Brutal Alien Mercenary: A Sci Fi Romance, page 1
BRUTAL ALIEN MERCENARY
NINA SIREN
ATHENAVERSE PRESS
CONTENTS
1. Rachel
2. Djinn
3. Djinn
4. Rachel
5. Djinn
6. Rachel
7. Rachel
8. Djinn
9. Rachel
10. Djinn
11. Rachel
12. Djinn
13. Rachel
14. Djinn
15. Rachel
16. Djinn
17. Rachel
18. Djinn
19. Rachel
20. Djinn
21. Rachel
22. Djinn
23. Rachel
24. Djinn
25. Djinn
26. Rachel
27. Djinn
28. Rachel
29. Djinn
30. Rachel
31. Djinn
32. Rachel
33. Djinn
34. Rachel
35. Djinn
36. Djinn
37. Djinn
38. Rachel
39. Djinn
40. Rachel
41. Rachel
1
RACHEL
"Insectoids!" I mutter between gasps for air. Their grotesque figures haunt my mind - the nightmarish fusion of human and insect traits, monstrous bugs with sinewy limbs that easily outpace human sprinters. I'm their quarry, and they're gaining ground.
Despite the long odds, my survival instinct kicks in, and I push harder, sprinting across the sodden Amazonian terrain. A sharp sting radiates from my foot. Looking down, I find a shoe missing, replaced by a bloody foot. Yet, I can't afford to stop.
My heart hammers in my chest, adrenaline pumping into every fiber of my being, drowning out the world except for the grotesque symphony of the insectoids' pursuit. I can't allow myself the luxury of a glance back. The fear of finding them a hair's breadth away chains my gaze ahead.
Yet, even as I run, the faces of my colleagues haunt me, chilling me more than the wind cutting through my sweat-soaked clothes. Tears sting my eyes, but they're not for me. They're for my friends, now cold and lifeless, casualties of this senseless massacre.
If I hadn't been drawn by an unusual plant a few meters away from our camp, I'd be among them. Their screams still echo in my ears. The sight of their lifeless bodies when I returned will forever be seared into my memory. I'd barely managed to run before the insectoids noticed my return.
We had been on a mission of hope, searching for new, edible flora to bolster the dwindling supplies of our alien allies and our own people on Earth. Our planet, serving as a galactic granary, dreaded the day our fields and livestock could no longer feed our populace, let alone meet the demands of other planets.
Our search was supposed to continue for days, but it ended in a bloodbath before the first day was over. Now, as I sprint through the haunting beauty of the Amazon, the grief for my fallen colleagues vies with the primal instinct for survival.
However, amidst the chaos, one question plagues my mind—how did these brutal insectoids breach Earth's defenses? Our planet was supposed to be a protected part of the galaxy, heavily fortified due to its vital role in providing water, food, and other necessities to various alien races.
Ironically, humanity, with all our ingenuity, is still just a labor resource for advanced civilizations. They regard us as an inferior species, and we are dispatched as workers across the universe.
Yet, not all is grim. We've earned allies who pledged to shield us from invasion and skirmishes, recognizing Earth's significance in the Milky Way Alliance. We provide, and they protect. Or at least, that's how it's supposed to work.
And here I am, the object of an insectoid hunt. My mind aches with questions as I struggle to outpace the pursuing mantis-like horrors.
These insectoids, despite their limited cognition, are a threat feared across galaxies. They breed at thrice our rate, and if you kill one, it seems two take its place.
Even the formidable Lords, protectors of our planet, are overwhelmed by their vast numbers. Yet, they can exterminate these creatures easily in smaller groups. A fact that offers little comfort as I consider the fate of my team, and the glaring absence of our protectors.
As I dart into a meadow, the stark reality hits me - I may die here. Tripping over a rock, I crash to the ground, the sharp rocks tearing into my skin and shredding my clothes. I rise to my knees and see about twenty insectoids approaching, their claws gleaming ominously, their grotesque green eyes fixated on me.
I prepare for the end. I'm at peace with my fate, having arranged for my belongings to go to charity. My estranged brother won't waste a tear on my demise. I say a silent prayer, squeeze my eyes shut, then open them to face my tormentors.
Summoning the last dregs of my courage, I push to my feet, and with my voice echoing across the open meadow, I shout, "Come at me, you dumb, ugly monsters!"
Ironically, humanity, with all our ingenuity, is still just a labor resource for advanced civilizations. They regard us as an inferior species, and we are dispatched as workers across the universe.
Yet, not all is grim. We've earned allies who pledged to shield us from invasion and skirmishes, recognizing Earth's significance in the Milky Way Alliance. We provide, and they protect. Or at least, that's how it's supposed to work.
And here I am, the object of an insectoid hunt. My mind aches with questions as I struggle to outpace the pursuing mantis-like horrors.
These insectoids, despite their limited cognition, are a threat feared across galaxies. They breed at thrice our rate, and if you kill one, it seems two take its place.
Even the formidable Lords, protectors of our planet, are overwhelmed by their vast numbers. Yet, they can exterminate these creatures easily in smaller groups. A fact that offers little comfort as I consider the fate of my team, and the glaring absence of our protectors.
As I dart into a meadow, the stark reality hits me - I may die here. Tripping over a rock, I crash to the ground, the sharp rocks tearing into my skin and shredding my clothes. I rise to my knees and see about twenty insectoids approaching, their claws gleaming ominously, their grotesque green eyes fixated on me.
I prepare for the end. I'm at peace with my fate, having arranged for my belongings to go to charity. My estranged brother won't waste a tear on my demise. I say a silent prayer, squeeze my eyes shut, then open them to face my tormentors.
Summoning the last dregs of my courage, I push to my feet, and with my voice echoing across the open meadow, I shout, "Come at me, you dumb, ugly monsters!"
2
DJINN
"Welcome aboard, Djinn!" Captain Tyron's booming voice greets me as I step into the spaceship's command center. An array of respectful salutes comes from the other iron lords.
After months of imposed inactivity on the Planet of Gold, I'm finally leaving my gilded cage. I had to persuade them, arguing that I was fit for service, that I'd recovered from the injuries that had benched me. They relented when I half-joked that I'd die of boredom if kept grounded any longer.
I stride up to the monitors, my eyes scanning the myriad displays. "Has anyone tracked the insectoids yet?" My voice slices through the hum of technology and muted conversation.
A group of insectoids had breached Earth's defenses barely half an hour ago, an occurrence that baffled us. How did these giant bugs circumvent the planet's guards? It's now our task to hunt them down and thwart their intrusion.
"We can't track them unless we're within Earth's vicinity, but we're almost there," comes an anonymous reply.
I don't turn to acknowledge it. Our focus has to be on speed and efficiency if we want this mission to be successful. The screens before me remain devoid of the insectoid's spaceship transmitter signal we're waiting for.
A familiar itch creeps into my veins, the call for action that has lain dormant for too long. It's been months since I tasted battle, and these insectoids would be a welcome challenge, a means to reignite my dormant prowess.
Three months ago, I'd tangled with them, an encounter that left me out of commission until my complete recovery. This would be my first mission since then, and I swear vengeance against these grotesque creatures.
The memory of that day still lingers.
"All right, team! Gear up!" I bark, rallying my troops for our attack against the insectoids. "We'll be teleporting shortly. Aim for their heads."
Ten of us are on this mission, tasked to exterminate an insectoid colony that's encroached upon our neighboring planet and settled in its barren southern region.
As the spaceship transmitter beeps, I busy myself setting the warp machine, prepping for teleportation. Suddenly, sparks fly and chaos reigns as a glitch sends me spiraling into a black hole.
Time stretches, then snaps back. Blinking, I find myself alarmingly close to the insectoid queen, the Mantis. A horde of insectoids scurry around us, laboring to build a nest for their leader.
Without wasting a heartbeat, I summon my gold spear, morph it into a sword, and lunge at the queen. If the swarm spots me, it's over. But if I eliminate the queen, I might have a fighting chance.
With the death of the queen, a palpable shockwave ripples through the swarm. A stillness lasts for three breaths, and then they spiral into a frenzied chaos, attacking indiscriminately. The queen's death leaves them rudderless and doomed to a short, purposeless existence.
Although my landing here was accidental, it turns out to be mission-accomplished. Yet, as the frenzy engulfs me, the sharp edges of their claws etching painful lines across my body, I fear I might share the insectoids' fate. No being, whether human or lord, has ever survived the manic onslaught of a swarm.
I feel the toxic poison beginning to seep from their bodies into mine. Knowing the end is near, I brace myself for oblivion. But fate intervenes. Abruptly, I'm swept up into a black hole and spit out back onto our spaceship. I collapse onto the deck, my team rushing to aid me.
Normally, I am a fortress, keeping my emotions locked within. But this time, a broad smile splits my face, my heart swelling at the sight of my fellow lords. I hadn't expected to see them again. But, as suddenly as it appeared, my smile contorts into a grimace as the pain consumes me, and darkness swoops in.
"There they are."
Captain Tyron's voice yanks me back to the present. The screen before me pulses with the signal from the insectoid's spaceship transmitter. We've breached Earth's atmosphere, and the creatures that nearly claimed my life are within our reach.
I shake my head, dispelling the haunting memories of my last encounter. Those damned bugs had me cocooned in a healing shell for an entire week.
Had their potent venom entered a human's bloodstream, instant death would have been the result. As a Lord, though, our physiology is built for resilience, for enduring brutal beatings and counteracting poisons like that of the insectoids. Still, their venomous claws pose a significant threat, even to us.
With a grim determination, I push the spaceship to its top speed, honing in on the insectoid's location. Who knows the havoc they've already wrecked? In the 35 minutes since they breached Earth, there's a high chance of casualties.
All we can hope for now is that they landed in a remote area, a forest or a desert. A crowded city would make for a grimmer scene.
As the monitors beep insistently, they pinpoint the insectoids' spaceship. My heart sinks as the location resolves on the screen.
They've landed in the Amazon.
3
DJINN
The urgency in the monitors' beeping heightens, a discordant soundtrack to our impending battle. The Amazon Rainforest is merely a couple of miles away now. We'll breach its canopy within two minutes.
"Almost there," I murmur, scanning the data flowing across the screens. A chorus of agreement echoes around the command center. I can feel the ship's atmosphere shifting as everyone readies themselves for the impending confrontation.
The insectoids are fierce adversaries. Sever a limb, and it births a new insectoid, amplifying their numbers even in the heat of battle. However, we've found their Achilles heel. Decapitate them, and they drop, lifeless. And if we find the queen, it's a significant win. Without her, the colony is as good as defeated.
That's how we've managed to keep the insectoids' population in check.
There's one caution we hold dear: avoid the insectoids' venom at all costs. I, for one, have no intention of being trapped in the healing shell again.
As I secure the shield to my chest and perform a final check on my spear, a familiar thrill of battle courses through me. Three months of rehabilitation have done nothing to quench it. Those insectoids won't know what hit them.
The monitors’ beep transforms into a constant tone. The insectoid's runaway spaceship is within sight now, abandoned in the thick foliage. The scene turns grimmer as we spot the bodies of several humans nearby.
Steering the spacecraft north, we finally locate the horde of giant bugs in a meadow. They're hunting a human. My fingers fly over the controls, coaxing the ship to maximum speed. But something's wrong. The ship lags.
Perfect timing, I think bitterly. The chase from earlier had inflicted some damage. Despite our repairs, it seems we didn't fully restore its speed. We'll address it post-mission.
Right now, the crucial task is to reach the human before the insectoids do.
"Djinn," Victor, our mechanic, calls out urgently. "The bugs are almost upon the human."
His words drive me to the monitor displaying the satellite feed. The sight that greets me sparks a curse from my lips. A woman. Vulnerable. Defenseless.
I watch helplessly as she flees from the alien swarm, stumbling, picking herself up, and running again. Her determination is admirable, but the odds are against her. The insects are too fast. Too relentless.
The odds are overwhelmingly against her. She's slight, helpless, and without aid—except for us. But we're still forty feet in the air. Touching down would cost precious time, time she doesn't have.
The insectoid swarm is mere moments from overtaking her. Any second now, and she'll share the fate of the others. Without further hesitation, I guide the spaceship above the woman and plunge into the open air. The shouts of my comrades follow me down, a familiar chorus of concern and resignation.
My boots strike the ground a few feet ahead of her, just as I'd anticipated. I waste no time in launching my counterattack.
In one swift motion, my golden spear morphs into a sword, cleaving through three insectoid heads in a single stroke. My weapon obeys my every command, fluidly shifting from spear to sword, adjusting its length up to ten feet to match my needs. The first wave of attackers falls to my blade.
My focus narrows to the battle at hand. I spare no thought for the woman now behind me, all attention honed on my adversaries. Some have labeled me a battle maniac before, and not without reason. Given the choice between rest and fighting these creatures, I choose the latter every time.
A colossal insectoid lunges towards me, claws outstretched. Dodging sideways, I aim for its neck, careful to avoid creating any new adversaries from its severed limbs. As the creature crumples, the woman's petrified face emerges from behind its bulk.
She's barely moved, frozen in place even in the face of the towering insectoid. The only help I can offer now is eradicating these pests. Once they're gone, she can return to her life, free from the terror of giant bugs and alien encounters.
I shake away these distracting thoughts and refocus on the mission.
The insectoids keep coming. I estimate hundreds must have emerged from their spacecraft. My blade dances in the air, severing heads on the right, evading deadly claws on the left. I'm caught in a deadly rhythm of attack and dodge when the woman's scream slices through the cacophony.
I whirl around, lunging towards her. In a heartbeat, I'm at her side, my sword sweeping through the air. The insectoid rushing at her drops, its momentum carrying its headless body to a halt a foot away from her.
Our eyes lock for a fleeting moment. A hesitant smile ghosts across her lips before I'm yanked away by the clamor of my team landing. With one final look at her, I rejoin the fray, throwing myself back into the battle.
4
RACHEL
I can't help but laugh—a high, hysterical note of relief—even as death encroaches. After pouring my heart and soul into my cry of defiance, the weight on my shoulders feels somewhat lessened. A small, morbid smile plays on my lips as I come to terms with the inevitable.
The largest of the insectoids barrels towards me, a wave of monstrous bugs in tow. Any second now, they'll be upon me, and that will be the end.
Any...second...now...
A shudder races through me, and cold sweat trickles down my neck. Despite my mounting terror, I find my gaze glued to the advancing horde, ready to claim my life.
