Voyager X, Chapter 4- The Countdown

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Rated M for Mature

Appropriate for readers 18 and over. May contain extreme violence, sexual themes, nudity, or profanity.

Voyager X, Chapter 4- The Countdown

A shadowy figure raced through the dark tunnels of the mutant race. Here lies the greatest invention of all, Voyager X. The starship was once created by Forge, so that mutant kind can be saved. After his passing, the schematics of the starship were given to another mutant genius to add more mechanical defences on the starship. Given that the starship may be attacked by the Inheritors. There is not telling of might occur in the future. Henry’s wife was gone and there was no future to tell. The figure thought about this mission. He was willing to die for the Inheritors. But this time, he wasn’t transformed like the other captured, mutant prisoners. No, he made a decision to attack his kind. Why he would dare to do it, he had reasons to believe that the Inheritors can help him turn the tide of the mutant race. The mutants didn’t have to leave Earth. There can still be hope for the mutants, which is why the shadowy figure wanted to prevent the launch. Even if it means killing his own kind. Henry wouldn’t like the idea of him killing the other mutants. But there was no other choice.

A signal came through his communication link. The figure picked up the signal, waiting for a response. It was the Master of the Inheritors, the one who started the immortal race of beings to fight other genetic races. They also fought the Inhumans and killed them. Now there weren’t any more of that kind except for the mutants. The Master of the Inheritors came to believe that mutants will one day become the dominant species on Earth, which is why he let this mutant traitor do the task at hand.

“What’s your progress?” the Master of the Inheritors asked. Sometimes, he gets tired of waiting for answers yet to come. There was none other mutant who could perform such a dangerous task. The Master of the Inheritors chose the traitor because he knew what came from him. The shadowy figure wanted something that could bring his family back. His family have died from the Sentinel attack. He usually regrets that he wasn’t there to save them. Now, he wanted to do something in exchange of bringing his family back. The Inheritors have the power to do just that. They were gods and only gods can bring people back to life.

“I’m still under the tunnel of the mutants,” the figure finally answered, trying to ignore the stench of the tunnel where the dwelling Morlocks used to live. “The ship should be here.” He looked at the tracking device, hoping he could find the starship in time. He has to destroy that starship at all costs before the launch.

Find it and destroy it, the Master of the Inheritors once said. That thought still raced through the traitor’s mind. If only Henry had listened to him, then something like this would have been prevented. It isn’t something that Henry Kall would agree upon. His mission was to save his kind, not to destroy it. But the traitor didn’t bother to listen with the leader’s words. There were countless times that he and Henry argued with each other.

I must do this, the figure thought. Or all else will be lost. He recalled his family, his wife and a kid. They were now lost to him. He wished they were alive now. He wouldn’t be doing this task if they were.

The traitor looked at the tracking device again. He wonders if this was a good idea to go around the tunnels and find the starship. There might be other mutants who could use their powers against him. But he knows that he can succeed, since he has his own to bring upon his kind. He dare wouldn’t use this power on any mutant unless he or she makes him angry. It’s the power of rage that affects others to fight one another, especially mutants.

“Find the starship,” the Master of the Inheritors repeated. “See that it must be destroyed...for your own family.” The communication link was cut off. The sense of fear almost reached upon the traitor. He ignored it, continued running through the almost, dark tunnels.

The traitor stopped and noticed a big, wide steel door. He held the tracking device, held it firmly on his right hand. The red signal showed up. The red signal showed the true location of the starship. But how will the mutant traitor pass through this steel door? If only he had the strength to do it. No matter how many defences that these other mutants have put up to protect themselves, the traitor had other ideas. He took out another device from the side of his belt. The device was explosive, designed to penetrate the steel doors. It may not do much damage, but it will at least allow the traitor to take down the steel door as much as he can or even pass through. He pressed the button on the device, which shaped like a ball, and tossed it towards the steel door. In 30 seconds, the device exploded and the steel door blasted through. A small hole appeared on the steel door. The figure stepped near the blasted door, looked around the other side and see if the other mutants were coming. So far, there were none. He thought the mutants have already gone to hypersleep. This was his chance to shine.

He walked up on the plank of the underground. The starship was large enough to settle inside the tunnel. Forge must have been a genius to create such a fascinating contraption, which came out of a Star Trek movie. The figure turned away from the wonderful sight of the starship, focusing on his mission. A panel was located on the side of the door. He went closer to the panel, accessing the main system of the starship. He then activated the destructive sequence. The countdown has begun. He looked at the starship again, wondering if the others would know what was to happen. He felt truly sorry for them.

Suddenly, a mutant came outside the starship and saw the traitor walking down the plank. He noticed it was him all along to dare betray his kind. The mutant known as the Arachno, unleashed his liquid webs on the traitor. The traitor felt the stickiness on his hands. He was caught, right handed. Arachno spun forward like an agile spider. He hit the traitor with his legs. The traitor fell down, almost broke his back. He managed to get up and try to evade Arachno’s actions. Arachno couldn’t believe what he was facing here, a mutant turning against his own kind.

“Why are you doing this?” Arachno asked. He was aware of the traitor’s actions. Henry sent him as a security guard in order to protect the other mutants.

The traitor didn’t reply to the Arachno’s question. All he wanted is to succeed his mission, so that he could bring his family back to life. He wanted to say this in front of Arachno. But what would it matter? Arachno would poison him with a single bite or wrap him up with cobwebs. This was something that Arachno wouldn’t do, since the traitor was once among his kind. He only tried to save the traitor.

“Why?” Arachno asked the same question. Still, the traitor didn’t reply. He wanted to unleash the fury in Arachno’s eyes. But it wouldn’t do much good on him. Arachno would surely fight furiously and there wasn’t a way to win. The traitor decided to take the matter into his own hands, a device that can either stun or kill his fellow mutant. The traitor immediately took out a gun, firing at the mutant spider. Arachno jumped before the laser could hit him. He unleashed more webs from his hands. The traitor fired at the cobwebs. He went down the ground, hoping to escape from the upcoming destruction. But the spider couldn’t allow it. He spun through the traitor’s back, pinning him down. The laser gun dropped away on the ground. The traitor tried to grab it, but Arachno held down his legs firmly. He spat goo of web on the traitor. The traitor tried to move.

Then another mutant arrived in the scene. He held a laser gun and fired at the mutant spider on the back. Arachno screamed loudly that no other mutant could hear him. He looked back to see who it was. He became shocked.

“You...”Arachno said slowly. He fell on the ground, completely dead. The mutant arrived in front of the traitor. The traitor was also amazed to see that this mutant helped him. But...Why?

“I know what you’re thinking,” the mutant said. “However, I cannot allow your mission to succeed.”

“What?” The traitor said as he tried to move from his sticky trap. “No, you....can’t.”

“Yes, I must,” the mutant said. “I have other plans for you.”

The traitor couldn’t believe of what he was hearing. He certainly didn’t expect this to happen. Not something from another mutant traitor. He only wanted to save his family. That was it.

“Think about it,” the mutant said. “If this plan goes well, I’ll see to it that your family will be brought back than you can ever imagine.”

“No!” The shadowy figure said. “The Inheritors have the power! I was sent to do this mission.”

“True,” the mutant continued. “But do you really think the Inheritors would agree to your request. They kill mutants. That’s their primary goal. Do you ever think about that?”

The mutant got a point. When you want to do something for your enemy, there are some things to be overseen. Surely, the traitor could get himself killed after the mission was succeeded. He gave it a thought and decided it’s best to work for this mutant who killed Arachno.

“All right,” the traitor said. “I will work for you. Promise me that you bring my family back.”

“It’s a promise,” the mutant smiled.

To be continued in Voyager X, Chapter 5- The Search.

WTF? We have another traitor? Who is it? Things are really getting interested here. What happens next? Find out in the next chapter of Voyager X.

Edited.