Killian dropped a man with a shot to the head, but the second, the fucker, managed to make it past the others alive. He screamed, “Fuck,” barely keeping his footing when the ship suddenly rocked violently, and the sound of an explosion could be heard in the distance.
AH, hell, don’t tell me someone decided today of all days to attack these bastards as well?!he thought with a groan, before whining aloud, “Oh, they better be friendly…”
Cyrus staredat the ship that had just fired on Riker, it having appeared with the attack, and started to laugh. It was donut-shaped with an elevated connected ball core—the core was pitch black—while the ring outside was covered in dark red feathers. Written as if embedded in the feathers was the nameRed Herring.
“Ender! It’s FUCKING Ender.” He sagged in relief as his laughter subsided.
“Well, Cryptid Means at least. I doubt Ender is here.” Severo sighed. “This is going to be a clusterfuck. But at least they will likely be friendly…maybe? As long as we don’t shoot at them.”
Cyrus frowned, looking towards the holographic radar that floated above one part of the control panel on the bridge when a beeping noise started, warning of nearby danger. He winced as Ender’s ship got hit. Cyrus was slightly shocked that damage was left behind, as he knew, based on previous intel, that the shields on the thing should have been up to date, even if other shit was not.
As the chrome-colored spaceship,shaped like a spinning top, with a large purple and green stripe alongthe side, appeared, Soren chirped in irritation. “Of course, the fucking Bureau had to show up now!?”
“Should we attack?” Kore asked. Though based on the smirk on the Electric Elemental’s face, the man already knew the answer.
He wanted to say yes, but… “Based on where we know they took off from, there's no doubt Severo is on board. Ender would be pissed off if he got hurt, not to mention his parents would be.”
The Electric Elemental shuddered, but stayed silent.
But then what else was there to say, the two Shadow Dwellers were not people one wanted to piss off if one intended on having a long life. Aside from them, Soren would also prefer that Severo remained alive. He liked the kid well enough.
Soren stumbled as the ship jerked, alarms blaring as they took on damage.
“What the fuck?!” Kore hissed, his eyes narrowing on a few people as he bellowed, “WHO THE FUCK TURNED OUR SHIELDS DOWN?!” Rushing to the left side of the control panel, the Elemental shoved Jef Jef, a bog witch, aside to presumably fix things.
A few seconds passed, with the alarms still screaming, before the robotic voice of the intelligence system on the ship, that they lovingly named Henning, announced, “Shields restored to full capacity.”
The main question was how had they ended up lowered in the first place without alerting anyone or setting off any alarms?
Smiling stiffly, his gaze flicked to Calico. The Succubus was standing to his direct left, looking like a Goddess come to life as always. At almost six feet tall, with a thin but toned build, the man was wearing a white blouse with matching pants that were puffy and gathered by the ankles, where they met his black boots.
Calico’s light-brown twists and locs, which Soren knew went down to his knees, were currently piled up on his head in a bun, his edges perfectly set around his head. With a horde of golden bracelets and bangles on his wrists, several piercings along his pointed ears, and multiple delicate chains around his waist, not to mention those hanging from his neck, the Succubus should have made plenty of noise when he moved, yet he never did. Under the lights, Calico’s medium-brown skin seemed to simmer, adding to the whole Goddess illusion.
Soren couldn’t deny he found the man attractive. Calico was gorgeous…a gorgeous pain in the ass. And as the ship continued to freak the fuck out, and the man’s blond lash framed eyes met Soren’s, Calico’s pointed, upturned nose wrinkled slightly, at the same time his plush lips spread into a wide yet hesitant smile.
“Damage in right haul detected. Fire suppression systems activated. Pathways automatically sealed for protection of life,” the system announced. While his expression remained unchanged, his eyes narrowed on the Succubus when Henning quickly followed with, “Warning! Damage to core engine detected. Damage to core engine detected.”
“So, Calico, would you happen to know why our shields were lowered, and why we now have damage in an area that wasn’t just hit?” Soren drawled slowly.
The Succubus rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling softly. The sound was almost as smooth as chimes. “Why would you think I would know anything about that, ay?” The man’s Australian accent was as thick as it always had been.
His smile dropped. “Which of your people are we about to hogtie and kill, because it sure as shit ain’t any of mine? And before you lie to me, just know that I’d be perfectly happy to blame you for it, and collectively kill you, and everyone with you.”
Calico winced. “Bloody hell, do you revolutionaries always have to be so…stabby?! As for your question, I was never going to lie, so keep your knocks to yourself. I?—”
“Calico!” he snapped in warning.
“Let me finish! You never give me a fair go at it!” The Succubus huffed. “But fine! The answer is, I don’t know… Shit kept going wrong on my ship, things happening that shouldn’t have. So, I?—”
“So you brought the people you trusted the least onto ours instead, is that it?” Soren said sweetly.
The man shrugged, smiling. “Sorry, mate? I mean, it was your ship or mine, and I chose mine.”
An angry chirp slipped past his lips as he scowled at Calico’s bright white smile. “I should beat your ass.”
“But you won’t because…I’m beautiful, ay?” the Succubus asked, clearly feeling hopeful.
“No, it’s because Ender doesn’t like me beating up weaklings, who are technically our ‘allies’. But if that ever changes, I’ll let you know, ‘kay?”
