Adorable atrocity an ali.., p.4
Adorable Atrocity: An Alien Evolution LITRPG, page 4
She tried to scowl, narrowing her blue eyes as she tried her best to look fierce. The expression didn’t quite match her rounded face. Once satisfied that she looked professional, Lucy wiped away the scowl and reinstated her pleasant smile. No need to let their caller see her irritation. This might be a waste of time, but as a government representative, she’d signed on to serve the public. Even the crazy ones.
“McCloud,” the deep voice greeted her as she stepped off the elevator, and she almost jumped.
The wrinkled man standing there was balding, his remaining hair white as snow. His gray eyes matched the crumpled suit he wore. Exhaustion wafted off him like a physical thing, and she fought the yawn it generated. He moved forward, his thin limbs trembling as though the weight of the world pressed into them. She didn’t offer him a stick; she knew better.
“Jerry? I thought you were on vacation.”
“I was.” The rasp in his voice appeared worse than usual. “Bob called me back in. I’m going to be your aide in this case. While it’s probably nothing, you’re too fresh to be abandoned with this.”
A kernel of excitement filled her, and she worked frantically to school her expression. From the crooked smile, he noticed her slip even as he waved her to join him.
“I’m only going to be an aide. Bob’s worried, but it’s more than likely an elaborate hoax. You know what he’s like. Anything might be The One. His white whale. Crazy. The ex-wife was glad to see the back of me, though, even if the grandkids weren’t.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Lucy said, unsure of what else to say.
Jerry snorted, even as she made a quick note to call her own grandparents. Their excitement about her new job had delayed her telling them exactly what she did. All they knew, like most, was that she did government work. Though she’d been able to avoid answering why her location was in Sydney instead of Canberra.
“Don’t be. Life happens. Now, someone briefed you on leading the interviewing process, right? As I said, I’m here to aid, not run. As far as you’re concerned, you’re on your own. I don’t care what Bob says; you’re a competent girl. Unlike Jeff. Waste of space.”
Lucy didn’t hide her smile as she nodded. “Yes, sir! And yes, sir.”
“Thatta lass. Remember. You get the facts as best you can. Any evidence we can run today, we will. Do you need anything? Tea? Coffee?”
She could hear the air quotes around the word facts, but she still couldn’t help but laugh. Lucy hated her laugh. It made her naturally higher voice sound even more girlish.
“You aren’t my secretary, Jerry.”
“That I’m not. But I’m not going to sit in those uncomfortable chairs without a stimulant. Now, tea or coffee?”
“Coffee.”
“Good lass. Get your side of the setup ready, and we’ll start when I get back. He’s already on the line.”
Lucy thanked him before ducking into the small room with the streaming setup. Well, what Bob called a streaming setup. The computer was the only modern piece inside; everything else was older due to budget constraints.
Or, as Jerry would put it, “the best rubbish the bastards in suits would let us buy.”
She sat in the chair that creaked and quickly adjusted the webcam. The best bit about the bulky sphere was that the video quality on her end would be poor, which meant she needed less time to fiddle with the masking software. They couldn’t let people know her identity, or so Bob claimed. Though the man was a nutter of the highest order, he took security seriously.
By the time she’d booted up Zoom, Jerry was placing a pink mug on the desk filled with steaming coffee—black. When she looked at him, he shrugged, holding up his own pink mug.
“Jeff?”
“Probably.”
With a shake of her head, she sipped her coffee, savoring the heat traveling down her throat. “What do we know about this guy?”
“Names Arnold Threy, the late thirties. Guy reckons aliens visited the aboriginals and left them cryptic messages. He spends his time getting kicked out of tours for arguing with native guides about their own history when he’s not shilling crap on his podcast.Swears blind; he has proof now. Says if we don’t talk to him, he’ll air it publicly.”
“And we don’t want that?” Lucy asked.
Jerry shrugged, the action making her wince as though he might break. “Guy’s, not massive, but Bob doesn’t want to risk it.”
“Fair. Alright, we’ve kept him waiting long enough. You want to be on camera?”
“Nope.”
“Do I have to be?”
Jerry grinned, and she sighed before shooing him away. It was show time.
~~~
“And that’s when it charged at me! Some kind of alien dog!”
Lucy nodded, typing away as the man talked. He’d told her the entire story twice now, but she still needed to check on the facts.
“This was the creature with the lizards and the yellow frog being?”
“You don’t believe me.”
His voice was petulant, and he reached up to scratch at his red beard. Uncharitable it might be, but she couldn’t help but think he had to be the most stereotypical alien hunter she’d ever met. Overweight, nasally, with unruly red hair and a T-shirt bearing the slogan ‘Among Us Always.’ If it wasn’t for Jerry vetting his file, she’d have thought Jeff hired him to mess with her. Again.
“I’m simply getting the facts, sir. You don’t want any of this left off the report, right?” She asked, continuing to type.
“Well. No. But you’ll do something, right? With the photos I sent you, you can’t hide this anymore. All my followers are going to know the truth!”
She made a non-committal grunt of reassurance as she eyed the printouts of the images Arnold emailed earlier. They were extraordinary, and Jerry was currently processing them next door for potential matches. It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to stick a different light source on a movie prop and call it real.
“We take all evidence, such as yours, seriously. Now you said it attacked you?”
“Exactly! The terror tried to ram my bike to pieces. I only got away from it because it got too close to the exhaust.”
“I see.”
Truthfully, she didn’t. Her attention flicked to a different image, this time of the so-called alien dog. It took effort for her heart not to melt at the sight of it. Long pink fur covered the so-called monster. The alien had large brown eyes that, even angry, made her desire nothing more than to cuddle it. Her mind went to the plush toys she’d had as a child. All she wanted was to hug it, brush it, and play with it.
Lucy resisted the urge to scream in delight at the miniature paws that emerged from the fur. She didn’t, though. That would come later when she was alone. Official guidelines stated Lucy shouldn’t take work pictures home, but she bet she could convince Jerry. The old man would likely help. His granddaughter was in the princess and pony stage.
“So this, um, alien dog? It attacked you, and you fled. What happened after?” It took more effort than she wanted to keep her tone professional.
Arnold adjusted in his seat, looking frightened. “It ran around barking and howling. Even on the bike, I could hear it trying to call its savage owners to kill me. They might still be out there.”
Once again, she didn’t see it as her gaze moved to a second picture. It displayed a trio of the alleged aliens: two lizards and a frog. Yes, the tall, muscular lizard appeared to be a genuine threat. A real-life movie monster who’d crawled from an alien swamp and robbed a science-fiction set. The other two? Not so much.
The female, at least Lucy guessed she was female by her white blouse and leather skirt, appeared scared as she reached out for something. The frog looked beyond terrified, though its frog-like form made it hard to tell. Either way, neither, if real, looked like the type to stick around.
“Alright, Mr. Threy. We’ll run the photos and get in touch. Thank you for calling.”
With that, she quickly disconnected and moved to find Jerry. She expected to find him snoozing on the couch installed for that specific purpose. It’s not like they needed to watch the machine; it would tell them when it was done. Instead, she discovered him at a rickety desk, fresh coffee in hand, as he examined the photographs.
“Problem?” Lucy asked, stopping next to him.
He jumped and started coughing. Unsure what else to do, she rubbed his back until he stopped.
“Maybe. I don’t think these are doctored.”
“How can you tell?” She asked as she leaned down. “Also, can I keep—”
“Yes, you can have a copy of the dog. Don’t tell Bob.” Jerry smiled.
“Thanks. But how can you tell?”
“Gut feeling. It all looks too natural, you know? Like they looked surprised, not the typical stoic murder machines. I’m thinking paid actors he surprised on a set or something. Either way, it might be worth checking out.”
“And no matches?”
“None. We’ll let the machine run overnight, of course. But you know what it’s like. It took a lot of waiting to find out it was some Korean drama. Though from the fluff ball, I’m betting on Japan.”
She nodded, even as her stomach growled. That interview had taken hours, thanks to all the repeats and Arnold’s annoying asides.
“Knock off for your break, lass. I’ll stay and do the paperwork.”
“Nah, I’ll stay and—”
The computer dinged. Together, they went quiet before Jerry quickly flicked over his screen. A still image appeared there, showing a pink creature with soaked fur running for its life. The thing looked terrified now, not angry. Protective instincts flared up in Lucy as she looked at its massive eyes and pinned-back ears.
“An actual match,” Jerry said. “I’ll be damned.”
Lucy adjusted her tie, her hands shaking. “What do we do?”
“Do? We send it up the chain. Congratulations, lass, you’re going to visit the outback for your first-ever alien hunt.” Jerry’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, even as he reached over to pick up the phone.
She could hear Bob on the other end, his excitement palpable. From the old receiver, she heard the mention of team leads and expense-paid trips. A single sentence dropped from her lips as she realized that this was happening.
“You have to be fucking kidding me.”
Chapter 6
Issues With Fame (Lecorondia)
Lecorondia’s killing of the smuggler was driven by grief, not malice.
After she’d started crying, he’d tried to take advantage by walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder as though they were equals. When her forked tongue flicked out, his scent overwhelmed her. Her mind needed a distraction, and her primal instincts, combined with her sheer disgust at the action, proved overwhelming. Before she knew it, she’d twisted, and her small fangs pierced Oliph’s fat neck.
The poison spread quickly as he collapsed on the ground and convulsed, her tears from losing her precious baby dripping onto him. After that? There is no point in wasting a golden opportunity.
Julep continued his journey to return to the pickup location as she busied herself with a distraction. She couldn’t leave without being able to check for any chance her poor Erodicilee may have survived or, worse, left more evidence behind. With determined steps, she walked into the kitchen as she hauled the smuggler onto the table.
Her grandmother’s cooking lessons were ages ago, but she remembered what she needed to do. The question was, would this backwater creature keep what she needed?
To her delight, he did.
Lecorondia quickly changed into some spare clothes she had—an orange ensemble she’d stolen from the set of a prison break movie that made excellent pajamas. Once properly dressed, she picked up the large carving knife and got to work.
Pain filled her as she worked, her mind unable to stop imagining what her darling boy went through. A grim satisfaction mixed in as she remembered Julep exploding the foul creature. How dare it attack her baby boy? He must be so scared. She’d not purchased him for this kind of outdoorsy experience.
The knife clipped on bone, and she grimaced as she forced herself to pay attention to her work. Grandmother made sure she understood the value of using everything, a tendency she’d not rid herself of. Besides, such a delicacy deserved to be treasured.
She threw herself into the work, leaving no room for emotion. Bowls clattered, plates clinked, and she surprised herself by finding a stiff drink hidden in a cabinet. Pathetically cheap wine, however, she would manage somehow.
Smells of cooked meat filled the ship by the time Julep returned. When he stepped in from the teleporter bay, she couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.
“Shower before dinner.”
Her guard’s eyes flicked from the bloodstains to the meat to the empty cockpit. With a nod, he headed to the small shower. It had limited water, but he’d run a long way, and he needed it.
Lecorondia plated everything properly before pouring the drinks into the least dirty glasses she could find. As she worked, she forced herself not to stare at the planet through the windows. It would only make her upset.
When Julep returned, she did her best to smile and make small talk. He said a little, eating quickly before complimenting her on the meal. His tone lacked squeamishness—she approved. What came next would require resolve.
“We need to flee.”
Her monotone words held no signs of the pain that ate at her insides.
Julep nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I can fly the ship, but it’s not well stocked. We couldn’t directly return home from here. We’d need a pit stop, perhaps several.”
“Perhaps. The small space station that’s nearby. What’s it called?”
“Gaxizon, Ma’am.”
“Thank you,” she said as she allowed a small smile. “Gaxizon. They’d have what we need. A quick sob story to whatever baby-faced general they put in charge should get us a better ship and supplies.”
Lecorondia watched him, thinking. No arguments. No mention of danger to discourage her. She might have to give him a raise.
“That means we’ll need to keep our stories straight. This beast, Oliph, kidnapped me. You came to my rescue.”
“How?” Julep asked.
She bit her lip, her mind spinning. “You found me on the planet he dragged me to. He wanted to reenact the plot of Kitchen Love; that’s why the poster’s destroyed.”
“And my ship?” Julep paused, frowning. “Simple. Destroyed. I used the ship’s self-destruct to not leave anything for the natives to stumble upon.”
“Good. Yes. You fought and overpowered him, then destroyed his body with the anti-matter blaster. Fake tears and this bloodstained outfit will do. Leave any talking to me.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Lecorondia smiled weakly, even as her eyes filled with tears. “No mention of my darling, of course.”
“What about the photos, ma’am?” Julep asked, stacking the plates.
“Photos?”
A shiver ran through her as she remembered exactly what he meant. The first native had taken photos—photos that would show her dressed differently alongside Erodicilee. She cursed, then cursed again for good measure. That changed things. Her story would crumble if those came to light, but perhaps she could convince them not to check?
No one important would be there. It shouldn’t be hard. It wouldn’t be the first occasion she’d made someone’s evening to get her way. Her other option was to send Julep to hunt that native. That came with other, bigger risks.
Her gaze fell onto the bits of blood left over from dinner as she pictured the leg Julep had brought back. Perhaps she could spin this.
“Ok. I’ll bloody up my original outfit, and we can still play the super fan angle.” Her mind raced as she rushed, once more stamping down her emotions. “They showed us together, and I would have looked scared. This might still work. Provided no one digs too deep, we’ll be fine.”
“As you say, ma’am.”
Lecorondia nodded. “I do. Now, I’m off to bed. Set us a course for Gaxizon, and try to get some sleep. We’ll need to be our best when we arrive. After all, we have quite the show to put on.”
~~~
By the time they reached Gaxizon, Lecorondia was sick of the small ship.
Almost as soon as the doors opened, she pushed her way onto the dock and straight into the arms of the waiting security. Both were the same thin, pink-skinned, tubular creatures with too many eyes and a set of power armor keeping them contained. Blizworms were a common security troop, stupid and easily controlled. They were once parasites until the galactic government discovered their ability to bind with technology as easily as an organic host. Neither so much as twitched at her appearance, though they were the only ones.
As she got used to the bare white walls that filled every space station, along with the stale, filtered air, she heard the noise start.
Shouts and whispers came from the variety of aliens that shuffled around. Most were workers, but she noticed visitors and residents who’d arrived to gawk at the new arrival. Once Julep joined her, she plastered on a smile and waved.
“Hey, everyone.”
“LECORONDIA!” a young female reptilian screamed, looking like she might faint.
That act opened the floodgates. With more shouts and cries, the crowd surged forward. The security troops turned and dealt with the sudden crowd. Inwardly, Lecorondia smirked as she followed Julep through the security station, avoiding the required paperwork. The noise only increased, and she briefly spent some time giving signatures with a pen she’d snagged.
“Why are you here?”
“Are you really starring in the new Garbage Gladiator film?”
“My sister loves you! Can you visit her in the medbay?”
She smiled and gave general platitudes to the crowd that seemed to grow every minute. The single teleporter was working overtime to bring more people, and the air filters made a horrendous chugging noise.
A shot sounded out from one of the security troops, whose digitized voice shouted for the crowd to stand down. No one listened, and a few forced Julep to physically intervene. Lecorondia snagged the next teleport out, Julep closing the glass tube from the people banging on it.
