BTG Publ. Zipfic

The Dissection

by Corby

Warning:  This is a horror story. It features explicit images of violence, and the deaths of unnamed minor characters.

She looked at the four small specimens as they squirmed in front of her, emitting high-pitched sounds from where they lay secured on the laboratory slab. It was her job, her responsibility and honour, to investigate what had been retrieved through the Stargate - in the name of science and knowledge and the hope they would somehow find information that would enable them to defeat the enemies newly encroaching upon their lives. All scientific objectivity aside, she had to admit - these creatures were undoubtedly amongst the ugliest she had ever seen, and their physical repulsiveness was only heightened by the fact of their alliance with her own people's new foe.

The first creature was black, and bigger than the others. She grasped what she guessed to be the neck and gently pulled. At once the head detached, and a mass of juice flowed onto the stilled body. These creatures were obviously fragile, and she instantly noted the fact, sending it back to where the rest of them were waiting in safety for the results of the dissection. She knew, better than anyone, just how dangerous these investigations could be. No point in putting others at risk.

A bundle of what she presumed were nerves hung from the head, and she probed to their base in what she noted was a grey, gelatinous mass. Possibly the centre of the nervous system, the 'brain', but she was reluctant to jump to conclusions. There was no sign of what she feared the most. She noted that this specimen had stopped respiration, and carefully placed it to one side.

Satisfied that the head of the next specimen would be similar to that of the first, she chose this time to slice into the thorax. A superstructure of different material overlaid the body, and she decided this was something that could be shed. Possibly during flight from an adversary, or as a means of defence, absorbing blows and chemical weapons. Gently she pulled the upper layers aside, continuing until a series of bones were revealed. The creature was opening and closing its soft beak, making what could, she supposed, be classified as gasping noises. She observed that the thorax contained a pumping unit that was operating very slowly. About 20 beats per rotation. She recorded the fact, and delved lower, to find a large organ that, when breached, revealed itself to be full of the creature's juice. Both of these organs were likely to be useful targets during combat, and she noted that fact for the waiting scientific community, receiving their warm congratulations and encouragement in return.

The pump, after a marginal increase in speed, suddenly stopped operation. She noted that the respirations ceased, and observed that the pump and respirations were probably linked. The specimen's eyes were fixed and open. It seemed, she noted to herself wryly, that for all their noise these creatures were even less resilient than she'd originally hypothesised.

She turned to the last two. Both were making more of the high-pitched sounds, but there seemed to be no meaning to the noises. Was this an attempt at communication? A primitive effort at forming some kind of syntactically based language? Unlikely, but she passed on what she could recreate of the sounds, for later consideration.

It was time to make a decision. The latest attacks had meant that food was scarce, and one of these creatures would make an excellent meal for her children. The eating of dead flesh was abhorrent, of course, so one would need to be set aside now before the other was probed. Both appeared healthy, as best as she could gauge given her extremely limited knowledge of the species. And both had, she noted with interest, secreted a juice from between their legs. This was clear, unlike the other that pumped through their bodies, and smelt sharp. Pleasant. Was this another form of defence? Distracting the foe with scent?

She considered both. Nothing to choose between the two, in terms of height and weight, but the one on the left had a rather unusual second addition to its carapace. A clear shell above both its eyes. Something to warrant further investigation, certainly, and she made her choice. With a quick drumming of her legs she summoned her many children, who scuttled forward in eager hunger. Not the place for a meal, she chided gently, when some began straight away. She watched until the other writhing creature had been dragged back into the deeper tunnels before turning to the last.

This one was releasing more juice, she observed. Streams running from both eyes beneath the shell and the twin openings beneath them. It had ceased to make the high-pitched sounds, and was now making softer noises that she found hard to hear. Again, she dutifully relayed what she could of the strange sibilance, recreating it as closely as she could. Plees be kwik plees let it be kwik o god o god… Gibberish, no doubt, but she was trained to be open-minded and conscientious.

With great care she reached for the lower segments of the specimen's torso. The outer skin was harder to remove, and with some surprise she found what seemed to be a second mouth, tightly closed. She tapped it, and realised it was metal. Very strange. Perhaps this was the place where food was ingested after all? She used one of her pincers to scrape at the teeth, and the creature made more noise. She ignored it, and pulled at the outer layer from the top. The teeth resisted, and she paused, considering. Why have two separate mouths? Particularly when one was easily opened, whilst the other remained resistant to quite powerful pressure. To compare the two she pried the upper mouth open, revealing the strange muscle she had noted earlier protruding from the first creature's head upon separation. The muscle wriggled. A weapon? No. More likely part of their primitive method of communication. Perhaps the upper mouth was used purely for that purpose.

But then - she turned back to the dead second specimen. With a quick slice of one pincer she cut open the upper mouth and followed the tubing downwards to where it ended in an organ resembling a bag. One sniff revealed the sweetness of half-digested food, and she sent the findings back at once. The upper mouth was for food ingestion and speech, she concluded, and promptly heard the thrumming that let her know her colleagues agreed.

So what of this lower, more protected, more resilient mouth? She pushed against it, feeling something underneath its metallic strip. Possibly, she decided, this mouth could be bypassed, and with that thought she sliced alongside the teeth, to reveal another softer layer and some intriguing appendages.

The specimen was now respirating at an increased rate, and the sound had become a pattern of repeated tones. No no no no no. Its head was rocking backwards and forwards, and she wondered if that had some narcotic effect for the creature. It was obviously in extreme distress, and she briefly regretted its suffering. Like any true scientist, she thirsted for knowledge, but she could find it within her to feel disquiet at the fact that warfare had necessitated such urgent measures.

Carefully she unfurled her lower feeler and palpated the soft bags between its legs, all the while watching the other longer tube of flesh intently. Her senses had told her immediately that this was where the sweet smelling clear liquid had originated. The tube did not seem to do anything when touched, but she was wary nonetheless. It was possible that these sacs contained some sort of toxic liquid, to be sprayed at the foe once the outer layers had been discarded. Her unease communicated itself to the waiting community, and a wave of soft humming flowed back in support. It was for just such dangers she had volunteered her knowledge and her existence. But she could not help but tremble slightly as she sliced into one of the sacs.

More red juice, and then a clear, white liquid. She placed one feeler tentatively into it, waiting for the burn that would signal poison. There was nothing, however, and she began to relax slightly. The tube was perhaps not as dangerous as she supposed. The metallic teeth had defeated her however, and she remained uncertain as to their purpose. The warriors would have to remain alert when fighting these creatures, lest the lower teeth proved to have an unexpected bite.

A tremendous thrill of fear suddenly ran through her, as the drumming of a thousand back legs told her intruders had been sighted entering The City. In seconds she was informed of everything about them, including their number and the fact that one held the enemy she loathed with all her soul.

Goa'uld.

Should she leave this one to meet its foul kindred? She looked down upon it, so small, so fragile, so pale and shaking. Its eyes were closed now, but its soft beak was still working, soundlessly. Or perhaps the sound was lower than the frequency to which she was suited? A single twist on the neck and this one would be dead. In truth, she suspected it would die soon anyway. This species was without courage or honour, working to create a symbiotic life with the vile invaders. She would cleave it in two, and leave its mangled remains to warn those who came after it that they would meet only the same fate when they fought The People.

Ahhh!

Pain fired into her middle shoulders, whipping her about in helpless rage. Too slow! She had been too slow to move, and the invaders were here.

She could hear the screams of her children, far away in the depths of the tunnels, safe but sharing her fear. As clearly as she could, she signalled her last thoughts. To the end, she would fulfil her duty, and provide as much information as she could before her life was taken.

There were three in front of her now. One, with a grey head, was making loud sounds that seemed to be directed towards the last specimen. Daniel - daniel - god yu bitch - get bak from him…

A second smaller one was firing a metallic weapon at her. The projectiles stung on impact with her body, but did not penetrate her front carapace as they had her back. Perhaps, she thought wildly, perhaps she would escape after all. The grey-headed one was firing at her too, and the impacts pushed her backwards, but she knew herself to be largely uninjured.

The creature on the slab was sounding out, jak jak god jak o plees…

But a sizzling sound caught her many ears, and with the last of her defiance she reared up to meet her death.

She knew this sound. It was the Goa'uld's weapon, and one against which she and her people had no defence. It would bring a hideous end, and her people would feel her pain in those brief moments before she ceased to exist.

One last gesture in the face of her personal defeat. One last signal to these pestilent creatures that The People would not be easily destroyed. She turned to the specimen, raised her pincers high, and brought them straight down into the legs of the thing, the only parts she had yet to dissect.

NO - BITCH - DANNY - NO and the thing was squirming beneath her, pinned, juice spurting, even as she heard the sounds and the heat flamed into her own back, even as she felt her consciousness flaring into the bright white haven that welcomed The People who kept their faith with the one true god.

Not in vain. Never in vain. The sorrowful, proud words of the gathered People thrummed into her mind and flew with her as she found peace.

Feel free to contact the author... e-mail to: thepossum_au@yahoo.com.au

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Within the context and limitations of the site Disclaimer, Any and All original characters, situations, story line, dialogue and narrative © July 21th, 2001, the author