InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cold ❯ Chapter 19

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Nineteen

 

March 19th, 4035

 

Magenta smog swirled, separating in curling wisps as they careened to earth. The deadly mist thinning, fading into a diaphanous fuchsia haze the closer they tumbled to the unforgiving land. The free fall sending fingertips of dread up her spine. Just as she filled her lungs to scream, their speed slowed, the sudden change tying her stomach in knots. Kagome enfolded the sturdy fabric of Sesshomaru’s coat in a death grip, dull fingernails finding purchase in the thick material. She took several calming breaths as they coasted towards the ground, taking a moment to glare at the silent male dangling her feet above certain death.

It was lost on the pigheaded male.

As her tummy settled, she braved a glance at the virescent forest below, guesstimating the distance. They were several feet from the grassy patch of emerald terrain, floating leisurely to the alien surface. The vegetation was a blend of green shades. Chartreuse hued grass, parakeet colored flowers, and juniper pigmented trees as tall as a skyscraper. Coupled with the pink hue of the toxic fog, the extraterrestrial environment held a strange conflicting harmony the young woman found slightly disconcerting.

A flash of light teased her peripheral.

She turned in the direction of the flare, squinting to make out the round structure in the distance.

A massive city sheltered beneath a plexiglass dome towered below a bright tawny sun. The metropolis within the glass circle looked drab and gray. Multistory buildings constructed in sharp angles and dreary gunmetal steel sat in claustrophobic clusters. Many of the badly constructed structures virtual clones of their neighbors. Dull and listless in keen contrast to the rich jade of the surrounding woodland and the beauteous toxic sky.

Their landing was soft. The earth beneath her feet solid and welcome.

Kagome released another breath, tension draining rapidly from her body. Sesshomaru held on to her, his grip firm while her system assessed and adjusted to the environment. The computer beeped, adding weight to her suit in response to the lighter gravity.

Sesshomaru glanced down.

She nodded in response to his silent question, stepping from the comfort of his embrace and taking a few steps.

Demonstrating she was firmly anchored to the ground.

His entourage arrived a second later, beamed down from the ship’s transporter. A dozen men and women along with the ever present Delr’ik.

“Hytic.” Sesshomaru prompted.

A tall, burly skti wearing male with the face of a flaxen haired lion broke from the ranks, pulse rifle resting against a muscle laden shoulder. He looked as fierce as the feline predator and not as friendly.

“Yothran is a moderately advanced city that is insulated against the gases,” Sesshomaru informed her, “Hytic will escort you there.”

With his looming musculature, wild blonde hair and cutting brown eyes, her guard looked strong enough to snap her in half. The intimidating picture Hytic presented was the least of her concerns.

 Kagome turned her gaze to the male beside her.

“I don’t need a babysitter.” she told her lover.

She also didn’t need prying eyes and listening ears. Having an audience while she ran errands was as unappealing as it was inconvenient.

“A guide then,” Sesshomaru countered, “The global positioning system on Lyt fluctuates beneath the smog and interferes with most software. You will not be able to rely on your computer here. Yothran is not without its share of criminals. Hytic will act as bodyguard while you navigate the city and escort you back to the ship upon conclusion of your business.”

It was a logical, convenient explanation. A thoughtful gesture delivered within an arrogant decree. Seeing the suspicious expression on her face he continued.

“He is to act as guide and protector, nothing more.”

She didn’t believe that for a second and made no move to pretend she did. From what she had gleaned of her unlikely savior, the domineering male would miss no opportunity to learn what he could of her private affairs. Watching and listening for any pertinent information. Using his hired guns as an extension of his nosy tendencies.

Even Yglen’s friendly overtures were suspect.

She didn’t have time for his little spy games.

She sighed.

But she also didn’t have time to get lost or accosted on an alien planet.

Taking her silence as acquiesce, Sesshomaru bent, pressing warm lips to hers, the sweep of his tongue a repeat of the aggressive demand his kisses always entailed, but with an added layer of eagerness. An undercurrent of tension and ardor well beyond his usual searing thoroughness. That aura of restrained violence he’d exuded on the ship transformed into passion and transferred through the meeting of lips. He sucked the air from her lungs before pulling away, piercing gaze capturing hers.

“I would speak with you after my own…business is concluded.”

Heat suffused her body, desire unfurling in the pit of her stomach. A dusting of pink stained her cheeks.

She had a pretty good idea what he wanted to discuss.

And she wasn’t opposed to ‘conversing’.

Cuei whispered through her veins, the depleted energy struggling to replicate. It was the most cuei she’d generated since leaving Rektan 7 and the sensation left her insides squirming. It felt different. Deeper, sinking into her muscles, flowing over her bones.

Dense.

Potent.

Concentrated in a way she’d never felt before.

Golden orbs met cerulean blue, a shared current of awareness passing from one to the other.

“Later.” he promised.

xxxxxx

Yothran took some getting used to.

Inside the dome, the humidity was nearly unbearable even with her suit working to cool her body temperature. She’d deactivated her helmet the moment she passed through the decontamination checkpoint at the city’s entrance, but was tempted to put it back on.

Kagome wasn’t sure if it was the slug people slithering along the streets or the effects of the poisonous fumes outside, but whatever it was smelled worse than a vat of rotten laengs.

She was placing her bet on the slimy looking people. Round jiggly bodies, pencil thin arms, and eyeballs jutting from their bald craniums, the crawling citizens left a clear, glistening trail of God only knew what in their wake. She hopped from one chipped sidewalk panel to another as she traversed the ragged town, trying her best to avoid the slippery mess and grimacing each time she failed.

Hytic seemed unbothered by both the smell or the slime beneath his booted feet. Completely unruffled by the suspicious stares of the goggled eyed natives that stopped to stare at the armed behemoth stalking down their streets.

Kagome was still unsure how he’d managed to enter armed when the decontamination checkpoint included a search and seizure component. The boarder security had not batted an eye as Hytic guided her passed the weapon scanning station and straight to the sanitation machinery.

She glanced at his towering form at her side.

He was incredibly quiet, merely grunting when she asked for directions before wordlessly taking the lead.

He definitely knew his way around.

Guiding her directly to the communication booth quickly and efficiently. A Godsend she was glad her lover had insisted on. Within minutes, she’d found out Sesshomaru hadn’t been exaggerating about the interference of the miasma. If anything, he’d understated the effects. She questioned his definition of ‘moderately advanced’. She would hardly classify anything here as ‘advanced’. A step above primitive at best.

Her computer was essentially useless, the system stripped to some of its most basic functions.

Like trying to keep her cool in the sweltering globe.

The communication booth was as ratty as the rest of the sagging buildings. Placed between a rowdy bar and a rundown restaurant, the rusted metal box looked ready to collapse. Weary, she walked through the squeaky glass doors Hytic held open for her.

“Thanks.” she murmured, glancing around the drab room.

Several squares lined the far wall, individual cubbies containing a single monitor and an old style, banana shaped receiver. More than a few screens were cracked while others were missing their receivers. She sidestepped a trail of goo and shuffled over to an unoccupied cubicle far from the wiggly bodies and gargled chatter of a language she couldn’t even begin to interpret without her system translator.

Blue orbs cut to her guard.

Hytic stood a respectable distance away, meaty arms crossed over his wide chest, his pulse rifle hanging from his shoulder.

Hawk like gaze unwavering.

Huffing, she turned back to the blank screen. As quickly and covertly as she could, Kagome prompted her suit to open a small pocket just beneath her breasts. She reached in, slipping a small, plastic rectangle from the opening. The card was prepaid, loaded with emergency funds. A precaution that had crippled her bank account each month, but had certainly been worth it considering her situation now.

She held the card to the monitor, waiting for it to scan before returning it to her suit for safe keeping.

The screen beeped, then began a series of onscreen prompts. Kagome navigated the menu, typing in the coordinates of the planet of her call, before entering the number of the person she wanted to contact. Long minutes passed before she finished, and even longer before the crappy system connected to the other party.

Lyra’s face appeared in a blizzard of static, her voice fading in and out as she spoke.

“What’s…are you and…alright?”

“I’m alright and Sota’s fine. It’s really good to hear from you and I promise I’ll fill you in later but I don’t have much time on this machine and the connection is really bad,” Kagome replied, hoping enough made it through the interference, “Listen, I need a few favors.”

“O…course…”

“Plynus got hurt and I need you to find out if he’s okay.”

Her mocha friend nodded, curly hair tinted blue.

“The savings account we set up, can you drain it for me? I’ll send you the information on where to wire the funds when I get a chance.”

Lyra’s dark brows creased, her expression one of confusion.

“...ouldn’t hea…you.”

Kagome repeated the request twice before she received confirmation from her friend. They attempted to exchange a few more words when the crackling line finally dropped.

With a sigh, Kagome replaced the receiver.

xxxxxx

“Test subject two hundred ninety-seven shows modest signs of awareness and no ability to communicate verbally. Motor skills are none existent. Brain activity is subpar and unpredictable. Subject two hundred ninety-seven is capable of independent respiration and eye movement. Attendees are unnerved by the subject’s stare, reporting it ‘follows them with eyes that are hostile’. Three hundred thirty-six hours of testing is scheduled for subject two hundred ninety-seven. At its conclusion, if conditions of competency have not been met, subject two hundred ninety-seven will be terminated and recycled.”

Black brows wrinkled, honey orbs narrowing.

“Recycled?” Inuyasha read again.

Setting aside his bowl of ramen, he leaned forward, fingers moving over a translucent keyboard. Several days out from his brother’s ship, the curious hacker had delved further into the Higurashi file, peeling away layer after layer of obscurity. The dedication had paid off, the unmasked code directing him to a collection of lab notes and audio tapes buried within a long forgotten covert database. A creation of the TinO scientist. Back when TinO had assumed a different company name.

The dates listed revealed bits and piece of a timeline.

The late 1990s.

Early 2000s.

Ancient history.

Experiments that began before life on planet Earth had come to an end.

He was confused.

What the hell did they mean ‘recycled’?

The notes indicated that the ‘test subjects’ they used were human or at least the description implied humanoid. From what he’d uncovered during his research, humans were fragile, unable to regrow limbs or parts of their bodies.

So how in the hell did you ‘recycle’ a human?

Inuyasha scratched his head, ears twitching.

It didn’t make sense.

The furrow between his brows smoothed.

Unless they meant something akin to surgery?

Transplant.

Taking parts of one individual and implanting it in another.

That made more sense.

But why use a word like ‘recycled’?

Maybe they were using ‘recycle’ and ‘transplant’ interchangeably?

He glanced over the notes, searching for context.

Dread filled his gut. He had a feeling his assessment wasn’t accurate. The words on the document didn’t support the more reasonable guess. Turning his attention to the audio clips, he chose the first among them and hit play.

It was a minute long and labeled ‘Prep’.

The voices on the tape merely introduced themselves and read their employee numbers for the recorder. When it ended, he opened the next one, titled ‘297-01’.

The audio was uneventful for half an hour.

Low murmurs of the people in the room threading below the clicking and consistent hum of some unidentified machinery. The occasional cough or sniffle breaking the monotony. Thirty-five minutes in, a low moan joined the noise, the hushed sound raising the hair at his nape, gray dog ears pointed up with unease.

That sound.

It was agonized and multilayered.

Consisting of more than one frequency, multiple voices packed into one.

“The fuck is that?” he mumbled, leaning forward in his seat.

He brought up another transparent monitor, opened a program and fed the sounds into the analyzer.

The moans heightened, slowly creeping in volume, blooming into screams that twisted his insides in knots. Its voices a clash of contradicting pitches. Some high enough to make his ears ring, other so low it made them ache. He winced, fighting the urge to cover the throbbing appendages. It was worse than nails on chalk board, more horrible than a canine whistle. Goosebumps pebbled his flesh as the noise grew louder. The ungodly creature producing the shrieks whipped into a frenzy of unseen suffering. Shrill wails of pain, rumbling bellows of torture crashed against his eardrums, the reverberating cries grating against his bones. The high pitched wail of a woman in the greatest of torment nearly drowned out by the booming howl of an inhuman animal in unspeakable agony.

Unable to stand the conflicting roar, the mind numbing sensations its vibrations created, he slammed his ears down against his cranium, burrowing the abused points into a nest of silky silver hair. Teeth grinding, Inuyasha reached up to cover his ears, seconds away from ending the tape when the noise stopped abruptly.

A soft click filled the ensuing silence and then the clip ended.

The permeating quiet was just as painful to his ears, as unnerving as the tape. A chill swept his spine.

Alone in the modest confines of his room, Inuyasha released a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. Staring at the audio clip on his computer screen, disquiet twisting his insides.

Questions raced through his mind, two standing out among the crush.

What the hell was that creature?

And what in the world had gone on in that room?

A beep cut through the unsettling anxiety churning his gut. He barely had time to reign in his malaise before a the line of communication opened, and the direct gaze of a familiar male met his. Silver locks swept atop his head, a single indigo stripe gracing each cheek, and dark brows lowered over golden eyes identical to his own, his father stared back at him with a palatable air of determination he recognized instantly.

Toga Tenno was a Xerian on a mission.

While he welcomed the distraction from the disturbing audio, a visit from the patriarch of his zalvan when he was in such a mood was just barely an improvement. However, Inuyasha straightened in his seat, struggling to shove the unease the tapes created to the far corners of his mind.

“What’s up, old man?” he greeted.

“What’s wrong?” Toga asked.

Sharp as a tack, his father missed nothing.

“Nothing,” Inuyasha denied, “just wasn’t expecting to hear from you today.”

It was a flimsy excuse, and he fought not to cringe. Amber orbs traced his expression, the assessing gaze drilling him to the spot. It was a look that had made him sweat as a young pup. Unconvinced but seeming content to accept the excuse, Toga made no further comment on his son’s flustered appearance. He doubted it had anything to do with disinterest and more of a desire to avoid an awkward situation. Evidenced by the fact that his sire had at least beeped his system in warning before opening communications. The last time his father had barged in and caught him ‘flustered’, the mortified half breed had been in the middle of ‘self-love’.

His face had never been so red in his entire life.

Even more disturbing had been the dusting of pink on the cheeks of his sire, something he’d never thought the tough male capable of. 

Toga’s retreat from the inquisition meant his father was probably laboring under the mistaken impression that he’d interrupted ‘private time’ again and while Inuyasha wasn’t going to correct the assumption, it was really embarrassing anyway.

He cleared his throat, fighting the pinking of his own cheeks.

“Uh, so what’s up dad?”

“Have you been in contact with Sesshomaru?”

Damn.

“Uh yeah, couple of days ago. I was gonna let you know but it kind of…slipped my mind. Been working on a couple of projects and got caught up in work.”

This explanation, at least, was more plausible than the one before it. Disappearing without contact over a long period of time was not uncommon for him. Commuting was a big part of his job, his travels often taking well out of range of his family’s communication signals. He spent most of his time drifting from one solar system to the next, fulfilling contracts and accepting new ones for a hefty fee. Assignments that demanded his undivided attention for weeks, even months at a time.

Again, the elder Xerian seemed uninterested in challenging the claim, much to his relief.

“Where is he presently?”

Inuyasha hesitated.

Giving away Sesshomaru’s location was a lose-lose situation for him. Not only would it make him look like a wuss for snitching on his brother, but it also had the potential to get him fucked up courtesy of said sibling. If their father was planning to do what he suspected, Sesshomaru would know exactly who to blame and he didn’t want to be anywhere near the older male’s claws when it happened. He was tempted to play ignorant, just to save his own skin, but Toga could sniff out a lie even over a transmission.

Saving his hide today was hardly worth annihilation tomorrow.

Still, trying to dissuade the other male wasn’t out of the question. Not that it would do him much good. A dog with a bone would rather eat cat nip than give it up. Inuyasha was stubborn but Toga was as unmovable as a mountain.

“Sesshomaru wants to wait another hundred years.”

“It’s not his decision to make.”

“Yeah, but I don’t get what the big deal is, Dad. Why do this now?” Inuyasha complained, disturbed that he was coming to his brother’s defense, “Sesshomaru’s not gonna behave even if you force him back. Why not give the guy another hundred years?”

“The coordinates, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha stifled a sigh, gray ears pinned to his head. He scowled, grumbling beneath his breath about full Xerian males and their power struggles, but transferred the data he was using to track his brother’s ship. He would pay dearly for it. Could already feel the bone crushing ire the ill-tempered male would inflict. But even though Sesshomaru’s wrath was terrifying to witness let alone experience, his brother had learned everything he knew from the precedence set by their great and terrible sire.

He’d take Sesshomaru’s brand of retribution over his father’s well honed, iron fisted discipline any day.

“He’s gonna flip shit, dad. You know that right?”

“Your mother has been asking about you,” came the reply, “She’s been waiting for you to visit her.”

Clearly his father was done with the subject, having gotten the information he wanted. Inuyasha didn’t comment on the abrupt switch, knowing his father wouldn’t be swayed to change his mind even if he were inclined to return to their previous conversation.

“I spoke to mom a week ago.”

He wasn’t surprised she hadn’t broached the idea of a visit during their last conversation. Izayoi knew how he felt about Xer, and her sweet nature wouldn’t allow her to pressure him into returning. Outside of seeing his mother, father and a handful of friends, a homecoming to the planet of his birth held little appeal. He knew what his reception would be among the people of Xer. The scorn and hatred, the whispered insults and glares of contempt that soured his stomach.

“Doesn’t matter now though, if you’re going through with your plans. I’ll have to go back.”

And when Toga made up his mind, unless you were Izayoi, changing it was next to impossible. Appealing to his mother to intercede was also an exercise in futility. Mild tempered though she might be, Izayoi would not manipulate her spouse for the benefit of others.

A band of steel beneath a mountain of feathers.

“Things have changed since your departure, Inuyasha.”

There was a wealth of meaning in those words. The paternal concern and warmth replacing the brisk, uncompromising tone of a father on a mission. While the softer tone was one Inuyasha welcomed, the words were enough to irritate the short tempered half breed.

He scowled, turning away from his father’s gaze.

“Keh,” the dog eared male scuffed, “like I give a damn.”

“Inuyasha.”

The low toned reprimand made his ears twitch. While his mother was as soft and gentle as a drifting cloud, father was as unbending as steel. A strong disciplinary when necessary, unwilling to allow a challenge to his authority to go unchecked. A curse, or attribute depending who you asked, of his pure Xerian blood. A trait he’d passed down strongly to his eldest son. Toga’s tolerance for flippant attitudes was even shorter than Sesshomaru’s.

“Alright, dad,” he sighed, “I get it. If things go the way you want, I’ll go back to Xer until its finished.”

“Home,” his father corrected, stiffness leeching from his voice, “Return home.”

Inuyasha frowned but didn’t reply. Xer had never felt like home despite his father’s efforts to force acceptance. On Xer, he was a half Xerian spawn who’s mother had ‘shattered a zalvan’. The contemptible by product of a woman that had come between a daxtan and his kieyoshi. An unpardonable sin to the people that followed the familial traditions of Xer. A sin that didn’t belong to him, but one he had no choice but to shoulder.

Xer wasn’t home.

He had no home.

xxxxxx

Sesshomaru glided through billowing fog, muscles taunted with anticipation. Heated blood crashed through his veins, bubbling toxins accumulating within the pores of his flesh. His gums ached, gleaming white fangs extending along side his tongue. Scalding heat traced the patters lining his body, the flashing tattoos struggling to reign in the beast prowling below his skin. Finger nails lengthened, sharpened as the burn intensified. A raging inferno within, at odds with the shell of cold indifference on his face.

The Foxling compound was closed tight and on high alert. A towering steel structure spread across hundreds of acres of vivid green land. He swept the area, noting his soldiers scaling the northwest walls, the skti wearing force on the ground giving firing cover to the climbing first wave. Foxling soldiers spilled out onto the catwalks between the pulse turrets, returning fire in a series of bursts. Below him, Delr’ik and company sped towards the chaos on motorcycles ‘liberated’ from a nearby automotive shop, kicking up dust as their spiked wheels tore through the hilly terrain.

The group halted meters away from the towering gates of the compound, discarding their bikes in favor of guns as the heavy slabs of metal creaked open and a slew of men and women burst free.

Garbed in bright green jumpsuit and shiny gunmetal armor, the opposition took up positions outside the gates, deploying transparent low walls as shields.

The mechanical sound of adjusting turrets reached his ears.

Scalding lazer blasts hurtled through the air, ruby spheres of light heating the air around him. Sesshomaru flashed across the sky, sidestepping the deadly orbs. With the swiftness of a fighter jet and the impact of a missile he slammed through one turret and into the next. The earth shook, resounding booms echoing through the compound turned battleground as he shattered the machined guns. Sparks of electricity flickered in the rubble of the destroyed weaponry, a chain of eruptions blowing what remained into shiny pieces. Heated chunks of metal and bright balls of fire rained down on the battling battalion below. Billowing charcoal smoke mixing among the fogy magenta smog.

Sesshomaru halted, hovering feet from the catwalk between the obliterated turrets, arctic orbs moving to the befuddled Foxling bracing against the quaking explosions. Sucking in a chest expanding breath, he released a stream of acidic poison through his lips, covering the fighters in a thick olive cloud. Cries of agony filled his ears, the pungent scent of melting skin filling his nostrils. Chunks of flesh sloshed, pinging against the metal walkway, leaving blackened bone in its wake.

Sesshomaru coasted over the screaming soldiers and dented metal wall, calmly descending into the smoky courtyard. A sea of pulse rifles greeted him as his booted feet touched the ground.

He glanced over the hesitating squadron with dispassionate disdain.

Unimpressed with the frozen forces, Sesshomaru forced venom to the finger tips of his right hand, molding the noxious substance into the solid length of a whip. He snapped his wrist, a satisfying crack reverberating as the vibrant lime lash met the floor. The sound bringing the group back into reality and eliciting a step back from more than a few of the gun toting cretins.

“T-T-The Xaltan!” came a fearful cry, “Open fire!”

Sesshomaru leapt into the spray of lazers, striking out with the coiled string of poison, slicing arms from shoulders, legs from pelvises, heads from neck and torsos in half. He danced around the spray of blood, unblinking gaze searching for the next victim to fall beneath his whip. Flashing into a group of shooting Foxling, and spun, snapping the glowing lash in graceful zigzags. A rainstorm of body parts exploded outward, pelting the trembling figure standing just out of range of his attack.

A single male remained.

Covered in muck and sticky innards, the quivering fox screamed, rifle falling from his hands. He back peddled as Sesshomaru advanced, tripping over his own booted feet. He crawled backwards towards the slowly opening doors, trembling hands slipping in the filth coating the floor. He crab walked towards the stairs leading up to massive double doors that were slowly creeping open.

Sesshomaru followed.

The burning sensation of his tattoos returned, the intricate patterns struggling to rein in the churning monster beneath his flesh. Adrenaline erupted in his veins, the thrill of cowering pray hammering against his steely control. The heady scent of death and fear unfurled, whispering against his senses, enticing him to loosen the reigns.

Sesshomaru loomed over the whimpering fox as his back met a small incline of stairs.

Horror contorted the male’s face as gazed up at his silver haired executioner. Brown orbs widening as an intangible image ghosted over the calm face of death. The translucent, snarling visage of the beast at his core, an animal wearing the flesh of a civilized humanoid. Sesshomaru lashed out, grabbing the terrified male’s face. Claws burrowed into soft flesh as he lifted, holding the straining body up as a hail of fire exploded from the open doors. The male screamed, convulsing as molten spheres ripped his spine to shreds. His savaged form spasmed, crimson liquid gushed, the steaming life sustaining fluid pooling around Sesshomaru’s booted feet. A stray droplet of ruby moisture pelted his skin, blazing a heated path over the jagged stripes gracing his cheekbones.

The gunfire lulled.

Shouted orders and the reloading of guns following.

Sesshomaru tossed aside his ravaged meat shield, sprinting through the doors like a bolt of lightening. Ploughing through the soldiers posted at the entrance of the rotunda, severing limbs from torsos and heads from shoulders. Razor-edged claws cleaved through muscle and bone, the sensation tingling against his talons. Exhilaration pumped through his veins as he whipped across the great hall, his blood soaked claws silencing wails of agony mid stream. Gore painted the walls, caking the silvery structures in multihued blood and chunky splatters of flesh.

His world narrowed, mind honing in on the moving bodies, the fleeing enemies, the fresh prey. The patterns etched into his skin were blistering, tugging at the prowling monster clawing the edges of his psyche.

He had no desire to reign in the demonic force coursing through his veins.

No desire to subdue the bellowing beast roused by the brutal display of savagery, the vivid spray of carnage painting the rapidly quieting room.

Sesshomaru sliced the jugular of one female before snagging the neck of her fellow retreating soldier. He barely felt the male’s struggle as a war waged inside his body, the restrictions of his markings pulling him one way, the roaring howls yanking him in the other.

And all the while, he stood staring at the pitiful creature in his grip with eyes as frigid as glaciers.

Calm.

Expressionless.

The picture of dispassion but for the serrated stripes and the slow tightening of his hand.

The soldier flailed, gasping for air, brown eyes wide as he clawed desperately at the fingers digging into his neck, the five sharp unguis embedded in his flesh. Purple liquid oozed, dripping down the chipped, charred armor barely clinging to the struggling man’s body. His face blued, visceral terror unfurling.

The strength of his tattooed binds slipped.

Poisoned tipped talons ripped through the abdomen of the male in his grip. The poignant scent of metal joining the saturated room as hot, sticky intestines slipped over his hand.

The soldier convulsed, spasmed, then stilled.

With the care he’d show an ant, Sesshomaru tossed the corpse into one of the many pile of twisted limbs and dismembered cadavers.

“Sir?”

Sesshomaru slowly looked over his shoulder, red tinged orbs tracking the four armed male several paces away.

“Stop.” Delr’ik commanded.

A single arm sliced the air, emphasizing the order and halting the progression of the men at his back. The men stopped, tension spreading among the group as they waited for assessment of their Xaltan’s temperament.

Uninterested in the men at his back, Sesshomaru rose. Slipping through the hole in the domed roof and into the thicket of the miasma laden sky.

He was unsatisfied, the battle he’d anticipating falling short.

The beast was roaring for a different conquest.

Wanted to trade the rending of flesh for the caress of supple skin.

To replace the cries of agony with screams of ecstasy.

To slate his new hunger within the warm body of a female.

xxxxxx

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Bye for now.

Laters

~Sessakag

Glossary

 

 

Antiseptic Tonic: Cleans wounds and kills majority of germs.

Azerai: A bright red planet currently being evacuated due to its dying sun.

Azeraic: An individual who was a citizen of Azerai.

Betr: A two headed reptilian creature from the planet Tarthrix.

Blier: A state on the planet Lyt.

Blitfers: Six winged insect that strongly resembles a butterfly.

Brakon: The equivalent of bacon.  

Caspte: Fuzzy, peaceful nine foot caterpillar like creatures.

Check-in Station: Off planet space stations within orbit of a planet that function as a security border checkpoint before admittance to a planet is permitted. The inquiry processes are highly invasive and thorough, delving into important aspects such as backgrounds, criminal records, and genetic abilities of alien individuals that may prove harmful or dangerous. The probe encompassed brief visits, as well as immigration. Based upon accumulative results, degrees of clearance are issued ranging from unmonitored access to flat out rejection of entrance and everything in between.

Cuei: A type of energy to be explained later in the story.

Curerator: A container with a strong concentration of healing nano that promote the body’s natural healing capabilities and fight infection. Can be applied to most species without adverse reaction.

Cyis: Is a highly illegal drug with an effect synonymous with cocaine.

Exlar: Enemy cartel of Sarn and Foxling.

Daxtan: Word synonymous with husband.

Fliier: Eggplant shaped vegetable that is very bitter when eaten raw but produces a sweat, savory juice when squeezed.

Foxlings Cartel: A small cartel with a strong influence in a number of key parts of the Teriaus galaxy.

Gartuan: A grasshopper looking creature with several limbs and soft bones. It changes colors when distressed or in pain.

Representative: Equivalent to a mayor in terms of a city, but can also cover a variety of position in broader terms such as a representatives of a entire planet or clan.

Gilrex Cartel: A major cartel that dabbles mostly in drug sales, prostitution and weapon deals. The cartel is a major rival of the Xaltaric Cartel.

Glurtak: Xerian insult.

Heedrix: Winged, moth like alien from the planet Qtax.

Helping Hands: A pediatric hospital.

Kieyoshi: Xer word meaning wife.

Kran: A leaf, similar to cannabis in effect but is not an illegal substance in most of the known universe.

Kreeri: A solar system that includes Saratuo, Rektan 7 and other planets.

Knast Tree: A tree that produced nuts that are highly sought after on many plants and used to enhance the flavor of many dishes, mostly desert dishes.

Knutss: Pea shaped nuts from a Knast tree.

Krists: A snack almost like caramel popcorn.

Kryl: A creature found in the sea. It’s body consists of mostly tentacles, sort of like the spaghetti monster.

Laengs: Red eggs.

Liari: Kagome and Sota’s mother.

Lithro Technologies: A corporation the specialized in advanced android construction and programming.

Lyrial: Winter celebration on Rektan 7, pretty much like Christmas but has no religious context.

Lyt: A lime green planet, covered in thick miasma toxic to most species. It is a world wide democratic planet with moderately technological advancement.

MetaQuin: A moderate gang spread liberally through out many galaxies and specializing in smuggling. While just as dangerous as any other criminal organization, the MetaQuin are content to hang on the fringes of the bigger syndicates, often neutral in the midst of turf wars.

Omakran: A planet home to Voltrin and several other species.

Pain Inhibitors: A tonic that reduces the body’s ability to feel pain due to injury or illness.

Partanian Zoo: A chain of popular zoos scattered throughout the universe housing and showcasing several exotic and rare animals.

Pernix and Xin: Currency accepted in most of the known universe with Pernix equivalent to dollars and Xin the same as coins.

Phantox: Turkey type meat.

Pheran: A highly addictive illegal drug that induces a strong high, stimulating adrenaline and heightening senses. It leaves behind a relaxing euphoria when leaving the blood stream.

Quazix Check-in Station: Main checkpoint of the planet Lyt.

Rayn: Blue salad dressing with the texture of ranch.

Red Rooms: An illegal service that provides the customer with live murder/torture, allowing the viewer to dictate the actions taking place.

Rektan 7: A highly popular, wealthy and advanced planet home to thousand upon thousands of species.

Rhit: Akin to spaghetti noodles.

Rilk: A city within the state of Blier that is pro-Exlar influence.

Rizek: A popular bar/restaurant near one of the major check in stations on Rektan 7.

Saratuo: A blue/green planet with a series of pink rings of average wealth and technological advances.

Sark lettuce: Orange, crisp vegetation with the consistency of lettuce.

Sarn: An old but medium sized cartel that relies heavily in sex trade.

Severance: Dissolving of a sanctioned mating on Xer, works in the same way as a divorce of a marriage would.

Sh’vek: Tall and spindly with elongated heads, these creatures have six eyes and round teeth. They are native to Rektan 7.

Slaxton: A androgynous, often times short creature with a big head, black eyes and gray skin.

Skti: A form suit that is commonly worn by enforcers or military personal. It comes in both long sleeves and no sleeves and contains pockets that are visible only when in use. They are also equipped with heat regulators, emergency curerators and have the ability to be outfitted with special software, if necessary, for specialized situations.

Skyway: Equivalent of a freeway or highway. It is a transparent road high in the sky with a gravity system that keeps vehicles in place and make crashing less likely.

Syntari: Very lucrative raw minerals used in various weaponry across the universe.

Thermal/Heat Regulating Band Aid: Band aid that comes in multiple sizes. It senses the best temperature for each step of the healing process, changing its temperature from cold, to reduce swelling, bleeding and inflammation, to hot, to reduce aches and pains and any temperature in between.

Thyrn: Leader of the Sarn cartel.

TinO: A research facility on New Saturn that specializes in space sciences.

Torpal: Blue, genetically altered vegetable that is crisp on the outside, but gooey on the inside and has an earthy taste. Shaped like a bell pepper.

Underboss: Male/Females that control large, illicit corporations trading illegal goods and services for profit.

Utsan: A card game similar to spades.

Vaprifle: A powerful rifle capable of vaporizing an individual into dust.

Visirik: Sunglasses without the arms that cover the eyes. Most are installed with software that enhances vision, is equipped with a zoom in mechanism and records as well as transmits data. Can be customized for specific purposes if necessary.

Vlamur: City in Blier that is pro-Sarn influence.

Voltrin: A dog-like race of people that live mostly on planet Omakran.

Wurmulix: An alien with a vertical mouth full of mini tentacles called feelers.

Yothran: A domed city in the state of Blier.

Xaltan: A term applied to the leader of the Xaltaric Cartel.

Xaltaric Cartel/Xaltar: A major cartel specializing in drug sells, weapon deals, and prostitution.

Xer: A wealthy planet of significant technological advancement.

Xerian: An individual who is a citizen of the planet Xer.

Zalvan: A family that share a tight bond. The word is synonymous with pack as in a wolf pack.

Zkyek: An exotic tiger type of animal with an extremely soft pelt. It comes in a multitude of colors and is found in the jungles of Rektan 7.

5: Android sent to retrieve Kagome and Sota for purposes currently unknown.