Christopher Luna

I wake up on the cold 505 Arabella slowly sliding through space. The metallic walls of
my room are bare, save for a single photo of my Ada. Its preferable to keep it like this. I slip into
my armor, and holster my weapons before making my way down to the control deck of the ship.
"Morning Leon!" David calls to me. He, and Adrian are just about done with their breakfast. A
meal I never particularly enjoyed. I walk over to observe the ships glowing control panel. A
small holographic Earth rotates on one end of the map. Not much longer until were home now.
Have either of you seen Ada this morning?
I think she went down to feed our two bounties. answers Adrian Waste of time if you ask me.
Dead men dont have to eat.
Her problem is that she sees two people instead of two corpses. Still I dont want to leave her
alone down there. Well be back in a few minutes.
I reach the door of the lift as all the lights on the ship stifle. Weve stopped moving. The
LEDs on our chest plates light up and visors unfold from the nape of our armor to present a
digital heads up display.
What happened?!
Weve lost main engine power, lucky for us mostly everything else runs on auxiliary power
says David from the control panel There! The ships power core was removed manually from the
engine room.
Who would do that?
I dont know, but we dont have time to find out. Thats a red matter core. If its not properly
stored itll create a small black hole tha

Christopher Luna

David had no time to finish as something came crashing into the room from the ceiling
vents. Even with the little light we have, I can see it. It looks like a corpse, but it has sick
mutations. Its lower jaw was gone, and slimy claws took its place. Bone-like sickles protrude
from his palms. I reach for my Omni-pistol, but Im too slow. It takes a swing at David. His head
is halfway to the floor before I can even fire a direct energy beam. The creature collapses as
Adrian, and I both find our mark.
What the fuck is this thing? bellows Adrian.
Its one of our prisoners. Look at whats left of his clothes. Shit! I scurry back to the lift, and
begin to pry at the door. Ada was down there with them. I have to go get her.
Hold on just a second. Theres still the core to worry about. We need a plan. If we dont take
care of that soon it wont matter if shes okay or not, were all toast. I turn around to look and
walk towards him. Look if this guy is here, that means that other one is down in our engine
room. He couldnt have found his way there alone, theres a good chance shes with him.
Before I can answer him, a snarl comes the prisoners corpse. Its arms flail, and the blade
finds Adrians leg. This time I unload more than one shot into it. I fire until its limbs fall apart,
and blood covers my face. I sit Adrian down at the control panel and check his wounds. I have to
stop the bleeding. This is going to burn. I use the convection ray to cauterize the stump. Adrian
screams cover up the singing flesh sound. Alright buddy, youre gonna have to stay here. Im
going down to the engine room. See if you can get a distress beacon transmitted.
You got it. Ill keep you on a secure com channel.
I pry open the lift doors, the drop down to the engine room level is unfavorable. Ill have
to rappel down. This floor is much darker than the control deck. I switch my visor view to

Christopher Luna

infrared as my make my way towards the engine room. There are two heat signatures coming
from within it. I launch into the room, and ready my pistol. Freeze!
I was beginning to wonder if my pet had killed the whole crew or not said the prisoner as he
used Ada as a shield. I could see the red matter core in his hands.
Sorry to disappoint you. Now let her go, and drop that core! What do you even have to gain from
doing this?
Oh its quite simple really. Ive made it a hobby to...dispose of you hunters. You think you can
run along space, and act like you own us? You send many people to their death. Im simply
repaying the favor.
Leon, whats the situation with that core? Ive got a response to our distress beacon, but it wont
do us any good if were inside a black hole. Adrians voice echoes inside my ear.
They all did something to deserve whatever happened to them. Youre no different nor better.
But thats where youre wrong! As he let out a mad laugh See, Im going to leave this ship
with this core as my trophy, and you two can rot here on this cursed ship. Thank you so much for
breakfast he said just before tossing Ada aside.
Then he began to glow, and flicker. He must have a ship nearby with teleporting
capabilities. I drop my weapon, and run to Ada. Are you okay?
Ill be fine, but what are we going to do? she asked Weve got a ship that isnt going
anywhere
Help is on the way. We just needed to either reset that core, or get it out of here completely.
Thankfully our friend has taken care of that for us.

Christopher Luna

Why did we need to get rid of it? she questioned.