Emergence: Chapter 62

The streets of Atui were silent now. The shooting had finally stopped, the screams and shouts were long gone, replaced only by the sounds of death until they finally stopped and the death cries faded away. And, while Beldun was glad that the fighting had paused, the darkness of the night terrified her. In this darkness, she couldn't see the Xaosian's jet-black armour until it was too late. She assumed that was why the residential power was cut, to find others like her who hadn't been fitted with the...Inducers, she thought she heard the Xaosians call them. Small devices that put the victim under the control of the invaders.

Hours after the Xaosians arrived, a platoon of Irinian and Hak'i fighters arrived. Beldun had looked up, hopeful that salvation had arrived, or at least some help. But then the Irinians fired on Prauvian fighters and she realised that hope was lost; other worlds had been subdued, and Prauw was going the same way.

She had ran before, hid in an empty house from Lyss when he'd started shooting. She wiped a tear away. Lyss... At first, she couldn't believe his betrayal, and her anger had left small scratches on her palm from where she'd clenched her fists. They were friends, she'd thought. More than friends before. But then she found out about the Inducers, and she realised that Lyss must have been converted. Lost...

Natise coughed, interrupting Beldun's train of thought. There was a few people holed up in this ruin of a house; it had seemed safe when the fighting started. “You alright Natise?” Beldun asked the older woman.

Natise nodded. “Just the dust.”

Then there was silence again. Beldun looked around at the group with her. Natise sat huddled in a corner, with her husband's, Truss's, arm around her, holding her tight. They had barely escaped their home before a Xaosian Crusher had flattened it.

Then there was Sagar, a young soldier who managed to escape when the Xaosians captured his comrades. He was the only one of them who was armed, and all he had was a small vibro-blade and a half-empty pistol. He was mostly silent, and Beldun assumed that he grieving for his lost friends. She would do the same, but she had no idea if any had survived or perished.

Sagar had told her about the Inducers as he watched one of his closest friends turn against him. In a split decision, he made the choice to run rather than take his friend down. He also told them something disturbing about the Xaosians.

“I killed one,” he'd said, his smooth voice would have been comforting, or maybe even arousing, to Beldun at another time, “it fell and bled out. I watched it's eyes roll back and heard its death gargle. And then it got up again. Eyes still rolled back, it chased me, shot at me until I shot it in the face. Then it stayed down. The Xaosians are rising from the dead, and I reckon those Inducers have got something to do with it.”

Beldun shuddered remembering the whispered conversation and looked over at Sagar again, who held his head low. She sidled over to him, taking care not to disturb the wreckage around them; the house had taken some damage in a bombing run, but it had stayed standing, much to Beldun's surprise. “Sagar?”

“Beldun.” He spoke as if surprised, broken out of a trance. “What's up?”

“Aside from all this...nothing, I suppose.” Beldun sighed. “You're just looking how I feel right now.”

Sagar put his arm around her, pulling her close. “It's alright,” he whispered, “we'll get through this. The Empire will send reinforcements, crush these bastards.”

Beldun nodded, but she believed it just as much as Sagar did.

Crunch.

Sagar's grip tightened as a sound came from outside. His free hand moved to his belt, where his pistol was clipped. Truss and Natise fell silent and Beldun held her breath, eyes wide with panic; the sounds were definitely footsteps.

The footsteps drew closer, and Beldun's heart beat faster and faster. Sagar's pistol was off his belt, and he was ready to turn and fire if they were discovered.

Then, voices. “Anyone there?” Beldun recognised an Irinian accent to the voice.

“Don't think so, no.” The second voice was much more guttural, a Xaosian.

Softer footfalls joined the pair. “Check again.” Beldun had to stop herself from gasping. Lyss!

There was a hiss as the Xaosian removed its helmet and it sniffed the air. They sat, tensed with bated breath until it said, “Four humans. Two male, two female.”

Lyss walked forward, before calling, “Come out with your hands up. You will not be harmed if you co-operate.”

Beldun sat still, immobile, Sagar doing the same. She knew he'd rather try and shoot his way out than surrender. Natise looked at Beldun, and mouthed the word “Sorry”, before standing and clambering outside, Truss following closely. Can I blame them? She tugged on Sagar's arm. “We have to go!” She hissed.

“No. We have the advantage here. When they come in to get us, I'll shoot them dead.”

“Good.” Lyss spoke to Truss and Natise now, sending them off with the Irinian, it seemed. “Sounds like we only have two to worry about anyway.”

Sagar nodded, cocking his pistol.

“Come out.” Lyss called. “I said you would not be harmed, and I meant it.”

“They're getting closer!” Beldun hissed.

“Take this.” Sagar handed her the vibro-blade. “Just in case I don't kill them straight out.”

“Thanks.” The blade was heavier than she'd expected, and it felt like a weapon should in her hand.

The wall behind them erupted into a cloud of dust and brick, sending them crashing to the floor. “Shit!” Sagar yelled, almost losing grip on the pistol. The Xaosian ran through what remained of the wall, gun in hand, he took aim at Sagar. Sagar brought his pistol round, shooting the Xaosian in the hand, throwing off his aim. Beldun was deafened as the Xaosian's bullet smashed into a concrete beam, making it rain concrete down on them. Sagar's next bullet hit the Xaosian in the forehead, and he fell down dead. “Good thing he took his helmet off.” Sagar reflected. Beldun nodded. Sagar brought the gun round to ace the hole in the wall again and waited.

He roared in pain as something embedded itself in his hand, and he dropped the gun. “Sagar!” Beldun screamed, scrabbling for the gun, until a black-clad foot kicked it beyond her reach. She looked up to see Lyss standing over them. He reached down and pulled a knife out of Sagar's palm, wipe it on Sagar's blood-stained clothes, before sliding it back into place on his armour. “That's enough.” Lyss said calmly.

Beldun stood, activating the vibro-blade. “How can you be helping the Xaosians? How can you be doing this?” She screeched, before lunging at Lyss with the blade. Lyss grabbed her hand and pushed her away, and she stumbled backwards. “You're a good person, you're not a killer! You are Lyss Fown!”

Lyss took a step towards her and lowered his visor, revealing his face. Beldun could see tendons stretching and straining, as if he was trying to fight the control. Bloodshot eyes and a blank expression finished the portrait of helpless desperation. “Lyss...” Beldun dropped her guard and all she felt for a moment was pity.

With a swift punch, he knocked her to the ground, kicked the vibro-blade out of her grip and growled, “My name is not Lyss Fown. I'm not a good person, and I am and always have been a killer.”

He grabbed Beldun by the throat, lifted her off the ground and tightened his grip. As she struggled for breath, hands flailing wildly at him, all she could do was pray for something to come along and save her.

But she knew it was hopeless.