The Vespidian

Arc 11 Blood Moon

Chapter 11 Interlude: Hornet’s Nest

Nightmare sat in her room waiting. Everything was going according to plan, soon Glitter Kitten and the others would tire out Vesper. She would be lulled into a false sense of security and exhausted that was when they would strike. She simply had to bide her time.

She glanced at the watch once more; they had been at it for hours now. Surely the wasp would be getting tired by now? It was already almost one in the morning. She was getting exhausted just from listening to the racket going on down there. A yawn crept causing her to cover her mouth and stretch her arms.

Seriously though how long would this take? From the sounds of things down there and the way, the building was shaking from time to time things did not seem to be calming down. If anything they seemed to be getting worse, even more, heated than before.

Animals, she thought vaguely glancing at the kittens that were huddled away from her in the corner. She tapped her fingers watching them with a slight smile — her precious merchandise. With a bit more training these little shits would be worth a lot of money. She would take her time breaking them in once things were more… stable.

Though it was safer up here, it was still both boring and nerve-wracking at the same time. If this plan failed then all the hard work she had done till now would be wasted. A terrifying thought occurred to her, what if the wasp started eating the subhumans while they had not been ordered to attack? That would undoubtedly be bad. Perhaps she should check on them just to make sure.

A particularly loud crash came from below in the depths of that vault turned breeding pen. Yelping and screaming rose. Before more deafening thuds and the whole building shook at a steady rhythm. If what she had heard about the Blood Moon was right, then all of the Mad Dogs should be fully empowered at this point. They should be at their strongest now so subduing Vesper would be now… or perhaps it would be better to wait until morning?

She couldn’t decide. Checking on things seemed to be the only way to proceed. It was stupid to blindly follow a plan if things changed for all she knew the Mad Dogs might be getting slaughtered down there and not even putting up a fight. That would be a problem since they were useful meat shields.

Nightmare hurriedly moved down the corridors; Gnome followed clanking from the alloy surrounding her. She arrived at the vault door where Captain Metal and Disk Jockey stood guard. Disk sat with a laptop connected to the door, keeping it locked. Screeching of metal and banging rang out from the other side, someone or something was hitting against the door. Cries and growls of animals were barking and yowling over one another.

“What is wrong?” she asked.

“The camera got broken, so we can’t see what is going on in there.” Said Disk.

Hissing from what sounded like a cat fight transpired from the other side just before the door dented in. Clawing shrieked for a moment as they wearily watched the scant feet of steel that separated them from the… well whatever the hell was going on in there. The shrill scream of a cat rose as though it were being skinned alive. Thrashing and desperate struggling rose before a loud thud echoed from the door and whoever it had been that was trying to escape went silent.

Nightmare gulped. Maybe it would be better not to open that door. From the sounds of things, it was a blood bath just beyond those few feet of protective metal.

“Metal, do you think they are winning?”

He looked a bit pale, “Hard to tell, they haven’t been talking for a while now. It is just screaming and growling and hissing. Fucking subhumans are always like this on the full moon. They are just animals, can’t reason with them or talk to them.”

“The backup plan is ready right?”

“Yeah, the speakers are all set up in there so we can blast them.”

“I would rather not damage our merchandise, the dog whistle works though right?”

“It does, but I don’t know if it will work on them at the moment. They are even less human than usual right now.” Metal replied.

“We will do the whistle first and have them attack the wasp. If that doesn’t work, we will use the other frequency to disable them. Gnome be ready to help keep that door shut if things don’t work.”

They nodded. Metal nodded to Disk, and he typed in a few commands on the laptop. There was a brief pause in the racket that was echoing out from beyond the wall. The sound was ultra high frequency, beyond what humans could hear, but the subhumans heard it loud and clear. This sound had been used to train the Mad Dogs during Nightmare’s stay; it was a stand down command. Things quieted; however, it didn’t last long.

Pained voices rose from the other side, and violent bashing and screeching filled the air like a tsunami of rage.

“Shit! They are breaking the speakers!” Shouted Captain Metal.

Thuds rang out from the door as bodies started hurtling against it. The wall groaned from the frenzied scratching and clawing.

“Use the last resort! Knock them out!” Nightmare panicked.

Disk typed, and the sound switched to a high pitched droning noise. Howls rose from beyond, and the cacophony of pained animals rose to a fevered pitch. Things started smashing inside that room. Even after several minutes, they didn’t seem to calm down. Disk’s face went ghostly white as he turned to speak and the noise shut off.

“They broke all the speakers.”

A steady thudding rose, and they realized that it was the footsteps of something substantial. It got louder and faster, and then the vault door groaned, denting out from a blow. The four staggered as the entire building shook dust filling the air as cracks fissured all across the ceiling and walls. That door or wall for that matter would not take another hit like that.

“Gnome, collapse this corridor, it will slow them down. Hell, bring the whole fucking building down on them if you have to, stop them no matter what it takes!” Nightmare ordered as she ran full speed up the stairs.

The others followed quickly behind her as Gnome raised her hands. Below the door, burst open. A body hurled clear into the stairwell. It was Den Mother who lay sprawled motionless. Black claws emerged from the destroyed frame, yellow and red dripping from them as more of the monstrous wasp woman came into view. The white face had claw marks gouged through it dribbling yellow even as they started to seal back up. Several tentacles had been torn from her head spraying yellow.

Monster. Nightmare had seen many a monster throughout her life and the familiar sensations of shivers tingling up her back. The primal fear of a predator rose. This was the same feeling she got when in the same room as any of the other Spore Spawn. This thing might be as powerful as Mantia or maybe even Centi. Still, the wasp paled in comparison to THAT. Nothing could even come close to the apex predator. She suppressed the fear, moving with purpose through the building to get clear.

The many eyes moved about shifted as she breathed heavily. All of them converged on Gnome who ripped her arms down collapsing the building. Gnome swam through the ground moving it before her and sending it back in place, reinforcing it before she rose up to the surface emerging from the rubble. Nightmare and the others were already fleeing. Gnome moved her hands ripping nearby buildings and compressing them down onto the ruined building.

Her fingers mashed as she crushed and flattened, making the debris thicker and more robust. She was reinforcing it with everything that she could. She packed it in forming a concrete tomb for those trapped below. Gnome huffed as the ground shook. It wasn’t enough. An arm burst free from the ground clawing and scraping. She hurled a broken down bus at it, making it bend backward with a horrendous snap. The black carapace twisted back into place unfazed as it pushed cratering the ground and dragging Vesper free.

The massive wasp woman stood fully, towering over Gnome even with the metal golem surrounding her. Her antennae twitched as she watched Gnome the many eyes wandering past her in the direction that the others had fled. Already the tentacles that had been detached had sprouted regrowing from her overly large head. The gashes and claw marks all over the carapace sealed shut and regrew as she gazed past Gnome as though she were nothing more than an insignificant insect.

“I smell you, Nightmare,” her face twisted into a villainous smile.

Gnome tensed backing away, the pure bloodthirst and malice radiating out of that creature made her shiver. Slowly the eyes descended onto her as though only now realizing she was there. “Gnome? Don’t get in my way.”

She didn’t want to fight this monster, but her mind kept crushing her fear. This thing would kill Nightmare. She couldn’t let that happen. Her head hurt for a moment as contrary thoughts rose. Her mind went into disarray as images from L.A. filled her eyes with the fires and screams. Her resolve focused as she eyed the black figure from her nightmares. Gnome raised her hands as all of the metal around slapped against her exterior melting and growing her protective suit.

“You will have to go through me first.” She said growing to match the wasp.

***

The full moon draped the ruined city streets in a heinous hue of pale light. Even now the ever-present threat of the Spore loomed above, beyond the sky. Like a phantasmal jellyfish spreading its feelers in search of prey. Ghostly tendrils stretched out from the moon to catch the stars themselves. Slowly drifting in the void of space.

Nightmare paused heaving as she bent over to catch her breath. Gnome would buy them time to escape. How much? Well, that was uncertain. Distantly she could hear the howls of crazed animal people, weapons fire, explosions, and the rumble of buildings collapsing.

She no longer had a plan. It was beyond expectations that Vesper would have defeated the Mad Dogs and the sonic equipment destroyed. There was a backup system, but it was pretty far away. The only choice was to run.

They continued through the Slums. Moving as quickly and quietly as they could. There were predators about. Ferals stalked these streets. The only good thing about the Blood Moon was that it made things easier to see, but that worked both ways.

Captain Metal watched the surroundings wearily nothing seemed to stir, not even a mouse which was far better than the alternative. Pestered sounds rose from the bag on his back as it squirmed about. Their insurance policy if one of the Mad Dogs happened to come although it was unclear if it would be a good wasp deterrent.

“Where to now?” Asked Disk Jockey seated on a pile of debris.

“I don’t know, Panther check-” started Nightmare, before stopping herself. Panther had been useful. His supposed replacement had run off to who knows where leaving her with a slight amount of regret over losing such a useful tool, “Oh right. We need somewhere to hide for the night. We can’t be out in the open like this.”

“We did clear out City Hall. We could hold out down in the basement with the backup system” Said Nightmare.

“Might work, best shot we got,” Captain Metal replied, “Alright come on.”

Their course changed, and the group moved northeast. The city skyline lit up beyond the dismal ruins around them. Safety, so close and yet not so safe if only they were not hunted then they could flee back to civilization. The cries of animals filled the night, and distant screams rose before fading into the lonesome streets.

Near the city, an explosion went off. Flames tinting the surroundings orange and red. Thick black smoke billowing up. Luckily that was a reasonable distance away from where they were headed, back where they had come from. That should either draw the attention of others or scare them away. They were in the clear, or so they thought. A sensation of ice slid down Nightmare’s back and she froze. She knew this feeling; something was watching them. Wearily they looked around.

Was it merely her imagination? No, she had felt this many times before while in the presence of the bugs.

The surrounding buildings were mostly intact, closing off avenues of escape and attack. Except for the roofs they were exposed but offered ample area to attack from. She squinted at a dark shape. After a moment she sighed, it was only a broken water tank.

From the opposite side, rubble clattered, rolling out onto the cragged street. That was when all their eyes climbed up the tall frame of the blackened carapace to the face of bone white emerging from over the next rooftop.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” said the monstrous wasp.

“Get her!” Shouted Nightmare.

Captain Metal raised his sonic emitter dialing it up to the maximum output. A compressed wave of sound shot through her. The shock wave sent Vesper reeling, holding her head as even the building below her started to vibrate. She retreated several steps as the sound warded the wasp away. It had not been enough to incapacitate her. She pulled back steadily clutching her head as blood drooled out of her mouth. Yellow trailed her as she began to run. It was working. If they could restrain her, then she could be mind controlled.

“Don’t let her escape!” Ordered Nightmare pursuing with Captain Metal.

Though Vesper was shaken and unsteady, she was still dominant, rampaging straight through a building in a bounding leap. Dust plumed out as the echo of another building crashed farther away. They slowed, unable to keep up with the six-legged monster as it scuttled away. She was too fast to pin down. The wasp had escaped.

“Damn it! We were so close.”

“We should leave before others are attracted to the commotion.” Said Disk Jockey.

“He is right. I might have one or two more minutes of power at full blast.” Said Captain Metal, watching the meter on the side of his weapon carefully.

Reluctantly, Nightmare pulled back, and they continued. After minutes of withdrawing through the Slums, the ruins of City Hall loomed ahead. The relative safety within would shield them from most threats that might be lurking in the night. With the backup system they would even be able to bring down Vesper if she dared pursue them.

The shivers returned like spiders crawling down their backs. Many eyes were watching them. Vesper had not given up and merely licked her wounds readying herself for another attack.

A small building came hurtling from the side crashing down mere feet away from where they had abruptly stopped. If they had kept running, they would have been smears below that rubble now. An avalanche of debris blocked their path cutting off their route; they would need to find another way through. As they retreated an array of broken down cars and chunks torn from structures smashed into the road forming a mishmashed barricade. They were trapped, like fish in a barrel.

Realizing that this would be their last stand, Nightmare took the wriggling bag from Captain Metal. It might not work, but it was still the best shot that they had to get out of this alive. They braced for the inevitable end, but it didn’t come.

She was watching them, circling with those pitch black eyes, the glaring red irises burning with malice. The three were powerless to stop her at this point. She was staying out of the sonic emitter’s range. She could quickly kill them whenever she wanted merely by throwing things and yet she didn’t.

Luckily for them, Vesper didn’t merely want to kill Nightmare, no, that would be too easy. Her grudge was far too deep. She wanted to torture her and inflict as much pain and suffering as she could before ending her life. Simply crushing her under a building would be too easy. This was a predator playing with its food.

“Come out you cowardly creature!” Shouted Captain Metal.

She did just that. From above, the massive wasp woman slammed down between them, the asphalt rippling away from her impact. Disk was thrown into the corner slumping motionless. Nightmare ignored him there wasn’t much that he could do to this thing anyway. Captain Metal fired the emitter causing her to back away several paces, hands covering her head. It was working, but why had the wasp done something so stupid as to charge at them straight on without picking Metal off first?

The answer came with a grotesque sound. Yellow, ichor flowed from her head, and she dropped two long noodle like things that wiggled on the ground. She had dismembered herself… but why? Then it dawned on them as a look of horror covered both Nightmare and Metal’s faces. She had ripped out her antennae to deafen herself. No longer affected by the sound She stood upright. Her eyes wide open filled with rage.

She lunged forward, swiping with her talons and Captain Metal’s legs splattered against the wall. His top half slopped onto the ground as blood and gore covered the cold asphalt. His face had gone white in a moment as he stared in disbelief. Red spittle erupted from his mouth as he coughed and wheezed. He grits his teeth staring Vesper down.

He managed to choke out “Damned Subhuman. I should have… killed yo-”

The shock faded as he bled out all too quickly. Captain Metal slumped dead. Vesper poked at him seemingly dissatisfied. She stepped on his body crushing it.

Nightmare brandished the bag between them with a handgun pointed at it, “I will kill it so back off! I will; I swear I will put a bullet in this little shit’s head!”

“Is he dead? Pathetic. It is a shame I won’t hear your pathetic begging or smell your fear either. Well, I will be sure to keep you alive for later,” said Vesper looking away from Captain Metal’s body, tilting her head slightly in puzzlement as she gazed at Nightmare’s strange behavior.

She hadn’t heard a word of the desperate threat. The clawed foot stepped forward, dragging some of what remained of Captain metal with it. Nightmare took several steps back, cornered against a wall. Realizing that no amount of shouting would work, she pulled the bag down, freeing what was inside. Vesper stopped, staring at the kitten who looked around crying. It was Snowball.

“That is rather underhanded of you,” stated the looming wasp. “As expected of you I suppose.”

Nightmare’s confidence began to return seeing the hesitation. She sensed weakness, motioning with the gun in an attempt to convey her will. The moment that she did a tentacle lashed out wrapping her arm and yanking her so hard it dislocated and broke her stance causing her to fall over. Another coiled around the other arm and lifted Nightmare as yet another pulled the kitten away to safety.

“I can’t hear you screaming like this,” said Vesper picking up her discarded antennae and reattaching them. After a few moments, they wiggled about, “Ahhh much better. What a lovely smell. The stench of prey. I never wanted to hurt anyone nearly as much as I do you. Go on, let me taste your suffering. Scream for me.”

The wet tongue slapped against Nightmare’s face as she quivered staring into the abyss that was those eyes. Despite her struggling, there was no escape from those powerful limbs. Vesper’s mouth gaped as her hot breath washed over Nightmare causing her to go green. Her left arm was pulled into that maw as she watched in horror as the mandibles bit into her flesh. Bones snapped instantly, crunching and tearing as blood spilled out. Pain shot up as she screamed thrashing as those pitiless eyes mocked her.

Vesper sighed, relishing in the agonized face of her prey, watching as she gasped and squirmed, screaming incoherently. Nightmare reached for the mask like face, desperate to use her power. The tentacle tugged back snapping her arm in half. It bent the wrong way dangling as Nightmare cried and her voice broke. She was shivering as her stump flowed with blood.

Vesper mocked her, “Uh uh uh. Did you really think I would let you? Is this it? Is this really it? I am… disappointed. To think someone as pathetic as you tortured my friends and killed them. Sunshine and Chief. They deserved so much better. It should have been you to die that day. Weak. You are nothing. You are even worse than a bottom feeder. A parasite. I am going to make your life a living hell.”

The world tinted and eventually turned black as the blood loss took hold of Nightmare.