Paved With Daggers

[Zapp]

"This is your captain speaking, all passengers and crew please report to quarters. You have two minutes before emergency lock-down. Repeat, you have two minutes until emergency lock-down."

Then the scene on the bridge was frozen as the timer counted down from two minutes. The guns were not lowered, the gazes were like daggers and almost could have killed faster than the guns. When the timer hit zero, the captain activated emergency lock-down procedures and all the rooms were sealed tight. The commander of the squad cocked his head to the side, as if listening to something far off.

"We must hurry," he said in a monotone. His brow furrowed in focus, and then all of the humans on the deck fell to their knees grasping their head. Numerous Nomad Incubi bound into the room and picked their host, then inserted themselves quickly. More Incubi were boarding and infecting the passengers, notable figures and rich business tycoons. But time was against them, as someone on the bridge had tripped the silent alarm. A Naval Forces Destroyer was sending out hails and only scant minutes away. The "Naval Forces" officers returned to the Kataki double-time as the Incubi unloaded as fast as they could.

* * * * * *

"This is the KNS Iwo Jima to OSC Liner Barbados, do you read?"

There was a moment of silence, then:

"Konnichiwa. This is the Barbados, Captain Iori Ishikawa speaking. Sorry for the mix up, we were in trouble for a moment but nothing so dangerous. One of the newer crew members panicked. We are OK now."

The KNS Kataki was nowhere to be seen.

---