The Shadow weren't active, per se. Most people accepted that their leftovers were dangerous enough and should be avoided.
Akane led her group to the port airlock and did a final safety check. Spacesuit okay. Seals good. Rifle fully charged. Safety off.
The hatch opened a few seconds after the air was pumped out. Harsh red light from the sun nearby gave things an unpleasant cast, but at least there was enough light to see. A few more au out from that primary and they'd have to rely on suit-lights, which would have made this much more unpleasant.
"Fan out," ordered Akane. "Keep to a protective ring formation. Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious."
"Like our prey getting away?" asked one of the pirates, pointing at where the Wild Stallion was increasing the distance between themselves and the pirate ship.
"COWARDS!" yelled Akane, shaking her fist at the odd ship. "You just wait!"
"I've got movement on my scanner! Distance thirty... ten?! oh he-"
Akane pivoted and brought her rifle to position. Eleven other pirate suits were doing the same. "Where's Ryonami?"
"There!" one of the other pirates said, pointing out into space. "That's her suit anyway. Though the way its hanging."
Nabiki's voice came over the intercom system. "Akane - I just played it back in slow motion. It's a doppelganger."
Akane wet suddenly dry lips. "Those are just ghost stories. They can't really exist, can they?"
Nabiki's voice went sarcastic. "Those ghost stories came from somewhere, and the tales of that 'child that wasn't' is too plausible with what we know of Shadow bioconstructs. If you see Ryonami again, it won't actually be her."
Akane said something impolite, as she noticed the other ten pirates going into panic mode. "Get back into formation! You're too easy to pick off this way!"
"AGGHHHH!"
Akane ran back for the airlock with the other nine pirates. Closing the outer hatch, she tried to get her heartrate back under control. Waitaminute. She did a head count as the pressure came back up.
One of the suits formed bulges, the bulges shot out as spiky points. Akane banged against the wall as she twisted away from the one that had aimed at her. "Shapeshifter. Doppelganger. Genethief."
The remaining occupied suit walked towards her, the faceplate polarized so that she couldn't see inside it.
The "pressure equal" sign lit up.
"HELL NO!" said Akane, slapping the emergency outer hatch opening button.
Air burst out, throwing her and the doppelganger out into space.
Akane watched as a tendril extended from the doppelganger to the airlock, securing it into place. Then she watched as her ship began to dwindle in the distance.
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Tue, 15 Jun 2004 09:59)
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