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astness of space, all was silent. All, that is, except

e was unaware of them. It didn't seem likely, given the circumstances. Somehow that… thing had managed to kill

How were they supposed to know, after all? How was he supposed to know? Then, as suspicion was aroused, murder seemed the cause – but no

st, and then quicker. Frantic sightings of frightening things – horrible things seen by the crew – led to chaos. One by one, they were being picked off – starting in the lower l

led th

matic

His crew – warriors all, had put up one hell of a fight! His ship – once the brightest pearl in the crown of the fleet was a mess now, in every sense of the word. Systems were in disarray, damaged equipment malfunctioned, and pieces of control panels shatter

He felt naked; his tattered, sweat-drenched tunic clung to his body, especially under his breastplate. Fatigue had caused him to discard his body

received at the last port of call. The expert report had called it the most powerfu

r all, if he was the only one left alive on this tomb of a ship, what else would it have to do? His sharp warrior's senses functioned as well as any tactical battle computer, and it felt like a thousand eyes were staring holes i

d create such a th

again – it had to end right here, right now! His nerves were overtaxed, almost over the edge – he was relying on instinct to keep him going. Kaine

h h

ed through. Several mounds of mangled flesh – all that remained of his last bridge crew, lay sprawled o

t never anything quite like that! Then he locked it, and turned and faced the desecrated bridge. Alone now, he set his teeth grimly. The destroyed bodies that lay at his feet had had names once,

he drive system, which would cause a huge explosion – destroying the ship! His ship! He was Armon Kaine, commander of this putrid hul

rtled him, causing him to snatch up the sweep laser. All was silent. He mentally replayed the sound

hin

y. The thing was toying with him! Where was it? He strained his hearing, but all was again silent. He wanted to shout and scream obscenities at the monster, but he fought the impulse. It might not really know his location after all – and that wou

estroyer ne

imbalance in the main reactor. There was no access code required to stop the countdown. Clutching the sweeplaser, he punched the final key. The countdown began. If it got in here now, he'd have thirty honarks to keep it away from the computer and a

that's left –

s trying to find a way to trick him into opening the door after all… He hadn't seen anything yet though. That thought brought with it a rising wave of raw fear. He s

nd with him. With a sudden sickening shock he realized it was there – straightening up from behind a co

away around him, into total blackness. It was there – not the frightful illusions the others had seen – but the thing itself, unmasking itself to its last victim. Somehow the reality was much mor

that's left –

it was not enough. Something dark and unstoppable stepped through the blasts of light and energy and the curtain of flame that had lit the bridge – and as it loomed over him menacingly, appreciating his astonishment, his fear and hopelessness – at that moment, he knew it was over. Kaine lowered the weapon and stood ther

on a glass of scotch. Not on the rocks – there were no rocks because the icemaker was broken. He chuckled wryly to himself. Even the bloody glass was cracked! That said it best, didn't it? Although Lofflin usually took a dim view of drinking while on duty, h

esolate chunk of rock in the furthest known, godsforsaken reaches of the Omegan Quadrant – a vast stretch of barely charted, let alone known, space. Now, thanks to the ill-considere

ed and tw

hought of certain death kept seemingly counteracting the effects of the alcohol. Certain death by hypoxia – freezing cold and suf