Reaper Inc. (9 page)

"You are
such a liar."

"He did
tell us almost those exact words."

"Oh, I
believe that. You are just lying about the naked women. Your face was too
serious and hard. You were having a flashback."

"Can you
take over? I want to talk to those two for a few minutes. Are the scans picking
up any life forms?"

"No,
nothing we have programmed. There could be small animals."

"More than
likely not, depending on how long they were camped out here. I am sure they ate
everything in sight." Ben sat down next to Natalia with Emily straight
across.

"The odds
of this being a trap are higher than actually finding any survivors. I want you
two to stay within ten feet of the ship. Turn your recorders on and slowly pan
the surrounding area. Get a 360 degree vid. Any sign of trouble, I want you in
the ship with the doors closed and locked."

"We have
inbound!" Andrea yelled. "I have three shadows moving too slow for a
ship; they must be some kind of bird."

"Ok, I
will take a look. You two stand just inside the door and power up your
weapons."

"We could
help you," Emily said.

"Turn your
vid on and watch, ok?" Ben slipped his helmet on and strapped it in place.
He flipped two switches on the widow maker and heard the familiar whine. He
stepped out the gunboat door. He saw the rescue beacon. It was not from a
crash. It had been  placed there and activated. He tilted his head up and
watched the sky. He could see the three flying creatures and recognized them as
just like those he had met.

The turrets on
the gunboat turned in the same direction. Even if it wasn’t the same three,
they would know him. They have that whole hive collective thing going on.
Having E'Aria is bad enough. Everybody knowing your business would suck. He
stood relaxed and easy, waiting, looking the beacon over trying to figure out
how to turn it off. He had one solution and it usually worked but he would wait
on that.

The three landed
about 20 yards from him. He watched as they turned their heads slowly in a
circular motion. Whatever was going on must have worked itself out. They
started walking towards him. He could hear the motors and servos as the turret
adjusted, moving as they walked up at a slow deliberate pace.

"You
have returned."
Ben assumed it was the larger of the three speaking to
him, just like his last encounter with them.

"Only
for a brief time. Did you place this beacon? Are you expecting a ship from your
world."

"Yes,
but it is long overdue. The Allith departed and the horde followed them. There
has not been a ship return from either. There are some Allith on the planet.
They have set a beacon also. They have become wise to our ways and allude
us."

"So,
you are hunting them for food?"

"Yes."

"I may
be able to help you."

"One
day, you may have to kill us."

"Yes,
but until then, let us see what we can accomplish."

Ben saw one of
the mantis turn his head towards the wood line. He looked also, counting at
least ten Allith watching. He turned and started walking towards the woods.

"Where are
you going?" Andrea asked.

"Hunting.
I won’t be gone long. Lock down the ship."

"Are you
out of your mind? No, don’t answer that. There is something very large just
waiting on the other side of the slope at your 6."

"The
Cjittan put out this beacon and the Allith the other one. There are no
survivors in this immediate area. They two have turned on each other. It is
probably with the Cjittan so I don’t think I will have to worry. I am going to
wound a few of the bastards so they can be caught. I think they have reached a
point where neither has an advantage over the other. I am just going to tip the
scales. Maybe accrue some future goodwill," Ben said, as he kept walking
towards the wood line.

"I am
going to get airborne and take a look around," Andrea answered.

"Not
leaving me a fallback position if this goes south?"

Andrea replied.
"You just run fast and hard and it will work out. Besides, this is your
dumb ass idea, not ours."

Ben looked
behind him and saw the Cjittan were not following. They were just staring, that
really creepy way that insects stare. He thought,
Probably not the smartest
thing I have ever done getting between two very hungry groups of killers
.
He could see the Allith milling around, some hiding behind trees to hide their
bulk.

Ben sat down
and crossed his ankles. He allowed himself a look to the rear; no changes in
their positions. He placed an elbow on each knee then turned on the optics. He
was well out of effective laser range. A laser rifle blast may reach him, but
with degraded effectiveness. He was counting off the seconds in his head as he
made two sweeps with the optics down and back, and on the return sweep, he
started firing. He fired at whatever was exposed; hot tungsten ripping through
flesh and bone. The Allith, who were able, bolted deeper into the woods as he
started firing on his back sweep.

Evidently, the
Cjittan had seen enough and burst forward in a sprint run towards the woods.
Ben felt the ground shake. He threw himself flat on his back as a giant black
spider, the size of a shuttle ran, over the top of him. He rolled onto his
belly to see about twenty five more, the size of a hover car, following. He had
an opening and he stood up. There was plenty of room and they all ran around
him, giving him some distance except one.

A single spider
was headed towards him at full run. It was not as large as the others. He side
stepped a few feet and it changed course slightly. The three mantis watched
from twenty feet away. Ben had flash backs of a hungry tiger charging him. Ten
feet away, it leaped. Ben saw it squat before it jumped and held the widow
maker out in front of him with both hands, while falling backwards. He had the
grand idea of using its weight and momentum to flip it over him. But, never
having fought a giant spider, his variables were off. Plenty of momentum but he
underestimated the weight as he got slammed into the dirt.

He pushed
against its face as hard as he could and the armor chest plate saved him from 5
inch fangs. It was a stale mate for a few seconds, then it pulled back and
reared up in a second attempt to sledge hammer its fangs home. Ben barely had
time to pull his knees up and push up with his feet and arms. The spider’s
weight and strength were too much, although he was able to stop it because of
his legs. The fangs were scraping on his chest as it shook itself, trying to
work them into him. It was hard to breathe. He could hear the gunship in the
distance returning. 
"Damn, she was right this was a dumb ass
idea, I am going to have to kill this thing,"
Ben thought.
"So
much for good will and all that shit."
The spider reared again for a
strike. Ben pointed the widow maker one handed at its head. The sun was blocked
out, he felt a whoosh and the spider was gone. All he could see now was a giant
hairy underbelly with legs.
"Out of the frying pan into the fire."

Ben heard the
mantis trio take flight but not far. The big body stood over him, unmoving. He
turned his head to see the smaller spider getting back on all eight. It started
dancing around and charged. He sat up and shouldered the rifle. He watched a
leg like a small crane swing. The smaller spider expected it and made an
acrobatic leap, only to be swatted in mid leap by another long, hairy leg.

Andrea sat the
gunship down and targeted the large spider Ben was sitting under. Emily opened
the side man door and yelled for Ben. All it took was a second and the smaller
spider was on its way to easier prey. Ben ran, raising the rifle. He never saw
what hit him as he skipped across the ground like a stone on water. He eased
onto his hands and knees. His vision went a little out of focus for a second.
He looked towards the shuttle and could see the door closed and the mantis trio
keeping the spider away.

A giant leg
came to rest next to him. He stood up and lost his balance, putting his arm
against the leg to steady himself. He figured if it wanted him dead, it would
have been picking armor out of its teeth five minutes ago. A second after his
thought, a she spider started a conversation.

"My
young are very, very hungry. The order in our clan is the smallest feed last
when prey is scarce and they die first. Death comes to her and the loss of her
mind is close, hunger is taking her understanding that you have provided for
us  I will guide her to prey."

Ben watched as
she moved towards the gunship and swatted the smaller spider again. The mantis
trio moved away knowing better than to stand in close proximity as she herded
it towards the woods. Ben started walking slowly towards his ship, his head
clearing. He watched warily till the smaller spider made a run for the woods.
There was an explosion of earth and a hissing as she tried to get to guarded
food. She must have heard something because she darted deeper into the woods.

Ben stopped at
the man door. He looked over at the mantis in the middle.
"If I meet
any of your kind that I don’t have to kill, I will let them know you are
here."
He walked into the ship and shut the door. What he faced next was
worse than a herd of charging spiders, hands on hips they were lined up.

"Can we
leave now or you want to go play with your new friends some more?" Andrea
yelled, two feet from his face. Ben didn’t feel like fighting. He hurt all
over.

"That was sure
stupid," Emily added

Natalia added,
"Yup, what she said."

Andrea said, "I am going to
destroy both the beacons then we are out of here." Ben sat down in the
first seat available, head back resting. The gunship climbed to a hundred feet
and Andrea disintegrated the beacon. Coordinates set, she flew to the second
one, increasing speed along the way. A tap on the console and it was gone.

The beacons
destruction became a signal in itself. Five ships, disguised to look like space
junk floating amongst the asteroids, began to come alive. The Allith had used
pieces of other ships strapped in place on their hull to confuse the scanners.
They powered off everything, life support at a bare minimum.

                                   
****

The gunship
entered space with alarms and lights flashing.

"We have a
problem! I am tracking five unidentified ships exiting the asteroids,"
Andrea yelled. Ben stood and spoke to Emily and Natalia.

"Helmets
and gloves now! Power up your suits and check each other, then strap in."
He stopped at the manway to the cockpit.

"How far
away is the Claymore?" he asked.

Andrea replied,
"Other side of the planet. Once she gets our signal, she will be here in
eight minutes or less."

Ben turned
back. Emily and Natalia were done. "Sit back here by the escape pod and
armory. If needed, you will be close."

Andrea yelled,
"They have launched torpedoes! I have ten incoming." Ben sat next to
her reading the screens. Something was wrong but he couldn’t place it.
"Shields are up and at one hundred percent," he told her.

"Weapons
are on auto-defensive spread. I have the helm on manual. It won’t get them all,
and I am hoping to out maneuver the rest." The gunship rocked as two
torpedoes survived and scored, six were destroyed and two missed and continued
on. The Allith sent ten more their way.

"Damn,
there are more," Andrea said. "I am going to turn and head straight
for them."

Ben sang out,
"I am transferring shield power to the bow. The ships are breaking out of
their formation and going to hit us from different directions next go
around." Ben looked at Andrea, watching her move, her hands flying over
the screens, then it hit him.

"Where is
your helmet?" He looked around the small cockpit not seeing it.

"It’s in
the rack behind us. There was no time!" Ben unbuckled and looked in the
back. Emily and Natalia looked at him, not understanding. He saw her helmet
secured to the hull. In eight long strides, he was jerking down. He turned but
would never make it back. He was slammed against the inner hull and his lights
went out.

                                   
****

Emily blacked
out, but only for a few seconds. When she was able to focus, she looked towards
the front cabin through the open door at stars and darkness. It was dark inside
and there was no power at all. She saw sparks but only for a second. Across
from her, Natalia sat limp. Ben was floating, an apparition of black in the
darkness moving towards the door and the emptiness beyond. She hurt everywhere,
her head was pounding. She turned on her mag boots and unlatched the buckle of
her harness so that her body lifted out of her seat.

Emily saw red
as she took her first step. She fought the pain and took another, then another.
She was breathing hard, scared Ben would get through the manway before she got
to him.

                                   
****

E'Aria, Lorelei
and Menah were on the bridge. E'Aria had given Elanac no warning as she took
the Claymore to full power. Lorelei plotted the fastest course to the Allith
ships. The few inhabitants of Hyson probably noticed a fireball skipping across
the atmosphere. The computer of the gunship had calculated eight minutes for
the Claymore to arrive but that was based off the safest most logical course at
a much slower speed. The computer was unaware of the Claymore's top speed.

Menah had a
lock on all five of the Allith ships. E'Aria instructed Lorelei to maintain her
speed. Menah fired until the warning alarms told her the weapons would
overheat. One pass through the Allith ships and three of five were out of
commission. E'Aria had Lorelei slow down at this point and a rescue team of
Grubb, Buddy, Adam and Shan were suited up and in the shuttle. Shan, being a
maintenance tech, had some experience flying shuttles. They headed for the
wreckage of the gunship while the Claymore chased the two remaining Allith
ships. Menah loaded some of the Allond missiles and fired. The two Allith ships
were gone from the screens a few seconds later. She loaded three more and they
went in the direction of the three Allith ships they had disabled. They
disappeared off the screens as well. E'Aria ordered a patrol of the asteroid
belt just to make sure there were no other ships waiting in ambush.

The shuttle eased
up to the gunship. The rescue team hung their heads, seeing it up close. Grubb
got on the com to E'Aria.

"Captain
E'Aria, it looks bad. The cockpit has been blown off the ship. It is open to
space with no power at all."

"Can you
see anyone Grubb? Any bodies? Anything?" E'Aria asked.

"Mr. Shan,
could you turn on the outer lights please," Grubb asked. leaving the com
open.

Emily hid at
first, not knowing who was outside. She had Ben tied down with electrical wire.
She went to the armory and grabbed the widow maker. There was no gravity so she
could handle it. She stepped through the manway and pointed the widow maker at
the shuttle.

"Flash the
lights, Mr. Shan. Hurry, flash them." Shan started tapping his console.
Emily recognized the shuttle about the same time. She lowered the weapon and
waved to them. Walking to the back, she put the widow maker away. She was
getting used to the mag boots. She opened the side manway manually and watched
the shuttle approach.

"Mr. Shan,
I think we should vent the hold of the shuttle and open the doors. Then you can
tickle the thrusters and hold us in place while we jump across with lanyards
on. Buddy can stay in the hold and pull us in if we stray."

E'Aria heard
the idea and approved. "Mr. Shan, we will maneuver in close proximity and
monitor your position to the gun boat. The closer, the better, obviously."
A few minutes later, everyone was in position. Grubb and Adam were going over.
Buddy was the lanyard man. Emily stood two steps back from the manway in case
they actually made it through on the first try. It was about eight feet, which
should be nothing.

Emily heard
Grubb swearing as he bounced off the side of the gunship. She moved forward,
holding out her arm. Grubb grabbed her forearm and she grabbed his, and pulled
him inside. It was Adams turn to get ready to grab him. He motioned them back
away from the entry and walked to the edge of the ramp. He put his finger on
the mag boot switch and bent slightly at the knee. He hit the button and pushed
off gently midway. He turned the boots back on and came to a perfect landing
inside the gunship. They stared at him, amazed. Emily pointed at Adam then to
Natalia. Adam looked Emily over and moved to touch her belt. She slapped his
hand away. He motioned with his hands to relax. He pushed a button on her power
pack, then started pushing buttons on his and talking. A second later, she
heard his voice in her helmet.

"I'm
sorry, Adam," she said, understanding.

"It’s no
problem Ms. Emily. Let’s get them out of here."

"Take
Natalia first and Grubb and I will get Ben ready."

"Where is
Ms. Andrea?" Adam asked. Emily just shook her head and choked up with wet
eyes. Adams face became very sad. He nodded and unbuckled Natalia, cradling her
in his arms. He performed the same maneuver, making it look easy, and laid
Natalia on the floor of the shuttle. He was back in the gunship just as they
finished removing the wire that was tying Ben to the chair. He moved Grubb
aside and stood Ben up. He bent at the knees and let Ben fall forward, resting
him on his shoulder as he turned off his mag boots.

Grubb and Emily
watched, not speaking. They followed him to the manway and watched as he pushed
lightly off the gunship and landed in the hold of the shuttle. Buddy was
sitting, holding Natalia in place, as Adam deposited Ben on his other side.
Adam pulled both their knees up feet flat on the floor and turned on their
boots then walked back to the edge of the ramp. Emily was next.

"Ms.
Emily, put your finger on the button, bend at the knee and push off pushing the
button at the same time. Keep your finger on it and push it again." Emily
did well, her push off was a little hard but Adam caught her. She walked up and
sat by Buddy.

"Come on
you, old goat, nice and easy now, don’t tip the ship over." Grubb just
took a step using no extra force. He was going to fall about four feet short.
Adam grabbed the lanyard and gave it a hard jerk propelling Grubb into the
shuttle and bouncing off the wall.

"Shut the doors, Mr.
Shan," Adam ordered. The shuttle started moving as the doors closed. It
was a thirty second trip around the back of the Claymore and into the hold.
Once they cleared the force field, all three of the survivors groaned in pain,
as the gravity pushed their bruised and broken bodies.