Magic, Monsters and Other Nightmarish Things

Parents by Yungblud

The 33rd century was, as some might say, a messed up century. An unfair one to be born in, an unjust one to live in and an unforgiving one to die in. It looked like all three of these were going to apply to Karrmora 'Berry' Lament. That was if she didn't get out of this mess.

With her blaster aimed point-blank at the head of the fourth Vexling she had come across, Berry wondered if life would've been better if she had been born on Rios. Then, at least, she would have wings. And fangs. And claws. Instead, she got stuck with some useless gills. Great, if she was still on Ronae, but not so much on her ship, Supernova, in deep space. Well, she had to take what she could get so instead she shrugged and squeezed the trigger, making the Vexling's burnt brains her new wallpaper.

Expertly, she turned the corner and straightened when she saw the crowd of over 20 Vexlings standing there.

"Shiiiiit," Berry muttered and raised her blaster. Before she fired, five Vexlings lept in unison lept straight for her, waving spears. One was fired back by a blaster shot Berry had quickly got in, the two other shots missed. They landed on top of Berry, opening up her t-shirt and then her stomach. Berry shoved the Vexlings off as she drew her plasma blade and readied into a fighting stance. "Come on, let's go then." Berry smirked, and the Vexlings rushed her.

With a smile plastered on her face and fierce determination in her eyes, Berry spun, twirled and sliced the Vexlings, yet more and more rushed up the corridor, replacing their fallen comrades. One of them slashed her hand and Berry's plasma blade cluttered to the ground and was kicked away. The Vexlings swarmed, and what felt like hundreds of them pulled Berry to the ground. These tiny, cloaked creatures pinned her to the floor. Berry struggled, no longer smiling, but baring her teeth. Ten of them walked up, the one in front with something pink. Berry's mouth was wrenched open by many long, spindly fingers and the pink thing was shoved down her mouth.

The hands forced her mouth closed and Berry fought the urge to swallow the sweet tasting ball. She had tasted it before. Raspberry, that was what it was. The taste was mouth-watering and the saliva flowed and flowed until, finally, Berry swallowed. The hands quickly retracted, and the Vexlings shuffled back. Berry's body spasmed violently and she...

Rose.

She floated away from the ground and her sea-green skin gained a pink hue and the pink exploded in a wave and the Vexlings were reduced to withered corpses. The ship wasn't damaged at all. It didn't even rock.

Berry collapsed into a heap, surrounded by bodies. Something clattered out of the bag that laid in front of Berry's unseeing eyes. It was a disk. The hologram of nothing appeared and a voice cracked, "Karrmora Lament?" Berry shot up and almost answered the hologram but shook the stupid idea from her head. It was just a recording. "Bounty hunter and hitman, correct?" Berry sat and stared. The recording continued. "I have a job for you. It is incredibly risky and yet I have been told you are the best of the best. The pill the Vexlings gave you is one of many and will aid you in this endeavour. A set of ten is enclosed in the bag this was in, along with 10 million warki, as an upfront price, a mere 10% of the money we're willing to pay you."

Berry's eyes widened and travelled over to the bag. 10 million upfront? Should she just take the money and leave?

"Of course," The voice said, "You could always just take the money. Do it. Or, you could earn 100 million warki. There's quite a difference. Also, the second you take it, the pills will activate, making the bio-weapon start. Ten of them should kill everyone within about 300 kilometres. You'll be dead several times over."

Berry hesitated, hand hovering over the case.

"Press the red button and we'll know if you're interested. If not, we'll send someone to pick up the money and pills. You have 10 minutes."

Smirking, Berry shrugged and punched the red button.

"Good decision, here's what you have to do...