Queen

Algodon stepped into the main room of the research center and instantly regretted it. As Algodon made to turn around the door closed behind him with the stranger on the other side. Algodon tried to open the door from his side only to find the controls not responding to him. He looked through the window frame just to the right and saw the stranger attempting to pry the door open with his launcher, but to no avail. The stranger caught Algodon's gaze and pointed to something behind him. Algodon heard a screech and turned slowly around. 

It was big. It had way too many limbs. Its mandibles were coated with an acidy substance that looked like it would eat away at even Algodon's gem-like flesh. This had to be the queen if Algodon had to guess. It was perched over a vast nest of eggs, and Algodon saw a console covered in webbing just where all the eggs were. Why were the big ones always where he needed to be?

Algodon turned to the glass wall and began to throw his fists at it in hopes it would break. The stranger also lended his aid on the other side using the stock of his launcher into the glass but neither of them were successful. The stranger pounded at the glass with the blunt of his hand to get Algodon's attention. Algodon saw him point towards the queen. Just in time Algodon saw her make a lunge for him and he rolled out of the way. He had hoped her impact on the wall would shatter the glass, but no luck. It only made the thing angrier. Algodon watched in horror as the queen craned its spiney neck toward him. 

Algodon ran, narrowly escaping two limbs that swiped at him. He began for the console, if he could get the information to his ship surely one of his allies would pick up where he left off. It was slim that he would survive an encounter with this arcanid. He arrived at the console and tore away at the webbing, then found a port jacked in his comms to begin the download, but nothing happened. 

INSUFFICIENT POWER

The words flashed on his comms screen. Dissonance be damned! The auxiliary power the station still had wasn't enough for a database transfer. Algodon kept moving. There had to be a way to power the console, but he didn't have time or opportunity to look around. The queen let out another screech as it swiped at his legs as he ran toward the glass where the stranger was. 

"The power's off!" Algodon yelled through the glass pointing at the console. The stranger seemed to understand and left the window to check the adjacent rooms. Algodon didn't have much time, but he had to make it. The geminidi turned only to be grabbed by one of the flailing limbs of the queen. The world turned upsidedown. Algodon dangled by the limb and saw mandibles coming closer. He used his only option. Holding up his hands, Algodon waited until the mandibles were close enough and punched the queen in the mouth. She lurched, releasing Algodon in surprise and he crashed to the ground. Standing Algodon immediately went toward the opposite side of the room to put distance between him and the creature. 

Pain shot through his arm and he looked down to see the acid eating away at his outer mineral wall and into the inner molten core, exposing it to air. Algodon felt his arm bleeding out and hardening, but the acid was eating away at even his immune system's defenses. He wasn't going to have an arm for much longer if this kept up. 

He heard banging on the other side of the room and saw the door open, two large nets flew through the air and stunned the queen for a moment before she raged trying to bite her way through the nets. Each bite she was electrocuted, giving Algodon some time to check if the console was powered. He made for the console and with four quick steps he was already downloading the database. He just needed a few more minutes. Algodon turned his head just in time to see the stranger he was with get tossed into the processors next to him with a loud CRASH!

The stranger stood, wearily and shot off more wires from his launcher to pin the queen down, but it wasn't working as well as either of them hoped. The queen let out a mighty screech and swept its limbs once more toward the two. They dodged out of the way as the queen crashed into the console, crushing some of her own eggs in the process. With a wail, she thrashed about attempting to seize either Algodon or the stranger but they moved quickly out of the way, even with their injuries. Then, using her thorax, the queen spewed webbing all around the room trapping Algodon and the stranger to the floor. 

Algodon, try as he might, could not move, and neither could the stranger. His comms flashed green, however, indicating the database was obtained despite the damage to the outer casing. His job was done. He supposed going out like this was not the worst way imaginable, at least he wasn't ground down and eaten by furless apes. He waited for the queen to begin gnawing. 

And he waited.

But the queen did not gnaw, nor did she move. Before Algodon knew it he was being freed from his web prison once more but this time not by the stranger, but by several who were equipped with heavy armor and stun batons. He vaguely recognized the insignia on their uniform. The Exterminators. They were Galaxy-wide known for their job taking out huge bugs just like the queen. That means… Algodon looked toward the queen and saw her pinned by three large bolts into the side of the console he got the information from. She was writhing, but each time she did the bolts would send out an electric shock, forcing her to stay immobile. 

He looked toward the stranger who helped him through the first time, and saw a girl standing next to him helping him up. He thought she looked familiar. Then it dawned on him, this was the girl whose strange custom he interrupted. Then who was the man who helped him? Before he could see his face they were all led out by the Exterminator captain. 

Fresh air. He was so very glad to have been able to get fresh air again after being stuck in the research outpost for Symphony knows how long. He was due for some serious rest. They were not alone when led outside. There standing on her heels was the Rai Kiri from before, the reptilian whose attitude had much to be desired if he recalled. Her blonde scales were more vibrant than he remembered. He supposed after the ordeal he just went through, and due to the toxins in his system, anyone, even her, would be a sight for sore eyes. 

The Exterminator in charge of his rescue led him to the reptilian, and he felt a little dread upon meeting her in yet another strange circumstance. They approached her, and the exterminator sat him down on the nearby cot that they had presumably set up outside before entering the outpost. The reptilian wasted no time in scanning his now dangling arm. 

"Erm, hello." Algodon said through the pain which was now becoming more evident now that the rush of battle was not with him. 

"You are trouble, Geminidi." The reptilian said to him under her breath as she rummaged through her first-aid kit. 

"It would be my name, good madam. That is if my name were not Algodon." He chuckled to himself. The reptilian took out a miniature resonating pulse. He was surprised to see one out here, and thought to himself that he perhaps underestimated this doctor when he saw her. "and you?"

"Dr. Tausidi. Although, I can't say it's been a pleasure." She cleared her throat as she held out her hand inclining her head to his injured arm. Algodon complied. He held out his arm and felt sweet relief as the resonance chamber did its wonders on his exposed magma. "You owe your life to many of my tribe here today."

"Your tribe? How interesting to consider these humans as your own, doctor."

"When you've been with them as long as I have, been through the things we've been through. Yes, they are mine as I am theirs." She said. 

"I do owe you all a great deal." He muttered as he watched the doctor work on his arm. 

"You can start repaying us by telling us what exactly are you doing here, but not now. Now you need rest, and it so happens I have a full resonance chamber in my clinic back at the village. You may rest there while we figure out what to do with you."

"You have my thanks." Algodon said inclining his head. In the corner of his eye he saw a man approach. He looked familiar with dark brown-red hair and grey eyes, and as he was sporting a limp, Algodon thought it safe to presume this was the stranger unmasked. With him was a young girl with black hair, dark skin, and steel eyes, the one from before. 

"He obtained the database for us, I'd say that's more than enough repayment, Dr. Tausidi." he said. 

"But why?" asked the girl. Dr. Tausidi chimed in.

"First let's get you to a bed, Auburn. We'll discuss what we need to discuss in a more private setting." Dr. Tausidi turned to Auburn and helped him to another cot parallel to Algodon's. 

"My life is owed to you, Auburn." Auburn in return only waved him off. 

"You owe me nothing. A peek at that database will suffice if you insist." He said as he began to lay down. Dr. Tausidi stopped told Algodon to hold the resonator pulse in his woulded hand and got to work taking a look at Auburn's ribs that were certainly bruised if not broken. 

"Deal." Algodon said. But his eyes darkened as he watched the doctor work on the man. He certainly couldn't tell them the whole truth, he thought.