Sickle-like claws rushed towards Rin’s face.
Dropping to her stomach, the swipe of the Talon's hand tousled her cropped, ink hair. Her slim, steel tablet clattered to the cement floor several paces away making her notes flicker before the device shorted out completely. In front of her, the animal snarled as it emerged out of its freshly opened cage. This was simply not supposed to happen.
"What’s going on?!" she barked to the observation deck, whipping around to glare at Colonel Thompson inside. She couldn’t see him caged away behind steel and thick glass of the observation deck but knew he was there. The Colonel enjoyed watching his workers used as pawns, especially when the danger was far away from him.
The creature’s bellow reclaimed her attention. Throwing its khaki scaled head back, the animal mauled the air, tail whipping out behind. She’d never dealt with a Talon so wild. Its twelve claws were fully extended, lethal in their length. Slit pupils drowned in darkening orange eyes that seemed to snarl, echoing the growl from its throat. Like most of its species, it towered over Rin.
Why do I always end up with the fun ones?
Rin rolled to avoid a second strike from the Talon’s tail. Long and curled, the tail was over twice Rin’s own height, tipped with dagger-sharp bone. Unable to move out of the way in time, the next attack caught her just below her right eye. Blood slipped down her cheek, and the Talon’s nostrils flared at her blood’s rust scent. Rin crouched, watching in confusion as the animal thrashed about. It frothed at the mouth, claws slashing in her direction. Talon rarely reacted this violently to being at the Center.
Rin made a mental note to verbally whip the rookie Primer who had left their job undone. Forgetting to clip a Talon’s claws was one thing but missing the tail was unforgivable; even docile, a Talon was dangerous if they weren’t properly prepared. Now Rin had to pay the price.
Springing to her feet, Rin hustled backwards until the cold steel wall of the oval cage room stopped her. Palms sweating from the adrenaline rush, she glanced about for the exit. The door to the outer hall would remain open for a few moments at any sign of danger to give anyone trapped inside a chance to get out of harm’s way. She had to get there before the technicians decided the risk was too great for the Talon escaping. Off to the left, she could see the door… right over the Talon’s shoulder.
Unsheathing one of the daggers kept tucked in her black boots, Rin moved to a defensive position. The creature in front of her seemed to be going out of its mind as its entire body seemed to jerk around on unseen strings. It would be suicide to strike back at it now. Unwelcome and unbidden, the voice of her brother, Marcus, intruded into her mind. They’re easily outsmarted creatures. If you don’t lose your nerve, that is.
Rin glanced back at the exit. She doubted it would be kept open for much longer. As she inched towards the door, the Talon moved with her. If it noticed the passage over its shoulder, it could end up rampaging through the Center. With one eye on the creature, she kept low to the ground, using its rage to her advantage as she dodged the strikes that gouged the metal where her head had been a moment before. Only a few more paces to go. If Thompson would just wait a couple more seconds…
Rin paled as a resounding clank pounded her ears. Thompson’s patience had run dry. The steel entry was already starting to lower. The rabid Talon’s attacks were becoming more and more focused on the wall instead of her, letting Rin turn to watch the metal door descend in fascinated horror. In a few moments, the Talon would breach the steel wall and run into the technicians on the other side. They would seal the room and fill it with gas before that could happen. She’d seen it before. She wasn’t about to let it happen to her. Even with her status as a Tamer, she was far from irreplaceable.
A short snort from behind ruffled her hair.
Fantastic.
She’d let herself be distracted too long. The Talon’s attention was fixed back on her, its body suddenly calm and its pupils a solid red. Rin spared a single glance back to her exit. The solid steel door was already halfway down. She had seconds left. Flipping the dagger in her hand so she held it by its tip, she sent it flying towards the animal.
The Talon’s head jerked away as metal imbedded in its leg. Rin dashed towards the closing door. Forced to slide out on her belly, she kept going until her side smashed into the hallway wall. High on adrenaline, she was already up on her feet, second knife in hand. She gave herself a quick check over. All limbs present and attached, for now. Tentative fingertips brushed along the cut in her cheek. The blood was just starting to clot and she could feel it beginning to cake on her neck.
Smoothing out her fraying, stained cargo pants, Rin brushed the short ebony hair from her face as strands fell in her violet eyes. Sets of thin scars spread along her cheeks, disappearing down her neck. A knife gone, a gash that would almost certainly be infected and even her tablet was still in the room. She couldn’t afford to have anything else go wrong.
Rin ran her hand through her hair repeatedly as she attempted to reign in her agitation and calm her worn nerves. After a few moments when the adrenaline in her system ebbed, she marched past the technicians and their whirring machines, up the stairs towards the observation deck. Hands still shaky from the near encounter with death, she thrust herself into the room. Taking long breaths, she loosened her clenched fists. She didn’t want to give herself any more scars than she already had.
“Colonel.” A curt nod replaced the full bow that was expected. She would never bow to a man like him. Thompson toyed with life far too much for her taste.
“What happened down there?” Thompson didn’t even bother to look at her when he spoke. Instead, he watched in silence as the room below filled with opaque gas obscuring the view. It made her eyes water just to watch. A few weak shrieks were all that could be heard before the room went silent. The gas would’ve killed her long before the Talon. Her screams would’ve been ignored too.
“I don’t know,” Rin said, choking up the next word, “Sir.” She sent his short-brimmed hat a glare, attempting to set the garish green on fire. “I was making sure the Primers had prepared the Talon, but the animal woke up and the cage opened before I could even—”
“Enough.” Thompson said with an absent wave. “The harm is done.” After a moment of silence, he turned. Gold and diamond glinted off his chest; the medals were achievements for discovering and cultivating the Talon. It was based on them that he’d built his empire, gaining hold over the colony and the people within. His young face was smooth and pale, and his clothes spotless. Tall, his hair was blonde and spilled down to his shoulders. Even his shoes seemed to gleam. He was rich, handsome, and powerful. A single snap of his fingers could change her entire life.
Rin hated him.
Thompson glanced her over, eyes impassive. “You’re not doing your job, Tamer Rin. It’s your responsibility to ensure that no buyer ever has a problem and yet there are more reports of unruly behavior coming in every day. Care to explain?”
“It wasn’t me.” Rin said, lip twitching. “Every Talon I process is fully trained.”
“Obviously not.”
“I’m not the only Tamer.” She finally choked out a “Sir.”
“You are now.” Thompson said. He turned back to watch the cage room, the remnants of the gas fading out through the ceiling vents.
His words slammed into Rin’s chest like a physical force. Since she joined, there had always been at least five Tamers. She’d never been intimate with them. She barely even knew their names but a bond existed all the same. They shared tips and secrets, laughed and shouted over the changes in policies. “All--” she swallowed hard, trying to catch her breath, “--All of them?”
“Yes, Tamer Rin. I believe I made that clear in my earlier statement.” Something of a smirk crossed Thompson’s eyes as Primers removed the dead Talon. Rin’s knife was still embedded in its leg. The room cleared, more cages filled with the recently caught were carted in. “It shouldn’t be an issue. There are few enough that you’ll be able to manage on your own.” He said, sparing her a glance. “Clean yourself up and start the next batch as soon as the Primers are done.”
“Yes, sir!” Her hand snapped up to her forehead and the instant his back faced her, she stuck out her tongue. Wash up. Get back to work. She’d have to mourn the dead on her own time.
Rin wasn’t even down the stairs when someone yanked her off to the left. “What’re you-”
“Shh!” The other woman, short and plump, glanced to the sides. Hearing noises from the deck above, she pulled both of them further from view. “Wait until Thompson leaves.”
Jesse. A sensible technician, several years older than Rin, she was in her mid-thirties and socialized with her machines more than any human. Rin had spoken with her before but their conversations always ended on being about the Talon. Now, Jesse had Rin huddled in the corner, out of sight. Moments, later the Colonel’s heavy footsteps pounded the metal floor creating a lingering echo. Rin kept her breath held though she wasn’t sure why.
Jesse’s expression darkened as she glared to where the Colonel had disappeared, “That man has always been such a pain in my--”
“What happened?” Rin interrupted. “Did Thompson order you to close the gate?” She wouldn’t put it past him. The rich always did as they pleased. Thompson was the perfect example.
“No, but someone let that Talon out on purpose.”
“Someone? You didn’t see them?”
“No.” Jesse said, humphing as she repositioned her glasses higher up on her nose. “I didn’t see anyone because no one was here. The orders to release the Talon and shut the door were made remotely. According to these-” her fingertips caressed the blinking lights “-the gate never opened at all.”
“Are you sure you’re not wrong?” Rin said. She flinched at Jesse’s glare. With a sigh, Rin rested against the concrete wall, careful not to bump any of the machines. The timing was too perfect. A step closer, she would’ve seen the Talon wasn’t ready with its claws and tail unclipped. A step further away, and escape wouldn’t have been a problem. Someone wanted her to fight that Talon. Someone wanted her dead. Rin blinked, hearing nothing of what the other woman said. “Hmmm?”
Jesse’s eye gave a little twitch as she repeated, “Have you heard anything from Earth?”
“No.” Rin’s shoulders sagged. She didn’t mean to be so blunt but after her parents sent her away from Mars, she hadn’t bothered to pay attention to the politics back home. “I’ve had other things to worry about.” Glancing back to the other woman, Rin frowned when she thought she saw Jesse smile. It wasn’t her usual, soft look. The smile was calculating and cruel.
“There’s been news about Hunters though.”
Rin perked.
“Most of them have stopped bringing in shipments. You wouldn’t happen to know why?” Jesse’s voice was light but Rin felt as if Thompson was interrogating her all over again. “I’m sure that your brother is one of the Hunters.” She stepped closer and Rin backed up against the wall. “And the Talon they’ve brought in recently are far more violent than any we’ve ever had before.” Jesse advanced again, leaving no room between the two of them. Rin’s nose wrinkled at Jesse’s stale breath. “Do you really not know?” Jesse leaned in, pushing her glasses up her pointed nose.
“No.” Rin said, moving as far away from Jesse as the space would allow. “I haven’t heard from my brother in two years. For all I know, he managed to get passage back to Mars.” Rin’s instincts were the only thing that told her Marcus was nearby. Twins had a funny connection that way. “I need to get to the clinic now.” Rin tried to move to the hall but the other woman blocked her off.
Jesse’s glasses obscured her eyes as she giggled. “There’s no need for that. I get so few chances to talk to you.
“Let me pass.”
“Don’t you want to talk to me?”
“Tamer Rin?” From the hallway, a young man with blonde hair and dark freckles held up her tablet “D-did you want this?” He blushed and glanced away sheepishly, looking as though he’d seen something scandalous.
Rin almost blushed herself when she realized how close the other woman was leaning in. “Thank you.” Pushing Jesse away forcefully, she took her equipment back. “Excuse me,” she gave the technician a curt nod, “I have to get this cut seen to.” Turning on her heel, she hurried off, not bothering to look back.
Marching towards the clinic through the twisting hallways of the Talon Center, Rin dabbed at the cut on her cheek with her greying threadbare sleeve. It didn’t do much good; the blood was already beginning to crack it was so dry. The ‘conversation’ with Jesse had lasted far too long. Glimpsing to the right, she came to a halt in front of a corridor.
Talon lined the walls, standing in silent obedience. Displayed out, they were arranged by size and color. The shortest of the lot reached Rin’s shoulder though most were at least a whole head taller. Walking through the chilled hallway, she noted the range of colors that started at a pale cream but went all the way to a rich black with tans, browns and greys in between. Only a few of them even acknowledged her presence, heads moving at glacial speeds. The cold kept them slow and subdued. Quick movements could upset a potential buyer.
Rin remembered when she saw her first Talon, how surprised she felt seeing them walk upright. They’d worn feathers then; vibrant, beautiful feathers strung together and worn like necklaces. Several of the researchers claimed the ones that wore them were male. Something about showing off. Rin almost smiled as she stared at the creatures. Some things were truly universal. But that ornamentation had been stripped away, replaced with cages and numbers.
Rin reached the end of the passage where the Talon that were already sold were chained up to the wall. Rin approached the nearest one, hand coming out and stroking along its neck. The usually rough hide had been softened and scrubbed clean by Primers. A faint lemon scent still lingered. The Talon gave off a soft, clicking purr as it moved into Rin’s palm. This was what Talon were supposed to be like. Sometimes, it took a while to work the wild out of them but they always became calm and obedient creatures in the end.
Obedient.
She was supposed to be obedient to Thompson. Moving closer to the creature, she noticed the soft silver sheen to its skin. She’d never felt so close to a Talon before. Chained and at the whim of passersby, the animal seemed more like a mirror. They were both tossed about by the whim of others like pieces on a chessboard. Both caged away from the outside world. “Don’t be too worried,” she whispered, “I’ve seen a lot of the Talon after they’ve been sold. Most are treated like show pieces on display. You won’t be hurt.” She stayed there for a while, feeling that she was noticing the Talon for the first time. Did they have families? Mates that worried about them? Even after all these years, so little was known.
“I have to go.” She said to the silver one. The Talon stared back at her for a moment before lowering its head and curling up on the floor in defeat.
Rin’s heart tugged as she slowly made her way back to the main corridor, forcing the thoughts of Talon sympathy behind her.
¨¨¨
With Thompson gone, Rin stood alone in blissful silence at the observation deck. Staring through the thick glass at the Talon and Primers inside, a cheap bandage from the Center’s medical room covered her wounded cheek. Another batch, smaller than she’d ever seen. What Jesse said about the Hunters must’ve been true because only four cages had been carted in. There used to be never ending streams of them. She couldn’t blame the Hunters. So few men were willing to take the job now that the colony was functioning. No one needed the Talon for beasts of burden anymore. Reduced to pets of the wealthy, why would any man risk his life for that?
The creatures stood in a numbed state, heavily drugged to ensure the safety of the eight Primers. The Talon would be drugged into complete submission later, when they’d passed the first inspection. Rather, if they passed, and she doubted they all would. Only one showed signs of vitality. In fact, it was getting quite fidgety. The cages left little room for any movement for the Talon and yet the one on the far right was jerking about, its entire body rippling as claws shot out before retracting. Rin straightened as she watched it thrash against the metal that held it in, the rippling of its body growing violent.
Rin started when the creature looked up. Its eyes met her own in a steady gaze and she felt herself shudder against her will. Those eyes. They were red, a deep, furious, bloody red. Raising its head, it shrieked.
“Get out!” Rin yelled, already running. Down the stairs, through the hallway, past Jesse and her whirring machines. She almost went straight past the door, knocking over a food replicator in the process. Doubling back, she skidded into the cage room. “Everyone, out!” She’d never seen a red-eyed Talon before but every instinct in her body told her to run. The Talon wasn’t calming down and those cages weren’t indestructible. At this rate, it would break itself free.
“Come on!” She urged, tugging on the stunned workers. They were fools if they thought they were safe. Most Talon were harmless but if angered, she knew from first-hand experience how deadly they became.
The Talon seethed, claws fully extended out as it lashed at the bars, bars quickly being shredded to scrap. Throwing itself against the metal, it was nearly half-way out.
“Hurry!” Rin shouted. Half of them snapped to their senses but too many stood, trapped by awe and fear. Cursing, she ducked inside, grabbing two of them by their collars, hauling them to safety, another following in her wake. Only one remained. A young woman, planted in the same position she’d been in since the start. Her clothes bore no stains or stitches; she was new. Her stained lips made a perfect ‘o’ of surprise. “This way.” Rin gestured, not wanting to go back inside with the creature so close to freedom.
When the frightened Primer turned, Rin noticed the trembling that shook the girl’s entire frame. She was moments away from passing out.
The mutilated cage barely kept the animal inside. The Talon continued to snarl as bits of metal clicked to the hard floor. It was only seconds from getting out.
Annoyed but determined to get the girl to safety, Rin charged forward to intercept her.
With one last heave, the Talon broke free. Rin was an arm’s length away when the animal’s curved claws slashed across the Primer’s chest before moving down and piercing her right through the stomach. Only the softest of gasps escaped her as her knees buckled. Death slowly claimed the woman as life drained from her grey eyes, blood dyeing her clothes crimson. The Talon gave a sickening twist and the dead Primer crumpled to the floor.
Sprinting backwards into the hall, Rin slammed the rusted emergency button off on right of the door. The gate between the hall and the cage room began to lower as her breath stayed trapped in her chest. The murderer turned and met her eyes again. Its slit pupils seemed to bleed as the irises darkened to a near black. Blood dripped off its claws as it charged, heading straight to her. Rin frantically pounded the button.
Close faster. The door creaked as it lowered and the Talon was rapidly closing in. Faster!
A loud thud reverberated against the walls as the creature collided with the solid door.
Abandoning the flustering group of shocked Primers crowded in the hallway, Rin flew back up the stairs, pressing her nose against the glass as she stared inside the cage room. The Talon’s claws had pierced through several inches of steel. Struggling only for a moment, it wrenched free. When it loped to the other cages, she thought it would liberate the other trapped Talon. Stopping short, it inspected its now red claws. A scream escaped Rin as the beast below ran its claws through the caged Talon, easily dispatching all three. The cages were built to keep the Primers from the Talon, not the other way around.
Unlike the Primer who had only gasped, the animals screamed. Piercing, agonizing screams full of pain. Human screams. Below, she could hear Jesse giving the orders to gas the room, the massacre fading from view.
¨¨¨
The rest of the day rushed along in a frenzy of dulled emotions. Rin was questioned, examined and interrogated directly by Thompson. The attack of the Talon on her and the murder of the Primer sent everyone in the Center on edge. They wanted someone to blame for the loss of the merchandise. Rin was their only common link.
Leaving the Talon Center, Rin trudged home, borrowing strength from the passage wall to keep her upright. Within the domed confine where the colony lived, everything was unnaturally clean, set out in precise exactness. Every surface gleamed in the filtered sunlight that came through the glass that encased the city. Great barriers over a hundred feet tall prevented any visibility of the outside world save the sky. Only Hunters were allowed to enter the wild. Few survived the three-year mark. She vaguely wondered if that would be worth the freedom of being outside and being out of Thompson’s reach.
Rin’s thoughts weighed her down. The image of the Primer as she died was burned into her mind. And then Thompson’s news about the other Tamers. It was all too much for her. Her parents had begged and scraped together enough to send Marcus and her here for a ‘brighter future’ but staying on Mars as a family would’ve been a better fate than this. Even with the war between Earth and Mars, at least they would’ve been together. Scoffing aloud at how week she was getting, Rin almost missed the scraping behind her. Drawing her last knife instinctively, she whirled around. Nothing was there. Only the empty path she had just traversed. Nerves wary, she stepped to the center of the pristine, white walkway.
“Hello?”
Silence. The brightly lit, straight-cut street held nothing but straight walls, one end met the great barrier to the outside world and the other led back to the Talon Center. Nothing could block her view, let alone hide a person. Yet someone was tailing her. She could feel it in the hairs that stood on the back of her neck.
It’s only the adrenaline talking. Rin told herself, letting her arms relax at her sides. Anyone would be jumpy after what she’d just experienced. A night’s rest in a warm bed was all she needed. Maybe a good soak as well. Re-sheathing her blade, she started to turn back towards her apartment door.
A liquid-soaked rag smothered the sound of her screams.
¨¨¨
Rin’s eyes opened to darkness. Jerking awake, panic gripped her when she couldn’t move. Frayed rope burned her wrists and ankles as she tried to wriggle free. She breathed deeply, the dust from the cloth making her choke. Struggling in her bonds, she realized a thick bag reeking of moldy potatoes covered her head. Forcing herself to stay calm, she wondered how long she’d been out. She remembered being grabbed and the sickly sweet smell of chloroform thick in her lungs. Everything faded after that.
She froze when the click of a door sounded to the left. Her pulse rose dramatically as two sets of steps echoed and drew closer. Heartbeat thundering in her ears, she kept her breathing slow and even, feigning unconsciousness. The shuffling sounds of boots abruptly halted right in front of Rin.
Someone whistled. “Did Neil do this?” It was a deep, masculine voice. A soft chuckle answered from further away and the second man muttered something under his breath. The bag muffled the sound too much for her to hear. Rin heard the man move as his shoes scuffed the floor and fear gripped her heart. All at once, the binds on her ankles were undone. Her calves. Her waist. She didn’t know how the kidnapper wasn’t feeling her pulse escalate but there were no pauses in the man‘s movements.
The bag blinding her was suddenly jerked off. Daring to peek out, Rin tried to find out where they’d taken her as the man yanked her gag down to her neck. Keeping still to fake unconsciousness, all she could do was look straight down. , She cursed when she saw that her boots and the weapons they contained were gone. That’s when she noticed the floor. It wasn’t concrete, steel or even stone. She’d never seen anything like it. Ruddy brown with streaks of gold, auburn and long, thin muddy lines ran the length of the long rectangular sections. The colors made patterns and no two pieces were alike. It was beautiful. She remembered seeing pictures of wood in textbooks of Ancient Earth. Seen pictures of trees that wood supposedly came from but she never really believed it. Till now.
The man shifted in front of her again and she glimpsed his dirtied boots before her eyes clenched. She couldn’t risk them discovering she was awake, not yet. Only her wrists remained bound as he fumbled with the intricate knot. Her breathing stopped altogether as her instincts kicked in. Right hand free. Left.
Rin lunged.
A whoosh of air left the man’s chest as she threw her weight onto him. Taking advantage of his shock, Rin pinned him to the wood floor, hands searching for weapons as the second man advanced.
“Neil! Ma-” the man beneath her managed to yell before she stuffed her own gag into his mouth. Finding the handle of a knife tucked away in his clothes, Rin ripped it out of its sheath.
“Quiet!” she barked, holding the blade to his throat when a group of men rushed in, joining the one already at the door. They stopped short, not wanting to risk their comrade.
Her eyes never left the man under her mercy. “Come any closer and I’ll kill him!”
A single man came forward, separating himself from the group. “No you won’t, Rin. We both know you’re too soft.” He must’ve been the leader. A single gesture of his head the others rushed towards her. At least two pairs of hands yanked her from her bargaining chip, attempting to disarm her.
Refusing to relinquish the weapon, Rin kicked out. Several choice curses followed a deep groan when she caught one of the men between the legs. The others suddenly didn’t seem as willing to hold her down.
“Let her go!” It was the same man who had called her bluff.
Free of constricting arms, she stumbled back, still holding the knife. Crouching in defense, she finally looked at the faces of her abductors. A dozen men stood blocking the door. Heavy beards shrouded their tanned faces. The little exposed skin she could see was a mesh of scars that stretched and spread under their patched leather clothes. Hunters. She’d never seen such a large group together before. Rin’s eyes fell on the man in front. The blade slipped from her fingers. “Marcus?”
“Hey, sis” His grin was flawed. A front tooth had cracked since he’d left her. His skin bore more scars than the others did, so much more that she wondered if there was any part of him that wasn’t marked. A chunk of his left earlobe was gone and the jet hair that covered his face and head was shaggier than she thought possible. “Miss me?”
Marching straight to Marcus, Rin raised her hand as if to slap him. Glaring at her twin brother, her hand returned to her side just as suddenly. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he could still get under her skin. Those around him backed away. They weren’t going to risk being kicked. The one she’d caught before was still groaning in the corner.
“No.” She forced a smile that failed the moment her eye began to twitch in annoyance. “I didn’t miss you at all. Didn’t even realize that you were gone.”
“Are those really your best manners, Rin?” Marcus said, tutting under his breath, unfazed by the hostility that leaked into her tone. “Now that we’re past the pleasantries of you trying to un-man my men, would you kindly sit back down? We won’t tie you up this time. I promise.” He crossed his heart with a quick, mocking motion.
No sooner had Rin obeyed than Marcus left to an adjoining room. Ignoring the Hunters, she looked at the wood of the chair she sat in. It was just as beautiful as the floor. Running her hands along its length, she marveled at how strong it felt for being a plant. How was such a thing possible? Especially here, in the outer colonies where everything was made of metal brought in by shuttles. Had the Hunters learned to construct wood all on their own?
Glancing up, she felt herself stiffen. Rising, she rushed towards the nearby window, almost tripping over her own feet in the process. Outside. She was actually outside the dome! Everything was so lush and vibrant, green and beautiful. Trees larger than her imagination stretched out, thick with green string-like plants. Rocks, moss, dirt, blossoms, everything she saw made her mind race.
Awkwardly shoving and tugging at the glass, she finally got it open, sticking her head out into the outside air. Taking in a lungful, she’d never be content to breathe anything else. It was like breathing in the sunlight itself. She’d never tasted fresh air before, only recycled oxygen from the filters. She remembered coming in on the transport shuttle with Marcus, seeing the azure and jade colors of the planet. It didn’t compare in the slightest to what she felt now. She could smell the sweetness of flowers and fruits. Sunlight fell on her face, unfiltered and new. Wind tossed her hair and she found herself beaming at all the new sensations. It was pure, unadulterated freedom.
A loud clicking pulled Rin’s eyes back to the door. A Talon stood in the doorway. One so large, it dominated the entire room. Screaming, she snatched the knife from the floor. The creature hissed at her reaction and more clicking followed. It came from her brother.
The group of Hunters swooped in on her, shielding her from view of the Talon. “Do you want to piss him off?” One demanded, twisting the weapon out of her hand.
Rin blinked, confused. Opening her lips to speak, another Hunter, the one who had untied her, clamped his hand across her mouth. Scowling against the taste of sweat on his hand, she stood there, listening as her brother clicked with the Talon. She imagined that the sound he made was similar to the way rocks would speak. Rocks with phlegm. Lots of phlegm. She nearly gagged twice.
After several moments, Rin was finally released. “What’s going on?” she asked, voice kept to a whisper. Her initial shock worn away, she actually looked at the creature. The skin was dark, several shades short of black. Its bright irises made a stark contrast. Staring at Marcus, the Talon’s eyes were an intelligent, calm gold. Fully retracted, its twelve claws seemed little more than fingernails. Decorated with feathers, it stood fully erect and she noticed two more Talon as its flanks, their heads bowed in humble respect, tails wrapped around their waists like belts. They seemed so human. Were these Talon and the rabid monsters from before really the same species?
“He’s the leader, their ‘King’.” The Hunter to her right said.
King? The Talon had a King? Rin almost laughed but his somber expression killed the sound before it left her. “Why’s he here?” She asked, not understanding. Hunters tracked down Talon for a living. Why would the two ever interact?
“He’s here to ask for our help.” None of the men said anything more, ignoring all other questions she posed.
It didn’t take long before Marcus motioned Rin forward and, cautious, she joined him. She wasn’t even sure which surprised her more, the Talon or the fact that her brother had learned to communicate with them. He’d always been so lazy in the past, only choosing the easiest path. Seeing him as a leader was more unbelievable than seeing wood.
“You are Tamer.”
Rin felt her jaw fall. The voice was masculine, deep and rhythmic. Up close, she could see the angular features of… his face. His nose was flat and broad and she could see rows of rounded teeth inside his lipless mouth. “Y-Yes” she cleared her throat, surprised to hear herself stutter. She hadn’t expected it to speak English.
“She’s the only one left, Kakon.” Marcus said, eyes flitting over Rin. In that moment, she felt like an object being appraised for auction. Brow furrowed, she met his gaze head on. How had he known the others were dead? She’d barely found out herself.
The Talon King snorted at the interruption, “Let female speak.” He shifted, physically rejecting Marcus from the conversation.
“Thank you-” Rin paused, not sure how to address him, “-sir.” All this time and now she was carrying a conversation with one of them. It unsettled her. “Why am I here?” Guessing by his earlier statement, it had to do with her job. What use would he possibly have with her? She held no power.
The Talon straightened itself--himself to his full height. She barely came to his shoulder, “Here to save.” His eye twitched in annoyance when her expression remained blank, “My people taken. I will have back.”
“I can’t help you. Thompson runs the program. I only train-”
Kakon roared, eyes and nostrils flaring, “Not animals!” His tail unwrapped, lashing out, “Sick. Caged are sick. Not animals.” A clicking emanated from deep within his throat as Marcus jerked her away.
“What’s going on?” Rin demanded. The absolute fury of the Talon terrified her. It wasn’t the blind madness of the one that slaughtered the Primer. That she was used to, but this bitter, calculating wrath made her shrink. It made her feel like a small child being scolded by an angry parent. The King seemed one misspoken word away from killing her and anyone else that got in the way.
Marcus continued to pull her away from the Talon until they were as far away as the confines as the room would allow. The others Hunters rushed to Kakon, attempting to placate him as they moved him back into the other room. “I didn’t think you’d believe me if I told you about the Talon without showing you first.”
“That they’re intelligent?” She hated to admit it but he was right. She wouldn’t have thought it possible.
“No. It’s more than that. The Talon that we capture go crazy.”
Rin’s dry stare cut him off. “Oh. Really?” She tilted her cheek up to him. The bandage had come loose in the abduction. The gash from the early morning was already red and angry, glaring out at him. She turned her face to the other side, showing old scars that were still highly prominent. “I had no idea they lashed out.”
“You don’t understand.” Marcus said, rolling his eyes. “They actually go crazy. This whole problem is a disease. If they become infected, they go rabid and their eyes turned red. The thing is,” he looked away seeming almost bashful, “those that haven’t been cured will start going from docile and sweet to rampaging monsters any day. The Talon obviously can’t just waltz in and cure their own. They’d be caught and caged like the others.”
His words seeped into her memory, forcing her to look back. It was true. The Talon that attacked her had red eyes, as did the one that killed the Primer. “Why would they come to us for help though? And you, you’re a Hunter. It doesn’t feel right.”
“I don’t trust them either.” Marcus grinned. “Not entirely. But, I believe what he says. We have no right to use them as cattle. We already stole part of their planet. That’s enough abuse for anyone.”
Rin nodded, feeling herself give into him as she always had. She didn’t trust her brother anymore, being abandoned by family tended to have that effect, but she sensed his instincts were right. “What’s my role in this? Why can’t you just get all the Hunters to stop the supply entirely?”
“We’re working on it. But we need to get to those already inside. Only Tamers can gain access once they’ve been sold.” His eyes broke away as he rubbed the back of his neck. There was her explanation for what happened to the other Tamers. All dead and then suddenly her brother was asking her to do something this dangerous. Like he said, the Talon couldn’t cure their own.
“The other Tamers, were they working for you?” she asked, tasting bile when he gave a short nod. Her brother had come because there was no one else to help him. “I really should’ve slapped you earlier.”
Marcus laughed his grin back into place. “Wait here.” He left the room and she could hear clicking from beyond the door. Moments later, he returned with a large leather satchel. It was worn and covered in scorched marks. Holding it out, his smile faded. “There’s one dose for every Talon in captivity. It takes about a week go through their system but all you have to do is give them a single injection. You take care of their minds and we’ll get them out.”
He stopped suddenly, frowning as he looked at her, “Rin. I know that you’re still angry with me, so do this for the Talon. They don’t deserve being locked up.”
Rin crossed her arms, remembering the silver Talon she’d spoken to only a few hours before. It had been so helpless and meek. And yet, it would rampage and Thompson would put it down. He would put them all down.
“Fine,” Rin said, taking the parcel, “I’ll do it.” She peeked inside. Dozens upon dozens of glass vials glistened in the soft light. “How will I know where all the Talon are?”
“Jesse.”
Rin choked. “What?!”
“She’s worked with us for years.” He grinned at her reaction, placing his arm around her shoulders. “Or rather, we’ve been working for her. She’s our liaison, if you will. She’ll give you the names of the owners and help get you in.” Leaning over, he pressed his lips to her forehead. “Sorry about this.”
“About w-”
¨¨¨
Rin groaned, hands clutching her head, neck stinging where she could feel the leftover pinprick of a needle. “I did not sign up to get injected, poked and prodded!” She yelled to her own bare walls, wishing she really had slapped her brother. He could’ve at least let her walk in the dirt before bringing her back ‘home’. Bare grey walls, a bed, and a rickety old three-legged chair were all that filled the small room. She didn’t used to mind it but seeing the vibrancy of the world outside suddenly made her wish she was a Hunter. Grumbling, she flopped back down onto her thin, bleached cot. The satchel was placed on her pillow with her tablet set on top. Two words were on the screen. Good Luck.
¨¨¨
The work went more quickly than Rin could’ve hoped. With the limited batches of Talon and the Primers too scared to go near them, she suddenly had time to spend as she wished. No one took note of her traveling throughout the confines; a Tamer doing check-ups was a common practice. All Rin had to do was offer her services for free and doors practically flew open on their own.
Jesse came in handy for the more suspicious owner–one falsely tripped biohazard alarm from those amazing computers of hers and owners stumbled over themselves to leave their homes. None of them would ever even know that Rin had been inside.
The inoculation was, if possible, even simpler than reaching the Talon. They all remained in their docile state from the Tamers’ thorough training. All she had to do was attach the needle and puncture their thick hide. The clear, viscous antidote drained into the creatures’ bloodstreams on its own.
The more Talon that Rin injected, the more she saw them as human. Many were left in gilded cages on display, the way she always pictured, but others were locked in chains, forced to sleep standing. It made her ill.
Five days passed since Marcus’s ‘recruitment’ and Rin was already down to the last name. The best and worst; Thompson. Appealing as it was to think of robbing the arrogant fascist of the Talon he’d built his empire on, his home would also be the hardest to get in to. Even Jesse, with all her beloved machines, couldn’t hack into his systems. Rin was on her own.
Thompson’s estate was more of a palace than anything else. Placed at the very center of the confines, it towered above the colony. Even while perched on the wall around his home, she still couldn’t see the tops of the trees outside. Instead of the metal and plastic that comprised her pitiful excuse of a home, his was built of beautifully patterned marble that made sure no one could forget his wealth. Eyes narrowing at his gilded estate, she couldn’t wait to punch a hole in his ego!
Forced to wait until the night shift of Thompson’s guard, Rin counted through the doses again. Eight vials meant eight Talon left. She scoffed, eyes rolling. The more she saw the Talon as people, the sicker she became with the thought of treating them like property. Slavery was out-lawed in every civil sector throughout the Milky Way. It was why Thompson classified them as animals. Beasts were made for burden.
As the sun passed beyond the wall, the path lights dimmed section by section until darkness permeated the confines. Slinging the satchel across her shoulder, she eased her way into Thompson’s compound, sticking to the wall. Only two guards stood on duty, glowing in the soft light of a single lamp above their bare heads. Rin barely managed to keep laughter to herself at how shiny the tops of their heads were. Butterflies wreaked havoc to her stomach as she approached them with an open air, “Good evening, gentlemen,” She pulled out her ID card, proffering it out to them, “I’m here to make sure the Talon are in good health.”
Their guns, previously raised for intruders, lowered several inches. The pair seemed to bulge right out of their black shirts. Heads shaved bald to show their mastery over the weapons they carried, Rin wondered when someone had last dared to attack them. Still, no matter their skill, she trained Talon for a living. These two seemed like little girls in comparison. Her hands clenched anxiously as she assessed the pair of them. Taking the first by surprise wouldn’t be hard but the second…
“No one’s allowed in while the Colonel is away.”
“Oh, are you sure?” Rin asked. Forcing feigned innocence, she wasn’t sure if she got it right or if she just looked ill. It wasn’t exactly her strength. “I’m expected.”
“Oh, are you sure?” Rin asked. Forcing feigned innocence, she wasn’t sure if she got it right or if she just looked ill. It wasn’t exactly her strength. “I’m expected.”
They glanced to each other before shaking their bare heads in unison. They weren’t going to risk being fired over a mistake. “Come back later.”
Forcing what she hoped was a regretful sigh, Rin nodded. “I understand.” Half-turned to leave she paused. “Thank you for your time, gentleman. And… I’m sorry about this.” Grabbing the gun of the nearest guard, she thrust the metal back up into his stomach. Whipping around, her heavy boot connected with the second’s head just as he lifted his gun to aim. He got off a shot, the bullet disappearing into the dark. Whipping back around to the first, she conked him in the back of the head to ensure he wouldn’t be a bother any time soon. One lay flat on his back, mouth gaping open with his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The other sat crumpled beside the door; he was still holding onto his gun, a thin trail of smoke carried the scent of gunpowder.
“Right. I’m so not going to be in trouble for this.” She muttered to herself before dashing inside. Someone would’ve heard that shot. Her time limit had just become a whole lot smaller.
Pulling out the schematics for the house that Jesse had provided, Rin looked around the vast house to orientate herself. Five floors in total, four above and one below ground with sixty-three rooms. Even with the technician’s notes about the layout, she wondered if she would really be able to find them all.
Starting at a sprint, Rin flew down to the bottom floor, third door on the right, straight ahead. Already panting, she smiled when she came upon three of the eight Talon all chained up against the wall. Hope made her dizzy. Barely started and she was already close to halfway done. Readying the injections, the Talon barely acknowledged her existence as they crouched, huddled up together. Stroking the bare back of one as she worked, she noticed that all three bore long, thin scars that looked like lash marks. One had even had its tail removed. They seemed so dead to the world that even when she pierced their skin, none of them so much as blinked. What had Thompson done to them?
She was done and pressing on in moments, her anger making her even more determined to get the job done. A quick run through the main level turned up nothing but more examples of Thompson’s hubris. He had statues and rare relics from Earth that were centuries old. She paused to look at one, wondering why anyone would paint a woman without eyebrows.
Moving to the second floor, a marble carving of Thompson himself stared down at her with vacant green eyes. That stupid hat still looked ridiculous. Searching the rooms, she came across Talons four and five. They sat just as docile as the first three but without the chains or scars. Their eyes were vacant of life and Rin wondered if they had ever seen the outside of the room since their incarceration. They took notice of her. Shifting, they crawled forward on all fours, eyes suddenly tinted with curiosity. Rin noticed their eyes were darker than the last group. They weren’t red yet but they seemed to turn a ruddy orange even as she watched.
Rin shook her head, telling herself to concentrate as she gave them both the injection. The Talon on the right hissed in irritation, retreating to the wall. The other sat there like a small boy expecting a treat for taking his medicine.
“I’m sorry.” Rin whispered to the creature, running back into the hall and dashing up another flight of marble stairs. She felt her luck running thin when voices echoed up to her ears. Panic kicking in, blank door after blank door was all she could see as she ran through the third floor. Instead of taking the time to open each door, Rin kicked them in. A dozen rooms, two dozen. Many were filled with odd leather-bound objects inscribed with words like ‘Moby Dick’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’ on the sides. There were rooms full of old weapons caked in rust. But no Talon.
Only one door remained. Her ankle shifted as she kicked it down, making her stumble into the room before falling to her knees. Blaring alarms suddenly sounded from every direction. Cursing away the pain, she looked up in time to see a Talon before large twelve-fingered hands shoved her chest. The attack threw her clear into the hallway, back arching in pain when it slammed against stone.
Rin gasped for air as she scrambled to her feet, glad that the Talon had had its claws trimmed when it was processed. The creature’s eyes were only mildly shaded with orange, wide with fear. The alarms had sent it into a panic and she watched as it ran around the room blindly, arms and tail flailing everywhere. Connecting the needle to the vial of anti-dote, Rin’s instincts and training kicked in as she re-entered the room.
Keeping low to the ground, she held her free hand open in front of her. All Talon that went through the Center were trained to cower before that signal. As she inched closer, the Talon kept backing up until it was cornered. Its head continued to thrash about as she jabbed the Talon right in the neck. Roaring at the unwelcome penetration, the Talon charged back out, forcing Rin to jump into the hall before it could hit her again. She slammed the door shut just in time to hear the creature crash into it.
The sound of steps reverberated off the stone and a voice carried from beneath Rin’s feet from the floor below. Thompson was home and he didn’t sound happy as he barked orders to find the intruder. He hadn’t seen her yet but it wouldn’t take long. Limping away on her ankle that stubbornly remained out of place, she headed up to the top floor. It was a perfect circle set with five doors. Swallowing back pain, she slipped into the nearest one. The seventh Talon lay curled in the furthest corner from the door, a gold chain around its neck.
Approaching at a crawl, Rin took out the second to last vial. The pale Talon gave no fuss or protest to her presence. At the pinprick of the shot, it turned and looked at her with wide eyes that seemed to shimmer with tears. This close, Rin could see that its skin was silver. “You again.” Taking a moment to rest, Rin actually smiled as she stroked the poor creature. Its features were so much softer than Kakon’s and its eyes were a muted yellow. “I’m sorry.” She hoped the Talon would one day understand her whispered apology. “You’ll be back home soon.”
Working her ankle back into place, Rin tossed the satchel aside, tucking the last serum into her boot. Hesitantly standing to test her newly set ankle, her muscles locked into place when a hand came down on her shoulder.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Thompson. She hadn’t even heard him come in.
“You told me I wasn’t doing my job properly, Sir.” She said. “I was checking through the stock.” She knew even he wouldn’t fall for such a weak lie but all she needed was a window of opportunity. One moment of distraction and she could get to the last of the Talon.
His grip tightened on her shoulder and she felt something shift with a painful pop. “Do you take me for a fool?”
Yes.
Unable to turn her body in his vice-grip, Rin thrust her elbow into his side with a satisfying crack. His body crumpled in around the wound. She suddenly became his crutch. Kicking the back of his knee, Thompson’s hold released to catch himself before he fell. Rin took off, slamming the door behind her. Four rooms left to check. Throwing herself against the first door, she growled in frustration at the Talon-less room. The second door offered nothing but a disturbingly unclothed picture of the man she’d just injured. Doubling back, she burst into the third room, almost tripping over the occupant. Her eyes instantly went to the Talon’s face and she saw it was almost too far-gone. Its eyes were a deep, burnt orange with red beginning to radiate from the center of the slit pupils. If Marcus was right, the Talon would start rampaging any moment. Fingers gracing along the top of her boot, they met the cool glass of the vial, its needle already attached.
“Don’t!”
How did he manage to stay right behind her!
“You don’t understand what’s going on.” Thompson said, stumbling into the hallways with his hands clenching his side. “Please, wait!” Barreling in, his arms latched onto her, antidote slipping from her hand. “They’re not what you think!”
Rin couldn’t spare him time for lies and brought her knee up to the side where she’d already fractured several of his ribs. Ignoring his groans, she dropped to her knees. Fingers splayed on the marble as she searched for the antidote under various boxes and pieces of furniture. She prayed it wasn’t broken.
Fist finally curling around the glass, Rin was just on her feet when a tail whipped out to meet her, knocking her back to the ground. Her lungs compressed as the air left them, making her gasp. The Talon’s eyes had bled to crimson during Thompson’s attempts to stop her. Muttering curses upon him and any unfortunate offspring, she pushed herself up. Serum ready, she held the needle out in front like a knife. One good jab and her task would be complete. The Talon would be free. Marcus could come home. She would have a family again.
The Talon snarled. Seeing Rin as a greater threat than Thompson, it charged her. Reacting too late, the tip of its tail tore her shoulder open. She could feel her hot blood soak through her shirt, making it blossom scarlet. Her grip on the antidote only tightened. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she stayed low to the ground. One jab, she kept repeating in her head. One clean strike and then she could run. The Talon could take care of Thompson after that.
“Don’t! Please!” The Colonel was laid out on the ground, perfect hair strewn into his sweat-drenched face as he curled up around his side.
“Shut up.” She snapped, devoting her attention to the creature as they circled each other. The Talon deserved to be free and Rin wouldn’t allow anyone else to die because of pathetic human greed. “Come on.” Rin said, motioning to the Talon as she bent at the knees. “Let’s dance.”
Rin lunged.
The Talon struck.
¨¨¨
Rin’s eyes fluttered open. She scowled. Why was she always blacking out? It was wearing her patience thin. Throat dry, her eyes darted about to take in her surroundings. Metal and concrete confirmed she was still inside the confines though it wasn’t nearly lavish enough to be in Thompson’s home. It reminded her of the Center’s clinics. She’d had enough injuries over the years to be familiar with that chemically sanitized smell. Everything gleamed in the steady lights from above and only muffled sounds came from outside the closed white door. The windowless room set her on edge. It felt too much like a cage.
“You’re awake!” Jesse leaned into Rin’s face, grinning. “I’m so glad. For a while, I thought that Talon had gotten the better of you but I knew you would wake up in the end. I told Kakon you were tough but he didn’t believe me. At least, not until I put you against that rabid Talon.”
She took a breath, barely pausing, “Don’t move and don’t bother trying to speak, you’ll just feel stupid later. They’re not going to kill you but-” she stopped for a moment to glance at the door and Rin thought the sounds from outside grew louder, “-but, well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what I choose to do with you once they’re done.” Pushing her glasses back into place, Jesse bounced around the room, collecting a syringe and needle as she went.
Annoyed at the vague and ambiguous information, Rin tried to sit up. She couldn’t move. More than that, she couldn’t even feel her arms. She couldn’t feel anything below her neck. Attempting to speak, all that came out was a dry rasp.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Jesse came back, nonchalantly sticking a needle into Rin’s arm. Rin’s stomach churned as she felt the thick, brown sludge infecting her blood. “I told you you’d only embarrass yourself.” Clicking her tongue, Jesse sounded like a Talon.
Rin scowled, managing a shake of the head and a short grunt. What happened to land her here? The last thing she remembered was injecting the Talon. She’d gotten the vial in, the anti-dote injected but there’d been pain. Sharp, biting, consuming pain radiating from her stomach until everything faded and grew cold. The Talon must’ve hit her. So how was she still alive? Thompson wouldn’t have been able to get himself out of that room, let alone both of them. And the more she looked around, the more she was sure that she’d been in this clinic before.
A squeak from the door tugged her attention away from the technician. For a moment, she thought that the injection was a hallucinogenic but then she heard the screams. Cries for mercy filled the air, too full of pain to have come from her own mind. A child begged for her mother before the cries suddenly went silent. Through the open crack, she could see Talon pouring through the now muddied passages of the Center. Draped in elaborate feathers with crude weapons of stone and wood wielded above their heads, hordes trampled in. These weren’t the sick ones she’d worked so hard to save, but tall and intelligent like their king.
Jesse hummed, uncaring to the events outside. “Don’t worry,” she said, “they’re only here to kill the other workers, not us. Kakon and I agreed that everyone who helped him wouldn’t have to die. Besides, his mate likes you.” She suddenly leaned in and Rin could smell her stale breath. “Oh! I forgot to tell you the best part. Are you gonna guess?”
Jesse giggled again, pushing her glasses up. “They let me take care of Thompson! You did half of the job for me but I forgive you for that. Thompson is gone, the colony will finally be under proper control and life is beautiful~” She rested her hand in her chin, eyes gaining a dreamy quality. “Just me and those worthy enough to start this whole planet over again will survive. Isn’t that nice of Kakon? I brought him the cure and he’s letting me keep the colony for myself.” She grinned like a child opening a present for the first time.
Jesse was simply insane, Rin decided. How could anyone react so happily to committing murder? “Mar…” Rin wasn’t able to finish her brother’s name. She needed someone to ground her back into reality.
Jesse was simply insane, Rin decided. How could anyone react so happily to committing murder? “Mar…” Rin wasn’t able to finish her brother’s name. She needed someone to ground her back into reality.
The technician shifted to the side, revealing several rows of bodies, covered in white sheets up to their necks, laid out on slabs. Chests rose and fell, eyelids fluttered but there was no other movement, not the slightest twitch, a single gasp. They were living dead.
Rin tried to say her brother’s name again.
“Right there on the end. He looks so much better now, don’t you think?”
Rin’s stomach churned. His hair was gone. Whatever they’d shaved Marcus’ head with left ugly, angry marks across his scalp and chin. Her eyes snapped back to Jesse and Rin glared with an intensity to melt her face. Only Rin was allowed to mess with her brother and get away with it!
“Awrh, come on.” Jesse said, pouting. “It’s really not that bad. One day, I might even decide to let you rule with me. Probably not, though.” She giggled again and the screams of the colonists outside increased as the door opened. The Talon in the doorway was tall and pale, tail wrapped around its waist. “Don’t worry about her,” Jesse whispered, “She’s going to monitor your vital signs.” Turning to the Talon, clicking came from Jesse’s throat before the creature replaced Jesse at Rin’s side.
“Thank you.” The Talon said and Rin’s eyes widened as she saw the silver sheen to the Talon’s skin. This was Kakon’s ‘mate’. “Kakon not attack until I free.”
Rin felt her mind reel and scream even as her body froze, unable to move even her lips. Completely conscious, only her eyes would obey her will. Talon at her side, Rin felt herself carted over to rest in silence beside her brother.
“Sleep now. Shhhhh.”
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