Stars Gods Wolves by Dan Kirshtein (best classic books .txt) 📕

The captain took a step toward the doctor, not wanting to leave him behind but not seeing any choice. When he looked back to the container, the rumbling noise turned to a chewing noise, stubborn and awful. Nitro’s brow leapt upon the realization.

The Eighth began to fire, not at Nitro, but at the vessel itself. Nitro took his chance to break into a sprint as laser fire ripped holes through the transport vessel. Carrion tore through the holes, their long claws and teeth easily breaking down the one side of the ship. Rook detached its rifle from its leg and fired as well.

Clear liquid and blue bodies poured from the ship like a dam burst open. Rook stepped aside at the last second to avoid the incoming, massive wave. Carrion ripped through the Eighth with such brutality, it was hard to imagine they didn’t understand what had happened to them.

Martin smiled, finally at peace, as he let his body droop to the floor.

Sabile:Base of Operations of the Eighth: Just Outside the Central Factory

A lone, black vessel had made its way top side, blasting its way through the base’s docking bay doors. Harper sat in the cockpit, while Ula sat in the co-pilot’s seat smiling widely. When the ship had reached high enough altitude, Gally and Ox approached the cockpit to see the turret that had originally shot them down was now in rubble. They both smiled to see Boomer’s sacrifice was not in vain, though Ox’s was more of pride than relief.

Gally almost said something when a lone ping echoed through the headsets. Ula looked back in confusion to see Harper point to a nearby screen with a signal on it. “There they are!” He was in the middle of bringing the ship to the originating spot when the signal pinged again. And again. And again.

Gally was annoyed at this point. “Nitro, we read you, we’re on our way!” She sighed, no longer on her coms. “For shit’s sake.”

Ox’s bottom lip jutted upward before he departed the upper half of the ship. Knowing he was needed, he limped to the back of the vessel as the landing bay opened. The Waykind grappled a nearby bar with one hand, holding out his staff, ready to be needed at a moment’s notice. The ship hovered over the base and waited.

Within moments, the pings came in rapidly again as laser bolts blasted through a nearby window. Leaping through it, the captain found himself on the roof once again. But this time, he was not alone: Two Carrion followed close behind. Looking over his open and bloodied shoulder, Nitro managed to blast one before taking off in a full sprint toward the ship.

Gally, carrying her rifle, also departed the cockpit. She didn’t hear Harper call out to her, nor did she hear the roar of the engine or the laser fire in the distance. She walked slowly to the end of the cockpit and stood next to Ox. Bracing her shoulder against the side of the transport bay, she raised her rifle and looked for her target. All she saw, however, was Nitro running.

As he ran, Nitro made a promise to himself. If, by some miracle, he survived this, he’d be done running, unless it was for recreation. He’d find himself a nice cushy job in some sunny, warm place. He didn’t know where, but if there was ever snow of any color, it was off his list of prospects. All he had to do was survive this one last mission; all he had to do was make it to that ship.

He urged himself not to look behind him, as he knew the Carrion were right on his heels, and he was certain they were more experienced in the snow than he had become. As he ran, he saw something break through a small tower ahead of him: a menacing figure that walked slowly, not out of patience, but due to wounds. Long claw marks ran along Rook’s torso; pieces of it trailed off to the side. Even with some chunks missing, the automaton pressed on with a determination unlike any Nitro had ever encountered.

“Ahhh,” Nitro groaned, firing a few blind shots from his rifle, hoping to cover his retreat. “Ox!” The captain howled the name, his voice crackling with fear as he made a hard turn, one foot walking clear off the roof of the building.

From inside the ship, Ox raised his staff once more. Several bursts of rock charged from the planet’s surface, creating a platform to catch the captain before he had the chance to fall. Several others were made, creating a path of platforms, up to the ship. Nitro leapt from one to the next, and finally came upon one last, large gap between him and the ship.

Rook continued its slow, wounded walk toward its targets. It would have fired on the ship, but several Carrion in its way proved to be a more immediate threat. After downing the last of the beasts in its path, it watched the captain nearly getting away. It did not fire upon him, but his means of escape: the Waykind.

Three bursts of laser pierced through Ox’s midsection. He gave a low, painful moan, falling to his back, rocking the vessel. Gally went to reach for him, but in doing so found Rook standing on the roof. She inhaled and raised her rifle, waiting for a clean shot. She saw several Carrion pounce upon the Ninth, though they didn’t last long. The last of them had caught Rook in the eye with a claw, nearly dropping her target.

It looked defeated, but not killed. This was her chance. Gally’s eyes widened with anger, her nostrils flared. “Rook!” she shouted. Their eyes met. Her rifle turned toward the Ninth, but something else caught her eye: Several Carrion darted toward the ship. With a frustrated growl, Gally fired upon them instead.

From the raised platforms, Nitro watched in horror