Slowly Shining (Book Two of The Creators Saga)

The Satan Pit

Ali finally takes command, and just what does the Beast have to say to her?

Enjoy "The Satan Pit!"

***

"Open fire!" Jefferson ordered, and Rose flinched away as he, the guard, and the Alchemist started shooting at the approaching Ood.

"We're stabilizing," Zach reported after the Ood fell. "We've got orbit."

Rose ran back over to the comm as the Alchemist leaned hard against one of the scanners, taking a few deep breaths. "Doctor?" she called. "Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor, Ida, are you there?"

"Open Door 25."

Danny yelped when he got a face full of the Alchemist's blaster. "It's me!" He held up his hands quickly, and the Alchemist quickly lowered her gun. "But they're coming.

"Close Door 25."

"It's the Ood. They've gone mad."

"How many of them?" Jefferson asked.

"All of them! All fifty!"

"Danny, out of the way," Jefferson shook his head, going for the door, but Danny blocked his way. "Out of the way!'

"But they're armed! It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon."

Jefferson ignored him and opened the door. "Open Door 25."

The guard screamed when the Ood in the lead stuck its globe in her forehead, and she died immediately. One shot from the Alchemist's blaster shot the Ood down. Jefferson quickly closed the door and called out orders. "Seal Door 25! Seal Door 24! Seal Door 25!"

"Jefferson, what's happening there?" Zach asked.

"I've got very little ammunition, sir, and the Alchemist is remaining constant," Jefferson answered, looking over at the raven-haired woman as she checked on those horrible wounds of hers. It was a miracle she was even still standing, but judging by how sweaty and pale she was, she wouldn't be for long. "How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun, with, er . . . all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is."

"Given the emergency, I recommend Strategy 9."

"Strategy 9 agreed. Right. We need to get everyone together. Rose? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?"

"I can't get a reply," Rose bit her lip, holding onto the mic, seeing the Alchemist really was getting worried, more so because she was in pain, Scooti doing her best to help her, but it was obvious that she had little to no skills in this area. "Just nothing. I keep trying, but it's - "

"No, sorry, I'm fine!" the Doctor suddenly cut in, sounding through the static. "Still here!"

Rose glared at the mic angrily. He'd been there listening, not saying a single thing, when her older sister was up here fighting for her life?! "You could have said, you stupid - !" she yelled.

***

The Doctor jerked his head back, thankful feedback shot through instead of whatever curse he was sure Rose threw at him. "Whoa, careful! Anyway, it's both of us. Me and Ida. Hello! But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm."

"How deep is it?" Zach asked.

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes down forever."

"The pit is open," the Alchemist recalled. "That's what the voice said."