Hunter Hunted

Katrina sat on the throne of her ship, looking out into the vast reaches of space. She knew the hunter was out there somewhere, and she was eagerly anticipating his arrival. She smoothed the long slinky gown that barely covered her lap as she pondered the problem at hand.

She had already dispatched the five other ships in her fleet on pointless missions in order to lull the hunter, yet he still hadn't made his move. Curious, Kat had ordered a full scan of the system, perhaps her senses were deceiving her. When they had turned up nothing, she was reassured, as they would at least have detected something in the sector. The lack of anything was a clear indication of a powerful stealth system at work.

The hunter might be waiting for something else, some sign of arrogance that would leave her vulnerable. The crewmen moved about the bridge diligently working at their assigned tasks. She watched them for a few moments, wondering if their presence was the cause for the delay.

“Captain” she called in a sensuous voice.

“Yes my queen?”

“Put the ship on standby and order the crew on twenty four hours leave. I want to celebrate the recent victory of our army in the Orvis nebula.”

“But my Queen, that will leave us defenseless, shall I stay and watch the bridge?”

“No Captain, I can handle anything that happens up here. I want you to enjoy some down time. I intend to invade the Rischak homeworld soon and I want my men rested.”

He clasped both hands and bowed deeply, then proceeded to issue her orders to the bridge personnel. Within minutes the orders spread throughout the ship and she was alone, defenseless. She sighed and stretched her thin arms gracefully. She hated waiting for something to happen, usually she got what she wanted right away.

Crossing her legs, she idly bounced her foot in the air. Maybe this hunter was just too stupid to recognize the opportunity, or maybe he saw it as the trap she intended. Either way, she was getting bored with this game. She pressed a button on the arm of her throne and it began to descend into darkness.

Once she passed through the floor, bright lights stung her eyes for a moment. As the throne continued down she
surveyed her sanctuary. All of the access points were secure. She looked into the leafy jungle below her, meticulously recreated here inside her command ship. The plants and animals had been taken from her home planet and tenderly cared for by automated systems.

A shadow flashed past her vision from the corner of her eye, momentarily distracting her from the beauty below. Looking around, she was unable to spot the cause of the brief interruption. She smiled despite the dire circumstances of someone invading her private sanctuary. The hunter had arrived and would soon make his move.

The throne settled on a stone dais in a small clearing. She could sense her pets watching, and moving closer, despite her inability to see them. A twig snapped behind her and she knew it was the hunter. Her pets were far to good at hunting to make such a simple misstep. She sensed their mental shift as they picked up the scent of fresh prey. Now the hunter had become the hunted and he was not even aware of it.

She struggled to suppress a giggle at the wonderful twist of fate. She would not have to do anything to this hunter, her pets would see to it for her. It had been a long time since she witnessed one of their ferocious attacks. She would have to be careful not to get caught in the spray of blood.

Though her power was not strong enough to pinpoint his exact location, she could sense him closing on her. Another careless step alerted her to him climbing the dais directly behind her. She leaned forward and rubbed her soft legs, exposing her back. She knew he would be there in seconds.

The attack came without warning as he lunged at her. In mid-air his body was intercepted by nothing more than a blur. The hunter bounced roughly down the steps of the dais to her left. She looked on eagerly as another blur joined the fray. The hunter stabbed the air frantically as deep gashes open in his arms and chest. It seemed as if the air itself pulled his flesh in different directions.

With a mental thought, the attack stopped and the hunter lay groaning and bleeding on the bottom step. She walked gingerly down the stairs, her high heels clicking loudly with each step. She smoothed the dress over her slender hips and leaned forward to examine the man.

“So you thought to kill me in my sanctuary? Foolish little man, I am Queen, and no one is able to change that.”

He coughed up a bit of blood as he spat the words, “You will never be our queen!”

“Come my pets, show yourselves to this pathetic excuse for a hunter.”

All around her color shifted revealing the sleek bodies of Shikar. Born hunters, they were long and muscular, with four agile legs. Their skin was naturally grey, like the mountainous terrain they were born in. The chameleon ability was a trick they had picked up as their numbers dwindled on her native world. They had gone out into the jungles in search of food and had become effective hunters.

They grinned up at her with thin razor like teeth, four fangs protruded from the otherwise even rows. She patted the head of the leader and it purred beside her as she ruffled the sharp spines that bent backwards out of the neck. They were not only excellent hunters, but had no natural predators. They had been the top of the food chain until her powers had soothed their savage ways. Now they served as her pets, and playthings.

She shook her long black hair as she reveled in defeating yet another assassination attempt. Bending over she placed a kiss on his forehead, leaving behind a deep crimson stain from her lipstick.

“Your time is at an end my friend. All your friends on Rischak will feed my Shikar until I tire of hearing their screams. The slaughter will begin with you, and it will end with your family, this I promise you.”

His eyes widened in horror as the beasts closed around them. A small whimper escaped his throat, then it changed to a deep throaty laugh. Obviously he had gone insane with grief and fear. She mentally ordered the Shikar to attack, but they remained motionless.

“Do you stupid creatures require another display of my power?” she fumed as her beautiful face contorted in evil rage.

“They no longer fear you.”

The voice was calm and deeply powerful, it came from behind her. She spun on her heels seeking the source of the voice. He stood unafraid by her throne, her twin, yet opposite. His hair was just as dark, though cropped short. The sharp hawk-like features of her beauty were echoed there, with an indescribable softness. She knew instinctively that he was her brother. Despite the fact that she had ensured the genocide of her people, the truth was inescapable. Here it stood before her, somehow he had survived the purge.

“I am here to end your reign of terror dear Katrina.”

“No, it can't be, I killed you! I killed everyone!”

“I escaped your slaughter, and now you must pay for your crimes.”

In the blink of an eye, the Shakir turned towards her with a growl. The mental leash controlled by her brother was the only thing restraining them. She whimpered as she struggled to regain control, he was far too powerful.

***

Kurt sat on the throne with satisfaction, none would dare challenge the change in leadership. He was the most powerful man in known space and they knew it. He was the last of his kind now that his dear sister had met such a tragic end. The hunter had lived, though he would be bed ridden for several months. Just enough time to accomplish his goals.

“Captain, send orders to the fleet. Peacekeeping operations are to commence immediately. Any soldier caught mistreating a civilian will have to deal with me personally. Ensure that my orders are understood by everyone, I do so hate violence.”

The man clasped his hands and bowed, “It will be as you command my lord. I am proud to carry out those orders.”

The captain immediately went to work sending messages to all of the ships and bases in the empire. Kurt smiled as he voiced his thought quietly, “One man can make a difference.”