Shopping Trolley, Affrag
Adrian went over the coordinates that had come through for the Great Hunt a second time. He knew he hadn’t screwed it up the first time, but the cold dread that result had provided him with made it worth a second check.
Same again, the coordinates for Irbzrk, the coordinates for the Zhadersil. The Swarm of Swarms was headed for them and it was heading there for him.
But only human it could possibly find there was Jen. Did they know the Swarm was coming? Was there anything they could even do about it if they were? Communities who were holding a human had taken to ejecting them into space rather than risk the ire of the Hunters.
“No…” he said weakly. Then he grew angrier, and more determined. “Fuck no!”
There was no way he could just sit here on his useless arse and wait for that to happen. It didn’t matter if it was just one Hunter ship or if it was a million, he would not abandon Jen, and he would not abandon his friends to them. If he had made this mess then it was his to solve.
No matter what that might mean.
He began to initiate the startup sequence; it hadn’t taken him much time to decide that he was going back, it had hardly been worth a question at all. What he tried to figure out as he prepped for launch was how the fuck he was going to survive this one.
Objective one: Stop or divert the swarm. Objective two: Make sure Jen and the guys survive. Objective three: Stay alive.
That basic outline may have given his own life third place, but it was only marginally surprising to him that he’d still mentally added it. Despite everything, he wanted to live, to get away and thumb his nose at the Hunters one more time.
“That’s going to take one serious fucking magic plan,” he said, sealing the airlock.
He engaged engines and began the process of guiding the ship from the cave that had housed it. “Hope I’ve got enough time to come up with it.”
+++++
Zhadersil
The ship had never been so busy, at least not as long as Jen had ever been on it. Transports were coming and going almost every five minutes, bringing small numbers of refugees aboard each time.
It was almost time for the Swarm of Swarms to arrive, and that meant that it was almost time for her to go.
She headed towards the shuttle slowly, taking in the sights of the ship she’d made her home over the last few months for what was certain to be the last time. Part of her would miss it, and part of her was relieved to be going. Leaving this place meant she could get over Adrian.
All she had to do was figure out where would take her in. It was a big galaxy, that was true enough, but the Hunters were everywhere and nobody was looking to give shelter to someone they didn’t know who’d bring a whole awful mess to their door.
“Jen,” Trycrur called out as Jen crossed the flight deck. “Wait a moment.”
Jen waited impatiently as Trycrur hurried over to meet her. “Trix,” she said, “I have to go.”
“I know you do,” Trycrur replied forcefully, “but that doesn’t mean we have to agree with it.”
“This wasn’t your idea,” Jen told her, “I know that!”
“We’ve had a slight change of heart, though,” Trycrur continued. “It doesn’t sit well with us to let you go off on your own. We’ve prepared a Hunter vessel for you instead. You’ll need the extra room, because we’re all coming with you.”
Jen frowned in frustration. “You can’t do that!” she objected. “Somebody needs to look after these-“
“We can do what we want!” Trycrur replied sharply. “What we want is to look after our friend! These cowards can fend for themselves! I’ve shown them something of how to operate the Zhadersil.”
“You shouldn’t be doing this,” Jen continued. “I’m not worth-“
“This is not open for discussion,” Trycrur interrupted firmly. “Now, get the ‘fucking’ ship so we can get out of here!”
Silenced, Jen did as she was told, boarding the indicated vessel to find the whole crew of the Zhadersil present, including Doctor Grizzles. The fact that he had opted to join them provided her with warm comfort as she took her seat under the approving gaze of the crewmen.
“All accounted for,” Trix informed Chir, who now occupied the helm console. “Let’s get out of here, and see where this thing takes us.”
“I know a little colony where we can hide away at least until this is all over,” Chir said. “They’ll take us in for a while, but we’ll have to move on before long. They might be willing to hide a human for a while, but that only goes so far.”
“Chir’s little colony it is, then,” Trycrur said, speaking as much for the benefit of Jen and the rest of the crew as for herself.
Chir engaged the engines and the warm hum of the ship increased as it lifted from the flight deck and started forward. “Taking us out. Wave goodbye to he Zhadersil, everybody. There’s every chance we won’t be seeing it again.”
Jen watched through the viewport as the flight deck disappeared, then the great hulk of the Zhadersil’s ancient hull as it diminished into the blackness.
And then they were gone.
She touched the viewport with her fingertips, staring out into the inky blackness where the Zhadersil had just been.
“Adrian,” she whispered, too low for anyone else to hear. Water welled in her eyes, but she was done with crying now. There was just one thing left to say.
“Goodbye.”
Zhadersil
Director Ifrg looked at the scanning results with mounting terror each time they came back negative. It was nearly time to go, almost all of the refugees were aboard, but the Swarm of Swarms was due to arrive any moment, in spite of their widely broadcast claim that the human in question had moved on ages ago.
Ifrg almost relieved himself by accident when the communicator console lit up, and he snatched at it once he had composed himself, expecting to see the features of Crqlvk telling him that the last transport was leaving from the orbital station now. That was the only other source for transmissions in the Irbzrk system, after all.
He almost relieved himself again when the screen failed to show Crqlvk’s face and instead showed the features of the human so reviled by the Hunters.
He was in the system! He was right where they’d said he wouldn’t be, and they were almost here!
Ifrg’s heart was swimming in terror, beating so hard he thought it may burst from his chest. “Y-you!”
“You’re on my ship,” the human replied, a grim determination on his face. “I need you off that, pronto. Let me talk to Jen.”
“The other human isn’t here!” Ifrg told him, glad of the fact. Maybe if he was just after the human he’d go away. “She left with the rest of the crew.”
“That’d make you pirates, then?” the human asked, no humour in his tone. “Trying to take my ship from me? I’m coming aboard to take it back. My advice is: get off.”
Ifrg eyed the warp controls. It might be a dirty thing to do, but he thought abandoning the last few refugees to the Swarm along with this awful human creature was a lot better than letting it kick them all off of the ship and dooming them all.
He let his fingers creep over to it while he continued to stare at the view screen so the human wouldn’t suspect.
He pushed the button, and nothing happened.
His face must have betrayed his shock because the human laughed a harsh, grating laugh, devoid of joy and filled with bitterness, and when it was over the human seemed no happier for the effort.
“My ship follows my commands, fuckface,” the human said. “No warp for you. Off. Now. I won’t ask again.”
Ifrg froze. “Please…” he begged, resorting the that final humiliating tactic. “Please don’t make us leave! They’ll kill us all! You will have the blood of ten thousand people on your hands!”
“Listen to me,” the human said coolly. “I’m taking back my ship and when I’ve got it you’re not going to want to be there.”
“What…” Ifrg began, “what are you going to do?”
“Let me explain it to you,” the human said, one lip curling back in what Ifrg thought might have been a human smile, although he didn’t see he friendliness that supposedly went with it.
Then the human began speaking and Ifrg understood its intent. It had a plan, a mad and desperate plan, but it was better than the plan that Ifrg had had, and as it continued its explanation Ifrg could see how their plan had been doomed to failure, how the Hunters had not been interested in the station at all.
The Hunters were interested in the Zhadersil, and so long as traveled the Hunters would follow. The refugees would never be safe while they made that cursed ship their home.
“Why are you doing this?” Ifrg asked, when he was done listening. “We forced your friends from your ship. Why not abandon us to their Hunt?”
“Objectives one and two,” the human replied cryptically, not going on to elaborate. “Now you better fucking hurry, because they’ll be here soon, and when they get here you don’t want to be anywhere near that ship.”
+++++
Hunter Vessel, warp path outbound from Irbzrk
A light switched on on the communications console, a notification being sent to all Hunter vessels. A rare event, outside of the announcements from Alpha-of-Alphas.
Trycrur noticed it and frowned. “Someone has sent a Swarm-wide message,” she said. “Should I bring it up?”
“Better,” Chir grunted, “never know what bad news they might have for us.”
Trycrur nodded, expecting that much as an answer. She activated the notice and began to read. “Attention Fuckwit Swarm…”
She stopped, sharing a meaningful glance with Chir. There was only one human they knew with the gall to send something like that out. She read on.
“Attention Fuckwit Swarm. Cursed Human now at following set of coordinates. Bring it.”
They were silent for a time, a heavy air of tension filling the space between them. They traded glances at each other, as well as at the sleeping form of Jen sprawled out in the passenger seat behind them.
“It’s got to be from him,” Trycrur said. “But what can he be thinking?”
“I think that’s pretty clear,” Chir replied. “He’s trying to draw them off of the orbital factory.”
“Do you think he’s actually at those coordinates, though?” she asked.
Chir contemplated that for a few moments before answering. “I think he would have to be, if he wanted his plan to work. Otherwise the Swarm would simply turn back to targeting the orbital factory.”
“Do you think it will work?” Trycrur asked. “His plan?”
“It’s awful like always,” Chir said, “but this time there’s a much bigger force against him. I don’t think he can live through this one, Trycrur. I’m sorry.”
Trycrur nodded, sad but accepting that that would be the way of things. Adrian likely knew this would be the case, and yet he was going into the situation regardless, it was not for her to say otherwise. “Should we tell her?”
Chir shook his head, there wasn’t any need to mention names on that particular question, they both knew exactly who Trycrur was talking about. “Best if you don’t. I think she’s finally getting past all of that.”
“You’re probably right,” Trycrur said. “I just feel bad about keeping it a secret.”
“Then maybe we will tell her when some more time has passed,” Chir said reluctantly. “Maybe.”
That it would have to wait was something that Trycrur naturally agreed upon; there was nothing to be gained in waiting for more information before doing so, and if she knew she’d be there with Chir and herself, anxiously awaiting the next update. It would be better if Jen was not forced to go through that.
“I’ll keep an eye out for more notifications,” Trycrur said, reclining back into her seat once again. “If any.”
Zhadersil, Deep Space
Adrian was waiting, but he had not been waiting quietly. As soon as he had gotten aboard the vessel he had started getting them shipped back to the orbital factory on every ship he had available, cramming them in well past their normal occupancy.
They’d taken most of his ships in the process, leaving him with just the Endless Sequence and the Hunter vessel that was now sealed into the hull.
He didn’t need them, though. If he couldn’t get through today without them, he wasn’t going to get through today. He’d put his energy into preparing a warm welcome for the Hunters instead, knowing all the while that their sheer numbers would overwhelm his meager defenses if nothing else.
“Zhadersil,” he said, “record message.”
The computer beeped its readiness.
“This is Adrian Saunders, most recent Shiplord of the Zhadersil. If I don’t make it through today, I’m hoping that at least someone will manage to recover my message. God knows if I don’t fucking make it, there’s every chance the old girl won’t either…”
He paused, sighing. “I want to apologise,” he said. “to everyone I hurt through my stupidity. I hope this plan works, I’d certainly like it to. I hope everyone who deserves to live gets to live, but I’m not sure if that includes me… so if you get this Jen, sorry for what I did, and sorry I wasn’t brave enough to come apologise in person. Looks like I missed the boat on that one.”
The sensors began issuing their notifications that he had company in local space, a constant string of ‘ding’ noises tied so closely together than they were almost a buzz.
“Seems company has arrived. Time to get to work. Saunders out.”
+++++
The Swarm of Swarms, vicinity of Zhadersil
The Alpha of Brood Krintis prepared itself for the oncoming battle, knowing that there would be a battle from the history associated with the Cursed Human. It was aware that there may be great losses today, and normally it may have exercised caution in the face of such an obvious trap, but the Alpha-of-Alphas was also here, and today caution would be a very dangerous tactic to play.
The Swarm had dropped into space surrounding the alien vessel, a larger vessel than Alpha Krintis had ever seen outside of a space station. It was fully powered, protected by some strange energy shield that disrupted their scans, but visual sweeps showed the entrance to the flight deck was wide open. Something must have come before them as well, from the look of the debris field that littered the area around it, or perhaps it had put that there on purpose to prevent too many Hunter vessels from getting too close at the same time?
But that open flight deck showed that the Cursed Human was taunting them! It expected them to simply flow through into that area and destroy themselves in whatever trap it had laid…
Alpha Krintis paused at that thought. Perhaps it was merely made to look that way, and the Cursed Human expected them to avoid such an obvious trap? The Cursed Human had cunning, there was no doubt of that, and such a tactic would not be beyond it. Alpha Krintis wavered in indecision, and that moment probably saved its life.
The Swarm of Swarms was pushing towards the alien vessel, relying on inertia and minor course corrections to carry them into close proximity. From there they would initiate boarding in the standard method, but on a scale never seen against a single vessel before. It seemed clear that the Cursed Human was waiting for them to invade, and Alpha Krintis was happy to oblige.
It didn’t notice the alien ship was powering up its FTL, and unlike every other vessel in the area, it didn’t begin to power its own to give chase.
It didn’t provide anything for the debris field to lock onto.
Almost as soon as FTL had been initiated, what Alpha Krintis had taken as nothing more than scrap came to life, each piece driving themselves at a separate vessel, attaching to the section of hull harboring the FTL, and blow a large hole in it.
The force of the explosions shut down two hundred ships, and the debris blasted from their hulls damaged at least twice that number, given their close formation.
The Alpha-of-Alphas’ vessel had been amongst those shut down by the tactic, and Alpha Krintis clicked in fear at what the Alpha-of-Alphas may order. It didn’t imagine that the Alpha-of-Alphas may be dead, the concept was inconceivable.
Then the alien ship shifted to warp space, making its destination coordinates clear with a farewell message. A destination barely (one minute) away by FTL.
It was right not to think about it; the Alpha-of-Alphas broadcast out to all active vessels to give chase. The Swarm of Swarms would not be humiliated in this fashion – the Alpha-of-Alphas would not be humiliated in this fashion – they would bring death to the Cursed Human and never let this incident become known.
The vast majority of their fleet was still active, and they engaged FTL to follow.
They left warp space in the vicinity of a dull red dwarf, its light still enough to show the silhouette of the alien vessel. There were no worlds in the tiny system, and this time Alpha Krintis was careful to scan for any technological debris that might be laying in wait, as it expected all the other Broods were doing also.
There were none, and the flight deck still lay open. The Cursed Human was adept at infuriating the Swarm, even if it turned out to be little else. This time they pressed in more warily, scanning the system for any unwanted surprises but never finding any.
Then without warning more of the cylindrical pieces of debris burst from concealed holes on the alien ship’s hull, fanning out across the Swarm and impacting with precision – even upon those vessels that should have been cloaked! – detonating with even more force than those previously, but without targeting the FTL section specifically.
There was also no evading the strange weapons; from what Alpha Krintis could see, all evasive maneuvers were met with a change of course, and soon the red dwarf was outshone by three hundred Brood vessels pluming hot jets of plasma into space.
It was doubtful that those vessels would be joining the fight, or any fight again for that matter, but at least this time the alien vessel was not powering its FTL.
It was waiting for them.
With the Alpha-of-Alphas absent, adrift in the void at the previous rendezvous, Alpha Krintis decided follow his cautious side and allow others first privilege of boarding.
+++++
Zhadersil
The Swarm of Swarms was still coming. Two hundred vessels had been destroyed or disabled at the previous warp point, with many others damaged in the process. Those mines Trycrur had constructed had worked fantastically, operating entirely like the ones on TV or in the movies. Utterly fucking terrifying.
Three hundred more vessels burned in the inky blackness immediately out there, spewing their atmosphere and occupants into the void of local space.
They still came.
There were five hundred or so vessels still remaining, the Hunter vessel he had sealed inside the hull had provided him with an accurate count of that, regardless of how many were cloaked. They had still needed to communicate their positions to each other, to avoid collisions, and all of that information was flowing across all Hunter vessels. It seemed a considerable oversight on their part.
It had let him target cloaked vessels as well.
They were boarding now, through the flight deck, far from the Zhadersil’s Command Deck. No more missiles to let fly, but the coil guns someone had installed were busily targeting the Hunter assault pods that pushed towards them, punching holes through them and destroying their contents.
This was the fucking Normandy invasion in space. A total meatgrinder on a level he’d never seen before, and suspected the Hunters had not either.
Some were making it to the flight deck, however, and there they were being met with the not-inconsiderable resisting force of the Endless Sequences’ limited weapons, the robot that spat pipe bombs, and of course the two flame-thrower tanks.
“The smell down there must be fucking unreal right now,” he said to himself, looking on through one of the hover cams he’d set up for surveillance. The rest were on patrol throughout the Zhadersil, keyed to advise him of any other breaches.
He found himself tapping he arm of his chair uncomfortably as he watched. The Swarm was slowly making progress on their attack. He was sure that they couldn’t all be so stupid that they’d run through the meatgrinder he’d set up, either.
That meant it was only a matter of time before he initiated Plan B, and Plan B today really sucked. He guessed he might well not be achieving Objective Three today after all.
“Well,” he said bitterly, “two out of three isn’t so fucking bad, I guess.”
He put on his Vacuum Suit and began the long walk towards the Cargo Bay.
“Zhadersil,” he said, “engage Dark Star protocol.”
The Zhadersil beeped. “Warning, Dark Star protocol will irreparably damage reactor. Proceed?”
“Proceed.”
Zhadersil, Sixty Five Million Years Ago
Xagh’s plan to board the Zhadersil had worked at least as well as he had hoped. Using the other craft as distractions, turning them into weapons that rammed major invasion vessels, had provided his with the distraction it needed to reach his old starship.
His sense of nostalgia was limited by the fact that the flight deck was full of Kothri, and he employed the craft’s weapons to clear himself a space to land.
“Zhadersil,” he said, “do you read me? This is Shiplord Xagh.”
The Zhadersil responded immediately. “Welcome Shiplord Xagh. Hostile forces have been detected.”
“Understood,” Xagh said. “Are all hostiles within range of the Dark Star protocol?”
“Affirmative.”
“Then, old friend, please engage the Dark Star protocol.”
“Warning, Dark Star protocol will irreparably damage reactor. Proceed?”
Xagh nodded, staring out of the craft at the incoming Kothri forces. He swept a final firing arc across them, knowing it was basically pointless. There’d be no escaping the Dark Star protocol, not even for him. It was so dangerous, so feared as a tactic that it needed a registered Shiplord on board to activate. It was the ultimate Skrek-You to whatever was left outside, or in.
“Proceed.”
+++++
Zhadersil, Present Day
Alpha Krintis had not boarded by the traditional manner. That particular route, through the bloodbath on the flight deck, had not seemed particularly wise, and by the time any of the others had noticed its tactic, Alpha Krintis had already been on board with a group of its handpicked elite.
A flying bomb had taken two of them out nearly immediately after boarding.
This was a Hunt unlike any that Alpha Krintis had ever been in before, the ultimate Hunt. The Hunt of something that really could fight back, and this day would be one remembered throughout the annals of the Brood’s history.
Alpha Krintis was determined that it would be remembered along with it, and that it should taste the flesh of the Cursed Human. Judging from this, it had to be magnificent.
Now came the task of actually finding the Cursed Human. Not an easy task, not unless you used your wits. While others would simply swarm the ship, Alpha Krintis would prove its cunning. Alpha Krintis would turn the ships sensors against itself.
The Cursed Human had been able to contact the Swarm. It had been able to target the cloaked ships. It had to be using the Brood’s own systems to do it and that meant it could be found.
Alpha Krintis began the process of accessing that stolen system. Brood vessels shared their access completely, seeing no need to protect their systems from each other. Disagreements between broods were settled in a straightforward manner, and no such deception was ever required. Here that vulnerability proved useful, and once Alpha Krintis had determined which vessel it needed to connect to, it was in control of its sensors within moments.
The Cursed Human was still connected, albeit remotely, and that allowed Alpha Krintis to pinpoint its position.
+<excitement; eagerness; statement> The Cursed Human is not far! It moves towards the Cargo Section! Pursue! Pursue!!
Soon they would meet the most dangerous of humans. Soon they would taste its meat, a fare that Alpha Krintis had thus far been denied.
It would be denied no longer. +<hunger; need> MEAT TO THE MAW+
+++++
Zhadersil, fifty metres from Cargo Bay
Running down corridors in a Vacuum suit was hard work, and Adrian found himself sweating profusely. He had more than enough time if he hurried – the Dark Star protocol took time to prime – but that didn’t mean he wanted to waste any. The Vacuum suit was insurance against the sudden loss of atmosphere that was already occurring in outer sections where the hull was being breached, and he wasn’t willing to give it up regardless of how badly it reduced his vision and hearing.
That, the heat and the chafing were all part of its charm.
He was therefore taken by surprise when a powerful kinetic round struck him in the side as he ran past a side corridor, knocking him against the opposite wall and sending him tumbling to the floor with a sharp pain in his chest that made him suspect two or three ribs had cracked.
He forced himself to heave in a breath, struggling against the sharp pain in his side that wanted to push it back out. He rolled over with his kinetic gun drawn as the first of the Hunters rounded the corner.
Its face collapsed in a mess of blood and gore as old instincts over, and the small disc it had been intending to launch at Adrian rebounded from the wall instead.
The fact that the Hunters dove out of the way told him enough about what it had been if the subsequent blinding pain wasn’t informative enough. It was like being kicked in the face by jackboots and he wasn’t anywhere near where it had landed.
The Hunters were also in pain, but the sheer agony of it allowed most of them to get behind cover before he could pulverize them with repeated kinetic blasts.
“No time for this,” he growled, groaning as he forced himself back to his feet. He pushed himself forward, holding his side tightly. There wasn’t that much time left!