Becoming Sleepers (6/14)
Title: Sixteen (Miranda) (6/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Rating: R
Title: Sixteen (Miranda) (6/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done.
Rating: R for graphic (Reaver) violence and language
Notes: This is based on stormwolf-dawn7’s Sleepers (alt.version). Even if you decide to skip my story I highly encourage you to read (or re-read) hers.
River pulled another box off of the seemingly endless pile. She had been watching memory after memory, searching for anything left of the human that once existed in this body. The last memory she had watched was of the Reaver and others of its kind as they prepared to attack a ship of settlers bound for some dusty planet where they hoped to make a home. She saw them make fresh cuts in their skin and smear the dripping blood over their bodies. She almost laughed at the cooperation between the monsters as one helped push a piece of jagged metal through a fellow reaver’s lip.
Opening a new box, River watched the memory of being part of a raiding party unfurl in front of her. She saw him corner a helpless woman dressed in a ratty dress. The woman pushed her body as close to the wall as she could, as if she thought she could melt into it given enough strength. As his bloodied hand reached towards her, River saw the woman wince and turn away. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his face, enjoying the look of horror in her widening eyes. She felt the hot gush of blood down his throat as he took the first bite out of the still screaming victim.
River pulled out of the memory before it could continue. She knew how this one would end, just like the others she had seen. The reavers would rape, torture and eat their prey, possibly leaving one or two alive to watch. Next, they would take what they wanted from the ship, mostly spare parts for their own ship but occasionally they would take any supplies they saw lying around. River noticed that they never took food or medical supplies. After skinning a few of the bodies, they would string up the rest and install trap for any rescue ships that might come by.
Tossing the box away and digging further into the pile, she wished for the umpteenth time that there was some kind of labeling system in the Reaver’s mind. She giggled at the thought of office workers scurrying around trying to cross reference words like “blood” and “gore.” Finally getting towards the bottom of the pile, she tried to pick up a large box but for the first time it was too heavy to lift. Tilting her head curiously at it, she dragged the box away from the others and lifted the lid.
The sun was shining brightly and he stepped under an awning, grateful for the cool shade. She caught a glimpse of him in the reflection of a window and was surprised to see him look mostly human. He was covered in dirt and a crusty maroon substance that was probably dried blood but, from the lack of pain and obvious injuries, it didn’t seem to be his own. Looking out over the city, she saw several buildings on fire with smoke billowing out the broken windows. The cloudless sky would be darkened with it soon.
A man in a gray uniform ran by chased by two men in similar conditions as the Reaver. He followed quickly. Food had been scarce lately and he was hungry. He found the two reavers had already brought the man down and were pulling off chunks of flesh with their teeth. They moved aside as he came to join them, allowing him to share in their feast. With their bellies full, they dragged the rest of the carcass to a shady building a few blocks away, with the words “Miranda Alliance Base” on a sign out front.
As soon as they entered into the large front lobby, the other reavers flocked to them, grabbing any bit of the body that they could reach. They ate when they could but live people had become harder to find as the weeks went by. Most people had let themselves die and the reavers never touched dead bodies. Soon, there would be no more food left on the planet and they would starve. Though, some of them had been tinkering with a ship for the past few days and had a plan to take to the skies. The Reaver thought it might work and was willing to give it a try.
< Previous: chapter 5: Eighteen (Boxes) | Next: chapter 7: Fourteen (Questions and Maybes)>
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Rating: R
Title: Sixteen (Miranda) (6/14)
Series Title: Becoming Sleepers
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done.
Rating: R for graphic (Reaver) violence and language
Notes: This is based on stormwolf-dawn7’s Sleepers (alt.version). Even if you decide to skip my story I highly encourage you to read (or re-read) hers.
River pulled another box off of the seemingly endless pile. She had been watching memory after memory, searching for anything left of the human that once existed in this body. The last memory she had watched was of the Reaver and others of its kind as they prepared to attack a ship of settlers bound for some dusty planet where they hoped to make a home. She saw them make fresh cuts in their skin and smear the dripping blood over their bodies. She almost laughed at the cooperation between the monsters as one helped push a piece of jagged metal through a fellow reaver’s lip.
Opening a new box, River watched the memory of being part of a raiding party unfurl in front of her. She saw him corner a helpless woman dressed in a ratty dress. The woman pushed her body as close to the wall as she could, as if she thought she could melt into it given enough strength. As his bloodied hand reached towards her, River saw the woman wince and turn away. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his face, enjoying the look of horror in her widening eyes. She felt the hot gush of blood down his throat as he took the first bite out of the still screaming victim.
River pulled out of the memory before it could continue. She knew how this one would end, just like the others she had seen. The reavers would rape, torture and eat their prey, possibly leaving one or two alive to watch. Next, they would take what they wanted from the ship, mostly spare parts for their own ship but occasionally they would take any supplies they saw lying around. River noticed that they never took food or medical supplies. After skinning a few of the bodies, they would string up the rest and install trap for any rescue ships that might come by.
Tossing the box away and digging further into the pile, she wished for the umpteenth time that there was some kind of labeling system in the Reaver’s mind. She giggled at the thought of office workers scurrying around trying to cross reference words like “blood” and “gore.” Finally getting towards the bottom of the pile, she tried to pick up a large box but for the first time it was too heavy to lift. Tilting her head curiously at it, she dragged the box away from the others and lifted the lid.
The sun was shining brightly and he stepped under an awning, grateful for the cool shade. She caught a glimpse of him in the reflection of a window and was surprised to see him look mostly human. He was covered in dirt and a crusty maroon substance that was probably dried blood but, from the lack of pain and obvious injuries, it didn’t seem to be his own. Looking out over the city, she saw several buildings on fire with smoke billowing out the broken windows. The cloudless sky would be darkened with it soon.
A man in a gray uniform ran by chased by two men in similar conditions as the Reaver. He followed quickly. Food had been scarce lately and he was hungry. He found the two reavers had already brought the man down and were pulling off chunks of flesh with their teeth. They moved aside as he came to join them, allowing him to share in their feast. With their bellies full, they dragged the rest of the carcass to a shady building a few blocks away, with the words “Miranda Alliance Base” on a sign out front.
As soon as they entered into the large front lobby, the other reavers flocked to them, grabbing any bit of the body that they could reach. They ate when they could but live people had become harder to find as the weeks went by. Most people had let themselves die and the reavers never touched dead bodies. Soon, there would be no more food left on the planet and they would starve. Though, some of them had been tinkering with a ship for the past few days and had a plan to take to the skies. The Reaver thought it might work and was willing to give it a try.
< Previous: chapter 5: Eighteen (Boxes) | Next: chapter 7: Fourteen (Questions and Maybes)>