ajm-1994

[ajm-1994]

Time had changed everything for the council. Every event sparked conflict within itself, and the conflicts didn't just involve words on some occasions, for millennia the band of creatures and alliances argued and fought over every scrap of rock, moon and planet. There were the wars of old in stories. Some classed as myths and legends, with all evidence removed. The council hid truths to protect it interests as all good governments try.

Space had always been cold, dark, and had the weirdest sounds, as if the stars themselves were singing.

Tret'od (Tret) and Livaens (Liv) we're both salvage scavengers for the council. Tasked to travel out to the edges of deep space and pull any debris worthwhile back so it could be recycled for future use.

"it's always the same! There's never anything here they just want to get rid of the two D'vaki whenever they can" moaned Tret.

"Well it's our job so just shut up and watch the screens, there's been reports of metals out here"

The screens pinged green and lit up the console.

"I think we've found the metals, it's the only thing on screen. Open the view shutter and let's take a look at the lump of rock we'll be dragging"

The shutters rattled down, eons of light hit the window falling into the console in a wave. Then out on the distance they saw it.

"What in the mother's name is that?" Tret echoed.

“I don't know and I don't like it. Call the council and tell them we've got... Whatever that is" Liv replied.

"And tell them what exactly? We've got a perfectly cut metal rock with symbols eched into it? That'll go down well! They'll do what they all do and just destroy it"

"Well what do you want to do? Go and see what's in it?" Liv said sarcastically.

He probably shouldn't have said that because Tret was scrambling out of the locks towards it with haste the moment the sentence ended. She dived out of the scrapper and across the void, a weightless second adrift in the void. The moment she hit the side she noticed a small enough hole she could squeeze herself in.

Once inside Liv clambered in behind Tret standing into the shadow. Both of them awestruck at the size of the walls in tfront of them, and as if out of nowhere the darkness flickered as the ship screeched. the lights rattling and screaming at both of Liv and Tret sensor screens and sound modifiers and both blinding and deafing them momentarily.

"I don't like this T, we should not be here"

"Grow a vert, Liv, this could be one of them! Do you think they were as bad as they say?"

"There is no way those creatures could be real, they lived on a level 9 for mothers sake. They can't be"

They softly wandered into the darkness ahead, again the lights flickered as they entered the cavern, a single podium sat in the centre of the room. Tret ran and jumped at it taking the helm and that's when all hell broke loose.

Liv squealed as the consoles rose and lit up from the ground, running back out. Tret gleefully smashed and hit at the consoles as all the signals and symbols bounced around her visor. Then the door opened at the far end of the room. Tret ran back to Liv as the door slid open, grinding to a halt before fully opening.

Tret slid across the room, peaking into the darkness ahead, a single light hummed into life above the casket. A single panel attached at the end, Tret creeping closer with each step being shadowed by Liv panicking and gripping at Tret.

"We need to go now T, this isn't safe, we need to get the council here now"

"Just be quiet and let's see, there's no life on board. We'll be as we are"

Tret brushed at the panel on the casket. Her sensors picked up voices from the ship, unlike anything she'd ever heard before, her translator now deciphering the sounds in the room as the casket lid popped, and softly creaked open.

Tret peaked over the edge of the casket, and there it was. An ancient one, laid in front of them. An orifice opened with force and gasped, drawing its first breath. Liv and Tret retreated to the doorway, Liv scrambling behind the wall, reaching for her communicant

"We are Allairs Crux and we have found life on the edge. Rush to our coordinates now. We have found life"

A claw gripping at the casket wall, followed by a second in tandem. Pulling itself to the edge it's head revealed itself into the light. It sounded almost as if the voices of the ship and being were communicating. The beings head snapped towards the door, before it clammered and fell out of the casket, it body wet and laying against the cold metallic floor.

It laid onto the floor staring at Tret, her visor reflecting the light back she knew she had been seen.

"Liv, stay here and wait for back up. I've been seen. I'm going to make contact" she whispered as she crept around the corner.

Her arms narrowed infront of herself trying to make herself seem smaller, it worked against the Kox, why wouldn't it work on this creature.

The creatured dragged itself backwards towards the edge of the casket, pulling a device from the panel, it raised an arm and spoke to her. Trets visor still scanning trying to make sense of the sounds to no avail. That's when it pinged.

"What on God's green earth are you? And where the hell was the council after the war?!"