Grendel Unit 1: Bad Day at Khor-wa by Bernard Schaffer

Author:Bernard Schaffer [Schaffer, Bernard]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Apiary Society Publications
Published: 2013-02-01T23:00:00+00:00

When the Mantipor's eyes fluttered open again, he was flat on his back, staring up at the corrugated tiles of a hospital room ceiling. There were three beds mashed together to hold him, two of them side-by-side and another placed parallel to their lower end for his legs. He groaned and tried to roll over, feeling every muscle of his being ache. He flopped back down on the bed and grunted, "That hurt."

In the corner of the room, Vic Cojo set down his tablet and looked up at Monster. "You done laying around yet?"

"How long?" Monster said.

"A couple days. Here and there. You'd come to, your eyes would wobble, and you'd pass back out. It's a good thing Frank was here. The local doctors didn't know whether to stuff you or skin you for a rug."

The last memory of the burning building and the little girl clinging to his chest as he leapt flashed in his mind, as hot and bright as the flames themselves. He struggled to sit up, "How is she? Where is she?"

Vic looked away, turning his eyes to the hospital's large bay window.

Monster collapsed back on the bed and let out a long slow whimper of despair. "I want…to know… who did it."

Vic held up the tablet and said, "A human named Yultorot. He's a member of the Felps-Pogrom Sect. Religious extremists who believe their God gave them dominion over the creatures of the universe."

"I have encountered them before," Monster muttered. "They sent a formal letter of protest to the Unification Academy when I was accepted. I did not see any non-humans in the crowd of people gathered outside the school, though."

"Cinth-Combs has always been a human-exclusive settlement. No alien life forms allowed, up until two years ago when they wanted to import our fuel cells. Part of their trade agreement with Unification is that they adopt a school curriculum of equilateral existence. Andoho-Sky Elementary was the test pilot program for that."

"So they blew it up?"

Vic nodded.

Monster looked over at him, "Just for teaching something they don't agree with? When do we find Yultorot and get to kill him?"

"I've been in touch with General Milner regarding the incident for several days. He finally issued the green light yesterday."

Monster grabbed his sides and struggled to get out of the bed, "What are we still doing here, then? Let's go."

Vic waited for Monster to stand up and stretch, his long, dark arms brushing the ceiling of the room. "I've got something to do first."

People in the hospital's hallways stared at Monster as they walked past, looking up silently at his massive alien face. Vic stopped in front of a small flower stand near the nurse's reception area and pointed to a small bouquet. "I'll take that one," he said.

The cashier wrapped up the flowers and tied a pink ribbon around them, smiling warmly at Vic as she handed them over. Vic thanked her, turned, and presented Monster with the flowers.

Monster looked down at them, "Thank you, Captain, but I don't believe it's a human custom for one male to give flowers to another.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.