PAST

  Pain.

  First sensation on waking. Great pain. Chest. A pain with name. Back broken once. This is worse. Confusion. How?

  Memory. The Hunt. Scent of killbeast. Mind of killbeast. Long days. Too long. Tired. Too tired.

  Ambush.

  Pain again. Great pain. More pain than any story.

  Sound. Verbal sound. Bruise inside skull. Loud. Too loud. Killbeast?

  No.

  Self.

  Death?

  Death. Echoes. Me. Dying.

  No. Eamon no die.

  Rise.

  Restraints.

  More pain. Roar trapped in belly. Great noise. Peace. Calm. Pain? What is pain?

  Sleep.

  No.

  Open eyes.

  Must open.

  Where?

  Ice. Cave. Tubing. Metal. Steam. Different noise. Banging. Clanging. Whirring. Pain. Loud noise. Self again.

  Still live.

  Different voice. Familiar. Agasan. Coward. Ran from killbeast. Bloody Tusk never runs. All are prey to Ja’ir.

  Rest. Everything will be better.

  Nice voice. Pleasant. Soothing. Loving.

  His Empress.

  He does for her. Everything.

  Dwelling of The Operator. Half Ja’ir, half machine. Remember. Was here long ago.

  Sleep.

  Darkness.

  Weightless.

  Machine noise. Familiar. The Operator is rebirth. The Operator is god.

  Bright.

  Cold air. Sunlight. Refreshing. Strong.

  Stronger than before.

  Killbeast hypernetic will be your symbol of power. Face of steel, conquering all in your path. So sexy.

  Front limbs. Strong. Same.

  Back limbs. One different. Hypernetic. Heavy.

  Body adapting. Paw prints deeper in snow. Will compensate.

  Will lead Bloody Tusk in glorious hunt.

  Will mate with Empress.

  Heat in chest. Heat lower. Heat that promises.

  Back limbs strong. Hold full weight.

  Raging snow. Raging Eamon. Storm hears. Pack hears.

  Eamon reborn.

  PRESENT

  Day 33

  “Welcome back to Coalition Carnage,” Roxy said. “We’re nearing the end of our go home tour, a ten day extravaganza where we broadcast from the most stunning locales Dycord has to offer, along with a couple of games for our Superstars. But it will be no games today, though, as it’s battle day and the batch we have lined up will leave you breathless, wanting more. But first, a few program changes for the coming days.”

  Bird squawk. In neck ring. Annoying. Planet too warm.

  Dwelling is ship. Crowded with objects. Always breaking. Too close. Walls too thin. Air too soft.

  Neck ring. Dislike. Always there. Always touching.

  Finally. Beeping. Ready for hunt. Tense.

  Bird chirping.

  Bet delicious.

  Knock at dwelling door.

  A Human. Tasty-looking. Biteable head pokes inside.

  “I just had to see you up close,” said Human. “Good luck out there. My daughter has your stuffed toy. Wait until I tell her.”

  Too many words.

  Finally. Tingle in neck. Body.

  Somewhere else.

  Dirt under paws. Low gravity. No air. Sustenance on. Not much time. Must end hunt before Sustenance ends.

  The Junk Moon.

  Crowded. Dead machines. High as glaciers. Familiar. Hunted here before. Last prime hunting season. Many ambush spots.

  Locate prey.

  Listen for thoughts. Simple.

  Found.

  Not far.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Fear. So much fear. Yet determination. Prey will fight.

  Good.

  Stalk prey.

  Prey mind not on hunt. Same thought repeats. Over and over. Loose fang worry tongue.

  When one hunts, stray thoughts lead to fatal mistakes.

  “What?” Narshira snapped. “Tarshira, did you hear that?”

  It is I. The one who will devour you. Eamon of the Bloody Tusk.

  “So the stories are true,” Narshira said confidently. “Ja’ir have telepathic abilities. Can you hear me talk?”

  I hear your thoughts as you speak them. Your mind’s chaotic, yet organized. Never encountered such.

  “Glad to impress,” Narshira said. “You can exit my mind now.”

  Your brother. Bram. You believe he disappeared after his successful hunting twenty seasons past.

  “Don’t need a recap.”

  The thought of seeing him again consumes you. I believe you will succeed.

  “Can’t wait.”

  Many emotions. Small meals. Enough.

  Savor.

  Roxy’s voice kept flowing. “The two Superstars look for each other among the discarded debris of the Junk Moon. Who will gain the upper hand first.”

  See prey.

  Spring ambush.

  A whisper in head.

  Micro-tek?

  “B… Bram?” Narshira breathed.

  Illusion distracts.

  Prey claimed. Head as trophy.

  Past defeat stirs. Not forgotten. Only buried.

  PAST

  99th Coalition Carnage: The Finals

  Heat in chest. Release.

  Human reacts instantly. Last killbeast missile evaded.

  Rage.

  Must kill magic man.

  Rush. Smother with body.

  Missed.

  Where.

  Pain. More pain.

  Magic attack. Unnatural. Unfair.

  Will not fall.

  Spider limbs. Hypernetics. Break ground. Throw ground. Stone. Ice. Anything.

  Snow from neck collar saves magic man. Again.

  More magic. Hate magic.

  Spider limbs, faster movement. Close distance before action. Jaws wide.

  Flash of light.

  Darkness.

  Death?

  Weak.

  On back.

  Spider limbs broken. Killbeast eyes dark. Voices.

  You are not worthy.

  No.

  Empress Ulsa. Most beautiful. Please. Forsake me not.

  Open eyes. Let her see.

  No.

  Gold eyes. Hateful. Beautiful muzzle. Fur like snow. Violet now, close to sun. Space dwelling. Place to mate after feast.

  Agasan here.

  Jealousy. Rage.

  Cannot move.

  Siring the next generation goes to another. Eamon must wait another ten cycles.

  Agasan speak. Slick, like blood.

  Agasan would have won. Found counter to magic. Agasan hypernetics can fight magic. Ask The Operator to be like Agasan.

  Kill.

  Not Empress. Only Agasan.

  Need better hypernetics. Counter magic. Or own magic.

  Traders come to Ja’ir in future.

  Get soul coal.

  No more waiting.

  Ulsa will be Eamon’s mate.

  PRESENT

  Spider limbs make approach silent.

  Prey talks to nothing.

  Illusion of pack mate.

  Quickening. Jaws wide.

  Close on nothing.

  Confusion.

  Thoughts flare. Behind.

  Impact. Little pain. Spider limbs unresponsive.

  “Think I wouldn’t catch on to your Soul Style illusion ability?” Narshira barked. “Eat this!”

  Arrows of fire. Prey has fangs.

  Quicken to avoid. Not afraid.

  Arrows interfere with hypernetics. Connection low. Now strong. Mobility returns.

  Narshira’s thoughts flicker, curious even under stress.

  Those hypernetics are amazingly constructed. Wired directly into the nervous system. How do the Ja’ir achieve such a feat.

  Operator allows Ja’ir to rise to pinnacle of perfection.

  “Stay out of my head,” Narshira barked. “But I have to ask, why spider legs out the back?”

  Snowracnids are fast.

  Show her.

  Close gap.

  Prey now has metal club. Strike broken machine into Eamon.

  No damage.

  Killbeast missile. Direct hit.

  Prey unhurt. Shielding. Like Aura Cloak.

  Change tactics.

  You believe Bram dead. It’s understandable. Sad, it would make you.

  “Oh, shut up.”

  Club comes at head.

  Avoid left.

  Ground smashed to rubble.

  Cannot move. Too much gravity. No hold. No traction.

  Prey incoming, club ready.

  All strength in limbs into ground. Break ground under paws. Prey loses step.

  Eamon uses jaws.

  Only bites club.

  Bite strong. Club breaks.

  Prey quick. Throws sharp objects. They bounce off tough hide.

  Let go. Bram’s dead. Cannot change. Only die like him.

  “Shut up!”

  Limb strike at eyes.

  Pain.

  Anger.

  Her anger.

  Feed.

  Drink it in. Hot feeling. Anger makes fuller than meat.

  Now feel dead machines. Their shapes. Their weight. Where they rested.

  Another strike comes.

  He sends machines at prey.

  Prey avoids.

  “Telekinesis as well?” Narshira said incredulously.

  More machine missiles.

  Success.

  Prey knocked into machine mountain.

  Still feel mind. Shielding again.

  Prey earns respect.

  “I’ve seen enough,” Narshira said. “Introduce yourself, Atom.”

  Metal creature rise over junk.

  “Meet Atom, my oldest,” Narshira said with a touch of pride. “Shake hands, dear boy.”

  Giant limb come down.

  No flee. Never flee.

  Eamon strongest.

  Will beat back metal creature.

  Pain.

  So, so great.

  “Unbelievable!” Roxy cried. “Superstar Eamon met Superstar Narshira’s Mek-Tek attack head on and got flattened! Time to start the count!”

  “Not necessary, if you ask me,” Narshira bragged.

  Body broken. Organs crushed. Blood seeping in dirt. Hypernetics nonfunctional. Light gravity help live. Soul coal intact in body.

  Prey feels proud of metal creation.

  Feed on pride. Fill belly. Pride best power.

  Bones like ice. Blood like water. Body restored.

  Prey notices.

  Pride ends. Panic begins. Prey enters metal creature.

  Telepathic contact severs. Empathy no longer viable.

  What have will be enough.

  Body temperature drops.

  Metal monster raises weapon of fire.

  Ice Age.

  Best power.

  “Incredible!” Roxy shouted. “Superstar Eamon started to, excuse my term, vomit huge volumes of ice right after he got smushed! And it continues to flow over everything! Do all Ja’ir do that? I have never seen such a feat! Everything is covered in it, including Superstar Eamon! Amazing, Superstar Eamon’s entire body is now made of flexible ice, metal parts and all! Superstar Narshira was spared the flash freeze, thanks to her Mek-Tek’s flaming sword! And it’s heavily armed with what appears to be shoulder mount, high caliber ballistics, which go through his ice body, having no effect!”

  Hypernetics remain nonfunctional.

  Even greater mobility as ice.

  Greater power.

  Advance.

  Prey waits with fire weapon.

  “Superstar Eamon goes right in shooting a blast of what I can only assume is cold at Superstar Narshira’s Mek-Tek she called Atom,” Roxy said. “It’s frosting over! What! Atom just burst into flames and is now taking swipes at its assailant! A bear composed of living ice and giant flaming robot, duking it out for supremacy. That’s what Coalition Carnage is all about!”

  Metal monster uses fire. Not magic. Close enough.

  More ice.

  Ice wave. Bury prey.

  “Atom leaps over the coming tsunami of ice,” Roxy commented with a flush of excitement. “flaming sword seeking what was once fur and flesh! But it only gets more ice and cold as Superstar Eamon’s body enlarges to engulf it! Who will win out, ice or fire?!”

  Ice Age wanes.

  Did not feed enough.

  Must finish.

  Fire not gone.

  Prey inside metal fire creature.

  Paws of ice useless. Must crack shell. Meat inside. Delicious.

  More cold.

  Fire dims.

  Metal fire robot holds device.

  Explosion.

  Pain inside.

  Fall.

  Ice Age ends.

  Spider limb hypernetics still dead.

  “Superstar Eamon is back to normal all too quickly as Atom closes the distance, sword and body still flaming!” Roxy shouted. “Superstar Eamon charges too! Can he survive the coming inferno?”

  Brave flames.

  Avoid strike.

  Remember where prey sits.

  Quickening.

  “Oh!” Roxy cried. “Atom just misses a horizontal slash. Superstar Eamon zips under its guard and grips the flaming robot with massive paws!”

  Aura Cloak. Useful.

  Heat in chest.

  New killbeast missile.

  Release.

  All.

  “OMG!” Roxy screamed. “Superstar Eamon let loose those dreaded proton torpedoes right into Atom’s chest! No sound here on the Junk Moon, but I can just imagine the screech of tearing metal and Superstar Narshira’s terrifying scream as death explodes into her cockpit! Atom is down! The fire is out! But Superstar Eamon is continuing to launch torpedo after torpedo. If she didn’t teleport out like in her previous round, then she is surely dead!”

  No more missiles.

  All fifteen spent.

  Search for cooked food.

  Only hot metal.

  “And 10!” Roxy exclaimed. “Superstar Narshira did not appear so Superstar Eamon emerges victorious!”

  Teleported away.

  Now in ship. Hate ship. Too small.

  Rest in corner. Little comfort. Must repair hypernetics. Must contact Empress.

  My Empress. I am victorious. Did you see?

  Her thought returns, cold, sharp.

  I saw you best a machine. The woman eluded you. Metal cannot fill belly. You still may not fill mine until you best one of the great beasts of this prime hunting season. I will continue entertaining suitors until I find a correct one.

  Mind closed.

  Anger.

  Eamon strongest Ja’ir.

  She not see. Does she fear? She should.

  Human knocks again. Pilot.

  “Congrats on the win, Mr… uh… Eamon, sir,” he said, waving a hand. “Can you maybe stamp your paw here for my daugh—”

  Annoyance.

  Rage.

  Hunger.

  Prey.

  Screams.