Cutlass Sharpened (5 page)

“
So he wants to mate you?
Poor bastard.” Steven said and hid a chuckle. Deegen smacked him
upside his head for being dense. The man hummed like when she
touched his head, they all assumed he found it humorous.

“
Basically.” She confirmed.
“He knows on some level I’m female and wants to copulate, but not
with you three in his territory. Perhaps he will be less threatened
of you holster your weapons and stop threatening him.”

The Hunters complied and the man instantly
went limp, likely using all his energy to stay conscious, his head
falling between Renee’s bountiful breasts to close his eyes. Before
falling asleep in a matter of seconds he stole her right arm to
hold it over his chest rather intimately. Then fell back asleep as
quickly as awakening. She held her other free hand up in a halting
gesture. She then grabbed her gun, mixed up a gentle sedative from
her lower back’s kit, grabbed the clear vial that ejected from a
slide chamber, fed it in the backend of the titanium medic pistol
and shot him in the neck. The needle was so thin there was no pain,
but he wouldn’t wake anytime soon.

She sighed, pulled herself out from behind
and got out of the container. Everyone quickly crossed back over
and knelt around the open case.

But before anyone said anything something
inside moved. Deegen was closest. They watched out of curiosity as
some creature-like, tar colored object moved similar to a black
slug and wrapped itself around his right wrist to change shape into
some form of vambrace that covered skin from wrist to the curve
joint of the elbow. Then suddenly, before anyone could react, a
leech-like sucker shot unerringly in the center of Deegen’s
forehead, latched a sucker for just a single second, retracted then
stuck to the naked man’s forehead just as fast.

Deegen began to fall forward, but recovered
before smashing his nose into the edge of the box. His thick arms
caught him. Long dreads fell like a curtain over his face. “Whoa…
head rush.”

“
You alright? Let me see.”
Renee grabbed both sides of the man’s large head to find a minor
ring barely a centimeter wide, as if hit by an octopus’ sucker.
“Tell me what you are feeling and don’t downplay
anything.”

“
Like I said, a little
lightheaded, but…”

“
But…?” she prompted him to
spit it out. A forceful slap on the cheek was ideal
motivation.

“
Like I just saw my entire
life flash before my eyes. It was so fast I can’t be sure. And I’m
a little tired, but not too much. I’m already better.”

“
By the Stars, it’s an
original multi-tool!” Stephanie gushed and pointed to the covering
on his forearm. “There are only four known to have ever been
discovered! I bet it just downloaded all Deegen’s words and
associations and gave it
to
him. You saw how it stuck to his head after
Deegen’s. I’m positive that was an ancient ability of it called a
brain-hacker… It’s bound to him. It is a once in a lifetime find to
find this. Oh my…” Her blue eyes caught another flicker by his foot
and gasped again as soon as she recognized what she looked at. “A
Star-saber!” she grabbed the hilt of the object and it stopped
glowing as soon as it stopped touching him. It turned completely
black, as if poured entirely from a mold. “This shape is a cutlass!
And it’s marked to him. Look.” She touched one part of the pommel
to his naked thigh and it seemed stars winkled randomly over its
polished surface. “It’s
also
an original.”

“
You think he’s a…” Renee
prompted and Stephanie shook her head. “Not a chance. They died
twenty five thousand years ago. It is extremely difficult to bond
an original creation of theirs to us and
really
expensive. It can be done
though. He can’t be one, you said it yourself, he’s human with a
double helix. Theirs had many…”

“
Can’t waste anymore time
talking.” Stone broke in when Satellite contacted him. “We need to
leave immediately. Satellite says we’ve got fifteen minutes tops.
It’ll take five just to get back up. I’ll hold his sword… and this
is armor I’ve never seen before.” He said scooping the bundled
brown material that felt metallic and of silk fabric at the same
time. Steven, you carry him up. Deegen, you go up last to catch if
he slips. Sparky, get Ms. Dorgen up and out first.”

“
He’s correct. We’ve stayed
too long. Get on.”
Sparky told her and she
quickly saddled in and his wings beat so fast in a hovering motion
they blurred like a hummingbird, to fill most of the space of the
shaft as he flew up vertically. If the hole was any narrower he
wouldn’t have been able to get out without climbing or rely on his
partner’s abilities. His flight was still faster than the
mechanical ascent of the others. They came out first within three
minutes. Followed two minutes later by Stephanie, Stone who helped
Steven carry the man and Deegen last.

A wall of red sand billowing up higher than
the mountain and further than Renee could see put a trickle of fear
in her person. The land was far too quiet for what was coming. As
if a great breath was being taken before a disaster destroyed them.
It put her in a need to rush, but not so much so as to lose all
logical thought.

“
Get him in and comfortable
so we can get the fuck out of here.” She touched her ear. “Jessica,
prep my med bay and make sure all my equipment is warmed up.” She
dismounted as Sparky climbed into the shuttle.

“
Already done, Sweetheart.
After seeing that man’s condition on my screen I knew you’d need
everything ready. And I’ve already made the crew aware to back off.
Better to keep him calm when he awakes.”

“
You’re too good to me,
Auntie.”

“
Anything for my girl.
Muah.” Jessica made a kissing sound.

Renee watched as the two Hunters carried the
man into her ship and followed. They lowered three seats and
manipulated it into a bed to lay him down on. Stone then placed
down the cutlass and strange fabric on the ground nearby.

Sparky’s head snaked into the central chamber
to find Renee on her knees checking over her newest patient while
the two burly Hunters were in a rushed, but hushed discussion. She
then pulled a blanket out of one of the drawers and covered him
modestly.

Suddenly Satellite let out a piercing shriek
in the silence “BEAST!!!”

Chapter 2

Renee’s green eyes flew wide till they were
white all around at the falcon’s scream. It was followed by a deep
roar of some large creature. As she turned her head she watched
Stone draw his hatchets and dove through the open hatches with a
grin. He was instantly followed by Steven and the deadly spear
already crackling with electric psionic energy.

Stephanie flew inside after the Hunters went
out to engage the Beast. Her already creamy features went ghostly
white, her full rosy lips, pale and terrified.

“
Initiate take off
procedures.” Renee told the other woman in a firm, calm voice. It
was a tone that overrode the terror. Stephanie looked at her,
swallowed and made way to the cockpit. As soon as she sat down the
console lights came alive and she began by activating the engines,
dampeners and artificial gravity. “Stephanie, do not leave without
me. Sparky, close the cargo hold and stay.”

The Drake hissed in frustration, but pressed
the hatch closing button as Stephanie spun around to yell “You
can’t go out there!” but was too late as the redhead was already
outside.

Renee heard Deegen’s war cry and a roar of
more outrage than pain. As soon as she got out to take stock of the
situation she froze.

Beasts came in all manner of shapes and
sizes. Some were small, others gigantic reaching a rather large
hill. No matter the size, all were deadly. Beasts for some reason
were attracted to humans and technology and attacked without mercy.
These creatures could survive on near any planet and even out in
the vacuum of space. Many took on the likeness of familiar Earth
creatures due to convergent evolution, but no one can figure out
why they attack. They multiply in great numbers and conventional
weapons are useless against them.

Of all the worst fucking
luck.
Groaned Renee absently as she
unfroze.

The Beast that attacked easily outsized all
three ships combined. A full grown adult. She knew immediately the
Hunters were fighting an A-Rank Beast knows as a Salamander. It had
four legs as thick as her shuttle’s girth, covered in lethal
spines. A thick torso protected by scales stronger than steel. A
long barbed tail curled up like a stinger of a scorpion without
pincers. On its back were gossamer wings like a dragonfly, but
could only carry its enormous girth over relatively short
distances. But all that paled in comparison to a grotesque head. It
attached to a long neck like a Drake, but had a beak that split
four ways and spewed ignited hydrogen liquid to produce a lethal
flame reminiscent to napalm.

Seemingly inconsequential to the great Beast
were three Hunters. Their well worn armor fully activated. Around
the collar their helmets had already unlocked from collar mode and
refitted to helmet. The helmets were made of the densest metal, but
were rather paper thin without lowering the protective quality.
Only eyelets allowed any glimpse of who was inside. Their armor
when in full combat mode made for an airtight suit that prevented
fire and poisons from seeping in. nanites, microscopic machines,
built into the suits repaired most external superficial damage
relatively quickly. Major damage took longer. If damage was too
severe and doesn’t start repairing it means the host died. Beasts
unfortunately are all capable of killing. Armor worn by Hunters
simply will last longer.

Renee’s armor would not stand a chance up
against a Salamander Beast.

It was far too strong.

Deegen and Steven were busy keeping its
attention occupied. Deegen had one hand cracking a whip and another
holding the ring-blade, both crackling with psionic energy, the
only means to slay a Beast. The Salamander’s curved tail slammed to
the ground, its stinger plunging into rock with no resistance.
Steven barely avoided the strike, vacating the space not a half
second earlier.

Being so close, Steven spun his flail around,
its chains locked out straight with centrifugal force combined with
more crackling blue-white lightning. Before the Salamander could
extract and coil around for another stinger strike, Steven’s heavy
ball connected and released all its full energy into the venom-sack
which blew the entire end of the tail off.

The Salamander hissed a scream. Then spewed a
torrent of flame. The two Hunters dove in opposite directions, not
willing to take a full brunt of flame. They didn’t stay still.
Moving fast kept them alive.

Renee though found herself staring down the
oncoming orange wall of heat.

It pissed her off.
Not today asshole!

Summoning her own great reserves of psionic
energy she crafted a kinetic barrier that electrically sparked as
soon as fire made contact. She manipulated the shape into a wedge
to effectively divert the fire straight up. Her move also saved the
nearby fighters. She held the barrier in place and would deal with
the Salamander if she could, but not without endangering the
Hunters doing what they do best.

She held position, readying any number of
chemical solutions should the men need it.

Satellite swooped down when it launched more
fire and latched his sharply curved talons into one of six ruby
eyeballs and ripped it away before it threw its head down to crush
him.

Using Deegen and Steven as bait, Stone had
managed to sneak around and started climbing the spikes sticking
out over its thick limbs. It was too distracted as he then climbed
the hard body scales to get up on its back. Readying his enormous
hatchets and sending energy into them turned the azure colored
crescent blades into crackling weapons of destruction. Purple blood
dropped down from the stump at the end of the tail and covered most
of his armor.

Then all stopped for Stone as the Beast went
still. He realized too late he didn’t go undetected. The long neck
made it turn over on itself with a suppleness he didn’t know it
had. Then its maw opened. Stone felt true fear and knew it was too
late as darkness descended. He closed his eyes and awaited for the
inevitable.

“
Nooo!!!” Renee shrieked at
the top of her lungs the moment the Salamander went still and
started turning its long neck.

Hearing panic in the
female’s voice woke the slumbering, skeletal giant. Panic set in
when he didn’t see her there. Many things still made no sense, but
he knew he didn’t like that distressed sound. In a flash he was on
his feet and looked down when something clanged on the floor. Words
popped into his head as he looked at the object.
Sword. Black color. Weapon. Cut. Kill. Protect.
Defend. Female protect. Kill to protect female.
His thoughts flowed in an alien way. Unbidden, but didn’t feel
wrong. Hardwired instincts combined with all the new information he
suddenly now had. He didn’t understand everything, but what he did
was enough. He thought while looking at the object.
Sword. Long flat cuts. Hurts. Round bottom, hold
safe. No hurt. Handle. Hilt. Handle make cut better. Cut
good.”
He reached down and as soon as thin,
bony fingers circled around the hilt the entirely black cutlass
began to sparkle like a galaxy of stars. It felt natural in his
hand. The handle was comfortable and made just for him. Heavy, but
just right.