Part 4.5-The Storm
Okay, now that the cockblock is over (aka writer's block, or that little demon that lives in every author's head and prevents him from writing to the best of his abilities), I present to you: The Storm:
(PS I wonder how many people will actually understand why this chapter is called "The Storm")
(PPS I'll be surprised if this ever gets approved, I keep editing it...)
(PPPS I wonder how many people actually read my 'notes from the author', let alone enjoy them...)
(INSERT ARBITRARY DISCLAIMER HERE)
Jared and Veronica came to rest outside of a swirling blue nimbus that was their Jump Portal. They came through, arms already on the high-tech bracelets that were Planethopper technology.
"Command, scanners show positive of Sleeper Tubes on this planet. 47 to be exact." Veronica said into her the comlink inside of her bracelet. "Affirmative. Proceed ahead further 50 strides. Scanners are reading subterranean Tubes." A computer voice read back. Jared looked at V. When Veronica taught Jared the Confederacy measurements, Jared almost laughed as he realized the similarities to the metric system. He was further amused when he then realized that that made USA probably the only country that was not on the metric system.
"Subterranean? As in underground? How would they get there?" Jared asked as his brain registered the fact that they would have to go underground to retrieve the women. Veronica shrugged, "Slammed into the crust of the planet during landing, and the years warped the soil around them, I guess." She said, surveying the rocky landscape. It was a huge barren, which was odd because it was an Alpha-Class planet, which means it should have been capable of supporting life.
Jared was beginning to feel uneasy about the mission. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be back in their room together, snuggling under their blanket, perhaps watching a movie, or rather the holographic screen that played various video files. The Confederacy people were adamant that these were called Visuals, which to them were far more advanced than the primitive black boxes of Earth. But to Jared, they still seemed almost exactly like a movie.
Anyway, Jared proceeded to walk with Veronica, trying to keep focused. Although they hadn't encountered any Swarm yet on their retrievals, their planets were getting closer and closer to known Swarm territory. And as Auldron pointed out, each uneventful Waking only increased the probability that something would happen. Jared thought he remembered that they were up around 63 percent likely, a thought that didn't comfort Jared as he realized his mind was wandering again.
Jared looked at his mate, who looked very sexy in the body-hugging clothing that protected her from freezing during Jumps. His eyes roamed her body as they walked onward until his eyes rested on her face. He saw her determination, her resolve to rescue her fellow furries from their Sleep before Swarm got to them. Seeing his lover's perseverance made him steel his own mind to the task ahead. The couple walked onwards without a second thought as the Portal spat four more figures out. A male fox with an AK-47 strapped to his back, a male bull wielding a sawed-off, and a female canine with Husky-colored fur toting a semi-automatic pistol. All made up the Waking team.
The group made their way across the barren landscape, unaware of the eight eyes watching their progress.
* * * * *
Jib scuttled around his post, watching the five newcomers emerge from a Jump Portal. This was what he was told to report by the Overlord. "Chibby." He said as he crawled off, leaving no trace of his presence as he crept behind the rocks and down a hidden shaft, disappearing from view of the Confederation Jumpers.
Deep underground, a lone spider scout joined masses of other bugs of all sorts and shapes. From things with four legs to things with eight, all of them were hustling and bustling, doing their tasks questionlessly, for fear of the Overlords. Overlord Sheloz was pouring over maps, both topographical and constellational. "When they get here, they will take the most direct route. I'm pretty sure that they'll be wanting to Wake the females as soon as possible in order to leave quickly. The Tubes are too deep, so they'll have to use the tunnels. I assume the Diggers have already made some natural-looking tunnels down to the main cavern?"
The giant tarantula stood about seven feet tall and stood on four legs. His upper legs however, seemed to be arms, as they were quite muscular and ended in three-fingered hands. His short upper arms were folded onto his shoulders, his middle two were scouring the maps. His front looked more human than arachnid and his abdomen was more or less supported by his back two legs, which looked like actual humanoid legs, of not for the fact they ended at a chitin-covered point instead of feet. His thorax and rest of his body were supported by the front two legs. Sheloz's face certainly had humanoid qualities, as the eyes weren't arranged into a triangle, but rather there were two clusters of four where human eyes would be. There was no nose, and his mandibles seemed to take the place of lips.
Overlord Sheloz looked up to a locust who was listening intently. The locust was similar looking to the arachnid, but stood on two legs and folded his lower set of arms around his back. His upper set were strait down his sides, at attention. "Yessir!" He chirped as the spider went back to his musings. "Well, the men have their orders?" he asked in a deep tone, his mandibles clicking with every syllable. "Yessir!" the locust said again, this time giving a little nod of affirmation. "Well then, I guess there is nothing more to do than to wait for the Confederation to get here. Scout! What is the report?!" he yelled at a small spider who had just entered the underground room.
He was of the same build as Sheloz, but was currently walking on all eight of his spindly legs, which were significantly thinner than Sheloz's. However, he lifted himself up to where he was standing the same way as Sheloz, even thought the giant tarantula easily dwarfed the scout. "Chibby!" Jib replied as he hive-minded his report to his Overlord, who seemed pleased.
The tarantula hive-minded further orders back to the scout, who immediately took off, reverting back to walking on all eight legs/arms. The Overlord turned back to his sergeant. "Make haste, have everyone report to abandon their tasks and report to their assigned ambush areas. No mistakes or you will report your failure to Lord Szazt!" The insect executed a quick salute to the towering arachnid as he scuttled to out the door.
* * * * *
Back on the surface, the Waker team had arrived to the point where they were right above the blips on the scanner. "So what do we do now? Dig?" asked Sitz, the fox. "No, I shouldn't think so. Scanners are reporting that there are tunnels leading from the surface to various caverns. And one of them seems to be the resting place of the Sleepers. So, we just take one of these tunnels and head down." Fuse (pronounced 'Foose') said as the canine studied her Hopper bracelet.
"Hey, the tunnels even seem to be big enough for you, Gorgon." She said, playfully hitting the brute, who feigned a look of pain right before they all burst out laughing. Jared, however, was unsure.
He looked at Veronica, "V, you said that this planet was capable of supporting life, yet scanners show there aren't any. And then there are supposed to be 47 tubes down there, all of which aren't supposed to be there anyway since their flight plans were determined arbitrarily. Then, they turn up 50 feet below the ground. And yet, there are a series of convenient tunnels that lead down there. Something weird is going on here."
Veronica merely gave him a reassuring look. "Our scanners can pick up a rat on the other side of a planet, I trust them. Plus, we are here on a short mission. We are to get our bretheren... or sisteren rather to Wake them. Then, it's just a quick Jump home. In and out in less than a turn of the sun. I don't like it any more than you do. But, we have to Wake the Sleepers. Plus, this planet is on the outskirts of the Known Swarm Territory, so they would have likely just recently sucked this planet dry of all of its resources. Therefore, the planet still has an Alpha-Class status, and those are probably old mining tunnels." Veronica explained, not entirely convinced herself. However, her explanations calmed the nerves of the group as they soldiered on down the tunnels. Not even noticing the many more pairs of eyes that sprang up as they disappeared into the planet's depths.
Half a turn passed (a turn of the sun, or as Jared called it, an hour) and the tubes were opened as the females awakened from their eons-long sleep. The Hoppers gathered the females into one group and took their positions around them. Then, they started making their way out of the cavern when a series of clicks broke the silence. "Drek." Veronica said as Fuse shouted "SWARM!" The hoppers positioned themselves around the girls, protecting them as what looked like thousands of locusts, flies, mosquitoes, and spiders massed themselves at the entrances, the walls, and even in the air and ceilings.
"Fuck...an...ass." Said Jared, amazed at the sheer numbers of the Swarm. You couldn't even see the walls. Each of the solders were armed with what looked like long poles with a sharp crescent blade at the top, and an axe head at the bottom. The crescent tip was pointing at them from all directions. Jared instinctively put his arms in the air, the traditional surrender position on earth, but put them down once he realized that none of the other Hoppers did, and he cursed himself for drawing attention when he saw half the soldier's had their many eyes on him.
He heard Gorgon cock his shotgun. "Why are they just standing there?" Jared whispered. "They haven't gotten any orders to pursue us further. My guess would be that someone wants us alive." Jared heard Veronica reply. "Well, I'm certainly not waiting to find out." Jared said as he aimed his laser scope to the nearest Soldier, an ant. He pulled the trigger. Jared was glad that he had readied himself before hand, because should he have been standing loose-footed and not braced, he would have been blown backward. He gasped as the weapon let loose a white flash and red projectile as a ball of superheated Aether essence rocketed toward his adversary.
The poor ant never knew what hit him. The 'bullet' ripped through the soldier, continuing through more bodies until it hit the wall. The Aether-adaption had increased the weapon's destructive power tenfold. He shuddered to think of what the other weapons could do as he remembered Gorgon's shotgun.
The Hoppers opened fire, sending blinding flashes and thunderous booms resonating throughout the cavern. The females covered their eyes and ears. With only three shots, Gorgon had cleared a line toward an exit. "MOVE!" the bull shouted as the pack migrated toward the cleared exit, a path that was quickly closing.
The Hoppers continued to fire on any Swarm that got too close for comfort, which seemed to be every one of them. Though they were still outnumbered, they were blasting away at least ten with every shot. Sitz was taking out aerial soldiers with his rapid-fire weapon, while Fuse covered the left side, firing quickly with her semi-auto. Walls of enemies fell before Gorgon's cannon. Veronica was taking out almost as much as Gorgon, as she fired strafing volley after strafing volley on the group's rear. Jared brought up the right side as he took out line after line of attackers.
* * * * *
It was clear that the Swarm was unprepared for the usually peaceful people of the Confederation wielding such weapons. Overlord Sheloz watched as his master plan unraveled in front of him. "NO! NO! NO!" he yelled, watching the group disappear out of one of the cavern's exits. He paced along one of the upper edges of the cavern, not quite hidden from view, but then again, no one was looking. He saw Jib come back to report, but he was so furious, he hurled the small spider down the cavern as hard as he could.
Jib was certain the Overlord would appreciate his news. The Hoppers and Wakened had gone out the wrong tunnel and would be trapped if the soldiers would go out of the next tunnel. However, to Jib's dismay, as soon as he entered the ledge, Sheloz picked him up and tossed him down the very tunnel he was going to tell his Overlord about. What was that all about? He didn't know. Perhaps the all-powerful Overlord had already known what Jib was going to tell them. Jib didn't know, but he scuttled down the tunnel his Overlord had so unceremoniously tossed him down.
Jib turned a corner to see the group running towards him. He looked around for the soldiers, but there were none...Jib was alone and at the mercy of the Hairs! They would surely eat him, as that is what they did. They abused their planet, and didn't deserve it. And when the Swarm had come to take what they weren't using, they attacked. Jib was scarred witless as he was paralyzed with terror as a huge bull bounded toward him. The group stopped just as they were about to run him over. The small arachnid looked up at the bull, his eight eyes staring into the bull's two in a four-on-one staring contest. Despite Jib's obvious advantage, the bull stared all eight of him down.
* * * * *
The Hoppers migrated from their posts to see why Gorgon had stopped. They then saw why the group had halted their charge. Gorgon was staring down a Swarm soldier! No, not a soldier. This thing was smaller than the soldiers and walked on all eight legs like a regular spider would. Also, the look it held on its face was not the stoic look of a mindless drone, but the look of one who has realized that he was about to face an unforgiving doom. It seemed to regain its senses as the glaze in its eyes receeded as it yelled, "Chibby!" and turned to run. Gorgon was too quick, though, as he reached forward to drag it back by its lower four legs (Jared was surprised that they didn't come off, Gorgon (needless to say) had great strength). The bull gave it a thump behind its head (which Jared supposed added up to a significant amount of force regarding Gorgon's size). The spider's body went limp as Gorgon started running again. "Are you sure that's a safe thing, Gorgon?" Jared asked, running along side of his huge comerade. "No choice, couldn't let him go back and warn the others of our escape route. I'm just glad that they didn't react fast enough to cut us off."
The pack reached an exit tunnel. Fuse ran ahead to open a portal. The mass ran through the portal. Gorgon and Sitz ran through the portal first to help the group arrive on the other end. Fuse was still holding the portal, while Jared and Veronica stayed behind, keeping the Swarm from surging out of the tunnel. The two lovers were hard pressed to keep the horde back, for each soldier that fell was replaced by five more.
Veronica was the one that saw their only hope of stemming the flow of Swarm long enough for them both to run for the portal. Veronica inched forward until she was almost at the opening of the cave. The Swarm was getting close enough to almost grab her. Veronica stopped firing at the soldiers for a quick flick of her wrist to send bullets at a loose rock lodged in the top of the tunnel.
The tunnel collapsed as the Swarm soldiers grabbed Veronica and pulled her under, her move had cost her. She was at peace, however, for she knew that Jared would have enough time to get away. Jared stopped firing, for fear of hitting his mate. He watched as his kitten was dragged down the collapsing tunnel. They made eye contact long enough for her to mouth one word before she was dragged back into the depths of the planet, "run." There was a loud rumble as rocks cascaded down to block the tunnel, sealing it shut.
Jared started firing at the collapsed tunnel, blasting rocks. "NO!" He threw his weapon away, starting to dig. He was interrupted by Fuse, who ran up and knelt beside him. "We have to go, now!" She yanked his sobbing form up to his feet and half-dragged Jared back through the blue Portal.
Back on Trillious Prime, Jared collapsed on the floor, his tears ploping nosily on the metalic plates. Fuse rubbed her soft-furred hand across his back, trying to give him the comfort of knowing he was not alone. Everyone in Phoenix shed a tear that day.
They held a ceremony to commend Veronica's memory the next day. Most of Phoenix's population showed up. No one liked the fact that that the Swarm had delt them a blow, but life continued on in Phoenix, and Veronica was commended by the council as a Hero. Many people comforted Jared, he couldn't even walk down the street without getting looks of sympathy from pedestrians. This particular day (about three weeks after the incident), he walked toward the Central Building, the Hall of the Council. He made his way to the Scientist wing. He walked to an observation room.
* * * * *
Jib was shacked at each leg to a flat disk beneath a bright light. He didn't like it. He was glad that the Hairs didn't eat him yet, but he would still rather not be bound to a plate. Millions of his possible fates raced through his mind. But, after three weeks of studies, he became more and more calm as he resigned himself that he would one day be eaten. The four Hairs walked around, their hair covered by some white, smooth clothing.
Jib noticed that they had an array of metal objects at all times. All he knew was that they were constantly watching them. He was given food and water on these metallic things often, but he would have really liked to know what was going on.
A strage Hair that didn't seem like the others walked in. Jib didn't like this one, as he had hurt Jib the first time he came in, almost killed him. However, Jib was restored by the four Hairs that were constantly with him.
* * * * *
Jared walked in, giving Chibby a dirty look before he joined Auldron at the computer terminal. "How's Chibby doing?" Jared asked. "Fine, Jared, now that he had recovered from the beating." Jared flushed with the memory. He had tried to kill Chibby the day after he came back, when his head cleared and remembered that they had a Swarm captured.
"Anything new?" Jared asked the turtle. "We have discovered that they don't use a language like us, but rather are sort of telepathically connected. A Hive-Mind of sorts."
Jared continued listening, for once interested in Auldron's babble. "We have finished a device that adapts to the subjects harmonic brain waves, you know, the anomaly we discovered last week. So, the device will sync up with Chibby's mind, and then will translate those patterns into audio speech, of course using our brain waves as a comparison. What's even more interesting is that when the device translates Chibby's synapses, we will also hear his unique quote unquote 'vocal' patterns. Plus, we have also rigged another device, but reversed the translator relays, so that our audio waves will translate into his brainwaves and be sent back to him. It's all quite exciting, really." A female otter hobbled over to Auldron and promptly shut him up by saying the device was ready, and winking at Jared, returned to her work.
Auldron was roused from his ramblings and walked over to Chibby. Jared watched as a dome-like thing was lowered to about five feet above him.
* * * * *
"Chibby!" Jib yelled as he heard something lowered over him. He started straining against his shackles. 'Chibby?' Jib looked up. He had heard one of the Hairs speak, however, he understood it. They were hive-minding him? 'Hairs?' he asked back, unsure of what exactly was going on. The hairs started to act really energetic, as they were gasping and looking at one another.
* * * * *
Jared watched the scientists do their thing. He was amazed when he heard Chibby speak. However, he couldn't stay. He heard the familiar buzzing on his Hopper bracelet as he was summoned to the Council's office.
Jared walked into the Antechamber where the Councilmen were murmuring amongst themselves. When he reached the center, there was silence. Victor, the old mole that was the head of the Construction Guild, had stepped down from the Coincil Chairs. "Jared, I know you've been through a lot lately, with Veronica...you know. I couldn't possibly know what you are feeling, and I will not diminish Veronica's memory by telling you so. However, this council has a favor to ask. You see..." Councilman Trilliam, the Eldest Council, stepped forth, silencing the old mole back into his chair "Jared, we have an Aether pulse message requesting you, and they will not talk to anyone besides you." he said. Jared nodded and the door behind him shut. He turned to the wall where the door he came through was now closed and saw the familiar holographic screen pop up. On the other side was some sort of spider. Jared couldn't tell exactly what or who it was, but he knew it was the Swarm.
"Ah, Jared. It seems we meet at last. Veronica has told us some very nice things about you." Jared's eyes narrowed as he watched as the spider-thing turned to a holo screen behind him, how dare they speak her name. They are not worthy of gracing their disgusting tongues with the beauty and grace of her name. Jared relaxed when he saw Veronica, but new anger flared through him when he saw that she was tied up. Some worm-looking thing was sticking out of her ear. "You see, Jared, this is a mindworm. We use it to pick the brains of our captives. Observe." Jared watched the mindworm disappear back into Veronica's head.
Jared was helpless as he watched his lover's mind be raped. "You filthy piece of shit! I'll fucking kill you!" He clenched his fist as he quieted, knowing that his only chance of getting any information from this grotesque bug was to remain calm, plus he didn't want to give him the obvious pleasure he received from Jared's torment. The spider merely smiled, or rather, flexed his mandibles in something that looked like a smile after Jared had insulted him. "Well, it seems that I have struck a nerve. Well, I suppose that you'll like this even less. That visual you just saw was taken last week. Here is your mate now." Jared yelled as he saw another video flash up on the screen behind the arachnid.
Jared watched as he saw five soldiers were on top of his kitten. Five erect dicks were all over his love, staining her with their filth. He watched as Veronica was fucked anally, vaginally, orally, and another erect cock was pushing itself between her round tits and yet another was being stroked by Veronica's hands, not willingly, but rather, her wrists were chained together and a soldier was guiding them (and therefore the hands) up and down his penis. Jared turned away. His delicate lover was being manhandled and raped. He could see bruises formed along her beautiful form. He saw her claws filed down as well as her teeth.
He saw her face contort as she reached an orgasm, which Jared knew that it was neither the first nor the last she would have to endure as the bugs pushed harder and deep. He saw her fur matted with cum. Tongues roamed Veronica's body. Hands roamed her body, exploring every crevice and leaving no place undefiled. He watched the soldiers laugh as they degraded and beat her. "Hahaha! Do that again, the little slut likes it!" and "Scream for me!" were among the cleanest phrases that the orgasming males yelled as cum filled every orifice of their feline prisoner. Jared could not bear to see his kitten like this. Sex was supposed to be a beautiful, enjoyable experience, not this horrific degradation.
The spider returned onscreen. "You see? This is her fate. This will also be the fate of the rest of your females if your people do not surrender that weaponry. They will live out their lives, serving to quell men's desires until they become undesirable, where they will be killed. Oh, and all this will happen after seeing each and every male of every species tortured and killed unless you give us that power! You know where to find us. And don't try any heroics, as you won'y find my soldiers quite as unprepared. Oh, and as a parting present, I give you yet another glimps into her fate, and therefore the fate of all of your females."
Jared watched as the holo screen in the background became the only thing in sight. He watched with horror as Veronica's cell opened to three soldiers stepped into her cell. "Feeding time." One said as he laid two metal bowls at Veronica's feet, who was currently sitting side-straddle in the middle of the floor, giving no expression on her face. She started toward the food and water, but she had barely taken a bite of the food and a small drink of water before both bowls were kicked away. The water splashed on the wall and the food was crushed underfoot. "I think I know what she would like for dessert." One said, as he proceeded to let his pink cock slither erect out of the chitin plates. He dug his thumbs into the hinge of her jaw, forcing her mouth open. He then proceeded to fuck Veronica's mouth to his peak, letting his slimy cum coat the back of her throat. The other two proceeded to do likewise, each sending new waves of sticky cum down into her belly. They held her mouth and nose closed until they were certain she swallowed all of it. They lifted her chin, "This is what you wanted, isn't it whore?" They shook her chin up and down, forcing her to nod in agreement, then they all left laughing. Veronica looked into the recording unit, her usually sparkling blue eyes had lost their sheen, and she seemed to be staring off into space.
Jared stood as the holo screen cut off. "Fuck." He whispered as the ground underneath him became wet, the tears falling from his face mixed with his dripping blood as he dug his nails even further into his palm, nearly slicing his tendons.
"Fuck."
To be continued...