Three Square Meals Ch. 071

"I don't believe you!" Tashana said stubbornly, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Irillith replied, the expression on her face showing how sincere she was. "I saw mother and father fighting, and then she..."

"No! I can't hear it again!" Tashana cried out, putting her hands over her ears to try and block out her sister's voice.

Her twin stared at her for a long moment, then simply held out her arms for a hug.

Tashana could see that Irillith looked scared, although she was doing her best to keep it from her grief-stricken face. With a strangled sob, Tashana went to her sister, hugging her fiercely.

"I love you, Tashana," Irillith whispered in her ear, her voice throbbing with emotion. "We just have each other now. I promise I'll take care of you."

"I love you too!" Tashana replied, and the two sisters cried over their lost father, and at the brutal realisation of just what kind of a monster their mother truly was...

Malifica was jolted out of her partially conscious state, her heartbeat racing, and that same nagging itch at the back of her mind once again. She tamped the feeling down, smothering it with the sting of betrayal, and a throbbing surge of smouldering anger. She'd been naive and weak when she'd believed her sister's lies. She wasn't any longer.

Surrendering to her burning hate, she lost herself to seductive dreams of flickering flames.

***

John and the girls swept through the market, bringing long overdue retribution to the Underworld. Lady Justice might be blind, but in this case, the condemned had been judged by the one person truly capable of determining their own guilt. Themselves.

Following Athena's guidance, Alyssa had fallen into a spirit-walk, then swept through the station in moments, lightly touching the minds of everyone in sight. Rapists, slavers, murderers; simply brushing her ethereal fingers over their minds had given her an ugly glimpse into the dark, twisted nature of their souls. After that, the pulse she'd sent out simply separated the guilty from the innocent; and there were many more of the former than the latter.

Their progress through the Underworld was heralded by terrified screams as they pursued the crowds at a brisk pace, purging the guilty, and leaving the terrified innocents unharmed. A group of Drakkar raiders swathed in a sickly blood-red opened fire on them, but the rounds from their miniguns bounced away harmlessly with odd whumping sounds. The Drakkar carried reflective shields, but they proved scant protection against such deadly accurate laser fire. John simply shot out their feet, and when the lime-green hammer-headed aliens toppled over in agony, he shot them in the head.

Simple. Effective. Lethal.

***

It hadn't taken Breaker long to find John Blake again, they just had to look for the fleeing crowds and the relentless salvos of blazing blue laser fire that slashed through anyone painted in an eerie red glow. The pirates watched as a Trankaran merchant shrouded in a pale white aura cowered behind his mining trucks, while a squad of Ruiner mercenaries only metres away, turned to face the remorseless Terran officer and his soldiers. The dark-blue armoured mercs appeared a ghastly purple in the red haze that surrounded them, and they began shooting their assault rifles in desperation at the implacable foe.

The bullets bounced harmlessly wide, arcing upwards and away from the crowds, and the mercs stared aghast at their ineffective weapons. They received a deadly hail of laser bolts in return, which ripped through them in short bursts, melting fist-sized glowing holes through ceramic armour and flesh alike. In a matter of seconds the Ruiner mercs had been perforated in a dozen places, and they pitched over, dead before they hit the ground.

Hades watched the terrified Trankaran stare wide-eyed at John Blake and his entourage, who ignored the bulky alien as they glided past, intent on their unrelenting massacre. Hades looked down at his own hands, swathed in a lurid red, and he quailed as he realised what it meant. He'd been marked for execution just like the rest of the pirates, mercenaries, slavers, and other miscreants being butchered below them in the market.

Turning, he began to run for the lower level of his base, intent on fleeing across the gantries before John and his pitiless women could seal off this complex. A shocked gasp from Breaker stopped him in his tracks, and he spun around to look at the cameras in morbid curiosity. The seven white-armoured figures had launched themselves into the air, held aloft by a golden glow coming from some kind of thrusters on their backs. Their short flight ended as they landed gracefully on the gantries, firing all the while as they wiped out the Bloodnova pirates standing guard on these upper levels.

Hades' heart sank like a stone in his chest as he realised he was cut off, but he rallied quickly, and yelled, "Seal the fucking doors!"

One of the pirates stabbed his finger down on a big red octagonal button on his brass console, and after a second's delay, they could hear heavy machinery grinding into motion. The massive reinforced door rolled into place on the level below, sealing them into the complex with a bass rumble that Hades could feel through his feet.

Realising that he was now trapped, he jabbed a finger at two of his men, and snapped, "Go and get Malifica, bring her up here." When they stared at him mutely for a moment, Hades' face twisted in anger as he roared, "Fucking move your ass!"

The pirates lurched from their chairs and began running for the nearest ramp down to the level below. Grinding his teeth in anger, Hades turned his attention back towards John and his women. The six female soldiers peeled off, striding across the gantry and around the central control column, until they stood at the opposite balcony overlooking the fleeing crowds below. They now turned their unflinching attention to the flesh merchants at the other end of the market.

The slavers and their customers were a long way from the scenes of slaughter, and had no idea of the nightmare that had descended on Underworld. They looked around at each other in confusion and alarm, as they heard the distant sounds of terrified screams heading their way. Hades watched as an unsuspecting flesh merchant in a blue suede coat was punched through the chest by a laser bolt, leaving him staring in dumb horror at the glowing hole below his sternum. The rest of the women opened fire now too, unleashing a savage hail of blue laser blasts which blazed into his Largath enforcers. One of them was cut in half at the waist, left thrashing around impotently until it was shot in the head.

Red shrouded corpses were piling up by the score, as the people here fled deeper into the market, fleeing from the shooters who seemed focused on killing anyone running for Docking Bay Two. Hades saw what the terrified people below failed to understand. That they were being herded back into the killing zone.

He turned his attention back to the entrance to his fortress, and stared with wild eyes at the cameras as John pulled a big white sword from his back and stalked towards the door. Hades knew how thick that door was, so despite everything he'd seen so far, he knew he'd be safe for a while yet. John started hacking through the tan-coloured wall, seemingly intent on chopping his way around the door. The sparkling sword descended again and again as he cleaved his way through the wall, the blade carving through the thick ochre metal as if it were cardboard.

Hades wondered what the hell John was doing, as he abruptly stopped his hacking then sheathed his sword and backed up a few paces. He launched himself at the reinforced door, and a deafening crash boomed through the complex, as John smashed into the huge, foot-thick disc and ripped it out of the frame. The impact sent it spinning backwards where it crushed the pirates and turrets behind it, leaving bloody smears across the ground where the men had been standing.

John unshouldered his long laser rifle again, then paused for a second as the girls finished their slaughter of the criminals below. They jogged over to join him, but one of the women with a white lioness on her shoulder paused before entering the base. She turned her beautiful blue face towards the camera pointed in her direction, and her angular eyes blazed with a blinding violet light.

She reached towards them, and in front of Hades' horrified, disbelieving eyes, she seemed to grasp hold of the frame of the vidscreen, and started hauling herself through. Her ghostly blue form peeled itself away from the screen, her face contorted with rage, with her long white hair billowing out behind her.

"Give me back my sister!" she shrieked in fury, then lunged at the nearest pirate to the vidscreens.

Breaker had turned a pallid white as he stared in terror at this vengeful wraith, and he screamed in fear as her grasping hands clawed for his throat. Her long fingers were surrounded by arcing lightning, and he convulsed as she touched him, white sparks of electricity crackling and hissing as she fried him alive. Irillith's spectre dropped the blackened corpse, then turned her feral, supernatural gaze on Hades next, eyes narrowing with hate.

Yelling at his men in horror, Hades screamed, "Shoot the fucking screens!"

As she stalked towards him, the pirates pulled out a wide variety of handguns, then opened fire on the vidscreens. There was a series of sharp cracks as bullets started punching holes in the panels, shorting them out in a crackle of sparks. As the last of the screens went dead, the ghastly apparition flickered out and disappeared only a few metres from the pirate king, leaving him to sag with relief.

Although they'd stopped her from cooking any more of them to a crisp, Hades suddenly realised that with all the camera vidscreens shot out, they'd been effectively blinded. He wondered what the hell was keeping the men he'd sent after Malifica...

***

After sneaking away from Hades and his men while they were distracted, the Enshunu Captain had crept down the corridors of the lower level of the complex. Yilmagur wasn't a fool; he could see this John Blake was a far deadlier foe than he'd initially believed, and he knew that his one chance of getting out of here alive was to use Tashana as a bargaining chip to barter for his freedom.

He had to duck into a shadowy alcove, as a group of Bloodnovas ran out from their barracks and hurried to man the barricades. When they were gone, he continued furtively along the passage as he headed towards the cells, where the pirates kept their prisoners and their entertainment. Yilmagur wasn't one to judge them on that though, he knew well the pleasures to be had from hearing a slave's despairing cries. When he finally saw Tashana's cell, he glanced both ways down the corridor to make sure it was still clear, then strode over to the locked door.

Sag'kalyak would be furious when he'd be forced to report that the Maliri girl had escaped the Vizier's wrath, but some things, like Yilmagur's own life, weighed far more heavily than revenge. Still, if all went to his current plan, and he managed to buy his way to freedom by handing over Tashana to John Blake, it would mean Hades would be left without any bargaining chips of his own. A change in ownership of the Underworld could still be in the running, which would end up being a far more valuable prize for the Vizier.

The Enshunu had spent centuries scouring the Unclaimed Wastes for secrets, always searching for hidden troves of knowledge left behind by the ancient civilisation that had called this section of the galaxy their own. Some dreadful and mysterious calamity had suddenly befallen the Achonin, wiping out the advanced space-faring empire in a matter of years. It had always been a mystery to the Enshunu, how the Achonin had managed to build such a thriving civilisation in such a bleak and inhospitable place as the Unclaimed Wastes.

Putting aside such thoughts, he reached for the button on the wall which would unlock the cell. His hand froze half-way though, as he felt a sudden surge of heat coming from the door itself. Remembering what had happened to Captain Tyr'kayda, he backed away fearfully, eyes fixed on the white hot disc that was burning its way around the lock.

***

Malifica was mesmerised by the dancing flames in her mind, and she shivered with delight as she embraced their warmth. The heat coursed through her body, burning away the drugs clouding her senses, and jerking her back into full consciousness. There was an acrid smoke filling her cell, and when her eyes snapped open she immediately saw what had caused the horrible smell. Her gloves lay on the floor, flames consuming the black synth-weave where they'd been set ablaze.

Her hands were shrouded by flames now, the fire roiling around her fingers, dancing to her command. She merely had to reach out with her will, and the tendrils of fire blazed bright, scorching the chains that secured her to the wall. The steel melted like wax as she burned her way through the links, leaving a pool of liquid metal on the ground as she tore her hands free.

Her fires thirsted for more though, and were hungry to taste flesh and blacken skin. She breathed deeply and held back the blaze, letting the flames die back for a few seconds, which gave her a chance to retrieve her golden mocking mask. Pulling the hood over her head, she felt safe and protected by the persona of Malifica.

Dreams of fire and burning overwhelmed her now, and the fires roared back, flaring over her hands as if in delight. She stepped forward and placed her flame-wreathed fingers against the door, sharing her all-consuming heat with the metal. It glowed white hot as she melted her way through the steel, globules of super-heated metal running in rivulets down the door.

With a gentle push it swung wide, unleashing the Infernal Retribution.

Malifica heard a cry of fear, and when she strode from her cell, her blazing eyes locked on the retreating form of the Enshunu who'd tormented her earlier. She laughed with delight and gestured towards the terrified creature as she embraced him with her flames.

Lazy orange tendrils swept out from her outstretched hands, and curled around his calves, setting him ablaze and burning through his clothes. His terrified screams were like a beautiful chorus to her ears, accompanied by the wonderful sizzling of his searing flesh. Yilmagur collapsed on the floor, wailing in agony as the dancing flames had their fun, playfully caressing his thighs, and climbing higher.

"Yesss, feed the flames," she purred, as she sashayed towards him.

Greasy black smoke filled the corridor, as Yilmagur thrashed on the floor, his cries of agony growing higher pitched as more of him was burned away. A deafening crash some way off in the complex made Malifica turn in that direction with a frown, but there didn't seem to be any immediate danger. She shrugged, and focused on the Enshunu once more, smiling at him as she recalled fond memories of playing with her old master in the same incendiary way.

Two pirates rounded the bend in the corridor, as they rushed towards her, but they skidded to a halt as they stared in horror. Giving them a frown of irritation for interrupting her game, she flicked her left hand at them dismissively. A raging inferno burst from her hand, sweeping down the corridor and incinerating the Bloodnovas in a blazing conflagration. The men didn't even have time to scream as they were burnt to a crisp, not even their bones surviving the incredible heat. When the fires died down as quickly as they'd arrived, all that was left were some smoky black silhouettes scorched onto the floor.

She turned back to the Enshunu who was convulsing in agony, and she knelt down beside him, and crooned, "I'm so sorry we were interrupted."

"Please, have mercy!" he begged her desperately in a high-pitched squeal.

"Like this?" she asked him, tilting her head to one side, and extinguishing the flames lapping at his groin.

He reached out towards her, hands clasped together as he cried out, "Oh, thank you!"

She caressed his hands with her own, and whispered, "Have you already forgotten what I told you? There's no such thing. It's a lesson my old master taught me well."

Yilmagur gaped at his hands in horror, feeling the blistering heat on the back of his hands where she'd touched him. The flames ignited once again, dancing around his flailing hands, as he screamed in fear. She laughed at his efforts, her violet eyes watching intently as she roasted his flesh.

Four more Bloodnovas burst out of a side-room, alerted by Yilmagur's piercing screams, and they stumbled to a halt as they gaped at the charred Enshunu. One of them was violently sick, while the other three took one look at the fires roiling around her hands, and began to back away from Malifica.

"More pirates," she hissed, eyes narrowing in hatred.

Gesturing upwards with both hands, a twisting maelstrom of fire roared into existence beneath them, scorching the Bloodnovas where they stood.

"Maybe a corridor wasn't the best place for us to get acquainted," Malifica apologised to the burning Enshunu, chuckling and rolling her eyes at her silly mistake.

Yilmagur's hands had been reduced to blacked stumps as the flames slowly crept up his arms, and he was in so much pain now, he was beyond reason. Malifica frowned at him in irritation, realising she'd been too hasty, and with a bit of patience could have made this far more entertaining. With a shrug she reasoned that there were plenty more Enshunu left to play with in the galaxy. She tapped him on the mask, and the flames danced from her fingers through the eye-slits, scorching out his eyes and melting his brain.

More screams reached her ears, but these weren't of her making. Rising to her feet, she glanced along the corridor, but couldn't see any signs of life, only signs of fiery death. Strolling that way to find out what was happening, she listened with her sharp hearing as the sounds of fighting drew closer. There was a door up ahead that led into one of the big rooms filled with pirates that she'd passed through on her first trip to the base. Cautiously she approached the door, flames cavorting around her hands in eager anticipation.

Malifica poked her head around the door, but she was totally unprepared for what awaited her, the sight shocking her to the very core.

After studying his species for over two decades she recognised the Progenitor instantly. The distinctive features, the pointed ears. It was almost as if she was staring at Mael'nerak made flesh, jumping out of one of the friezes she'd found.

Accompanying the Progenitor were half-a-dozen thralls, their beautiful faces set into cold impassive masks. Absolutely merciless, they were slaughtering the pirates with practiced and calculated ease. Ribbons of blue laser fire slashed through the Bloodnovas, shooting the ones cowering behind the barricades by blasting holes directly through the inch-thick steel plating.

Her flames flickered out and died as she gaped at them in horror. A Progenitor, here. She'd thought her living nightmare had been the worst that life could throw at her, but apparently she was terribly mistaken. Malifica shook with terror as she fled back down the corridor, stumbling deeper into the complex in her desperation to escape from the most tyrannical species the galaxy had ever known.

***

Hades had ordered his men to cover the entrances into the room, and they hid behind the brass consoles with rifles or pistols out, trying to hold them steady as they shook with fear. He clutched his heavy pistol in a trembling hand, and was crouching behind the furthest console in the command centre from the entry ramps. His hiding place was also conveniently located near the vault door behind him, so if it turned into a bloodbath, he could always bolt in there and try to escape.