Shepherd's Crook: Omegaverse: Volume 2 by G.R. Cooper

more fun than sniping.
    Duncan glanced to the first gun, saw that the humans had cleared it. One looked to him, waved, and Duncan returned to firing at the leftmost gun. He centered on it and glanced back to the other attackers, who were now throwing more grenades as they ran to the center of the square. Duncan released the thumb trigger and the smoking barrells of the gatling gun slowed then stopped, a deafening silence replacing the howling whir of the spinning gun.
    He looked back to the center of the square. The three humans, probably sure they were also on a suicide mission a minute ago, waved to him. He returned the salute.
    “Shannon,” he said breathlessly, “I think you’re going to be ok now. It looks like this thing is all wrapped up.”
    “Thank god!” sighed Shannon, “I really, really , need to pee.”

     

meta 4
     
    he showed empathy,
    for an arn.
     
    he killed it, though.
     
    regardless. he’s becoming connected.
     
    send him the unit.
     
    he’s ready.

Chapter 17
     
    Duncan walked back into Kepler station’s mission control. His friends, including the Bigweek guys, turned in his direction and began clapping. Duncan took a bow, then straightened back up and waved his hands dismissively.
    “No need to clap, guys,” he said, “I just got lucky.”
    “Yeah, we know, dweeb,” laughed Blesk, “we weren’t clapping for you.”
    Duncan turned and saw Shannon approaching from behind him. She smiled as she joined the group, and curtseyed.
    “Thank you, my peons,” she said in mock haughtiness, “Your worship is warranted.”
    “Did you have a good pee?” asked Tex.
    “Oh gawd ,” cried Shannon, “did I say that on a public channel?”
    “The main public channel,” laughed Clancey. “After we got whacked, we were watching the end of the fight on the big screen in the arena with about a thousand or so other dead guys and spectators.”
    “You got a huge laugh,” said Vince. “Huge!”
    “Oh gawd ,” repeated Shannon.
    “Look on the bright side,” laughed Duncan.
    Shannon looked at him, raised one eyebrow.
    “At least,” he continued, “you didn’t have to poop.”
    Everyone laughed while Duncan began walking toward the door, beckoning his friends.
    “Anyone want to hang out in my new place while we go over the fight and go through our loot goody-bags?” he asked. He thought, then looked through his inventory, “Hey, Gray Eagle, did you get Big Bertha back?”
    “Yeah, dude. Good job with her, by the way,” he answered, following along with the rest of the group.
    “Thanks, it was fun.”
    “Destination?”
    “My apartment,” said Duncan, checking to make sure he was still grouped with the Bigweek guys, allowing them to follow into his flat.
    They all entered the room and spread around, taking in the decor. Most were drawn to the live action ocean diorama on the inside wall. Duncan joined them, just in time to see a foot-long sperm whale dive on and eat a giant squid.
    “Amazing,” said Shannon. “Beautiful.”
    Duncan nodded, “I love it. I could watch it for hours.”
    They all moved to the far, windowed wall and spread out on the large horseshoe shaped couch. Duncan lit the fire-pit. The other nine sat around the huge couch, with room to spare.
    Duncan looked around at his friends, old and new. He wondered that even the old friends he hadn’t known for much more than a year. He was never close, never comfortable with others. Even here, in his own place, surrounded by people he knew liked him, he felt apart from the group. It was that he didn’t like them, or didn’t trust them; Duncan’s world-view just split humanity into two very distinct groups that did not overlap - himself and everyone else.
    “Hey,” said Clancey, “just got an alert. Shannon’s on the news!”
    Duncan brought up the window controls, changed the view from one outside the station to the game’s news channel.
    The story began with the background of the event; how the Arn had