The Hunter & Its Prey

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"Tiger, tiger, burning bright. In the forests of the night,. What immortal hand or eye. Could frame thy fearful symmetry" - William Blake

 

The night was cool against her pale skin as she ran through the city, hunting her prey. The Lucam beast loped ahead of her, but she gained with every stride. She could smell the fear it left in its wake, and the anticipation of the kill spurred her on even faster. The beast rounded a corner of one of the tall buildings and she followed, knowing instinctively that he would be waiting in ambush.

 

The Lucam launched himself at her just as she cleared the building, but she had already darted to one side. Lengthened nails ripping through the beasts throat, she used him as a pivot point and flung herself on his back. She used her other hand to wrench his head sideways, exposing his neck. Fangs sank into the flesh, ripping easily through muscle and tissue. She continued to cling to him with tooth and nail as the Lucam struggled, reveling in the sweet, metallic taste of the creature's lifeforce. The Lucam weakened with every beat of its heart and soon ceased to struggle. When at last she felt the moment of his death upon him, she released him. The body fell to the street with a dull thud.

 

Applause rang out from the shadows of a nearby alley, a single pair of hands clapping slow and methodically. A figure in Starfleet gold stepped out of the darkness...

 

"Well done Victria. I'm impressed," the man said with an amused grin. "Now don't pretend you didn't know I was here, watching you. With a nose like yours, you could have smelled me a mile off. Did you especially enjoy letting me to see that?"

 

Victria had whirled at the first clap and dropped to a crouch, ready to pounce on the intruder. She was not usually so careless as to let others approach unheard. Her lack of constant training these past weeks seemed to have weakened her. Blood covered the entire lower portion of her jaw, streaming from her mouth and chin and onto the dark clothing she wore. She licked the holographic blood from her lips, wishing it could be the real thing.

 

"I was Hunting Lucam, not Trill," she shot back, blood-stained teeth flashing.

 

Atticus took a few steps closer towards the Al-Ucardian. He had a look on his face, not of horror or bewilderment but of genuine pleasure at what he'd witnessed. "I hope you never do decide to hunt my kind Victria. We both know that I wouldn't stand a chance. Or maybe I'm just letting you think that to keep your guard down if you ever do try."

 

 

He looked around and took in his surroundings before continuing.

 

"Did you design this program all by yourself?"

 

"The data came from the scans of Al-Ucard. It is passable. I had someone load it in for me and have been editing it since to fit my memory." Odd that he had no reaction. In her experience thus far, most humanoids were repulsed or frightened by her chosen food source. Wiping blood from her chin with her sleeve, she willed her pulse to slow, reminding herself that he was friend and not an invader in her territory.

 

"Sorry, did you have the room reserved for something? I was just getting rid of some... frustration." She inhaled as she drew nearer to him, detecting his natural scent.

 

"Not at all. In fact quite ironically, considering the topic of your program, I've been tracking you down here." Now within arm's length distance, Atticus knew she could sense the cells rushing through his veins. He showed that it didn't bother him. "I just wondered if you'd like to spend some time with...to put it bluntly, someone who didn't look at you like a character from some terrible ancient earth movie. Someone who won't stand there contemplating uses for garlic or crosses but will appreciate the beauty of the hunt and engage in meaningful conversation with you. I can't imagine what it must be like when every day feels like you're wandering a giant, living, breathing buffet."

 

Her nostrils flared slightly and she bared her fangs, amazed he guessed at what she'd been going through. Again, she forced herself to calm, not wishing to give in to the urges that pushed at her. "You aren't far from wrong. It is sometimes... tempting, but if I'm going to be a valuable member of this crew, you and the others have to be able to trust me. It is difficult, but I've experienced worse." She shrugged lightly. "So how is it that you are so understanding? What makes you different from the rest?"

 

He looked away from her icy blue stare towards the victim of her attack. It felt like her eyes, though extremely beautiful, buried into one's very soul. "I've lived for over three centuries Victria. It is after that length of time existing that I think one can finally appreciate the simplest of life's lessons... that not all is always as it seems."

 

He mustered the strength to look back at her and stood as if he was on display.

 

"For example, I wear this Starfleet uniform now and I would defend the Federation with my life, but in the past I've been many other things. A poet, a smuggler, a genius, a lunatic, a forger of treaties and an indulgent millionaire. But looking at me now all you see is a Trill in yellow. Like I said, it's taken a while for me to figure out something constantly drilled into everything we know, but I am very sure you, like me, are not all you seem to be."

 

"Your body is not built to survive for such a lengthy period of time." She could feel his heartbeat and hear the pulse of the blood in his veins. And she could sense the -other- that he kept within himself. She took another small step closer, invading personal space as she was apt to do, and took another deep breath, testing his scent - his emotions. "You speak of the creature that you host?" She still considered it a parasite, but knew it was probably not polite to call it such.

 

"I refer to my symbiont, yes. It carries all my previous hosts' memories. Even though Atticus Idarin was born his own man, when I took up Segami within my body, he changed into someone else entirely. And that change was more than just a last name. I was still the charming trill I had been before the joining but my conscious mind took on the weight of all those thoughts. There are two others like myself on board Excalibur, quite an amazing coincidence considering our low numbers. But each of us has spent our multiple lifetimes differently, and thusly we have each... evolved, one might say, into having very different views of life.

 

So though this fantastic body of mine may not be 300 years old, I assure you Victria, I am." He looked straight into her gaze, his green eyes showing a warm look of wisdom perhaps... or devilishness.

 

Her lips twitched into a slight smile at his revelation and she gave him a small amount of space, intrigued. "You are a mystery. Of course, I've only had a few conversations with you thus far, but I expected all Star Fleet types to be the analytical, over-thinkers. And here I find an ancient creature with a sense of humor." One brow arched in curiosity.

 

"Tell me, when you came in here, what were you expecting? Did you expect to see what you saw? And did you take note that the safety features had been turned off? You are Security, so I am sure you are used to taking risks..."

 

Atticus paused for a moment before answering. "I can't say I visualised in my mind's eye the exact image I saw, no. But that doesn't take away from its pure magnificence. I did notice the safety settings were disabled so I made sure I was close in case something went wrong. I'll take risks with myself Victria, but never with others, even if they move like lightning."

 

"Now pardon me if this sounds strange but my point in visiting you like this was to offer you a formal invitation to dinner sometime soon. One night where you can get out your stress and aggravation without having to kill holographic animals even though you know the chase won't be the same. I promise I will be a complete gentleman and I'd provide suitable sustenance for you, just as long as you don't start thinking that I'll offer myself up as a sacrifice." He winked.

 

She knew better than to think he had been offering himself, though she couldn't help but wonder how he might taste. Would the symbiont inside him add something? Would she absorb both of their memories as she did others? The Al-Ucard were long lived, but three hundred years worth of experiences was both very appealing... and very frightening. She responded to his wink with a sly smirk, letting him think what he would.

 

"I saw the way your eyes darted left and right every time someone entered the bridge, how bored you got when I and other crew members talked about old times. I don't know about Chief Helios but I think it's important to know who you're working with, and I also think that you need a friend on this ship of strangers. Someone you can reminisce with and could join you for the occasional violent training session."

 

She grinned at the thought of him trying to keep up with her training programs. "You are very observant for a non-Al-Ucard. I suppose if my eating habits don't offend you, and you trust me enough to not sink my teeth into you - in spite of the fact that I'd very much like a sample..."

 

"A sample? I feel quite proud to be so appetising to your palate Victria, though I always did consider myself the best thing on the menu around here. But since you're not feasting on me at this current moment shall I take that as a yes to us sharing an evening this week my offer of friendship?"

 

He offered his hand out to her to shake.

 

Victria peered at his hand quizzically.

 

He realized a few moments later that she was familiar with the custom. "It is a human custom I've picked up. A way of greeting others. I believe it was originally intended to show that one's hand was empty of weapons and that you came in peace."

 

"What about the other hand?" She smirked as she clasped his with her own. Her ice-blue gaze shifted to the shadows, sensing others moving in the dark. "I think I could attempt to try out this thing that you call friendship... and see how it goes. I'm fairly certain that I have enough enemies. If I gain any more, I'll soon find myself tossed out the nearest airlock."

 

"Computer, end program," she said as he released her hand. The city-scape disappeared and with it the Lucam that had just lunged from the shadows behind him, ready to shred them both ribbons.