Viper Strike

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Characterization work.

Star Diamonds ancient hull scraped slowly along Kingston Station's aged dockingbay buffers, leaving fresh scars along with those of countless ships before her. Huge arms finally settled against the battered hull, locking the ship into her resting place. Heavy cables reached out, sniffing and twisting like long snakes as they orientated to the ancient ships configuration. Twenty minutes after she first began to slip into bay 34A, the last support lamp flickered from amber to green.

"Why?" Eve asked for the sixth time.

"Because I haven't been here in a long time" he mother answered. "It'll only take a few hours to arrange for rooms and security, then the three of you can have all the fun you can stand."

"Don't like" complained Dawn. "We big girls now. Eve take care of I."

Snowaters sighed in that way all mothers do when faced with stubborn childreen. "Dawn, five isn't big. It's just older than four, even if Eve is three inches taller than you it doesn't make her an adult. Now for the last time, do it my way or you'll spend the entire visit aboard the Diamond."

"Yes mam" both girls answered, finally conceding defeat. A few extra hours aboard their home was better than missing the wonders of an alien deep space station. Turning as one they headed for the greenhouse.

"Yuki. 'lith's going to be busy coordinating with the station systems and checking for dangers in their databases. I want you to keep an eye out for anything.... strange."

"Yuki can do" the plant woman agreed. "Yuki know strange. Yuki yell at strange."

Snowaters nodded, patting the potted womans shoulder before leaving. Minutes later she joined Karin at the main airlock. "Everythings taken care of as best as I can manage" she informed the smaller woman.

Karin smiled towards the departing children. She remembered her own daughter, and how difficult she had been sometimes. "Aren't you taking this security thing a bit far though?" she asked. "This station has to have a pretty good security system to have lasted this long."

The taller woman just smiled, reaching out to take one of Karin's delicate looking hands. "I'm over a thousand years old" she whispered. "This is my fourteenth body, don't you think I've learned anything in that much time?"

Karin swallowed, it was still hard to believe anyone could live that long, even with the Techno-Magic aboard Star Diamond. Taking a deep breath she checked the fit of her belt, then nodded. "I'll concede that" she answered, "But I still think your going a bit far with this" she said quietly.

Snowaters just laughed, "Better safe than sorry. Now lets go get you lost in a few clothes stores while I handle the 'official paperwork.'"

Four hours later Karin staggered into the Diamond, several huge bags in her hands and a delivery cart following. Once everything was in the airlock she tipped the two men who had done the work, then started hauling boxes towards her quarters.

Yuki stopped her less than ten feet in. "Mistress with you?" she asked worriedly.

"Snowaters?" Karin asked, shaking hair from her eyes. "No, she gave me a debt card and left me to shop. Something about filling out paperwork. Is there something wrong?"

"Mistress missing" Yuki replied, absently biting her lower lip. "Mistress leave offices two hours ago. Mistress not answer her com-link."

Icewater flashed through Karin's heart. On a closed station, even one as large as this one... Nobody just disappeared. "Security?" Karin asked.

"No find. I tell Kalith. You clear airlock."

Karin headed back to the pile of packages at the airlock as Yuki turned to a nearby wallphone. In minutes the airlock was clear, closed and Karin was shoving her purchases roughly into her room. Things were happening and clutter was the worst thing in a possible combat situation.

Snowaters woke slowly. Her head felt like it was stuffed with broken glass and every nerve screamed its own message of pain. Her arms and legs were stretched near the breaking point while a chill breeze informed her someone had removed her clothing as well. Carefully she cracked one eyelid. Nothing, just darkness with a few flickering displays. Silently she began determining how badly she was hurt, the last thing she remembered was passing an empty stall. Then nothing. Whatever had hit her had been effective. Minutes later the lights came on and two people entered the room, a male puma and a female jaguar. Silently they walked up to her. The woman grabbed Snowaters chin, twisting her head around.

"Still out D" she growled. "See to it that those men are terminated, with EXTREME distaste. I wanted her knocked out for ten minutes, not have her neural circuits fried." The puma nodded, keeping silent. They turned to a control panel, their backs to the bound woman. With a sharp jab the jaguar pressed a button. "Get me her ship and feed camera six to the output."

"Yes Nest Leader" someone replied. Snowaters blood heated. Viper. She'd dealt with them before, wouldn't they ever learn? Seconds later Yuki's face filled the screen. "Miss..." she began, then her face changed to a dead calm. "Who calls Yuki" she asked.

“Give me the commander of your ship" the woman demanded. "I have demands to make."

"Yuki command Star Diamond. You talk Yuki or Yuki cut link."

"What kind of being is that" D asked, still studying the plant womans face. "I've never heard of anything like that."

"Maybe she's good with salad dressing" Nest Leader laughed. "I don't much eat salads, but in her case I'll make an exception."

Snowaters fought a snarl, turning her hate towards testing her bonds. An alarm suddenly sounded as she stressed the first restraint and the jaguar spun. Slapping a key the jaguar stepped up to Snowaters hanging body. "Ah, awake finally" she laughed. "Well, you've been such a pretty sight I think I'll keep you there... Until you rot." She turned back to the screen and Yuki. "You can see your employer, now watch." Reaching over she turned a dial slightly. Immediately the ropes tightened, stretching the human's frame. With a pop one of her shoulder joints failed, her right arm suddenly twisting strangely. Snowaters whimpered from the pain, then steadied herself. "Nice, don't you think? That was just two clicks, can you imagine what she'll look like after ten?"

"What want" Yuki asked, seemingly resigned to events.

"You, her children, that vulpine and anyone else aboard that pile of junk... Oh yes, and that pile of junk too."

"Yuki think. Call Yuki in twenty minutes. Yuki out." The screen went dark.

"Not very bright" D commented. "Must be the kids nanny or something."

"Probably" Nest Leader agreed. Walking over to the naked, bound woman she ran a finger up one leg. "Still, this one is a vegetarian and a lesbian. Maybe she's more important than that." Suddenly her claws sprang out as she griped delicate flesh. "Your allergic to protean. Aren't you" she demanded, twisting her claws deeply into Snowaters flesh.

"Yess" Snowaters gasped, unable to block the sudden pain. "So what."

"So" D answered. "As soon as nest Leader's through with you, maybe she's giving you to the grunts... You might even enjoy it, for the first few minutes."

"No D. I'll have her on my dinner table tonight" the jaguar growled. "Nice and plump and well done. You destroyed my Grandfathers nest and my mothers. Now you meet your end with me." Suddenly she laughed. "D, we'll have a delightful feast. Fresh roasted cat with a large side order of salad."

D just smiled. Unlike the jaguar, whom he was rapidly beginning to realize was mad, he didn't eat sentient beings. Certainly the plant-girl couldn't be anything more than a trained parrot, but actually eat a sentient? He gagged slightly at the thought. "What about our other two plans" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Actuate" Nest Leader ordered. "Why wait for them to surrender? After all, how much resistance can one women, two children and a parrot plant afford two trained strike teams. Tell them to go through the empty cargo bay, those computers, and the data in them are worth too much to blow up... And if that doesn't work, the gravity mine will. Now go!"

D bowed, "As you command Nest Leader" he whispered. With a final, almost pitying look to the doomed woman he turned and left the chamber.

"Ninety three standard years my family has waited for this moment, now it has come." With a jerk she ripped her claws from Snowaters body, electicting a scream from the abused woman as a chunk of flesh was removed. With a laugh the jaguar raised her bloody hand, plopping the still warm flesh into her mouth. Slowly she gently suckled each finger clean. "I thought you were the iron woman" she giggled, Snowaters blood trickling from her mouth as she chewed her prize. "Look at you, all sweaty, bloody, whimpering like a child."

"Age... does not bring invulnerability" Snowaters gasped. Fire radiated from between her legs, she could feel her blood trickling down. "You will not survive this day."

With a growl the jaguar drew back, throwing her full body weight into the punch. Snowaters head snapped back, then fell limply against her chest. "We'll see who doesn't survive this day" she cursed, "Your nothing more than meat for my table. Nothing more!" Reaching up she twisted her hand in the uncocious womans hair, jerking her head up. "You'll fill my belly tonight, and the next and the next until I've passed every ounce of you through me" she screamed into the bloody face. "I'll have my revenge you worthless slut." Throwing Snowaters head against her chest the jaguar turned back to the control panel. With a twist the ropes tightened further, there was another pop as Snowaters other shoulder separated. Smiling to herself she cut the lights and left the room.

<SRVR Chamber.> Kalith reported.

Yuki was busy, with Karin's help she was carefully jacking her own neural net into the Star Diamonds computer systems. "Why am I protecting Eve and Dawn while your putting your life on the line this way" Karin argued. "Even if you win your nervous system could be fried, you'd be a mindless plant. Your organic parts slowly absorbed by your own plant body." Tracing a line up under Yuki's skirt of leaves she nodded. "All set, that's a weird place to put a sensor probe though."

"That part of Yuki not work" the plant woman explained, "Better than cut Yuki. Feel nice too." She triggered a switch, her eyes widening as images screamed through her brain. "Yuki pick that one" she suddenly whispered. Turning her head she stared almost blankly at the vulpine. "Yuki owes existence to Mistress. Yuki's life belong to Mistress. Yuki's soul belong mistress." the plant woman explained. "Yuki family. Karin passenger."

Karin stepped back, Yuki's words striking her heart like a blaster bolt. Passenger, not worthy of protecting the ship. She tasted blood, realizing suddenly she had bit her lip almost through. "I see" she whispered, her voice as hollow as a winters promise. Fighting tears she ran for sick bay where the children were, in the most armored portion of the ship.

<That Was. Very Mean.> Kalith said after Karin was gone.

"Yuki no care. Yuki belong Mistress. Karin along for ride. Karin leave Mistress soon. Like all do. Karin not even warm mistress's bed." She stopped talking, her eyes losing focus as her she made changes to the program. "Yuki Yojimbo. Yuki proud die for mistress. Karin Ronan. Karin work anybody. Karin die for nobody." Taking a deep breath she slipped a visor over her eyes. Now no matter what happened the only air she would get was what her dual lungs held and could recycle. Locking her helmet in place she released herself to the ancient game program. "Yuki like Karin" she whispered as the program took her conscious thought. "Yuki not want Karin hurt." Outside her tiny environment Kalith began purging Star Diamond's atmosphere, replacing it with Krypton gas.

"Place your charges here, frame seventeen." D looked around, no one in sight. Granted they were in the unpressurized area of the bay, but even here there should have been a few workers. He grinned, mad or not Nest Leader had done well. "We're going into a cargo bay, it's probably got a lot of junk in it, so watch

out for ambush" he ordered. "Nest Leader wants the kids alive, any others are meat for your taking." A chorus of voices told him everyone understood. Eighteen men and woman to take a ship with four women on it, two of those children only four or five years old. He shook his head, 'Talk about overkill' he thought.

Nodding to the two with charges, he started the invasion.

Snowaters regained consciousness. Her lip hurt and several teeth were loose, but the nanomites her body carried seemed to have stopped the bleeding. Pain ripped through her at every little movement, from her shoulder to.... more private places. Slowly her eyes focused, a barely visible clock told her only minutes had passed. She started to smile, then thought better of it. Rapid recovery was something her nanomites gave her and it caught most of her captors by surprise. Taking inventory she realized that both arms were now useless, and naked she had nothing to work with. 'This is going to be a challenge' she thought. A sound caught her attention. In her hate filled rage Nest Leader had left the com-channel open. 'If only 'lith notices' she prayed.

D couldn't believe it. Punching a hole through the Diamond's hull had been difficult enough, it was made of sterner stuff than a battlecruiser. But now... He looked around him. Hell.... It was Hell..... It had to be Hell... Half his force torn to pieces by dead things that fell apart as they killed... One Sgt. was impaled, his now nude body slowly turning over a fire as shadowy things tore strips from his still living body. He shuddered... What was this place and what kind of mother could do such things. Taking a deep breath of bottled air he stepped from behind the twisted obelisk, directly into the path of a two legged mouth of teeth.

Yuki was shuddering, the soft spoken gentle little plant woman wasn't guiding the images in the SRVR chamber, she was each being. Only two things kept her sane. Kalith's active buffering of the truth from her mind and her love for her mistress.

Even through the heavy armor Karin could hear the screams. Clad in her own battle armor she stood between the chambers only hatch and her saviors children. "Passenger" she cursed. "Choices. Passenger you sit the battle out. Family you get to put your life on the line, have your heart ripped out and handed to you..... Choices..."

<Snowaters> 'Liths voice filled the darkened chamber.

"Wha' took so long" she answered, her voice still not fully recovered. "Traced me yet?"

Snowaters giggled, the movement bringing pain from her shattered shoulders. "So tha' great 'lith can't do something? I'm shocked."

<I. Am Not. A Machine.> the alien answered. She could almost hear scorn in the electronic voice.

"Sorry lov" she whispered. "I can' help either. I'm kinda... hung up at the moment. Least she left alarm off, stupid bitch."

<Options.>

"Gravity bomb." she gasped as something the nanomites did caused fire to rip up one leg. "Blow tha' cylinder or it'll kill thousands, no time ta' stop it, then phase out."

"'m dead already lov" she giggled, fresh pain causing her to gasp. "What'ere they hit me with, it trashed mh' bio's..." She shuddered as searing pain lanced from her crotch. 'Thought I was gonna be okay, but they've gone crazy. Tha' tearin' ma' body 'part." She sobbed a moment, tears falling to mix with the fresh blood on the floor. "Pains getting to be.... interesting.... Change me" she ordered.

"One" she replied, her voice almost a croak. 'An hurry, I'll get a few minutes o'h update anyway."

<Womantomorphtocat> Kalith's voice filled the chamber. In the Techno-rack Snowaters body rippled, becoming larger, heavier. Two heavy pop's filled the room as her arms reseated, her bellow of pain more an animal howl than anything intelligent.

Nest Leader heard the roar from her command center. "What the Harg was that?" she cursed. Turning to the door of Snowaters prison she palmed it open. White death leaped from the other side.

<Getting Update> 'Liths voice informed Karin. <Shifting.>

"What?" the vulpine asked, staring at the speaker. Something behind her cycled. There was the hiss of released pressure and a bitter-sweet smell. Spinning she saw one of the strange crystal pillars moving. Eve and Dawn started, holding each others hands so tightly they were white under the fur. "Mamma died" Dawn whispered. Eve just stared, a single tear falling from her eye. Tapping a pressure plate Karin activated her systems. At the same instant reality shifted, twisting away from her. For an instant she saw her family then things that could have been but didn't.

<Stand Down.> Kalith ordered. <Clone. Is Decanting.>

D had made it to the chambers single huge hatch. Half his armor was useless, his squad dead, dying, or worse. A hollow scream twisted his soul, one of the last women in his forces was being... played with. Grabbing the manual override he jerked the doors open.

<Enemy Has. Penetrated. Neutralize.> 'Lith ordered. Karin turned to see the chambers hatch twist open. In an instant she was out, the hatch slamming shut behind her. Standing less than ten feet away, wearing crumpled space armor a single figure turned to face her. There was a look of madness on his face. Karin just smiled, action at last.

Nest Leader was fighting for her life, the huge snow leopard had crushed four ribs with a single blow. Now it's mouth gaped only inches from her neck. Vaguely she could hear alarms, people evacuating the control room. Heavy thumps told her the cylinders emergency releases had been activated. 'Gravity bomb' she suddenly realized. Without her to voice deactivate it it would go off in minutes. Twisting, she rolled from under the massive cat, managing a single rake against the her larger foe's side. She jumped for the control panel. Her own children were still on the station, the last of her line. She had too....

Pain filled her as the other crashed into her, greater strength crushing her against the consul. She strained, fighting an impossible stronger foe. Suddenly a loud crack filled the chamber. Nest Leaders legs failed as her spine snapped like a twig. Still fighting she fell to the floor as the cylinders emergency boosters pushed it away from the rest of Kingston Station. Another huge paw slammed into her head and it was over. Beaten, hardly able to focus her thoughts she looked up into her enemies eyes, expecting death in an instant. Instead, slowly intelligence took over the cats battle madness. A deep, rich, but still female voice issued from the cats mouth.

"I told you that you would not survive this day, didn't I" the barely sentient Snowaters said. She winced, pain rolling from her ripped belly where the jaguar had torn it almost through with her clawed feet. Swinging her massive head she studied the consul displays. Almost calmly she swung a paw against it, crumpling the metal like paper. "Six minutes until your bomb detonates. Half, maybe more will escape" she said. Turning back to face the other she almost smiled. "We won't be among them."

"What are you" Nest Leader asked, her voice rock calm. Death wasn't something to fear.

"A mother... cursed with you and your kind" Snowaters answered. Stepping back she studied the jaguars body. It took only a few seconds to tear the remaining clothing from it. "Pretty" she commented. "We could have had fun." Carefully she spread the others now useless legs, stopping to lick deeply at her unprotected crouch. "Tasty too... You know" she whispered, "Now that I think of it. I really am a bit hungry..."

Nest Leader screamed as Snowaters bit deeply. Tearing, crackling noises filled her ears as bone sheared, flesh ripped from her leg. Snowaters head came up, her mouth filled with a huge chunk of flesh from her. She couldn't feel it.. Wouldn't feel it... But how could the hated enemy know that her greatest fear was... Being eaten alive. Through horrified eyes she watched as the cat chewed, swallowed, then moved forward.

The next two bites she felt.

Yuki stood looking out at space, in one hand a small bottle, the other an ancient slug throwing pistol. Karin stood behind her, worry plain on her face. "Yuki do bad evil" she whispered. "Yuki fail. Yuki need die."

Karin bit her sore lip, trying not to talk. She'd cleaned out the SRVR chamber, before the program had been purged. Kalith had told her she needed to know... She'd seen..... From such a gentle creature such horrors...

"Yuki ask Karin. Karin friend." She held the small vile to the vulpine. "Karin help kill Yuki. Please."

Sniffing the vial an acrid scent struck her, making her winch. "What is this?" she asked.

"Herbicide" the plant-girl replied. "Plant Yuki Die." She held up the pistol in her other hand, "Human Yuki follow soon after."

Carefully closing the vial Karin stuffed it in a pocket, she'd space it later. "No Yuki, you didn't do anything to be ashamed of" she almost cooed as she gently pried the weapon from Yuki's hand. "You can ask Snowaters later. I'm certain she'll agree."

"Yuki not save Mistress. Mistress die. Have to use clone."

Karin cursed, she'd seen the like before, combat shock was most common with first timers and Yuki had it bad. Walking away from the shattered nanny she found a wallphone. Picking it up she pressed the 'K' button, unloading the pistol as she waited for Kalith's attention.

<Yes. Karin.>

"What makes Yuki drunk" she demanded. "And where is it."

<Greenhouse. Aft. Storeroom Three. Shelf B. Box 63. Blue Bottles.>

"No questions?"

"Thanks" she replied. Minutes later, several dark blue bottles in one hand she half dragged Yuki into her room. "Security Close" she ordered, knowing only Eve and Dawn couldn't open it. After all... She was just a passenger. Opening the bottle she shoved it into Yuki's hands. "Drink" she ordered. "Deep."

Thinking it was a poison (it certainly tasted like it ought to be) Yuki swallowed several mouthfuls. "Yuki die now?" she asked hopefully.

"No" Karin growled, dragging out a bottle of her own that Snowaters had given her. "Yuki and Karin get drunk, get loose and talk." Taking a deep draft of the bottle of Irish Mist she'd found she stared into the plant womans huge eyes. "Do you thing your first woman go battlemad?" the vulpine slurred. Stopping, she took a deep breath, clearing her head. She looked at the bottle. "You know? This is good stuff. Anyway. Your not the first woman to go battlemad when children were threatened. Neither one of us were a match to nineteen professionals. You stopped them cold, for that the three of us owe you our lives." She paused, taking the time to force Yuki to swallow another mouthful, following suit herself. Pulling on a line Snowaters had used in the Zero-Zero station Champions room she grabbed a handful of Yuki's leaves. "If you take your life, honor demands we follow you. Are you saying you want Eve and Dawn dead too?"

Yuki blinked, thinking. "Yuki love EveDawn" she whispered. "Yuki save EveDawn. Not want EveDawn die." She hiccuped, her pot jerking back sharply. "Ohhh..." she gasped as a handful of leaves popped out in Karin's hand.

Karin stared at the leaves, new ones from the upper row covering Yuki's nipples, then at Yuki. A small, dark green nipple stared out from between the remaining leaves, a drop of white soy-milk beaded up at the tip. "Sorry" she breathed, "I didn't.. Oh my God that must have hurt" she finished.

Yuki touched her nipple, watching as it hardened. "Not hurt much" she replied. "Yuki kinda numb." She took another drink, "Yuki like blue bottle" she giggled. Slowly, deliberately she began plucking leaves from her chest. "Yuki not see self before. See now."

"That's gonna hurt tomorrow" Karin observed as a small pile of leaves grew at her feet. Shock, it might not hurt now but in the morning there was going to be one very unhappy plant lady. "You really better stop."

Looking up into Karin's eyes Yuki sighed, dropping the last leaf from her front to the floor. "Yuki hurt worse inside. Maybe hurt outside help forget inside." She touched her other nipple, watching it swell as well. "Why nipples swell?" she asked.

"Sex" the vulpine answered, her sense of politeness somewhat depressed from the strong liqueur. "Your just a horny girl. Happens all tha' time after battle."

"Huh?"

"You need sexual release" Karin said. She took another drink, then looked at the bottle. "Empty, Damn."

"Yuki's bottle empty too."

"I'm still thirsty" Karin admitted, "But I better lay off the booze until Snowy's recovered fully. Then we're all three gonna lay in a long hard drunk..." Something bumped her head, turning she found herself staring at Yuki's dark green nipple.

"Yuki need relief" the plant girl said. "Yuki's milk full. Yuki's breast's hurt. Karin help Yuki?" There was a short pause as the plant girl waited, and Karin tried to think. Then Yuki's hands were on Karin's head, pulling her closer. "Yuki keep clean for Karin" she whispered into the vulpine's ear. "Yuki..... Forever."

A dark stealthship drifted through Kingston station's wreckage, carefully dodging the mass of recovery ships buzzing around. Inside three sets of eyes studied a twisted ball drifting towards a nearby gas giant. "Her ship would be in there?" the eldest male asked.

"Yes High Leader. The gravity bomb pulled half the cylinder into that ball, nothing survived."

The elder man blinked, thinking. "Couldn't they have escaped" he asked.

"No High Leader" the single woman replied. "Undocking was a twenty minute operation. Even in an emergency, fifteen. They only had five or six minutes warning. We've already scoured what remains of the station and talked to the surviving nestlings. Snowaters and Nest Leader were in mortal combat when the command center sealed."

The older man nodded, "Close the file. We lost a line but ended a threat. In all I think we're ahead."

Moments later the ship twisted, slipping back into subspace. Seconds later a single figure drifted from a shattered chamber. A huge snow leopard, her torn belly heavily distended, was coiled in what had to have been a most peaceful death.