Jess panted as she looked at the Spider-Worm, trying to keep calm. So far, they had been able to handle the robots, and the Apes had escaped, so there was that. One new not enemy was great as the day was going. So far, the Spider-Worm was just looking at them. And for a few moments, Jess hoped it would leave. And then it spat out a blob of black liquid that ate at the deck and it looked at it. She didnât know what she was expecting, but she had a feeling that this thing was going to be a problem. She swallowed and whispered. âCan you feel anything from it Paige?â
âHunger and desire that borders the boundary of beasts and people. And there is a boundary,â Paige said softly.
Jess swallowed, not sure how to take that. She had a few pets growing up, and the idea that they could think was something that was bothering her. But this wasnât the time for her thoughts, the time now was for action. Looking at the monster, she swallowed and aimed her weapon at it. With the robots gone, this was the last problem for claiming this place. And with everything out there, they needed a place to defend, and something better than rock walls.
âSo, is hoping that that thing will leave just dreaming?â Skâp asked with a slightly joking tone to his voice.
Jess heard Sara snort as she tried to hold back her laughter. And Jess had to admit, that idea was a bit funny.
But then the Spider-Worm roared and charged at the doorway.
âGet back!â Jess roared and grabbing one of the bugs she ran down the corridor. The others ran with her, and moments later the Spider-Worm slammed into the doorway, denting it. Jess dropped her cargo, and turned, firing at the beast as it roared.
âKeep hitting it! If itâs stuck there, we can win!â Skâp roared as he fired at the monster. At the same time, it tried to ram the door again, but something stopped it. It started to wiggle as it was being pulled backwards before it fell into the air.
Jess stared in shock as Karakpace stood there, glowing black next to the blaze that was Jinn. They stood there for a second before the Spider-Worm roared and they were moving.
As Jinn âdashedâ away, Karakpace charged. He angled his body low to the ground as he ran, making himself a smaller target. The Spider-Worm roared again before it spat another blob of black liquid at Karakpace. But he dodged it easily, the blob hit the deck, sizzling as it into the metal.
As he got closer, Karakpace roared and slashed out with his claws as soon as he sped by the monster.
While that was happening, Jinn had dashed into the air to the ceiling. As he fell he fired at the Spider-Worm from the hanger door side of the chamber. As the monster was hit, it roared in pain and thrashed around.
It moved its tail and slashed down at Karakpace who dodged the blow at the last moment. His lunge caused him to land on the wall, actually standing there for a moment. He growled before he pushed off into a lunge that sent him slamming into the Spider-Worm. To her shock, the force of the blow sent it back a few feet.
Jinn landed and âdashed to above the monster, falling and slicing out with his blade, destroying one of its eyes. When its spike limbs tried to get him, he âdashedâ away and landed near Karakpace.
âKeep it up! That was just what we needed!â Karakpace encouraged before he roared and charged at the Spider-Worm again. The beast thrashed around in pain and seemed to not be able to see out of that side. It fired another blob but it landed nowhere near the fighters. As Karakpace made it closer to the monster and slashed out again. This time he landed a blow on the side of the beast below the damaged eyes. As the monster roared it lashed out with its spiked limbs, this time scratching Karakpaceâs shell. It was only for a moment but that was enough for the beast to know it had hit something, and it slammed its tail around. Karakpace was hit and was thrown across the hangar.
Jinn moved around to the âgoodâ side of the beast, firing as he went.
âBack them up! Fire!â Skâp roared as he fired at the Spider-Worm, hoping that his fire would do something. As the monster roared in pain, it spat a glob of its black liquid at them. It flew through the air and hit the ground ahead of the group, but some of it splashed onto Skâpâs right side.
He roared in agony as he went down, the sound of sizzling flesh and the smell almost caused Jess to throw up.
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Jinn looked at him as Sara looked down at him, her eyes full of pain before her hand started to glow. In a moment, the sounds and smells were gone, and all that remained was Skâpâs slow panting.
âIs he okay?!â Paige asked in concern as she dropped down.
Sara grabbed a device from her backpack and slowly scanned him. âHeâs not fine, but I was able to stop him with my Power. Heâs still hurt, I canât fix that! We need to put a bandage on him, now!â
Jess stayed silent, looking at the Spider-Worm as looked at them. With a hard swallow, Jess felt her With a slow motion, she put her hand on Paigeâs shoulder.
âPaige, Sara. Move him down the hall to the door, open it, and go inside. Iâll but you all the time I can. But go!â Jess said with force to her voice.
âWhat are you feelingâ¦.Sara, help me now!â Paige said urgently.
Jess looked at the Spider-Worm as it glared at them, and with a shaky hand, she willed her power active. If that thing wanted to get past her, it would do that over her dead body.
But before it could move at them, five blasts hit its body. It roared in pain and Jess whipped her head around and saw Jinn looking at the beast, his pistol pointing at it.
âHERE!â Jinn roared, and the Spider-Worm roared and turned towards him.
It was all Jess could do to watch what happened next. The Spider-Worm charged at Jinn, ignoring Karakpace on its bad side. After it was halfway to him, Jinn disappeared and reappeared by the hanger door. And to Jessâs horror, the Spider-Worm stopped, thrusting its sharp limbs into the deck.
For a moment, she wondered why it had done that and then she felt her mind go blank. There was only one reason it would have done that, and that was because it reasoned what was beyond the door. It knew what the open air was and what would happen to it if Jinn tricked it out that door.
Karakpace roared and charged at the monster as it tried to turn. He tackled itâs back, sending it down.
âDO IT, SHOT ITS HEAD!â Karakpace roared as he tried to force the monster down. But then before anyone could move, Karakpace screamed in pain. He to the side and in a flash Jess was there.
She grabbed him and felt something wet on her hands. But she ignored the feeling and she âdashedâ away with him before the Spider-Worm could even react to her.
As soon as she reappeared by the door she felt something eating at her hands. She looked down and saw some of that black liquid on them. And paled in horror. She could only wonder where it had come from, then her head snapped to look at Karakpaceâs body.
âOh, Nova! Sara! We need you!â Jess roared.
Down the hallway, Sara poked her head out a moment before Jess grabbed Karakpace and âdashedâ to the door.
<>------------------------------------------------<>------------------------------------------------<>
âOn Nova! Jess, Karakapce!â Sara cried as she leaped back and looked at them. She stared in horror, and she couldnât even believe what she was seeing, that anything like this was possible.
Karakpaceâs front had been soaked in the black liquid and Jess had it on her hands. The moans from Karakpace were the only thing that told her he was alive. The smell of the liquid eating his body made her rethink that idea, as she hadnât treated many insect-like beings. But it was the way that he moved his limbs that told her he was still alive. She looked down, not knowing how to even start treating him.
âWhatâs happening? OH NOVA! JESS! And is that the Insect being!?â Paige's voice came from the doorway to the small room they had found to treat Skâp. The room they found only had one entrance and had been used as an office from what Sara could tell.
âStay there Paige, watch Skâp! And close the door if I say so!â Sara called out as she noticed something from the corner of her eyes. She looked up at Jess and made a motion towards her with her hands. âLet me help you!â
âNo, him first!â Jess demanded as she pointed at Karakpace.
âJess, I donât know how to even start!â Sara said as she held her hands in anger and sorrow.
âYour power, use it!â Jess said with a snarl.
She called upon her power and sent it at Karakpace, and then she felt something. She looked down as the liquid disappeared and revealed how damaged Karakpace was. His chitin had a hole in it that blood seeped out of. But even worse, through the holes there was something else. Something that she couldnât understand at first, but then she did, to her dismay and horror.
âNO!â Sara exclaimed as she realized what she saw.
âWhat is it!?â Jess demanded as Sara looked at her and used her Power again, this time on Sara. As her hands stopped smoking, Jess looked down before looking up. âThanks, but whatâs wrong?!â
âThe liquid got inside him! This is bad, this is so bad!â Sara said as she moved to get her bag and equipment.
âWhy is it bad!!?â Jess began as Sara made it back.
Sara ignored her and went to work, bringing her scanner out and looking over the readings.
âHeâs descended from bugs, so he has an external bone structure! I donât even know if he can regrow what the liquid ate! And if it gets to his heart, it's over! And look!â Sara said as she pointed at the two bugs that Karakpace controlled. Both of them were moving around randomly and they seemed to jerk when they looked at the two women. âThat has to mean that heâs losing control, and that means heâs dying! I donât know what I could do!â
âThen save him! Arenât you a doctor!?â Jess demanded.
Sara looked away, chastised and full of anger. âYou need training to heel all kinds of life. I know how to heal people descended from Apes, Canines, and Birds! We were going to go over Insects next week before we crashed!
âThen try to save him anyway!â Jess said with a snarl.
âHow?! I donât have any of the tools or training to help him. I need to cut him open! I donât have anything like that in my tools!â Sara said, anger leaking into her voice. She glared at Jess, trying to get her to understand just what she could and couldnât do! That was what the problem was with people from other sections of the ship. They thought the medical division could heal everything and anything. None of them understood the time it took to learn to treat even half the races in the Federation!
âThen donât cut him open, do more with what you have!â Jess snarled.
âWith what!? I donât have anything, and all my Power can do is negate things that are affecting the body, nothing else!â Sara bit back as she looked at Jess with anger in her eyes.
For a moment that seemed so long, Jess only stared at Sara. âThen he didnât tell you that trick?â
âWhat trick!?â Sara asked, at the absolute limit of her temper and self-control. âSo help me, if this is something stupid that is so obvious to you Iâm going to scream! I canât do what I donât know how toâ¦.â
âJinn said we can move the source of the Powers, what fuels it. He told me, thatâs how I can do his âDashingâ trick! So do that, throw it at him or your Power! Maybe thatâll do something!â Jess said with hope and shock in her voice.
Sara looked at her, and then down at her hands. She was stunned, she was completely stunned. Maybe she would be able to help Karakpace after all. The roars from the other room told her that they would need everyone who could hold a weapon soon.