I made a mistake in the last chappie! I put whine (like complaining) instead of wine (like the 'earth' drink) Oops! Oh well, now you know (I have no idea how you're supposed to eat a complaint, and you know what? I don't wanna know)
Well, now we find out how dangerous my gross creatures can be (muahahahaha)
Chappie inspired by 2 songs; Cryponite by 3 doors down, and Feel the Beat by Darude
In the blink of an eye, everything changed. Just...
(We've got to get the others) Marco's voice cut though my panic. I turned away from the horrifying scene to look at him.
"But... we don't know if they're really... they could still be... and what about Kumatt? We can't just leave her there to die! We've got to get her to..." I fast-walked out of the room, nearly slipping on the blood in the hallway, caught myself, and kept going towards the outer hatch.
(Jade wait!) He loped out after me. I didn't look back at him.
"I'm going to get Kumatt to the sickbay. At least if she's there, I can do something for her... anything is better than..."
(Jade, I know you're scared, but...)
"Of course I'm scared" I snapped, trying to control my hands from shaking as I walked.
(Don't give in to it, okay? You can't...)
"I can't help it Marco. It... I couldn't fight it... couldn't even save myself... and then it stuck that... that thing in me... and it's still alive" At that second I felt an overwhelming anger at Cassie. She wanted to keep these things alive... and now...
(Look, I... I'll help you get Kumatt inside, ok? Then we'll go get the...)
"You can go. I'm going to stay with Kumatt. Maybe find out if any more of the crew is still here"
(But you can't even...)
"I know!" I yelled, turning to him "I know I can't shape-shift, but if it truly comes down to it... I'll do it" I turned back, clenching my fists and praying he didn't notice the way my hands shook.
(Your...) he seemed to consider this as we reached the stairs, and I practically galloped down them, with Marco not far behind. Now, he was silent.
I checked she was still alive, then Marco picked her up carefully and we took her back to the brightly lit sickbay. It made me feel better. Whatever that creature was, it seemed to be able to use the shadows to its advantage.
He put her on one of the operating tables Jake and I had been on, and I put my jacket under her head. With that, he demorphed and stood next to me.
"Are you sure you'll be all right?"
"I'll be fine" my voice was a whisper. I grabbed a green sheet and put it over her, hoping it would help until we actually had a doctor or someone who knew what they were doing. But it also meant that Marco would be going out there alone, into possible danger...
"You just take care of yourself" I said, then took a deep breath and looked up at him. He smiled and nodded.
"Sure. But..."
"You'd better be bloody fast though"
"I'll do what I can" he touched my cheek gently, then turned and headed out the door. I followed him to the hatch, where he morphed wolf outside and took off into the night. Now I was alone. I went up to the bridge first, checking around until I found the panel with Jara guns in it. I took two, shoved one into the stretchy waistband of my long skirt (I'd borrowed it from Amanda) then scanned the room with the other before I left. No sign Arbron was here... or had been here in fact. So maybe he was all right...
I walked down the corridor, and into my room, where I changed into jeans and shoved my hair back with shaky hands, wanting to be ready for anything. Then I began to check each room individually, until I gave up and started to head back to the sickbay. What was taking the others so long... was Marco all right? Did he make it? I wish I knew. I felt like a coward for not going with him...
A shadow going into the sickbay caught my attention. Then the door slid shut...
Oh no... I thought, fighting back the panic Kumatt...
I ran, in spite of everything, holding the Jara gun out in front of me and prepared to shoot anything that moved. If that tar creature was there... I'd kill it. I'd watch it writhe and burn and...
Slowly, I pressed one hand against the panel, and the door slid open. I kept out of sight, waiting to see if something would come out. Nothing. I peeked around the edge of the door...
"Oh!" I yelped as I saw someone standing over Kumatt. It was...
"Simai!" I cried, and she looked up at me a little strangely.
"Simai, what are you doing here?! Didn't you..."
"Yes, I have seen the destruction those two creatures have caused. I was in my quarters and I heard noises, but I simply believed it was just the others talking. Then I smelled Chanaiben blood, and...
"You... smelled it from all the way..."
"Yes, and now... I must assist my friend" She had taken off the sheet, and was checking Kumatt over gently with her clawed hands. Bruises only now were beginning to show on her aqua skin, and her breathing came out in long steady movements.
I slipped the rest of the way into the room, turning and shutting the door.
"How do you lock this?"
"Why?"
"Because those things could still be on the ship!"
"Oh" She gave me the numbers for it, and I punched them in. The computer announced that the door was locked, and I took a deep breath. We'd be safe, for now. I touched my stiches, checking them, and finding that one felt a little loose. But I ignored it, instead going and standing by Simai, my Jara gun levelled at the door. Anything could happen...
"She... she will be all right" Simai moved around the room, getting this and that, acting like a pro. She was a nurse, but... wow, she moved like she was a fully trained doctor. She knew exactly which thing to use for what. Eventually, Kumatt had bandages wrapped around here and there (Simai needed my help lifting Kumatt's torso once) and something attached to her mouth. Bits here and there as well.
"There. It is..."
BAMMM!!!
Something rocked the door from the outside. Then... a voice called out to me.
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A/N: I'm gonna try something I haven't done before. I'm gonna try writing a bit from Jakes point of view. If I get it wrong please tell me. I've only tried not to do this because I don't want to wreck it. Oh well, here goes...
Jake
I spun Cassie around again, smiling as she laughed happily. It was good to have her here, and for once, not to worry about anything... at least for a little while.
I'd put our two unwanted guests out of my mind and just enjoyed the night. The Canask were wonderful hosts, and their music was lively and joyful. Just what we all needed right now. Especially Ithiell. After all, I knew what it was like to loose a sibling to the Yeerks...
I watched as him and Lowri chatted away, then as Amanda grabbed his arm and pulled him out onto the wide space we were using for the dance floor to dance. He seemed a little uncomfortable, then got into it.
I'd also watch Marco lean in and whisper something to Jade, and she blushed and pushed him playfully away... right into the drink. They'd gone off together... and if I knew Marco, they probably wouldn't be back for a while.
Ax and Rtaia were talking to Ovatt and Kayleese, and Robert was standing off by himself. As usual. That guy can really grind my nerves when he wants to...
"Hey cous, how's it going?" Rachel asked as she and Tobias sidled up next to us, their arms around each other as they danced.
"Good" I replied, and we switched partners. Now I was dancing with Rachel, and Tobias was spinning Cassie away.
"Want to do-si-do?" She laughed, and I couldn't help but laugh with her.
"You'd better not. Your stiches man" Tobias said as we switched again, and I held Cassie close.
"Yeah yeah, I know" I said, some of the fun taken out of me now. Cassie stepped away a little, and I spun her around again. Amanda and Ithiell passed us, and I saw a smiled on Ithiell's face. It was good to see.
The song ended, and we pulled apart and went to the side as another dance started up, and the Canask and a few Chanaibens continued to dance away. Amanda and Ithiell were with them. We took a break, and Tobias and I brought the girls some drinks.
"We're not even old enough for this, you know that" Cassie pointed out, drinking it anyway.
"Well, I say we earned a few extra years in the war" Rachel said, raising her cup a little before taking a sip.
Then I spotted Marco making his way through the crowd to Ax and Rtaia... and he looked...
"What's he doing in his morphing outfit?" I wondered.
"Fashion statement? Ran out of clean clothes?" Tobias supplied, but I shook my head. I had a bad feeling about this.
"Where's Jade? Why isn't she with him?" Cassie asked, seeing the thing I overlooked. She's always been like that...
"I can't see her anywhere... maybe she just decided to go to bed" Rachel suggested, shrugging her shoulders. I hummed that I'd heard her, but keeping my eyes glued to Marco. He reached Ax and Rtaia, calling Lowri over, since he wasn't too far away. They seemed to be talking... and then Rtaia's ears folded against the sides of her head and I knew there was definitely something wrong.
"Come on" I said to the others, setting my drink on the table and snaking my way through the crowd. They followed me. Together, we made our way to them, just as I heard Ax start to shout my name.
"Yeah, we're here. What is it?" I asked looking down at my best friend. He looked serious, and a little scared. He shot a glance at Cassie, then looked up at me.
"You know those things we got out of you?"
"Yeah, what?" I asked, although I dreaded the answer.
"Well they've escaped"
"What?!" Rachel roared. I just stared at him. I couldn't believe it. How...
"Where's Jade?" Tobias asked.
"Back at the ship. She's taking care of one of the Science officers... I think the only one that survived the attack"
"What attack?" Ithiell and Amanda were with us now, with Robert not far behind them. Marco told them, and Ithiell's eyes went wide.
"We've got to get back there! The things might still be on the ship!"
"Yeah, we guessed. But... they could also be out here. Ax, Lowri? Do you think you could warn the Canask for us? Get them back to their homes before it's too late?" I asked. Ax nodded, and Lowri smiled sadly, then spoke a few words in Chanaiben to Ithiell and Rtaia before taking off.
We peeled off from the happy dancing group, and slightly away from the fire. We began to strip to our morphing...
"Jake, not you" Ithiell said.
"Huh?"
"Your stitches. If you morph, it could start something else growing in you, or cause a reaction that..."
"Say what? You mean I can't..."
"Not unless it's absolutely necessary"
"Well, all right" I stood to the side with Tobias as the others morphed and shape-shifted. Rachel went grizzly, Cassie horse, Marco gorilla, and Amanda and Robert polar bears. Ithiell and Rtaia stayed as themselves.
"Easier to access the systems that way" Ithiell explained as he revealed his big leathery wings, flapped them, flew up, then turned and grabbed Rtaia by the waist, lifting her with ease. Together, they flapped into the night, with Marco and Rachel following them. Amanda and Robert flanked the two.
(Ready guys?) Cassie asked as she walked up beside us. I jumped on, then helped pull Tobias on behind me.
"Now you know how I feel" he muttered as Cassie took off after our friends, running full speed. Soon, we reached the brightly lit ship. There were small puddles of blood on the ground near the hatch.
(That's where we found her) Marco explained as Ithiell flew into the ship, forgetting about the stairs of the hatch. Marco lumbered up after them. For Amanda, Robert and Rachel however, they had more trouble. Amanda and Robert shrunk to a cougar and a leopard, and Rachel had to demorph, but as they did... Cassie rocketed up the stairs, with us holding on for dear life. We ducked as Cassie reached the entrance.
(You'd better not start...) Rachel was cut off as she became more human than bear, and Amanda shot up the stairs after us, with Robert not far behind.
Finally, we were all in the main hallway.
"Which way?" I asked Marco.
"We're going to access the systems" Ithiell called back as he and Rtaia ran towards the bridge. I liked his thinking. I just wish I had thought of it.
(I left her in sickbay) Marco lumbered along, and we followed him. Soon, Rachel joined us, still a grizzly.
She probably only shrunk enough to get up the stairs...
We reached sickbay, finding the door was shut.
(Did you...?)
(No, I left it... but maybe...)
I think at that moment we all had the same thought. They were in there... and they...
(I can hear something... there's something moving in there!) Amanda stood close to the door, her ears cocked forward, probably straining to hear every sound made inside that room. I wished I had my tiger hearing.
(Let's knock it down) Rachel suggested. She sidled up next to Amanda, and threw her whole weight against it before I could stop her.
BAAAMMM!!
It definitely shook the door, but didn't bend or break it. Amanda leapt back, startled by Rachel's sudden movement, and growled.
(Don't do that?! You want to scare the daylights out of them in there?!) she cried.
(Jade? Hey, Jade!! You in there?) Robert called. Nothing. And then...
Ssssssssssstt...
The door slid open, and Jade stood in the doorway. Her hands were wrapped tightly around a Jara gun, and it was levelled at us. Behind her I saw someone lying on the table, and the Chanaiben nurse named Sim-something. I guessed the person on the table was the scientist.
"About time you guys showed up. Kumatt's gonna be ok, but... I... Simai here came just in time. She's fixed her up pretty good and..." She let her arms and the weapon drop. She still held the gun, but loosely.
"But what about the creatures?" I asked as I slid off Cassie's back, knowing it was a risky move, but still not caring.
"To tell you the truth, I've been too scared to go looking after I found Simai here. She gave me a mega scare too" She said sighing and rubbing her temple, then told us what had happened.
(But where are those creatures then? Why did they... are out there now, looking for more victims? And where's...)
"Ithiell to sickbay. Can you guys here me?" We heard through some sort of intercom system. We looked at Simai, who nodded and went over to work it.
"Yes sir. Simai here"
"Good. Jake?"
"I'm here" I went over to stand beside Simai.
"Even better. Listen, Rtaia and I have scanned the ship. Besides you, there's only one other life form on board, and that registers as a Chanaiben male"
"But I thought you couldn't..."
"I recalibrated my system. I'm faster than you think you know"
(He did it while you guys were out) Amanda explained. I nodded.
"Now... I'm going to see if we can pick them up outside somewhere"
"I thought you would have..."
"The first priority was the ship. If they were here, we were going to have to seal this ship... with us still inside it"
Now that definitely gave me the creeps. There was nothing more I didn't want to have to do...
"Scanning the TailBlade and the Aerionna" Rtaia broke in. We waited for what seemed like minutes, but were only seconds, before she had an answer.
"Nothing. They are clear of the two life forms"
"Right. Now... the outside..."
Again, we waited for what seemed like forever, until...
"Got them! They've split up though. One's heading for the city, and the other is near a Canask kind of lake, but I have no idea... wait! The one that was heading toward the city! It's stopped! I think it might be.... aha! It's heading off to where the other one is!"
Now why would it...? Hmm, maybe...
But Jade had buzzed it all through her brain faster, and she looked up at all of us, hope and maybe something a little more dangerous in her eyes.
"Call me crazy, but I think I might have an idea"