Page 2

CHAPTER TWO

Dani

The manufacturing sector was a labyrinth of warehouses and rooms with all kinds of machinery, some as small as Phen—the shortest of the crew—others as large and as towering as the ship outside. There were assembly lines where materials were made, prosthetics of every kind—Marityne Industries’ signature product. In long rows, metal arms and limbs hung from wires and chains, abandoned. Just as Tom had predicted, there was a line of metal and plastic skeletons, all sizes and shapes depending on the species.

“There’s several human ones to choose from, Myrell.” Tom pointed at one hanging. “You could even grow a couple inches.”

“Haha,” Myrell commented as she eyed it. “I’ll pass.”

They made their way through without touching anything. Several times, someone had to pull Phen away to keep her with the group so she didn’t stop and stare.

There wasn’t much else to note. Just the sight of empty workstations, offices, and security rooms, computers collecting dust, and the floor littered with debris. Coffee mugs sat molding where they were left behind on desks. Lockers were still stuffed with jackets and bags. It was as if the workers had gone quickly from this place, not having the time to take anything with them.

There was no sign of life until they got deeper in. The evidence of creepy crawlies started with dried up hives in the corners then of dead husks and shells of bodies. After passing through the first sector, they heard them skittering.

“Bugs,” said Ryatt near the back, shining the light of his gun along the ceiling and walls.

The hives looked small, but that didn’t mean there weren’t bigger ones lurking within. Dani brought up her garometer to check.

The screen on her wrist displayed a set of data, first detecting energy levels within the distance of a large room. The garometer had been her mother’s, a tool she used to detect the presence of plants, but it could scan for all energy sources, ranging from the small levels given off by flora to the energy levels of the crewmen around her.

If the energy levels were no lower than a one or two, it was likely nothing more than plant-life. Three or four meant something like rats or bugs. Five or six meant something larger but could still be nothing more than giant pests. She and her crew were around the seven and eight marks. Anything higher than that might be something to worry about.

The highest she’d ever seen was ten. It had been on a small planet inside an industrial city. They were collecting hydrogen cells when a giant creature with long arms and claws had somehow hidden itself within the walls. They had to send back-up because it ate one of their security officers. Snatched him up right in front of them, munching on the man’s head like a candy bar, slurping up his brains.

Not something she wanted to ever see again.

Adjusting the garometer’s settings so it didn’t detect just her crew, Dani waited as it scanned the area while they walked from one room to the next. The little device made a soft crackling noise, growing louder as they approached another doorway.

The officer ahead of them shoved the door open, and they saw several bugs shrink away from the light.

Energy levels were around the four and five marks. Not bad but if there were a lot of them it could be a problem. The officer went through first and set his torch on them and they disappeared through the vents.

They snuck across the wide hallway beyond until they came to a set of thick double doors. Finding them sealed, Sheek and Morse worked together using small torches to cut through the metal lock.

Once broken, the officer pushed the doors aside. A small breeze like a soft breath touched her back. With it she caught the scent of…

Dani turned her head back toward the dark hallway. She frowned, brow knitting as she stared.

Sheek had been right. It smelled like a fresh pot of coffee. How weird.

“You coming?” asked Myrell, as the others made their way into the room.

“Yes, I’ll be…right there.”

They disappeared inside. Dani took a step back and aimed her flashlight into the dark.

She stood for a moment in silence.

Nothing.

But why did she feel like she was being watched?

She waited a few seconds more, that prickling feeling growing along her spine, goosebumps trailing along her arms.

No. It must be her imagination.

She glanced at her garometer, but it wasn’t picking anything up.

It was odd, but she’d never felt something like that before.

Shaking off her unease, she entered the huge chamber beyond. Several levels of scaffolding could be seen from above. It looked to be the testing center. Metal limbs sat on tables, skeletons stood upright smiling at her as she passed. There were several tools and other hardware sitting around. And more machines.

Dani caught herself craning her neck up to the scaffolding before righting herself. She took several glow sticks from the side of her pack and cracked them, throwing them across to give them more light. The others followed suit until the place was bathed in low blue light. Working around one machine, she saw more bugs scatter. They looked like wingless wasps with red and purple bodies. One was the size of her head. She could see their stingers curling out their backsides.

Carefully, she aimed her light around and stilled when she saw something on top of one broken machine.

“This is it.” She started toward the machine and picked up a slim, round, yellow and silver object in the shape of a battery. She recognized it from one of the pictures given to her back on the ship.

The cryo-batteries were used for powering certain machines and computers, with enough energy to power whole cities. They were in demand and very expensive. She showed it to the others. “Looks like this is the place. We can start searching here.”

“A lot of them are still in these machines,” Tom noted as he studied one of them.

“Then we’ll have to break them apart,” Dani said, turning to Lex and opening their backpack to place the battery inside.

“Also, look for zatium metal sheets,” Myrell added. “Those are on the list too and should be in this area.”

They went to work as the soldiers scoped the place out, letting off streams of fire away from the machines and taking out the infestation as they did.

Dani went around the back to the next room, searching for more batteries. They had to obtain as many as they could find. As she took out another glowstick, she smelled that odor again. Freshly brewed coffee. It smelled good to her, almost comforting, like being back on the ship, but it still confused her.

She threw the glowstick across the room. As she did, the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end.

She flinched as something moved at the corner of her eye. She whirled around and noticed one of the soldiers standing nearby, the officer with the smiley face on his helmet. He took one shot at a large bug on the wall, and it dropped instantly.

“You should be careful shooting in here,” Dani advised. She looked around again, shivering despite it not being so cold. She didn’t usually feel this on edge. She looked at her garometer but only saw readings for the bugs.

Her helmet lit up, showing the oxygen levels. They were stable here, the oxygen tanks and air purifiers still working despite no one being around. Feeling a little out of breath, she unlocked her helmet and took it off, setting it on a nearby table. She wiped her brow and found little beads of sweat on her hand.

Damn, maybe she was just worried about this run .

Officer Smiley crunched another bug under his boot. He took off his helmet, revealing a handsome face with dark eyes, his shoulder-length, dark hair loose around his face as he smiled at her. He swiped a hand through his hair as he placed his helmet under his arm. It was the soldier who had winked at her back on the ship. He chuckled a little. “You got it, boss. I’ll try not to shoot.”

“I’m not your boss.”

He shrugged. “Right now, you are.”

She caught him sizing her up. “Shouldn’t you be looking for bugs?”

He smirked, leaning back against a table. “Probably. But having all this fun wears you out, don’t it?”

“I wouldn’t call this fun.”

He cocked his gun. “Maybe not for you guys. Hell, I feel sorry for you collectors. This job is the dirtiest by far and I’ve dealt with some shit. I would rather be cleaning stalls on the ship than do what you guys have to.”

She crossed her arms. “It’s not that bad.”

“If you say so.” He smirked. “I’ve seen you around, heard you’re like the queen of collectors.”

Dani pursed her lips. Was that supposed to be a compliment?

He laughed. “My name’s Garret. You’re dating Officer Iqara, right?”

She stiffened. “No. That was a year ago. He’s on a different station.”

“Shit, that’s right. Officer Killian then?”

Were they really having this conversation? “No, that was…a few months ago.”

“Ah.” He swiped a hand through his hair again, looking around at the crew still working in the other room. “My mistake.” He looked back at her and smiled. “You got a level head on your shoulders, especially dealing with this.” He waved his hand around.

“Hopefully I won’t be dealing with this for much longer,” she mumbled.

He arched a brow. “Oh, yeah?”

Damn her mouth. She hadn’t exactly told the others her plans. “Yeah. It’s nothing.”

“You’re trying to get into another division, aren’t you? Is it security? If it is, I can show you—”

“No. It’s not.”

He chuckled again. “All right. Well, maybe I can persuade you over to the dark side. Give you a shooting lesson, how about?”

“I know how to shoot.”

“Or maybe show you how to take someone down with one move, huh? Every cute girl should know how to put a guy on his back.”

“Can I practice on you first?”

He laughed.

“I gotta get back to work.” She took her helmet.

There was another sound behind her. A low sound she couldn’t quite place. She looked back but only saw shadows.

“All right. You’re stressed. Sorry to bother you. Maybe we can talk again back on the ship?”

She didn’t answer but studied the dark.

“Yo, Garret, more bugs over here,” Ryatt called.

“I’ll be right there,” Garret called back. “Hey, Dani?”

She blinked and glanced back at him. He actually looked a little concerned, “You cool?”

She gripped her helmet. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He winked at her. “Talk later.” He put his helmet back on and slipped into the other room.

Her face warmed a little.

Damn him.

Not so long ago, she would have let that kind of flirtation pass, would have pulled him into a room and let him strip her, pinning her to a wall without another thought. She let Vincent and Killian get away with a whole lot just to have those kinds of moments. She wasn’t ashamed to admit she’d been active, especially at the academy. Men, sometimes women.

But she’d gotten tired of the fights, the drama, the betrayal. And word always got around. Even in her more serious relationships, she couldn’t stifle that feeling that she wasn’t enough. That they just weren’t in sync, that she was being overlooked, and that she was only temporary. A temporary lover, not a serious companion. They called her pretty, cute, curvy. They liked her eyes and her smile. They liked how she talked to them.

But she was still a low-level junk collector.

Sometimes she felt like her mother. Her mother was so brilliant, so steadfast, hardheaded. She was also Father’s little sidepiece. Mom did find another partner for a time before she passed away, but it took many duds, many people who didn’t take her seriously.

She didn’t want that. But she needed to prove herself. So, no more dates. No more late-night flings until she got what she wanted and where she needed to be. And then she’d worry about how lonely she felt.

She adjusted her helmet back into place, focusing again on the room. She found a couple more machines and went to work taking out the cryo-batteries, ignoring the unease that still gnawed at her. Carefully setting the batteries in her pack, she went across a large section of computers, searching for more. Her light went across the rows of slim monitors then froze.

There was a set of doors to one side. A few bugs scattered from her lights as she approached. Through the glass of one door, she could see a dark room beyond, only—

Dani frowned. She touched a switch on her wrist, dimming her lights.

Was that a light inside?

Her eyes narrowed. There was a soft blue glow…

From a small crack between the opening of the doors, she could see faint shadows within. Curling her hands around the doors, she tried to pry them open.

The doors groaned as she slid them apart then refused to budge after a few feet. She peered inside. Yes, there was something glowing inside.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t fit through the entrance with her pack. Shrugging it off, she left it beside the doors. Before entering, she checked her garometer. There were readings, but they were low energy levels.

Which might mean...

Pulse drumming in her ears, Dani cautiously slipped between the narrow entrance and into the room.

There were large glass tanks, reaching several feet high. Computer stations hugged around them. Hoses attached to the sides, as big as her arm, snaked around the room.

All the tanks were empty. A few were broken.

She searched for the source of the light and found it within one of the tubes closer to the center.

She stared at the bottom of the broken tank and a smile crept onto her face.

It was a mushroom. A small blue fungus with little red dots on the top. It had some bioluminescent qualities which gave it a soft glow.

“Yes!” she whispered. Not only would they make it back in time, but she had plant matter to bring back with her, a perfect addition to the collection. Maybe she’d even get to study it in the labs once she was promoted.

Quickly, she went to grab a small capsule from her pack. Returning to the tank, she used a set of tongs to carefully pick out the mushroom and set it inside.

As she capped the capsule tight, her garometer started crackling.

Strange. She didn’t see anything around. No other mushrooms or even bugs.

Her brow furrowed as she studied the screen on her wrist. There was nothing lower than a level two energy, coming from the mushroom. Why would it be going off so much?

Then she realized her settings were wrong and it was only displaying low-level readings despite detecting others. Instead of re-adjusting manually, she reset the settings altogether.

The levels shot up.

To fifteen.

She felt the blood drain from her face.

That feeling of unease turned to instinctual panic.

Her eyes flicked up to the glass of the tank. In the reflection, she saw it. A hulking shadow lurking right behind her.

A heavy breath pressed against her back, sending a sickening chill down her spine.

“ Yessss, ” came an awful hiss. That sounded just like…

Just like her.

Her stomach dropped. She couldn’t even look behind her. The crackling of the garometer was a roar in her ears.

A soft whimper escaped from her lips.

Oh, my fucking god, I’m dead , she thought. For a split second, she had a vision of the security officer in the clutches of the hulking monster, head being munched on, brain slurped up.

She felt something bump against her helmet and another harsh breath. Sniffing. It was sniffing her.

Something slithered up her leg. Something sharp.

She trembled. Her knees locked up. A drop of sweat went down her neck.

She watched the shadow move in the reflection of the glass, its head coming down as it leaned close. Whatever slithered up her leg now trailed along her thighs.

“Xiha marish isha esh xu,” it hissed, it’s voice now guttural.

What the fuck was it saying?

She shut her eyes as the thing slithering along her thigh went across her stomach. It was going to cut her open.

The blood rushed in her ears, her heart hammering. Then the thing sliding across her stomach fell away.

She took a shaky breath.

Please…please…

It was silent. She opened her eyes and didn’t see the shadow.

Maybe it was gone. Maybe it had only been an awful hallucination.

Then she heard it behind her.

“ Dani ?” came Garret’s voice. Only it wasn’t him.

She screamed. Snatching the stunner gun off her belt, she whirled around, letting it off blindly into the dark.

It hit the thing square in the chest. It didn’t move, didn’t even grunt in pain. The electricity danced along its body, and she got a good look at it.

Seven feet, if not more…spines, twisted horns…large red eyes.

It cocked its head and stared at her curiously as if it hadn’t just been zapped by several volts of electricity. Its mouth thinned and blue-black fangs curled out.

She screamed again, backing into the tank, making it shake and tip over.

Glass shattered everywhere.

“Dani? Dani, what’s happened? Where are you?” came a voice inside her helmet.

She heard the shouts of others. Her crew. She let off another round of electricity as the monster moved again, reaching for her. This time, she hit one of the hoses on the ground. It ripped open, and steam came barreling out, hitting the thing in the face, blocking it from her sight.

She stumbled and fell. Even as she hit the ground, she tried to crawl back, to get as far away as she could.

The shouts grew closer, then more breaking of glass. Hands came around her and pulled her up just as light brightened the room.

One of the soldiers let off fire from their gun into the room. There was nothing there.

The steam slowed and evaporated, but the thing she saw was gone.

“Hey? Dani, look at me. You okay?”

She turned and looked at Garret, or rather the face of his helmet.

She blinked then righted herself, pulling away. “I’m—I’m...”

“What happened?”

She opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words. She saw her team by the door looking over at her, concerned. She searched around the room again, in every corner, along the walls.

What the fuck.

“Jesus, you’re shaking. Hey, let’s get you out of here, okay?”

She let him lead her to the door and she let the others crowd around her.

“You all right, Dani?”

“What happened?”

“What did you see?”

“Damn, she looks pale.”

“W-We…” My god, she couldn’t even speak. Instead, she waved for the door. “Something. S-something here. Go. Out. Now!”

“Get the packs,” Myrell said quickly.

As the crew moved, Ryatt came out last from the room. “I didn’t see anything,” he said to Garret.

Garret looked at her.

“I saw…saw…” Fucking dammit, she couldn’t speak! She pulled up her garometer to show them so they could understand.

But there was nothing. The readings were back to normal.

She shook her head. No way. Not possible.

“Let’s just move,” Garret said. He tugged her with him and led them out, racing back to the entrance.