Formation (Forgotten Space Book 2) by M.R. Forbes

Author:M.R. Forbes [Forbes, M.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-08-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

Koth the Unspeakable slowed as he approached the sleeve blocking the corridor. Brown and purple, with thick veins running between the muscle fibers that controlled its motion, the sleeve contracted, moving from the corridor’s center to the edges, allowing him to step through into a small chamber.

Dark and damp like most of the dreadnought, it was lit only by phosphorescent moss clinging to the rough edges of the room’s stone ceiling. Ahead of Koth, an empty tunnel allowed a musky scent to waft into the room. That he could smell the arshugg meant the creature would arrive any moment now.

Right on time.

The scent intensified as Koth noted the movement in the tunnel to his left, the darkness making it difficult to discern the shape of the arshugg ahead of its arrival, though the clattering of its hundreds of legs quickly gave a hint as to its appearance had he not already known what it looked like. The constant chit chit chit of the advance slowed as the creature neared, its head appearing first, its large, black eyes shifting slightly to regard him, its pincered mouth clacking in greeting to its master.

The worm-like millipede continued past where Koth stood, only coming to a stop when the back half lined up with him. While the front half of the arshugg was organic, the back half had been replaced with a metal carriage and mechanical feet.

The carriage door swung open on its own and Koth stepped inside. While Koth typically eschewed any hint of status beyond his black throne, he had accepted that his Inahri servants needed to be reminded of his power from time to time. And the arshugg did that for him. Lined with deep red cushions, bright yellow curtains, and plenty of gold accents, the interior of the carriage was the most ornate and colorful location inside the dreadnought.

He sat down on the cushioned seat in the rear of the carriage. The door closed, and the arshugg let out a loud wail before resuming its journey. Koth had no need to tell it where he wanted to go. Needed to go. It already knew.

To satiate his hunger. And there was only one way and place for that.

He rode in the carriage for some time, his mind returning to thoughts of the escaped human ship and the Scry’s efforts to find it. A few hours had passed since he had watched his victory stolen away. He had spent all that time contemplating the Anomaly’s maneuvers, certain that he could deduce what it planned. This wasn’t the first time the two had come into conflict. Far from it. In fact, Koth respected his opponent for his ability to play the game, though he remained convinced he would win in the end. No matter how smart his enemy believed itself to be, it couldn’t match wits against him forever.

He knew this also wasn’t the first time the humans had escaped, though his earlier insertions had occurred too late to interfere. In those instances, the Source had survived, and the Anomaly…

The Anomaly had already been countered.

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