Chapter 01: Glimmer in the dark
Darkness.
A never-ending, borderless emptiness that encompassed every inch of the space. All was blotted out by a darkness that hid any view of the area from sight, save for a narrow beam of light emitted from a singular point on the ceiling above. This beam cut down through the center of the room but even it had trouble fighting against the shadows. The light shone upon a circular platform which attached to a catwalk hung suspended in the blackness.
To observe the light was to was to have a feeling of comfort and was alluringly warm. Like stepping into a warm cabin from a hollowing blizzard. It seemed to beckon any who might look upon it to step into the light with its tantalizing promises.
But things were not all what they seemed to be.
This shaft of light was in reality a stasis field designed to ensnare any who came too close and keep those occupants forever trapped in a perpetual dreamless slumber. And it seemed that perhaps someone had already been lured in.
Within the strand of light a cobalt furry orb, about the size of a basketball hung seemingly weightless in the air.
This had been the fate relegated to him. This is where Jumba, his creator, his father, had left him to dwell for the rest of his days. Locked away deep within some asteroidal moon orbiting a gas giant in some desolate star system far removed from any remotely civilized sectors like those of the Galactic Federation.
The alien scientist believed the sheer remoteness of the system would provide a suitable place to bury his dirty little secret and keep his dangerous creation safely contained. Never to be disturbed, however Jumba was no fool. He knew all too well the unpredictability of the universe at large and in the event of some forlorn future should someone happen upon this space prison or should some kind of accident occur, the alien scientist had made certain to leave behind ample security measure to ensure containment be kept.
And that was how it had been for all the years gone by. A languishing existence but now it seemed the forces of chaos had new plans in mind.
-xxx-
In a flash of light a lone starship emerged from hyperspace at the system's outer most edge. The ship was of a decent size atleast a hundred meters in length and its appearance was rather battle scarred with scorch marks, chunks taken from armor plating and slashes of red paint smeared all along its hull. Towards the bow of the ship a symbol was painted in black, a tusked alien skull with what appeared to be a sword and a pistol emblazed behind it. There were several rows of turrets embedded on the hull, one along each side and one along the dorsal.
"Captain," a figure hunched over a console spoke "We have arrived at the coordinates."
"Ah, about damn time" a tall humanoid growled the glow of his bionic eye flickering about. Rising to stand the captain grinned as he looked over the onscreen map "This is perfect, the system will allow us to launch strikes on the nearby trade routes. While staying undetected at the same time, then we'll have our pick of any booty we want." A klaxon sounded ending the round of laughter that followed the captain's declaration "What is it? What's going on?"
"Sensors are picking up a high output energy source on the sixth moon orbiting the gas giant" a voice responded.
"This star system is supposed to be uninhabited" the captain snarled stalking his way towards the speaker "Guess we'll just have to pay that information broker a visit once we're done here." A few of the alien crew about the bridge let out brief menacing chuckles knowing well just what their leader had in mind.
"What should we do about the readings, Captain?" an orange alien with a robotic arm inquired.
"Well it just wouldn't civilized if we didn't go and introduce ourselves, would it boys?" this time it was the captain let loose with a short chortle that would make the hairs stand on end of anyone within earshot.
Understanding the unspoken command, the helmsman immediately went to work. The alien's lanky arms moved as its many tentacle fingers wiggling about on the console selecting the proper inputs to change the ship's course. At full speed the pirate ship was able to traverse the millions of miles from the system's outer edge to the gas giant. Soon enough the ship was parked in a geosynchronous orbit above the surface of the sixth moon, all the while the vessel's sensors scanned over the planetoid.
"Well what do the sensors say, Doc?"
"Scanners detect a structure below the surface of the moon" a lanky orange colored alien with glasses replied.
The captain rose from his seat striding to the seated crewmember "Any life signs?"
"No, Captain Zalbard" Doc spoke a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Zalbard relaxed his posture minutely raising his right hand to hold his chin "Hmm, they could be shielded. If they're this far out means they have something hide and last thing we need is any upstarts." The large alien turned making his way back to his seat at the center of the bridge "Take us down."
A brief announcement was made to alert the crew before the descent had begun. The hull creaked and groaned with the applied stresses of landing while the hull temperature rose at a steady pace with the friction of passing through the thin atmosphere. Finally the turbulence settled out until the vessel shook gently as the landing gear made contact with the rocky surface below. As soon as the landing ramp was extended and the hatch opened the shore party of disembarked. Handheld scanners acted as guides to steer the group's course over the cracked and rugged terrain.
"Scanner's say we're right on top of it, sir" Doc announced taking his eyes from the scanner to look around.
"Where?" another in the group responded hoisting his weapon over his shoulder "I don't see a damn thing."
"Alright you lot spread out look for any sign of an entrance." At the captain's command the rabble soon divide themselves up into smaller groups of three then headed in separate directions.
-xxx-
"I say it's a sensor ghost and we're out here on a fucking farniar hunt" a bulky alien grumbled as he stomped along.
"Well go tell it to the captain or…aargh" the speaker yelled out. The once solid ground opened up sending the once upright alien tumbling down a hidden corridor. His partner turned at the abrupt sound he had emitted and now the bulky alien stood looking down the darkened passage.
"Hey you alright down there, Cree?"
The smaller green alien groaned as he slowly went about sitting up to soothe his aching back. Cree winced as the harsh echoing voice of Dondon met his ears "What do you think you numbskull I just fell down a fucking flight of stairs."
Dondon merely chuckled "Captain, Cree has found the access point."
"Very well" the captain's static garbled voice spoke "Stay put. We'll be there shortly."
The pair didn't have to wait long for the rest of the party to amass at the open hatch before making their way down into the corridor. At the end of the short tunnel a massive sealed vault like door stood like a silent sentinel stopping the group from advancing any further.
"Doc, get to work" the bionic eyed leader demanded.
The lanky spectacled alien approached the panel beside the door. Rummaging through his satchel he produced a small handheld computer pulling a small cable from it he connected it to a port on the open panel. Once plugged in Doc went to work decrypting the access code to unseal the door. The assembled men stood about waiting and grumbling before there was a quiet hiss as the seal was broken, the clanking of gears and the screech of metal being dragged on metal. The immense hatch swung outward revealing more dark passageways beyond.
Banding together the pirates made their way into the walkway. Moving slowly they relied on their flashlights to illuminate the way ahead of them only to pause when they reached the proverbial fork in the road.
"Which way Doc?"
"Hmm," Doc paused to look at his scanner "Scans indicate the bunker's main power source is that way." An orange four fingered hand pointed to the left and with the direction decided the group headed out.
Unbeknownst to the intruders their presence had not gone unnoticed. As the bunker's internal defensive systems were being brought online to monitor their every move before lying in wait for them.
Cautiously the crew proceeded along meandering through the confining halls and around the few miscellaneous containers that littered the way. Just ahead of the there was a hiss as latches were released and a pair of turrets rose quickly from the floor. Immediately those party members at the forefront could do little but stare in bewilderment as the cannons opened fire. As a hail of canon fire hurtled through the hall ripping and tearing through the bodies of stunned pirates, while the remaining crew dove for cover.
"Fuck! Where did those come from?" someone shouted over the sound of the canons.
Captain Zalbard stayed crouched behind one of the pillars half embedded in the wall. Moving with extreme caution his head tilted to the side as he peeked around the edge only to pull back when a chunk was taken from the wall. "Zaush," the pirate leader called out.
"Sir?" a four armed red alien responded.
"Use a plasma grenade and put those damn things out of commission!"
With a quick nod the four-armed pirate reached into his vest retrieving a spherical object in each hand. Pressing a button the grenades began to give off a neon glow as their contents were armed. Approaching the edge of cover he waited for a lull in the canon's activity before quickly popping out to throw the grenades.
Automatically the targeting sensors locked onto the incoming objects and the turrets opened fire on their intended targets. Luck may have been on their side as the grenades made it through the hail of projectiles land at the foot of the turrets. The fragile casing of the grenades shattered on impact as volatile contents reacted. The explosion took the form of a large ball of extremely hot plasma which disintegrated the left turret and partially melted the metal around it. Bolts of highly energized electricity flew through the air arcing off the metallic surfaces through the hall striking the remaining turret. A shower of sparks erupted as the turret's internal mechanisms were overloaded. The turret swung about firing sporadic shots at random before shutting down for good.
Timidly the remaining pirates emerged from their hiding spots. Still fearful of the lone turret they moved forwards with extreme vigilance. Gathering around they eyed the bodies of their fallen comrades.
One had collapsed back against the wall seemingly unharmed save for the fact it was missing its head, in a gruesome scene everything from the lower jaw up had been blown off leaving the tongue to flop about and jets of blood to spurt from the neck to paint the wall. Another body had been almost cleanly cut in half about the waist; the two halves lay separated by several feet as once internal organs lay splattered out acrossed the floor. And several more lay in this grotesque spectacle.
"We should turn back" one amongst the group spoke fear clearly gripping his voice as several other chimed in with agreement.
"Ugh… Think for once you fools" Zalbard groaned, "Whatever's inside must be important for whoever built this place to go through the trouble of putting in defenses such as these. And if it's important it means it must be valuable to someone!"
"Besides our shares just went up" a blue skinned pirate jeered making light to plight of their fallen comrades and earning a good round of laughter from the others.
Although the mood seemed to have been lightened, the group nonetheless progressed at a much more cautious pace than before. The group ever on guard against anymore unwanted surprises to the point where a few of the pirates became jittery at the slightest sound. Following the scanners they managed to navigate through the maze of corridors towards the main power core. However, yet more booby traps reduced their numbers further till a mere nine remained.
At last they reached their intended destination and once again a set of vault like doors stood blocking them. In a repeat of earlier the alien Doc made use of his hacking skills in an effort to get the doors to open. Unfortunately the system controlling these doors seemed to be using a much tougher encryption that was beyond even his considerable skills. Relaying the news to the captain earned him a cold stare before a smirk crossed the commander's face as a new plan to clear the way popped into his head.
"Fire in the hole!" a voice shouted.
With the signal sent the planted explosives detonated. In an instant a fireball lit up the corridor as it engulfed the doors, while shrapnel from the blast was propelled to the opposite end to embed itself within the wall. As with any explosion a shockwave was created, the blast wave rushed down the length of the hall with force enough to knock any off their feet while the thunderous echo of the bang raced with throughout the entirety of the underground complex. Amongst the coughs of the pirates the smoke began to thin out allowing them to see if the explosives had done their job.
And indeed they did. Littering the hall were pieces of debris that had been too heavy to make it to the rest of the way. As for the original obstacle, at first they appeared to remain largely unaffected until the smoke cleared out. A large gaping hole had been ripped through the center of where the doors met one another, leaving the rest to hang like hollowed out ghost of its former self.
The nine humanoids spread out as they entered the room their eyes traveling about its décor. The room was dominated by a large U shaped console dead ahead from the doors, while spread out along the walls and through the room were a series of work benches. Strewn acrossed these various lab tables were devices of all shapes, sizes and states of completion. Some appeared to weapons of an origin they had never seen before while others they could only guess at just what their purpose was.
"What do you make of these, Doc?" captain Zalbard asked his fingers running over a particular piece of equipment.
"I don't know" the orange alien replied eyes studying the piece "Never seen anything like it before."
"Ah well finders keepers" the four-armed red-skinned Zaush sneered as he lay down his weapon and stuffing every pocket he had with whatever he could.
Moving away the captain turned his back to the rabble as he strode to the computer terminal that sat in a little nook. "Doc!" he called out harshly.
"Yes, Captain?" came the nervous answer.
"Interface with this terminal. Maybe you can shed some light on just what the hell this place is and where the valuables are stored."
With a nod the spectacled figure stood to the workstation laying his portable hacking terminal on its surface before connecting the two. Lines of computer code ran acrossed the multiple computer screens as the two machines uplinked. Overcoming the firewall Doc went about searching the system for the information his captain desired. With a electronic hum the overhead lights came to life in the room and the same for the rest in the facility. An audible gasp was heard from the nine figures as heavy shutters began to slide upwards uncovering the windows that lined the nook. Incredibly bright light shone through the glass as the pirates struggled to see but only for a moment as the glass automatically darkened lessening the strain on their eyes.
Looking through the windows they saw what was providing the power for the facility.
On the opposite side of the glass the room was massive, easily big enough to fit their entire ship within and still have room to spare. But what really attracted their attention was what lie at the center. There hovering suspended between two large conical structures, one upon the ceiling and the other on the floor, was what appeared to be a miniature star. Indeed it looked almost as if someone had managed to shrink a perfectly normal star and then lock it away. A sudden solar flare attracted their gaze, the arc of florescent gas expanded outwards from the sun's surface only to be captured by a blue translucent energy field and then was guided into an adjacent chamber.
"Incredible" Doc mouthed.
"What was that?" a annoyed groan followed the statement.
Doc cleared his throat returning his focus to his original task "It seems the majority of the complex is offline and abandoned." Navigating his way through the countless menus he uncovered more information "It seems all the power is currently being diverted towards a single room."
"What's in it?" Cree's higher pitched voice asked.
"Doesn't seem to be any information on that" Doc glanced over his shoulder to the rest of the party "However, there is some major security measures in place that make all we encountered look like toys."
"Can you shut them down from here?" Zaush's deep bass voice called out from the background.
"I believe so" a few quick taps on the keys rang out "Done."
-xxx-
For the first time since the bunker had been built the room went dark.
The light of the stasis field that had held Alpha captive for so long vanished utterly. Without the anti-gravity field generated by the stasis beam to hold him aloft Alpha's furled body lingered but for a moment in the air before falling to the cold metal plating beneath. The cobalt fuzz ball bounced several times then rolled about the platform until finally coming to a stop only when it made contact with the upturned edge.
Seconds ticked by and silence continued to reign. But it was shattered as a loud gasp reverberated off the walls of the spherical chamber as Alpha took a breath for the first time in a long time. Lungs expanded, oxygen rich blood surged through arteries to long deprived muscles with each pump of his heart. While synapses began to light up like fireworks as the experiment's body gradually began to awaken from the hibernative state it had been placed into.
Sluggishly limbs unfurled allowing Alpha's body to lay out flat. After so many years of disuse and being held in the same position his joints were stiff and his body weak.
The cobwebs of slumber were swept from Alpha's consciousness and as the fog was lifted he was fully awakened. He groaned as eyelids crept open allowing him to see just where he was. With the drastic lack of illumination he was unable to see anything at all. For a brief moment the experiment worried that perhaps he had lost his eyesight as he waved a taloned hand in front of his face. But luckily as his body grew accustomed it didn't take long for him to adapt. With a quick blink, once obsidian orbs glowed with a neon green radiance of their own allowing his vision to pierce even the darkest depths.
Sighing Alpha stood and stretched hearing his joints pop and tension to be released from his cramped muscles. Striding forwards he peered over the edge of the platform he stood upon and looked about. The room was shaped like that of an immense sphere, with the platform in the center there was a good fifty meters in all directions to reach the smooth walls. Turning back around Alpha's gaze followed that of the attached catwalk to stare at the sealed entryway.
The blue experiment stood motionless, cocking his head to the side as ears twitched. With his heightened sense came back to him he was able to detect the distinct sounds of footsteps approaching from the other side of the thick vaulted door. Alpha's lips pulled back into the very same sneer he had worn many times before. Dropping down to a quadrupedal stance the cobalt alien chuckled scurrying away to hide amongst the shadows. Readying himself for the arrival of his guests.
-xxx-
With the bunker's defenses having been deactivated and no longer a problem to hinder them. The pirate's were able to move about more freely and without fear this time. With this new freedom the group made an effort to check out other chambers as they explored the branching corridors. But still they always returned to their original route as they continued onwards to their main goal.
"Would you look at that" the statement was punctuated with a whistle as the group gathered in front of the largest set of doors yet.
Without a word Doc retrieved his minicomp from his satchel. A series of beeps was heard as the unit confirmed its uplink with the complex's main computer was still intact giving its user full control over its capabilities. The anticipation was palpable for the mercenary crew as they stood staring at the last thing to obstruct their progress. After an agonizingly long wait the locks on the door came to life with a hydraulic hiss as large pistons retracted into walls from their anchoring points on the door.
Then with a low groan the sturdy doors bifurcated pulling apart. The light from the hall spilled into the darkened room beyond casting silhouettes of the amassed figures at the entrance. Moving in stride with one another the mercenary crew made their way inside only to stop after a mere ten feet. "Well, where are the lights?" a figure spoke as his head swiveled about.
"I don't know" Doc replied his face lit up by the glow from his minicomp "It says they are working just fine but for some reason they're not responding."
Compensating for the lack of illumination the group activated their own lights. Heading in the only direction available the group followed the catwalk for some distance. The beams of light from their mounted flashlights danced about the shadows as they searched the room. "What the hell is going on?" Cree's already high pitched voice rose to an even higher and more annoying tone with his aggravation, "Where's all the valuables? Ain't nothing here."
Reaching the end of the platform they did nothing but mill about the circular platform in puzzlement. The captain himself stood at the edge of the platform his back to the others, hands curled into fists as his frame began to tremble in time with his ever growing anger.
From his concealed position Alpha sat watching the assemblage of these new individuals as they began to argue amongst themselves with voices to shouts. Even with his eyes glowing they were oblivious to his presence. Looking over each figure in turn he assessed their potential finding that they were clearly posed no threat to him. Even their weapons were well below anything that could cause any major harm to him. However, the possibility still remained that they could cause minor injuries. Stealthy Alpha crawled along the smooth walls, skirting the edge of the light as he moved in to have a bit of fun with these trespassers.
The pads upon his hands and feet negated any sounds allowing him to approach undetected.
Moving along the underside of the catwalk Alpha peered up through the grating. Making his decision the experiment stopped beneath a bulky alien with tan hide who stood at the rear of the group. Carefully making use of his secondary set of arms to hold himself on the catwalk, while Alpha entwined the fingers of the primary set with the grating beneath the pirate.
As the alien pirate shifted his weight from one foot to the other Alpha struck. In one fluid movement he pulled on the grating in opposite directions ripping the welds apart.
The brigand above cried out in surprise as the surface beneath his feet gave way and he fell through the opening. His muscular arms flailed about in the air but luckily he managed to hold of the catwalk and prevent himself from falling straight through. At the sound of their comrade's distress the rest of the group turned around immediately.
"What happened?" one of the group questioned shining his light at the stuck alien.
The tan alien squinted against the light shining in his eyes, "I don't know. Just get over here and give me hand here!" he shouted.
Nonchalantly others strode over grasping his outstretched hand and began attempting to pull him up. "Damn it, you've got to lose some weight" one of them taunted. Still hanging upside down Alpha watched as the pirate hung there his legs kicking in some vain effort to gain leverage. When the aid he received started to pull him up the cobalt alien reached out grabbing hold of his armored vest putting a stop to the advancement.
"What now, you're stuck."
Though they tugged their efforts did nothing against the experiment's superior strength. With a smile brandished the talons of his other hand, looking between the dangling pirate and his hand for a few moments before striking. Thrusting his clawed hand forward his talons embedded themselves into the artificial material, then with a twisting jerk Alpha tearing away a chunk of the vest. Once the soft flesh underneath was revealed the blue furred creature wasted little time before plunging his talons into it.
The brigand howled in pain, his body thrashing about wildly to get free. At the sudden outburst the other pirates had jumped back in surprise and those that didn't were knocked away by his wild movements. "Aargh, Help me! Get me out of here" he pleaded eyes open wide in fear.
Alpha held his claws in the pliable flesh listening to the powerless creature scream as its warm blood soaked his palm. Withdrawing his talons he took note of the florescent green blood that dripped from their tips before he plunged them forwards again and again. When the alien's comrades attempted to pull him free once again it was this jerking movement that caused Alpha's claws to tear through the meat of his abdomen. Blood gushed from the wounds and ran down the his kicking legs to be flung off into the air.
Above the others held his arms pulling with their combined might to yank their trapped friend free, though his frantic movements did not make it easy on them. All the while his blood curdling screams of anguish echoed off the chamber's walls. But it seemed that no matter how hard they tried they could not get him free.
Suddenly his screams turned to mere gargles and his eyes opened even wider than they had been. To the shock of his would be rescuers his body seemed to go completely limp as he hung there half submerged through the catwalk. To those that listened close enough a wet splattering sound trailed just behind the last of his screams. Without warning the pirate's body came free from the hole as if whatever he had been hooked on had let go.
No longer anchored the group cascaded backwards as they stumbled over each other.
"Ugh" one groaned as he moved to sit up. Rolling over he came to face to face with the vacant eyes of the freed fellow, but more so felt the warmth of slimy liquid about him. Dropping his gaze the alien saw the very reason his compatriot had cried out like he had. And he himself screamed.
After jumping to their feet the others rushed to look. There under the light from their flashlights their eyes could see for themselves.
The armored vest that had once offered protection to its wearer had been reduced to little more than tatters. But what really held their seemingly petrified gaze was the extent of the injuries beyond that. Ribbons of flesh hung from what had been the individual's abdomen in bloody strips, and the majority of his internal organs has had seemingly been removed save for those too firmly attached thus leaving them to hang out. To such a level that it seemed that the pirate had been virtually hallowed out as if something had attempted to tunnel its way through his body.
"Ah god" one figure exclaimed in disgust before promptly turning to vomit.
"What the fuck man?" another spoke as his light flowed over the body "What the hell is going on?"
Then as the nausea began to settle or they found the ability to look away a deep resonating growl echoed throughout the spherical chamber. In an instant those remaining spun about wildly taking on defensive stances. Weapons were raised and held at the ready following the sweeping arcs of the lights searching the room.
Their nerves began to fray as seconds ticked by. Suddenly the sound of something scampering about in the darkness reached their ears. The group performed a 180 degree turn their lights wandered the wall only to see nothing. Then the same sound was heard again only from the opposite direction. It seemed that whatever was out there was now just playing a game with them.
"Where is it" a obviously jittering green alien whispered.
Then as if in answer to the question the scampering noise was again heard. This time as the pirates whirled around they finally were able to see just what had been the cause for all this.
Clinging to a spot just above the entrance was a blue furry creature half the size of the shortest of their number. With its long ears, large eyes, short tail and stubby legs the creature looked to be like some kind of strange pet. Looking the creature over surely this couldn't be the thing responsible for what had happened to their comrade. Or could it? The pirate crew watched as the fuzzy alien cocked its head as it stared back at them for a moment.
Alpha opened his mouth exposing saliva drenched fangs as he snarled violently. In reaction the alien bandits were quick to level their weapons with him and open fire. Leaping out of the line of fire Alpha landed on the catwalk only for them to follow. Making use of all six of his limbs the experiment charged at the group, adjusting his advance taking on a zig zag pattern allowing him to avoid the volley of projectiles aimed his way. As the creature raced towards them the fearful crew no longer tried to aim instead they shot wildly in its direction hoping to hit it.
Leaping into the air Alpha dove at the closest of the group.
The pair collided with a heavy thwump sending them barreling through the center of the crowd. Even with his armored chest piece the brutal impact still had little trouble in shattering some of the individual's ribs. Crying out in pain he tried to roll over only for the added weight on his abdomen to cause more pain.
Picking himself up Alpha sat upon the pirate's chest looking down at the pained look on his face. Raising his right arm with the fingers of his hand held together like a blade with his talons forming the tip. In a flash his arm was thrust forwards plunging deep into the victim's chest. Like with the previous one those diamond hard claws had no trouble tearing through the would-be protection and his strength snapped ribs. The second his hand entered the brigand's chest the alien let out an eardrum shattering shriek.
As the sound reached their ears some visibly cringed while atleast one covered his ears in an attempt to block out the noise.
When the noise had ceased they watched in horror as the blue monstrosity withdrew its arm from their comrade's chest cavity. Blue fur stained with purple blood and its hand held tightly shut but obviously holding something.
Turning his head the excited experiment showed his wide brimmed smile to his audience before sliding off the corpse and melting away into the murky shadows.
Instantly the group descended into a panic. Waving their weapons about they fired off random potshots in a seemingly hopeless attempt to strike their target. Over the noise created by their weapons, their fervent shouts, or the resounding echoes. The words "Get the hell outta here" rang out. Then in a frenzy the group of pirates turned tail and ran out of the chamber still firing blindly behind them.
Letting go of the ceiling Alpha dropped down to the catwalk below. Rising up the experiment strode along the metal grating, making sure to step over the body of the first pirate, until he came to the opened doorway. Standing there for a moment Alpha paused; casting his gaze down at the threshold he tentatively raised his right foot and took the first step of the room that had held him for so long. For several long seconds he waited arms crossed and foot tapping while he gave his prey the chance to flee.
After all it had been so long since he last had fun like this. So why not take the opportunity to play a little.
-xxx-
Setting off after them it took him little time to catch up. And so far this game was turning out to be rather disappointing for the cobalt experiment.
Though he had never before seen the bunker's layout it wasn't hard to for him to navigate the maze of corridors. Making use of his superior senses allowed him to track the bandits every move no matter where how they tried to elude him.
Then again, it wasn't like the fleeing fools made it difficult.
Their panicky screams, the thunderous chorus of their heavy footfalls and the scattered trail of knocked over containers made following them quite easy. It also seemed in their rush to escape some of the pirates even managed to trip over their own feet.
Using his smaller size to his advantage Alpha took to the ventilation shafts and maintenance ductworks. Using these allowed Alpha to make his way around the complex undetected and at a far faster rate than that of his quarry. From these hidden places it made it easy for Alpha to appear quickly and then disappear just as fast after each assault.
The first of the escapees to fall was a red lizard like alien. The alien was lanky with a thin elongated body and a whip like tail; he also had eight short spindly limbs. Four were used as feet and the others were used as arms. But in his scrambling panic all were now being used to propel the critter along. He had apparently come to a similar conclusion as Alpha and had tried to make use of the maintenance ducts. Unfortunately all it did was isolate him. Now his body lay hanging half out of a duct bloodied and broken.
Next there was the alien, Cree and his partner, Dondon. When Cree had tripped over a fallen crate his friend had stopped to help him up the pair fell behind. Trying to catch up they had inadvertently gone down one of the corridors that led to a dead end. It was there Alpha found them and though they tried to put up a fight it didn't matter. Cree was first. Rolling into a ball Alpha went after the smaller of the two managing to stab him with one of the venomous spines on his back. Within seconds their poison took effect causing the alien to experience excruciating pain and hallucinations, in this disorientated state he envisioned Dondon to a monster of nightmarish proportions and attacked.
The cruel experiment rather enjoyed the look of shock on the larger pirate's face when his friend turned on him and shot him point blank. From his ringside seat Alpha clapped enjoying the show and for a moment considered ending the other alien. But instead he shook his head knowing it wouldn't be much longer before his venom did its work. And so he turned away leaving the green alien alone listening to his screams and inane babble.
One of the more enjoyable ones was a large four-armed, red skinned humanoid. The hulking brute had forgone the use of his weaponry and instead had decided upon trying to out muscle the creature hunting him. Alpha had toyed with him. Allowing him to believe he actually had a chance of beating him before taking it away in a single blow. A blow which had reshaped the pirate's head into a pile of mush.
Little by littler their numbers were cut down with each one joining his comrades on an ever growing list. Pretty soon all but two were gone.
Captain Zalbard and Doc moved as fast as their feet could carry them. The pair raced through the corridors with Doc's minicomp acting as their guide to keep them on the right path. Their breathing was heavy; their rushed footsteps echoing off the walls while the muscles in their legs had begun to ache.
"How much further?" Zalbard yelled.
"Just…ahead" the spectacled alien replied gasping between words.
Rounding the final corner the pair found themselves back at the start of this nightmare. The long hall stretched out before them and at the end of it they pale light from the outside shone through the still open entrance.
-xxx-
Not far off Alpha was closing in on the last pair, his own pace having quickened after dealing with the previous escapee. He had been so wrapped up in having fun that he had lingered for far longer than he should have. He had been too busy riding the high of their fear, still buzzing from the opium that was a heart fluttering within a ribcage, moments before it stopped and now he was being forced to make up time lest his prey getaway. The experiment's keen sense of smell had little trouble in following the scent of the pirates but when his nose picked up the aroma of fresh air he knew they were no doubt close to the exit.
Snarling in frustration at his own foolishness Alpha stopped.
Looking about his eyes scanned the surrounding area and there on the wall he spotted a small hatch. Scrambling up the wall the experiment tore the flimsy metal door from its hinges exposing the wires and conduits that lay beneath. Eyeing the circuits Alpha thrust his talons out and through the mechanisms. Sparks flew from the torn wires as the experiment felt a slight tingle travel up his arm from the current traveling through his insolative fur.
With the circuits broken emergency lighting was activated and the complex was bathed in a dull red light. But that was the least of the consequences.
-xxx-
As they strode down the passage something happened that stopped them in their tracks. The white sterile lighting that had lit the hall flickered before being replaced by a dull red that returned many of the shadows. But the pair had little time to uncover what was going on as something caught their attention. Movement at the end of the corridor, it was that of the doors as they began to slid shut to seal the bunker once more.
For the first time the captain was in the closest approximation to panic since this all started.
Immediately the two set off, their already aching legs were now starting to burn. Unfortunately this strenuous exercise seemed to be more than the lanky orange alien seemed to be capable of. His legs seemed to grow heavier and his loping gait became more of a drunken stagger. Breathing hard and wavering it wasn't long before Doc had stepped wrong only to be sent into a stumbling cascade to the ground.
Captain Zalbard paused twisting at the waist to look back at his comrade lying on the grating. The spectacled alien lay one of his arms held out wearing a pleading expression on his face. With a snort the cold hearted captain turned around and continued again towards the ever shrinking escape route.
Doc watched as the one he called captain and believed to be a friend just turned and left him to whatever fate was coming. A sound from the corridor behind him pulled Doc's wits back to him, scrambling to find his footing he limped down the hall.
Seeing the gap between the doors steadily growing smaller and smaller fueled the pair with a new found desperation. Regrettably however, this boost in speed did them little good. Ahead the last sliver of outside light was being squeezed until it disappeared all together. Then with a loud clank the twin doors finally met cutting off any chance of escape and the series of audible clicks removed any remaining strands of hope. Clashing with the sealed door the pirates tried everything within their power to force a reversal and pry the doors apart. But again they were reminded of just how useless it was.
Doc hammered his fists on the cold metal barrier, sobbing and pleading he slid down to his knees resting his forehead against it.
"Grrgh, get up" Zalbard spoke in a curt manner as he reached down pulling the smaller alien to his feet. "Now get this door open, or you won't have to worry about that creature."
Swallowing hard Doc nodded weakly as his captain gave him a rough shove towards the nearby control interface. Shakily the orange being retrieved his minicomp from his bag, approaching the controls Doc set about uplinking the two. There was a series of lights that flash in secession signaling the progress of the link as two pairs of eyes looked on. Then as a soft chime rang out and a hopeful grin appeared on the spectacled alien's face there came a sound to take it away.
A sinister yet almost childlike snigger echoed throughout the hall sent chills down their spines. "Naga boocha" a growly voice spoke in a taunting sing-songy fashion from somewhere in the distance.
In an instant Zalbard spun around drawing his blaster from its holster aiming it down the length of the hall. Fear further reduced the orange alien's attention span forcing him to attempt to hide behind his larger companion. With a growl the captain turned his hand gripping the collar of the other roughly and pulling him in close, "I said get these blasted doors open. NOW!"
There came no intelligible response instead a mass of stuttering syllables. Thrusting the smaller backwards there was a thud as he collided with the wall and before he could recover the muzzle of the captain's pistol rested squarely between his eyes. With a terrified cross-eyed glance Doc looked up at Zalbard, "A-as-as you command."
Pulling back his blaster Zalbard eyed Doc one last time before he turned his back to the sniveling being. With a scowl etched deeply on his face the pirate leader strode a short distance down the corridor. His bionic eye whirling about wildly scanning the gloom of the dully illuminated passage, within it the cybernetic implant cycled through its various modes in an attempt to locate a possible target for its owner. "Alright you little monster" the captain said in a low growl, "Where are you hiding?"
The eye froze detecting motion at the far end of the hall.
Without hesitation the pirate's arm was leveled into position as his finger jerked back the pistol's trigger firing off several rounds. The plasma bolts created and audible crackle as they super heated the air around them. As they traversed the length of the hall, their bright neon green light shone through the dull red of the emergency lighting before fading to nothing at the end of the hall. There the munitions incinerated the material in its path leaving behind nothing but gaping impact holes whose edges possessed the bright red-orange glow of extreme heat.
The captain remained stationary, his ears straining and his eyes searching for any sign of the creature. Again he heard the familiar sounds of that creepy giggle dancing through the still air. Then the sounds of scampering feet and claws tapping on a hard surface.
Zalbard's bionic eye went into overtime as it scanned the area. Strangely the sounds seemed to be getting closer and yet his implant could detect nothing approaching. Growling with frustration the captain directed his weapon towards the darker shadows and fired more than a few times.
Figuring he has toyed with these simple beings long enough the cobalt experiment revealed its position.
"Yoo-hoo" Alpha chuckled as he stuck his head out of the vent on the ceiling. Cocking his head to the side the experiment eyed the pair, the larger being stood glaring at him while the smaller trembled seemingly uncontrollably its eyes wide with terror. Crawling out of the vent Alpha dropped down his body twisting in midair like that of a cat to land effortlessly on his feet.
Losing focus Doc dropped his hands to his sides and shrank back until the wall stopped him from going any further. The quivering alien watched as the two opponents narrowed their eyes and stared the other down. From his sidelined position time seemed to drastically slow till it was little more than a crawl.
Neither party blinked, or even seemed to draw breath.
Alpha was the first to action breaking the standoff. Relying on a tried and true method he rushed forwards mouth agape and talons spread ready to grip their intended target. Zalbard reacted with equal speed and precision. Quickly bringing up his pistol he took aim and fired only for the blue creature to adapt its attack pattern and begin to bob and weave through the blasts. But the pirate's bionic eye gave him a slight edge as it calculated the target's projected course allowing him to aim where Alpha would be, and not where he was.
The first projectile struck the floor just in front of the smaller creature. Then as he was forced to leap over the newly created hole the second and third projectiles found their mark striking Alpha mid torso and knocking him back from the air. Not content Zalbard continued pulling the trigger over and over again sending one blaster bolt after another to strike the murderous creature. He only stopped when the diminutive alien landed on the metal flooring with a thud and his pistol's power cell had been drained.
It seemed the pirate leader had succeeded. The body lay seemingly lifeless, thin wisps of smoke rose up from charred blue fur and with it the faint stench of burnt fur hung heavy in the air. The odor noxious enough to cause both Doc and Zalbard to wrinkle their noses in an effort to keep having to breathe it in.
Several long moments passed and there were still no signs of life from the fallen being.
Tentatively the orange alien took a step then two away from the delusional protection of the wall. His spectacled eyes wandering over the creature that had been chasing them for the first time unhindered. He was lost in studying it that when the minicomp in his hand beeped he nearly jumped in surprise.
"Ca-aptian, the doors are unsealed" Doc read off "Let's go."
Zalbard overlooked over his shoulder as he replaced his pistols energy cell, "No, not yet."
"But…" he started only to be silenced by a cold stare.
"This wretched place has caused me enough trouble and cost me plenty this day" the captain spoke his anger barely controlled within his heavy tone. "But I am not going to walk away just yet," he let out a cruel laugh "Not empty handed anyway." Holstering his pistol his hand then reached behind his back to withdraw a large knife with a wickedly jagged edged blade. Striding forwards he stopped to look over the body.
It laid limbs spread out, mouth agape and tongue lolling out.
Kneeling down he grabbed hold of the creature's long ears roughly in his left hand and using them lifted its head up. And with a grin spreading acrossed his scarred face his right hand descended placing the knife edge against the alien's throat.
Alpha's eyes shot open staring up at the kneeling figure. Responding with lightning reflexes, a taloned hand raced through the air before the brigand had a chance to act. There soft flesh of Zalbard's throat yielded easily to their razor edge. Tearing chunks and leaving behind gaping wounds unleashed a veritable fountain of bright blue blood into the air.
Immediately Zalbard released the knife from his grasp as both hands rocketed up to grip his neck. Somehow he had managed to stand and stagger backwards several paces. Squirts of bloods still spraying forth from between his fingers as he tried in vain to stem the flow of blood as it left his body. His throat so badly mangled the pirate leader could only manage a sickening gurgling, choking groan as he tried to speak. With each beat of his heart his body grew heavier and heavier until he could no longer hold himself upright. Collapsing to his knees his weight pulling him to lie face first against the floor as a steadily grow pool of fluid surrounded him. Zalbard gasped coughing and choking on his own life fluid, fighting for each ragged breath he could.
But with such loss it was for very long. And with a final gurgle he ceased all together.
Alpha stood his blue fur charred black in patches but it was nothing. The wounds were not serious and amounted to little more than the irritation caused by a sunburn and once it faded the fur would grow back as if it had never happened. But most eye catching was the myriad of stains that also marred his fur. Stains of crimson, bright blue, orange and fluorescent green disrupted the natural dark blue of his pelt.
From his position Alpha smiled down at the corpse at his feet before lifting his gaze and locking eyes with the last remaining interloper.
The orange alien quaked with terror, averting his eyes when they met with the murderous stare and deranged smile of the blood splattered creature that stood not far off. Alpha's ears twitched detecting the sounds of the other's exceedingly panicky heartbeat and pathetic whimpers. Turning he strode around the body avoiding the blood pool as he made his way towards him.
Doc watched as with each deliberate step taken a droplet of blood would be shaken from the tips of Alpha's talons leaving a trail on the ground below. As the creature grew nearer he once again forced himself against the wall. He pressed hard against it as if attempting to will himself to somehow pass through it and escape from this horrible place. Doc's eyes were shut tightly as he curled himself into the fetal position nestled in the crook of the wall.
Closer and closer it came making the orange alien squeeze his eyes shut that much harder. Until at last, the soft footfalls had ceased and then he waited.
Seconds ticked by, nothing happened. With each passing moment his curiosity grew as fear waned. No longer able to hold back his growing inquisitiveness Doc dared to peek through slitted eyelids at the world around him. A mistake.
Though the creature was shorter than himself by atleast two feet, it loomed over him like a giant staring down at him. The frightened alien's blood seemed to ice in his veins upon meeting the creature's gaze. Those eyes, dark as pitch, bore down on him like the abyssal edge of a black hole taking in everything around them yet giving nothing back. In the poor lamination of the hall the effect was all the worse giving them an almost lifeless appearance. So entranced was he by the hold they had over him, Doc didn't register the movement of the creature's mouth or the words he spoke.
When he did it was in a language he had never heard before and there for had no understanding of what was being asked of him.
Alpha growled quickly growing frustrated by the cowering being. At first it seemed it wasn't paying attention to him and now it refused to answer his question. His voice filled with irritation raising several octaves he reached forth and grabbed it by the collar of the clothing it wore dragging the being upwards till they were almost nose to nose.
"Pl-please… I don't know what you are saying. Please just let me go" Doc pleaded hoping to strike some cord of mercy this being might possess.
Alpha only snarled. "Are others?" the experiment spoke giving the other a violent shake for emphasis.
"N-no-no others" the spectacled alien stuttered before returning to his plea.
Relaxing his arms Alpha released his hold on the fearful creature. This gesture seemed to return some manner of ease to him as he glanced up at the experiment. It was these moments that Alpha enjoyed most of all, to see the exact instant when his prey would see a perhaps glimmer of hope from the uncertainty of their fate. But it was in the taking away of it that was like taking a first sip of a fine wine. It was a sensation to be savored and remembered.
But as much as he would have liked to take his time other matters of concern forced his hand. So to every experience there is always an ending.
Placing his secondary set of hands upon the orange alien's shoulders while his primary set came to rest upon the sides of the cringing alien's head. Then in one exceedingly quick and smooth motion Alpha twisted each in opposite directions.
There was a moment of slight resistance opposing the violent movement but then it gave way. A sickening crack and the now lifeless body fell completely limp in Alpha's hands. Sneering and with a soft grunt of satisfaction the experiment let go for the body to fall backwards striking the wall with a dull thud.
When the body flopped back the contents of the satchel it carried spilled out acrossed the floor. Tilting his head Alpha gazed upon the curiosities lying spread at his feet. Squatting down he poked and prodded at each with a extended claw. Sifting through them he batted away the majority that were wholly uninteresting to him, small trinkets and gizmos that did little to hold his attention. Those that did he examined carefully, even nibbling upon them just to see if any were by chance edible.
Gnawing on a metallic cylinder Alpha's gaze soon fell upon the minicomp the owner had dropped earlier.
Spitting the saliva soaked tube from his mouth Alpha strode to the device. Picking it up the machine made a few quick beeps in his hands only to make more as Alpha began to experiment with random button presses. The device was stubborn continually asking for the correct passcode to unlock its functions.
Fed up with the attitude Alpha was quick to toss the electronic doohickey over his shoulder.
With nothing left to uncover, Alpha turned his focus to the sealed hatchway ahead of him. Reaching out he placed his hand upon the cold metal of the door. Not about to let this single thing continue to stand between him and his freedom from this hellhole Alpha raked his claws down its surface. Though the door's alloy was strong it stood no chance against the material that composed his claws as long strips of metal curled and peeled away as the talons were raked over it. Again and again his talons passed over the hatch and with each pass the metal became progressively thinner.
Pausing Alpha looked over his handy work. At the base of the door a large pile of metal shavings like hair at a barber shop. Contented with the amount of material he had removed the experiment took a step back. Holding his hands before him, his fingers forming a square, Alpha lined up the edges with those of the hatchway. Then cocking his head, closing one eye and biting his tongue in the corner of his mouth he eyed the door.
"Hmm" Alpha pondered "Ah, gaba."
Lowering his arms he moved forwards, using the index finger of his right hand to carve an X in the middle of the door. Proud he smiled before aligning the fingers of his hand in the same fashion he had earlier. Alpha thrust his hand outwards his strength allowing him to pierce the hardened material like a hot knife through butter.
When he felt the alloy surrender and his hand waving freely on the other side did he slowly withdraw.
Stooping slightly the cobalt experiment peered through the newly created opening. Pressing his nose to the hole the smell of the fresh air wafted in, a pleasant treat, making Alpha suck up as much as his lungs could hold in a single go. He couldn't help the contented sigh as he pulled back releasing the pent up oxygen from his chest. However, on his next breath he was reminded of the underappreciated substance, a stark contrast to the musty, stale and rank smell of the recycled air that was being wafted around within the bunker. Taking hold of the openings tattered edges with both sets of hands Alpha began to pull in opposite directions.
At first it seemed that perhaps this was beyond his capacity to do. For the longest time all Alpha could do was stand there his arms pulling in a seemingly futile effort. Releasing a groan from the strain Alpha let go taking a step back he glared at the hole. It appeared that after being in hibernation for so long it was taking him longer than he expected to fully recover and now this final obstacle was standing there taunting him.
Mustering his strength the experiment took hold one more time and this time to much better results. The metal let out a low groan before the sounds of it tearing could be heard. Slowly but surely the hatch blossomed outwards like a flower, the torn edges curling over around the breach.
Finished he again moved away, breathing heavily with the strain.
Taking a moment to compose himself Alpha looked back down the long corridor of the bunker. His gaze fell upon the bodies of the two fallen pirates. Alpha considered what the ex-captain had said seconds before having his throat torn open. He did have a point, after having such a enjoyable time it would be a shame to leave without some kind of memento to remember the little game they had played.
Turning to the side he moved to examine the smaller body.
Looking over the body and its belongings he saw little, plucking the glasses from its face Alpha peered through the corrective lenses. Although they did make the world look a bit more interesting as things around him bulged and shrank with every turn of his head. It actually started to give him a headache before long forcing him to remove the spectacles from his head and rub at his temples trying to rid himself of the dull throb.
"Yuck" Alpha tossed the eye glasses to the side before he turned and made his way to the other body.
Using his foot Alpha rolled the larger body over onto its back. A grin soon appeared on Alpha's face as his eyes settled upon the still glowing orb situated in one of the eye sockets. The bionic implant was still functioning driven by its own internal power supply; it still recorded images transmitting them to the nonfunctional biologic components. Extending his hand Alpha's fingers encircled the orb as it moved to look at him.
Pushing his talons into the flesh around ocular cavity he was rewarded with a gross schlick. Closing his hand around the synthetic orb he pulled it free of its mounting. Blood and the lubricating jelly hung in long strands dripping from the attached cables. Ringing his hand Alpha attempted to shake the globules from his fur and his prize. Holding it up in front of his face Alpha stared into the glowing iris hearing the mechanisms within as they focused on him.
With a bit of chuckle he tossed it into the air only catch it like one would do with a coin before turning to the exit.
Climbing the short staircase the cobalt alien quickly found himself standing free outside.
Alpha froze feeling the earth beneath his feet for the first time in so long. The soft purple grass tickled the pad covered soles of his feet, flexing his toes he enjoyed the sensation as the dirt gave way sliding between his toes. The atmosphere may have been thinner than the majority of the larger planetoids but it still possessed same weather patterns. Even now he could smell rain in the distance, feel the coolness of the breeze that preceded it as it blew through his stained fur. Closing his eyes Alpha stretched out his arms reveling in the warmth of the sunlight shining on his back.
Oh it just felt so wonderful to feel again and be free of that infernal stasis.
As he stood soaking it all up like a sponge a sideways gust blew by carrying with it an interesting scent. It was dirty, grungy, unwashed funky scent of the pirates. Out here among the fresh air he now could tell just how disgusting those wretched beings had been. And as much as he would have liked to just ignore the pollutive odor Alpha knew he couldn't as it was what would lead him to his goal and ultimate prize.
Opening his eyes Alpha turned sniffing the air, using nose and the scent to determine from just which direction the group had come from.
His nose held high he followed the smell, retracing the steps of the pirate crew. If not for the unpleasantness of the odor he was tracking the hike might have actually been an enjoyable as it led him a fair distance from the bunker. Cresting a hill Alpha surveyed the area.
There he located their starship sitting there looking rather out of place in the open field.
Grinning like a madman Alpha hopped up and down clapping his hands in excitement. Lowering onto all six limbs he was off like a shot racing towards the waiting vessel.
'How thoughtful of them to leave the door open' Alpha jeered to himself as he made his way up the gangway.
From the ramp he stepped into the cargo bay, a compartment filled with containers of ill-gotten gains and probably other miscellaneous supplies for the ship. Located on the opposite end of the room was the main lift used for getting around from deck to deck. After a short elevator ride the blue being was now standing on the vessel's vacant command bridge.
The bridge was circular, towards the bow a large viewscreen dominated the available space while just before the screen a wide console with what was no doubt the helm controls. Scattered around the parameter of the bridge were other control stations, each one with a various buttons, switches, sliders, and even a few knobs. Striding about the room Alpha looked over each identifying what they did for the ship.
Luckily it seemed that there hadn't been any drastic changes in starship design since his banishment had been implemented.
Taking a seat at the helm Alpha placed his new souvenir upon the top the console, making sure the glowing iris was still able to focus on himself. Cracking his knuckles the experiment looked over the controls laid out before him. Starting he experimented, accessing different functions until he found the ones he was searching for. With only a few inputs the ship was powered up and ready to take off from this wretched moon.
Gentle vibrations passed through the hull and the chair in which Alpha was seated. He could hear the rattling of the bulkheads and other bits as the starship started to depart from the surface. The thrusters flared to life slowly raising the ponderous weight of the ship off the ground. The ascent was a sluggish one but once airborne the vessel's shaking was greatly reduced becoming less and less. Then at the preset altitude of a mere hundred feet the main engines came online taking over for the maneuvering thrusters.
With the main drives engaged it took little time before the ship was quickly propelled high into orbit.
Out here amongst the stars the vessel fell silent again as it floated above the planetoid's surface.
Reclining in his seat Alpha looked up at the viewscreen eyeing the image of the planetoid that had been his keeper for some time now. But not anymore. No, now he was free to go anywhere and do anything he liked just like the old days.
However, there was something he had to do first before he could do anything else. It seemed that the moon could provide one last bit of fun for the cobalt experiment to enjoy.
Sliding over to the terminal located next to the helm Alpha glanced at the controls. Laying his hands upon the interface he activated the weapons systems and brought the targeting computer online. Inputting the coordinates of the bunker's main fusion reactor Alpha paused, his finger hovering over the button. With a last glance to the screen and hissing giggle he pressed the button discharging the disrupter canons sending a volley of energized bursts hurtling towards the moon.
On the screen he watched as the projectiles impacted with amounted to a massive explosion. No doubt they had destroyed much of the subterrain complex and managed to breach the reactor shielding.
Sure enough as if on cue alarms sounded acrossed the bridge stations. The result of the ship's sensors detecting the massive build of power emanating from the ruptured reactor.
Returning to his original post Alpha programmed in a new course for the ship to follow, one which would take them away from the danger. As the vessel headed away from the moon Alpha made sure to maintain a constant view of the unfolding events.
On the bridge the alien's giggle grew to a frenzied laugh as he witnessed the final moments of the cursed planetoid.
The reactor core soon reached the threshold and went supercritical. In an instant the bridge was bathed in a blinding white light, so bright that Alpha was forced to shield his eyes, that lingered for several more seconds before fading away. Then on the screen the moon's surface cracked like an egg, its molten core spilling out into space. The liquid material glowed but for moments as the icy depths of space stole away the internal heat quickly hardening the globs into mountain sized chunks. Continent sized fragments of the moon drifted off while an incalculable number of smaller ones were hurtled out into space no longer bound by gravity or to each other.
This show marked the end of the planetoid and a new start for Alpha.
Again the alarms blared. This time they detected the oncoming energy wave created by the reactor's explosion. Satisfied the experiment brought up the navigation screen once more, inputting his newly selected destination and activated the Hyperdrive. The former pirate ship appeared to elongate for a second then shot forth disappearing into the active hyperspace window as the energy wave washed over the now empty space.