Angela Verdenius (12 page)

“Lizards with the genes of humans.”  Wally smiled.  “One day I’ll be famous.”

The walls shook around him, the plaster cracking.  Frowning, he placed the jars into the fridge, then turned and injected the remains of the DNA mixture into the three lizards in the cage.   

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” he said cheerfully, only to frown again as a faint rumble sounded. 

Closing the lid of the cage, he left the room.

Time passed.  Hours, days, something happening.  The oxygen wouldn’t last, and she didn’t wake up.  Whatever Wally had going through her system via a small infusion pump was keeping her unconscious though aware of things around her in a hazy, dreamy way.

Walls trembling, cracks appearing.  Coldness pervading the room as the lights dimmed, the water growing colder and colder, oxygen pipes hardening and cracking.  The water in the tank froze over in a sudden snap as freezing air burst through a shattering wall.

And something else…

Something grey passing her tank and picking up the cage of frozen lizards as well as her DNA samples.  Something that left her behind…

But now she saw it clearly as if from a long way away, as though through another’s eyes.  The grey being was joined by other grey beings with big, black eyes.  They experimented on the lizards, and each generation was more upright, less lizard, more humanoid but retaining its reptilian features until they became the Repulsaens that walked today.

All of them carrying her genes.

All of them reverting to their ancestors now she was found?

Molly snapped awake, gasping.  Around her she heard snapping and screaming.  Green blood trickled down one wall.  Above her loomed the Priestess Rainus and Captain Regor, their needle sharp teeth snapping together.

“I don’t understand!” Molly cried wildly.  “You’ve evolved but you fear regression?  It isn’t possible!”

“Anything issss posssible,” Rainus hissed.  “With you alive, our greatessst fearsss were realized.  No longer will we be known asss one of the mossst ancient civilisssationsss in the universsse, they will know ussss for impossterssss, impure.  We have been regresssing for awhile now, unable to maintain our human genessss, our reptile genesss more dominant.”

“I don’t understand what that has to do with me having to die!”

“Becaussse we’re going to draw the DNA from your body and regenerate ourselvessss.  You will die in the processss.”

Molly’s heart pounded when she saw the syringes and other paraphernalia of which she didn’t know sitting on a nearby table.  Outside the room she heard screams and roars.  Hissing in angered alarm, Regor and Rainus ran from the room.

At first Molly thought they were under attack and she started crying, not sure if it was a good thing or bad thing.  For all she knew, someone else wanting her dead was trying to get her.

“Alsandair!  Oh God, Alsandair!” she screamed, struggling with the straps.

Through the open doorway she saw a head of one of the reptiles fly through to land with a thud on the floor, the reptilian eyes blinking once then dulling.  The neck was badly chewed, and Molly gagged as she realized that someone had ripped the Repulsaen’s head right off its shoulders.

Two Repulsaens stumbled into the room, biting and clawing at each other, ripping and tearing, green blood spattering the walls.

Molly bit her lip, her lungs heaving as she tried to remain quiet, not attract their attention.

The Repulsaens were attacking each other.  Above the din she heard Regor and Rainus trying to restore order. 

Suddenly a loud crackling sound tore through the room, the panel fell off the wall, sparks flaring as circuits burned out.  Smoke filled the corridor outside and screams of “Fire!” filled the air, along with the growling, snarling and sounds of battle waging between the Repulsaens.

~*~

Narc Section Five

Deep Space

Alsandair couldn’t believe what he was seeing.  The Repulsaen ship was drifting, red lights flaring over the hull, a yellow light flashing on top.  It was a distress signal for anyone watching, but through the communication screen he could see a battle in the corridor outside the control cabin of the Repulsaen ship.  In the screen appeared intermittently Repulsaens fighting, tearing savagely into each other.

“Oh God, Molly,” he breathed.  Turning to his co-pilot, he snapped, “Get me to the connecting door lock and connect us!”  Through the space shield he studied the distressed spaceship.  “Squadron, take battle formation and keep watch.  I’m going on board.  Prepare to fire at my word.”

“Affirmative, Captain,” came the pilots’ replies through the intercom.

Expecting to be fired upon, Alsandair waited tensely as they approached the ship but there was no warning fire from the laser pits.  Within minutes the attack ship had ranged up beside the Repulsaen ship, the tunnel snaking out to lock in place.

Flanked by five soldiers, Alsandair palmed his laser and entered the tunnel, approaching cautiously.  Carefully easing open the hatch, he peered inside.  The sounds of battle, screaming and growling, reached him, and he slipped through into the hold.  One by one his soldiers followed, lasers held up.

Slowly, cautiously, they advanced further into the ship.  The sights they saw stunned them.  Repulsaens fought each other, teeth ripping and tearing, uniforms shredded, their claws raking gaping holes in each other.  Some turned towards the soldiers, others ignored them.

“Shoot to kill!” Alsandair ordered.

Familiar with the layout of the Repulsaen ships, he figured Molly was being held in the cells.  He started down the corridor, stopping only to shoot any Repulsaen that turned towards him.  The savagery of the attacks was mind-numbing, almost as though they were wild reptiles instead of an evolved species.

Moving along the walls, the soldiers followed, their lasers killing any threat.  Those Repulsaens fighting each other they left alone.

About to descend into the cell area, Alsandair was halted by the sound of a scream.  “Amirov!  Oh God, Amirov!  Help me!”

Molly was alive!

Swinging into the other corridor, Alsandair ran in the direction of the screams.  Smoke filled the corridor, and he bent low, reaching for the oxygen mask at his belt.  Pulling it over his head, he checked the soldiers had done the same before they progressed further. 

Flames flickered up the walls.  Sparks exploded from exposed wires and circuits.  On one side of the corridor he saw the Priestess Rainus, her robe gaping open, her guts slathered over the floor beneath her.  Regor hovered over her, his claws swiping her face clean off her skull.  He turned towards Alsandair, his mouth agape, teeth stained red with blood.

Alsandair shot him through the head. 

Stepping over the fallen body, he looked into the room beyond to see Molly strapped down on a table, flames licking at the bottom of the table.  She was struggling and crying.  Her head turned to the side, her eyes widening when she saw him.

“Alsandair?  Oh God, Alsandair!”

Pulling the thin laser from the sheath at his waist, Alsandair ran to her side, leaping up onto the table to avoid the flames licking hungrily below.  Crouched over her, he cut through the straps, re-sheathed the thin laser, and picked her up in his arms.  Straightening, he turned and leaped off the table, feeling the flames flickering at his pants legs.  He knew he was on fire when one of the soldiers pulled a can of fire repellent from his pocket and spray directly onto his legs.

A shudder shook the ship, an alarm starting to peel loudly.  The ship was about to explode.

The nearest soldier whipped an oxygen mask over Molly’s head, and then they were running, Molly clasped securely in Alsandair’s arms.  She clung on grimly, pressing close, and even in this urgent time his heart filled with fierce joy that she clung to him. 
She was his
.

Many of the Repulsaens now lay dead, only the odd two still fighting.  The fighters didn’t acknowledge them, so it was an easier and faster return to the tunnel.  Within minutes they were running down the tunnel into the safety of the attack ship, the door lock securing behind them, the tunnel withdrawing as the attack ship pulled away at speed from the floundering Repulsaen spaceship.

Alsandair released his arm from under Molly’s knees, allowing her to slide down to stand beside him, but he kept his arm tight around her waist, holding her close as he took off his own mask. She yanked her mask off to reveal a soot-covered, tear-stained face. 

She was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.

Without a thought for the soldiers around them, he kissed her gently.  He half expected her to pull away but she cuddled closer.  When he lifted his head, she was staring up at him.

“I prayed for you,” she said brokenly.

“I was safe.”

“No, you arse, I prayed for you to come for me!”

“Was there ever any doubt?”

“I didn’t know…”

Cradling her close, he tenderly wiped the tear from her smooth, sooty cheek with one thumb.  “I will always come for you, Molly.  You’re mine.  I don’t let go of what is mine.  I’m never letting you go.”

The ship shuddered beneath their feet, and Molly pressed close, her hands tight on his upper arms.  “Oh God, I hate space!  Now what?”

“The Repulsaen ship.”  One of the soldiers turned from the porthole.  “It’s exploding.”

Still keeping tight hold of Molly, Alsandair moved forward to peer through the porthole.  In the distance he saw the orange and red flames shoot up, saw the gas roil outwards, then felt the blast that shook the attack ship once more.  The glow lit up the space, balling out before sucking back in suddenly until there was nothing but a little spark.  Then there was nothing at all.

Alsandair dropped a kiss on the tangled brown hair below his shoulder level.  “It’s all right, Molly.  You’re safe.”  He could feel her shaking.  He nodded to the soldiers.  “Good job, all.  Go and relax.  I’m taking Molly to the weapons cabin for something hot to drink and to calm her down.”

Once in the back cabin used for storing combat gear, he sat Molly down with a mug of hot chocolate and crouched down beside her.  “Drink.”

With a little sniff, she straightened her shoulders and took the mug.  After an experimental sip, she took an approving swallow, licking the remnants from her lips.  The sight of her little pink tongue made a spark flare in the pit of his stomach.  Ignoring it, he placed one hand on her thigh and gazed into her eyes.  “Did they hurt you, Molly?”

“No.  Scared the shit out of me, but no.”  Her smile was tremulous.  “Luckily they started fighting and forgot about me.”     

“What was going on in there?  What caused the fighting?”

She told him what had been said to her, and he simply shook his head, as confused as she.   Incredulous, too.  “So the Repulsaens aren’t an ancient species.  It sounds as though they evolved with help from the Arken species.”

“The greys.”

He slanted her a look.  “As you wish.  It shouldn’t surprise us.  The Arkens are a scientific species, forever studying.  They haven’t always met with the approval of the Galaxy Command, and I doubt after this little stunt that they’ll be allowed such free reign.”

“But we have no proof.”

Alsandair smiled.  “The Repulsaens live on a planet, what we saw on the ship was just a few.  Once we report back to the Major things will be set in motion to visit the Repulseans’ planet and check their DNA, find out if what they told you is true, and from there…well, the proof of their regression will soon be discovered if it’s true.”

“I remembered.  I know what I saw.”

He regarded her steadily.  “I believe you.”

Her wide blue eyes searched his gaze.  “You do?”

“Yes.”

Leaning forward, she rested her forehead against his.  “I’m glad you came for me.”

“I’ll always come for you, Molly.  You mean everything to me.”

With a sigh she relaxed against him, and he slid his arms around her to cradle her close.

“That’s really nice,” she murmured.

“You don’t believe me?”  His arms tightened.

“I want to.  I really do, but…”

“I’ll prove it to you, Molly.”  Alsandair rubbed his chin in the soft curls.  “Knowing you has brought about some changes in me that even I don’t quite understand.”

“Then how can you say I mean everything?”

“Because, Molly, I know.” 

Shifting back a little, she looked up at him.  “I don’t think anyone can just know.”

He smiled, and couldn’t stop the predator inside himself from peeking out.  “But I’m not just anyone.”  Moving his mouth closer to hers, he said softly, “Since knowing you, I’ve become who I really am.”

Before she could say anything, he took her mouth with his, his tongue sliding along the plump flesh, slipping through the moist seam to sweep into the honeyed depths.  He felt like he could just eat her up as he nipped at her lips, licked deep and inhaled her sweet scent – touched with a hint of smoke, true, but still underlaid with her own sweetness.

His tongue slid along hers as his arms tightened.  The predator in him rose again but he forced it back, wanting the kiss to remain gentle though devouring.  He wanted Molly, every taste and breath she exhaled, wanted to revel in her sweetness, linger over her moistness, plunder her depths with a gentleness that was firm yet tender.

He wanted her to see his gentler side.  God knew she hadn’t seen anything else apart from his coolness, his anger, and his possessive side.

“Sir.”  A loud clearing of throat sounded.

Reluctantly lifting his head, he snapped at the unfortunate soldier over Molly’s shapely shoulder, “What?”

“The Major requests to speak to you.  He wants a full report now.”

Duty called.  Taking a deep breath, Alsandair pressed a gentle kiss to Molly’s forehead before standing up.  “Finish your drink and have a rest.  I’ll see you soon.”

Chapter 7