agogCollector AC to troubledContributor TC

AC: Hey there! I've got some news!

TC: I hope they're good.

AC: Yes and no. Do you want to have the good one or the bad one first?

TC: The bad one, please. I prefer to have something nice to look ahead.

AC: Slicer has relocated the data he got from Lappor. At first, I thought he has found out that I was snooping around his stuff but nope. He's paranoid. But it'll cost us more time…

TC: By the Void…

TC: How much data could you secure?

AC: Don't you worry. I've all the important things in my head. Eidetic memory. That's my main psychic ability by the way. No details lost. But now I need to search again for the rest.

TC: Please, don't get yourself killed!

AC: Silly. I won't. Promised!

TC: And what about the good news?

AC: The good news is that the Medics have woken Nethra up, but she isn't fully herself right now. A bit agitated and out of it — if you get what I mean. Also, she can't remember what has happened and why she went bad shit crazy. Now she's less of a bully, but it's just a matter of time before she's at it again. I still asked her about our business, and she says yes!

TC: Is she sure about it? There's no way back out once she comes along. Slicer can and will execute us for treason if he ever finds out. But… How much have you even told her about our plan?

AC: I told her that we're going to kick Slicer in the ass. She immediately said she's in. But there is one condition she wants us to uphold.

TC: And that would be?

AC: She doesn't want to get too close to the pale alien. After what happened to her, you certainly can't argue with that.

TC: I can't promise to keep her away from the pale creature, but I'll try my best to uphold it. I guess if she stands guard and helps you collect information about Slicer and his plans it's enough, isn’t it?

AC: She’ll get bored, but I think her motivation to get at Slicer will keep her up to the task. By the way, her communication handle is caliginousTyranny.

TC: Thanks for her handle. And for everything else. Really.

AC: You’re more than welcome, softy ;)

TC: Before I forget. I've also some news for you. Serfin and I have found a few weak points in the Recuperation-tank, but we need tools, at least a crowbar, to get the tank open.

AC: I could look for one as well.

TC: No, just concentrate on getting further pieces of information. The more we know about the alien and Slicer the better we're prepared in the case something goes wrong. Also, Fin is already looking for one as we type.

AC: Okay, if this's all at the moment I'll return to snoop around Slicers private rooms. Bu-bye, Res!

TC: Bye! And remember, don't endanger yourself needlessly.

AC: I'll try my best. Promise!

agogCollector AC ceased communication with troubledContributor TC

—

???

Silent feet on metal.

A calm beating heart and quiet breaths.

A perfect duet.

A perfect dance.

Someone is ahead.

He looks as if he is doing something bad.

A bad boy.

Or is he?

Creep closer.

Unheard.

Unseen.

He examines something at the open door, through which blue-green light illuminates his frame.

He looks thoughtful at the mechanism.

It is fascinating to watch him as he fumbles with it.

He fumbles and fumbles and fumbles and fumbles…

He watches and looks around for guards.

Silent feet on metal make a sound.

He stops, looks up and closes his eyes.

His long pointy ears twitch.

They pick up nothing.

A moment later he looks up again, rising to his feet.

Slow. Suspicious.

Wonder seeps into his mind.

Curiosity even.

But he does not move.

Such a good boy.

He intends to come closer but closer he shall not get.

The silent feet on metal disappear in darkness.

Nothing but emptiness is left behind.

—

cheerfulAgitator CA to agogCollector AC

CA: Say, have you heard about the Shadow Walker?

AC: Yeah. I've heard rumors. People speak about a blind passenger. A few rations have disappeared and strange sounds have been heard. I hope it wasn't the Insectoid. You two have kept him all the time in your room, haven’t you?

CA: We haven't let him out since we got him. Well, I've found him in one of the ration compartments, but that was when I got him.

AC: Then what about this Shadow Walker? Now that I think about it, I do have heard about something or someone snooping around the ship. But those were rumors.

CA: I'm not sure, but I think I’ve seen him. It was around last night while I manipulated the door in the Recuperation-Section. We wanna enter it without a problem whenever we want and leave whenever we wanna. So, I was tinkering around with the lock at the sliding mechanism when I felt watched. So, I looked around but saw nothing. But I think the Shadow Walker was right behind me. Invisible, if y'know what I mean. It might’ve been my nerves. But I'm sure there was someone. Like, breathing down my neck and such. It was kind of creepy.

AC: Some people get crazy if they’re too long alone in the bowls of any ship. Dark places attract dark thoughts. Despite this rational explanation, I have a bad feeling. Nethra has also spoken about feeling a presence down there while she was trailing Lappor. I also think Slice knows about this Shadow Walker, but he doesn't do anything to find it. Perhaps it's linked to the weapon or some sort of hallucination. Or something else entirely. I mean, who knows what else was on that asteroid. It was near the Boundary where all kinds of creeping things live.

CA: Then I rather have the hallucination than a dangerous creature from the void. Or even a god for that matter.

AC: That's also what I hope. But we shouldn't let our guard down. Hopes and reality rarely coincide.

CA: That's right. So, I keep my eyes open and let you and the others know about it if I find something strange.

AC: Okay. By the way… How goes the search for the crowbar? Res told me about it.

CA: Perfect. I've got one. Was able to take it unnoticed. So far, no one misses it. But I need to go now. Toddy needs to be guarded.

AC: Toddy?

CA: That's the name of the Insect-thingy. I came up with it.

AC: Hehehe. Sounds cute.

CA: Thanks. See ya.

AC: Bu-bye.

cheerfulAgitator CA ceased communication with agogCollector AC

—

???

Silent feet on metal.

A calm beating heart and quiet breaths.

Someone is ahead.

A shadow but light in comparison to the darkness.

He does not know that those will be his last breaths.

The whisper of something sharp being pulled over something dull.

The low click of metal against metal.

The one ahead notices something.

His ears twitch.

He stops to examine the door, through which blue-green light illuminates his frame.

He is like a ghost.

His horns short but his psychic sense sharp.

He turns around and stares.

The naked eye sees nothing.

The night eye just as blind.

Darkness mixed with darkness.

Immovable and indistinguishable.

A perfect void without light and motion.

He looks with his other senses.

He shrugs and turns around.

His heart beats faster.

His mouth gets dry.

Fear licks over his mind, swallowing it with one swipe.

He feels watched.

He feels frightened.

Slow he turns around, cold sweat gleaming on his brow.

His breath is caught in his lungs.

Has something touched him?

A gentle touch of invisible, cold fingers on his light-grey arm?

He backs away, pulling out his combat knife.

The hand holding the weapon trembles.

He has to hold it with both hands.

The knowledge that he is afraid makes the calm heart jump with glee.

He could never give a better present.

Except perhaps his life.

He does not notice the movement surrounding him.

He does not notice how sharp blades flashes brightly behind his back.

But he does notice the pain.

Sharp and clear.

It runs up from his side to his head and then into the rest of his body.

And then he sees the blades.

Thin claws that stick out of the front of his body.

Cold, sharp and covered in light-grey blood.

Covered in his own blood.

The knife drops on the walkway.

The clatter of metal on metal resounds within the bowls of the giant ship.

He wants to shout in pain.

He wants to sound alarm.

All he does is gasp for air.

The blades are twisted around in deliberate cruelty.

Like fingers tracing scars.

Scars they create.

Scars that never heal.

His breath gets caught in a wet sound.

Blood wells up in his mouth, painting the wall and walkway in a pale shade of grey.

The pain becomes sharp again as the blades wander up, up, up, up…

It cuts open his right side.

Merciless.

Cold.

Joyful.

His right arm dangles limply from his body, living organs exposed.

His racing heart pumps the life from the body.

His body.

He falls down with a sad thud and stares with tears in his breaking eyes into the darkness.

Something moves there.

The specter of black boots appears before his face and vanishes a moment later into thin air.

His body twitches as the life runs out of him.

It is like a fast river made of the color of the metal underneath him.

Then the body relaxes.

A wave of calm occupying the mind and then there is no pain.

The void awaits him.

Silent feet on metal.

An excited beating heart and chuckling breaths.

Someone is left behind.

—

caliginousTyranny CT to troubledContributor TC

CT: Fuck this shit! I’m out. I… I can’t and won’t do anything anymore! Not until we have arrived at Cetus.

TC: Nethra?! Has something happened? Were you spotted?

CT: Fuck no! How stupid and incompetent do you think I am? Haven't you heard about it?

TC: Heard about what? Nethra, you're frightening me.

TC: Really, really bad actually.

CT: Someone was killed down in the bowls!

TC: Killed?!

TC: When?

TC: How?

CT: Around the early evening hours. Only two or so hours after global sundown as far as I know. Was cut down like nothing. Some say with a sword others think with plenty of knives. Also, there is this rumor about the Shadow Walker — I hope you've heard at least about this one, you hornless wonder. Yet there're also those who think the weapon has done it and I count myself personally to those people.

TC: I don't think it was the pale creature.

CT: And makes you think that?

TC: She would've freed herself long ago if she could do it. At least I would've tried to free myself.

CT: And you think you’re an expert in strange aliens?

TC: No. But just one murder? With some sort of blade? She has no weapons!

CT: Then what about this small chitinous creature?

TC: I doubt Toddy is even strong enough to overpower one of us. Also, Fin and I have always an eye on him.

CT: For your sake, I hope you two keep it up like this.

TC: I promise, but we need to change our plans. Maybe Slicer moves the pale creature into another part of the ship, and we have to start anew.

CT: I tell Topasa, but you’ve got to go without me. I won’t put myself into further danger because of this… monstrosity you’ve taken a fancy to. No matter if this means I can kick ol’ Slicer's ass or not.

TC: Please, wait! Let us speak together in person before you quit. As things are now, we need to speed up the plan. You're still an important part of this, and thus we need you. And we won't let you down even if the worst happens. You can count on us.

CT: Okay — I’ll give you a second chance. But just because I want to fuck this Water-Snorter up good.

TC: Thank you Nethra. You can't imagine how much this means to me. To all of us.

TC: Don't become sentimental, pipsqueak. We meet later today once I've spoken with my idiot roommate.

caligousTyranny CT ceased communication with troubledContributor TC