The Rhinomedary Squad

[Corsair]

Omega 41, Near the Neutron Star

A Corsair prisoner transport flew just outside the reach Neutron Star's radiation surge at low impulse. Several containers were being fired from the ship towards the star. In each container was hundreds of captured Outcasts. The Corsairs had been unable to ransom them back to their brethren, so they were disposing of them in as dramatic a fashion possible. The containers drifted closer to the star, until one of the star's radiation surge sent them flying. Inside, the Outcasts were bound to all of the surfaces by magnetic restraints. All of them were already in excruciating pain from Cardamine withdrawal. As another wave of radiation passed through them, the magnetic restraints failed. Hundreds of agonized Outcasts were suddenly at the mercy of gravity.

A third radiation wave, stronger than the previous two, picked up all of the containers and threw them into the surrounding asteroids. One by one they smashed into a space rock and were either destroyed or crippled. The Outcasts, however, weren't dying. Air was being let out, but they weren't feeling the effects. When all of the air was gone, they gaped at each other in dumb shock. This was a mistake. Silent screams filled the air as their eyes burst and blood filled the inside of the containers.

For several months these containers floated through space. Inside, the Outcasts suffered in undying agony. They had begun to change physically as they resorted to frantic cannibalism. The largest and strongest Outcasts got stronger and more grotesque as they consumed their smaller brethren. They couldn't see it, but their bodies were morphing and becoming larger and more muscular. Their skin was losing its tan pigment and becoming darker. Their figure was atrophied from the lack of gravity and their upper bodies got most of the development.

After about six months of existing like this, the containers were picked up by a Zoner trade ship. They found the wretched Outcasts and set about reviving them. It took several weeks of intensive care, but the Outcasts gradually returned to normal. They got cybernetic eyes, ears and their skin went back to its normal color. The hundred survivors were returned to Omicron Alpha, where they lived for a while without problems.

A year after their return, the survivors began to revert. They were crippled with pain as their legs and arms grew longer and muscle put itself together over the new limbs. Their jaws jutted out in front of their faces and their canine teeth grew rapidly, forming tusks of sorts.

They were exiled after their violent urges returned as well. They went into beserk frenzies and killed everybody around them. They were taken away by some mercenaries that had been contracted for this task. They were headed towards the sun, where they would be thrown into the corona. Instead, the creatures overpowered their guards and took control of the ships. They made their escape before the Outcasts could mobilize pursuit ships.

The ships they had taken were Dromedaries. These weren't built for combat, but that didn't matter right now. They fled through the Taus, using the mercenary identification codes to get them past the IMG patrols. The creatures gathered in a small sphere of space devoid of asteroids to talk about their plans.

"Look 'ere," said Zogba, "We don't know wot's 'appening, but we'z don't need 'dem Outcasts. We'z makes our own fortunes!"

There was a cry of support. The Outcasts were confused and afraid, and Zogba was a strong leader. They flocked to him. He led them to an IMG mining outpost. The four Dromedaries were intercepted by an IMG fighter patrol. Before they could hail Zogba's gang, the Dromedaries opened fire. The surprised IMG fighters scattered. Though they had superior mobility, the Dromedaries were just quick and powerful enough to destroy them. Zogba roared a powerful war cry as they set upon the mining ship that was trying to escape. The four freighters pulled it apart and tractored in enough scrap metal to maintain them for a long time, and then made their escape as IMG reinforcements began to arrive.

They worked their way back through the Taus, into the Houses. They wandered into Magellan and found a backwater jump hole into a system known as Kansas. It was a paradise for the beleaguered creatures. There was enough scrap metal here to set them up for years. Dozens of damaged Dromedaries that showed signs of battle were scattered through the system. They also located a derelict space station, but ignored it. It was far older than the wrecked ships.

After a few days in the system, a crude junkyard had been set up. Close to a hundred transports and freighters had been brought to one location. They all showed signs of bomber attack. There were even Liberty and Bretonia military hulks but they were far too damaged to recover.

Zogba presided over the salvage operation with a mean glare. He was smart enough to know that setting up a permanent base here was a bad idea. The Liberty military had a history here, and he wanted to operate his gang in secrecy for now. They would loot all they could from this junkyard, and establish a temporary outpost so they could have a place to sleep. He was forging a bloodthirsty cult, and he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way.

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