Chapter 4 - Nightmare

Shadow has brief out of body experience and is soon pursued by something that even she's terrified of.

Everything (c) me (Amy)
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The underground city is vast, but not as I remember it. Something doesn't feel right, something's out of place. I walked across the catwalks, trying desperately to remember how I got here. It wasn't a warp fault, I knew that much, but I couldn't remember what had happened before hand. I'd just woken up here. The various races surged around me, parting like water does as it flows around a rock. I'm not in my anthro form, but my Human shape, my blue scales dappling my skin. For some reason, I'm walking towards a place I used to work, a place that held a steady job and a fist full of friends for so many years. It was a place called Neon Junction, a members only nightclub. I looked over my shoulder and peered into the crowd of brightly coloured, leather clad bodies behind me. The feeling of being followed was getting stronger. Something big was following me. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled and I sped up my pace more, striding towards the front doors of Neon Junction, it's brightly lit sign flickering above everyone's heads in the near distance like a beacon of salvation, promising safety. Something in the back of my mind spurred me onward, my legs moving faster, sending me into a near sprint, pushing past and dodging the various huddle of bodies that were moving in all directions. Xan wasn't at the door, yet the doors were wide open, the long, dimly lit tunnel leading down into the club itself quiet. Of course it had sound proofing, but the bass could still be felt and heard as you moved further in. But I felt nothing. The doors banged shut behind me, the lights flickering and my surroundings going black. Though it was familiar, it brought me to the point of near-terror. My dark sight wasn't kicking in. I had to fumble around, feeling my way towards the inner doors. The felted walls of the club's tunnel gave way to a smooth coldness that I could only label as concrete. The musty, sweaty smell of Neon Junction gave way, evaporated into a metallic scent, the familiar sting of antisceptics infiltrating my senses. The prescence behind me grew stronger still, nearing me. I didn't want to go through those doors. But I also didn't want to find out what was following me. I took a breath, as if ready to take a dive off the top of a dam and shoved the doors open in a manner that stated that I was here, and pissed off. But my usual mask of intimidation melted away quicker than my heart beated.

Bright white lights blinded me and I fell back against the smooth white concrete wall which had been Neon Junction's inner doors. I instincively raised a hand to shield my eyes, but it had little effect to dampen the sterile false brightness. Four figures lurched out of the brightness, three wearing similar clothing, the other, larger and wearing dark clothes. It was then that my memories clicked down into place, like the beginnings of a puzzle. I now knew where I was. I was back in the Prytchard Facility. I felt a panicked whimper rise from my throat, something I hated hearing comming from myself, but I couldn't help it. The pain these people had inflicted upon me when I was fifteen was still raw to this very day. Their nano-technology still burned beneath my skin, everyday threatening to send me mad with pain and anger, an anger at the scientists for doing what they did, Humans playing God; And an anger for myself, for letting them capture me in such a simple fashion. One of them stepped forward, hand outstretched, a male voice cooing from the bright lights, unrecognisable words, a foreign language to me. Terror shook my body. I couldn't do this again. Too many times something like this had happened. Yes, I'd killed for fun in the past, but no matter what the crime, nobody should be subjected to being a lab rat. The hand caressed my cheek and it burned white hot, like an Angel's touch, the pain making my knees shake. A dark figure, tall and lanky rose up behind the others. It was more of a shadow, a heart of piercing, burning white at the center of its chest. It loomed over us all. My knees buckled beneath me, finally sending me to the floor. It wasn't the burning touch of the outstretched hand.
It was something else. A wave of power flowed angrily over my skin, searing my nerves. The blurred figures seemed not to be aware of the monster's prescence. They simply took notes, exchanging interested garbled words about what they were witnessing. I clawed at the cold grey lino floor, trying desperately to get away, my fear nearly overriding my senses. I could feel my skin burning, not with the power of the monster that was slowly following me, but with the temptation, the need to change. The top of my head hurt, my horns threatening to push through whether I was ready or not. My shoulders ached, wings trying to force their way into the world as my lower back twinged, the sign of my tail forming.

The garbled voices became excited as they spectated my change, an angry cry of pain ripping up my throat and out into the white expanse of the warped version of the Prytchard Facility as I arched forward, hands splayed across the icy floor, my clothing tearing as my body changed. As the glorious pain rippled throughout my rapidly changing body, a dark shadow loomed over me, the feeling of utter dread and cold fear settling in the pit of my stomach. I felt my body go still and I panicked. I wasn't done changing yet. I couldn't breathe, my half formed wing muscles were tight, locked around my chest, making it hard to inhale. I tried moving, a sliver of silver white blurring through the air, down towards me. My movements were painfully restricted due to my partially changed body and I skittered sideways on clawed hands and feet, my wings awkward and getting in the way as the sudden movement made my body contract violently, a strangled squeel of sheer pain passed my scaled lips and my small, nubby horns pushed down a little way into my head as I hit the wall behind me. My skull hadn't become thick enough and my horns weren't prepared for the impact. Blue and yellow dots danced about in front of me. I lay there in my awkward state, concentrating on not dying, willing my body to either continue changing or to reverse, to return to my Human form. No such luck. My mind was a blur, I was unable to think straight, let alone give out commands to the rest of my body. I squeezed my eyes shut and swore I heard my name being called in a strange way. It was as if someone was singing it to me. My first, middle and last name being sang to me. There were only three people in existence who knew my full name. General Newark, Chester and my dad. I opened my eyes again, feeling, allowing my body to relax. The vast whiteness of the Facility had gone, replaced by a more welcome sight of a rusty red metal corridoor, clusters of pipes and wires leading along the walls either side of me and disappearing around the corner.

I was onboard the Star Stalker. Though it was familiar territory, I was still being stalked. I looked down at myself. Still painfully stranded between Human and Dragon. Why wasn't I dead? That was my current main question alongside who or what was stalking me. The sudden changes in environments could take a running jump. I've been in weirder situations. I clawed my way down the ageing corridoor of the old ship, the sing song voice still echoing in my mind, the monster still following me, it's prescence sending my mind skittering. It hurt like hell to move. I couldn't walk properly and my partialy formed wings and tail were dragging across the rough metal floor gouging cuts in my soft scales, blood trailing behind me as I slowly clawed my way onward, determined not to stop, to not let the monster get me. A childish thing to be saying, but I know what monsters can do, and it's far worse than what any terrified child can imagine. A dull red light flashed up ahead, reflecting off the dull surfaces. The ship was on red alert. Yet there were no explosions to be heard. I stopped my agonising movements to feel the momentum in the ship's frame. But it wasn't moving. Everything was still and quiet. I tested the air, my forked tongue flicking out, the only part of me that had fully formed. Nothing. Not even the old metal of the ship could be scented. A low growl from behind and my nerves stood on end again. The monster was in the corridoor with me. I was close to the bridge. I knew that without even having to look at the metal sign plates that were welded on the walls. I could navigate this ship blind and unfeeling. My taught muscles protested angrily, white hot pain ripping through my body once more, a tear escaping my good eye as I dragged myself onwards towards the bridge, and hopefully towards safety. The door was wedged open, buckled and bent, stuck in it's frame, the blissful sight of the small bridge visible through the mangled gap. Flickers of a violent space battle erupted in my mind and quickly faded. I shook it off and willed my body onward, but as soon as my hips crossed the threshold, I heard the air being sliced and a pain like nothing I'd ever felt speared through my back.

I convulsed and screamed in agony, a cry lost between Human and Dragon. My vision blurred and I forced it to clear again. Three bodies lay on the bridge ahead of me, lay in the dip in front of the main viewer screen. The one to the right, I recognised instantly. It was Chester. I'd never seen him looking so scared in all the years I'd known him. The second figure was female. She crouched on the other side of the unconscious body. Flame coloured hair and dark skin. She wore nothing but an old pair of torn shorts and a white cotton shirt to match, tied in a knot at the front to hide her breasts. It took me a moment to realise who she was. The pain had subsided, numbed by lack of movement. She was my mother, the woman who had died trying to save me from the scientists at the Prytchard Facility. She was the one singing my name. The long silver white blade in my back twitched and jerked away from me, sending my body into another convulsion. I bit down on my lip to stop from screaming again, instead drawing blood. I crawled forward to get a better look at the unconscious figure. My gut churned and I went cold, ignoring the agony that vibrated through my body as I realised who it was that lay on the bridge, dying in a pool of dark blood, her husband by her side and her dead mother cooing her name, trying to call her back into existence, to try and save a dead ship from whatever was outside in the cold darkness. The body was me. I wanted to throw up. I swallowed hard, forcing back the bile that rose and clawed onwards, now hearing only my blood pumping around my body, the sound dominating my hearing. I whimpered more, my will to live fading as the pain that ran through my mishapen body became more intense. I fell down the steps and landed heavily at the foot of the ladder that led up and into the cockpit. The monster had stopped at the doorway, unable or unwilling to cross the threshold, which one, I didn't know. But it had stopped and my energy was fading. I hauled myself over to my body, my clawed hand passing through my crooked leg. I was in a mess. More so than I'd ever been since joining the Shadow Stalkers' ranks. Then the bridge whirled and tilted violently before sinking into darkness.

''Whut 'appened?'' I asked raggedly, the metal floor cold against my back.
''We were on a retrieval mission and we got ambushed by pirates.'' Chester said haggardly, reliefe flooding his dark eyes.
''How many?''
''I don't know. But we were heavily outnumbered. Me, you, Ev and Tamanas are the only survivors. They're down in the engine room trying to get the main engine back online.''
His grip tightened on my paw, sending a sliver of hot pain up my arm. But I didn't care. I was alive, and if those pirates were, I can guarantee it won't stay that way for long.
''I honestly didn't think you weren't gonna make it.''
''You of all people should know that I ain't that easy to get rid of.'' I grinned weakly.
The ship rippled beneath us and a young male voice crackled over the ship's com.
''We've managed to restore partial main power, which is just enough to get us to the station. We're now working on the long-distance com-link.''
I recognised that voice. It took me a moment to figure out who it was, but I finally recognised it as Tamanas Solis, the newest recruit to the Stalker team, and the last remaining new crewman. We took on five more, but apparently, that battle had cost us four of their lives. I blinked hard, pain surging through my body.
''Help me up.'' I said raggedly.
Chester pulled me up and I bit back a scream of pain as I realised my leg was fractured, something that should be impossible due to the bio-armour that had been implanted in me, courtesy of the Prytchard Facility. He sat me down in the command chair. I was acting captain until Spirit returned from Kanamiea, the planet we were originally headed to.
''Take us back to Nuam orbit and let the general know what happened as soon as we get a strong enough signal.'' I said, fighting the strong urge to pass out again.
Chester nodded and climbed up into the cockpit, regaining control of the ship and taking us back. I had to ask him about the monster that was stalking me in my mind later. He may know something about it. But then, he might not...

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