Medusa

"The gods have blessed our quest!  We shall slay the beast in their name, and for our glory!"  The men hooted and hollered, as do most who spent the night drinking, and spent little time sobering up.

"Remember, Perseus, she is so ugly, that she can turn mortal men to stone!"  Some of the soldiers looked a little uneasy at his words.  This monk had wandered into their camp late last evening, and had been telling tales the whole time.  Perseus grumbled.

"Aye, she was cursed by the gods, and that's why we shall take her head!"  The monk shook his head.

"Be careful that she does not take your head.  Look inside the temple.  See the men who've already fallen in battle."  The men peered through the open doors, and heard a sound scraping over the stone.  They looked and saw statues everywhere.  Male statues.

"Bah, its a temple!"  The monk chuckled.

"Really?  There were no statues there when I was a boy.  It had just been built when she took up residence.  You can even hear her slither hear and there.  Listen close.  Snake skin."  Half the men backed away from the temple.  The monk hid a grin.  "Not to worry, great Perseus, I shall enter with you.  I've been inside only a handful of times, but she seems not to target me."  Perseus was a large man, and he stood nearly a head taller then the monk.

"And why is that?  Does she fear you?"  The monk laughed hard at that.  He pulled back his hood.  Half his face was scarred from the flame, and one of his eyes were gray.  They knew why.  It was a dead eye.

"No, great Perseus.  I am no threat to her.  She could kill me, if she chose to do so, but has not.  At least, not yet she hasn't.  Who knows?  Maybe today she'll revisit her decision and cut me down, as the gods above know, I am no prize to be kept for a statue!"  That brought some laughter, and a smile to the large man's lips.

"At the very least, you'll provide a distraction, monk.  Very well.  Join us, if you wish to test your resistance to the afterlife."  He looked to the other soldiers.  "The rest of you who still have your courage....follow me!"




The monk walked familiar paths, heard cursing and swearing, the clash of steel upon the stone, and the scent of blood in the air.  A whisper passed his ear.

"Two down.  Five to go.  Its been a while, old man."  He smiled softly.

"Aye, my lady, that it has."  He spoke softly, and waited.  He didn't have long to wait.  The roar of the great Perseus as he pursued his quarry, and the gentle laughter as he fell to the stone.  Even a massive man such as he could not stand when his organs were skewered by a dozen feathered missiles.




"Monk!  Where are the rest of the men?"  The monk shrugged.

"I believe they are still in deadly battle."  The solder frowned.

"Who is this?  And why do you bring her out of the temple?"  He unsheathed his sword.  "Are you bringing the foul beast right to us?"

"Put away your sword.  She is no threat.  She isn't even armed."  The soldier growled.

"Then why does she cover her face?"  The monk reached back and pulled it back to uncover her face, but not her hair.  "Ugh, she's hideous!"

"She's scarred, like me.  Burned by the enemy of the king long ago.  She was on a pilgrimage to this temple, but the storms forced her to find shelter.  You know that Medusa does not target women.  She does target men, for what the gods did to her."  The soldier nodded, then turned his head as he listened to a noise.

"And what is that I'm hearing?  Snake skin?"  The monk chuckled, and pulled up the edge of her robe.

"Tree bark.  For when she kneels at the altar.  When you're praying to the gods who are notorious for not listening, you'll want to protect your knees so you can pray longer.  Maybe the length of time has something to do with faith.  I've never figured that one out myself."  The soldier grumbled.

"Seems like Perseus is bent on taking all the glory for himself."

"I wouldn't worry about that.  Proud men are most often brought down by the gods, whether it is by their blessings, or their curses.  Now you'll excuse me, I would like to get her back to the city, so that she can see the priest at the temple."

"Aye, go.  Can't stand looking at either of your faces."




"You surprise me, old man.  Taking Medusa out of the temple where she was to spend her days, cursed by the gods?"  He chuckled.

"What curse, woman?  And who is Medusa?  I am simply rescuing a maiden from the cruel hands of those who worship statues as though they were gods, and can't recognize statues carved by men, and men turned to stone."  She cocked her head slightly.  She hadn't pulled the hood up, and it fell completely off her head.  Snake-like bodies moved here and there.

"Maiden?  Its been a long time since anyone called me that.  Can't you see how ugly I am?"  He chuckled.

"My love, you know I can't see what you see, and for that, I am glad.  I see you as you really are, not the monster they pursue."  She passed her hand over his eyes and shook her head.  She grasped his hand and let the long coils of her tail wrap loosely about his feet.

"You really are blind, aren't you?"  He smiled.

"I don't know.  I made them see what I wanted them to see, and now you're free.  You may go where you wish to now."  She lowered her eyes sadly.

"And where shall someone like me go?  I would be shot at as soon as I tried to enter a city."  He smiled.

"I seem to remember that you were called the Huntress long ago.  There are many forests up north, passed the ruins of Troy, and far from the Greeks.  I think it would be nice to spend my days with the warm sun upon my face, and your pleasant company close by."  She smiled, and let him take her hand.

"It would be nice to see some trees for a change, instead of this depressing stone.  Do you know the way?"  He chuckled.

"My love, I may be blind, but I see much better then you."  And with no hand to her cheek to guide him, he kissed her and did not miss even a little bit.

As he guided her north, she put her fingers to her lips, then to her cheek to feel the rough skin of her scarring, and her curse.  Even the hair upon her head was tainted by the curse.  The strands were now thick, and moved like the bodies of serpents, but lacked the heads to show individual lives trapped and tied to her.

"Maybe one day, old man, I'll learn to see as well as you."

The Tribe - A future story built within the After Earth series

"Kill every male and take the samples!"  The leader shouted as the cruiser hatch opened.  Armored figures poured out the airlock and spread through the massive ship.  Wires sparked, lights flickered, and smells of burnt flesh were everywhere.

The attack went as it was planned.  Do a quick jump and deceleration from the magnetic catapult to where the freighter had just turned around so it could slow its speed in anticipation of the course alteration.  The rail guns mounted on the cruiser were top of the line, and heavy hitters.  The shells were designed to travel at maximum velocity, but flatten when it hit the hull.  The concussive force would damage systems ship wide.  The installed hypersonic generators would incapacitate the crew.

"There is one of the crew!"  The soldier said, raised their weapon, and fired.  The blast was a sonic pulse, concussive in nature, and knocked him onto his back.  His bones would be shattered.  The soldier walked up, and lifted the visor.

"A...woman?"  the man said, in utter agony.  She smiled sadistically.

"Not just any woman.  I am a soldier of the Tribe."  She unsheathed a large blade, ripped his shirt open and cut away his pants.  In one quick slice, she pulled away his genitals, then stabbed him through the heart.

It was a small mercy the Tribe seldom extended.





"We have sixteen on ice, Captain!  Sixteen!"  She smiled.

"It was a good hunt.  That should help us keep our numbers up, and keep our genetics diverse enough for the doctor.  And the progenitor."  They lowered their eyes respectfully.

"How is our lord?  Has he woken up yet?"  She shook her head.

"He's old, but he taught us well.  Remove all threats to your family, and trust no male."  They nodded.

"Save the progenitor.  Save the First One."  The chorus of agreement ran through the members of the Kat, a cruiser that had been rebuilt into a heavy assault cruiser, and was more powerful then any ship currently not part of the Tribe.  It wasn't even their most powerful ship.  Just the most versatile.

"Alright, get to your stations, and set course for home.  The directors will want to speak to us."





"Who hit us?"  The CEO said angrily, and smashed his fist against his desk.

"We're still trying to piece it together, sir.  They sent the ship into overload , and looted it.  There isn't much left to examine.  We can't tell if its cargo was removed prior to the explosion, or after.  The bodies are not intact enough to autopsy, and the computers are far too damaged to find any logs about the attack.  They didn't get off a distress signal before they were attacked, so the signal must have been jammed."  the director growled.

"Pirates.  Bloody hell.  We barely survived the first Pirate War, now we have to survive a second?"

"Sir, there are reports of the Tribe operating in the area as well."  He threw his hands up before falling backwards into his chair.

"Wait, the Tribe doesn't loot ships.  They are more advanced then we are, and have more supplies."  His assistant nodded.

"True, but that may be due to their salvage capabilities, rather then mining and manufacturing operations."

"Alright, then change the flight patterns!  We don't want to tangle with those lunatics again!"  He shook his head.  "Fuck me, now we have warrior women who hate and kill all men they come across because of the crimes of others!  And they seem to kill us for fun!  Taking....taking....damn, I can't say it!"

"Yes, sir.  To have your genitals removed while you live is not the way I would chose to die.  Can we hunt them down?  Thin their numbers a bit?"  The CEO shook his head.

"That would have taken the whole fleet of the old UMMC back before they left the system, and I'm not sure they could do it either.  No, their numbers are increasing, their ships are faster, have more firepower, and are tougher.  If we go against them openly, they will declare open war and come at us in force."  He shook his head.  "Increase the number of patrols, and send escorts with the freighters.  Scout ships too.  If they get a look early enough, they might be able to out maneuver them, or at least get off a distress signal and send us the information we need."  He growled.

"I don't want war with the Tribe!  I want to know what they want, and where they are going next!"  He closed his eyes wearily.  "We'll lose a war, so we must avoid it at all costs."




"The original five directors are aging, Captain.  Who will replace them when its time?"  A scarred soldier asked.  Her captain turned towards her.

"Whomever they chose.  They are the Five, the hands of the First One.  When they speak, they speak for the Tribe."  The soldier nodded.

"As its always been, from the time our parents were rescued from the cruel hands of men, and eaters."  That brought an unconscious habit forth.  They all spit on the term for the most hated of the males.  Human cannibals who had turned feral, of which almost all were male.  The few that were female had been forced there with constant training, and abuse.

"The Coral survived them, and so did the Kat.  All the Five survived the eaters...."  She gagged again. "And it was thanks to the training, and the plans of the Progenitor."  She closed her eyes respectfully.  "The only male to be trusted.  He saved us all."  She cleared her face of the rampant emotions she felt any time the First One was mentioned.  Awe.  Worship.  And a loyalty that was bordering on love.

"He sleeps to regain his strength in the chamber, but he says it will soon be his time."  She swallowed hard at that bit.  It was difficult as she had also been allowed within the inner circle, and allowed to offer comfort to the progenitor.  He only took her up on it the last few times, when it became obvious she didn't offer through obligation only.  He hated sex offered through obligation, and that made her smile.  One of the only men she knew of who did not take advantage of his station.  "He said he must make us ready to take the future in our hands!"  The soldier lowered her eyes.

"And what future does he speak of, Captain?"  The captain's eyes began to shine in their intensity.  She had power in her small frame, and walked among the elite for her unyielding loyalty to the Five.

"A glorious end to the sins of the past!  And a bright future for the Tribe!"

"What future?"  She asked, and felt the weight of words not yet spoken.  The words felt significant even before she said them.

"The Tribe will go to WAR!"

After Earth - Chapter 9 - Horror story - Reader discretion

Graphic violence is the core of the trauma that shows how far mankind has fallen in this story.  If you read any further, be warned that its quite offensive in nature, and was meant to be.  All things written about in this story are things that have actually happened in some way in human history, and this is just meant to highlight how bad things had gotten near the end.

"I was five.  The world had gone crazy, and eaters had popped up almost everywhere.  My parents were dead.  I was alone."  Her voice carried everywhere, but it was her tone that struck everyone.

Devoid of everything.  No life in it at all.  She had begun to relive her nightmare all over again, and there was nothing Talia could do other then direct her to keep talking.  This had to be said, or the crew would never trust her, all on the terrified word of a teenager too traumatized to remember that Coral was the one who saved her.

"They found me huddled in a house that had been abandoned.  Threw me in the basement and locked the door.  They left me there for nearly a week, starving and crying for food.  At the end of the week, they threw down a half starved cat, just to see who would win.  And who was hungrier."  the crowd looked horrified.  Her tone was so cold, with no life at all in it.  She should not be in a witness chair, or a cell.

Coral should be in therapy.

"I won.  I ate that cat when I took a piece of wood and beat it to death.  That helped me to survive a week.  Then they threw down a dog.  That was harder.  I was weak from lack of food.  I had to kill it and eat it.  No fire to cook.  No water.  Just meat, fat, and blood."  Coral lifted her eyes, and another tear leaked out.

"Then they threw down a little girl."  A cadet ran from the room.  He had to find the bathroom to throw up in.

"I begged them to throw down a cat for us to eat.  Even a dog.  I would kill the dog to keep her alive.  I held her for days, maybe a week in my arms, I think.  She cried and cried.  She was so weak at the end, and she begged me to help her."  Coral closed her eyes.  "I did.  I hugged her, and bit into her throat as gently as I could.  Then I ate her."  Her eyes showed the shock she still felt from that moment in her life.

"I ate that little girl!"  More tears fell.  "They thought they had me then.  They came down, and I attacked them.  They were prepared for that though.  They knocked me down, tied me up, and beat me with sticks and branches till my skin bled."  Coral lowered her eyes.  "They stripped me off, naked, and dragged a teen boy down the stairs."

A series of nightmarish scenes played out.  Told in a simple format, but the impact was felt by all involved.

"They taught me to tie off a limb, so I could eat and keep the body alive for longer.  I learned to ignore the screams as i tore into the flesh."  She swallowed to wet her throat.  "When I didn't obey, I was whipped.  When I did, Kim would treat me like a beloved pet.  She would run her fingers through my hair to straighten it, and use warm water to wash me.  She even licked the blood from my body, like a cat grooming another cat.

"He whipped me when I tried to walk upright, but called me a good doggy when I obeyed and went on all fours.  If I tried to speak, I would go without.  When i whined like a dog, or purred like a cat, I was rewarded.  I forgot how to talk within a year or two.

"When I started to develop breasts, and female fur...."  She blushed as she remembered the shame she felt.  "He was also growing up.  I became his play thing.  He would have sex with me while I ate other people.  The more they screamed, the more he liked it.  I would growl at him, but if I didn't obey, I would get whipped."  Murphy looked ready to explode.

"She would clean me with her tongue when he was finished, and yell at him for making me dirty.  She despised him, but I was a pet.  Not a person.  I didn't even have a name.

"Then they threw down another small girl."  The hammer hit the table.

"I think we need a recess!"  The commander said quickly.  Talia stared hard at him.

"She didn't get a recess, and this will be even harder for her to start up again, sir.  She needs to finish this.  Let out the poison."  He sat down heavily, and nodded, though Ayers had already walked a few steps away.  "Continue, Coral.  Please."  Talia's fists were bunched at her side.  She wanted to hurt someone, but there was no one nearby who needed that level of punishment.

"She was barely five.  In rags.  Probably an orphan like me.  I wanted them to throw another person down, so I held her to my chest protectively, and hid her in a corner.  I growled and barked at them when they tried to approach, so they left me alone with her.  I could either die, or eat her.  That was my choice.

"She begged me to help her in the end.  I cried and cried, and finally said the only word I could remember.

"Name...."  She swallowed again.  "The girl's name was Coral."  Talia frowned, but her answer came not long after.  "I bit into her throat, but gagged on her blood.  I held her while she died in my arms, and I cried helplessly.  All I could see was that young girl I ate years ago.

"Then the door opened.  They wanted to have some fun with their pet.  I grabbed a piece of wood that had fallen from the floor above and beat him unconscious with it.  She cowered until I smacked her on the head and knocked her out too.

"I ran from that basement on all fours, into a world I no longer knew.  Eventually, I found some clothes, berries to eat, roots, shoots, water from a stream that wasn't polluted, and I even ate grass.  I never touched another piece of meat.  I found a camp of humans, and learned to speak by imitating them.  I imitated how they moved, their smiles, and was eventually found outside their camp.  The leader took me as a prize, had sex with me, but it was clean.  I got food, and they taught me stuff I needed to learn to survive.  Even taught me to read.

"I heard rumors of a ship that was going to the stars, slipped away in the night, and found Beta squad."  Talia's knuckles turned white, then back to a darker color.  "I found you."  Talia cleared her throat.

"Have you bitten anyone since?"  She shook her head.

"That's why I was sick.  I can't stand the sight of blood, or the taste of raw flesh."  Talia turned away for a brief second, then turned back.

"Your name is Coral, but you said the girl's name was Coral."  She nodded.

"I don't know my real name, so I took her name so I would always remember her.  And the first one I killed.  Her face is branded on my eyes.  I didn't ask her name, so I took Coral's."  Talia took a deep breath, and turned away.

"Commander, if you don't mind, I'll be taking my pilot back to her room so she can get some rest.  I don't think its necessary to keep her here while you lay things out for everyone."  He nodded.

"Agreed."  Then he watched as Talia scooped her up from her seat and carried her out of the room.  She was perfectly capable of walking, but as he saw Coral's head lay on Talia's shoulder, he knew she needed that young woman's strength, now more then ever before.

Wilson summed up everyone's thoughts.

"How in the fuck is she still sane?  She went through all that, continues to torture herself about what they made her do, and still is our Coral?"  He growled.  "I need to hurt someone."




"Baby."  Coral lifted her eyes and saw the intensity in Talia's.  "You will always be my baby."

"But....after all you heard?"  Talia helped her to strip off her clothes, and get into clean boxers and a tee, then pulled her down to their cot.

"I knew you were damaged, but didn't know how bad."  She growled.  "I really want to hurt someone right now, but I need to see you, and hear you breathing.  I need to hold you, and know that no one else will ever get near you while I'm here."  She butted her head against Coral, then kissed the top of her head.

"Even after all that?"

"You're my family.  I started this for my mother, then Shayna, and now you."  Coral frowned.

"Who's Shayna?"  Talia sighed a bit, which surprised her.

"She's my daughter.  There is something you need to know, baby.  My grandfather sent men after my mother when she was fourteen.  They raped her for a couple of days, and I was the result.  It was to teach her a lesson he had learned years earlier."  Coral sat up.

"What kind of lesson could he teach with that?"  Talia pulled her back down into her arms.

"Mother thought the lesson was that those closest to you could hurt you the worst.  When I turned fourteen, my grandfather told my mother to teach me that same lesson.  She sent four men to do it, and she participated, to make sure my grandfather would not send men who were even worse.  Shayna is the result."  She growled.  "The lesson was not what my mother thought it was.  I killed my grandfather because I knew what the lesson really was."  Coral lifted her head only.

"What was the lesson?"

"I teach it to you every day.  Remove every threat to your family with utter ruthlessness.  He was a threat to my mother.  In order to stop him from continuing to hurt her, I killed him.  He fully expected my mother to do it fifteen years earlier."  Coral snuggled in, and realized that she wasn't the only one with a horror story for a life.

"I see."

"I don't think you do.  I am telling you this so you know that you're not alone, and so you know that you are my family now.  Shayna, you, then mom."  Coral cocked her head.

"I get second place?"

"No.  You and Shayna are equal, but I know that Shayna will eventually grow up, and leave me alone.  When I bring my family up here, she will be protected, and have a life I was never able to have.  From now on, so will you."  Coral snuggled in.

"That's a big promise, love.  Are you sure its me you want with you?"  Talia turned on her side, and kissed her full on the mouth.  As she pressed her back into the cot, Coral couldn't suppress the unconscious purr in her throat.

In spite of her horror story, Talia just had that affect on her.





"Lieutenant?'  Talia lifted her head from the schematics, saw the bloodied knuckles, and grimaced a bit.

"I hope it was a locker, Murphy."

"A bulkhead, sir.  I didn't think anyone else could handle what I was feeling at the time."  She grinned a little.

"I understand that, Murphy."  She cleared her face of any amusement.  "What is it that you need?"

"I would like to accompany the pilot to the planet when she goes.  I want to know why two psychos were able to get aboard without being vetted out, and why that kid was able to pass basic."  Talia lifted her head again.

"Agreed.  The kid will eventually be the norm, but not now.  We need people prepared to do what it takes to survive up here.  I'll take Wilson's place in the cockpit when we go to the surface.  If its who I think it is, they won't live long enough to regret it."  He frowned.

"You know who it is?"  She nodded.

"I have a pretty good idea of who just might be that incompetent, and who might have been able to worm their way back into the system."  She growled under her breath.  "And I'm gonna finish what you started."

After Earth - Chapter 8 - Nightmares

"That was a fairly clean liftoff, Coral.  Murphy was still grinning after we offloaded that moron the last time, but he's not smiling now.  The new alphas are aboard."  She smiled.

"Yeah, I'm glad to be rid of that whiny weasel.  Its been a couple of months, but we're still playing catch up!  He almost cost us the whole mission!  Canceling the agriculture and waste recovery units was incredibly short sighted."  She frowned.  "There are a couple of passengers out of their harnesses, Wilson.  Take a look, and instruct Murphy to remind them to stay buckled in."  He nodded.

"I have priority orders, Coral.  For these last two trips they've been enforced.  No one, other then you or me, are allowed within the cockpit.  Lethal force is authorized."  She nodded.

"I expected that sooner or later.  That damned eater nearly made us icebox ready."  He nodded.

"I'll check."  He opened the door, and found two people just outside, one male and one female.  "Return to your seats, and buckle in."

"We want to see the pilot!"  He unsheathed his knife.

"Murphy!"  The big man appeared behind them.  "See these people back to their seats, and if they get out again, kill them."  He cocked his head.

"Are you sure?"

"Lethal force has been authorized."  He nodded, and put his hand on the male's shoulder.  Wilson watched them, and felt a shiver go down his spine.  Those weren't cold eyes.  Both the young woman and the young man looked sadistic, and calculating.  "Murphy, when they are seated, come back and speak to me."  He nodded, and looked curious.  Ever since he had been humbled by Talia, people didn't fear him as they used to, but they saw the value in his brand of intimidation.  That made a lot of sense to him, and he had grown to respect the people he now worked with.  It also made his former attitude bristle unconsciously, so he had to stomp down hard on that.

A few minutes later, he returned.

"Any trouble?"

"Just an attempt to worm close by the girl.  Too strange for my tastes.  No power, just meanness."  Wilson nodded.

"I wanted to warn you of that.  They looked like they didn't want to take no for an answer."

"Yeah, there is already another girl who said no to them, and is sporting a shiner.  We should report that to Lieutenant Talia.  She takes her job real serious."

"Agreed.  They might need some reeducation, Talia style."  Murphy chuckled.

"Poor bastards don't know what they are in for."

"Coral, I'm going to report to the lieutenant about our trip.  You should go get some grub."  She smiled and nodded.  She turned away for only the briefest moment, then looked back at the hatch to the passenger compartment.  Her heart nearly stopped.  Two familiar faces looked slightly down at a fearful young cadet.

"No...please....not them!"

But as the cadet was pulled along by the two figures, and a knowing smile thrown back her way by the woman, she knew it was true.

Her nightmares were alive, and on the Fenix.

"Do you think she'll show?"  The male asked.

"Of course she will, brother.  Our dog may have run away, but she'll always be my pet."  The silky voice swarmed over the young cadet as she struggled in the ropes.  "But put a sock in her mouth.  I don't want her to alert anyone just yet."  He smiled.

"Of course, sis.  If she comes, I get her first!"  She frowned and looked his way.

"You always get her so dirty, and then I can't have any fun with her!"  He laughed sadistically.

"But she always purrs when you clean her up.  You know how much you love that."  Coral shivered, and repressed her revulsion.  The cadet's cries were muffled, and she knew she had to act, or it would be the last time that cadet saw anything pleasant.

Coral walked in through the door, and instinctively lowered down to all fours, just like she did that time in the storm near Talia's cot.

"Ah, there you are, doggy.  Its been a while."  His voice felt like acid in her ears.  The woman smiled silkily.

"Come here, kitty.  I've been dying to pet you for so long."  Coral walked over, and butted her head against her.  She smiled, and ran her fingers down through her hair, then into her jumpsuit.  "Oh yes, still nice and sleek.  And these are still tender, I bet."  She pinched her lightly, and smiled as Coral squealed.  "Yes, very tender.  Do you still like to be bitten?"  Coral puckered her brow, and looked like she didn't want to be bitten, which only spurred her on.  "I guess we'll have to find out, won't we?  Oh brother, I think she needs your touch."  He smiled sadistically.

"Oh yeah, come here, doggy."  Coral obediently walked over.  She listened closely to Kim, her owner.

"She does not like anyone to interrupt her meal, so he likes to make her beg to eat."  She ran the knife along her jumpsuit, and started to cut pieces of it away.  "I can't cut you either, or she'll be really upset that I took the first bite."  Kim snuggled in close to the tied cadet, and cut the jumpsuit away from her small breasts.  "I do like to take a lick while she eats, and she doesn't mind that, but she can bite something fierce if we try to take her food away."  She turned her head and smiled softly.  "I have so missed you, pet."





"Where is she?"  Talia asked Wilson.  Her eyes were as hard as granite.  He swallowed a large lump that had just formed.

"I'm n-not sure, sir!  She had just left the cockpit and seemed quite happy!  I didn't think she would take any detours!"  Murphy cleared his throat.

"There were those two troublemakers who wanted to see her on the flight, sir.  They also bruised one of the cadets, gave her a shiner for not obeying them.  I don't like their looks.  Plain mean."  She looked at Murphy.

"If you say that, Murphy, then I want all security officers to start a search.  Pilot Coral is a valuable asset to the Fenix, and is your top priority.  If you find them near her, and look like they are giving her trouble, execute them.  Do not hesitate."  Murphy frowned.  "That is an order."

"Sir!  I'll get a few cadets from Beta to help the search.  Its a big ship, but not that big yet.  We will find her!"  Talia nodded, waited until they left, and gripped the edge of the desk firmly.  Then she stood up and walked out the door.





"Mm, she does smell better then she used to, sis.  Come here, doggy, I want...."  Coral jumped up at him and knocked him to the floor.  She crawled over top of him and laid her hips right on top of his.  He smiled.

"She looks more eager this time, brother."  She turned back to the cadet.  "Its going to be so painful for you, girlie.  She likes to eat her food while they are alive, one bite at a time, ripping the flesh off in huge chunks, then licking the wound for the blood.  My brother will fuck her while she eats, and I'll clean her up."  She sighed, and growled a bit under her breath.  "If I didn't have him, I would be able to have her all to myself!  It was his fault she ran away anyway!"  She took the knife and laid it against the terrified girl's chest.

"I should cut you just to make her pay for leaving me alone with him!  Do you know how hard it is to keep him satisfied?  If I didn't keep him happy, I would be the pet now!"  She lifted the knife for a second.  "I wonder what your blood tastes like without her flavor?"  A powerful hand gripped her arm.

"You'll never get to find out."  Kim turned her head and saw her pet, mouth covered in blood, looking at her with absolute hatred.  She looked back and saw the convulsing body of her brother, blood pooled around his head and shoulders.

"You....."  Coral reacted as quickly as Talia taught her.  She snapped her knee forward and broke Kim's arm ruthlessly.  She wrenched her away from the terrified cadet.

"I have hated you for years!"  She reached down, picked up her ankle and rammed her foot down onto her shin.  Her knee caved in.  Kim had not stopped screaming in agony from the first broken limb.  "In my nightmares, always in the basement, always with that smile while I was treated like an animal!"  She broke her other leg.  Then her other arm.

"I would eat you for what you did, but I am not an animal or a pet!"  She sat in behind Kim's writhing form, wrapped a leg around her neck, took her other leg and wrapped it down over her foot, then hauled backwards with all her might.  With a brutal twist, what was a choke hold became a bone breaker.

She pushed the limp body away from her in disgust.  Coral picked up the knife from off the deck plating, and looked down at the terrified cadet.

"They said you were my meal."





"Cadet!"  The terrified girl held Coral's jacket to her shoulders, desperate to cover herself, ran out of the bay and straight into Talia.

"She.....she....."  Talia took in the blood stained jacket, and the girl's white face.

"Wilson!"  A man jogged around the corner.

"Holy...."

"Take her to the infirmary.  I want her examined to find out what they did to her."  Talia walked into the room, and stopped dead.  Two dead bodies, and Coral throwing up whatever was in her belly onto the deck plating.  She then curled up and sobbed helplessly.  Talia growled under her breath.

"Murphy!"  She called.  It didn't take long for the behemoth to appear.  He looked into the room and his jaw dropped.  "I need you to come into this room with me.  I can't enter alone because it may look like I've disturbed evidence."  He nodded and stood near her while she entered, scooped Coral up into her arms, and carried her out of the bay.

"Stay on this door, and don't let anyone else enter, other then the LC, the commander, and the doctor.  Understood?"  He nodded.

"Understood, lieutenant."  He watched her effortlessly carry the pilot off to the infirmary, and shook his head.

"That woman is made of steel."





The commander slammed a metal hammer down onto a desk, and the dull roar quieted at his actions.

"Lieutenant Talia has requested this hearing to establish the facts of the incident yesterday, and to quell any rumors that have circulated."  He turned to Talia.  "You have the floor, lieutenant."  She stood up beside Coral, who looked deadpan and emotionless.  A sure sign of a traumatic event.

"Yesterday, two new cadets entered the Fenix, and took Cadet Teri Williams prisoner."  She turned towards Lieutenant Commander Ayers.  "Sir, if you wouldn't mind asking the questions I gave you?"  She turned towards the room.  "As I'm sure you are aware, my demeanor would not be helpful to the cadet."  A few snickers circulated as Ayers stood up.

"Cadet Williams, we've established the events up to the point of you being cornered in the docking bay.  Would you please tell us what happened?"  She swallowed hard, and looked up.  Talia wondered how this girl could have made it through the program, and decided that she would have a talk to the sergeant at the next opportunity.  He let one unsuitable person, and two lunatics aboard the Fenix.  That was unacceptable.

"They pushed me into that bay, and tied me up.  When she showed up, they said she would eat me!  An eater!  She would eat me!"  She got a little bit louder.

"Calm down, cadet.  Did she bite you?"  The cadet frowned.

"Um, no....she didn't.  Not that I can remember, that is!  The guy looked quite eager to see her, but the girl was the worst!  She said awful things, like she would eat me while I lived, and take hunks of flesh off me then lick the wounds!"  Talia looked around, and could see the disgust.  Their pilot was an eater.  That was the problem now.

"Did the pilot do this to you?"  She frowned.

"No...no, she didn't."

"Did she have the opportunity?"

"Well, yes, she did, but she was busy with the guy!  Then she came over, her mouth dripping with blood, and killed that woman!  Then she looked at me and said that I was her meal!"  Ayers sighed.

"I know you're upset, but did anyone come into the bay at that time?"

"No, they didn't."

"Did she take a bite out of you then?"

"Um, no.  She cut me loose.  And..."  She lowered her eyes.  "She gave me her jacket to cover myself.  The other woman had cut away my jumpsuit."

"Then what did she do?  Take a bite then?"

"No, she started to throw up.  That's when I ran."  Ayers nodded, and turned towards Talia.  She stood up and took her place.

"I don't pretend to understand what you're going through, cadet, but listen carefully to the next witness."  She turned to the doctor.  "Doctor, can you tell me what you found?  On the cadet, then the bodies."  She nodded, but looked guarded.

"The cadet was physically in good health, with no damage at all.  She was traumatized, of course, but not harmed.  The male body had bled out through a gaping hole in his neck."  Talia paced for only a few seconds.

"Was all the blood there?"

"Most of it was.  I found small traces in the vomit that the cadet mentioned."

"And the flesh that was ripped out?"

"In the pool of blood."  Talia gestured for her to continue.  "The woman was broken.  Her arms, legs, and neck were broken.  She was not bitten at all.  If I were to guess, this was not done by an eater.  This was the only weapon available.  An eater would have gorged themselves on the bodies, and the cadet."  Talia nodded.

"No guess, doctor.  Its not necessary."  She turned to Coral.  "Coral.  Smile."  She looked up and frowned slightly.

"What?"  She asked, in a dead tone.

"Bare your teeth."  She did so.  "There are no points on your teeth.  Let me see your hands."  Coral held them out.  "Doctor, are there any long term blood stains on her nails?"

"No."

"And this will not be easy for anyone to hear."  She turned to the cadet.  "You need to hear this, and so do I."  She turned to the occupants of the room.  "This will be the first time she is explaining this, so listen closely."

"Coral, tell me what happened.  How did you know these people, and for how long?"  Coral lifted her eyes, and a tear leaked out.  The first one Talia had ever seen her shed.

This would not be a good story, but Talia was already aware of that.  Everything about Coral screamed of abuse, and victimization.  She had been through some horrible things, but as Coral began to speak, Talia knew she wasn't aware of the half of it.

After Earth - Chapter 7 - New Roles

"Talia?"  Coral asked her softly, looked at her own cot, then at Talia's.  As soon as her squad leader laid down, she smiled shyly, and decided to throw caution to the wind.  She slid in beside her.

"Coral."  she said in a low tone.  Coral smiled, snuggled in close, and felt her arm come around her shoulder.  It was a little unexpected, but Coral started to purr at the intimate contact.  She still had elements in her personality she was not aware of, but Talia noticed everything.  Her hand stroked up and down her arm, which made Coral meld herself to her side.

"Oh for pete's sake!"  Talia frowned and turned towards the source of the outburst.

"Is there a problem, Cadet Wilson?"  Her eyes were focused, and clear, unlike the fog that had begun to settle upon her senses when Coral began to touch her.

"She's murmuring and purring like a kitten, and I'm getting jealous of all the attention that you're getting!  That's what!"  Coral giggled.

"Keep your ears to yourself, Wilson, or I'll tickle your feet when you're sleeping tonight."  Coral said saucily.  Talia chuckled.

"And Wilson, if you don't turn away, you may find yourself on waste extraction duty for several months.  This is common among the tribes of our history, whether Germanic or North American, when they lived communally.  If we get our own quarters, this will be a moot point, but until then..."  Her eyes narrowed.  He held up his hands in front of himself and waved them back and forth.

"I get it!  I get it!  Ears closed, eyes closed, or you'll close them!"  Coral smiled, snuggled in as close as she could get, and pulled Talia's blanket up over her head.  She disappeared just beneath the edge of the blanket, and caused Talia's eyelids to lower a bit as she felt her lips kiss her in several places.

Coral felt Talia's fingers slide through her hair as she lifted her shirt and tasted her flesh.  She smiled, and purred as her hand lightly petted her.  She took this as encouragement, but held herself back.  If they were in their own room, she would prove to her how much she cared.





"Come on, Talia, we're almost late for breakfast!"  Talia held her hand firmly as she tried to walk on ahead, so she looked back with a question in her eyes.

"We're not on shift yet, Coral.  We can take our time, right?"  She slowed down, and didn't regret it.  As soon as the other cadets were far enough ahead of them, she was pushed against a wall, and kissed softly.  She didn't expect it, and her firm grip belied the tenderness in her kiss.  Coral could barely walk after she lifted her lips.

"I think you were saying that its time to go?"  Coral looked at her a bit bewildered, then frowned.

"You're teasing me?"  She was kissed again, this time a bit more passionately.

"No."  She said after she lifted her lips, but only barely.  "Testing.  And tasting."  She kissed her again, then sighed regretfully.  "But you're right.  Its time for food."  Coral walked beside her, and couldn't prevent her eyes from drinking her in.  She blushed at her next words.

"Soon, baby.  Real soon."  A pet name.  Now Coral wanted to cry, and not from being sad.  She was so happy she had found this young woman, and wondered just how far their relationship could go.

"So happy you two could get here."  Lieutenant Ayers said with a smirk, and a quick look at the entwined fingers.  "The commander would not start until the necessary people were present."  Coral blushed, but Talia shrugged.

"Its not yet time to start work.  I didn't expect a staff meeting."  She nodded, and waved to the commander.  He stood up from his table.

"As you are all aware, the XO has been removed from his position and is currently waiting to be shipped back to the planet.  Pilot, sorry, Ensign Coral, we'll need your skills for that."  She nodded, although she was a little bit surprised at the promotion she had just received.  Talia gripped her hand firmly, but only to keep her by her side.  The events of the day before were still fresh, and the fact that someone dared to steal from Coral angered her greatly.  Even if she had dealt with the person, her hold on the ship was not yet firm enough to remove all threats to her squad.  "That leaves a vacancy in the senior staff, and after a bit of sound advice, I've decided to ask Lieutenant Ayers to step up to Lieutenant Commander, and take on the role of XO.  Ayers, will you accept?"  Her mouth fell open.

"Me, sir?"  Talia smirked a bit.

"Yes, and I've conferred with the sergeant as to your suitability, and he agreed.  You know when to step back and let others do the job they were supposed to do, and when to step in, and push.  With the recent setbacks we've had, I'll need someone who can push the appropriate people when the engineering department needs something done.  We are six months behind schedule, and without your help, that will increase."  She nodded.

"I accept, sir."  He smiled.

"Good.  Murphy!"  He stood up, an arm in a cast was very evident.

"Sir?"

"As a result of yesterday's actions, you've been demoted.  You are now an ensign.  And be glad that you're not reduced to a non com."  He swallowed the lump in his throat, and nodded.  "You'll report to the new Lieutenant, who reports to the Lieutenant Commander."

"Yes, sir."

"Lieutenant Commander?"

"Yes, sir?"  Ayers cocked her head a bit.  He noticed that little trait seemed to be trend right now.  Strange, and he wondered where he first saw it.

"Ayers, you're new subordinate is Lieutenant Talia Gitatytar."  He stared hard at Murphy.  "I assume you won't give her any trouble, Murphy?"  He shook his head vigorously.

"No trouble, sir!"  Ayers smiled.

So, I have you to thank for my new position, do I, Talia?  And already promoted to Lieutenant, with skills that are necessary to almost all our work aboard this ship.  Who are you really, lieutenant?

She watched Talia's squadmates congratulate her, and the possessive way the pilot held her hand.  She was a force to be reckoned with, had deadly aim in how she carved through those in her way, and those she deemed a threat.

"I hope I don't become a casualty on your way to the top, Talia." she said in a low tone.  It wasn't meant for anyone's ears other then her own.  So far, she had Talia's stamp of approval, and hoped that she would never find herself in the crosshairs.




"Wilson!"  Wilson stood up from the scrap pile he started to examine and swallowed a lump in his throat.  Talia sounded deadly serious.

"Y-yes, Lieutenant?"  She stood in front of him.

"You are to be Coral's backup on the flight to the surface."

"Aye, sir."  He started to stoop again, but was pinned with a hard stare.

"If anyone approaches the cockpit, or attempts to speak to the pilot, you are to give them one warning only.  That includes any passengers, or officers who accompany you on the flight.  No one is allowed in that cockpit other then you, or Coral.  If they attempt to enter after that warning, use deadly force.  On the sergeant, or Murphy.  Understood?"  He nodded, then frowned.

"Deadly force, sir?"

"I am your commanding officer, Wilson, and after the first flight, it became apparent to me that another eater may try the same thing.  Coral's safety is your priority, not your passengers.  Her skills make her more valuable then any cargo."  He looked closely at her.

"You're not kidding, are you?"  She shook her head.  "Alright.  Deadly force.  I'll warn only once, then pull my blade and sink it into their chest, or throat."  She handed him a baton.

"This is a cattle prod.  It won't kill, but it may give you the opportunity to take an eater down should they become feral and attack.  Even Murphy would feel it, and give you the opportunity to put him down."  He nodded.

"Deadly force."  then he closed his eyes.  "Things really went to shit, didn't they?"

"They did, Ensign Wilson, but we'll make ourselves a better future then our parents left us.  Its up to us to do it, because they wouldn't, even when they had the chance."  She started to turn to leave, but there was a question in his eyes.  "Spit it out, Wilson."

"Do you expect trouble?"  It was a straightforward question, and she respected that.

"My mentor had the ability to 'feel' disaster looming.  He passed that instinct on to me.  There is something out there.  An event maybe, or just a person.  Either way, Coral is your priority.  Got it?"  He nodded.

"No one will get to her, Lieutenant.  No one."  He looked around after Talia left, and spotted Coral near a pile of metal to be sorted.  She looked carefree, and completely oblivious to any danger.

She is part of Talia's squad.  No, my squad!  No one will mess with my squad!  My family!

After Earth - Chapter 6 - Murphy's Law

"Sir, a Cadet Talia is here to see you."  Commander Donaldson frowned.  He hadn't expected to hear from this cadet so quickly.  He fully expected she would settle in, find her place, and work her way out, but it appears that he was incorrect.

"Send her in."  He groaned inwardly as he saw her eyes.  They flashed angrily, while her face was void of emotion.  How she pulled that off, he had yet to figure out.  Not a twitch to a muscle, yet she looked angrier then a rabid badger.

"Cadet..."

"Who was the moron who nixed the water reclamation unit and the hydroponics facility?"  He stepped back.

"What?  Are you saying...."

"That engineering has not built  the waste and water reclamation system that was designed to reclaim liquid and solid wastes for methane production, and water usage for the hydroponics bays.  The hydro..."  He waved his hand to stall her.

"Yes, the hydroponics bays were supposed to be nearing the first harvest by now, and you're saying that they were nixed?"  His eyes sparked as well.  He was angry.  "There are only two people on board who have that power."  He pressed a button.  Cadet Talia closed her mouth, and waited.

"Sir?"

"Security.  Retrieve the XO and bring him to my office.  Treat him gently, Murphy."

"Gently, sir?"

"If he says he's busy, insist.  And then you can be a little rougher."  She heard the tone change.

"Yes, sir!  I hope he resists!"  Talia frowned.

"Murphy, sir?"  He growled under his breath.

"They call him Murphy, as in Murphy's Law.  His real name is Benson.  Lieutenant Dave Benson.  A real piece of work, and as thick as the bulk head doors.  Both physically, and mentally.  And Murphy's law is that Murphy takes what he wants, and dares you to try to stop him."  She didn't bat an eyelash, or flinch.

"Understood,sir.  A future problem that may have to be dealt with."  He nodded.

"But for now, he's useful."  The door opened.

"Sir, you sent for me?"  Talia grimaced inwardly.  The tone was wavering and hesitant.  There was no confidence, and felt mostly subservient.  She despised the weak willed who could not speak for themselves.  Not for their weakness, but how they always seemed to need approval, or they would fold under the pressure.

"Lieutenant Commander, I've just been given a report that says the water reclamation unit and the hydroponics bays were not built.  Care to explain that?"  He nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course!  The hydroponics bays use a ton of water, and by not having them, we can save the power needed to run the water reclamation unit!  It was quite ingenious of me...."

"You bloody moron!"  The Commander thumped his fist down on his desk.

"Sir?"  The XO backed up a step.

"The water reclamation unit is also the waste processing unit, which harvests methane for fuel!  That helps the power draw, but the water would be necessary for all who live here!  The hydroponics bays would produce oxygen, clean the water as it used it and turned some into vapor, which would be reclaimed through a condenser, and it produces....are you understanding this?  FOOD!"  The XO stepped back another step and walked right into Murphy.

"There are five green light functions aboard this ship!  All are needed to be green in order for us to start the trip to Mars!  You've managed to make four of those green lights red!  Food, water, air, shelter, and power.  No food grown means reduced rations until the first crop is harvested.  That is six months from now.  Water has been wasted, along with organic material that could have been used for methane production, and fertilizer for the agriculture operations that are necessary to our survival.  Without people to repair the mistakes, and build for the future, there is no future for the entire human race."  He turned away.  "I've never met a more incompetent person in my life!"  He turned back, and cleared his face of all emotions.

"Cadet Talia, how soon can the engineering department begin on setting things right?"

"Right away, sir, but you are correct in your assessment.  One month minimum to build, and test the waste water unit, two months to get hydroponics set up with soil, water rations, power needs, and seed.  Then a minimum of three months before the first crops can be harvested.  That is also using quick growing genetically modified variants that no human wants to grow again.  It can't be helped, but we'll also plant a quarter of the bays with non gmo heirloom vegetables and grains, keep them separated from the modified variants, and when the first harvest is in, we'll switch completely to the unmodified.  The harvest were to keep us going until we reached Mars, then transfer the majority of that load to the planet.  Now...."  He nodded.

"It can't be helped.  I can't believe we have to use the very things that helped to destroy our own planet in order to remedy the situation this moron created!"  The commander cleared his face again.

"Murphy!"

"Sir?"  There was a sizable smile now on Murphy's face.

"Escort the former XO to his quarters to retrieve his gear.  He'll be on the next shuttle to the surface.  Feel free to not be gentle.  It was his decisions that led to reduced rations after all."  Murphy smiled.  The commander heard the pitiful whine issue from the former XO's lips as the door closed.

"Time to learn Murphy's law."  The commander thought he was quite clever, but Talia never twitched a muscle in her lips.

"Not Murphy's Law, sir.  Fenix's Law.  Don't mess with my squad."  She thought about just leaving, but she had something to say.  "Sir, if I might suggest Lieutenant Ayers."  Then she walked out without waiting to be dismissed.






"Alright, Beta, listen up!  This is home."  They looked around and saw the tons of scrap that clogged the hold right up to the door.

"This?"  Of course, Wilson was the first one to speak.

"This.  Inside this hold is the barracks for the cadets.  It is your job to identify, sort, and move all this scrap to the appropriate bays that have need of this material."  Wilson put his hand up.  "Yes, Cadet?"  He swallowed.

"Sir, this is nothing but junk!  Garbage to be jettisoned!"  She shook her head.

"And where do you expect the Fenix to pick up more copper, aluminum, and steel?  The local hardware store?"  He made himself smaller in the lineup.  "That's right.  None of the former manufacturers exist today.  Those places have almost all been wiped off the face of the planet, or are close to being just that. A spot on an old map about to be erased.  That means we have to reuse and recycle all the scrap until we can make it ourselves."  She took a small object from her pocket.  "This is a magnet.  Put it near your piece of scrap to find out whether or not its iron based.  Some stainless steel can be nonmagnetic, but most structural steel has a high iron to carbon percentage.  Any that is not magnetic, put it into a separate pile to be further tested."  She picked up a piece and let the magnet stick to it.

"Wilson!"

"Sir?"

"Take this piece to bay A1 across the hall from your barracks.  Its a fairly large bay, so keep all iron to one side, and the rest unsorted to the other.  When you've cleared enough space, put your cots down, and set up your lockers.  Remember, do not put your cots down until that space is cleared right to the walls.  Am I clear?"

"Clear, sir!"  She handed out the magnets and watched some work harder then others, but she already knew who they would be.  Coral worked like a demon, as she expected, with Wilson not far behind her.  As much flak as she gets from him, he still backs everyone up.  He would make a good officer if he could learn some restraint for his mouth.

Talia set up the arc welder, took a wire brush that had seen better days, cleaned a spot on the wall to attach the ground wire, and set herself up to begin fixing the mistakes.  The normal safety precautions people used to take, such as fume extraction, were integrated into the Fenix's air handling system.  It would remove, and filter out the majority of fumes when it passed through paper and carbon filters as it entered the system, then other ceramic filters at the base unit.

She hoped it would stand up to the wear and tear it would have to endure over the next few months before the plant life took off some of the strain.  Ceramic would be difficult to acquire in space unless they brought a significant amount of it with them and recycled it heavily.  She hadn't worked in such recycling facilities into the overall footprint, but it looked like she would have to try and fit it in.

The Fenix had to succeed.  Her family, her mother and daughter, and now Coral, all depended on the Fenix's success.  That meant she had to deal ruthlessly with anyone who became a threat.





"Alright, its chow time, guys."  Talia lifted her head from her work when Coral made the call.  She got fairly involved in her work, and the chief engineer had already been by to see what she had been up to.  He walked away with a fairly large smile on his lips, and a small section of the schematics grayed out.  Apparently, he approved of her work.

"Hey, boss!  Its time for food!  You know, that stuff they allow us to eat from time to time!"  Talia smirked, but the amusement didn't reach her eyes.  In truth, she was amused, but it didn't help her reputation to smile and nod like the rest of the cadets.  She had to teach them that she was stronger then anything space could throw at them.

"We could hear your stomach growling over that welder, Wilson, so I do believe she knows what time it is!"  Coral called out with a smile.  "Lets get to the cafeteria before we lose our seats!"

"Aye aye, ma'am!"  Wilson snapped a quick salute, but he wasn't really looking forward to eating in the cafeteria.  Things had worked out rather poorly for the whole squad the last couple of days due to the reduced rations.  Some of the staff couldn't handle the reduced food allowance and had come up with some inventive ways to make due.

Coral looked around, a little bit unnerved as she walked into the cafeteria, though Talia's mind was on the next set of welds she would have to make.  She had only taken a few bites when she felt an enormous weight strike her.  Her ears rang for a moment and was helped up to her seat.

"What just happened?"  She asked and cleared her vision quickly.

"That gorilla just stole your food!"  She looked around and found the culprit.  Murphy.  She growled.

"I'll have to make sure to keep my mind on my food from now on."

"But...Aren't you going to do something?"  Wilson asked, a little bit confused.  He had his own food stolen the day before when Talia was too busy to come to the cafeteria.

"Its personal, cadet.  There is nothing I can do without getting a superior officer's okay to take it into the ring."

"But he stole Coral's food as well!  And mine yesterday!"  She looked at her now vacant place, and Coral's.  She stood up.

"But....he's so big!  I don't..."  Talia stepped away and didn't listen to her any longer.  Her eyes were focused on one person only.

The mountain of muscle named Murphy.





"Oh shit, she's going after him!"  Lieutenant Ayers said in a low voice.

"She's gonna get killed!"  Lieutenant Ronson said.  Ayers smiled.

"You want to bet on that, Don?  How about a day's rations?"  He frowned, then shook her hand.

"You're on!"  Ayers smiled, and waited for the inevitable.





Talia didn't hesitate.  She walked up and punched him in the throat before he could push any more of her cadet's food into his mouth.  He choked, and grabbed his throat to try and clear it.

"Hurk!  Cough cough!  Bitch!"

"Cadet!  What's the meaning of this?  Striking a superior officer?"  Her eyes turned towards him for only the briefest of seconds, but only to register the speaker.

"He stole food from Cadet Coral."  The commander nodded.

"No permission needed.  He broke the law.  Deal with it."  She nodded.

"I intend to."  Murphy had cleared his throat and stood up.

"You're going to get it now, girly!"  He swung his big meaty fist, and her training came up into her mind.  Her mentor, George, was a behemoth of a man who taught her military style hand to hand combat, and had other martial fighters teach her other techniques.

She dodged only enough to allow his fist to go by her face, and feel the brush of skin on her cheek.  She wrapped her hands around his wrist, threw her feet up and wrapped her legs about his bicep.  A puncher like him would see this as an opportunity.

As he lifted his arm to throw her down, she reached up over his arm, put his hand below her armpit, and braced both arms beneath his forearm.  She then extended all pressure up and out.  She knew that someone as beefy as Murphy would be able to out muscle her if she tried to hyper extend his arm.  Instead, the pressure was centered between his wrist, and his elbow.

The breaking of bone coincided with the scream that emerged from his lips.




"You know her, don't you?"  Lieutenant Ronaldson asked.  She smiled.

"She's squad leader of Beta squad."  He laid his head against his hand.  "Be glad I didn't press for a larger wager.  Its only one day, and you could stand to lose a couple of pounds, Don."

Ayers watched the rest of the event unfold, and Talia cement her place as the biggest threat to anyone who messed with her squad.




Murphy looked up at Talia from the floor, and saw the coldest eyes he had ever seen.

She stood over him, not sweating, or swearing.  She was perfectly calm.  That scared the hell out of him.  He had never fought with anyone that was not angry afterward, whether they lost, or won.  This was not a normal woman.




"Lieutenant Murphy, you've stolen from my squad, and I take that personally."  He nodded.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Do I have to break your other arm, Murphy?"  He shook his head.

"No, ma'am!  I'm sorry, ma'am!  I'm just so hungry!"  She put her foot on his throat.

"Smile, Murphy."  He frowned.

"Smile?"

"Show me your teeth, Murphy.  If I find any signs of you being an eater, I'll turn you into compost.  Now smile!"  He bared his teeth quickly.  "Good.  Now, if you'll excuse me, you have my plate, and my cadets."  She turned to the commander.  "A penance, sir?"

"Yes, take his plate as well."  Murphy swallowed hard.  "Murphy!"

"Sir?"  He said from the floor, not sure if he should try to stand as that demon might put him down again.

"Go to the infirmary and get that arm looked at.  If you steal anyone's food again, your rations will be cut even further.  As it stands, you've violated the Fenix's Law, Murphy.  Expect a price to be paid."  He nodded.

"Yes, sir.  I'll get going, sir."  He was surprised when Talia helped him to his feet, and did not grunt in any way.  This small woman was extremely strong, and knew how to fight.  He could respect that, and his eyes reflected that.

"If you leave my squad alone, I'll have no ill will, Murphy."  He nodded.

"Understood, ma'am.  Thank you."  He jogged out of the cafeteria and did not bother to listen to the rest of the staff hoot and holler.  He didn't need to hear it anyway.  He had been a bully, and he paid the price.




"Here, Coral.  You're food is cold, but still edible."  She nodded and watched as Talia split Murphy's food between them.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it, Coral.  What did you learn from this though?"  Coral didn't have a chance to answer.

"I know what I learned!  Don't mess with Cadet's Talia's squad!"  She allowed a small smirk to lay on her lips, and looked down when a hand gripped her thigh.  Her cheeks remained clear of any flush she felt might be there, but Coral's hand did not move the whole meal.





"So, what do you think, sir?"  Lieutenant Ayers said.

"There will be a slight change in staff rankings.  Make sure the entire staff are there first thing in the morning, minus the necessary crew for those problematic areas that need attention."  She nodded.

"Right after the morning meal.  A good time to hit them with any necessary changes.  When everyone is still a little bit groggy.  Accept for that cadet.  I think she fully intends to sleep when she's dead."  he chuckled.

"I almost thought she was today.  A good woman to have on our staff.  Intelligent, and fearless."

"And what about the XO's replacement, sir?  Who will I be reporting to, sir?"  He smiled a small smile.

"You'll find out in the morning, Ayers.  Oh, and enjoy your extra rations.  I can still hear Don complaining on the bridge, though he doesn't really do anything else but complain some days."  She chuckled.

"Thank you, sir."  she stepped out and didn't hear the last remark from her commanding officer.

"Need a new name for that law.  Maybe Talia's Law."  He rubbed his chin.  "She wouldn't like that one bit, but it fits.  That cadet said it best.  Don't mess with Talia's squad."

After Earth - Chatper 5 - The Fenix

"There she is, Coral."  Talia said softly.  "The Fenix."  Coral followed her plotted route, being careful to slow her approach to the massive ship as she got within the specified range.  It would take less energy to slow their approach if she did it nice and slow versus a massive short burst of her thrusters.

"Adjusting orbital spin to sync up with the Fenix docking ring."  She adjusted her approach with little effort, and pursed her lips.  "It would help if the Fenix slowed its rotation while we approached her.  Less energy used, but if it costs a lot to run this ship, the cost would be enormous to slow her down."  Talia nodded.

"Suggestions I can bring to the engineering department for future upgrades to shuttle maneuvers?"  Coral thought for a minute while she aimed the shuttle.

"Hooks to grab onto the shuttle docking port while it rotated?"  Talia nodded.  "But, if you think about it, why come into the hangar from the outside?  Its the fastest spinning part of the ship.  Why not from the end, or into the middle?"  Talia thought for a moment.

"The hooks would have to be attached to a larger mechanism around the docking port, and the handles it grabs were on the body of the shuttle, not the docking port, if you're not up to speed, or off a bit, the rack could direct the shuttle more easily.  I'll pitch it to engineering.  The other idea...."  she thought for a moment.  "Damn, why didn't I design that?  It would have to be a much larger diameter, and longer, but the rooms, hangars, and such, could almost appear flat because of the massive diameter.  That is a longer reaching design."  She nodded as Coral closed the gap.  "Well done.  And it looks like I've got a future design adaptation to consider.  This may be a ship, but its meant to be an orbital station that can be moved when other stations are built in its place."  Coral smiled.

"If its supposed to be a station, and its also supposed to become self sufficient, then we'll need to set up hydroponics labs and algae grow operations for oxygen and food production."  Talia turned her head only slightly.

"I didn't forget about the food, but why algae?"  She giggled.

"I'm surprised you don't know!  You know almost everything else!  I read a book down planetside in the barracks that was a scientific journal, and it said that algae could be grown that could be pressed for natural oil that could be refined into fuel!  Those idiots kept drilling for fuel and ruined our planet because they were too greedy to grow the stuff!  If they grew it, it would generate oxygen, reduce carbon dioxide, and the dry biomass could be fermented into an alcohol based fuel too!  Almost a zero sum pollution output in the end!  And they could have used existing facilities to crack the oil for gasoline and diesel equivalents!  It was an amazing read!"  Talia smiled slightly.

"I'll look into it, Coral.  Beyond the fuel capabilities, the waste carbon biomatter could be composted and help in hydroponics.  Those are great ideas that I plan to work into our future.  Nicely done."  Coral blushed and smiled shyly.  She really liked it when Talia complimented her for her abilities, and any useful knowledge she had.

"Docking port aligned, and...."  Clunk.  "Attached.  Shuttle One to Fenix.  Docking successful.  Hold full of supplies and materials, along with the barge we currently have in tow above the cargo hold."  Coral sighed.  "This thing was like a backpack loaded with rocks!"

"Shuttle One, acknowledged.  Airlock tested for pressure and released.  You're welcome to come aboard while we unload your vessel.  Fenix control out."  Coral smiled.

"Shall we take a look around?"





"Talia, this is....."  She nodded.

"In horrible shape.  It may have been made from reclaimed materials, but some of these welded joints are so weak, I'm surprised we don't vent our atmosphere."  She growled as she looked around.  "Who passed such shoddy workmanship?"  A voice sounded behind her.

"It wasn't me, but I only just signed on."  She turned towards the voice and noticed an older man in a jumpsuit pulling a cart behind him.  "And you are correct.  These welded joints look ready to either vent, or blow out completely.  I'll need to shut down certain areas to properly assess, and repair them."  She nodded, then frowned as she glanced about.

"Where are the section locks?  And what happened to the chief engineer?"  He frowned.

"Section locks?  The former chief got accidentally jettisoned when one of these welds blew out.  I think he was repairing it, but the heat, and internal pressure..."  She nodded, her eyes spitting sparks.  The old chief engineer and her were on a first name basis.  This would stall her progress on this ship somewhat.

"This whole ship is supposed to be outfitted with airlocks dividing the sections, just in case of a depressurization event.  If I'm not mistaken..."  She looked at the floor and followed a beam that was just below the open grate styled deck plating.  "At this junction, there are mounts for an airlock.  The door was to be a down, or up model, for quick deployment."  He scratched his head.

"I didn't take that close a look at the schematics.  How do you know this?"

"I grew up inside the Mass complex, where the plans were drawn up by the engineer responsible for the Fenix.  It was to be a work in progress, but not left so unfinished that it would be dangerous for people to be aboard."  She looked at a wall.  "This weld is full of air pockets, just like that old timer said, bubble gummed on.  I could do cleaner joints then this at age 10!"  He smiled a slightly off kilter smile.

"Welding at 10?"  He looked at the flight suits they wore.  "Are you a pilot?"

"I'm co-pilot for Pilot Coral here until we are transferred to the Fenix in a couple of weeks.  Then I guess I'll be sorting scrap and circuitry."  He chuckled.

"Not if I have anything to say about it.  Excuse me, but what is your name?"

"Talia Gitatytar.  Cadet Talia, squad leader of Beta squad."  He smiled.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to make a call to the commander."  Coral jabbed her in the ribs after he walked away.

"He's getting you transferred!"  Talia nodded, then looked at his cart.  She smiled, grabbed a visor, clipped the ground to a piece of wall framing, and flipped the switch.

"I can't look at this weld for another second!"  Coral watched as she took the mig welder, aimed it and pulled the trigger.  She reached down, slowed the speed of the feed, and pulled it again.  Then she turned up the current.  After two tries, she smiled.  "Shield your eyes, Coral, and don't look at the light."  By slowing the feed of the wire, and increasing the current, she could increase the heat on the surrounding weld and remelt it into place.  If she didn't like what she saw, she would grind it out and redo it.

"That girl does know what she's doing."  The engineer smiled and continued on.  He just found a treasure on a scrap heap, and he fully intended to dig her out of the cadet ranks as quickly as he could.

Before someone else figured out what kind of person she was, and got their hands on her.





"Making waves before we're even aboard the Fenix, Cadet?"  Talia lifted an eyebrow, the lone response she gave when people asked stupid questions.

"I don't understand, sir.  What do you mean?  We had a clean dock, unload, and return flight."  Coral looked a bit confused.

"Not you, pilot.  I'm talking about Cadet Talia.  I had an order issued through the commander, and it came as a request from the engineering department aboard the Fenix.  As soon as we board that ship, you are to report to the engineering department for your orders.  The chief engineer apparently liked the work you did, and wants you on his staff.  What work?"  Talia focused her eyes right on Lieutenant Ayers, and the woman felt like she had just been probed by a laser.  Cadet Coral, however, spoke up first.

"She mentioned how it bothered her about the welding jobs done on the ship, and when the engineer left his cart, she repaired a seam."

"You can weld?"  The lieutenant sighed irritably.  "Are there any other skill sets we should know about?  Or formal education?"

"The formal systems were erased over the last ten years, while the more informal presented many opportunities to learn.  I've read books on blacksmithing, blast furnaces, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, power generation, propulsion, and small scale civic management.  I've experienced blacksmithing, testing modular manufacturing lines, agriculture, power generation, and small scale civic management in the complex I grew up in.  Propulsion and blast furnaces were unable to be tested in that enclosed environment.  I was starting a book on electronics, and electro mechanical control boards, but the Fenix project came up."  The lieutenant closed her eyes.

"That would have been good information to have prior to you signing up!  You should be teaching people how to do things, not starting at the bottom!"  Talia smirked a little.

"Would you respect a teacher if they couldn't prove they did the job themselves?  I know I couldn't.  When my squad sees me do the job, and set the standard, they will excel because I will not allow them to fail.  My squad is my family, and they are the generation that will shape the future."  Ayers sighed irritably.

"True.  Then I'll let you claw your way up to where you belong, if that is what you wish.  However, the engineering department has needs, and you are first on their list of needs.  That ship needs you, so they will have you.  Understood?"  Talia nodded.

"I was focused on engineering anyway, sir."  Ayers cocked her head sideways.

"Oh?"  Talia smiled, but it lacked any real warmth.

"The engineering department is what will keep that ship moving forward, and keep us alive long enough to establish a presence in space.  That is where I am needed, because the Fenix can not fail.  If she does, then we all die."  Unconsciously, Coral reached for her hand and felt Talia's fingers close around hers.  "And no one threatens the security of my family.  My squad."  Ayers nodded, and smiled a bit.

"Transfer is approved.  Report to the chief engineer at first opportunity for your instructions."  Coral smiled as the lieutenant turned away.

"Right where you wanted to be, Talia."  Coral said, a smile on her lips.  Talia turned towards her, then frowned and looked down at her hand.  "Looks like I've captured a squad leader, doesn't it?"  She said, her face flushed, and the forced amusement not lost on Talia.  She tightened her grip by just a bit.

"No, I've caught myself a stray cat, and can't let her go."  Coral smiled again.  The reference wasn't mean, but she did notice something in her words.  She didn't say I won't let you go.

She said she can't.  That made her feel real warm, and happy.





"I have your transfer papers right here!  Why can't you report today?"  The engineer scratched his head.

"Sir, I have to get the squad squared away first.  They need to know how to sort the scrap for reuse, and at the same time, they also need to know that I will never be far.  Keeps them focused."  Then she smirked.  "Don't worry, sir.  I'll be pouring over the schematics for the Fenix, and fixing the seams that I find in that hold.  And if I find the idiot who wasted so much wire to do such shoddy work, I'll take the wand and ground his ass as I weld him into a plate, just to show him how its done!"  The engineer started to smile, then laughed so hard, Talia thought he might wet himself.

"We do have some older arc welders, and tons of rods for those, but the flux coating has degraded over time."  She nodded.

"They can still be used, but won't produce the same results a professional would expect.  Unless they know what to watch for, the seams will look just like that bubble gum."  She pursed her lips for a moment.  "I'll follow you and get the arc, sir.  I'd rather not waste the wire on interior work when its not necessary."  As she walked, she talked.  "We'll need to expand this ship on the trip.  Get hangars fit onto the airlocks, and turn a large cargo hold into a metal recycling plant."  He sighed.

"We don't have the fuel to burn for a blast furnace, or even the power for an arc furnace."

"We will, sir.  Pilot Coral gave me some information on bio fuel.  An algae that can be processed into oil that can be cracked for diesel and gas.  The biomass can then be fermented into an alcohol fuel.  It will also produce oxygen while growing, and filter the air for us."  He chuckled.

"Dammit, girl, is there anything you don't know?"  She smiled a small hard smile.

"Tons, which is why I keep learning, sir.  Until we get the first outpost completed, and the first station outside Earth's orbit set up, we'll be one step away from the void every day.  Which means I'll need to be ten steps ahead of everyone else just to make sure we don't walk over the edge."

What drives you, Cadet?  What makes you so dedicated to your purpose?  Or should I say who?

"Oh, how is the water reclamation unit running?"  He frowned.

"Water reclamation?"  Her look was not pleasant.

"The waste processing and water reclamation unit.  It evaporates the liquids and reprocesses it into potable water.  The wastes are then incinerated and used in the hydroponics bays."  He sighed.

"Those were on the original plans, weren't they?  Someone high up nixed them."  He then heard something he thought he never would.

"Looks like I have to kill someone."

After Earth - Chapter 4 - Lunar Approach

Talia watched Coral closely, and for good reason.  They disassembled the barracks quickly, and stowed all the assemblies in an underground bunker, to the right side of the bunker.  Their cots were set up to the left, in a similar fashion to what it was above ground.

"Cadet Coral!  Calm down!  Its not like you haven't been through a storm before!"  Cadet Wilson called out.  Coral paced back and forth, getting more agitated as the sounds of the storm approached.  Talia watched her from her bunk, and as soon as the first strike of lightning sounded, she saw her return to an all fours position.  She even looked like she wanted to growl, or hiss and spit like a cat.  It wasn't a dignified position either.  All the cadets were in their regular night wear, boxers and tees.

"Coral!"  She looked over at Talia, pulled by her strong voice.  "Come over here."  She crawled on her hands and feet, no easy task to do, but she did it with ease.  Easy steps, her front hands in time to her legs, just like a four legged animal.  She had a lot of practice.  As soon as she reached her cot, she put her hands on the edge, and peaked up and over the edge.  The cot was just a bit higher then her stance.

"Talia?"  She didn't sigh, or grumble.

"Come here.  Climb onto the cot with me."  Coral slowly climbed up beside her and was pulled into her side.  "You're here with me.  You're safe."  She said in a soft low voice that only Coral could hear.  The strong arm around her shoulders, and the comfort of protective strength she's never felt before, soothed the side of her that reared up in tense situations.

Talia looked down at the top of her head and wondered what went through her mind.  Is she so damaged that she can no longer be fully human?  Then Coral's arm slid over her belly, and she snuggled in.

"Thank you."  She said in a small voice.

"We're squadmates.  That means we're family."  Coral hid her face.

"I wish....."  Talia's arm tightened.

"I can't change your past, Coral.  That will never change.  The future can."  Coral hid her face.

"I think I'm alright now."  She said softly, but Talia's arm tightened.

"Sleep here, Coral.  I'll protect you tonight."  She lifted her eyes, and acted on instinct.  She kissed Talia quickly on the lips, and instantly hid her face.

"I'm sorry."  She said, and wondered what Talia was thinking.  Her thoughts became clear quickly.

"I wouldn't hold Cadet Wilson all night, just to calm him down."  Talia whispered.  Coral closed her eyes, smiled, and tightened her hold on Talia's waist.

Her kiss was unexpected, but not unwanted.





"Get the barracks reassembled, and get loosened up, cadets!  Skill testing will begin after lunch.  Cadet Talia will initiate martial skills assessments after the barracks are reassembled!"  The sergeant frowned.  "Did I stutter?  Move it!"

Coral was too embarrassed to look Talia in the eyes, and too afraid of what she might see buried there.  Pity?  Maybe scorn, or rejection?  That was why she didn't see her approach.

"Cadet Coral."  Her eyes snapped up quickly.

"Y-yes?"

"I want you to try out for pilot."  Coral frowned.

"Pilot?  I don't...."  She cut her off.

"You have excellent hand eye coordination, and react extremely fast to stimuli around you.  You see things most people miss, and take note of everything."  A quick memory of how Coral read Cadet Wilson's movements prior to him trying to kick her in the head from behind came to mind.  "I need you in the pilot's seat."  Coral bit her bottom lip.

"Why?  Will I even be able to make a living as a pilot?  They said we get paid based on skills, and the work we'll do."  Talia's eyes bored right into her, and it felt like they burned right through.

"I need someone in the pilot's seat that I can trust.  Pilots make an excellent living.  They will be needed to fly the shuttles to and from the Fenix, haul cargo, move passengers, and ferry all supplies between depots and stations.  You will be a major asset for this initiative."  Coral looked into her eyes, and searched for her answer.  She saw it.  No deceit.

"Alright, but I don't know how to get into that program."  Talia stopped with the mental push, and relaxed a bit.

"Not to worry.  I'll take care of that part."




"I didn't think Talia's read on Cadet Coral was correct, and she seemed determined to prove me correct, but she's actually doing it!"  The sergeant whispered.  "Ten tries, and each one a failure, but she's learning fast!  Each test better then the last, and she's just gets better each time!"  Lieutenant Ayers smiled a bit.

"And her failures are still better then all the other candidates.  Keep her on the sim.  We only have the rest of the week before we launch, and another pilot in the program would be a big boost to this project.  We might even be able to make the deadlines set for supply runs to Lunar base, and get all the barges towed in to the Fenix before we are scheduled to depart for Mars."  The sergeant groaned.

"One more week.  Then another batch of raw recruits.  I wish I could keep Talia here to help kick them into shape!"  The lieutenant chuckled.

"She gave you all the tools you need.  Her speeches did the trick for Beta squad, and now you have to drum the same thing in to Alpha 1A, and the next two classes of Alpha."  He smiled.

"She was right though.  There will only be one Beta.  And she set the standard damned high!"





"Listen up, Beta squad!  This shuttle is currently climbing into high orbit, and will head to the Lunar Launch facility!"  The sergeant had to nearly yell as the roar from the engines drowned out most noise.  "Once there, we will disembark, set up a temporary barracks with our gear, and wait for the next shuttle to take us to the Fenix!"  Coral tapped Talia's shoulder.

"We're not climbing anymore, Talia."  She frowned.  "And I smell something strange."  Talia turned her head.

"What do you smell?"

"Blood."  Talia hit the release on her safety harness.

"Cadet Wilson, get that blade out of its sheathe and follow me!"  The sergeant turned towards her.

"Where do you think you're going, Cadet?"  He yelled.

"The shuttle isn't climbing out of the atmosphere, and blood has been spilled."  Wilson hit the release on his harness and slipped his blade out of its sheathe.  "Stay icy, Cadet!  Act when I tell you!"  He nodded and followed her to the airlock that connected the hold of the shuttle to the cockpit.  Wilson had caught on quick with martial drills, and though Coral was better, her mind still wasn't quite ready for direct combat.

This was a repurposed old NASA shuttle, long out of service, but it was easy to obtain, and get back into shape.  With all the unnecessary scientific equipment removed, and no payload save for the passengers, they were able to add fuel tanks to the shuttle, increase the wing span, and not have extremely large rockets attached to push it into a high orbit in only minutes.

Talia rotated the airlock handle only half a turn, and pushed it open.  That explained why Coral was able to smell blood, as it was not a tight fit.  However, the scene in the cockpit was as she expected.

"Fuck me."  Wilson said.  "An eater."




Wilson watched a nightmare come to life look their way.  An 'eater' was a term given to people who went cannibalistic, and feral at the same time.  Often, their nails were blood stained, and their teeth sharpened into points.  This one tore a chunk of flesh from the neck of the pilot, then turned their way.  He was beyond reason at this point, as were all who went feral.  All his thoughts were basic and he acted on instinct alone.  Just like an animal.

The blood and gore stuck to his teeth showed how they should deal with him.  Quickly, and brutally.

Talia didn't wait for Wilson to get himself under control.  She moved in quickly, jabbed forward with her fingers extended rigidly, and drove them into the eater's throat.  The reaction as she moved forward was to reach for the new free meal, but Talia moved fluidly, and beyond it's ability to react.

As her fingers rammed into his throat, she moved under his extended arm, rotated away, put his arm over her shoulder, and snapped it with downward pressure.  As soon as he started to howl in pain, she pulled him over her shoulder, drove his body into the deck plates, and punched him brutally hard in the throat again.

"Finish it off!"  She snapped out her order, and didn't watch him execute it.  She checked the pilot's condition, then turned back to watch Wilson pull his blade from its chest.

"Fuck me, an eater!"  She stared hard at him

"Get Cadet Coral up here!  She's the only one skilled enough to pilot."  He nodded and ran back through the door.  She heard questions snapped out, but Wilson ignored his superior officer.  She heard Coral pound through the door, and stop dead.

"Oh no."  She said in a low voice.

"Focus, Coral."  She said firmly.  "You're the only one who can get us to the station.  Now sit down!"  Talia looked towards the body of the pilot, and saw where she was focused.  Talia growled softly in her throat, and removed the pilot from his seat.  "I know this is hard, but I need you right now!"  Her vision came into focus, and she shed the distractions like water.

"I understand, but I need control's assistance.  A shuttle is quite different from a simulator."  Talia nodded, and picked up the headphone.

"Dave?  Its Mike!  Can you hear me?  Blow the cargo hold so the bodies can freeze in the vacuum!  I'll have cargo bay 3 ready to store our food!  Dave?  Pick up, dammit!"  Talia put the headphone down, and put her hand over Coral's as she went to lift her own set.

"There's another one on the line."  Coral looked up at her with plaintive eyes.

"I can't do this alone."  Talia sat in the co-pilot's seat.

"Cadet Wilson!"

"Sir?"

"Get the sergeant.  We have a small problem."





"Lieutenant Ayers, I wondered why you weren't on our flight."  The lieutenant gave her a small nod, then turned to Coral.

"Cadet."

"Sir?"

"The commander of this station would like me to loan you to them for a few towing runs to the Fenix.  I've agreed.  As of this moment, you are temporarily reassigned to flight operations for this station, and as such, you will receive a pay increase to match.  This is only temporary, as you will be needed on the Fenix more then here, but as of right now, they are down two pilots."  She turned to Talia, for the briefest of seconds.

"As I've been informed, you've hidden your skill level quite well.  Care to explain that?"  Coral swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I...I didn't want to show up my squad, sir."  Wilson's mouth dropped open.

"You mean....you've held yourself back for us?"  she nodded.  "You idiot!"  Coral turned towards him in shock.  "Don't you ever hide your skill again!  I could have gone for logistics, or engineering, but when I saw that I was pretty even with the rest of the squad, I thought I might have a chance!"

"But..."

"No!  Don't you dare!  We are damned proud of how you handled that shuttle when we needed you!  Don't ever hold yourself back!  How can we even know how hard we have to work just to keep up?"  Then he snapped his mouth closed.  "Sorry, sir!  Didn't mean to speak out of turn!"  The lieutenant smiled a bit.

"Don't let it happen again, Cadet.  As it stands, you'll have plenty of opportunities to increase your knowledge of those departments while on this station.  We will be here for the next two weeks, instead of the planned three day stop over."  She shook her head.  "An eater for a pilot.  This won't be the only hiccup, but it should get less interesting from here on out."

"Sir, if I might suggest something?  Examine all pilots, and those who assist the pilots for the warning signs.  This caught us off guard.  Also, inspect their barracks.  It may be an invasion of privacy, but that shit flew out the window when a team of cannibals tried to flash freeze us for their pantry."  She nodded.

"Agreed.  As it stands, Cadet Talia, the commander has asked to see you.  I think he wants a full report."

"Understood."  She turned to Coral.  "You did well, Coral.  I'll see you before you head off for your first flight."  Coral blushed, and smiled.  It felt really nice to hear that from her commanding officer.

Really nice.





"Sir, Cadet Talia Gitatytar, reporting as ordered."  The base commander turned around and nodded.

"Dismissed, Lieutenant Ayers."  The lieutenant quickly left the room and closed the door.  Commander Donaldson sighed irritably.

"An eater as a pilot, and a cadet who took him out.  Then I have a raw cadet now take the pilot's seat because of how smoothly she handled that emergency situation.  As if the end of the world wasn't enough,"  He growled and paced back behind his desk.  "You kept her calm and focused?"  She nodded.

"Yes, sir.  I would like to request the assignment of her co-pilot."  He frowned for a brief moment.

"You've not completed any simulator time, Cadet.  Why should I do that?"

"Without me, you don't have her.  Her mental state is quite....fragile, due to a past trauma I haven't been able to unearth yet.  It does have to do with those things though.  Damned ferals."

"You've taken her on?  A project?"  She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I'm not rebuilding a person, like an engine.  In no way am I tying her to myself to keep myself relevant.  I encouraged her to try out for pilot, and believe that she'll be an excellent one.  Her mental state is still fragile.  That is a detail I can not ignore.  Not as her commanding officer, or as the one she trusts."  He turned away.

"She needs an anchor."

"Yes, sir.  And another co-pilot won't do.  I'll do the simulator, but do know this, whatever my results, navigation is not my goal."  He turned towards her.

"Then what is your goal, Cadet?"  She smiled, but it was devoid of emotion.  It sent a chill down his spine, and made him wonder just who she was, and who might be in her way.

"The Fenix, sir.  That ship is the key to everything.  Our future, and our lives.  She must succeed."

"And how do you intend to make that happen?"  This was a question he wondered if he should even want to know.  As it stood, she supplied him with a reasonable, and responsible answer.

"Engineering, sir.  That is the department that every other department depends on, even if they don't know it.  Without a well run engineering department, that ship would fly apart, or blow out an airlock.  The designs are unfinished, and so is the ship.  That's where I come in."  He looked her dead in the eyes.

"How do you even know its unfinished?"  Another cold smile.

"I'm on a first name basis with the progenitor."  He sucked in his breath.  The one responsible for this trip, and the one who put a vast fortune in the hands of those who needed it to do this work.  Build one station, one ship the size of a station, and all with what they could salvage.  The manufacturing centers of the world were already in ruins, and to pull something like this together, it took an incredible amount of will.

As he looked her in the eye, and gave her a short dismissal, he wondered if he had just looked the progenitor in the eyes, or if she was a relative.  Either way, his instructions were clear.

Do not get in the way of those who can do the jobs they need done.  She was at the top of a short list given to him by someone deep within the complex that the Fenix came out of.  A real short list.

"Related to the progenitor.  If its who I think it is, no wonder her demeanor is so controlled.  That man's reputation made him a heavy weight in many areas of life before the fall of organized governments, and made him quite influential afterward."  He let out a breath real slow, as he contemplated the situation.

"A real life monster."