FutureSight - a YEAR 10000 story

10 - The New Anvil

They spent that day checking out the base, getting to know McGraw and some of the others. All the while, the thing that was really on Daren's mind was Melinda.

What had ever become of that Sel Sarrak agent sent with him on that last trip? He found himself worrying for her just a bit. Maybe, once this matter with FutureSight was resolved, he would go and take her away from the Combine.

Now they were waiting at the main docks. Hardly any activity was going on in this sector, which gave them a place with a good view and not too many people trying to bother them.

He stared out a glass window into the vastness of starry space beyond. A salvage ship was approaching.

There were two smaller ships in tow. One he recognized as the alien vessel, and the other was a mangled heap of metal and broken equipment. The Anvil.

"Hey Koe, I think they're finally back," he said. He got up, stretched, yawned, then began walking down a hallway to the entrance of the dock. He was going to need to talk to the salvage captain and see whatever became of that alien.

He rushed down the hallway just as a door at the back of it opened up. A man stepped through the doorway, and he nodded to Daren as he passed.

He stepped up to the door and noticed that it was one of those airtight doors. He opened it up and stepped into the salvage ship. Now where was that alien?

Daren stopped a passing man. "Excuse me, but do you know where that giant green thing is. About this tall, got a really ugly face?"

The man chuckled. "Funny you should say that. We found something like that on the planet we were just at. It should be in back, all restrained. We're going to be transporting it to a more secure facility soon."

Daren thanked him and headed to the back of the ship. There he saw, tied up with metal chains and gun removed, the alien that had killed so many innocent people back on Grimrall.
"Look familiar fuck face?" he asked it.

It opened its mouth, revealing rows of spiny teeth. "You lied about your ship. The core there was damaged beyond repair. You've... spoiled your honor. I have more valour than you, and always will-"

"Bullshit!" he shouted, poking the thing in its chest. "I didn't kill little children. This goes beyond honor."

The alien let out a quiet chuckle. "What do you want from me Human? You know I could break out of here any time I want to. Just tell me, what is it that you want from me."
Daren sneered, glaring at the thing, into it's dark black globe eyes. They blinked at him, and he spit on it.

It growled at him. "Watch yourself Human. I might suddenly decide to disembowel you."

"Are more of your kind coming?" he asked angrily. "Is there an invasion fleet on its way? Tell me you sonovabitch."

It nodded it's head real slowly. "Yes, more are coming. More will rise. You cannot defeat the Ejiir; we are superior to you in numbers, intelligence, and technology." The thing began to let out a shrill laugh, and Daren left it to its humors.

Outside he saw Vergeir waiting for him. He was already telling something to McGraw and Koe, but he couldn't hear it at this distance.

Daren stepped up to Vergeir and put a hand on his shoulder.

The man swung around quickly, eyes cold and calculating. When they landed on Daren, their gaze softened some. "Daren, your ship's come in. We are transporting it to the main repair bay right now, actually. Did you talk to the alien?"

"Yeah, I talked to the bastard," he said. It looked like the alien had come of it's own free will. Now why would it do that?

"I'm just a little confused," he thought. Maybe it did put up a fight and just didn't have any marks to show for it. Even if that were the case though, none of the crewmates - or the ship - were damaged. Awfully fishy for an alien with a big gun.