Chapter Four (1/2)

That's Definitely Not A Vibe

"Please don't do that. It makes your father uncomfortable."

"So, you're a boy. That means I can do anything I want to you."

"Hmm… who is it that you answer to here on The Star Seeker?"

"The Queen of Chaton."

"And who is the owner of The Star Seeker?"

"... You are."

"As your father, I request that you make an effort to respect my wishes."

"Not… a vibe… You're a boy wearing a dress that doesn't wanna be fucked?"

"While I am very much interested in your passions, I do not share such desires. So the way that I dress is but a product of my royal status in a Matriarchal upbringing. My mother raised me this way and there were never any males in the royal family, so when I was born, all I had were dresses."

"She's in hell now so… you don't need to keep dressing like that. You'd also vibe better, naked."

"While the political power of our homeworld has shifted, the Matriarchal requirement for myself is still in place even though I've been given the biggest stick. Still, I will stick to the traditions my mother has given me for the sake of my world and the Queens that allow me their strength. I suppose dressing as I do is proof that I forgive and love my mother, even if she doesn't feel the same."

"That's not a vibe. I'll never forgive my mother for taking my claws. The Chaton Queen is selfish and sees us as disposable… That goes for all the Queens really."

"I will not ask you to forgive your Queen, nor myself. Actions speak louder than words, so I will prove that I'll always love you, Zaras, even if you come to hate me as much as the others. Can you vibe with that?"

4273 eyes opened, staring at the grass beyond her shades. Her vision was a tad blurry, causing her to wipe the tears from her eyes. When she could finally see, 4273 noticed someone was squatting beside her, legs spread open. Her eyes focussed a bit more as she then realized there was a pistol to her head.

"What's your name, 4273? Tell me and I won't put a hole in your brain."

"... Is that so, my ignorant sister? Well with all disrespect, you may suck my left ovary and eat my ass."

"... Una… my name is Una."

"Be proud that your pathetic life has some value, sister… Father calls me Zaras." The moment she heard it, Una let out a sigh of relief through her nose while holstering her gun. Zaras was surprised by the Orc's sigh. "As if you've already accepted, father's vibe," she scoffed.

"I only care about finishing the mission for Father’s sake and if that means working with both of you, then so be it," Una said.

"Both?" She asked while climbing to her feet.

"It is I… daughter of Lucy, betrothed to her demonic glory," 5699 sang while stepping from the wild flora, toting a rifle as long as her body.

"Lucy prevents Father from finding peace in the heavens,” Zaras began with a matter-of-fact tone. “While I refuse to follow the ignorant arrogance of angels, I'm very much aware that it would be a place of vibe for Father. Therefore, Lucy is a worthless bitch."

With speed ingrained into her muscles and bones, the young devil-worshiper whipped out a thick resolver under Zaras's chin and pulled the trigger. Before it fired, Zaras causally backhanded her sister's hand away, causing the bullet to wiz into the trees.

"You spit on my Queen's name, heathen! Lucy provides love and friendship towards father, something your kind knows nothing about." She leaned back with a smirk. "I suppose we should thank you. If your out-of-control Queen hadn't given in to her primal desires, Father wouldn't have been born again and met my Queen. Your Queen will forever be the defiler and devourer of Father! Your kind needs to be put down like the heathen's you are."

“Don’t be confused, my boisterous blind sister, I’ve no loyalty to my Queen and I tell you my name is Zaras because Father’s life is in danger. The fact you’ve not spoken your name makes you a threat to him. Do you vibe?”

She glared into Zaras's glasses, trying her best to melt her sister’s face off with just her gaze. Una on the other hand didn’t wait as she had spent some time looking over the rocky cliffside Zaras had supposedly fallen from.

“Sib, Is it safe to climb?”

“Sure, if you’re an expert rock climber, something you’re not! I’ve seen your training records,” He laughed. “Just jump it, dummy!”

“What?”

Having full control of her clothing, Sib forced her into a crouch and sprang her clear above the treeline. The rocky surface sped past her at frightening speeds, threatening to grind her down to the bone if she came any closer. In moments the rocky blur was gone, replaced with more trees but with empty drop pods. She stood there stunned by what just happened, her adrenalin having kicked into overdrive.

"I don't like surprises, Sib, but that was pretty cool."

"Thank you! I'm full of tricks you're not authorized for."

"Why wouldn't I be? What's more important than saving the ship or at least the Captain?"

"Those are the rules and I may keep my mouth shut but at some point, you'll be questioned."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Sib, I recall fungus being… airborne?"

"Thanks to the spores they give off, yes! I'd suggest you go down to your local bio-lab store and spend up all your good girl points for a big bubble to live in, you big dummy.”

“Or?”

“Or I can just repel the spores like I’ve been doing the moment we landed.”

“What about the others down there?”

“Unknown! The APS was never designed with parasitic fungi in mind. For a while now I've been studying the APS flowing through their bodies but at some point the nanites will lose power, leaving them vulnerable to another infection. As long as they stay close, I can keep them charged indefinitely.”

“Thank you for your help, Sib. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.” She said, slowly inching toward the cliff to look down.

“Uhm… You’re… welcome I guess,” Sib said a tad taken aback by the appreciation.

“Are those two still alive?”

“Yes!”

“Can they hear you?”

“Only 5699.”

“Tell her what you told me, please.”

"Okay!"

Una stepped away from the cliffside towards the trees and pods. She noticed that each pod either still had a rifle or there was one on the ground. She also noticed 5699 scream out in rage slowly getting closer and closer.

"Everyone's gone but their guns are still here," Una said.

"Bio-coded!" Sib chimed. "Every gun is bio-coded under strict regulations. Meaning, if you so much as have a fever, your gun will not work, requiring that you stay in bed and rest."

Una was tucked under the covers of her bunk. She never really complained about the cramped and poor commodities allowed to her but today she desperately wished she had a few more layers of blankets to stop her body from shivering. In the top corner monitor, there was a debate between her father and his officers aka the Queens that governed the different species of the ship. The Queens voted for killing off everyone that was sick. A few ways were to toss their bodies out an airlock or burn them to a crisp, something her father was strongly against. Then again he was always against their mistreatment either as their Captain or father. He even went as far as making sure everyone had their own room, something everyone was grateful for. Aside from the officers who somehow found joy in making lives harder for everyone on the ship, there were many outspoken about being given their personal space; Wanting nothing more than another reason to fight each other. In the end, everyone found it to be much more relaxing being able to hide away in their own little world thanks to Father. While he may be the Captain of the ship, there was little control he had over the Queens and their subjects. Una groaned out a command for the monitor to shut off, not caring how the debates might turn out. On some level, wishing she could sit in a cremation chamber if that meant getting rid of her bone-chilling fever. Losing track of time, she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming because when her bedroom slid open she turned on her back to see her Captain standing in the doorway while holding a sealed container in both hands. Behind him were two royal escorts. They were self-proclaimed “perfect” dolls that made sure her father didn’t do anything that was unbecoming of his royal status. The female dolls went with him everywhere and watched his every move although when it came to one on one interactions with his crew members he was adamant about leaving them behind. So when he stepped into Una’s cramped room, the two did not as the door slid closed. He stepped over to Una’s bedside and a stool materialized from the floor so he could sit. The young Orc’s heart raced as she sank into a deeper pit of despair. Sure she didn’t mind the thought of being put out of her misery but now, she wasn’t so sure. Let alone by the only person who had ever shown her love and compassion. However when he cracked the seal of the container, the room filled with an aroma that made her realize how hungry she was.

“Flour, eggs, water, and salt,” He began with a tone that was softer than that of a succubus or an angel. “With largely diced veggies and poultry, creating something I’m told is called… Chicken Noodle Soup. It’ll help you get better.”

Una’s sickly gaze stared at him in disbelief before beginning to weep.

Una allowed the memory to roll around in her thoughts as she slowly stepped through the trees and scattered pods. She noticed soft beeping, sounding four times before buzzing. The harsh sound signaled that something wasn't working. The beeping came back, trying again and again only to receive that same failed buzzer. It came from deeper in the forest of trees and pods. As she stepped closer, she could also hear muffled weeping from the pod in front of her. Una pulled her rifle tighter while sidestepping just enough to see a figure sitting inside clad in a damaged power suit. Protruding from every joint and crack in the armor was a mix of black mushrooms. Looking as if the wearer had outgrown her suit and her mushroom-like fat was spilling out. The surface of her armor was covered in mushrooms that matched the suit's color. Una never got the chance to wear armor allowed to high ranking cannon fodder but like everyone else she still had to be trained on it. So she knew the armor was capable of blending in with its surroundings but given how damaged it seemed to be, it flashed random colors. Somehow changing the color of the mushrooms that grew directly from the metal.

"That's a Chaton Sergeant, and she's crying," Sib began. "That's why these zombies are lame. Zombies aren't supposed to cry."

Una still didn't know what a zombie was nor could she understand his reasoning of caring and not caring for the life of others. Still not wanting to give herself away, Una aimed at the exposed crack in her infected sister’s armor. Pulling the trigger, the round missed the neck, deflecting off her helmet. The infected Sergeant's neck cracked and popped as she turned away from the keypad. With a muffled roar, it dashed from the pod towards her. Staying as calm as she could be, Una's trigger finger tapped out a few short bursts, pinging rounds off the mushroom-covered chest plate. The young Orc stood her ground as the hulking Sergeant of fungus and metal slammed her right foot into her chest. After having her chest caved in by her Queen, Una was determined to be prepared for the next time she took a boot to the chest. Una caught the kick with her left arm, locking it in place as she whipped out her sidearm to deliver a few shots straight into the exposed knee joint. The emptied the rest of the mag into the exposed neck of the armor only to realize she was just pissing it off. Its massive fungus-covered hand smacked the pistol from her grip before it lashed out and grabbed Una by the face.

"Don't breathe until I say so!" Sib said as he instructed the goggles on her helmet to come down and cover her eyes. Una jammed the barrel of her rifle into the neck of the armor only for the creature to yank it away. The creature pointed the gun back at the young Orc's head before pulling the trigger. It clicked as the safety function of the rifle glowed red. It dropped the rifle and began limping over to the cliff. It pulled back and was about to chuck Una when its leg gave out, toppling over off the cliff. The young Orc's heart raced as she was dragged over the cliff with the creature. Her body jerked to a stop, feeling as if she got lucky enough for her backpack to snag on something. Una watched as the creature fell to the bottom and burst into a cloud of spores, leaving behind the damaged armor. She slowly looked back only to see Zaras clinging to the side of the cliffside and on her back was Kaida. Zaras grunted before flinging her Orc sister overhead and back onto solid ground. "This might hurt a little lot," Sib said before starting to shock her repeatedly while her sisters finally climbed up. Una's body locked up, losing control of herself as Sib sent a jolt of electricity through her. Her sisters walked past her not seeming very interested in whatever was happening to her.

"Good job Una," Zaras said. "You killed my Sergeant 14237. She didn't like my vibe so tossed me over the edge. I'm gonna wait until after you turn to cut your head off."

"That's fucking stupid, just blow her head off now!" The demonic sister said while adjusting her sniper and stepping back. She seemed oddly out of breath though Una was sure the girl was on Zaras's back.

"That's not father's vibe, sister. Do you wanna be the one to explain why you didn't wait?"

"We're all gonna die, I hope you know and the sooner we kill her the longer we live."

"We could just inject her," Zaras said.

5699 stared blankly for a few moments before she said;

"... But a bullet is so much more convenient. I'll just shoot off her arms and legs for now."

"A little bit more and… done!" Sib chimed. "Not only did I shock away any leftover zombie spores from your filthy face, but I also showed you how to breakdance. You're welcome! Oh, and you can breathe now."

Una gasped for air, rolling over to cough on the grassy ground.