I've always held to the assumption that every author is allowed a space opera, and this is mine. In this particular book, we follow the adventures of a former corporate assassin named Jack. Her amusement/companion is Julian, a recent academy graduate and complete newbie when it comes to disappointed idealism and the sarcastic humor that goes along with it. We've got philosophy, horror, space battles and liberal use of four-letter words. Something for everyone! And, I hope, an intriguing (and hopefully not too long) snippet of... intrigue:
They located the nearest hatch easily--by having accidentally tripped over it while wandering back from where they'd come from. At least that part was easy. Finding the panel that contained controls for the hatch, emergency lights and flashlights was easy as well. It was opening said panel that took some doing. It seemed that there were certain parts of the ship that weren't as looked after as they should have been. The necessary panel was included in that classification, being sealed shut with rust. Jack carefully ran the blade of her Spectre over it again and again, trying hard not to cut any important wires that might be right below the surface. After a while, though, their patience ran out. A few good, swift kicks from both got it opening.
Well, the dented panel cover was of no use, so they simply left it on the ground where it had fallen. A couple of switches later and the below deck generator audibly fired up to light the passages underneath them. The flashlights worked well, so they took those--but they decided to leave the ration packs. It seemed frighteningly suspicious to find rations there. Worrisome, to say the least.
"Ladies first," Julian insisted.
Jack smirked. "Considering there are none of those around here, I suppose I'll go first." That got a chuckle out of him as she descended carefully, testing each metal wrung before putting her full weight on them. The solid metal floor was quite a bit further than she'd pictured it, but she reached it safely all the same. Taking a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, she carefully inspected the area before calling up, "Alright. Get your ass down here."
"Yes sir!" came the sarcastic reply. Even though she had tested every individual foothold, he found himself taking just as careful steps.
"Don't trust me?" she teased, flipping on her flashlight to take another sweep of the area. From there, there was only one tunnel, so that was obviously where they were headed.
"I don't trust any ship that has rations next to flashlights," he responded seriously, taking her lead and illuminating the other side of the small chamber. While the smoky, reflective metal walls were supposed to bounce the small and far-spaced dim emergency lights back and forth, they really did nothing more than make them feel creeped out. They didn't enhance the light so much as just reflected where the lights were located. Not very helpful, clearly.
At least they had flashlights. Jack took a deep breath, finding herself taking the front position. "Pistol ready?"
"And trigger happy," he assured.
"Then maybe you ought to be leading," she joked distractedly, noting a few interesting little scratch marks to the right. "I'm afraid we're probably on the right track."
Softly, Julian pulled his pistol once again from its hiding place. Just in case, at least one of them should have a weapon drawn as they were walking. Continuing down the increasingly claustrophobic tunnel, they spotted yet more small scratching marks in the metal, but nothing else. No blood, no remains of any sort; just seemingly random scratches. Regardless, those scratches got increasingly deeper. This fucker had claws. At least that probably meant it hadn't gone beyond it's third pod stage and developed acid venom it was capable of spitting thirty feet.
A "T" fork in the tunnel forced them to stop and take stock of the situation. On either side and in both tunnels were wide, deep scratches. Jack got a chill and prayed that the little monster wasn't actually intelligent, just desperate. Had it actually planned for confusion so it could attack from behind... she forced herself to stop thinking about it.
"Flip a coin?" Julian whispered behind her, the same thought having nearly strangled him.
A chitter. A sudden, unique chitter that sounded like little more than someone tapping their fingernails only once in another room--but it was enough. It had come from the right tunnel. Be it a trap or a mistake, there was something to the right. Jack flashed the light down the tunnel and noticed that it curved too much to be able to look all the way down it. Her chest tightened. "Ready?"
He didn't really feel like lying, so he didn't say anything. Instead, he clicked his safety off and drew one step closer.
Taking that as as much of an answer as he could give, she led the way. Each step made her muscles ache with adrenaline, her heart trying its best not to explode with every slight turn of the enclosed tunnel. The feeling of being trapped, of being buried in a little metal tube was jutting into the back of her thoughts, trying to slash through to the forefront--but she would not let it. If she did, then it was all over. If she let that happen, then it was--
"Oh fuck." Her mouth moved, her breath rushed--but the words didn't really come out. Three fire orange eyes stared back at her from around the next curve, the flashlight beam making the pupils almost invisible. Then she saw the thing's feelers extend from its mouth... it was enough to send just about anyone screaming in the other direction.
Julian, having paused only long enough to remind himself that pausing would get them both killed, aimed for the head--but it had seen the movement. Instead of dashing away as just about any normal animal might, it darted toward him on eight thick, almost arachnid-like legs. The sheer speed of its movement was a distraction, Jack unable to find it with the light for just a split second in time.
That was too long, though. Julian fired twice, both bullets missing their mark. The thing leapt like an insect, extending the long reptilian toes that had previously been pointed as leg extensions. At the end of each toe was a claw, and that fact was all too clearly realized.
Enticed yet?
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