Page 36 of Argurma Warrior (The Argurma Chronicles #1)

M eg stared in horror at the shrinking view of the Argurma sleeping in stasis. Tossed over Kaylar’s arm as she was, her fingers grasping the thick horn-like spine jutting from his shoulder, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the male. He was terrifying. Although possibly a full head shorter than Kaylar and possessing features and general build that were a bit more delicate and finer, the entire space within the stasis unit above him was filled with folded, black metal limbs like something from a spider or a scorpion. Dangerous arms, each tipped with something that appeared to be a thin prong that were apparently very flexible from the different positions they were frozen in.

Of the four sets of prongs on four folded above him and down his side, one set of prongs was hooked like lethal claws, a second were enclosed together like the point of a spear, whereas the other two sets were simply parted and almost resembled the relaxed position of fingers of someone sleeping. There was no mistaking the fact that, whatever else their use was, they were also meant to be weapons. Compared to the metallic patterns that were formed on Argurma flesh likely due to their mechanical parts, the additions added possessed a cruel appearance. Meg was glad that she couldn’t see where they fused to his body. Just thinking about them burrowed into his skin and bone like those smaller parts attached to his front made her flesh crawl.

Then again, she didn’t need to see it for her stomach to twist with fear. It was like someone took an already intimidating looking alien and turned him into a monster. Thick metal horns that jutted back, recurved forward into deadly points extending over the shorter, curved sides of the high plating that protected his forehead. She could imagine him skewering anyone who had the misfortune of getting in the way of them, but a pair of horns seemed almost too simple. She had little doubt that they did something more, especially since the additions didn’t really make sense to her. Just what was the purpose for all of this?

There certainly didn’t seem to be any reason for them to attach short antenna-like bits of metal that pushed out from just above his brows in two pairs: a longer pair toward the front of where his eyebrow would have been if he possessed one, with a secondary, much smaller pair following just behind those. Why antenna? Why would anyone think that an Argurma would require even more help sensing things? They were already very aware of, and sensitive to, the world around them just from their vibrissae and their inner mandibles. Worse, it appeared that someone had attached two thinner vibrissae around each mandible. Though they were partially coiled around the mandible, the tips had been frozen mid-movement, telling her that they were a working part of his body.

Despite his terrifying appearance, her heart turned with sympathy with her last glimpse of him before the elevator doors slid shut, cutting off her view of the Argurma. He must have suffered and endured so much before he escaped. They were clearly torturing him in an attempt to make a nightmare machine. Because of that, he had lived through a hell of pain from everything they attached to him. That was bad enough but having his awareness of the world heightened so much would have been enough to make him crazy.

Meg glanced over at Beverly. Though she seemed to have regained control over herself, there was a hollow emptiness in her eyes as she stared ahead at the closed door. Beverly swallowed and gave Kaylar the briefest of looks from the corner of her eye.

“I’m guessing that I’m not getting off this island now. You will leave me behind after this.”

Kaylar’s mandibles clicked softly as they flexed and he expelled a long breath. “I should—but I will not. I cannot ignore that you did attempt to correct what was happening here—even if only marginally.” He directed a hard look at her, saying clearly that he did not think it had been anywhere enough. “But it is no less than my species have been guilty of, even if our methods are less barbaric. Do not mistake my decision for weakness,” he added as his eyes narrowed. “Process that any other elite warrior would have executed you on the spot. I will not do this solely for my own reasons since I do not agree with what my own people are doing with their studies, even if carried out far less brutally.”

Meg twisted a little in his grip so that she could better join the conversation since Kaylar didn’t seem to be in any hurry to put her down—and truthfully, she didn’t really mind. After what she saw, she was enjoying the comfort of being in his arms.

“What I don’t understand is, what made them choose to change him like that? Argurmas already possess heightened senses… and those horns! It doesn’t make sense.”

Kaylar rumbled in agreement and a strained sound came from Beverly as she glanced over at them warily.

“I don’t know for any certainty since long term goals were not listed within his file—or really any details of why they chose what they did, but I could make a reasonable guess given what I do know about him.” She cleared her throat. “First, you must understand that with the war that we were involved in and the shifts in the climate, we were looking for ways to give our people advantages to help us survive. That was the game plan as it was explained to me, anyway. Superior alien tech that allowed the body to be metamorphosed to such a degree promised the possibility of applying it on a wider scale. In the medical field alone, it would have been incredible.”

Kaylar gave her an impatient look, his vibrissae uncoiling with the fraying of his temper. “Explain to me how those additions would aid human medical science. I process that those are all defensive additions beyond what our warriors are forced to endure.”

Her lips thinned as she looked away. “You’re right. That much became apparent to me when I looked into his file upon arriving. The horns are not only lethally sharp and could gore someone—have gored more than one person,” she corrected with a wince, “they are also capable of rapidly heating. That was a real concern when he was put into stasis since he had attempted to break free using them, but fortunately the stasis unit cooled rapidly enough that it worked even on his horns. That, by the way, was an unintended after effect. Apparently, he discovered how to do that by himself,” she added drily. “From what I gather, home base was thrilled with the discovery.”

“And the antenna and vibrissae around his mandibles?” Meg demanded, suddenly feeling sick.

“Added fore-defensive mechanism. According to his file, they did not realize that those extensions that cover their heads were sensitive until after they were attached and fused to his system. He had already showed signs of over-stimulation with the antenna, which they attached to see if it would create extra levels of perception beyond normal vision.”

Meg snorted. “You do realize that the vibrissae—the things attached to their heads—are all highly sensitive, as are their inner mandibles. It provides them with all kinds of information from the world around them. Of course, he would react badly if you attached antennas.”

Beverly blanched. “I…I had no idea!” She shook her head and groaned. “That explains so much. Such as why he seemed disoriented. He was being flooded with information through his nervous system.”

“And then you guys went and attached vibrissae to his mandibles. Great job,” Meg muttered sarcastically as the door slid open.

Kaylar grunted in agreement. “Our mandibles and vibrissae convey different information. Attaching the vibrissae to the mandibles would have flooded the frontal receptors that allow us to locate prey—and compatible mates,” he added with a meaningful look toward Meg, “through pheromone trails. Implanting the vibrissae within that same group of nerves would be like being able to hear not only from your ears, but also from your nose in addition to your sense of smell.”

“I see,” Beverly murmured.

His lips twisted and he pushed past her into the hallway, forcing Beverly to hurry to keep up with them as he continued to speak. “It is a poor correlation but humans are designed with less sensory organs, none of which are comparable to the vibrissae and mandibles, though it should convey my point. I calculate that it would have created complete chaos after adding foreign sensory organs, such as antenna—as if he were a Vorguloid, to his system.” His upper lip curled in a sneer as he glanced down at her. “You lacked the means of communication and so experimented while possessing no knowledge of his system. Barbaric,” he repeated disdainfully.

Beverly said nothing as they loaded into the main elevator and took it up. Though she’d pressed the button for the lobby, probably hoping to continue the discussion in neutral territory, Kaylar reached over and pressed the button for their residential floor without even looking her way. The elevator came to a stop and opened and Beverly glanced over at them questioningly, her hesitation clear. When Kaylar continued to stand rooted in place, she exited before the doors could close again with a quiet look of defeat.

Meg almost felt bad for her—almost. She couldn’t help that a small, mean part of her wondered if Beverly really felt bad about any of it, or was simply miserable because she finally saw no chance of her winning her little game she’d been playing. It was hard to say. What had been done to the Argurma was pretty fucking awful, but then Beverly had shown herself to be pretty cutthroat too. She just wasn’t sure if Beverly was that cutthroat. It made her head hurt.

“You know—we are still going to have to tell her about E302 out there,” Meg observed conversationally.

The thick spine of his shoulder horn shifted beneath her hand as he rolled his shoulder in a shrug.. “I do not believe we are in any immediate threat. There is time. E302 is still studying us, and processing how to gain access into the laboratory.”

“Fucking perfect,” she grumbled. She used the shoulder horn as leverage to pull herself up more to glare up at him. “I’m guessing that isn’t going to stop you from risking your life out there.”

He chuffed and dipped his chin. “Accurate. You process my nature well, anastha.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. Giving him one last cross look, she heaved a sigh. “So, what are we going to do?”

“We will continue as we have,” he replied. “We salvage and I will make repairs.” He hesitated. “I do not like leaving you here with E302 attacking from above and the male in stasis below. I process that should power fail without my knowledge and if I am not nearby to note it, that you could be at the mercy of both of them.” His eyes met hers. “Argurmas, while highly aggressive when coming out of stasis due to our disorientation, have the advantage of being biologically capable of tolerating rapid revival. If the systems keeping the explorer in stasis goes down, you will not have to get to safety. You will have a matter of zecs to secure yourself from the threat of both the male and E302.”

“That means finding a room that we can reinforce as a shelter from two monsters. Fuck me,” she whispered.

He rumbled in agreement. “And that addresses a more immediate action that we may consider.”

She blinked at him in confusion. “What?”

He met her eyes, and the glowing, violet tinged depths of his gaze seemed almost fathomless at that moment as they communicated a longing that tugged at her.

“The virus—it is ready.”

She stared at him as her brain struggled to catch up and her mouth rounded in surprise. “Oh…. Oh! That means…” She swallowed and her words cut off on a gasp as his hand slid up her thigh. His gaze brightened but he didn’t break eye-contact as his hand drifted higher, promising a fulfillment of everything she wanted. Promising forever if she was brave enough to grab hold of it.