...intergalactic zoo...
Unchained...


+ Story + Crew Listing + Draco's Inferno Weyr +

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Izwara watched, seeing the tops of heads all clustered right at the window in the door. Then a low, metallic whine filled the hallway and began to grow in intensity. The door moved, just barely visibly. At last, and with an explosive WHANG!, the heavy blast-door came off of it's final welds and sailed down the corridor. It clattered to a stop near the end, a high-pitched shrieking following it's slide down the hall.

All was silent afterwards, save for the rhythmic panting of the decommissioned in the doorway. Then Illtud pushed his way roughly though his taller comrades and scurried off, cackling manically. "I'm not going after him." Sev said quietly, taking the first steps from the Cryoroom. "All I want is a shower, a long, hot one." Noni sighed, followed by murmurs of agreement from the rest. "You. Who are you? Why are we here?" Goran asked, upon seeing Izwara, half cowering behind the corner of wall and unsure of what to do, now that they were all free.

She clicked her name aloud, knowing none of them understood. The clueless looks on their faces said it all. She pointed toward the screen beside what had once been the door to the Cryoroom with a pink-hued scythe.

:>>Translation: My name is Izwara ni Taujan._

"Mouthful, eh?" Ischyrio said, glancing back at the orchid mantis. "You still didn't answer all of my question, why are we here, on this ship? Last thing I remember, I was called to a meeting at base." The rest nodded in assent, remembering similar occurrences. Izwara began clicking rapidly in response, and just as she spoke each word they whizzed across the screen.

:>>Translation: You are on the vessel Singularity's Scream, which was bound for the sun to be incinerated before I intervened. As for why, the Council decided it was time to get rid of it's little "genetics" pet project and move forward with newer, legal ones. They couldn't rid themselves of the project cleanly however, for you nine existed as lasting evidence. They would not trust you to live in civilized society, fearing you might suffer some kind of mental lapse if the genetic tampering proved to be degenerating your brains and go on a killing spree. Instead, you were scheduled to be decommissioned with some other trash found in a long-abandoned warehouse. I believe they called it a "programs purge"._

After telling the tired, cold, and still-covered-in-cryo-agent group the whole, nasty story, Izwara seemed to deflate from exhaustion. She watched wearily as it sunk into them, the horror that their lives, the lives they had so willingly given over to the Council to do with what they pleased, lives that were forever changed because of the genetic tampering, meant absolutely nothing to those in charge. "So, they were just going to... to send us in the sun while we were frozen?" Sev asked.

Translation: Yes. The Council held a secret vote on whether to just "take you out back and shoot you", with you fully aware of what was going on, or to have to make a voluntary submission to being "put down" like those on Death Row. A third division feared you would retaliate if you were aware. They suggested you be taken and sedated, then put in cryotubes to thus "spare you the knowledge of your decommissioning". It was considered to be the more humane approach and was enacted immediately._

"I can't believe it... they were so willing to just chuck us out with the morning paper, like so much nothing..." Noni breathed. Izwara sighed sympathetically.

:>>Translation: I know... That is partly the reason I stowed aboard. The other is... I am responsible for the genetic tampering preformed on you. I was head geneticist at the Council's medical station. But I thought all of my work was theoretical! I only actually preformed any experiments on animals, transplanting genes from one species to another. It was unable to produce the desired effect in any of my experiments, until the Council hired some kind of "bio-mage" who could manipulate flesh with magic. He assisted me in my genetics work and you nine were created behind my back. Had I known my work was being used on humans, I..._

"Please, stop." Goren said, holding up a hand. When Izwara looked at him, she was startled to see him in a half-bat form, and the hand he was holding up was the masterfully crafted cybornetic one. "I, for one, do not blame you for what the Council decided to do to us. Right now, all I am concerned with is getting as far away from that station as possible. Uh, computer?"

:>>You may call me Singularity._

"Singularity, what is the nearest inhabited planet, ship, anything?"

:>>There are several nearby planets that have rudimentary lifeforms on them, but I assume you are searching for a technologically advanced civilization?_

Ogdru snorted in laughter. "Well duh, machine. Not much use to us if we land on a planet populated by microbes or shrieking apes now, is it?" Xhosa growled and, quick as lightning, snatched the snakehead fish-shifter up by his neck. "I'm beginning to carry a growing hatred for you, fish-boy..." "Whoa, whoa... settle down now, no need for violence." Ischyrio cut in delicately and separated the two. "Yes, Singularity, a technologically advanced planet, if you will."

:>>Then the nearest place is a planet called Atu. It also has a space station In orbit called Star City. I believe it would be best for us to dock with the station, for my fuel cells were only left with enough fuel to make it to the sun._

Goran stood a moment in thought. From the corridors behind them came the skittering sound of bare feet on metal, along with a soft cackle of impish glee. "While you're brewing up your plan boss, I think I'ma take a whirl around the ship." Ishie said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Maybe I can find us a shower or two. Is there enough water on board for eight showers, Singularity?"

:>>Yes, they did not think to drain the reservoirs and my water purification system is still intact. Also, I am detecting a large amount of cargo in the cargo bay. If none of it is essential, purging it into space will save some of my remaining fuel._

"Brilliant idea." Having thought of none himself, Goran latched onto the computer's. "Showers first. Are there clothes on board, aside from these?" The once-soldiers were wearing shorts and, in the case of the women, sports bra-like tops, not very warm clothes for the frigid outer space.

:>>I believe they also included some of your personal belongings in the cargo hold, nearest to the door._

"How thoughtful, burn away our only possessions along with us." Bahasa muttered sardonically. "All for the best in the end, chap. Whose first for the showers?" Goran nodded to Xhosa, Noni, Sev, and Sidda. "Ladies first, gentlemen. Let's go open up some of those crates in the cargo hold and find our stuff from the rubbish." Izwara had been watching the group quietly from her hiding place and was turning to go when Sev stopped her. "Come on, you can help us find the showers in this place." Her voice held none of the iciness that Izzy had imagined it would, and she was heartened by this. "Yeah, and keep an eye out for us. I don't like the looks a' that Ogdru. Did you see how his eyes never make it above our chests? Even when I had him by the neck!" Xhosa's voice, though gruffer than Sev's, was as welcoming as it could be.

Izwara clicked softly in laughter as the five made their way opposite the men, the orchid mantid guiding them to the crew quarters.



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