped the sturdy rope, preparing to follow.
"Something's up there. I'm going to find out what." She didn't look down.
"Something....like those creatures we plowed through a couple miles back?" Terc looked uncertainly at the top of the wall.
"No. Something much different..." Ripley pulled herself up further, wondering at the feelings she vaguely detected from the creature. So...strangely expressive. Too hurried for her to pick up coherently, but passionate all the same.
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Call sat outside the bustling lab room, rocking her feet back and forth. There was something hazy about everything she had been doing for the past few hours. Like daydreaming to the tune of someone's voice. Physically functioning in the room, across from the unknowingly lulling yapper who's waving their arms like words just don't suffice. But not...being...there. Existence feeling like a mere backdrop to something personally essential. Like breathing and not thinking about it.
The synthetic female rocked back, letting the base of her head bump lightly against the glass behind her. Why did she feel like she was tugging on the remebrance of a dream?
Another howl shook the glass behind Call's head and she turned around to see what was happening.
Strapped viciously to one of the operating tables, the tall creature was trying to bat away a tech who was fiddling with the gauntlet-computer at its wrist. Unable to lift its arm, due to injuries or restraints Call couldn't tell, it roared again. The technician picking at the alien device with a dissecting tool threw up his hands and stood up. Mumbling something to a co-worker, he motioned to one of the cabinets across the room while rolling up a sleeve and readjusting his glasses. Retrieving a small bottle from the lower shelf, the other man returned, lifting a syringe from a nearby countertop on the way.
Snapping on a long pale green latex glove, the first tech took the syringe from the other man and pierced the small bottle deeply. The clear liqiud filled the needle rapidly as the tech tugged on the back of it, watching the dosage closely. A nod to the other lab-coat, and he walked over to the subdued being on the table, its head turning to follow his movement. It began to strain against its bonds fiercely. Expressionless, the bespeckled lab-tech plunged the sharp tip of the needle into the alien's upper arm. Its struggling dimmed visibly, its head rolling heavily to one side. Seemingly satisfied with the results, the man stood up and tossed the empty syringe into a trash can. Call read his name tag as he did so. Tedd.
A click against the floor tiles caused the artificial human to turn toward the source. A frazzled tech with frizzy orangish hair ran into the room she was sitting in front of. The door slammed behind him, muffling what he began to report to the others in a frenzy. Once his message came to an end, Tedd and the other technician in the room followed the excited one out and down the corridor to another lab on the right. Something was up.
Not really interested in what might be happening down the hallway, Call walked over to the lab's door. Squinting her eyes, she pulled down on the lever-handle slowly. She grinned. It was unlocked. She slipped inside.
Lur'eksh raised his head slightly, as far as was presently possible with the hindering drug pulsing through his veins. Something was moving closer to him. Another of the scientists? He struggled to lift his head higher. It shrieked with pain, and he let his head fall back against the table roughly in aggravation.
"You shouldn't do that."
The predator turned his head at the soft voice, a figure stepping into heat-sensor view. It was the female from earlier.
"I saw them inject you with something. I wonder if they realize you're still awake." She paused beside the table and leaned over to peer at the gash on his mask. "That has to be a mask of somesort. They haven't been able to remove it yet?" She asked, more to herself than the being on the table.
Lur'eksh just stared at her, having no idea what she what saying. His mask was picking up the basic elements of the human dialect slowly, but it would be a long time before he could comprehend the gibberish it was filtering. He watched her movements closely, determining their conviction. He saw her move a hand toward his mask and growled. Her hand wavererd in mid-air, hesitant. She looked into his visor and spoke again.
"Its ok. I'm not going to hurt you..."
The hunter eyed her suspiciously. According to his mask it was a phrase of consolement. He himslef could tell it was meant to be soothing, but didn't comprehend why. The female backed away slightly and looked him head to toe scrutinizingly.
Call could feel the creature's uneasiness towards her even without the verbal confirmation. She lowered her hand, thinking of a way to illustrate her sympathy. She looked at the uncomfortable table disdainfully, her eyes latching on to the bonds confining him there. Maybe if she could undo those...
Lur'eksh couldn't decipher what the small creature was thinking. He watched her tap a fingertip on her chin.
Certainly the technicians would be furious if she undid the bonds. And it had taken them the better part of two hours to drag him in, dazed, injured and all. But...Call scrunched her eyes shut tightly. This wasn't...right. She could tell that much, just by observing the actions of those she worked for. They were bad people. Weren't they? Was it her place to think such things? No. It doesn't matter. They are unkind. Do I have to do what they say?
Her neck twinged.
Yes. I want to obey. But...Call looked at the injured creature before her and hugged herself. This isn't right. I won't let them do this...
Lur'eksh watched the human kneel down to inspect the retraints. What was she doing? Probably maikng sure they are working properly, he mused. He pulled as hard as he could against the arm restraint she was fidgeting with, taking her by surprise. A faint smirk appeared on his face. He eyed her condescendingly. Yes, they are working. Lucky for you...
The small human jumped back at the sudden movement, temporarily shocked. She looked into the creature's mask. A clicking murmur seeped out.
He must be trying to tell me that he is incapable of much movement. Or to hurry. Call nodded to the predator, and resumed fumbling with the latch at its arm, grinning. The techs never told her not to release him, now did they?
What was she doing? Lur'eksh was now confused, having seen her nod, an affirmative sign. She couldn't possibly have understood what he said...
SNAP!
The young yautja looked down at his arm. He raised it slowly, as high as he could manage. He clenched his fist. A bit woozily at first, but tighter and stronger as he focused, fighting the lingering drugged effects. He glanced at the human questioningly. She smiled mischievously in his direction, already working on the next restraint. Puzzled, he watched as she struggled with it, frowning and pausing to rub at her neck. Lur'eksh now noticed the small metal square there. He could only guess at its purpose.
Call pressed on the tiny indent on the side of the cuff while pulling on the attatched wire-like backing. Almost....
"CALL!"
Both the one named and the hunter looked in the direction of the voice. Tedd stood in the doorway, eyes wide with fear and fury. Call took a frightened step back, hands quickly flung behind her back. She bit her lip. What was going to happen now?
Tedd, upon confirming that the predator was still safely restrained, stalked over to it and glared at the psuedo-human. "How dare you do such a thing! You think you can disobey a direct order..?"
"You never said not to release him..." Call clasped her hands over her mouth. Too late.
Tedd smiled one of his slimy smiles. "Oh. Well, that's easily fixed." He stepped over to Lur'eksh and looked him in the eye for a moment.Call stepped forward, mouth opening and closing in silent protest. The hunter glowered at the technician and growled a rather painful threat. Not impressed, Tedd grabbed the alien's arm and pushed it back against the table. He could feel the resistance, and even though it was not enough to overpower his own strength, he vowed to increase the dosage of the debilatating drug.
"No!"
Tedd looked at Call and narrowed his eyes. She was beginning to be a nuisance. He grabbed her hair roughly, turning her head up to face him. "You will never enter this lab again." He beamed at the visible dissappointment in her wide eyes. He pushed her to the ground. "Now, leave."
Lur'eksh saw the female hesitate. He could sense her resentment. She stood up, but didn't move.
"Leave!"
Call felt her legs moving and her body steering her in the direction of the door. No! She didn't want to! She rocked her shoulders back violently, causing her to fall to the floor. She cringed at the seering pain in her neck.
The yautja watched the girl fall to the floor, looking very much like she was struggling with her own body.
"LEAVE!"
The female's eyes glazed over, and she stood up, no longer fighting. Lur'eksh could see the metal square at her neck pulsate with a vibrant heat. Like a mobile mannequin she padded out of the lab without further resistance.
It looked like he wasn't the only prisoner abord this ship...He turned his attention back to the white-coated human, who smirked. The restraint was replaced and sealed tighter than before.
Angry gurgles surged from the creatures mask. Tedd ignored them.
