We, are not alone.
#2 of Stories Of Sirus
The door hissed as it opened. Trash and debris floated in the darkened hallway and the air had a distinct smell of old and stale. By two's marines cleared the entrance half leaping, have gliding down the corridor. The computer terminal that controlled the doors was dead but showed no signs of damage. Once the small room was cleared the marines reported that the room was clear focusing their lights and weapons to the still closed bulkhead door that lead to the main corridor. The entry room was narrow. L shaped with the main door easily able to see down the corridor to the entry hatch and to the control station that manipulated the hatch. Paper wrappings as well as pens and other things floated obviously originating from the desk with the computer console. A white armored man steps from the docking ship, his magnetic boots clamping him to the floorboards easily. His very presence and stance demanded a quiet awe. The armored figure moved with a silent grace his boots thundering noisily on the cold metal floorboards. The lead trooper indicated to another at the door to look ahead as the door opened and they moved stealthily out covering each others backs and clearing the corridor. The white clad figure strode confidently out into the hallway. A displeased frown could be made out on his features as he looked at his ship, dead, dark, and motionless, then deepened as he looked to his armor. It was adequate, the marines had done their best to paint the armor with his colors but it was not his. He paused a moment to give the troopers a chance to clear the hall in front of him before he motioned for the sergeant to listen to him.
"Sergeant, we're moving out here. We're going to the bridge. See that your men clean the halls rapidly." The man nodded, his helmet moving in a brisk fashion before he turned and silently indicated with hand signs the directions to look. The marched in a macabre progression down the corridor. The halls were eerily quiet as the procession marched silently. A figure in white flanked on all sides by shadows that flicked in and out of the light. Around each hall a trooper would clear it followed by his partner, all before the figure in white would march around the corner. Doors opened reluctantly with groans of complaints from ancient gears and rusted slides. Sirus frowned, his ship was brand new last he saw it but marching through the corridors, seeing the rust of the long dead ship, he knew better. This ship had been here for some time, just how long was difficult to determine. The doors hiss, groaned and whined open opening part-way before grinding to a halt. Growling softly Sirus slid inside the room ignoring the protests of the marines. He stormed into his bridge looking around. Dust, rust and the stale air that surrounded the rest of the ship was all that greeted him. Sirus leaned over the captains chair staring intensely at the dead monitor. The screen was cracked and a section missing. The walls were covered in grit and carried a strange texture but other then the screen damage there was nothing apparently wrong with the bridge. Sirus cast a glance around the room frowning as the marines cleared the room pointing their rifles at every corner and crevice.
'I'll never get to the bottom of this with them hovering around' he thought to himself.
"Sergent" he turned standing sharply. The trooper was instantly at attention and saluting. "Take your men down to engineering, get me a status on the systems and obtain the logs. Before the Sergent could raise an objection Sirus lifted his hand "and I'll be fine here, there hasn't been any signs of danger and no signs of struggle here on the bridge indicating that this place has been undisturbed for a very long time." The trooper seemed to consider that and nodded gathering his men and leaving the bridge.
Once they were gone Sirus smiled evilly and turned to examine the bridge closer. A small flashing light on the captains console caught his eye. He moved around the upper catwalk and sat in his chair. A subtle flashing light on his console was indicating that he had a message. He pressed the console and a virtual screen appeared before him playing a message. By the look of it the message was old, static appeared occasionally and the screen would flicker. There stood a woman, older and certainly more psychotic looking but it was his second-in-command Felicia.
"...Hisssssssssssssss the ship is in an awful state..... omething happened during our test flight. Most of the crew is gone, Avus and I decided to shut down primary power to conserve what we have. Most of the crew is evacuating to a nearby system. They believe a planet is there able to contain life. I say let the fools die, I'm taking the tech crew and using the cryochambers. They are set to wake me if anyone adjusts the ship... I hope that crazy old man was right about you coming."
"...old man?" Sirus arched an eyebrow but shrugged it off, Felicia had been known for her 'flights of fancy' and Sirus didn't stop to question them all. He stood from his chair moving around the bridge, up the walkway and through the hallway in the back leading to the astro-navigation room and his personal quarters. While walking he removed his helmet grimacing at the stale air. His white hair billowed out falling down to the middle of his back, as he moved more lights flickered to life, behind him. He paid it little attention to it as he approached the end of the hall. A large number 1 was painted here at the bulkhead indicating the deck. Sirus looked up at it and spoke "Sirus Alcat Commander and chief of fleet assignment NightHawk." A panel moved aside sliding a small computer with palm unit and a mechanical voice
"Password identification" said the machine. Sirus placed his hand on the devise and spoke his password "Alpha and Omega" there was a soft beeping "confirmed" said the voice. Massive screws began spinning in the four corners of the wall, squeals and squeaks sounded as cables and counterbalances moved dropping the elevator. Large sections in the massive metal wall retracted grinding and groaning from non-use and a blast of fresh air filled the hall. The air had a peculiar scent on it as well, one that Sirus was familiar with and it brought an evil grin to his lips as he stepped into the manual lift which began its ascent.
When the lift doors opened Sirus stepped into the craped corridor. Here, unlike the rest of the ship, there were no panels covering the pipes nothing to make it pretty. Massive pipes moved both freezing cold, and blazing hot plasma lining the wall to the right. Circuit panels and wires for control were all about the hall though this was more by design then by chaos. The laser control room wasn't meant for tourists, unlike the rest of the ship. This was the secret weapon that was determined to remain so. Sirus stepped into the corridor moving at a cautious pace. A window left and right showed the focal lens where the super laser would store much of its energy before being re-directed to the emitters flanking the ship. Then, the collection chamber. A narrow catwalk went around the massive circle. Particle emitters were placed in 360 degrees around this room all aimed for the center. The walls were lined with massive electro magnets to force everything in the center of this ball of a room before venting it up and down to the 2 lenses. Sirus skirted the edge of this room not failing to notice the blood coating the walls and growing more and more prominent the deeper he went. Around the corner and into the control room. Here was where the 7 scientists all maintained the systems for the super lasers. These people never left this deck unless given special permission and at specific times. Here computer terminals lined the walls and even a larger one in the middle of the octagonal room. Trails of blood, drag marks by the look of them lead from here to the back hall leading to the crew's quarters. Sirus tilted his head looking to the signs of violence. Mild curiosity flicked through his mind as he moved into the final hall. The largest of the bloodstains lead to the commanders room. Sirus opened the door his hand on a holstered blaster the door hissed open sounding very well maintained. The stench of death and meat filled his nostrils making him hunger. His golden eyes flashed a moment before he scanned the room. A set of glowing red eyes peered at him, startled and with a mad intelligence behind them. Crouched in the dark corner, blood coating her mouth and a meat covered bone in her hand was the wild eye second in command. She started muttering to herself, mumbling about how he was not standing there, that couldn't be him. She was about to ignore him when he spoke "I see you've been busy." he spoke coolly, the words seemed to startle her, the wild look gone, the meat forgotten as she moved over to him, poked him curiously blinked in surprise and stood a little straighter. She spoke quietly "your late" there was a cold anger in her voice as she looked up into his glowing golden eyes. A feral growl escaped her throat but she made no other moves as he backed out of the room cupping his strong arms behind his back and starting down the hallway knowing she would follow if for no other reason the to leave this place.
"How long" he inquired curiously
"I stopped counting, I think after 55,000 years."
he arched an eyebrow slowly "really? Something happen to your cryopod?" to which she nodded, "and then the hunger took over hmm?" he had well understood, they both craved it, fresh raw meet. Blood dripping into the pallet. It was enough to make his own mouth water. They marched solemnly down the hall letting the words sink into the silence. It wasn't until they reached the elevator that Felicia looked to him and slugged him in the arm. He chuckles lightly "for you it was an age, for me I've been gone 6 hours."
The lift descended and as they stepped from it the wall slide back into place. Sirus looked to Felicia "Use my quarters, clean yourself up my dear before the marines ask questions" She gave him a rueful grin mischief flickering in here eyes "yes of course, the crowned prince wouldn't want any uncomfortable questions hmm" She sidled off displaying her usual attitude. He watched her lithe body in that skin tight uniform of hers slither off and felt a stiring in his lions. He growled softly moving from the hall opening the security door, and spoke aloud. "Avus," he called not to the trooper whom returned from engineering startling the group. "...Download all current records to mobile unit and synchronize to this suit." Speakers crackled in response and a female voice broke through "very well master" it said with something of an attitude that Sirus didn't rather like but decided to ignore for now.
"Sir! Mother-ship called. Our time here is up, we need to return to the rendezvous point to meet with captain Aon." Sirus sneered, this captain he didn't know and had no interest in. "No sergeant, you will be going I am staying here on my ship. Its deserted save for my second officer and I wish to review the records." The sergeant was about to protest when Sirus lifted a hand "save it, those are my orders, get your men to the docking clamp and get back to the ship." a soft beep from his on-board HUD indicated that the download was completed.
There was something in his eyes that left no room to question and reluctantly the soldier gathered his troops and left. Sirus himself had no interest in returning to that ship. This was his and he was determined to find the cause of their mis-hap. But it was something deeper, he could sense a presence approaching closer. Felicia looked at him with a curious expression and was about to lay into him about her desire to leave this place when he stood suddenly and turned to the door marching briskly. She bristled in anger that he would walk away before she spoke and went to chase him down.
A loud clang sounded in the empty halls and the air rushed around Felicia as she caught up to him, His eyes narrowed and she looked around with a mild surprise. She was the first to speak as they slowed their movements "the troopers leaving?" she asked hopefully.
"No," he said quietly. "Its something else, Something here for me" he said barely above a whisper, he himself not certain he even spoke the words let alone what he meant by them. He launched himself in a long quick gait heading towards the airlock on this level. Felicia marched with him, her anger temporarily forgotten as she fell into step beside him.
The door hissed open and to his surprise what greeted him wasn't human at all. Large, strong and green was his first mental note. He masked any reaction to their presence other then annoyance at their arrival from his face. Each of the creatures before him stood no less then 6 feet tall and were clearly heavily armed with rifles that looked more blade then gun but the way the held them suggested more. They varied in sizes though all similarly tall some were bulky, muscular, others lean and had a look of youth in their eyes. The younger ones were first to notice the undaunted motion of Sirus and Felicia. He came to stop before them examining each with a calm cool gaze even as their guns trained on him and they shouted in strange words at him. There was something in the younger ones eyes that pleased Sirus, a sense of fear. Though they had never met the younger ones seemed immediately fearful of his very presence. Sirus stood patiently saying nothing as they shouted and threatened to jab their sharp weapons at him. "Lizards" Sirus thought to himself "thats what they are, how interesting" he looked them over, they wore scraps of clothing over their anthropomorphic frames. It seemed these scraps of cloth were all they could get to cover themselves with. Loin cloths, and toga's the older ones had little more, some form of trousers with colorful metal and decorations glittering without. Sirus looked to a large fat lizard-man pointing to him. He Instinctively growled as he spoke something Sirus himself didn't even pickup at the time "You! Order them to stand down" he spoke first. The quizzical look on the others face infuriated Sirus. Sirus growled a little louder and repeated the order as he stepped threateningly close to the obvious commander. Felicia looked to him curiously not understanding. Sirus wasn't speaking in her tongue but where he would learn theirs should didn't know and he himself didn't seem to notice. She lean close "what did you say to them?" This drew a curious glance back to her as Sirus contemplated it. "Ah... of course," he said to her "interesting... I told them to stand down."
She looked oddly at him then grinned in a particularly cock way laying her hands on her hips "and where did you learn to speak their tongue" To that Sirus chuckled and spoke simply "I didn't, I simply plucked it from their minds" He spoke never taking his eyes off his adversaries and noted with amusement that the younger ones fear was greater now. They fell to their knees chanting some ritualistic dribble that he didn't care about. The two older lizards turned and started yelling at each other frantically pointing in his direction and gesturing wildly. "...and when did you pick this particular talent up Sirus?" He chuckled to that "apparently just now." he turned to the arguing figures and this time when he spoke his voice carried like a booming thunder. "Enough of this! All of you bow before me now!" He growled and his eyes started glowing golden then flashed red. A demonic aura surrounded his body glowing black and seeming to absorb the light. The argument was over, they dropped to their knees bowing and chanting like the others. Felicia took a step back from him looking to him with a deadly serious expression but saying nothing. Sirus marched past the groveling soldiers and into their ship speaking to Felicia "Come..." he held up a hand to her as he turned fixing her with a stare to hold back the obvious rebuttal "...I'll explain as we go" He turned and sat in the jump seat directly behind the pilots chair and crossed a leg waiting. The lizards filed into the shuttle rapidly and Felicia shrugged and stepped in "I suppose any place is better then this dead hulk."