u/EstablishmentSad2569

One of the oldest additions of the "re-domestication" initiative - Gigapede.

It's wild counterpart boasts a unique ability to reintegrate severed sections - an adaptation that allows it to discard damaged parts, even if it was in the middle of the body.

Modern iteration of domesticated Gigapede is a modular bio-boosted organism that consists of manned flying control-unit - and myriad of additional simplified organisms that can be attached in various configurations - ranging from "Exodus module" - a long range ground traveling unit that acts as small scale ecosystem that can provide nourishment for thirty people for months without need for external energy sources - to "Flesh ripper module" - a specialised segmented tail-like attachment that is used to restrict and turn gigantic creatures into raw bio-mass.

One control unit can commandeer up to 5 different modules but prolonged running at full capacity risks a burnout of nervous tissue - so must be done with caution.

It usually requires a trained bio-monger operator, but modification for civic usage can be arranged with the permission of the guild.

Overall versatility and robustness of design results in almost universal presence of Gigapedes in human settlements, even thou a smaller breeds may be used in less developed ones.

- "Nah... nah... N-i-i-i-ce... You really... suck at this... don't you, Iv?.." - Zaz was barely catching breath after a frantic sprint through the jungle. Right now three hunters were standing at the precipices of the cliff - a dead end.

Hunter wearing blue four-armed armor kneeled at the edge of the cliff, cautiously looking down - few pebbles rolled off the edge never to be seen again. Almost a kilometer deep - way too high for a jump without glider. But that was their only way of escaping a stampede that was hot on their trail.

- "Sorry, was not enough time to properly navigate with all the commotion." - she replied, while focusing on the valley bellow.

- "Sorry?! We are in a death trap, arent we?!" - Dazy was frantically pacing around - "And we have what?..."

- "Around 20 seconds, till bugs catch up..." - Zaslava barged in, while scanning the jungle behind with her thermal vision. Gigapede horde was rapidly approaching.

- "Iv! Any bright ideas?! What should we do?!"

- "I am thinking."

For a few moments there was silence, interrupted only by subtile howling of the wind. But then the ground started shaking from the myriad of gigantic insect legs rushing towards the cliff.

- "Oh shit! We are going to die here, aren't we?!" - straight up panic was in Dazy's voice.

- "Don't worry, hon... I will not let them get to you that easy... you can count on that..." - Zaz assumed her usual fighting stance - preparing to strike whoever will show from behind the trees - "...but it will be a painful death for us all in the end..."

- "Not necessary." - Iv stood from her knees and walked towards her teammates, putting massive upper arms of her armor on their shoulders - "Trust me."

With a sudden motion she grabbed both of them and ran towards the cliff, plummeting into abyss, just as the massive wave of chitinous jaws and legs rolled out of the forest with ear-piercing shriek.

- "IV! WHAT THE FUCK?!" - Dazy was screaming at the top of her lungs. Wind roaring past her.

- "No need to shout, intercom is working just fine. Isolate the external noise if wind is too distracting." - Iv said calmly, as she was adjusting the trajectory of their descent to the valley bellow.

- "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!"

- "D, honey... I kinda agree... dial it down, please..." - Zaz turned her head towards Iv, who was still hyper focused on the rapidly approaching ground - "...nice thinking by the way... this is a much nicer way to go..."

- "Zip it. We are not going to die here..."

- "Well that's a relief..."

- "...if I am right."

- "IF YOU ARE FUCKING RIGHT?"

- "Yes, Dazy, if I am fucking right and if you will stop with your hysterical screeching - we can all make it out in one piece! Now - hold on tight! Ignition in T-minus 10".

(Bonus extra crispy sugma :P)

- "Ten! Nine!..."

- "Are you going to use your pyrokinetic discharge thing?..." - Zaslava asked with slight concern in her voice.

- "Eight! What?! Yes! Seven!..."

- "Ok... You know that from what you told us..."

- "Six! Five!..."

- "...it can't dissipate heat well... and plasma channels run close to your actual legs..."

Iv stopped the countdown, and released a deep sigh - "Yeah... I know, Zaz. Thanks for reminding that it will suck. Now hold!"

Sometimes you just have to trust that improvised "soft-fall" system will prevent you from turning into meat-paste inside your suit after mile long fall :p

Three hunters were standing at the precipice of a rocky cliff - going down for over mile. Two of them - grey and purple - were heavily out of breath.

- "Nah... N-i-i-i-ce... you really... suck at this... don't you, Iv?.." - hunter in grey armor turned towards towering blue four armed figure.

- "Oh, shut up, Zaz, there was no time to properly navigate." - Iv cautiously got down to one knee and looked down the clif - few pebbles rolled off into abyss below.

- "Ok, what now?! We can't turn back - we alerted too many gigapedes!" - Dazy was panicking
- "And we have what?!..."

- "Like 10 seconds before we get mangled to death..." - Zaslava replied melancholycaly.

- "Iv! Any bright ideas?!"

Silence held for few seconds, before all three felt how ground started shaking from myriads of skittering giant talons chasing the intruders.

- "Oh well... guess thats how we die... So, final stand?" - Zaz took her usual fighting stance.
- "No. Not today" - blue hunter springed from its knees - grabbing both Zaz and Dazy and then promptly jumping off the cliff - as gigantic insect-like monsters poured out of the woods into cliff with ear-rupturing screeching.

- "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IV?!" - Dazy was screaming at the top her lungs as all three plummet into abyss, wind roaring past them.

- "Don't scream. I can hear you just fine through intercom. Isolate outside noise if wind is too distracting..." - Iv calmly replied, as she was focusing on ground below - and subtly altering trajectory of their descent.

- "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!"

- "D... honey, I agree - dial it down... please..." - Zaz calmly replied - "Also - nice thinking Iv... This is much nicer way to go..."

- "We are not gonna die, Zaz, atleast not now..."

- "Oh... thats a relief..."

- "...if I am right."

- "IF YOU ARE FUCKING RIGHT?!"

- "Yes, Dazy! If I am fucking right and you will stop your hysterical screeching - we might just be fine! Now hold on tight! Ignition in Т-minus 5!"

Page 1

- "Hurk!..." - her intimidating speech was cut abruptly, as her whole body was flung off the ground in one sudden motion. Zaz was now dangling in the air, as much bigger suit of armor held her by the neck. - "Hm?.." - she hummed, questioning current situation.

- "I told you to stop! We are here to protect those people, not to terrorize them!" - blue-armored hunter was seething with rage.

- "Put. Me. Down..."

- "I wll put you down, when I choose to! I am in charge of this mission!"

- "Oh are you?.."

- "I'll fuck you up! You creepy shit!" - Iv started to tighten her grasp on grey armor's neck. Underlying bio-carapace bulged in response to pressure.

- "Mmmhh!.." - moan of pleasure escaped through the speaker - "You are such a daddy's girl..."

Page 2

Zaz's right palm slowly glided across the surface of the arm, that was trying to break her neck, till she also reached her neck, her body slowly wriggling as if Iv was holding a giant snake.

- "What the?.." - Iv was staring at her opponent in complete confusion.

- "Ahhh! Such a strong hold! Just like your dear father, same firm but gentle touch..."

- "My father wouldn't touch a skunk like you with somebody's else hand!" - she bended the arm, bringing Zaz's face closer to her own... only to see that armor's visors were locked in closed state, exhaust ports burning up with heat, mimicking elation of it's pilot.

- "Oh! Poor girl... Oh he would touch me everywhere!.. Haaaah..." - moans resumed, as Zaz began reaching into her nether regions with a clawed palm of her free hand...

Page 3

Iv released her grasp and recoiled back in disgust.

- "Ughh! What the hell is wrong with you!"

Zaz fell on her back into field of grass, going completely limp. Her chest slightly shaking from a quiet giggle.

- "Is this funny to you?!"

- "Ah-ha-haaaa... yeah..."

- "What's so funny?!"

- "Ahhh... You are funny, little girl." - grey hunter was just obliviously drawing circles in the air with her right index finger.

- "You cree!.." - Iv stopped mid sentence. No - enough of this sharade, people are watching, must keep it together. She closed her eyes and made a deep breath.

Page 4

- "Ah, don't you worry, baby girl..." - Zaz voice returned to usual calm demeanor. - "They saw enough" - she slowly pulled herself from the ground up in exaggerated graceful manner, like she was doing yet another seductive dance.

- "Oh yeah?! And they saw what? That I dropped your horny ass like a sack of shit!" - young hunter barked back.

- "That you are squeamish. And gullible..."

- "Oh for fuck sake..." - Iv rolled her eyes and turned around to walk towards the remaining part of expedition.

- "And naive..." - an empty coldness marked those words, as she dug her claws into bone ornaments on her armor's chest - "I will show you..."

Page 5

With one swift motion Zaz pulled out two bone punching-knives - preserved in perfect condition by being connected to synthetic bloodstream of the armor. She jumped to her feet and dashed towards her target...

To be continued