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Star Hunter Gunndis

Chapter 3, Book 1 (end of book)

Gunndis sits in the common room reading a data pad as she munches on a steak. As Dippley comes in with his own plate and sits to eat she gives him a brief grin, "You were right, you can cook." She chuckles, "Hmhmhmhm, strong, quick, smart, useful," she looks him up and down with a hungry look that has nothing to do with the food, "great in bed. I must say this partnership is looking better every day."

He returns a shy smile and takes a bite of his food.

A red bar with the words 'priority message' flashes across her data pad and she frowns as she presses her accept button. A computerized voice speaks from the data pad, "Hunter Gunndis, be warned the target is aware of your efforts to hunt him down. Spy caught and interrogated at Hunter Central. Spy is believed to be the cause of the loss of the last six Hunters to seek this target. Caution urged and backup recommended."

As the voice goes silent Gunndis scowls for a moment before she growls, "GRRRRRR!!!!" slamming her hand down on the table with a hit that makes the other end jump. "Traitors... I hate traitors."

"You heard the message though, they caught him. And while Thore knows we're coming, he doesn't know that we know he knows."

She looks up at him, her ears lowered and jaw slack in disbelief, "I can't believe you just used that cliché of a line Dippley. You sound like you're in a comic book or something."

"But it is true," he says with a shrug.

Sitting back and rubbing her chin with a finger she mulls, "How can we use this to our advantage?"

Gunndis nods with a half smirk, "I got it!" She picks up her data pad and starts entering a reply to the urgent message. As she sends the encrypted message back to Hunter Central with a satisfied smirk she looks up at him, "We've got four more days to train you as much as possible. If this works we should complete this hunt sooner than I thought."

Over the next four days Dippley's training intensifies beyond anything he could have imagined, unarmed combat, physical, technical, and of course, pleasurable with enough rest to make sure he would stay at the peak of his performance for the upcoming battle.

Thore's massive ship, escorted by three smaller gunships, cruises through the darkness of space, weapons tracking for targets and shields at full power. He looks from his throne to the navigator at the controls, "You're sure we're in the right spot cretin?"

The nervous and mangy feline at the controls studies his boards, "This is the area our informant said to ambush her. But I can't detect any power signatures that would indicate an active ship." He leans in to squint at his sensors, "Lord Thore, I have something."

"What?" barks the massive wolf with a slam of his fist on the arm of his throne, his harem of female slaves flinching in fear at his anger.

The crewman gulps, "My Lord, I'm detecting a small anomalous metallic object floating dead in space. No power signature, but the outline matches the information we have on the Star Maiden's main hull." He focuses his sensors and nods, "It would appear her engine cluster failed drastically and she dumped it to save her hide." The crewman grins evilly, "Just as the informant said."

The wolf taps the arm of his throne with a thick finger, "Send Fenrir to scan closer. She could have disconnected her light-drives and shut down power to lull us into a trap. Tell them to scan for life signs," he growls.

One of the small escorts breaks formation and thrusts for the drifting ship. Closing to only a hundred meters the ship bathes the Star Maiden in a greenish light from the sensor beams.

The crewman at the helm nods, "They're reporting no life signs Lord Thore. She must have been killed when she lost power."

The robed female steps from her dark alcove, "My Lord?"

Without looking at her Thore grunts a response, "Huh?"

"Something is not right here. A seasoned Hunter as the famous Gunndis would not die in such a way. She must be alive but is somehow hiding herself on her ship."

The wolf glares at the screen with cold eyes, "I know that, this smells of a trap but I can't think of what it could be." Without looking at the crewman at the helm he barks, "Scan for the drive section of her ship!"

"My Lord, the informant said she suffered drive failure and had to jettison it before it exploded."

The wolf throws a heavy metal tankard of ale at the crewman who ducks in fear. "Do it I said!"

The crewman cowers and starts to manipulate the primitive controls in front of him, "Yes Lord Thore."

The robed female suddenly jerks her head back causing the hood to slip off her head, her third eye open and glowing golden, "My Lord," she cries, "She's already ONBOARD!"

Alarms start to wail and red flashing lights indicate intruders onboard. Standing with an unnatural calm the wolf picks up his massive weapon and checks the charge indicator. "I'll find this pussy and her companion. Then they will meet my hammer." He turns the weapon on the crewman at the helm and fires a shot that crisps him to a blackened corpse and destroys a section of the console in the process.

As he walks towards the exit to the control room he growls, "Get a replacement for our late helmsman. Preferably one who knows how to properly use sensors."

The robed female bows briefly but he doesn't look back at her.

Gunndis pulls her head back as a series of energy blasts impact the corner she's using for cover. "Dippley, would you please clear the next intersection?"

He nods with a serious look on his face as he holsters one of his pistols and takes a small red ball from a pouch on his right thigh. Triggering the stud on the top he tosses it down the corridor with a casual toss. The device lands and starts to beep faster before erupting in a burst of light and ear splitting noise, tiny energy balls scattering over the corridor and stunning several rag-tag crewmen who had been holding the intersection.

Dippley leans out, both pistols pointed down the dim corridor, "Clear."

Gunndis spins and aims her pulse rifle down the corridor as they advance, the muzzle sweeping for targets. A partly stunned crewman starts to sit up only to take a blast in the chest from her weapon and into a wall where he slumps, unconscious. "That's eight down, estimates indicate he should have fourteen more onboard."

Dippley nods towards a large doorway into what looks like a Norse drinking hall, "Looks like the kind of place we might find him."

She nods and motions him to approach carefully.

Slipping up to the doorframe he extends a pistol around the corner and yelps in surprise as a energy bolt shoots it out of his hand to land across the corridor, the barrel slagged, "Trouble."

Gunndis nods and takes a small green orb from her own thigh pouch before handing it to him, "When I say now, trigger this and throw it at my feet."

With a nod of understanding he takes the device and holds it ready.

"Now," she says with complete calm as she steps into the large open doorway.

He presses the stud and slams the device to the ground at her feet. A shield wall forms in the doorway and deflects several high powered bolts from a crew served weapon. She takes the extra second to aim and drops the gunner and loader with two quick shots as the shield wall finally fails and the weapon falls silent.

Lowering the weapon to her hip she grins, "That's more like it."

Dippley grunts as someone cracks him over the head with the butt of a depleted energy rifle. The crewman looks stunned as the stock of the plastic stock breaks. Without a sound the large dog spins to grip the front of the crewman's grungy shirt. With a quick tug and lunge he head-butts the man into unconsciousness and lets him fall to the floor.

Gunndis winces in sympathy, "He's going to feel that one tomorrow."

Dippley reaches up to dab at a small cut on the back off his head, "I will too probably."

She smiles, "Didn't you know, chicks dig scars."

Dippley gives one of his shy grins and checks his remaining pistol as he activates the tracker built into his left arm's bracer. "I've got a group of life signs about forty feet further up this corridor."

She nods and ejects the almost spent energy cell from her rifle to slip a fresh one in, "Let's move."

As they navigate down the corridor they incapacitate two more crewmen and Dippley picks up another pistol to replace his destroyed one. As they turn a corner two hyena males step from a doorway with energy shields strapped to their left arms and neuro-whips crackling in their right hands.

They grin widely and cackle in laughter as they approach, snapping their whips in glee at the two Hunters.

Dippley points both pistols at the lead hyena and lets loose with a barrage that the energy shield easily deflects. As the guns beep empty he ejects the energy cells and reaches for reloads. "Their shields are too tough, Class-sevens at least."

"Backup plan then," she says as she triggers a small button on the fore stock of her rifle. With a snick blades flip out of the sides of her stock to form a bayonet over the gun's muzzle, a bluish glow crackling over them.

Dippley holsters the pistols and raises his own right arm, the bracer attached to his forearm reforming into a punch-dagger with a similar energy field crackling down its length. "It's on," he mutters as the pair of hyenas charge them.

Gripping the handle of his punch-dagger Dippley screams and puts his whole body into the punch at the shield in his way. The hyena is staggered as his shield fails under the combined kinetic and electrical onslaught from the massive canine.

The guard screams in agony as the power-blade punches through his forearm and her drops to his knees, his whip forgotten as he tries to grip the Hunter's forearm. Dippley yanks the blade free, the energy field cauterizing the wound instantly to prevent death from blood loss and follows up with a uppercut from his clenched left fist.

The hyena goes silent as the punch lifts him back to his feet before he falls backwards in the hallway.

Gunndis surprises the charging hyena by not attacking; instead she leaps over him and spins to bring the flat of the energy blade against the side of his head. The burst of released energy from the energy blade knocks him into the wall and drops him to the floor. "Two up, two down," she says.

Dippley looks over at her, both of them breathing a little heavily, "What about the other life signs I detected. It showed at least six, in a tight group." He looks at his scanner and points to the closed and heavily armored door, "They're in there."

Gunndis nods and retracts the blade on her rifle. "Open it," she says as she levels the gun at the doorway.

Dippley draws one of his pistols and covers the door as he reaches out to activate the door.

With a creaking squeal of metal the heavy door opens and they both look in, the smell of musk and urine wafting out to them. Shock takes the place of determination on their faces as they take in the visage in the room.

A group of four naked females sit in the filthy room, thick chains connecting rough forged metal collars around their necks to rings on the floor. They are all blinking at the sudden light from the hallway and trying to focus on the two Hunters. Two of the females start crying in terror while a third pulls her arms over her head to protect herself as she trembles in fear. The fourth, a young female skunk terra-morph blinks up at them in surprise. "Gunndis?" the young female asks with a quaver to her voice caused by the fear that it's all a dream.

Gunndis lowers her gun hands gone slack, "Goddess... What has he done to you..."

Dippley looks over at his mentor, "Ma'am?"

Gunndis drops her rifle and kneels next to the skunk to pull her into a tight hug. Looking up at the confused Dippley she blinks away tears, "They're four of the Hunters who went after Thore." She looks back at the shaking female in her arms, "The female ones..."

Dippley holsters his gun and starts to take a step into the room, but the two crying in terror scream as if he was killing them. "Stay out there," Gunndis tells him and he nods in understanding.

She takes the skunk's head in her hands and looks her in the eyes, "We'll get you all out of here. What about the other two Hunters? Do you know anything about them Derine?"

The skunk shakes her head, tears streaking her face, "They're probably dead. He only kept us alive to rape us." She grips Gunndis' shoulders, "You two need to get out of here before he kills him and does this to you."

Dippley suddenly flies sideways as a massive energy blast hits him, his shield glowing from the powerful impact. "DIPPLEY!!!" Gunndis shouts and dives for her rifle where she dropped it by the doorway only to see a second energy blast melt the weapon in half.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" laughs a cruel voice, "Come out little pussy and join my harem. You've already found your fellow Hunter bitches."

Gunndis' blood runs cold as she draws her energy pistol and snarls silently. Looking at where Dippley lies sprawled unmoving several feet down the corridor where he landed from the powerful blast.

"I know you've got that little popgun of a pistol. Toss it out and I give my word that I won't shoot you down for invading my ship." He releases another bark of laughter, "Hahaha, I might even let your little puppy watch as I ravish you rather than killing him first."

Gunndis looks at the pistol in her hands then back to Dippley as another massive energy bolt tears through the air to melt a section of decking only a foot from the still canine. "DECIDE!!!" barks the massive wolf.

With a soft growl she tosses the pistol out into the corridor. "That's a good pussy, now step out yourself, hands up," orders Thore.

Gunndis stands to soft whimpers from the young skunk fem still chained to the floor. "I'll be right back," she whispers as she raises her hands and steps out into the corridor.

She faces the massive wolf with a snarl on her features as he gives her a gloating grin, "That's more like it." He jerks the smoking muzzle of his weapon upward, "Come closer, slowly."

Taking one carefully measured step after another she walks closer, the raising of the massive gun's barrel signaling her to stop.

"Strip," he orders with a smug smile. "Let's see that pretty body you work so hard to keep so well toned without the hindrance of that ugly armor."

She reaches for the molecular-seam and he jerks the large bore barrel of his weapon upwards while he strokes a finger near the trigger, "Slowly you pretty thing. Don't want to startle me into burning a hole through those magnificent tits of yours."

Scowling, she slowly opens the armor and lets it fall to the deck. Thore actually starts drooling at the view of her nude body. "You truly are a prize my little pussy. I can't wait to see how you look when I mount you," he laughs horribly at his own joke.

The robed female runs into the corridor behind him, "Lord Thore, NO!!!"

He turns to see what she's shouting about and makes his first mistake in taking his eyes off the nude female in front of him.

She is in motion faster than the eye can track. Her hands grip the still smoking barrel of the massive gun and rip it from his grip before throwing it behind her to clatter down the corridor. She twirls on one foot to plant a deftly aimed kick into the side of Thore's head but his raised forearm blocks the swift kick with a sinister smile, "You want to be made to submit to me do you?"

She leaps backwards to open the space between them and he cracks his knuckles, his neck popping as he twists his head to the side, the smile never leaving his muzzle. "I do so love it when they beg for mercy."

The robed female takes a step forward, hand outstretched, "My Lord..."

"SILENCE!!!" he barks, making her step back in surprise. "Interfere with my pleasures again, and you will join her in my harem after I pluck out your third eye, Orace."

She lowers her gaze and steps back away from the pair of combatants.

Gunndis crouches, her tail flicking in agitation as she lets a growl slip from her throat, "Gggrrrooowl!!!"

He smiles, "I always like feisty pussy, too bad that feistiness will be gone in a minute." He charges and aims a fist at her gut. She dodges the punch to her gut but almost runs into the one aimed at her head. Slipping through his attacks she grips his forearm and gives a heave that flings him towards the wall of the corridor. He spins in midair to rebound off the wall right back at her. She sidesteps the strike but his fist catches the edge of her ribs and she slams into the wall with a cry of pain before she slumps to kneel on the floor. Her head hanging as she gasps for breath.

He stands before her, his hands on his hips with a superior smile, "Lookie lookie lookie, I beat the pussy."

Her hand flashes up to punch him in the nuts but he is too fast and he catches her wrist in a tight vise like grip. "GAH!!!" she cries in pain as he lifts her by the captured wrist to dangle off the floor till he's looking her in the face.

"Any last words of defiance before I show you who's the Master here?" he gloats.

She hangs her head gasping for breath and starts to chuckle weakly, "How about," she lifts her head and her eyes flash with an inner glow of fire, "Goodbye!"

As he grins at her defiance he misses her lashing tail whip around and latch around the arm that still grips her wrist. With a low growl from her throat her thick tail squeezes like a python and there is the crunching of wrist bones.

"AAAAAHHH!" he screams, eyes wide with shock, as his hand goes limp and she drops to the deck again.

Back flipping to land a short distance away she yells, "NOW!!!"

The stunned wolf turns to look where Gunndis is looking. Dippley stands leaning against a doorway with her pistol in his hand, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth. With a deadpan expression and a steady hand he pulls the trigger and nails the stunned wolf between the eyes. His body convulses as he falls backwards to land with a thud on the metal deck.

Gunndis stands from her crouch to glare down at the wolf, "You don't know how lucky you are, that was only a stun round."

She whips her head up as she hears another crack from the pistol and an energy bolt flicks her hair. Dippley lowers the pistol as she turns to see where he shot and watches the robed female dropping to her knees, a wickedly bladed dagger falling from her nerveless fingers.

Looking back at him she gives him an approving smile, "Good shot."

He nods and smiles back supporting himself on the doorway to the room the captured Hunters are still held in.

She steps over to rest a hand on his chest and frowns as she notices his labored breathing and blood starts to trickle from his nose too, "Dippley? Are you ok?"

He shakes his head minutely and gives her a weak smile. "I think..." his voice fades as his eyes roll back in his head and he slumps, Gunndis leaping to catch his heavy body.

She looks to the skunk fem straining at her chain to come to her aid. Taking Dippley's pistol she switches the power setting to maximum and shoots the chain with a well placed shot. As the links part Derine leaps forward to help her lay the big canine on the floor. "Get the pouches from my armor," she orders as she opens the top of Dippley's armor and sees the large bruises from the energy blast's kinetic energy marring his creamy fur.

The skunk comes back with a couple of pouches and Gunndis hands her the gun, "Free the others then watch my back. I don't know how many of the crew are still active."

The skunk does as instructed as Gunndis starts to work on Dippley. Taking an aero-injector from one pouch she loads a charge into the handle and presses it to his neck where she depresses the trigger and hears the hiss but gets no reaction. "Damn it Dippley, don't you die on me!"

Holding one hand over his chest she closes her eyes for a moment in concentration and nodding loads a different colored vial into the aero-injector. Pressing it to his neck she again depresses the trigger and it hisses as the chemicals flood his system.

"How is he?" asks the skunk where she kneels by the doorway, watching the corridor for hostiles.

"He should make it." She takes a small silver disk from another pouch and presses the small red stud on its dull gray surface. Looking at the skunk she jerks her head towards the others, "Get them ready to move."

Looking at the small disk the Hunter blinks, "A beacon?"

Gunndis gives a sly smile, "Of a sort."

In the space outside the massive starship there is a bright flash as an EMP mine nestled against the large ship's hull detonates and the three smaller gunships start to float dead in space. The Star Maiden comes to life a few minutes later as the auto-pilot locks onto the _Mjollnir_and slips in to dock against one of the smaller airlocks. Several small hovering orbs fly out of the ship to seek the unconscious pirates, one orb latching into each wrist before the two orbs pull themselves together and lock in place.

The skunk and Gunndis guide hover-stretchers with the beaten Hunters and Dippley onboard the Star Maiden and to the medical bay. Seeing the medical bay's automated system taking over the care of them she leaves all five and heads for the bridge.

Walking into the Star Maiden's bridge Gunndis, once more in her armor, activates the light-radio, "Hunter Central, this is Gunndis. I've captured the Mjollnir and Thore's Hammers. You can send the recovery ship in now. Four Hunters and a dozen slaves still alive and active, smaller gunboats disabled by proximity to EMP mine. Sixteen stunned crew on the Mjollnir, binders already engaged, approximately twelve helpless on the disabled gunboats."

A face appears on the screen, a female Doberman with eyes the same color as Dippley's, "Congratulations on a successful hunt Gunndis. The recovery ship will be there in two hours. I'm glad you transmitted that little corner of space before you disabled your own ship for the trap. The Paul Revere has been waiting for your transmission." The Doberman fiddles with something off screen, "How did my son do?"

Gunndis blinks, "Your son ma'am? Dippley?"

The Doberman smiles, "He does resemble his father more I know, but I hear he has my eyes."

Gunndis frowns, "He took a hit, but the medical suite says he should recover. His shield kept him from serious effects of the energy blast that caught him."

The female nods a look of relief on her features, "I understand Gunndis, he chose the Hunters to follow not in my footsteps, but in yours." She chuckles softly, "Ever since I started telling him stories about you when he was a pup. I hope you know how loyal he is to you."

Gunndis nods, "I understand Commander Blackpaw. And he is going to be quite a Hunter after a little more seasoning. I'm sure you'll be proud of the reputation he'll be forming on his own."

She nods, "I was before he even became a Hunter." She snaps a salute to the panthress, "Take good care of him and try to keep him alive while he learns the ropes."

Gunndis returns the salute, "I will ma'am. Hunter Gunndis, out."

All characters unless otherwise stated are the property of Christopher Gilman [aka Goliath Wildcat] and Jason Williams [aka Sinuke]. Story © Copyright Christopher Gilman 2008 all rights reserved