Mass Effect by N.K. Jemisin

Author:N.K. Jemisin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Titan

CHAPTER NINE

The glass shattered as the creature burst through it. Cora leapt backward, already drawing her heavy pistol, as it raised both fists and brought them down on the desk, staving in the metal furniture as if it had been made of cardboard.

Cora fired twice, aiming for the creature’s head, and one of the shots struck. She saw the creature flinch backward, rocked out of its forward momentum. As it paused, blinking, she stared at the neat, black-edged hole above and between its eyes. No surprise on its face; no expression at all. Like it didn’t have a brain to shoot. Then the thing shook its head and came at her again.

Fast!

Cora lunged to one side, which was all that kept the thing from getting its hands on her. It barreled on past, crashing into the wall—but pushing off that wall in an instant and charging after her once more. Cora fired again, hoping just to keep the thing at a distance as she went for the now-unobstructed window. If the creature got hold of her, struck her even a glancing blow—the image of that dead private in the hangar flashed through her mind. Not the way I want to go out, she thought grimly, before concentrating wholly again on survival.

Though Cora fired wildly, both of her shots hit this time; the monstrosity was so massive that it was hard not to hit. The first shot caught it square in the center of the chest, a lucky perfect hit… except the thing barely seemed to notice the impact. The second shot hit its shin, and that did slow it down; the thing opened its mouth wide and dropped to one knee for a moment, clutching at the leg. Cora hopped the windowsill and drew her hands together, concentrating hard. A moment later when the thing got to its feet—no blood anywhere, just a scorch-mark on its pants and a dent in the bare skin of its chest—she was ready, flinging a scintillating sphere of disruptive energy.

Cora’s warps had always been slow. Nisira had advised her not to use them in combat until she’d practiced enough to tighten the mass effect corridor between her and the target, and thus speed up the strike. Here, though, was as close-quarters as it got, negating the disadvantage of slowness—and better still, the monstrosity was coming right at her, which meant that it charged straight into the sphere of light.

For the briefest instant it was like watching a clash between the irresistible force and the immovable object. The monstrosity stopped cold, spreading its arms as dark energy churned against its freakishly thick skin. Cora held her breath. If this didn’t work—but then its mouth opened again in a soundless bellow. It was only flesh and blood against a thousand rapidly shifting mass effect fields. Without shields, the contest’s conclusion was foregone.

If… messy.

When the thing finally thudded to the floor, Cora stared down at it, panting in the wake of the adrenaline rush. Very quietly, SAM-E said, “I’m pleased you remain alive, Lieutenant.

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