Chapter 11: The Vortex Queen
Ecco, Katy and Icarus through Katy's eyes stared up at one angry monster as it stared at them with clicking mandibles and sharp teeth. Its claws were enormous and its tail held a deadly stinger.
At the moment however she was busy laying eggs.
All three of them gasped at the sight of her.
They were in the chamber of the Vortex Queen.
And she was angry.
Very
Very
Angry
(You dare to come into my palace and kill my daughter!) she said and the egg laying stopped as she rose slowly from her position her tail swinging behind her as the stinger sparkled from the faint light of the surface above.
Ecco shook with fear the crystals he has was run out and he would be out of air crystals as well. Taking the last one out Katy presented it to him which he gladly took and soon found himself filled with air again.
(For that I will kill you both!) she screamed as she charged forward.
The star speckled dolphin moved faster then Katy as he slammed in to her body with full force making her fall to the side just as the Queen slammed into the ground right where she was. Ecco moved with Katy holding on to his fin as they swam away as fast as they can go.
This only proves the point that there is an end to the tunnel but it was blocked.
They were trapped and the Vortex Queen was hungry.
(I shall consume your flesh and eat you myself to show your race singer that they are nothing but food to me and they should bow down and be ready to die at the hands of the Vortex!) With that she charged at them again and this time they split up.
Ecco became angry and with a pump of his fluke charged full speed at the queen, only to be knocked back by her tail and the stinger poking into his side. Screaming in agony Ecco fought to get free of the queen while Katy struggled to figure out how to kill her.
Icarus think of something?! She demanded
Like how? He asked
Anything! Katy shouted as she dodged another swipe by the queen's pincers.
It was then that Icarus noticed the folds in the armor.
Aim for the folds in her armor plating Katy they are our only chance! He stated.
Katy swam as fast as she could looking for something to use.
It was by luck that she spotted the bone on the ground. It was from some fish or another as she dove for it.
Just as she caught it she felt something pierce her through her lungs and slam her into the wall.
Looking down it was the same stinger that she had used on Ecco. The dolphin was nothing but a bloody heap on the floor bleeding to death.
Katy struggled to rise but the pain was immense.
Icarus tried to help but as long as the stinger was in her she could not move. And what was worse the stinger was poisoned! He could feel the poison seeping into their bodies as both of them struggled.
Ecco slowly starting to rise up from where he was on the floor. His need for air was great and that sting from the queen just about killed his last air supply. Looking upwards he spotted something in the distance of the room and with his tail now hanging by a few cords of muscle he had to use his fins to get there.
In the meantime Katy was barely breathing herself as she struggled and at least she held the bone in her hand still.
The queen went to grab at her when she struck down as hard as she could with her stinger. The pain was intense as she kept stabbing Katy again and again.
It was so fast that Katy watched her life blood leave her body while Icarus fought to try and keep her alive.
(You will die!) She said as she raised her stinger once again to go for the heart.
Just as she was lifted up something rammed her from behind.
The stinger missed and Katy who was weak barely opened her eyes to look up at Ecco as the dolphin looked good as new.
We swam at her and nudged her with his snout.
(Katy are you alright?) He said and Katy could not move so she only whispered.
(Take the bone and shove it between her plating then go with sonar to kill her,) Katy said as she saw the weak point in the Vortex queen.
Nodding his understanding he swam off leaving Katy to watch.
The queen slowly picked herself up her anger bubbled like a geothermal vent.
She was now clearly pissed as she slammed Katy and Icarus into the wall again. Ecco charged with all the speed he got the stars on his melon glowed bright with light as he rammed the bone between the plating just as Katy stated and the Vortex queen screamed in agony at having her armor pierced.
Just as she screamed the doors opened and drones began to pour into the room from all directions.
(Ecco free the singers!) Katy yelled and Ecco swam as fast as he could looking for a way to open the locks. As he was looking drones began to pour in from all directions and some began to fire weapons at the dolphin.
The other singers began to scream and yell for Ecco as he twisted and turned in the water.
Some of them were clan members who wanted to help in the fight but the bars that held them in would not let them pass.
Katy slowly gotten up just as they were about to fire on Ecco and with Icarus's help ram into the first drone using another bone and killing it instantly.
As he fell she picked up the weapon and fired on the other drones. Thanks to being a host the goa'uld allowed her to be a little more hardy then normal people. Even with her life blood flowing in the water around her she is able to fire the weapon killing several of the guards. Then letting go she swam as fast as she could towards the queen.
Screaming in agony the queen then finally pulled the bone out of her armor. As she did so she charged Katy and sent her into the wall once again and Ecco was grasped into her pincers. Squeezing she could hear several satisfying cracks of the dolphin's ribs.
Squealing Ecco wanted to die right then and there. He struggled to get free while the queen tried to squeeze the life out of him.
Icarus I can't move! Katy said in their shared bond.
I will have to try and take over for now get some rest and concentrate your healing on those systems that need repair he said
I will try but how the fuck do we get out of this! Katy practically screamed that one
Just trust me and concentrate on those areas while I find a way to kill this over grown bitch Icarus said getting annoyed
Now you are starting to sound like me Katy replied
Hey I learned from the best bitch Icarus replied
Charging again the drones came near Katy and Icarus but the goa'uld could think faster.
Moving the body towards the side it let the first drone pass and ducked just as the second and third came at him colliding into each other.
Icarus felt the weakness of the blood loss start to seep in. He could see his vision fading and fought along with Katy to stay awake and fight.
Through blurry vision Icarus could make out a button off to the side and slowly reaching for it not even thinking.
As he reached he nearly had his hand taking out. Looking he spotted the Vortex queen with an unconscious Ecco in her grasp. The bottlenose clearly was not moving and Katy and Icarus could only grasp at how much air he has left in his lungs.
Just as Icarus pushed the button the stabbing pain in his body was enough to cause enough pain to go unconscious.
As Katy lost sight due to the stinger in her body Ecco started to come to.
His need for air was great as he realized just where he is. Turning he saw Katy on the ground after she just pushed a button. Looking back with bleary eyes his need of air was overwhelming. He struggled and the queen only held him tighter.
He was starting to feel water in his blowhole. His mind was in a panic as he fought to get free.
What he did not know was that the button Katy pressed opened the locks on the cages that held the other singers.
In an instant nothing happened…
Then the queen screamed in agony.
Ecco's eyes shot open when he felt himself free for the first time and someone shoving a crystal into his body filling it with air. Opening his eyes he saw a clan dolphin holding the crystal out for him and another the familiar brown crystal.
Power of endurance and vigor.
Ecco smiled internally for the first time in a long time.
He felt his wounds healing and his strength returning as another was thrust into him by the clan member.
Other members of the clan fought the queen. They tried to stab her until Ecco remembered what Katy said.
(Aim between her armor plating that is her weakness!) Ecco shouted
Mutaclone leader of the clan weak as he is remembered what his mission was and was surprised as any member of the clan that a historian of all singers managed to do the impossible.
Challenge the Vortex Queen.
He challenged her and made her scream in pain when the clan had been trying to get close to her for centuries.
It took one historian to figure it out and with a human none the less. Mutaclone was impressed…but he is the one who is going to rip the heart out of her body for the pain she brought to the singers.
Charging at full speed he rammed his horn into the body of the queen. Straight at the heart of the queen.
She screaming in agony she grasped her chest area. Blood as black as the abyss began to pour from it making her scream in agony as she held her heart with her pincers.
Ecco turned around and rammed her with full speed his tail flukes pumping at maximum power.
He hit her square where the bone was thrust into her chest and by that open wound had exploded with blood. She screamed in agony as Ecco turned around and faced the clan. Smirking he charged with full force at the queen who tried to swat him with her pincers but missed.
(I will kill you all!) She screamed and charged again her tail flowing behind her like a whip.
Swimming as fast as she could she went straight for Ecco who was busy trying to go for air since his crystal ran out. She rammed him into the wall and then swatted the other Clan members away. The outcast hurried with the others out of the palace.
Ecco fought to get up as she went straight at him. She pierced him with her pincer and Ecco fought to remain awake and aware while the clan tried to fight her off.
Just as she raised her stinger to stab him through the heart something happened.
The queen stopped and started to gag.
In her body piercing through her chest was the stinger of another Vortex this one a drone.
Looking down she slowly turned and there floating with barely anything holding the middle of her body was Katy.
In fact it was Katy who had throne that bone into her body while Icarus took over in the repairs.
Hah! Shows you that I can throw Katy said to her symbiote
Shove it up your ass bitch! That is because I worked on your vision so you can aim right Icarus shouted at her
Fuck off snake boy I had that fucken bitch owned Katy stated
Well don't get too cocky because here comes her reinforcements Icarus stated.
(We need to leave) Katy shouted to them as she swam down and tried to move Ecco.
A member of the clan swam down and helped him up.
By pushing upwards they managed to get him to move as they all started to make their way out.
(Are there anymore singers around?) Katy asked
(There are several more down below,) stated Mutaclone.
(Then we need to get them out,) Katy said
Nodding Mutaclone turned to two of his men.
(Inferno, Bomber go down to the lower area and free the other singers we will handle the ones out here,) he said
The others quickly disengaged from where they were at and began to dive down.
Nodding Katy and Mutaclone began to move but both Katy and Icarus had one thing in mind.
Will we get out in time?
TBC
