The Lightspeed

The Lightspeed

AN: I only wrote 3 different variations on this idea. Turns on this one was the best that didn't make me vomit. Enjoy. As always, feedback welcome. No edits.

My apologies, done totally on my phone.

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Begin!

Marie Ann Chan shivered under the slow pulsing red lights. Distant klaxons wailed in rhythm, but she did not hear them. She turned a full circle, her eyes flickered across essentials and non. Satisfied that she had missed nothing she turned to the bulky bundle beside her and cooed.

"Hey dear..." -FRESH MEAT-

She picked up her suited daughter and held her with one arm against her chest, strapping her in with velcro. She slung the duffel bag, packed with everything she needed across her back.

A flick of her wrist opened the door to her room and she peered out into the darkened corridor. Illuminated by the glow of emergency lights, the corridor curved gently away upwards into the distance on both sides.

Her breath cast clouds as she stepped out into the colder air and began to jog. A groan went through the plating below her, the lights flickering. She found it harder to keep her balance as the residential ring began to slow down.

A stumble made her glancedown at her daughter still asleep, wearing her own decom-suit. If the worst happened, 6 hours of life would keep the child going. Hopefully long enough for rescue to arrive. But it was unlikel-THERE IS NO ESCAPE- they were too far out.

Hitting the intersection to the main body, she smelt the acrid stink of burnt plastics. She paused, indecision, should she find another connector or chance this one? Her decision was made as speakers blared to life.

"This is lieutenant Henry Brand of the Lightspeed. The ship has sustained heavy damage. We've been boarded by unknown lifeforms and fighting is still happening at keypoi -SOOOOOON-. All civilian personnel are to evacuate via the rear loading hangars. I repeat, all civilia..."

Marie listened intently, a pang of fear, the bark of rifle fire sometimes blurring out Henry's words. She felt the pressure on her face as the ring ground to a halt, causing her to float free. With a grunt, she pulled herself into the connector and began the task of pulling herself upwards.

2 minutes of climbing brought her to the main body of the Lightspeed and she could clearly hear the distant pops of rifle fire and a strange screeching noi-BROODPACK-. Her arms aching she pulled herself towards the aft, staying as close to the wall as she could. Her voice barely a whisper, she cooed at her precious cargo.

"Hey baobao. Everything is gonna be OK, mummy's gonna get you to the shuttle and then mummy's gonna go find daddy OK? Baobao has to stay safe so mummy can come back to her ok?"

The infant slept on, oblivious to the quiet mumblings of her parent.

10 nerve wracking minutes passed as she made her way silently towards the hangars. Several times she passed free floating bodies, shredded and burne-WEAK-. She swallowed her bile and continued her journey towards the aft.

Fatigue made her misjudge a turning and she landed badly against a wall. The jolt woke the child, the wail still loud within the confines of the suit. Marie stopped to make soothing noises and froze as she heard the scrape of metal. Looking back down the way she had come, the saw silhouette of something huge take up the entire corridor. A moment of terror and she turned to flee, as a screec-FRESH MEAT- escaped the alien horror.

Kicking and dragging herself down the corridors she turned a last corner and jerked in mid air as a shot ricocheted off the opposite wall.

"Holy shit Chief! I'm sorry, get in get in, are there any others behind you?"

Marie shook her head. Her arms unstrapping her child even as she floated towards the two gunmen.

"Take her!" Her voice sharp and fierce as she handed over her child.

"Milk, bottles, cloth diapers, pacifier, porta-sterilizer." She shoved the duffel into the arms of the second man.

"But Chief...." he stopped as she turned a baleful mask at him.

"Tim, you're in charge of her. There's a booklet in there. Don't fuck this up like the stabiliser last week."

"Yes Chief!"

"Good, now hand me your rifle." Outstreched hand.

"But Chief..."

"Henry's still fighting back there and I'm not leaving without him. Seal the door behind you and launch."

She plucked a cube from her neck implant and placed it in Tim's pocket.

"My last words and memories. Short distance broadcast until you're out of range. Get that back to command."

She turned towards her infant held in armoured arms. Silence as she stared into the eyes of her daughter.

"I love you Charlee Celes Chan. Mummy's gonna go get daddy."

She planted a kiss on the face shield of her child and a single word.

"GO."

Marie herded the two men through the door before slamming a scaly clawed fist down onto the controls; the armoured door sliding close with a hiss.

A few breaths as she calmed down. Behind her the screech reached out. Turning her head to stare at the mass of black and churning shadows she smiled a terrible smile.

She twirled and opened fire with her rifle, the bursts of light nearly blinding her after so much darkness. She heard the shadows roar in pain as it collapsed only to reveal more. She drew her knife and when she ran out of ammo, she pushed off the wall into the mass. As her knife made contact, she felt the shuttle behind her launch.

RAGE, FEAR, RELIEF, AND TERROR. TOO MUCH.

++Simulation ended. Subject unable to tolerate mental stress mindmap 4247++

Tekya vomited onto the solid grey floor of the cell. He weakly raised his broken claws towards the human female seated opposite him. His vision blurred and for a moment he thought he saw Marie sitting there. No he was Marie. No he wasn't.

WHO AM I?

"I'm glad you liked my Mothers final moments. It's been 30 years since that first contact onboard the Lightspeed. We humans have prepared for this for a long time. Without your cloaking fields you're surprisingly weak. Like a scrawny lizard we have back home."

She pulled out a knife.

PLEASE, NO MORE. NO MORE MEMORIES.

That same sick smile.

"For the Lightspeed"

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End!

Thanks for reading!

Happy mothers day!## TLDR Summary:

Everything is gonna be OK, mummy's gonna get you to the shuttle and then mummy's gonna go find daddy OK? Her arms aching she pulled herself towards the aft, staying as close to the wall as she could. Marie herded the two men through the door before slamming a scaly clawed fist down onto the controls; the armoured door sliding close with a hiss. 2 minutes of climbing brought her to the main body of the Lightspeed and she could clearly hear the distant pops of rifle fire and a strange screeching noi-BROODPACK-. Kicking and dragging herself down the corridors she turned a last corner and jerked in mid air as a shot ricocheted off the opposite wall. 10 nerve wracking minutes passed as she made her way silently towards the hangars. She turned towards her infant held in armoured arms.

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