literature

Technically Unsound - Ch. 8

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Chapter 8: The Rough Rendezvous

-S-

"Nicholas was under the impression I wasn't aware of his little experiment," Androctonus grinned, "I just sent Dr. Pandion to test it.  When Nicholas returns he will find I have the device, and he is destined to remain in a tank for the rest of his life.  Now..."

He flicked his tail, arching it.

"Go back to the lounge, now.  I advise it."

Sherbie watched a bead of clear fluid drip from the tip of the barb.  Androctonus was substantially bigger than him somehow, despite being only a scorpion.

Dr. Pandion flip-turned and headed for the sub, banging on the viewing glass.

"He'll kill them!  We have to help!"

-A-

What is he talking about?!  ...Never mind.  Let's run!

Alt was already making a dash for it, not really caring which way she was going as long as it was away from Androctonus.

Tidal intercepted Dr. Pandion.  "How?  What can we do from out here?"

"She's got a point," Ohm muttered.  "If we blew out the windows it'd probably end badly for everyone."

-S-

"We can get in through a port!  And there's a hatch...under..."

The mer-osprey shook her head though; she didn't have a key, and motioned for the sub to follow her to the docking port, then motioning for Ohm to let her in; they needed her voice to open it.

-A-

Ohm let Dr. Pandion in when directed.

-S-

He lifted her as best he could (not minding at all, though he'd never tell anyone) so she could tap the speaker.

"Authorization - Dr. Hannah Pandion."

There were a few uncertain whirrs before a bleep of approval, and the doors locked tight to prevent water leaking, then the hatch opened.

-A-

Figment and Nebula stepped through the door first.

"All right," Nebula muttered.  "We're in.  But this place is huge, and those two could be anywhere.  The chances of us running into them are about a thousand to--"

She didn't get to finish that sentence.

-S-

"Computer, locate the two guests."

Dr. Pandion, still being carried by Ohm, was leaning up to a comm link, talking clearly into it.

'CURRENTLY IN THE MESS HALL, DR. PANDION.'

She nodded, and cried, "Left, straight down, then a right!  It's the big double set of doors!"

-A-

"Oh.  Well, that makes things easier."

Meanwhile... (I certainly do throw the viewpoint ball around a lot, don't I?)

Alt breathed in and out slowly.  She and Sherbie were currently hiding under one of the tables in the mess hall.

See anyone, Sherbie?

-S-

The kangaroo breathed out.

Negative.

They shimmied backwards.

I can't use my cannon here, Alt; if I breach a wall we're doomed.

-A-

Yeah, I know.  Some birthday THIS has turned out to be.

Suddenly, they heard the door bang open.

-S-

They scooted back, and Sherbie shoved Alt through an ajar, metal door before following; the kitchen.

They both sprinted down the centre and crammed themselves into a cabinet, closing the door except for a tiny crack to look through.

-A-

Alt was completely silent.

Sherbie... can you switch to infrared?  I want to know who it is that just came in.

-S-

Sherbie nodded, his fuchsia eyes abruptly turning blood-red.

Everything became infra-red; for the most part, things were cold; blues and green.

-A-

Alt took Sherbie's hand and closed her eyes.  After a few seconds, her mind synchronized with Sherbie's, and she saw things through his eyes.

I guess they haven't come in here yet.

-S-

Androctonus scares the metaphorical pants off me, Sherbie muttered.

-A-

I can imagine.  What do you think he meant about a device?

-S-

Definitely something to do with that octa-whatsit you found.  And something about Pandion's transformation.  I don't know about you, but last time I saw her she had six limbs, not five.

-A-

That could explain that bit about Nicholas being confined to a tank... which means he's probably in the same state as Dr. Pandion now.  But why?

Alt sighed a bit.

I don't know who's on our side and who isn't anymore, Sherbie.

-S-

Well, big-and-bad scorpion definitely wants to kill us, and in such a fragile environment we're limited on response.  And I get the feeling Nicholas isn't up to any good either.

-A-

What I don't get is, why would General A want to kill us?  We've done nothing wrong.

-S-

He wants to stop us telling anyone about this place; he's serious about this.

-A-

He seemed fairly hospitable when we first met.  What changed his mind?

-S-

Trying to leave without his permission?  They didn't expect us, bear in mind; he had to think on his feet, so-

There was a scuttle.

-A-

What was-?  Sherbie, do you know what that was?

-S-

He shook his head lightly.

Can't s-

A large stinger smashed through the cabinet next to them.

-A-

Alt froze.

Oh, man.  What do we do now?

KA-CHACK.

"That's enough antics out of you, Scorps.  Any funny moves and I'll pull the trigger."

That was Ohm's voice!  And not a moment too soon, either.

-S-

Androctonus calmly pulled out his own gun and aimed it back.

"Same to you, feathers."

He glanced at Hannah, who Figment was holding up, and grinned.

"You and I are going to be having a real long chat after this, Hannah.  Don't you forget it."

-A-

"Talk!" Ohm blurted out.  "What's going on here?  Why are you after the Queen and Sherbie?"

Sherbie, Alt mused as she remained still, do you think we can slip out while he's occupied with Captain Ohm?

-S-

"They can't leave."

He then pointed the gun at the cabinet they were huddled in.

"Drop your gun, rooster, or one of them at minimum will die."

-A-

"I've got a better idea.  You drop your gun or you'll find out the hard way that your exoskeleton isn't bulletproof."

"What do you mean," Nebula cut in, "they can't leave?"

-S-

"This base must remain a secret!" snarled the scorpion, tail flicking.

"Now, even if you shoot me you'll still have the blood of either your Queen or her dearly beloved colouring the floor.  Your choice."

-A-

Ohm was unfazed.

"And you don't think they can keep a secret?  We've all been keeping Technuloji a secret for long enough, haven't we?"

He was very tempted to pull the trigger and have this all over with, but something was telling him that it wasn't the right course of action.  If only he could distract the scorpion for just a second...

-S-

"Androctonus, stop it!" cried Pandion, "This is wrong, the base is a failure, we should just pack up and-"

Then Androctonus's gun was trained on her; Ohm twitched violently.

"I think that's enough out of you, Hannah," the scorpion promised, tail rising, "More than enough."

-A-

Ohm pulled his trigger.

-S-

Androctonus turned so his back was to it; it gashed it, but the bullet lodged, well away from anything vital.

Androctonus turned and fired back at the cockerel, Figment yanking him away just in time.

Androctonus fired back at the cabinet; but Sherbie and Alt had leapt out.

The scorpion saw a flash out of his peripheral vision, and fired again; there was a metallic clang as it clattered off Sherbie's fin.

Androctonus growled, and launched himself at Pandion, tail arched and ready, simultaneously flipping a storage cabinet over towards Figment, Nebula and Ohm to delay them; it collided with someone, and there was a pained grunt.

Pandion attempted to scramble back, but there wasn't much she could do with a tail; Androctonus grabbed her wrist and yanked her through the door, taking off.
Chapter 1: [link]
Chapter 7: [link]
Chapter 9: [link]

Chapter eight and the beginning of our second sequence of notes, where things take a turn for the worse for our heroes. As usual.

Ah, it's been too long since I've uploaded a chapter of this. It'll feel good to get back into the swing of things.

Tech series and all involved concepts © :iconxx-amaramis-xx: and me
© 2010 - 2024 sonicinterface
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Tori-the-Sand-Cat's avatar
:P

Don't ask why. I am illogical, as :iconspocklaplz: would say.