Unipsi, lovely entity

chapter 21: release

--enemy detected--

No delay, Idra rotated on herself so fast to appear as a black undefined mass. Then a sudden stop and an explosion of blood. One of the attendant, the ittiro Samiri Haergo was no longer there. Something hit him with so much force that his upper half was reduced to a stew. Small pieces of his body flew around scattering blood everywhere. Idra was behind what was left. Her posture was the same as the one in the just seen video but her figure was changing. The suit was adapting while still spiking from times to times. Those nearby without a gas mask started hallucinating and dropped in fear. Fortunately for them they won’t be part of what was coming.

--unknown disturb detected. Connection network damaged. Machine control failed. I’m on my own. Armed entities ahead. No hostile marker. Disarm entities--

Her hacking wasn’t working properly. Something was disturbing it, but she had bigger problem. The liin’s guards and the liin herself were now free from her influence. The droids were disconnected and the ambassador was not a combatant so she couldn’t count on him. She had an idea why those creature were picking up their weapons, but they were not enemies. Time to disarm some creatures. She dashed toward the liin, her suit extending to increase the impact area of her fist. She wanted to knock her down, but Dhalia with the little courage she had left before the gas could took over her brain jumped it taking the hit. The loud bang of the black goo impacting Dhalia’s shoulder followed by her body being launched across the room stated clearly idra’s intenctions..

There was no way to fix this mess so Scilla had to act as well. The liin’s life was the priority.

“THIS WAY!” yelled opening the door while extracting her pistol to provide suppression fire.

That is not her, something is not working. But now I can’t do anything to help her.

The guards started shooting while escorting out liin Csuicha, bullet everywhere but it was almost useless. Idra kept jumping around at inhuman speed, so fast that their brain were having a hard time following her around the room. Then the first strike. Idra got close to one of the guards, her punch right in the torso immediately followed why the sound of the armour breaking.

--entity disarmed. 15 more. 1 unmarked armed entity, investigation required--

Once she took down the first she pulled out her SMG and fired back. That small thing hit hard but non were lethal. She was not after their life. Her aim was outstanding, no bullets were missing her targets. One after the other her projectiles shattered their armour and hit the soldiers inside. She was going after the legs’ and arms’ muscles. She took down 3 soldiers with her. But the others had time to leave the room and lock it. Now locked in she took her time scanning the people left inside and immobilize the guards. She needed data to define her following actions.

--Clear. Clear. Clear… all clear. Ally safe. Armed species leans. Planet Icar 3°. Commercial partners. Unknown activation order. Possible mission purge of outlaws. Local resistance high. Theory: criminals tricked citizen to defend them. Do not kill innocents. Resume hunt for outlaws.--

Meanwhile on the other side of the door Scilla took command of the others guards.

“You 3 with the liin go down the stairs and get the fuck out. We will keep her busy”

“Lis I believe in you. Don’t let my guards die in vain”

“I won’t lose anybody”

Yeah, keep the moral high. We are fucked it’s only a question on how long will it takes to get screwed.

11 people against a super soldier that probably can predict the future. Not the best but they were in a close quarters scenario so at least they could use the surrounding at their advantage.

She is obviously after us, if she wanted to run she had could have slam Natrix into the building and just get away. So the best we can do is block off the staircase and defend as long as we can. She shoot back but she wasn’t trying to kill. I suppose she wants information of some kind. If we place a barricade just after the door on the left we could use the office for flanking her once she is on us. Better than nothing.

“you 6 with me, take out all the shit you can from the nearby offices and block this corridor. You 4 take down the wall from the common zone to the office so you can go in there and block the door. You will shot her from the glass windows on the side. Then someone get me a fucking weapon”

“yes commander!”said one of the guards. Even if not in the leans’ army Scilla had the highest rank being an ittira and also more experience being a veteran. On of the guard gave Scilla her own assault rifle.

They immediately started working, they had no idea how much time they had but for sure it was not going to be enough.

“from now on you 6 are the Ling squad while the 4 in the office are the Lof squad. I won’t promise anything but don’t try to be a hero. We stand together and fight together. Lone wolfs die alone. Soldiers never dies.”

“understood commander”

They only had 5 minutes but those where enough to at least have a minimal cover. An explosion shook the floor. Idra blew up the door. Now smoke and debris filled the other end of the corridor. Then the dark figure slowly moved to the centre of the hallway.

--armed entities on the other side. Deliver pacifying message.--

The office speaker started ringing. Then a confused and distorted message. It was an emulation of an unknown voice but definitely not Idra’s voice.

“surrender (distorted sounds) take your life (distorted sounds) outlaws”

I’m not falling for your tricks. We can’t surrender not now, not here.

“OPEN FIRE!” shouted Scilla. If they surrender she will probably catch up with the liin. That was not an option.

One after the other all the Ling squad started shooting toward Idra that strangely instead of charging she withdrew inside the meeting room.

“reduce the suppressive fire, save ammo! Save ammo! Ling 1 and 2 alternate shooting, 3 to 6 focus on the door. Lof stay alert.”

Then out of nowhere Idra jumped back in the hallway, this time with her rifle in hand. The strange gun had some lateral covering that opened. Small blue spark started jumping from the gun to the suit. An extremely loud and acute sound scattered the windows around and then the shot. Whatever she shot from that gun was out the ordinary. It pass through their barricade and all the building as well, leaving behind a massive melted hole. Then Idra swapped back to the SMG and repeated the message.

“surrender.”

What the fucking fuck was that. If that shit hit us we are gone fore good. That shit vaporized the surfaces that it hit. But she didn’t kill us. That prove that she doesn’t want to do so. So lets waste some more of her time.

--proposal denied. Engage targets--

Now she charged. Inhuman speed followed by her goo extending and intercepting the incoming projectiles. Then once she reached the half of the corridor, she tossed some kind of grenade toward the barricade. If flew right in the hole she made with the rifle.

“Grenade!”

then a loud bright explosion with little to no impact on the surrounding, Scilla was blinded while the polarized filters of the armour helmets stopped most of the light. The explosive released a cloud of gas mixed with burning reflective particles to stop possible electronics system to detected her presence. They where ready for a melee fight but Idra had other plans. She knew about all theirs position and so she jumped in the office on the side, SMG in hand. Just a few shots and then one of the Lof soldiers was sent flying toward the group. The woman hit Scilla knocking her on the ground. Then Idra immaterially followed using the Lof soldier as jump platform to beat the shit out of all the Ling squad.

--entities disarmed successfully. Detected movement--

Idra looked back to see and half blinded and bleeding Scilla tossing around the unconscious soldier and standing up. The impact with the 500kg soldier was not a pleasant one but she was still able to stand. The tentacles on her cheeks were now retracted and her pupils narrowed. Her body was all tense and ready to fight. That was the real nature of a lean. A natural predator that could achieve massive strength for short period of time.

“sorry girl but I can’t let you pass. Even if it’s the last thing I do”

--unmarked entity is unaffected by neurochemical stimulation. Protecting unknown entity. Willing to talk. Initiate communication--

Idra moved closer with her intimidating predatory posture and then speak emulating Scilla’s voice but distorting it.

“surrender and provide identification”

“Commander Scilla Lis, but I won’t surrender. Not to the likings of yours. The sane you won’t forgave me if a gave up now”

“define the sane version”

I doubt she would ever kill me. There is still a bit for Idra in there. Lets try with a little surprise.

“it’s exactly like you, but more lovely and smart. Oh and she is mine”

Her words indeed surprised Idra. A relationship with an alien. How? More importantly she was confuse by the fact that she detected no lies in her words. That was the moment, Scilla dashed forward going for a quick punch trying to disarm her but It was useless. The punch was blocked but a series of tentacles created by the suit goo that adsorbed all her kinetic energy. She was so close to hit, but that damn suit is just too much. A hard hitting kick from the side broke her arm and smashed her against the staircase door. Idra moved closer and grabber Scilla by her head. She was about to do something but then she dropped Scilla that lost consciousness.

--Memory error. Neural disconnection. Sensing system reboot. Scanning area. Friendly entity injured--

Idra looked at her feet and saw Scilla. She had no idea who that was or how she was injured but now she was marked as ally. Her scans revealed nothing around expect moving soldiers coming up and some going down. So she reached totally different conclusion.

--hostile territory. Friendly critically injured. Possible mission extraction injured ally. Defend injured from brainwashed previous companions. Unable to contact orbital support. Call ship. Extraction on rooftop.--

then she moved, she blew up the closed door and took Scilla. Natrix and all her tech were now working and so she called them all. The droids rushed toward her and followed her to the roof while the one at the landing zone embarked on the ship. As soon as she reached the roof Natrix was there opening to let her and the droids in. Idra rushed in carrying Scilla to the medical bay and attaching her to the medical chair. An autonomous machine that heals the creature sat on it. Then she was going toward the cockpit but she dropped down.

--error. Artefact anomaly detected. Prioritizing host survival. --

|/configuring engineer|/

Scilla woke up attached to the medical chair inside an unknown room.

Where the fuck am I? This looks a lot like Idra’s ship but she didn’t say a thing about this place. Is this a medical machine? It seems so, my arm is completely fine. How much time has passed? What is happening outside? And how the fuck did I get out of this thing?

The medical chair looked a lot like a dentist chair with extra machines all around you. It was meant for “light” injuries that don’t need surgery and can be healed with specialized nano-machines. Basically an omni-cure under steroids that needs extra machinery to be applied and can’t be reduce into a pill. Her right arm, the one that was broken, was inserted in several cylindrical machines linked to bigger machines. She moved around with the left part of her body that was mostly free looking for a release mechanism. Then she spotted a screen on a mechanical arm that she could turn to look at.

I suppose this things is my body… there are a lot of thing that are now in green… were they broken part that are now fixed? Or some other problems. Well who care. This things is all green so I suppose I’m fine. Is green the ‘yes’ colour for all species? Being able to read Estir would have helped a lot…. Oh, big green button on screen. It will kill me or release me, hopefully the last one.

Then she pressed the screen and the machines retracted. She stood up as a strange feeling filled her body. She felt good, it was a total regeneration. Her muscles felt more powerful and stronger, her body more elastic and her brain faster.

2 doors on the same side. I guess that is the exit so lets get moving.

She walked toward the closest door that scanned her but then it opened. She was now in a new corridor. Doors all around but then she saw Idra on the ground near the furthest door.

Fucking hell.

She rushed toward the unconscious creature. Even with all she had been through from when she met Idra, Scilla’s gut were still telling her that said girl was her future. Idra’s position clearly indicate that she didn’t plan to take a nap in the middle of the corridor. She was probably walking toward the door as her body weakened and collapsed. The goo that usually covers the suit and is rigid was now malleable as an extremely viscous liquid. It was dripping from her suit but still attached to it.

The fuck is this. Is it like off? No power to stay rigid? Well it’s not reacting so better for me. Let’s place her in a bed. Can’t put her in her room so the cocoon in the canteen will be fine. If I found something to make it more comfortable it will be better but it’s not my priority. Now which way do I go?

Her question was soon answered by the identification system that allowed her only to go back in the medical bay or in the opposite direction from where Idra lost consciousness. Going back she appear in the ship intersection and so she proceed to place down Idra in her improvised bed inside the cable in kitchen. She looked around for a pillow or something to add in order to make the place a bit more comfortable. Her objective was a success and she found a quilt inside one of the spare small bedrooms.

This will be enough. Now maybe if I reach the exit I could try to call outside. Just to inform them that I have the situation under control. Kinda. I don’t really want to leave I don’t even know if I can do so.

Scilla walked to the only airlock she knew and extract her phone. It screen was damaged but it survived the battle and that was good enough. It was sufficiently charged to go on for at least one more day but the signal reception was awful. She leant against the door and called Csuicha’s phone. Immediately she picked up.

“Scilla fucking hell you are alive! Are you ok. Is she keeping you hostage?”

“nope, I’m fine. Quite the opposite, she healed me. How many people has she killed? How much time has passed?”

“You lost your battle about 4 hours ago. Strangely enough the only corpse is the Ittiro that she hit first. The others are injured but not dead. We have take the ambassador under custody but the only thing he said so far is that she was solving our problems applying their law as we requested.”

“he is lying for sure liin. Maybe it was all done under their laws but I’m sure I requested her nothing of such entity. I don’t know how I could describe it. I just know she saw not in control. Something must have disturbed her and that was the reaction.”

“well I don’t care. We need to meet. This event will help us greatly. It’s way better than a friendship statement.”

“what do you mean liin? This is a fucking mess. People have died in front of the public eyes and there were explosions.”

“don’t worry we have all under control. However there are things that I can only say face to face. So do you think you can leave the ship?”

“probably. But I won’t do it”

“what?!? why not?”

“I need time to fix some smaller issue. I will tell you later. Wait for me. Over”

then Scilla hung up.

Back in the ship kitchen Scilla was staring at the unconscious Idra. She was moving a bit while sleeping but then a sunned movement. She was back to reality and the first thing she said was

“Scilla! Where...”

“Hi hi, I’m here”

First thing she thinks about is me. That’s cute.

Idra turned immediately toward she sound source.

“I’m not hallucinating right?”

“nope. I’m here and totally fine”

“Porca troia (holy shit / swine prostitute) a was scared as hell. Are you really ok? Why are we on my ship? What happened? Why don’t I remember anything?”

“calm down one question at the time. Moreover how are you?”

Idra was going to stand up

“I’m fine so…”

but then she lost her balance completely falling back in her cocoon between the kitchen cables. She was ill, the worst she ever felt in her life. All her body was in pain. Her eyes were burning, she felt extremely cold, weak, tired and for the first time after so long she felt alone. Natrix was gone. The program she built in her own brain to keep her company and limit her, was no longer there. That mass of code has been with her for 9 long years. No backup, no way to bring back the same machine, the same imaginary friend that kept her human for so long. Alone she was just a machine made mostly of meat. Now nothing could stop her from running loose.

I’m alone, no more limits yet I don’t feel happy. I don’t feel anything expect pain from such inefficient body. I must know what is happening. I must know what happened to me.

“Scilla can you explain me what you know?”

“sure, what is the last thing that you remember?”

“around the moment I tried to run out of the room”

“well then you made a ‘360° no scope’ and pulverized a member of the meeting who was also an ittiro. Then you have gone nut or almost nut and basically beat the shit out of everybody and tried to make us surrender while we tried to let the liin escape. Last thing I remember you charged out barricade and beat me unconscious. Yet you were responding to me, like I tried to discuss with you to gain time and you listened to me.”

“fuck. Sorry I didn’t mean to…”

“let me finish girl. I woke up in your infirmary and you were outside on the floor. You can imagine the rest”

“double fuck. So how is it going outside?”

“no idea. I contacted the liin from the only airlock that I know but I never left. I didn’t want to leave you alone and I still don’t know if I could come back so I waited”

still immobile Idra let out a long sigh.

“you thought right…. Now you can come and go as you pleased.”

From an outside prospective this must look as if I’m keeping her hostage here. It’s better if a let her go. I guess this is a farewell. Who the fuck would won’t to stay with a creature that almost killed you? I suppose all I gained is a useless scale model of a space ship.

“go to your kind. They must be panicking. Go there and calm them.”

“that is what I will do but not before I know that I can leave you alone.”

“I’m fine, I just said it”

“no you are not. I don’t know if you are trying to be badass or whatever but if you are sick you can always rely on me. I will be here for you.”

“please go. Get some fresh air and rethink about it. I will wait for your answer for a week. Then I will leave.”

“you are not going to get rid of me so easily. See you soon”

As she said so Scilla left the room and eventually the ship. Idra stayed there. She was to weak and felt asleep again.