Cutlass Sharpened (20 page)

Over by the port stood three individuals
against the railing, staring fondly out in the vastness. Oliver
knew the shape of two. Jessica and Stephanie had an arm around each
other looking out and pointing. Beside them was a table with
equipment and the other stood a rather short man yet taller than
either, but covered in woodsy patterned fur, but didn’t have a
tail. Ears stood out higher on the man’s head. Oliver knew this
person had gone and had his DNA spliced with some kind of felines,
likely a jaguar. It wasn’t uncommon for people to look like their
favorite creature. He was still human, but looked different.

Being two and a half kilometers away, Oliver
was the first to get hopping. It was hard at first, not tripping
over one’s own two feet, but yesterday’s rhythm soon returned.

In minutes of faster and more accurate bounds
the four large men made it to the edge of the ship and Oliver
gained the attention of the nebula gazing trio. “Good morning,
Ladies and mister.”

Jessica and Stephanie let go of each other to
turn around, each offering beautiful smiles and open expressions.
Stephanie did not wear a dress today, but comfortable slacks and a
sexy top that highlighted high, perky breasts and plenty of
cleavage. She said “You took my advice, Oliver. I’m grateful. Renee
told me everything and you two are on better grounds. Now aren’t
you glad you took my words to heart?”

“
I am. Thank you. Did she
also tell you how she eaves dropped?”

“
She did and I already took
care of it.” Jessica said as she tucked some of her auburn hair
behind an ear. Like Stephanie she loved her breasts, being raised
in low gravity meant they were much higher and fuller. “She won’t
be hacking into your room through her chip without you being
alerted through your room crystal. If it starts pulsing you’ll
know. I’ll deal with my niece if she keeps acting like a
brat.”

“
All is well then? Nothing
new to the drama that is the Dorgen clan.” Said the short feline
man in a soft voice wearing a tuxedo.

“
Hello, Sir, I’m Oliver.
Oliver Void.”

The man smiled with filed teeth to be more
catlike. His furry hand clasped Oliver’s much larger one. “A real
pleasure and I’m up to speed on all your… let’s just say unique
circumstances. I’m Abdul Krabble, First Mate aboard the
Dorgenox.”

Hands released. “First Mate? Second in
command? You mean you run the ship by the captain’s orders? Renee’s
father?”

“
Correct. I’m the helmsman
as well. I chose to meet you this morning when Stephanie told me
about your next session out here. It is a lovely nebula. It will
make for a pleasant working environment. I also wished to say my
thanks for being out on deck during the latest Beast attack. If not
for you and the Hunters we would have been in more dire straits
than we currently find ourselves.”

“
What has occurred, Mr.
Krabble?” Stone asked, hands resting leisurely atop his
hatchets.

“
I do not wish the crew to
panic, but we had a serious problem after the attack, and still
have one.” The man crossed his arms, slit eyes dropping slightly.
“Somehow the Stingrays created an unknown feedback after breaking
through the barrier and cracked the Booster Oil containment field
and all but a single drop remains. Our FTL engineer Jacob Wrench
was almost too late saving
that
last drop. If he didn’t we’d be stuck relying on
the ship’s solar sails to reach the nearest inhabited planet in
fifty six years in conjunction of out sublight engines. Worse yet,
our long range distress beacon was also irreparably damaged. The
engines are being self-repaired, but we’ll be stuck here for a few
days till Jacob can get us up and running. We’ve got just enough
oil for a single jump.”

Oliver knew Booster Oil’s purpose. It was
volatile, but a single drop was enough to increase FTL output by
six thousand percent. Making for near instant stellar travel
through subspace compared to normal.

Stone rubbed his chin. “Then we can make two
objective for the one shot left to us. My home world Zerika”
Sounding like Zer-ree-ka. “has many Inferno Fruit plantations we
can procure to make more oil. Since it is a Hunter planet, Oliver
can be seen and maybe the elders may know where our his origins
stem from.”

“
Then today is your lucky
day. The captain already decided Zerika was our destination.
Unfortunately our visit cannot linger there for too long. And
Oliver cannot stay. The captain has granted us one month there
before we head to Verard for business we put off too long
already.”

The leader of the Hunters’ brow wrinkled in
mild anger. “One month?!” the other two also bristled. “That will
not work for us. Our ancient brother needs years to learn our ways.
I’m sure the elders will send replacement Hunters in our
stead.”

“
I’m sorry, Stone, but I
have my orders. The captain wants Oliver back aboard on day thirty
after we arrive on Zerika. Either he is returned or the captain
will personally come to retrieve him and lay waste to any in his
way.”

This news greatly unsettled the Hunters.
Oliver put a hand on Stone’s armored shoulder. “It will be alright.
Had the captain not led you to where I was locked away you would
not be in this predicament. You see how fast I learn. Thirty days
will be plenty. Meanwhile, you can fill in any gaps we may miss
before repairs are completed.”

“
But it will take more than
three weeks to assemble the great elders.” Stone
grumbled.

“
I can help with that.”
Stephanie came forth holding a tiny felt bag that looked to barely
hold a few pebbles. “My brother-in-law isn’t heartless. He’s a
great man.” She very carefully dumped six tiny coms into the palm
of her hand. “Oliver made these yesterday out of one of my shoes.
I’ve been studying them and have
yet
to find the maximum range these babies can’t
reach. Already I found they cross galaxies.” The three Hunters all
found their jaws hit the floor. “We’re in the Andromeda galaxy and
I’ve already spoken with my older sister back in the Milky Way. She
thinks I came by for a visit. Contacting Zerika will be no problem
for these babies.”

“
Then I must have one and
can forewarn the elders to expect our arrival.”

“
I need just a few more
hours to upload my own programs so their encryption protocols
cannot be tracked.” Jessica said.

“
One moment.” Oliver focused
and held his right hand out. “Jessica, may I?” she tipped her hand
and dropped the coms in his possession. The vambrace suddenly
snatched them and worked it’s magic. Using desire via understanding
from all he learned, safety features up and above even Jessica’s
technical knowhow were imbued in the coms before being spit out.
“Done. No one can listen in anymore.” And returned them. He then
held his arm beside his ear and a barb speared into his sub dermal
shard and did similar alterations. Then turned to Stone. “I can
upgrade yours without needing to copy or reapply the names of
everyone already inside yours.”

“
Much appreciated.” Stone
turned his face and barely felt any pressure as his com was
extracted, broken and pieced together in a more efficient way
before being put right back. The barb extracted with hardly a smear
of blood. Stone did worse shaving. “I’ll be back soon.”

“
Do not forget our verbal
contract.” Stephanie warned.

“
I haven’t forgotten, Mrs.
Merann.” He walked away for privacy.

“
Well I must return to the
bridge. Keep me informed on all progress.” Abdul said as he began
making way back to the nearest access hatch rather than the main
airlock below the ship’s bridge.

Stone though stopped about a hundred meters
away and touched the knot by his ear. “Elder Scythe, it is Stone
Calliko, first class. Do you have a spare moment?”

Far away, eight thousand light years away,
sat an old Hunter up in the boughs of a tree watching the migration
of a herbivore resembling a bison and a wildebeest, crossing a
narrow stream. He tapped his ear to say “I always have time for my
pupils. What is on your mind, Young One?” though he himself barely
looked thirty, dark skinned and layered in corded muscle.

“
We’ve made an astounding
discovery. A man I believe to have lived in the genesis of the
Hunter program.” Though no one saw it the elder suddenly sat
straight. “I’m requesting an assembly of the great elders, but all
secrecy must be kept of this man… he is different.”

“
Tell me all you can,
Child.” Scythe ordered in a no nonsense way. “Bring him
immediately.”

“
Elder, I’m afraid I’m
unable. You see, I’m not within the Zerikan system. I’m actually
speaking from the Sapphire Nebula.”

“
Impossible! Coms cannot
reach further than planetary to sixty million kilometers from
surface.”

“
Elder, you know I do not
stretch the truth. You guided me and never let your pupils do so.
Believe me, I’m not lying. Ready the elders. We’ll be there in one
week after the ship repairs are complete. We had a Beast issue.
Also, this man caries two original weapons of the Star Peoples and
armor unlike any I’ve seen before. What I can say is his memories
were taken from him,
every
memory, but in two days he has learned to not only
communicate fluently he also completed standard education all are
required to learn. In just
two
days, Elder. I must also inform you, even I cannot
fathom the depths of his true abilities. When we found him, he
could barely walk, yet in one slice he felled a Salamander that
would have killed me had he not intervened. Also he is a true
Beast-eater. Secrecy must be our top priority, Elder Scythe. Until
I’m permitted, I cannot divulge everything. He is in great danger
if the Empire or Galicom learns of his existence.”

“
So I can imagine. What
else
can
you tell
me?”

“
That I, Deegen Castor and
Steven Metts, also a first class from Valley Prime, are teaching
him gravity adaptation. He is greatly unskilled. He is extremely
large, but his lost memories also makes him awkward in moving. We
three are slack cord training him. The Captain of the Dorgenox is
giving us a one month leave…”

“
No. If he is a true
Beast-eater he must be tested…”

“
Jake Dorgen.” Stone dropped
the name.

The elder went quiet.
“Oh,
him
… that does
change things. So you called to have the elders assemble a week
earlier than had you arrived?”

“
Yes, Elder.”

“
Very well. I’ll contact my
brothers and sisters right away and use the upmost discretion. I
expect full data share…”

“
I’ve already gotten a
promise to share with the elders concerning our lost
brother.
Full
disclosure.”

“
Then one last thing I must
know. Is our brother dangerous.”

“
Elder, I mean no
disrespect, but when you see him, you will find he is more
dangerous than yourself.”

“
Good. I expect you in seven
days, Young One. Train him well. I will set the trials for an
expedited entrance.”

“
Thank you, Elder Scythe.
Hunt relentlessly.”

“
Feast well, Young
One.”

The conversation ended and Stone returned
saying “Elder Scythe is eager to meet you, Brother. He believes me
and is gathering the elders.”

Oliver looked up from the table in which his
sword lay upon as he held it with Stephanie using specialized tools
to research another idea. “Then I have a lot to learn and little in
which to do it.”

“
I won’t keep you more than
an hour.” Stephanie promised. “Alright this scan is done. Put the
blade away and let me scan your multi-tool as it repairs this
crystal I purposely shattered.”

Oliver looked down as Stephanie uncovered a
pile of chunks, dust and shards of some kind of pink crystal on the
table. “What did it do before?”

“
Not telling.” The
archeologist responded. “You’ve used the multi-tool in one
direction so far. You told it to do something with intent. This
time I want to see if it can work another way. Let
it
tell
you
what it can do, not
the other way around.”

“
You want
it
to guide
me
?” She nodded vigorously
and stepped back.

How would that work? How
could I tell it to do something without an objective. Making is
easy. Repairing is different.
His gaze
dropped to the blackness surrounding the entire forearm.
Can you help me?
A strange
sense pressed upon him in a good way. Like when he thinks of
Renee’s scent. The way her hips sway when she walks. The way the
swell of her breasts bounce. It gave a similar feel, but empty at
the same time. It had no desire other than to do the bidding of the
wearer. That was the vambrace’s function. To create. To
serve.

Oliver allowed the sense to work freely and
intended to put the broken object back together.

Metallic blackness flew towards the debris
and soaked into it. Unlike before, this time clear as day images
popped inside Oliver’s head like some great puzzle which his mind
began piecing everything together three dimensionally. With the
speed of his subconscious the parts began clambering, fitting to
each other in a swirling storm. Pieces formed clumps of different
sizes, doing multiple fittings simultaneously. The pieces grew,
those that clumped fit together inside his mind seamlessly.