Chapter 1 part 6
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Rge0v5kob
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYesWhWfOhK
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVDMPHUfH9
Pests Extermination
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Eqiy1x4S8
The journey had been mercifully uneventful—no pirates lurking in the shadows of trade routes, no space vermin gnawing on hull plating, and no solar storms to send us spiraling into Havoc.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmscJLt0iWR
Mr. Healer, who had started the journey looking like a ghost haunting his own suit, recovered steadily with each cycle. By the time we reached the station, he was back to his peculiar self. Yet, his way of consuming nutrient paste was unsettling—sipping thin protein slurry through trembling gloves, flashing a crooked smile through his visor like an unhinged automaton. Energetic or not, watching him eat made me want to turn off my external cameras.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcXGfrx0RJ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQIql6dgwV
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9SwooHUA4
"Harvest cycles always bring such liveliness to these places..."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhzFKD1Wjt
Our destination, Freyja Station, sat far from the familiar or the convenient—a lonely agricultural outpost orbiting in the silent void. Isolated from major hubs and light-years from my home station of Baldr, Freyja was the kind of place where you could scream into the stars and not even the background radiation would answer.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiS262Ab8f
During harvest cycles, agricultural stations closer to hubs often saw guild members returning to assist. Familiar faces filled the halls, lending a sense of community. But Freyja was so remote that even migrant guild members didn’t bother. It was just us—a patrol team of strangers, completely foreign to the station’s routine.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2veHDTUig
In most places, outsiders like us were met with suspicion, if not outright hostility. Remote stations had a tendency to treat newcomers like planetary debris—something to be swept out the airlocks. Surprisingly, Freyja Station had an open-minded spirit. No one called me a "space-mutt" or muttered slurs under their breath. Instead, they offered us tea—synthesized, of course—and let us watch the resource collection in peace. A rare blessing.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmiZR1i6gG
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtRg9U9zjQ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7zUB8r9ji
"Will you be assisting in the med bay here as well, Mr. Healer?" I asked as we sat on the observation deck, the faint hum of station machinery filling the silence.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuap4joWmM
"Yes," he replied, his voice as calm as the void beyond the viewport. "Light treatment during the afternoon shift. Harvests always bring injuries. Suit breaches, mostly."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikVO354KrE
"Ah, the old busted seals. I’ve had my fair share of air leaks. Lost a lot of oxygen in a station once."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uptQTeD0K
"Vacuum exposure on wounds can be dangerous. Please be cautious, Galaxia Narwhal..."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxRA4Q8KAY
He wasn’t wrong. Out here, the dangers of malfunctioning equipment were as common as space dust. But it wasn’t just faulty suits or broken tools we had to worry about. The asteroid fields surrounding the station were teeming with life—not the friendly kind.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsodQTMOFM0
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10ZEKrJfJ9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt5lLUSlLa
In this universe, asteroid fields were more than just rocky graveyards of forgotten worlds. They were havens for void serpents, Skreeks, and other nasties. Creatures that thrived in the vacuum, hunting anything foolish enough to wander too close. That’s why long-range harvester ships were favored—better to avoid close encounters altogether.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbUscd4y1I
Back at my home station, we used plasma cutters for the job, tools with enhanced particle beams that could slice through mineral-rich rock—or hull plating, depending on how creative you were. Now, though, I carried my beloved Half-Spec Blaster. A more... personal touch.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAW4ZxBoxj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgppsO7Fn8W
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIeFObsSXe
"Yo, guild member! Over here!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDTYiHSSzS
"Galaxia Narwhal, I think they mean you," Healer said, tilting his head slightly.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3EcCbsavI
I sighed. "Alright, alright. What is it?"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMpnuOUd09
"There are Skreeks in the field. Clear them out before they contaminate the collection zone!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlHz0iIpLD
Ah, Skreeks. Time to earn my keep.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuaNTv73I4
The old men of Squadron 3 are resting after done patrolling the station, and I have the most suit power. I wanted to slack off a bit more, but it can't be helped. Time to work.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC17xXv3eRg
"I have to go to the med bay later too. Galaxia Narwhal, please be careful..."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhzj89Gh7S
"Okie-dokie. Don't overexert yourself either, Mr. Healer."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzfU2jWjD8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPQ92u5S1H
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXO4f35E1f
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUb94P9Miwr
Skreeks were the bane of asteroid fields. Small, fast, and endlessly resource-hungry, these pests reproduced like wildfire and hid their nests in the narrowest crevices imaginable. They could infest cargo holds, devour minerals, and spread through stations before anyone noticed. In dense asteroid fields, where sensors struggled to cut through the interference, they thrived.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CDc6Qxyra
Yet, dealing with them wasn’t as simple as firing up the starship’s weaponry and blasting the asteroids apart. The reason was painfully clear: these asteroid fields weren’t just floating debris—they were lifelines. Rich in valuable minerals, rare metals, and sometimes even exotic gases, the asteroids served as essential resources for spacers and industries alike. Destroying them would mean annihilating the very materials everyone was out there to extract.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH2BgV9Atr
That’s why the job of exterminating Skreeks fell to spacers themselves. Spacewalking through the cold void, they had to locate the nests by hand, using heat scanners and magnetic probes to pinpoint the little horrors before deploying specialized tools. Plasma cutters, sonic disrupters, or even small controlled incendiary charges were the weapons of choice—designed to neutralize the pests without compromising the structural integrity of the asteroids.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36jL7sHQoB
Although it's not really that dangerous, It was grueling work. Skreeks were quick, unpredictable, and fiercely territorial. If provoked, they’d gnaw through environmental suits or sabotaging tools with alarming speed. But spacers had no choice. Personal intervention was the only way to eliminate the infestation while preserving the asteroid’s precious bounty.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvxycfFmfY
The asteroid fields stretched before me—a treacherous maze of jagged rock and frozen void. Human intervention rarely extended beyond what was absolutely necessary. Maintenance crews didn’t bother with the deeper parts of the field, leaving them to the Skreeks and, occasionally, amorous young station couples looking for thrills.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6M7LB04Uzs
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xeayhnQar
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eWK4H9Ff5
"There, see? They’re contaminating the minerals."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzL9ORnwjf
"Ah, I see them," I said, squinting at the faint signatures on my scanner. "Can’t spill radioactive blood in the collection zone, huh?"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHJOLex6ms
"Exactly. If you could take care of them over there, away from the miners, we’d appreciate it."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51glqh0x5r
"Got it. I’ll make it quick. Keep working just in case."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSnIEDdc4N
"Yeah."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82V3byLHZj
Guided to the outskirts of the active harvesting zone, I picked up two distinct radiation signatures. Skreeks. Locals could’ve handled it, but since we were here, I figured I’d show them how a professional does it.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSfRVmAPrs
"Now then, let’s get started."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiDvyGmTlO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HDmlWqnu8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJDePsSHqV
Skreeks were aggressive, but not entirely stupid. They wouldn’t charge headlong into a fight unless provoked. But they were greedy little things, and easy to bait if you knew how to push their buttons.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstagZbkLQl
I pulled out a synthetic protein cube—a faulty batch with a strange radiation signature. Perfect for luring pests. I waved it in the air, my voice dripping with mock enthusiasm.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dlHKoruRq
"Oh hoho, Mr. Skreek! Look at this delicious, juicy protein cube! Doesn’t it smell amazing?"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqs1kwaJo9
"Skreee!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExBYxkqvtH
"Skree skree!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkjsjGboST
The Skreeks screeched from their hiding spots, their guttural cries echoing across the comms. They weren’t coming out yet, but I could feel their anger building.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwpo8Kbxu8
"You want it that bad? Here, have a taste!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOtsnpXBU0
"Skreeee skree!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaIrIjZWYO
I dangled the protein cube like a star sailor tempting a void shark, my expression overly theatrical as I pretended to savor it.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zdzIpWdhX
"Mmm, exquisite! Premium nutrient ration—straight from the synth farms!" A shrill, warbling screech echoed through the comms.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBl2dQtRgMQ
"Skreeeee!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRtP5nn6v8
Bingo. Hooked. They're absolutely livid.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm6Pm8Sijv
Time to lure them out of the asteroid belt.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BZE1d5fpa
"Look at this luscious protein cube... practically dripping with cosmic-grade nutrients!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGWpW65Ls7
"Skree!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIYVQe2iP9
"Skree skree!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMMbwUa8fS
"Attention, galactic viewers! We're giving this away to one lucky winner—oh wait, just kidding! Om nom nom!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AZbGAzYuh
Humans in powered suits are far superior, especially when maneuverability outclasses these primitive Skreeks. I carefully nudged my thrusters, weaving through the asteroid field’s dense maze. The Skreeks flailed behind, struggling to keep up as I drew them into open space.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RYy8DOMzR
Their shrieks were filled with bloodlust, but honestly, what did I ever do to them? It’s not like I stole *all* their food reserves. Their relentless ferocity didn’t falter, not even when one of them got vaporized. Admirable, in a way.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xnjTYECXa
Their claws were their only weapons—deadly in close quarters but laughably short compared to the reach of my trusty Half-Spec Blaster.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbD4M26WgB
"Alright then," I muttered, gripping the blaster, its sleek barrel humming to life, "let’s finish this in three ticks."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVB08sBwMx1
"Skreee-!"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMl9XRElIBi
I aimed and fired, the blaster's blue-white bolt tearing through the first Skreek’s armored carapace with a hiss and sizzle. It collapsed in a heap, sparks dancing off its fried sensory organs.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdm5bkTlRH
"First shot—clean disintegration."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MGdkn2x8m
"Skree—!?"
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6nMHWbrdx
"Too late. Vaporization incoming."
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeav4vQvaQD
I lined up the next shot and unleashed another bolt. The Skreek froze mid-lunge, its thorax splitting apart as the energy blast bisected it. The pieces drifted lifelessly, leaking a faintly glowing ichor into the void.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4b8WJo0a6
And that’s how you handle Skreeks.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRhfHW6zs5
"Skreek infestation cleared!" I called through the comms.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uOFuGoVka
"Appreciate it!" someone replied, already resuming the harvest operations.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllxl7afO5o
With the immediate threat neutralized, I glanced at my dirty suit, their radioactive fluids glinting like starlight in the dark. Cleaning this up wasn’t going to be fun. Maybe stunning them next time would’ve been smarter. Fewer glowing messes to scrubs.
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm6vNqJ5zY
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUNvk22xcu
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDP2IHvjmW
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQTGCoZhOL
Author's note : wanna read future chapters earlier? visit :196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaTWjOmoX5
galaxianarwhal.blogspot.com196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWLFq01k0J
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.