The human's footsteps were light, almost inaudible, despite the weight of the armor fully covering his body. He sprinted down the narrow corridor, the indicators on his visor mapping every turn, every intersection. As he approached a corner, he stopped abruptly and pressed himself against the wall. Movement ahead.
He took a deep breath, his senses sharp as he observed. The silence was interrupted by the familiar voice of Nyxis, echoing directly in his helmet:
"You need to hurry, human."
He scoffed, chuckling softly. "Of course, you'd also find your way into my armor."
"For your information," Nyxis replied, with an almost provocative calmness, "I'm not interfering with your armor's functionality. Just monitoring."
He chuckled again, shaking his head. "Alright. When this is over, we'll have a little chat about you invading my equipment."
"Noted," the AI responded without hesitation. "Now listen. I've updated your map. You need to take a right. The path will lead you to the cargo hangar, but… there are at least four pirates in there."
He glanced at the visor, where the holographic map updated in real-time, marking the enemies as bright red dots. He took a deep breath and murmured, "Copy that."
With quick but controlled steps, he reached the door leading to the hangar. It was open, exposing the vast space ahead. The human slipped inside, crouching and using the shadows as allies. He slid silently behind a stack of crates, the metallic texture of his armor emitting a faint sound as it brushed against the rough surface.
From his position, he observed the enemies. The visor automatically identified the four pirates: two were carrying crates of frozen fish, while the other two sat atop a pile of boxes, gnawing on something with grotesque enthusiasm.
"How do you plan to neutralize them?" Nyxis asked, her voice direct. "You can't fire that weapon in the hangar. A shot here could damage the cargo and the ship."
He sighed, keeping his eyes on the targets. "Then I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."
In one fluid motion, he removed his weapon from the mount on his back and carefully set it down, attaching it to the magnetic hold of a nearby crate. Then, he drew his large combat knife, the blade glinting faintly under the hangar's lights. The sound of the metal sliding free was almost menacing.
The two pirates carrying the crates left the hangar, leaving only the pair feasting on the fish. He began to move, each step calculated. Using the stacks of crates as cover, he crept closer. His movements were so smooth they seemed rehearsed, the result of intense and repetitive training.
When he was just a few meters away from one of the pirates, he struck with lethal speed. The reptilian had no time to react before the knife was driven into its skull, piercing through the scales and bone with surgical precision. The grunt of pain was brief, followed by the dull thud of the heavy body hitting the ground.
The second pirate, alerted by the sound, stood up quickly. Its yellow eyes widened at the sight of the imposing human figure in front of it. It was large, but the human was even larger, and the sight of his gleaming armor only made the scene more intimidating.
The pirate drew its weapon, but it was already too late. The human was upon it.
With a swift motion, the human delivered a direct punch to the reptilian's snout with his metal glove, the impact echoing through the hangar. Dark blood splattered, and the pirate staggered back, releasing a grunt of pain. It tried to retaliate, using its tail as a weapon, but the human anticipated the move. With an agile sidestep, he dodged the attack and immediately countered with a powerful kick to the pirate's stomach, sending it stumbling backward into the crates.
The human didn't give the enemy time to recover. He delivered a second kick, this time aiming for the reptilian's jaw. The sound of bone cracking was audible, and the pirate let out a roar of pain as it staggered, its jaw hanging grotesquely.
Even so, driven by the fury and natural strength of its species, the reptilian charged at the human, arms outstretched, trying to grab him.
The human remained calm. With an almost graceful skill, he used the pirate's momentum against it, stepping aside and spinning his body. In one fluid motion, he drove his knife into the invader's abdomen, piercing the tough hide. The blade sank deep, and the reptilian let out an agonized roar.
Without hesitation, the human pulled the knife downward, ripping through the creature's abdomen. The pirate collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony, but it wasn't completely defeated.
"You're tough," the human muttered as he raised his armored boot and placed it on the pirate's head. He pressed down firmly in a direct motion, crushing the creature's skull in a single blow.
Silence returned to the hangar. The human took a deep breath, surveying the two lifeless bodies on the ground.
"I think I'm done here," he said, quickly checking the map on his visor. He noticed the red dots now indicated the locations of all remaining hostiles on the ship. He chuckled, securing his knife back into the sheath on his hip. "Thanks, Nyxis."
"You're welcome," the AI replied in her usual neutral tone.
He retrieved his weapon and exited through the next door, following the path the other two pirates had taken.
---
The two pirates walked through the narrow, cold corridors of the Krysalyn, each carrying a large crate filled with frozen fish. Their claws lightly scraped against the metal crates as they moved, their heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. The first pirate, larger and with deep scars across his snout, led the way, while the second, smaller and more jittery, followed close behind.
The leader growled softly, impatient. "Don't break any of this cargo. It's all profit."
The pirate behind him let out a guttural laugh, almost drooling. "I still think we should eat a few now. Smells better than those damned fish..."
The leader huffed but kept walking. However, after a few steps, he noticed the sounds behind him had stopped. He halted abruptly and glanced over his shoulder. The corridor was empty.
"Damn it, what are you up to now?" he muttered, setting the crate down with a dull thud. He shook his head, irritated. "Can't go one minute without trying to eat the cargo, can you?"
Grumbling, he started walking back down the corridor, his eyes scanning the space for his companion. When he turned a corner, his yellow eyes widened. There lay the other pirate... dead.
The body was face-down, the neck twisted at an impossible angle. The frozen expression on the corpse's face was a mix of terror and surprise. The leader stood still for a moment, processing what he was seeing. He had never seen anything like it.
"Jax," he called into his communicator, his voice rough and urgent.
The radio crackled before the irritated voice of the pirate leader responded. "What is it now?"
"There's something wrong…" he began, staring at his fallen companion. "The idiot's dead. His neck… it's not supposed to bend like that."
"What are you talking about?" Jax replied, now clearly interested but still annoyed at the interruption.
The pirate opened his mouth to answer but didn't get the chance. Before he could utter another word, something grabbed him from behind.
He felt a crushing force on his head, the sound of bones snapping echoing through the corridor before he could even react. His eyes widened in pure horror for a brief moment before his body collapsed heavily to the floor.
The corridor fell silent once more, except for the faint sound of the crate sliding a few inches before coming to a complete stop.
---
Jax stood at the center of the Krysalyn's bridge, his thick claws clicking against the metallic floor as he glared at the small captain of the ship. His yellow eyes glowed with irritation as he listened to the silence on one of his men's communicators. When the expected response didn't come, he let out a furious snarl and turned to Kador, his snout almost pressed against the captain's face.
"Is there someone else on this damned ship?" he demanded, his voice reverberating like a growl.
Kador hesitated, his jaw clenched. He knew that telling the truth could endanger everyone, but lying to a predator like Jax seemed even more dangerous. The captain's silence only fueled the pirate leader's fury.
Jax narrowed his eyes and huffed, his patience wearing thin. "Fine. We'll do this the hard way, then."
Before anyone could react, he turned toward Byra, who was kneeling beside Tila. Byra's eyes widened in sheer terror as Jax grabbed her with a single hand, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. She began screaming, struggling desperately, but Jax didn't hesitate.
With brutal force, he opened his jaws and bit deeply into Byra's arm, tearing it off in a single bite. The sound of flesh being ripped apart and Byra's agonized screams filled the air, leaving the other crew members frozen in place.
Jax spat the bloody arm onto the floor and tossed Byra to the side near Kador like a broken toy. She continued screaming, clutching the stump of her arm, blood pouring out profusely.
"Now!" Jax roared, his voice thick with rage and impatience. "Tell me who else is here, or I'll tear off more than just an arm next time!"
Kador looked at Byra, her golden fur now matted with blood. He knew he had no choice. With gritted teeth and a trembling voice, he relented.
"We... we found a lost pod," he said quickly. "It had... something inside. Something we've never seen before."
Jax narrowed his eyes, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. "You're joking with me?" he growled, stepping even closer.
"It's the truth," Kador replied, his voice shaking but resolute.
Jax growled again, snorting heavily. He turned to his men on the bridge, all as ruthless as he was, and barked an order. "You four! Search this ship. I want to know what else is hiding here!"
The four pirates obeyed immediately, rushing into the Krysalyn's corridors.
But before they could get far, Jax's communicator erupted with frantic noise. Desperate updates from his men aboard the pirate ship flooded in, their voices panicked and hurried.
"It's a monster!" someone shouted through the communicator, the sound of gunfire echoing in the background. "It's killing us!"
Other voices overlapped, screams and growls mingled with the sound of metal being torn apart. Jax froze on the spot, grabbing the communicator on his armor with his claws.
"What the hell is going on?!" he roared, but no clear response came. Only more gunfire and screams.
Jax's expression twisted into pure rage. He turned to the Krysalyn's crew, his eyes blazing with an intense hatred. "All of you! Get to my ship now!"
Without waiting for objections, he signaled to his remaining men, who began shoving the Krysalyn's four crew members out of the bridge, ignoring Byra's cries of pain.
| CloneMarine 42785/B | -- Location: Pirate Ship
First Human Republic -
The human moved through the shadowy, narrow corridors of the pirate ship, each step echoing faintly on the uneven metal beneath his boots. The flickering lights cast shifting shadows that seemed almost alive. He gripped his rifle tightly, his eyes scanning for any movement ahead.
"Nyxis," he said in a low voice, almost as if speaking to himself. "Can I use my weapon here, or will I destroy something important?"
The response came almost immediately, the A.I.'s voice clear in his helmet. "The pirate ship has no sensitive structures near your current location. You may use your rifle."
A slow smile spread across his face. "Finally, some good news." He chambered the rifle, the metallic click echoing in the corridor. "Let's get started."
He began to run, his footsteps picking up speed as his visor mapped the corridors ahead. The first group of pirates was caught completely off guard. Two of them were chatting while carrying crates, their weapons slung carelessly at their sides.
The human didn't hesitate. He raised his rifle and pulled the trigger. A burst of gunfire tore through the air, lighting up the corridor with flashes of blue light. The two pirates barely had time to turn their heads before the projectiles pierced their thick scales, dropping them to the floor like puppets with their strings cut.
Another pirate came sprinting down the corridor, drawn by the sound of the shots. The human quickly adjusted his approach, slinging the rifle onto his back and drawing a massive combat knife. He closed the distance with impressive agility, dodging an enemy shot before plunging the blade into the pirate's chest. With a swift motion, he pulled it upward, tearing through the body. The pirate crumpled with a low groan.
The corridors of the pirate ship were now in chaos. Gunfire echoed, mingled with grunts of pain and the heavy thuds of bodies hitting the floor. A few who tried to fight back managed to scorch the human's armor with their shots, leaving charred marks and deep scratches in the metal, but nothing slowed his advance.
In one corridor, three pirates appeared together, wielding makeshift weapons. The human paused for a moment, assessing the situation. He activated the launcher attached to his rifle and fired a grenade. The explosion rocked the corridor, hurling the three pirates against the walls, their weapons clattering to the floor.
As silence returned to the corridor, he leaned against a corner, breathing slightly heavier while checking the map on his visor. "Nyxis, where's the bridge?"
"Approximately fifty meters ahead," she replied. "Continue straight, then turn left."
"Got it," he answered, starting to run again.
Along the way, more pirates appeared. Some attempted ambushes, leaping out from side doors, but he was faster. His rifle and knife alternated in deadly precision. A clean headshot for one, a blade through the throat for another. Dark green blood pooled on the floor, glistening under the flickering lights.
He finally reached the bridge. It was a spacious area, with consoles scattered around and three massive windows looking out into the void of space. Four pirates were there, all operators busy at the command terminals. When they noticed the human, they shouted and began firing.
The human dove behind a console, the shots ricocheting off the metal around him. He raised his rifle, quickly adjusting his visor to mark his targets. With near-superhuman accuracy, he took down the first pirate with a headshot and the second with two shots to the chest.
The remaining two tried to retreat, scrambling for cover, but he was relentless. One fell to a precise shot to the heart. The last pirate fired desperately at him, but the human closed the distance before they could react. With a swift, brutal strike of his knife, he ended the fight.
The bridge fell silent.
Nyxis spoke after a few seconds, her tone almost impressed. "Your species, despite being omnivorous, is exceptionally destructive."
He chuckled while reloading his rifle. "And what does that have to do with being omnivorous?"
Nyxis didn't respond, and he just shook his head, laughing to himself.
"Alright. Where do I plug in the drive?" he asked, still glancing around.
"To your right, on the main console," she replied.
He walked to the indicated terminal and inserted the device. As the system began to upload the virus, he stood with his back to the console, watching his visor as the progress bar ticked upward.
That's when he heard a deep, furious voice behind him.
"You."
The human spun around quickly, the metallic sound of his armor echoing in the room. At the far end of the bridge, with glowing yellow eyes full of rage, stood Jax. The massive reptilian held an improvised axe, his presence dominating the space.
Jax growled, his sharp teeth bared. "You think you can come onto my ship and leave alive?!"
The Clone Marine didn't understand what the pirate said, but one thing was certain: that thing was definitely very angry.