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the way it had sounded the first time.  It – and I was now thinking of it as something less than human - took another step in my direction, and this time there was a loud pop, and it looked like the knee of the figure's left leg caved in at the center, bending backwards grotesquely.  "I've been looking for you everywhere." 
                "Shit..."  I whispered beneath my breath.  "Stay away from me, I have DSD.  I'm dangerous.  I might hurt you without meaning to!"  I yelled down the hall, but it had already taken another step, and this time it's right knee crunched backward and the humanoid figure fell down on all fours, its shoulders snapping and popping as its arms bent into a shape more appropriate for quadrupedal motion.  "Listen, I don't want to..."
                I'm not sure what I'd intended to say, because my brain disconnected from my mouth as the woman down the hall sprinted towards me like a human spider scurrying along a windowsill.
                I turned and ran.  DSD or not, I had no desire to meet up with the nightmare in the hallway.  Even as I took off towards the comfort center I could hear the inhuman patter of my pursuer running me down.  I pushed as hard as my legs would take me.  My security training had put me in the gym a great deal and I was in excellent shape.   Unfortunately, whatever was behind me was apparently in better shape.  I could hear it growing closer, its bones grinding with its unnatural movements, slowly cutting down the distance between us. 
                "Can you help me, I think I'm hurt."  The female voice of the thing behind me pleaded as though it wasn't coming from a monster that was chasing me at breakneck speed through the corridors of a starship. 
                I began looking for a weapon, or a way to escape.  Of course, aboard a military research ship there weren't weapons just laying around.  They were in controlled security lockers.  I had access to those lockers, but only to first class weapons, stunners and batons.  I wasn't exactly sure where the nearest locker was, either, though I was sure even if I knew I wouldn't get there before the thing chasing me was on my back. 
                I glanced over my shoulder to see that the distance between myself and the monstrosity had been halved.  I took in some further details.  I couldn’t quite make sense of it’s body, but it sort of looked like a four legged spider had stretched a female crewmember over its exoskeleton, and the unfortunate crew member had been far too small.  The flesh was distended and splitting in places, revealing a gruesome red mess of muscle and bone working just beneath the surface.  The damned face was still human though, and smiling wildly as though she were greeting a long lost friend. 
                I pushed myself even harder, giving everything I had to my legs to carry me forward.  I'd been taught to run with distance in mind, and to preserve stamina whenever possible, but this was different.  I was traveling so fast that I felt like I might stumble at any moment.  My muscles were beginning to burn, and I was taking deep, heavy breaths just to keep my blood oxygenated. 
                It might have been my imagination, but I was certain I could feel the creature's breath upon my back with every step.  In desperation I dove towards a room at the side of the hallway.  The door opened for me, and even as it was sliding shut at my back I gasped for breath and called out an order. 
                "Odyssey, lock this door, security clearance level 1!"  I turned in time to see the creature skittering to a stop just as the bulkhead shut and locked.  A red flashing light went on over the door. 
                "James Wright, please file your security report in regards to this incident as soon as the situation allows.  You will receive a follow up reminder in fifteen