Super SciFi Smackdown

7.6 An End?

The giant reptilian alien stood frozen like a statue, even inanimate as he was, he commanded an air of authority. Dana had hurried here, although for all intents and purposes she had all the time in the world, it was just she didn't feel like using it anymore. The quicker she got this nasty business out of the way, then the sooner she could find her way back to some form of normality, if that was even possible. Now if she could end this creatures life then maybe, along with Zero erasing their system and all the added death, they could at least disrupt the company enough to disappear. Like anything there was always a risk versus benefit equation to be done and if they could just survive the risk long enough, then they might catch a break.

Lifting Knapp's magnum she moved closer to her target. Never having fired it before she was worried about the kick, her style had always been to get someone else to do things for her, but a lot had changed recently and it was time she proved she could stand alone.

Without warning the magnum flew from her hand as a blow caught her midriff. She wanted desperately to double over to appease the pain but a powerful hand held her throat. The pain was so intense she lifted her legs from the ground to complete the curl anyway. The lizard thing held her suspended with ease as something hot ran down her legs and she hoped to god it wasn't what she thought it was.

"On my home planet we stand still like this for hours waiting for prey." The thing spoke alien common well for something with a lizard mouth. "Only the most powerful and the quickest survive."

Reaching forward he took the cloak device from her waist and disabled it with a delicate hand that was impressive for a creature so large.

"You thought somehow that this would be a good idea?" He arrogantly put Dana down his lip curling as she fell pathetically to her side, bleeding on to the floor. "You thought you could hurt me so easily and without a recourse?"

"Not my idea." Dana kept it short. The pain was intense and the blood flowing from what could only be her gut was worrying the hell out of her.

"Yes... That's right, your friends." The creature hissed as it poised.

"Well we are not that friendly." Dana forced a cough and the resulting spray was blood free meaning her lungs were okay.

"Friends, allies it matters not. You have bought us something special and for that I thank you."

"I take it you don't mean all the dead bodies I passed on the way here." Dana goaded the creature, at this point a quick death was looking good and she was tired of his strut already.

"The cost of business." He brushed it aside like they were nothing. "You have delivered me a most powerful electronic life form, have you not? Right now my technicians have trapped the being inside our system as he tried to destroy our data."

"Well that's really not my concern." Dana struggled against the pain.

"So you were just the sneak thief who came to steal my life then?"

"I guess that's true." Dana hadn't thought of it like that before but what the hell, when your guts are bleeding out, arguing over details seemed pointless.

Some more aliens entered the room dropping the carcass of Scott on the floor nearby. His head hit the hard surface with a sickening crack that was probably not a good sign.

"And here is your distraction now." The creature gloated in its own ignorance.

"Yep that's him." Dana groaned and writhed her legs in an attempt to find some minor comfort.

"Release the time and let's secure this prize." It spoke to the ones who had bought forth the body of Scott.

They complied by flipping his corpse and switching off his own cloak device, not nearly as agile as their leader had.

"Hey you with all the power." Dana called to the leader almost mockingly. "Fucking kill m..me already y..you cunt." the pain made her stammer.

"I will do so when I'm ready." He sneered back. "So eager to throw away your life, enjoy the pain I have gifted to you. Are you so prepared to give up and die?"

"I was prepared to die... Ever since I left my home system." Dana struggled to get the words out. "Not because I wanted to... But because it was most likely to happen anyway."

"That is the difference between yourself and me." Spat the lizard creature, letting its black tongue unfurl. "I am never prepared to go, and I will fight it to the end, I will destroy everything if I must to survive. I would never beg to die!"

"Altruism." Dana struggled to find the word in alien common so she used the english one.

"What?" The lizard watched her struggling without a shred of compassion.

"To sacrifice ones self to see that others rise up."

"Altruism." The lizard repeated in alien common scoffing. "Strength in numbers, a good strategy for a fight, for sure. But when you have conquered your enemy? Then you turn on each other in the same climb to the top."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Dana was beyond arguing now and more than anything she wanted the pain that clawed at her insides to end .

"And yet it is, all throughout the natural universe, each and every thing struggles and fights for the right to live." It didn't even sound callous, more that this was a fact of nature.

The suffering of one individual meant nothing to this creature and Dana was done talking. That's all it was anyway, all talk because she had nothing, the healing powers that Scott possessed were nothing if he were an empty shell and god only knew if Zero was even still alive. And then when she had just about given up hope, it happened.

The Crarab looking creature which was organically wired to the electronic system spoke fast and panicky, only to be cut short. Its fleshy appendage severed and its throat cut.

All around the room began a similar display of vulgarity, as creatures burst into meaty explosions or simply started pumping whatever color blood they happened to have, onto whichever surface they were closest. It was almost like a violent choreographed dance, each playing out their part in isolation, to contribute to something larger. None more so than the large reptile who spoke so confidently about strength. He had told the truth when he said he would refuse to die, even with a foot long blade embedded in the top of his skull he fought.

With all his might he tore at the mech who had appeared simultaneous to the events unfolding. The body of zero however seemed to have lost its fight, as if it were now nothing more than a shell to appease the anger of this would be god. The more he moved, the more cuts opened up, as he battled too late his attacker. The damage was done, all the strength and willpower could not undo time. The leader struggled less as he wore through his strength reserves, but never did he beg for mercy, even as he lay unable to move any more, long after all the others were dead, he still had the most venomous glare.

"Zero?" Dana called feebly. "Don't you leave me here like this you fuck."

"I'm here." Came the weak reply from Scott's body, his broken jaw struggling with the words.

"What about the robot?" Dana knew the answer already, she had seen it crushed by the larger opponent and it now lay useless on the floor.

"I sacrificed that part of me to destroy the system and finish the job."

"So now your stuck in Scott?" Dana asked through the pain.

"For now." He replied softly. "In time I will recover."

"I don't have time." Dana sobbed "I hope whatever you did was worth dying for."

"How about worth losing an arm over." Scott's face twisted into a weird pose and it took Dana a minute to recognize it as a smile, the small part of Zero that was trapped in a half dead body had attempted a joke. She only hoped it was a good one.

                                                             END######

Note:

I would like to thank anyone who has read this from start to finish and would love to get some feedback on the story. Was it good? what did you like? etc. I know my grammer is off in places and I will be editing one day to clean it up when I'm not under time constraints. Also Im thinking of changing/adding a title, does Exodus sound good??

Thanks again, David