Page 70 of Crossing Quinn

“We are being hailed by Komodo, the Tai-Kok battle commander, sir,” a young soldier called from a nearby console.

His mouth a merciless line, the general ordered, “Put him on the main view screen Sergeant Henderson.”

“Yes, sir.”

Komodo’s spike-covered face filled the screen. He spat a bunch of angry, quacking gibberish.

A long minute later, the computer translated it, and a harsh mechanical voice said, “This planet and its pitiful life-forms were claimed by Tai-Kok scouts twenty of your years ago. The Coletti aggressors have no rights to this world. Power down your weapons and surrender or be annihilated.”

“We do not acknowledge your claim on Earth or its people. We will never surrender to you. The Coletti, the Alliance, and the Katanic Empire are our allies. You are the aggressors. The unprovoked slaughter of our citizens ends today. You will be exterminated as a race.” The translator turned the general’s words into series of honks and quacks.

Komodo snarled, exposing pointy metal teeth with bits of bloody flesh stuck in them. He quacked viciously. “Prepare to die,” the translator announced.

“You first,” the general responded.

As the computer’s interpreter honked the response, a chorus of rattling clicks sounded.

The general remarked, “Those bugs sound like a bunch of pissed-off rattlesnakes.”

“With one hell of an appetite,” Quinn responded.

Wulf teleported in. Before I could ask, he said, “Your mother and Clio are safe. Have I missed anything?”

“No, you’re just in time,” the general answered.

Quinn’s communication bracelet beeped. He tapped it and grinned. “Komodo’s entire battle fleet has been infected with the var bugs.”

Komodo frowned as the raucous clicking grew louder and louder. He looked over his shoulder and quacked like a demented duck when thousands of var bugs spewed from the air ducts. Within seconds, the entire bridge crew was covered from head to toe in hungry bugs.

Emitting weird, hooting squawks, the Tai-Kok warriors fled their battle stations in a desperate attempt to escape. They crashed into one another at the door, and a fight broke out. Body parts and orange blood flew in every direction.

My eyes widened in surprised when Komodo pulled his laser pistol and started firing, vaporizing his own crew, the var bugs, and a couple of weapons consoles. He paused at the door and honked, “This is not finished.” Then he was gone.

The bloated var bugs suddenly dropped off their prey.

Bright red poxlike blisters decorated the Tai-Kok warriors’ skin.

“Damn. Look at their faces. I think they’re allergic to the bug bites,” Quinn exclaimed.

“I think you’re right.” I eyed the few surviving warriors. “Is it me, or are the monsters having a hard time breathing?”

A Tai-Kok warrior keeled over, shuddered violently, and stopped moving.

Wulf nodded. “It looks like they’re going into anaphylactic shock.”

The general wanted to know, “Any chance of getting more var bugs?”

“Won’t be a problem,” I said. “Qeeturah is crawling with the nasty creatures.”

Quinn tapped an icon on his bracelet. “Detja’s virus has been downloaded into the Tai-Kok ships, and their shields are down.”

“Fire at will,” the general commanded.

Earth’s planetary defenses bombarded the Tai-Kok ships. The blackness of space was filled with ribbons of dazzling energy. Brilliant billows of orange and yellow flames erupted from the disintegrating spacecrafts.

To my amazement, not one Tai-Kok ship returned fire.

“Tracking several life pods that jettisoned from Komodo’s ship,” Wulf advised.

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