Night 58: Infirmary

[ninelivesonce]

[from here]The door to the infirmary swung open slowly, as Taura pushed it open first a crack, and then far enough to slip through. Vague shapes -- beds? -- lined the walls, but even her eyes couldn't pick out more than that. She switched on her flashlight and blinked at the brightness

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[ninelivesonce]

Two men were lying on the end beds, talking animatedly, though no matter how hard Taura tried, she couldn't hear a word. The closer one had his back to her, but she knew that crew cut -- people said they all looked alike, but that was just an excuse for dirtsiders to complain about spacers when her hair had fooled them into thinking she was otherwise.

Or, more likely, they'd forgotten to think of her as human, and thus had relegated her to the realm of terrifying furniture. Which, to be fair, seemed to be a dirtsider specialty. At least on some planets. Some times it was what they did on the furniture, but sometimes it was just...odd.

As she stood up to get a look at the man TK was talking to, something slashed into her right calf. Careless! She hissed, in pain and in recognition.

Armand St. Just, alive and smiling, was the other man. "Hey!" Taura kicked backwards as she yelled, but whatever it was hadn't grabbed, merely slashed.

A cut, even several deep ones, wasn't going to slow her down, and she spun, yanking the throwing star free as she did. It slid out of the holster with a wet squelch; the point never touched her skin, but the pressure was enough to split the injection site open, like a fingernail on overripe fruit. "If you boys don't mind, you might want to get out of here," she added, not turning around. "There's something in here."

[damned_monsters]

If the cat had been a sentient creature, it would have wondered why Taura was talking to an empty room. Of course, her words were meaningless compared to its insatiable hunger. The scent of fresh blood reached its nose, fueling its desire for even more.

Letting out a sharp hiss, the creature easily regained its balance. Despite the darkness, the cat saw her produce some sort of sharp object with ease. Of course, that meant little when compared to the prospect of a good meal. It jumped forward again in a single, lithe motion, trying to claw at her legs again in order to bring her down onto the floor this time.

[ninelivesonce]

Neither of the men moved. "Now!" Taura couldn't spare them another moment; but if she could bring whatever this was, down, they'd all be spared as many as they wanted. She eyed the creature, pacing in the dark, eyes glowing back at her.

A predator's eyes met its prey, but who was who? Taura held her ground, and waited for it to jump. Her metal claws were longer, and she could bring them down across its forelimbs as she stepped out of the way.

[damned_monsters]

The claws met their mark, slashing into the creature's skin. The cat gave a blood-curdling yowl as blood spattered onto the floor. The cuts were so deep in places that parts of its bones peeked out from behind open flesh. The monster stumbled for a few moments, baring its fangs at the woman.

It recognized that its prey's reach extended further than it had anticipated. Instead of rushing ahead like less intelligent creatures, the cat began to slink toward the side, glowing eyes looking for any sign of weakness or vulnerability so it could strike again.

[ninelivesonce]

Blood. Taura bared her teeth, and ran her tongue over their tiny little points. They wouldn't cut well, but that was all right. This didn't need to happen quickly.

It slinked one way; Taura slinked the other, eyes locked. A killer's dance, a lover's dance, teeth and lips and blood and brains, an appetizer for the real meal. There were two humans who trusted her back there, fat and complacent.

Oh, shit. "No," Taura hissed, and leapt over the cat and ran for the door. TK and Armand could handle a cat, even injured, but not this. Never, never this. She didn't have enough mind left to warn them, only to run.

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