Extinction Read Online Free
Author: Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant
possibly like every one of the other viceroys — had been allowed to rule as herself rather than an alien puppet. What did it mean that she’d turned on the Astrals? What did it mean that, apparently, all of the other viceroys had turned on the Astrals, as well? Were the Astrals really that stupid? Were they really that ignorant of human nature, to fail at truly converting even one of their eight turncoats?
“We’re going,” Meyer said. “I’m not going to curl up in a hole in the ground and hide from the aliens … again.”
A rushing shout echoed from behind them, making Kindred jump. Feet coming fast, like someone mounting a sneak attack from the rear.
Kindred turned.
The newcomer struck.
CHAPTER 3
“Howdy.”
The hairless, alabaster-skinned Titan turned toward the sound, its expression the same as the one that seemed permanently affixed to the face of every Titan — vaguely surprised but eager to help whoever had sneaked up behind him, like a maitre d’ caught unaware.
The Titan watched the middle-aged man who’d approached him while he stood outside the Ark courtyard. The human was dressed in a rumpled but clean button-down shirt and blue jeans. He wore a brown belt, and the tips of scuffed brown boots protruded from the bottoms of his pants. He had a long, lean face that other humans would see as equal parts weathered, like old cowhide, and ugly. His most distinctive feature was probably his hands, big and lean; they seemed to be made of bone and leather. As the Titan watched, he used the index finger and thumb of one of those big dextrous hands to pluck a reed or thistle from between his teeth. Then he spoke again.
“You’re not very talkative, are you?”
The Titan cocked his head.
“I know this is a cliché, but I wonder if you’d be willing to do me a favor.” The man chuckled, creasing his forehead in wrinkles. “ Take me to your leader .”
The Titan said nothing.
“I know you’ve got shuttles around the Ark. Maybe you could let me knock on one of them doors.”
Still, the Titan was silent.
The stranger shifted as if settling in. He moved his weight from one boot-clad foot to the other. His mouth worked, as if assessing the mute conversationalist before him. Then he returned the reed to his lips like a smoker with his cigarette and fished something from his pocket. A tiny clack filled a convenient auditory pause between an explosion and a loud grinding from beyond. Then there was a banging, like a gunshot. Someone screamed, and the evening sky lit with the flash of a shuttle blast. The man didn’t flinch, as if deaf and immune to the shaking earth.
“I think I know what’s going on here,” the human said, his manner serious. “I’m being rude, aren’t I? Expecting to get a favor without giving anything first. That’s not the way my mamma taught me. Promise. Not that my mamma was an ordinary lady. You know what I’m talking about, don’tcha?
The Titan moved slightly, blocking the courtyard from view, angling his large body between the strange human and the courtyard where the archive was still pulsing and glowing, from which shuttles had been ferrying back and forth since the city had started its dying.
The human held up a hand, fingers splayed. There were shiny black spheres the size of smallish golf balls between his index and middle fingers, between his middle and ring fingers, and between his ring finger and pinky. One big hand with three black balls, palm forward like a greeting.
The man moved his fingers. The balls rolled down into his palm. It happened slowly, the movement precise and controlled. The balls didn’t touch. Then he closed his palm only slightly, and they did, each one rolling against the edge of the other. Subtle shifts in his hand muscles moved in circles. Tiny chime-like sounds filled the air.
“I’ll bet it’s boring, being out here all by yourself,” the stranger said. “Just standing around. Gawking
“We’re going,” Meyer said. “I’m not going to curl up in a hole in the ground and hide from the aliens … again.”
A rushing shout echoed from behind them, making Kindred jump. Feet coming fast, like someone mounting a sneak attack from the rear.
Kindred turned.
The newcomer struck.
CHAPTER 3
“Howdy.”
The hairless, alabaster-skinned Titan turned toward the sound, its expression the same as the one that seemed permanently affixed to the face of every Titan — vaguely surprised but eager to help whoever had sneaked up behind him, like a maitre d’ caught unaware.
The Titan watched the middle-aged man who’d approached him while he stood outside the Ark courtyard. The human was dressed in a rumpled but clean button-down shirt and blue jeans. He wore a brown belt, and the tips of scuffed brown boots protruded from the bottoms of his pants. He had a long, lean face that other humans would see as equal parts weathered, like old cowhide, and ugly. His most distinctive feature was probably his hands, big and lean; they seemed to be made of bone and leather. As the Titan watched, he used the index finger and thumb of one of those big dextrous hands to pluck a reed or thistle from between his teeth. Then he spoke again.
“You’re not very talkative, are you?”
The Titan cocked his head.
“I know this is a cliché, but I wonder if you’d be willing to do me a favor.” The man chuckled, creasing his forehead in wrinkles. “ Take me to your leader .”
The Titan said nothing.
“I know you’ve got shuttles around the Ark. Maybe you could let me knock on one of them doors.”
Still, the Titan was silent.
The stranger shifted as if settling in. He moved his weight from one boot-clad foot to the other. His mouth worked, as if assessing the mute conversationalist before him. Then he returned the reed to his lips like a smoker with his cigarette and fished something from his pocket. A tiny clack filled a convenient auditory pause between an explosion and a loud grinding from beyond. Then there was a banging, like a gunshot. Someone screamed, and the evening sky lit with the flash of a shuttle blast. The man didn’t flinch, as if deaf and immune to the shaking earth.
“I think I know what’s going on here,” the human said, his manner serious. “I’m being rude, aren’t I? Expecting to get a favor without giving anything first. That’s not the way my mamma taught me. Promise. Not that my mamma was an ordinary lady. You know what I’m talking about, don’tcha?
The Titan moved slightly, blocking the courtyard from view, angling his large body between the strange human and the courtyard where the archive was still pulsing and glowing, from which shuttles had been ferrying back and forth since the city had started its dying.
The human held up a hand, fingers splayed. There were shiny black spheres the size of smallish golf balls between his index and middle fingers, between his middle and ring fingers, and between his ring finger and pinky. One big hand with three black balls, palm forward like a greeting.
The man moved his fingers. The balls rolled down into his palm. It happened slowly, the movement precise and controlled. The balls didn’t touch. Then he closed his palm only slightly, and they did, each one rolling against the edge of the other. Subtle shifts in his hand muscles moved in circles. Tiny chime-like sounds filled the air.
“I’ll bet it’s boring, being out here all by yourself,” the stranger said. “Just standing around. Gawking