About Jack [original vignette]
Posted: 2007-07-03 01:54pm
About Jack
Feil
There are any number of reasons to kill. For survival. Out of loyalty to the best interests of mankind. Out of the age-old hatred between rival species that could end only in the annihilation of one at the hands of the other.
Jack killed for fun.
Patiently, perfectly still, he waited. The target would expose itself soon, he knew. He could feel it through the bottoms of his feet, smell it in the air.
Jack was a hunter, born and bred, and though circumstances had left him with no weapons but the ones he'd had at birth, he was more than ready.
The vibrations through the floor drew nearer, and Jack tensed.
There! The enemy showed the tip of its head from cover, never suspecting the death that waited scant meters away.
It had followed man wherever man went, plaguing his existence, hampering his efforts, killing thousands with the diseases it carried. It was man's enemy, his enemy since before even the two species had emerged from their disparate paths of evolution. There was only hatred between their races, and in the darkness of the future, there could be only war.
Jack quivered with anticipation as head and shoulders of his prey appeared from cover.
For most of mankind was poorly suited to combating its ancient and eternal foe. In their weakness, they turned to those who had the skills, the relentlessness, the lust to kill needed to hunt down the enemy wherever it raised its ugly head. Those like Jack.
His legs coiled springs, his blood thrumming hot in his veins, his senses alert, Jack watched with increasing delight as the target emerged fully, down to its vile sinuous tail. It was a large one, nearly at long as Jack was tall. It never knew what hit it.
With a meaow! of righteous vengeance, Jack leaped, his forepaws outstretched. He bowled into the rat, tearing deep gouges into its hide. The creature struggled, but Jack latched his jaws on its neck and chomped down. Hot blood spilled into his mouth as the enemy jerked and twitched its last.
This part always confused him. One minute it was all interesting and twitchy, the next it went still and boring. Jack dropped the rat and nudged it, hoping... but it stayed stillboring. He sniffed at it. Mmmm... goodsmell!
Beginning to purr, Jack began to munch on his kill, slurping and chomping with great gusto.
Now, Jack wasn't just any cat, mind you. No, Jack was a ship's cat, and a damned good ship's cat at that. From his strong, shapely muzzle to his fluffy white tail, Jack was every inch the sleek, well-muscled killing machine; if he could count, he would have long since forgotten the number of vermin he had destroyed, saving countless Imperials in foodstuffs preserved and damage averted. And (though he couldn't tell time any better than he could count) he had loved every minute of it.
For a Heavy Cruiser, with its untold millions of highperches, warmplaces, goodfoods, and thingstoexplore is a magnificent place to be a cat.
And when rats come to chew fabric and devour rations, even the mighty Terran Imperial Starfleet needs to call upon a true killer.
Leaving the obliterated half-carcass of another of humanity's foes lying on the bloodstained deck, Jack sneezed, yawned, licked his chops, and went off to find a warm place to snooze.
Feil
There are any number of reasons to kill. For survival. Out of loyalty to the best interests of mankind. Out of the age-old hatred between rival species that could end only in the annihilation of one at the hands of the other.
Jack killed for fun.
Patiently, perfectly still, he waited. The target would expose itself soon, he knew. He could feel it through the bottoms of his feet, smell it in the air.
Jack was a hunter, born and bred, and though circumstances had left him with no weapons but the ones he'd had at birth, he was more than ready.
The vibrations through the floor drew nearer, and Jack tensed.
There! The enemy showed the tip of its head from cover, never suspecting the death that waited scant meters away.
It had followed man wherever man went, plaguing his existence, hampering his efforts, killing thousands with the diseases it carried. It was man's enemy, his enemy since before even the two species had emerged from their disparate paths of evolution. There was only hatred between their races, and in the darkness of the future, there could be only war.
Jack quivered with anticipation as head and shoulders of his prey appeared from cover.
For most of mankind was poorly suited to combating its ancient and eternal foe. In their weakness, they turned to those who had the skills, the relentlessness, the lust to kill needed to hunt down the enemy wherever it raised its ugly head. Those like Jack.
His legs coiled springs, his blood thrumming hot in his veins, his senses alert, Jack watched with increasing delight as the target emerged fully, down to its vile sinuous tail. It was a large one, nearly at long as Jack was tall. It never knew what hit it.
With a meaow! of righteous vengeance, Jack leaped, his forepaws outstretched. He bowled into the rat, tearing deep gouges into its hide. The creature struggled, but Jack latched his jaws on its neck and chomped down. Hot blood spilled into his mouth as the enemy jerked and twitched its last.
This part always confused him. One minute it was all interesting and twitchy, the next it went still and boring. Jack dropped the rat and nudged it, hoping... but it stayed stillboring. He sniffed at it. Mmmm... goodsmell!
Beginning to purr, Jack began to munch on his kill, slurping and chomping with great gusto.
Now, Jack wasn't just any cat, mind you. No, Jack was a ship's cat, and a damned good ship's cat at that. From his strong, shapely muzzle to his fluffy white tail, Jack was every inch the sleek, well-muscled killing machine; if he could count, he would have long since forgotten the number of vermin he had destroyed, saving countless Imperials in foodstuffs preserved and damage averted. And (though he couldn't tell time any better than he could count) he had loved every minute of it.
For a Heavy Cruiser, with its untold millions of highperches, warmplaces, goodfoods, and thingstoexplore is a magnificent place to be a cat.
And when rats come to chew fabric and devour rations, even the mighty Terran Imperial Starfleet needs to call upon a true killer.
Leaving the obliterated half-carcass of another of humanity's foes lying on the bloodstained deck, Jack sneezed, yawned, licked his chops, and went off to find a warm place to snooze.