Hey gang thanks for the comments!
This isn't Beta read like always...I really need to invest in one of those
things
Not a lot of action in this one either. Sorry about that...
Anyways here it is.
There was a candy house. Just like the story his Mom told him. It had gingerbread walls, which mom said tasted like cookies, and big red striped candy doors. He pushed on the door to open it. His hand stuck to it and as he pulled his hand back a red substance stayed on his hand. He stared at his hand in fascination. His tongue came out of his mouth and he slowly licked it.
It was good like sugar and honey. It was so good. He was so hungry.
Guilt washed over him in a wave. He shouldn't eat it. He should give it to Fergus and Raven. Maybe he could take a bit home with him.
He would just break off a piece of the wall. No one would notice would they?
He stepped away from the door and touched the gingerbread wall. His finger's slipped in to the cracks filled with mortar icing.
He pulled and pulled but it wouldn't break. The icing was slippery and he fell.
He fell and fell.
He landed with a thud on to his back. He stifled a yell as he felt rocks dig in to his back.
He looked up at the bright blue sky and at a very large vine that went up in to the clouds.
What the hell was going on? Where did the candy house go?
Thump!
Oh gawd no! The Magog!
Thump!
The ground shook. No, that's too big. It couldn't be the Magog.
"Fi Figh Fo Fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman!"
Seamus covered his years at the sound of the booming voice.
A giant as tall as the candy house stood in front of him. Seamus closed his eyes afraid to look. He wrapped his hands around the back of his neck. This couldn't be real. Cause if it were he dad would come save him.
"Are you an Englishman!?" the voice boomed again.
"No," His voice quivered. "I'm Seamus."
"Look at me!"
He opened his eyes a crack and then wider. Her had to lean way back to see the top of the giant's body. It was a giant Neitzschean, but not just any one. It was Dionysus only he was covered in fur like a Magog and big clawed hands.
Seamus' heart nearly stopped with fright.
"I know you little mouse." Cackled the giant. "You tried to steal from house! I should squish you like the rodent you are!"
"I didn't know it was your house!" Seamus babbled. "I'm sorry. I didn't wreak anything. Honest! I'm Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm not hungry I won't do it again!"
Beka sighed with exhaustion. She was still trying to reach someone anyone on the COMS system. She would venture a rescue mission but with Harper being so sick she couldn't risk leaving him alone.
She hoped against hope that everyone had them selves holed up somewhere. But as time past her hope grew fainter.
If the crew was hiding somewhere you think someone would have been able to get a message to her by now. Hell, Rommie wasn't even answering, confused or not she should have gotten some sort of reply.
She heard a screeching noise that made the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The Magog were outside her hull again. Damn them! She had enough to deal with out them rattling her cage every few hours. She stepped over to the weapons station and fired off a few warning shots. Rommie would be pissed that she was messing up the docking port but it was a necessary evil. She fired a couple more shots off. She couldn't help but smile as she saw them scurry away. She couldn't figure out why they didn't just get it over with and break in? She weird was definitely going on.
Then there was a yell from the crew quarters. "I'm Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm not hungry I won't do it again!"
Beka rushed through the corridor to the crew quarters. She paused at the doorway for a second.
Harper wriggled underneath his blankets doing his best to throw them off. "I'm not hungry! I'm not hungry!"
Beka hurried forward and knelt by his side. She brushed his short hair off his forehead. He was really warm. "Shhh, Shhh it's okay."
He jerked under hand. Then his eyes slowly blinked open. "B-Beka?"
"It's me."
"There was a giant Neitzschean Magog ... he was trying to squash me." He coughed lightly and frowned.
Beka tried to smile but it was hard to find the comforting word's she wanted to say. "It's okay, Kiddo there are no giant's here. You just had a bad nightmare. Try to relax. Are you hungry or thirsty?"
Harper's frown deepened. "Not hungry."
"Thirsty it is." She needed to get something in his system.
He blinked up at her with surprise then hope. "Sparky?"
"Not while your sick. Water is better." Harper stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. She stood to head towards the galley.
"Beka? What happened I can't figure it out."
Beka grew concerned. "I already told you. Don't you remember?"
"I do but it doesn't make sense."
Beka sighed and returned to his side. "I don't know really myself. Rommie seemed to be getting better. But we hadn't managed to move from our position. The world ship fired on us. It hit right near where you were standing. You nearly froze to death. You would have if it weren't for Rommie.
"But Hohne died?"
Beka nodded slowly and wrapped her arms around her self. "I know you liked him. I'm sorry."
"Yeah he was cool. I never met anyone who could get just as excited as I could about tech. I don't know Beka it still doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't?"
"Well when Hohne and I were looking at Rommie's back up system. It shouldn't have gone off like that. It was like someone sabotaged it."
Beka was startled but it all made sense. There were some weird things going on lately that she just couldn't put her finger on. "But who? I mean I trust Trance and Rev with my life. Dylan is way to strait and narrow besides it's his ship. Tyr...." Beka hesitated, could it be him? He always had his own agenda but...
Harper dismissed the idea as if he was reading her mind. "Tyr wouldn't blow up the ship. It would be anti Neitzschean." He coughed a little and his eyes drooped.
He seemed to be growing tired. It didn't surprise her after all he a nearly died. He hadn't mentioned the makeshift cast on his leg. Maybe he hadn't noticed it. She had injected him with nanobots but she only had a first aid kit of supplies. He needed Trance's expertise. When the miniature blackhole ripped through the corridor. Rommie grabbed him but even with Rommie's strength they were both banged around a lot. The force of the blast and the expulsion of air must have been amazing. Rommie's grip ran true... though it also broke a couple of Harper's ribs. He had nearly frozen to death. With his weakened immune system it was nothing short of miraculous that he was still breathing at all. Though Harper may disagree. He was one damn lucky kid.
He coughed again drawing her attention back. "Beka have you ever heard the story of the mad Persied?"
"Um, yeah sure. He was crazy, he said he found a route back to Tarn Vedra. Then he disappeared."
"You think it's true? Maybe he found a way?"
"I think it's a fairy tale." She couldn't help but smile. "It would be a great scheme though."
"What if he found away but needed a ship to get there..."
Beka shook her head. "Okay now I know for sure you have a high fever."
"Beka..." He started.
"No, Harper you listen he was you're friend! Are you accusing Hohne of being the mad Persied!?" She hadn't realized she was shouting till it was to late.
He closed his eyes and turned to the wall obviously not want to look at her for the moment. She must have hurt his feeling again.
Beka closed her own eyes for a moment. He was tough little scraper of a kid but sometime she forgot. She forgot how alone he must feel, how this all was new to him. She had taken him from his only home and he didn't hate her. But instead he desperately wanted her to like him. She just didn't know how to deal with that.
She knelt down again. "Listen Seamus, I'm sorry I yelled. I'm just tired. Please, tell me what you're thinking."
He turned back towards her. He sighed loudly before continuing. I guess it doesn't matter who did it anyway for now. "I know a way we can fix it." He whispered.
"What!?"
"Fergus and I used to make these little toys. They were just stupid things we made out of parts from the junk pile. We called them Shriller's. They were just whistles really. Ultrasonic whistles."
"You and your cousin made them out of garbage!?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
Beka shook her head. "You really are something you know that."
He gave her a small fleeting smile. "Anyway, we used to pull tricks on the Neits near the spaceport. It used to make them dance around like mad. Neits have really good hearing..."
Beka nodded encouraging him on.
"It hurt them. The ultrasonic really bugged them. The Magog have nearly the same hearing. I could make us some whistles... we could find the others... fix internal defenses. I can fix Rommie."
"Are you sure you're not the mad Persied?" Beka joked.
They both laughed. It felt good to have a plan.
TBC.
There was a candy house. Just like the story his Mom told him. It had gingerbread walls, which mom said tasted like cookies, and big red striped candy doors. He pushed on the door to open it. His hand stuck to it and as he pulled his hand back a red substance stayed on his hand. He stared at his hand in fascination. His tongue came out of his mouth and he slowly licked it.
It was good like sugar and honey. It was so good. He was so hungry.
Guilt washed over him in a wave. He shouldn't eat it. He should give it to Fergus and Raven. Maybe he could take a bit home with him.
He would just break off a piece of the wall. No one would notice would they?
He stepped away from the door and touched the gingerbread wall. His finger's slipped in to the cracks filled with mortar icing.
He pulled and pulled but it wouldn't break. The icing was slippery and he fell.
He fell and fell.
He landed with a thud on to his back. He stifled a yell as he felt rocks dig in to his back.
He looked up at the bright blue sky and at a very large vine that went up in to the clouds.
What the hell was going on? Where did the candy house go?
Thump!
Oh gawd no! The Magog!
Thump!
The ground shook. No, that's too big. It couldn't be the Magog.
"Fi Figh Fo Fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman!"
Seamus covered his years at the sound of the booming voice.
A giant as tall as the candy house stood in front of him. Seamus closed his eyes afraid to look. He wrapped his hands around the back of his neck. This couldn't be real. Cause if it were he dad would come save him.
"Are you an Englishman!?" the voice boomed again.
"No," His voice quivered. "I'm Seamus."
"Look at me!"
He opened his eyes a crack and then wider. Her had to lean way back to see the top of the giant's body. It was a giant Neitzschean, but not just any one. It was Dionysus only he was covered in fur like a Magog and big clawed hands.
Seamus' heart nearly stopped with fright.
"I know you little mouse." Cackled the giant. "You tried to steal from house! I should squish you like the rodent you are!"
"I didn't know it was your house!" Seamus babbled. "I'm sorry. I didn't wreak anything. Honest! I'm Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm not hungry I won't do it again!"
Beka sighed with exhaustion. She was still trying to reach someone anyone on the COMS system. She would venture a rescue mission but with Harper being so sick she couldn't risk leaving him alone.
She hoped against hope that everyone had them selves holed up somewhere. But as time past her hope grew fainter.
If the crew was hiding somewhere you think someone would have been able to get a message to her by now. Hell, Rommie wasn't even answering, confused or not she should have gotten some sort of reply.
She heard a screeching noise that made the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The Magog were outside her hull again. Damn them! She had enough to deal with out them rattling her cage every few hours. She stepped over to the weapons station and fired off a few warning shots. Rommie would be pissed that she was messing up the docking port but it was a necessary evil. She fired a couple more shots off. She couldn't help but smile as she saw them scurry away. She couldn't figure out why they didn't just get it over with and break in? She weird was definitely going on.
Then there was a yell from the crew quarters. "I'm Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm not hungry I won't do it again!"
Beka rushed through the corridor to the crew quarters. She paused at the doorway for a second.
Harper wriggled underneath his blankets doing his best to throw them off. "I'm not hungry! I'm not hungry!"
Beka hurried forward and knelt by his side. She brushed his short hair off his forehead. He was really warm. "Shhh, Shhh it's okay."
He jerked under hand. Then his eyes slowly blinked open. "B-Beka?"
"It's me."
"There was a giant Neitzschean Magog ... he was trying to squash me." He coughed lightly and frowned.
Beka tried to smile but it was hard to find the comforting word's she wanted to say. "It's okay, Kiddo there are no giant's here. You just had a bad nightmare. Try to relax. Are you hungry or thirsty?"
Harper's frown deepened. "Not hungry."
"Thirsty it is." She needed to get something in his system.
He blinked up at her with surprise then hope. "Sparky?"
"Not while your sick. Water is better." Harper stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. She stood to head towards the galley.
"Beka? What happened I can't figure it out."
Beka grew concerned. "I already told you. Don't you remember?"
"I do but it doesn't make sense."
Beka sighed and returned to his side. "I don't know really myself. Rommie seemed to be getting better. But we hadn't managed to move from our position. The world ship fired on us. It hit right near where you were standing. You nearly froze to death. You would have if it weren't for Rommie.
"But Hohne died?"
Beka nodded slowly and wrapped her arms around her self. "I know you liked him. I'm sorry."
"Yeah he was cool. I never met anyone who could get just as excited as I could about tech. I don't know Beka it still doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't?"
"Well when Hohne and I were looking at Rommie's back up system. It shouldn't have gone off like that. It was like someone sabotaged it."
Beka was startled but it all made sense. There were some weird things going on lately that she just couldn't put her finger on. "But who? I mean I trust Trance and Rev with my life. Dylan is way to strait and narrow besides it's his ship. Tyr...." Beka hesitated, could it be him? He always had his own agenda but...
Harper dismissed the idea as if he was reading her mind. "Tyr wouldn't blow up the ship. It would be anti Neitzschean." He coughed a little and his eyes drooped.
He seemed to be growing tired. It didn't surprise her after all he a nearly died. He hadn't mentioned the makeshift cast on his leg. Maybe he hadn't noticed it. She had injected him with nanobots but she only had a first aid kit of supplies. He needed Trance's expertise. When the miniature blackhole ripped through the corridor. Rommie grabbed him but even with Rommie's strength they were both banged around a lot. The force of the blast and the expulsion of air must have been amazing. Rommie's grip ran true... though it also broke a couple of Harper's ribs. He had nearly frozen to death. With his weakened immune system it was nothing short of miraculous that he was still breathing at all. Though Harper may disagree. He was one damn lucky kid.
He coughed again drawing her attention back. "Beka have you ever heard the story of the mad Persied?"
"Um, yeah sure. He was crazy, he said he found a route back to Tarn Vedra. Then he disappeared."
"You think it's true? Maybe he found a way?"
"I think it's a fairy tale." She couldn't help but smile. "It would be a great scheme though."
"What if he found away but needed a ship to get there..."
Beka shook her head. "Okay now I know for sure you have a high fever."
"Beka..." He started.
"No, Harper you listen he was you're friend! Are you accusing Hohne of being the mad Persied!?" She hadn't realized she was shouting till it was to late.
He closed his eyes and turned to the wall obviously not want to look at her for the moment. She must have hurt his feeling again.
Beka closed her own eyes for a moment. He was tough little scraper of a kid but sometime she forgot. She forgot how alone he must feel, how this all was new to him. She had taken him from his only home and he didn't hate her. But instead he desperately wanted her to like him. She just didn't know how to deal with that.
She knelt down again. "Listen Seamus, I'm sorry I yelled. I'm just tired. Please, tell me what you're thinking."
He turned back towards her. He sighed loudly before continuing. I guess it doesn't matter who did it anyway for now. "I know a way we can fix it." He whispered.
"What!?"
"Fergus and I used to make these little toys. They were just stupid things we made out of parts from the junk pile. We called them Shriller's. They were just whistles really. Ultrasonic whistles."
"You and your cousin made them out of garbage!?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
Beka shook her head. "You really are something you know that."
He gave her a small fleeting smile. "Anyway, we used to pull tricks on the Neits near the spaceport. It used to make them dance around like mad. Neits have really good hearing..."
Beka nodded encouraging him on.
"It hurt them. The ultrasonic really bugged them. The Magog have nearly the same hearing. I could make us some whistles... we could find the others... fix internal defenses. I can fix Rommie."
"Are you sure you're not the mad Persied?" Beka joked.
They both laughed. It felt good to have a plan.
TBC.