Party Crasher

A Chapter by Lemunculus2

Chris's argument with Siri is interrupted.

Party Crasher

Chris was speechless. He wished Siri was in front of him for him to stare at. “Are you kidding me?”

“Negative, solider.”

“I didn’t sign up for this. I didn’t sign up for anything! Get me out of here!”

“That is impossible. We are in deep space.”

He clenched his fists, trying to contain his frustration. It was the only way he knew to stay sane at this point. “I know, Siri, I KNOW you think you’re in space, I don’t know what’s going on, or what you are. I’m just…I’m so confused. I’m tired. I just want to go home.”

“I am sorry, soldier Hamington. That is impossible. Your first training exercise will begin soon. And, when you have finished, you will feel more comfortable when you are introduced into your new environment with your fellow trainees.”

Chris paced, the sound of his boots on the grated floor disguising the throbbing noise below. “Yeah, sure. Give the lab rat a new habitat and some buddies. That’ll make him happy.”

“If I may, you are of much greater importance than a mere lab rat. Do not feel as if you must degrade yourself in order to fit in this scenario.”

“That’s the thing, Siri. No matter what, I don’t fit in this scenario. And if you’re telling the truth about the whole ‘failed attempts’ thing, then that means you’re probably going to knowingly send me to my death.”

“...Not purposefully.”

“Knowingly IS purposefully.”

“Yes.”

“Then isn’t it just the same thing?”

“…No.”

“Damn, I wish I knew if you were telling the truth. This is like pulling teeth with a crowbar. From a ridiculously articulate woman who says ‘Oh, I can help you understand everything. But I’ll do it so you won’t understand. Sound good?’ I’m starting to miss the old Siri.”

The throbbing noise was louder. It seemed to be growing in volume every few minutes. Like it was getting closer, or something. It was starting to irritate him. He tried to ignore it.

“My actions are for your own good, to the best of my capacity,” Siri protested, her robotic female voice taking on a very reasonable tone.

“I don’t have time to argue,” Chris said. “I’m done with this. One way or another I’m getting out of here. But I just have one more question, Siri.”

“What is that, soldier Hamington?”

“How did your other ‘attempts’ die?”

The thumping was louder.

It was closer.

“I never relayed that they died.”

Suddenly it was right under him.

It was so loud.

He covered his ears as a painful, piercing, continuous shriek emanated from the metal below. It drove him down on his knees as his head started to swim again.

The floor erupted as a huge plate of black metal flew past his face. He shut his eyes tight as if that would protect him. It felt as if the entire room would come crashing down on him. He almost prayed it would, so he could end this nightmare, but it all just felt so real to him.

He kept his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, his hands still over his ears even though the noise has stopped. He slowly put them down and opened his eyes.

Standing over him was a huge, white creature.

Its overall shape was lean and slender, with material that looked like a carapace adorning the shoulders, chest, hips, and long, muscled legs. Out of its head came what would have been a horn if it didn’t double back and attach again to the skull. As his eyes followed down the length of its arms, he noted the long, ivory claws that ran from what he would call its fingertips. As for its face, it had no eyes, or mouth, or anything, but he felt like if he stared there long enough he would start to go insane.

The room was silent. It seemed like it went on forever. The thing was staring at him, but he didn’t want to look at it again. Maybe it would attack him if he did. He knew it was sentient. He could feel it inspecting him, although he didn’t know with what. It was probably kind of hard to see without, you know, eyes.

Siri was the first to speak.

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