“Like ...” his eyes widen as if he had reached his own conclusion on the matter. “Like the ship itself. Crash it someplace where it could be retrieved. No, if that was the case a team would have been here to sweep in at once.”

He realized the flaw in that and tapped a few keys. “I'll try … it seems that the central computer that gathers all the information is down but I'll try accessing some of the local feeds.”

Down, not damaged. Odd. It was as if someone just turned it off. Farin pulled up some grainy images from one of the feeds that had been damaged. Aliens, human-like from what she could tell had been shooting at something. He filtered through different images searching for something with a bit more clarity, stopping on an image of the cargo bay where there were various crates and a strange object laying there. It took a second for it to dawn on her that it was the object was the environmental suit of Bogdin.

It was a live feed, she could see the water flowing in from a breach, the mechanical crab had to be right outside and Bogdin had to have entered, perhaps he did not want a huge stream of water rushing into this section of the ship.

“That's live! What is that, green goo or something there on the face plate.” Taping a few keys to go back a stream of green slime hits the face plate of an unsuspecting Bogdin and – bugs, lots of bugs that looked to be various red ants that had two retractable whip-like tentacles, some as small as a house cat which seemed to be the bulk of those present, some the size of a large dog.

“Crude they are here!”

The bugs had no problem in swarming a blinded Bogdin. “How?”

Gaia watched in fixation as Farin showed the previous scenes. The camera’s damage and only showed a few seconds of what happened. The Aschen presumably had been fighting something, with great vigor. There was no evidence of a battle, or they where in the wrong spot. The moment he said down meant someone turned it off. They defiantly weren’t alone, feeling the need she pulls out her pistol, as distant scutter feels the vents once more, her eyes squinted at the open vent, there were traces of slime or blood, she couldn’t tell. As she looks back at the computer she‘s Farin scrolling through images, till he came across one image.
“That’s Bogdins suit!” She said bitterly, it was a live feed, meaning whatever happened just happened minutes maybe seconds ago. His crab must’ve been outside, stopping the water from filling the room.

“Damn, Ashlyn.” She gritted the sounds getting louder in the vents. As they watched Bogdin get hit with green goo, then swarmed and killed by the bugs. They where different sizes and colors each doing a job. The smaller ones subdued while the larger one’s attacked with extreme prejudice. Hey where like fire ants defending an colony from an invader. Chills went up her spine as she watched. It was planned a trap, a well placed one to.

The noises where clearly audible and loud.” Lets worry about how Later Farin.” She said sternly grabbing his arm as the vents went silent. She ran out of the room dragging him with her shutting the door behind them. When she was right, she was right; she hated her intuition at times. More often than not it was life savor. “Lets get to the sub! Quickly” She ordered showing she had no intention of staying around any longer then she needed to. To hell with the drive, or any other tech, the pay wasn’t worth it. Ven wasn’t worth it…

If there were that many Ashlyn near the cargo bay then they must have been situated at the rear of the vessel, probably near the engines too. Coming in they had been lucky and Farin figured that they were lucky to find out what was going on before it happened.

The only thing that made sense to him was that the Ashlyn had already been here but there was no way that they were here in large numbers right? Perhaps there was detailed information on them but there was no time for that as he was lead out of the room. He produced a pistol of his own though it only had a stun setting. He was no killer after all.

Being an aquatic creature meant that all he had to do was find a way off of the ship before the Ashlyn found them though their looked to be a lot of predatory fish out there the sub could get to the surface fairly quick. En-route to the sub though as they rounded a corner they came face to face with a human, well he looked human any way.

He was dressed in the same brown outfit of the Aschen and was probably one of them. He looked a little disheveled but not surprised by their appearance.

“You caused the hull breach?” He was armed with a pistol though it was holstered. He seemed … odd in a way. Not in the vibe she had been getting from Ven earlier, just that he did not even look at her as a man does a woman. Perhaps he was gay and had no interest in her at all but he was focused on business though that wasn't much of a surprise in this life or death situation.

As Gaia and Farin ran she could hear sounds of them in the vents, securing about as if it was a hive. That was too many Ashlyn. A scout group shouldn’t consist of so many. The only way to have that many was to have a queen, and several women to impregnate, other wise there was no way to have so many of them. No that wasn ‘t possible unless this was a research vessel. ..

Before she could ponder more they ran into a human looking man. HE seemed in distress, and what more one of the figures she had seen in one of the images. He was armed but had not drawn it, and what more he was at calm, not at all taken aback that two aliens was aboard a relatively dead ship crawling with bugs. At least he didn’t feel like Ven, and what more he didn’t maul her over sexually. It was one of the few times where it didn’t matter. It was a life and death scenario, well as far as she read for Farin and the stranger it was a hostile place to be.

“Yes.” Gaia said sternly her enhanced hearing picking up bug movement as she spoke.”You are an Aschen?” She question defensively.

The Aschen were calm and collected even at times of stress. They were also a humorless bunch of egg heads and few used weapons though under the situation such primitive devices were necessary. He frowned at the answer though he too could hear the scurrying of the bugs.

“Yes, I am. There that way, follow me if you wish to live,” Great, it had seemed that they were cutting off the dock almost as if they were smart enough to perceive that being their first move, as if they realized Bogdin had not arrived alone.

He leads them along though they hear the bugs they do not see them. He goes into the mess hall where there are signs of a battle. Dead Ashen and Ashlyn everywhere as are tons of green goop. Gaia notices that all the corpses she sees are female. There are blaster marks here too on the walls and floor, an air vent here has exploded and judging by the scorch marks near it at the ceiling the Ashlyn must have poured into the room from there as well. Tables are on their sides as if the Aschen here were making a final stand.

He leads them into the walk in freezer.

“The Ashlyn cannot tolerate the cold, they will not come here and I've been using it as a base of operations between ducking out. There is only one other survivor to my knowledge and I have been doing well in avoiding them.

“Most are at the rear of the ship after they secured it from us. Now that the Queen knows that you are here she will not let you leave alive. You, they will kill.” He says to Gaia. “And you,” turning to Farin, “will wish they had.”

Gaia had seen battle before. All Huntresses had to pass the rite of embattlement. That meant surviving an actual battle, against anything that could kill without hesitation. This however was more a war zone than a battlefield. The losses where heavy, and most of the women where dead, she thought the Ashlyn would have taken them alive, they must have either killed themselves or were too much of a fight. It bothered her that these bugs moved so quickly and efficiently, they had cut off their only escape route in minutes.
“The other survivor, do you know who they are.” She asked feeling the need to siang a song of peace for the dead.

It was disturbing not as disturbing seeing the dead Aschen Females. Though she was more disturbed by the fridge, what was the chance that she and the ashlyn shared the same problem? “Surely you do realize I am of an exotic nature. Not sexually… “

She made note to mention just in case.”I will hibernate in there if stay the fridge too long t. especially if the fridge is 50 degrees and below” She said not willingly to fall asleep in a space with two men. She wasn’t if the Aschen would do anything, but Farin was another story.

The Aschen frowned. “Sixty makes them sluggish. Under fifty kills them. My original plan was to re-calibrate the environmental controls but they took them offline … the other Aschen … he's the chief of security. The Queen can control one person at a time and my guess is that she had him disable all the internal security so I was about to invoke plan B but you two showed up.”

“Can't we just get off the ship? I mean it would be a snap for me to get to the sub outside of the ship and get to the surface. Vye, you can come with me and we can leave him to his crazy plan.”

Farin was scared and rightfully so seeing that he saw his buddy die and all this was somewhat unexpected.

“I see … so you two are here to salvage the ship. I do not see that as happening but if you desire to leave, well I won't stop you. The Ashlyn may, however.”

“ The Aschen is right Farlin, if we chance it now we’ll more than likely meet a swift end. If we have any chance of getting out of this we need to help him with his plan. Or devise one that doesn’y envolve me sleeping for a week” She said sternly, though she had to agree getting out was the trick, simple heavy ordinance could blow a hole to the outside freeing them to swim. She wasn’t sure about Farlin but she was a torpedo in the water, the predators out there would be easy out maneuver.

That left the Aschen to drown, they where several dozen miles deep, ocean bottom, without proper gear and luck he would never be able to make it to the sub let alone the surface on his own. Besides she would not let a random stranger just die. Several options lie before them, turn on the environment controls, and freeze them to death, meaning she goes to sleep for awhile. Not the favorite option, option two they find away to distract the bugs long enough to get to the sub, if the Chief of Security didn’t sabotage it yet. Three they get to the crab and use that as means to escape, four kill the queen.

“Besides, Farlin, I don’t know how fast you can swim, but a Quarrian live in water for most of their early years, I could out swim that sub if I wanted to… I say this are only option is to flood the ship, or use an escape hatch to swim outside with those shark like creatures. Thay is something I wish to avoid. As instincts compel me to withdraw from them.”

She explained, informing him that he would at best not make it to the sub as he wished. “What was you’;re plan B before we showed up?”

Farin's species spent much of their lives under water. They were quick and agile swimmers but about as quick as an Olympic swimmer. Suffice it to say not as fast as she or the sub. Hence why he wished to swim to the sub so that it would provide protection against the predators out there.

“Damn it all!” He cursed, frustrated about the situation. The cold was not an issue for him as his kind were deep sea dwellers.

“Plan B was to turn up the heat. The Ashlyn have a number of weakness that can be exploited and while they avoid cold the heat attracts them. The idea was to get them all, even the stragglers in one area and destroy that portion of the ship though for that to work we need to get enough power to operate the inertial dampers and internal force fields to contain the blast.

“Smoke dazes them too and filling the vents with our knock out gas could do the trick as well but I am currently locked out of the system and that would require a daring rescue.”

“That's nuts, do you know how many of them are on board!”

The Aschen did a rough calculation in his head. “Now? Two hundred and six minus the ones that we have already killed. We started this mess with four drones and a queen … at the rate the queen can lay eggs though that figure doubles each hour but that is not the worse of it.

“Some vital equipment was destroyed before the crash when the Ashlyn escaped. It was the queen that sent us here usurping the mind of one of our pilots. They are familiar with our tech and sabotaged one of our integral devices. Simply put other Ashlyn will be on the way. If we do not hurry this ship will be our graves.”

Two hundred, in such a short time span. They had spent nearly an hour already just upon arrival so four hundred. Thank Terra it was so easy to get rid of them before they came problem in her space. Such numbers where damning. At least they now had ways of fighting, smoke, and knock out gas. Yes this was looking doable, but someone had to get going in the vents. That meant the ventilation system. To blow them up they get the power going. That meant the engine room probably the most heated place in the ship currently.

“So, what you’re saying is. We have to turn back on the power. Meaning someone has to get the engine going, override any security parameters. For said internal force field and dampeners to work. In say two to three hours, or wil be completely overrun.” She said summing it all up aloud. She shivered as she felt the cold of the fridge. She was also starting to get a little sleepy.

“The chances of scuess on this is minimal, but we can pull it off.” She said looking At Farin.”We’ll need you’re help to get those shields online, and reroute the power…. I can make some devices to help build up the heat in a septic spot earl on, to draw attention, but those smoke and knock gas is going have to hit the vents while someone takes the engine room.” She said determined to not let the time frame or the fact they where in the most fucked up situation ever. Her eye’s falls on the Aschen as she finishes speaking. He knew the ship, and the more than likely the engine and how to get it going.
“You wouldn’t happened to have com devices would you?”

“WHAT! I CAN'T!”

“You must. And their numbers are essentially at capacity. They have no more males baring us two and the security chief to lay their eggs in so until they are reinforced -”

“Oh, God Bogdin!”

The Aschen made a slight adjustment to his calculations though he seemed devoid of emotion as was normal for the species in question. “Two twenty-six. And yes, the bodies in the mess hall outside. Many have communicators. If we could get to the science labs we could generate an artificial heat source to draw away the Ashlyn to get some power out of the engines.

“The Ashlyn are smart … well, it is complicated. They have a hive mind. The more of them in an area the smarter they are. What one is aware of the colony is aware of. They can also use minor phantasms to alter perceptions both visual and audio though the Queen can control minds or rather one mind at a time. Usually a pilot to move a ship. In this case the security chief. You seem to be getting sluggish, lets get the communicators and make haste to the labs. Hopefully we can craft something there.”

“This sounds crazy, we should just get to an escape hatch. To hell with all this and we can get the hell out of here.”

“By all means though it is likely that they have the sub by now and if any of the escape hatches are open they will probably detect it through the security chief and just send the sub after you. In the water they can't do much more than drive you into hazards but they'll probably let you get to the surface and then – but chances are they would need to use the Aschen to pilot the sub so those that stay here will have an easier time without the security chief to worry about. He cannot be in two places at once.”

The Aschen were use to being united but they saw how disjoined most aliens tended to be. In any case the Aschen just sprouted facts with no emotion behind them. Rather, the only urgency here was to sum up quick enough so the cold wasn't exposed to long to her.

“ Don’t worry Farin, we’ll distract them first before you get the power online. That way I should be able to guard you.” She replied she didn’t like how distant the Aschen was, he had a sense of urgency but he was too com, almost robotic in nature. Either he saw himself above this, or he was not willing to share his emotions.
It matter really what did was getting things done. The Ashlyn had a hive mind, so when they grouped together they became smarter, if not genius. So the ruse would only last a few minutes, combined that with smoke and knock out gas, that gave about an hour or more. Enough time to get things done. Unlike most species she and her people the stood the meaning of being united, though there was internal conflict on direction. Her people pulled it together when needed.

“Y-yeah, the sub would be the most logical thing to obtain.” She said drowsy her tendrils where starting to frost, showing the process of her hibernation. Upon coming o the warm environment she begins to feel better, though she felt bad about looting the dead, she does get the coms one for herself the other for Farin. She assumed the Aschen already had a pair. She was warming up quickly, though it would a few minutes to completely warm up.

"lets get to the chem labs." Gaia said with vigor, and determination. She wasn't going to die here, and she was going to find something on Ven just cause it would be worth doing over this bullshit.

The Aschen made a calculation in his head. The labs were probably the only places left with the grenades, if they had any there. The armories would be too obvious and the Ashlyn would have probably collected all of them.

The trio moved, the Aschen calculating out the quickest and safest root for them to take though in the halls ahead they could see six of the smaller Ashlyn. They seemed to be trying to force opened a door that was struck, probably damaged in the crash seeing that security was done and it shouldn't be locked as it were.

Farin aimed at one though the Aschen lowered the arm. “Hive mind, you start shooting they'll all see you as hostile.” He then looked to her.

“We should be fine just walking past. These are workers and as long as we don't impede them. The hive will know we came this way though they haven't seen us as hostile yet.”

It was her call, they could risk it or find another way.

“If they were soldiers I would avoid them, no telling if they were assigned to guard an area but it seems clear that these wish to open that door.”

“ We’re not hostile, yet.” She said pondering what to do. If they are seen in the area, bugs up ahead could plan ambush up ahead if they try to sneak around the danger could go up.” As lon as they are not disturbed we should proceed, but stand on guard as we move forward. Don’t need to get ambushed up ahead.”
Moving forward she carefully moved forward keeping a nice distance between herself and the Ashlyn. Hopefully they would just ignore and continue on with their duty. She held her breath, heart pounding with anticipation; she could do it and not be threat to them. She hoped that was the case.

The Aschen nodded. Gaia and company moved up with a degree of caution though half the bugs stopped and watched the Aschen. Perhaps it was the clothes … after all the Ashlyn had wrestled the ship away from the Aschen earlier but it had seemed that they had received an all clear that the conflict had been over as their companion realized before hand.

The others worked on the door though once they had been clear the three that had been watching them returned to the door and trying to get it open. Indeed the labs had been up ahead. Five class canisters had been her or some transparent material Gaia guess as it was much stronger than glass.

All five had been shattered though but by the shards of “glass” Gaia could see that the central largest one seemed to brake from the inside though the other four looking at the glass patterns from the outside as the glass fell inside the container.

The red emergency lighting washed over everything here and there had been several computers at various work stations all in the Aschen dialect though Farin used his wrist computer to hack in and translate and the Aschen had no problem reading his own language.

There had been a few male bodies present in clothing similar to the other Aschen save for the fact that it was gray.

“OK … great … you two look around and see if you can find anything useful.”