Super SciFi Smackdown

5.2 Ambush

Dana startled as ClickClack lit up the room with plasma fire, scorching the metal door frame and melting flesh from the intruder. Snapping from her frozen state Dana fired a burst of conventional fire through the opening, putting the writhing enemy out of his misery and sending a clear message to anyone else looking to enter. Exhaling sharply, Dana glanced quietly at the subservient ClickClack, trying to sense if the creature had noticed her hesitation. ClickClack was a sight to behold as she lent into the complex cannon all of her fingers fully extended from their exoskeleton and positioned in anticipation.

At a quick glance it looked as if she had merged with the machinery, her hot pink tender bits giving the weapon's cold metal, a colorful fleshy contrast. Dana hadn't realized how many tendrils the Crarab or how long they could extend and she stood in disbelief. A burst of fire torched another invader as ClickClack fired again filling the doorway with plasma and the air with the smell of burning flesh once more. This time Dana let the creature fumble about on fire deciding that ammo was more important than humanely putting down an enemy.

She was just thinking that they won't keep attacking blindly like this and she should start thinking of the next move when a device bounced up the ramp and exploded, (sort of) between them. It happened in slow motion and Dana felt the adrenaline spike kick in as she cursed herself for not expecting it, at the same time glimpsing the Crarab's retraction into her shell. It was less of an explosion and more of a displacing, not of physical matter but something like time. The last thing Dana remembered was the device flashing briefly and a strange sensation as whatever it was the electronic did, projected over her.

Suddenly the room was full of strangers, most were dressed for battle and Dana was pressed against the wall with a fibrous cord. ClickClack fared worse, large spikes pierced her shell like exoskeleton, pink blood running down her limbs and several disembodied fingers were still attached to the gun. Dana scanned the alien invaders for some sign that would identify them. Some were very humanoid in features while others were so alien that it was hard to tell if they were equipment or fellow soldiers. The one thing they had in common was that they all had a part to play and they busied themselves about it. In less than a second they had been overrun and Dana's head spun thinking about how it was even possible.

Many alien accents assaulted Dana's brain as she tried to separate the words spoken in common but most of it was too scrambled to make out and ClickClack's squeals of pain made it hard to focus. The whole operation was very organized, far above the level of the first attack and the efficiency was frightening. One of the invaders stopped in front of her and it took severe moments for Dana to realize the creature was speaking to her in a heavy accent. With a fast step it closed the distance to her, grabbing her face and removing all doubt of who it was addressing. The being was cool to the touch and spoke with a low hiss and a sticky fanged mouth.

"Howss long will yoursss companionsss be?" It attempted, the common tongue obviously not suiting this things natural linguistics.

"I don't know." Dana managed to reply thorough the four fingered hand gripping at her jaw.

The thing dug its digits into the back of her neck, making her gasp in pain and surprise.

"Where issss what I wantsss?"

"Knapp has it." Dana knew better than to deny someone whose single hand could encompass her entire head, instead giving him an answer that lead only to more questions.

The creature stares at her with dark flecked eyes filled with intent as she realized she had given the answer in the English language. Wracking her brain in a panic she searches for the right words in galactic common.

"Knapp has it?" she repeated but hopefully in an understandable tongue.

"Knapsss?" It hissed sensing the name.

"We are running out of time." One of his accomplices sprouted while stick like appendages probed the air and tapped at a control panel. "The Data is not here."

"Isss have a messassage for thesss rat." Her assailant spat the last word like a slur. "Tellsss her thesss Coelurosauria issss coming for hersss."

"Time is short." The same wooden looking being tapped his companion. "We go now, there will be another time."

There was an increase in yammering in alien languages by the team, an instant later the ship was empty of the strange mix of beings and Xacks was pulling her away from the wall and calling her name.

"What happened?" Dana asked as she let Xacks take her weight.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing." Xacks replied. "Are you okay? Where are they."

It took Dana a moment to realize he was talking about the enemy. Looking around there was no sign of their attackers, Nutmeg was pulling the spikes from the Crarab's shell, bit besides that, the room was clear.

"I don't know." She stammered. "They were here and then they were gone."

"We have to move." Nutmeg yelled at Xacks "They are using a time bubble."

"What's a time bubble?" Dana had just enough time to ask before being Nutmeg growled over her.

"Xacks, if we don't move now we are done. We need Zero."

"I think she's right." Dana urged him. "I'm okay, just go."

She wasn't sure why, but the way the mammalian was puffing her fur out was enough to convince Dana. Something had put a fear into Nutmeg and the memory of those hands on the back of her own neck was enough to invoke an involuntary reaction. Dana couldn't explain what had happened, she wanted very much for someone to explain it to her but it seemed there was no time. Then it struck her, time was short and not just for the people she cared about.

"Bitch, are you going to tell me where to go." Xacks announced over the intercom as the ship lurched in to a hasty take off.