Read Online Transmission Lost by Stefan Mazzara - Free Book Online

Jack struck wildly at its head, striking it multiple times with no visible effect. The animal continued snarling and roaring, trying to get its jaws in a position to bite at his face. In desperation, Jack placed his hand under its neck, pushing with all his might to keep its teeth as far away from him as possible. His muscles strained, his arms slowly bending as the predator forced its head closer and closer to its target.
    “Ka'a'lai!”
    A piercing, shrieking panther-like roar echoed around the forest. Jack gasped as the predator was thrown off of him. It landed on its back a few meters away from him, rolling back and forth in confusion before flipping itself onto its feet.
    Growling, her teeth bared in a snarl, Aria planted herself on all fours over Jack's body, her tail whipping back and forth in the air. She pawed at the ground, her claws extended, staring the predator down. The animal whipped its tails in her direction, trying to goad her into coming for it. She kept her protective stance over Jack, refusing to move an inch.
    Barking in anger, the predator took a step towards them, and Aria struck. She pounced on the beast, wrapping her arms around its body. With her feet she pinned both of its tails to the ground and starting raking her front claws down its flanks, opening up huge gashes in its furred flesh. The animal howled in sudden pain and dismay, rolling itself back and forth to try to break free of her grasp, but Aria held fast to it and didn't give it any chance to escape. As Jack watched, she pinned its neck to the ground and reached for her belt, drawing out his pistol. Before the animal had a chance to react, she pressed the muzzle to the side of its head and fired a single shot.
    The beast stiffened up with one startled yip, twitched its tails in a few dying thrashes, and then lay still as its last breath hissed through its teeth. Panting, Aria tucked the pistol back into her belt and stood up, taking a step from the corpse.
    Sitting up shakily, Jack caught his breath. He was dumbfounded by what he had just witnessed. Aria had dispatched the beast like it had been nothing at all, while he had been almost powerless to resist it. “Aria, you...I don't know what to...Thank you.”
    Growling, Aria turned towards him and walked over with long strides. “Aresh kal'a'ri me tok !” she hissed at him. She grabbed him by the front of his undershirt, hauling him to his feet. She backhanded him brutally, drawing blood from his cheek.
    Jack was stunned, both by the severity of the blow and by how it had come without much warning. “What the hell was that for?”
    “Idiot! Stupid!” Aria was seething, he eyes alight with fury. “What you thinking, wandering from camp? Could have been killed! Tok le pu'ra me! ” She smacked him again, then let his shirt go, and he collapsed back to the ground. The Ailian stood over him, quivering in rage.
    Jack didn't quite know what to say. This anger was extreme, even for her, and right now he was even more scared than he had been when he'd first encountered her. “S-...Sorry,” he stammered, the apology coming automatically.
    Aria continued shaking, her tail whipping the leaves at her feet, and she cupped her face in her hands. For a few minutes she just stood there, not making any sounds, and Jack watched her warily, wondering what was coming next. Then she dropped her hands to her sides, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again, her anger seemed not to have diminished, but she looked more in control of herself. She turned, walking back in the direction of their camp.
    “Get up, come,” she said over her shoulder to him. “We have work to do.”
    “W-Work?” Jack asked, shakily standing up and following after her.
    “Yes. Need to bury animal. Will attract more if left out. Come.” Aria led Jack back to the camp, and retrieved a collapsible shovel from each of their packs. She handed one to Jack and they returned to the dead