To Hell and Back (Hellworlder pirates)

Ch 78 The Inferno Pt.II

The Inferno Pt.II

Qar'il was observing through the enhanced view of his command tower, and watched as the hunter drones slowly released the Hellworlder ship. They were a clever little invention of his, designed specifically to compensate for the Prophet's much slower FTL speeds. This was the first time the High Vicar had ever used them since their development and he was very pleased with their performance, though they should have snared the Hellworlder ship much sooner.

The ship didn't seem like much, it was miniscule in comparison to the Prophet of Fire, though most ships seemed insignificant when compared to the Prophet. The Hellworlder ship had a sleek knife like hull coated in a very handsome coat of grey paint, and its main weapons seemed comparable to the main weapons of Mulka Battleships. Its shape vaguely reminded Qar'il of something he had seen on old fragmentary video clips within the heritage hall, a collection of ancient books, weapons, and artifacts from before the home world was decimated. It reminded him of old naval vessels built and used by most clan navies before the advent of space travel. It's hull was dented and warped in many places, and there were two nearly identical holes in its hull. The weapons platform just above the ship's main Ion engines had clearly been shot out, and that handsome gray paint had been marred in many places by some sort of strong corrosive acid.

All these wounds ruined its exterior image but filled Qar'il with a deep seeded respect. For each wound was proof that these Hellworlders had gone through the flames of retribution and had come out stronger for it. It wasn't everyday a single ship out witted an entire fleet many times over.

The High Vicar felt uncharacteristically charitable "Communications, broadcast an open channel to that vessel. They have earned the honor of knowing our names." Qar'il ordered without turning back to the seated officers behind him.

It took the Hellworlders a long minute before they accepted his mercy, and Qar'il began to wonder if their antennas had also been blown out before the image of a human female appeared on the glass before him.

The female had pale skin, and slightly different facial features than what Qar'il was used to seeing from humans. She had hair as black as Mulkara's void, and her eyes felt like daggers as they pierced him with their hateful glare. Curiously one eye was as dark as her hair, but the other was red like the Prophet Mu-hileen's fire. A curious anachronism, for a being to have both the hostile blackness of Mulkara and the warm glow of Mu-hileen.

The female didn't bat an eye at his appearance, and showed nothing but unending contempt for his existence. "If you intend to gloat I don't want to hear it" she barked in the lowly words of the Mulka.

Qar'il hated the sound of the soulless words, an artificially created language designed to fit all and none at once. He had a passing curiosity in Terrans and had chosen to honor their species by learning their tongue, "there is no need for us to use common" he spat the last word with contempt "I respect your people enough to learn your language."

The look in her eyes shifted slightly, and he saw that despite her natural hostility she appreciated his attempt at diplomacy. "Then why did you call?" she asked in her own tongue.

"You and I are enemies, and there is little that can amend that fact. But I have grown to respect your tenacity in surviving this long, I wish to offer you our names."

The little tufts of hair above her rakish eyes dipped low, "I had heard a rumor or two about the significance you Kruhur place on names, I didn't think it was true, it seemed too Bushido for a race like yours."