by Andrew Gates
Sixtine turned to face him.
“Yes, you know her?”
He nodded.
“She was a colleague of mine. She worked with Iris in the history department at Harrison Middle School.”
Iris knew who they were talking about. She didn’t know Hillary that well, but with everything on her mind right now, Iris had trouble thinking back to her at all.
“Yes, we worked together,” was all she said.
“Oh, what a small world!” Sixtine replied in a strangely excited tone. “She will be so surprised to hear this!”
“Your sister is dead, don’t you get it?” Selene responded, jumping in angrily. “And we will be too, if we don’t start thinking straight! Why are we even talking about this right now?”
“I think everyone is just flustered,” Tobias said, standing up from consoling his boss. “We’re all just saying whatever comes to mind. It’s a psychological technique to deal with stress. The truth of the matter is, talking about things like the station, your sister, who should keep watch at night, whether to fire a gun or not fire a gun, none of it matters right now. All that matters is what we do next.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Tobias seemed to be the voice of reason among them.
“Well… our food was all back there. We’ve lost everything we still had from the pod and everything we’ve hunted and collected over the past few days,” Dan explained. “So I think our first step is to find more food.”
“We’re also separated from our guns,” Ryan replied. He calmly stood up. Iris could see tears on his face, but he acted like they weren’t even there. “We need to rethink our hunting techniques.” It was good to see him so composed again.
“Why don’t we build traps? You know, like the mantises,” Margery added.
Tobias smiled.
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” he said.
“What about the zombies? What if they come back?” Jallah asked.
“The what?” wondered Selena.
“You know, the… people,” he replied.
“I don’t think they’re zombies, Jallah,” Dan explained.
“Well they kind of look like zombies, don’t they?” he asked.
“Zombies are dead and mindless. These things are definitely alive and able to think. They have blood running through their veins. They strategized on how to surround us. They might be some sort of savage pre-humans, but not zombies,” Dan clarified.
“Well… whatever. You know what I mean,” Jallah said.
“If the… zombies come back, we won’t be as prepared this time,” Ryan replied, finally addressing Jallah’s question. “We’ve used up most of our guns and ammo. We’ve lost three of our team. We barely made it alive as we are.”
“And one of us is badly sick,” Greyson added, not forgetting about his daughter.
“Right, that too,” Ryan said.
Saying it all out loud like that really put things into perspective. It was amazing the 12 of them were able to survive as long as they had out here.
Iris took a few steps away from the group. This conversation was getting to her. Everything was getting to her.
Once she was far enough away, she felt herself gag. Vomit came spewing out of her mouth like a waterfall. Her shoes were drenched in tan gunk and she wiped her mouth with her dirty sleeve. She closed her eyes and felt herself cry. She was not sure how long she held this position, but when she opened her eyes again, she felt dizzy.
She gazed out onto the line of trees they had just come from. It was strange to think how peaceful the trees once looked. But now they seemed so frightening.
As she looked out upon the forest, she saw some figures moving past the trunks. There were not many, but she could make out a few humanoids. Her heart beat faster and faster.
“Guys!” she hollered, getting the group’s attention. She dropped down onto the ground. The high grass covered most of her body.
The others got quiet immediately.
There were probably about 10 humanoids in total, spread out through the trees. She was far enough away that she did not get a great view, but she noticed that something was different about the one in the center of the line. This one was a male. It was not as short as the others. It had larger eyes and a smaller mouth. Unlike the others, who mostly slouched, this humanoid stood erect like a man.
It looks like a person, she thought in astonishment, like a regular person from the station!
The human-looking one pointed off in the distance and shouted something. A couple of the savage-looking creatures ran in that direction. Clearly this one must have been their leader.
Iris turned around to face the others. They were all slouched down and hiding. Good, Iris thought, the creatures probably can’t see us out here.
She turned back again and watched their pursuers. A tree fell over in the distance, then another, then another. The human-like leader spun around and faced the toppling trees. Then, in an instant, the mantises appeared. The one with a net cast it out over the leader, trapping it inside. The mantis pulled the net tight and hoisted the male into the air.
The other mantis chased after some of the retreating humanoids. It was much faster than them. It took no time for it to reach the savage creatures and rip their bodies apart like thin twigs. In just a few seconds, all the humanoids were either killed or captured.
The two mantises glanced over the area briefly. Iris kept her head down low. She held that position for what must have been 10 seconds, but felt like so much longer. Then the mantises returned to the forest, leaving nothing behind.
Iris gave it almost three minutes before she dared move again. From the sound of things, she was not the only one with that idea. After a while, she decided to stand up and return to the rest of the group.
“What the hell? Did you see that?” Dan asked as Iris rejoined them.
“It looked like a man,” Greyson added. “I can’t believe it. Could this get any weirder?”
“The good news is they’re gone. It seems like the mantises don’t want them around either,” Tobias said, pointing out the obvious.
“Yes, good for us. Could you imagine if they were on the same side?” Ophelia replied.
“Uh… guys,” Jallah said. There was a horrified tremble to his voice. It was as if he had seen a ghost. He stood up tall and gazed at the sky. “Did you just ask if this could get any weirder? Because… I think it just did.”
Iris instinctively looked up. The triangular spaceship was still there. It did not seem any different than it had over the last few days. She was not sure why Jallah was so fascinated by the sky.
“What is it?” Margery asked, obviously not seeing anything either.
“Look!” he replied, pointing to the moon. Iris redirected her gaze to the moon now.
Though it was daytime, the moon shone clearly. But it was not the moon itself that they were looking at. Instead, it was what was around the moon. Smaller spaceships converged near it. Some appeared boxy, others smooth. It was as if a fleet was assembling around it.
“It’s got to be the mantises,” Dan said.
“The ships look different though!” Selena retorted. “The big one is like a triangle. These don’t look the same.”
“Maybe they just make a lot of different types of ships,” Margery suggested.
“I have an idea. Instead of standing here looking at the sky, why don’t we get the hell out of this grass?” Ophelia suggested, pulling everyone’s focus back to the priority.
“Good point,” Tobias agreed.
“Well where are we going to go, huh? Back to the trees?” Greyson asked.
“No! Not there!” Jallah replied. He seemed genuinely afraid.
“We might have to,” Dan said. “The woods seem to get denser the more west we go. Those savages, whatever they are, they attacked us by the ocean. I bet they live near the coast.”
“Here you go again on your plan to go west. Why won’t you drop it? Do you really think we’ll be
safer there?” Selena asked.
“I do!” Dan cried out. “I do! Look where staying here has gotten us!”
“Calm down, calm down,” Sixtine said, holding her arms out. “Maybe we can contact the station and see what they-”
“Forget the station!” Selena shouted. “Am I the only sane person here?”
Others joined in. Within a few seconds, the entire group seemed to erupt in argument. Iris got lost in it all. She couldn’t hear when this many people were talking. The noise all just got mixed together.
Not knowing what else to do, she simply stared up at the moon as strange shapes formed around it. She didn’t know what the hell was going on, but the scene above her head was strangely captivating.
Just when we think we’ve figured it all out, it turns out we have no clue what we’re dealing with, she realized. No clue at all.
THE CRAFT RATTLED BACK AND forth as Squad Leader Kho Ikharus stood with his new team. He was not fond of these Sorrevahni ships. They did not seem to handle as smoothly as those from the Chiefdom. The interior of the hull was dark. The only light shone through the small windows on the port and starboard sides of the ship, though the light was growing brighter as they neared the battle zone.
Kho Evirak stood across from the squad leader, checking on his supply of explosives. Evirak was not wearing his helmet, displaying his burned mandibles. Ikharus did not know what led to those scars, but it was not his place to ask. He would learn more about his new team in time. Right now the focus was on the mission, whatever it was.
Kal Ukhrani held herself against the starboard side of the ship with one claw and loaded plasma batteries into her long distance rifle with the other. Ikharus had heard of her renowned skills as a sniper. He was eager to see them put to the test.
Kal Khreznor was the final member of their group. She faced away from them, peering through one of the portside windows. She took a deep breath and then turned around to face the others. She had been quiet for most of the trip. Ikharus wondered if this was normal for her.
The squad leader peered to the tracker in his helmet’s heads-up display, or HUD. They were nearing the battle zone. Any minute now, they would be in the thick of it.
Suddenly the holodisk in the center of the cabin lit up. An image materialized around the ring, glowing like a second sun. Special Operations Commander Kal Ezenkharam appeared in the holographic projection. Kreed Marauder stood at attention. Evirak put his helmet on.
“Kreed, I welcome you all to your first assignment together. May you all succeed where others would fail,” Ezenkaram said to the room. Nobody responded. It was not wise to interrupt a superior. Ikharus was glad to see that his new squad members were properly trained in this regard. “As you have likely determined, we can now confirm that the rumors of a lunar rebellion are true. The former Sorrevahni colony has declared open war with the Empire. Your ship will soon enter the battle zone,” she continued. “This mission is delicate. The Kholvari Chiefdom is not to hold any official action in this conflict. If you are spotted or captured and identified as Kholvari, we may as well be declaring war against the Empire. Is that understood?”
“Understood,” the four members of Kreed Marauder answered in unison.
“Your mission is to travel to the lunar surface and secure a high-value Sorrevahni prisoner, Soh Saratti.”
An image of the Sorrevahni prisoner appeared on the projection next to Ezenkharam. He was an older male. His neck was beginning to sag and his outer shell seemed to be losing its thickness. Ikharus tried to memorize the image as fast as he could.
“Our scans indicate he is being held in Prisoner Station 4, near the main docking port. Bring him back alive. Is that understood?”
“Understood.” Once again, they all chanted in unison.
“May you be swift and efficient in your efforts, Kreed Marauder.”
The hologram faded away and the ship blared its siren. A red light flashed inside the cabin.
“We’ve reached the battle zone. Kreed, at attention!” Ikharus said to his squad. They all stood as still as could be.
Time to see if these soldiers are worthy of their renown.
Mission directives were short and last-minute in the Chiefdom. That was the Kholvari way. But the briefness was no problem for Ikharus. He was used to it. He knew the mission now. That was all that mattered.
Land on the moon’s surface, find Prisoner Station 4, retrieve the prisoner alive and return safely, all without anyone catching us. It was simple, straightforward.
Ikharus checked to make sure his soldiers were all suited up. Once the outer hatch opened, they would be without atmosphere. As he expected, everyone was ready to go.
“Kal Tykzok, now!” he shouted over the comm to the pilot in the cockpit.
The rear hatch opened, sending a huge gust of air outward into empty space. The squad members grabbed onto the walls of the ship, stabilizing themselves. All sound stopped except for that of Ikharus’s own breath in his helmet.
Planet-cycles ago, on his first mission, it took practically all his effort to stop himself from trembling in fear. But he did not ascend through the ranks to become one of the most elite soldiers in the Chiefdom by showing fear. Now he kept all four legs still and gazed at the view before him, noting out the corner of his eye that his team members were just as still as he was, with a calm that came only from experience.
A full-scale war was brewing outside. The sleek Sorrevahni battleships were fast, well-armed and heavily armored, while the lunar rebels seemed to have much more robust technology. Their ships were boxy, like repurposed freighters. Their repurposed weapons and makeshift shields were no match for the battleships, whose cannons cut right through their ranks. This was no Navy; it was a collection of miners using what little resources they had as warships.
Ikharus laughed at the prospect of these rebels being a challenge for the Empire.
Behind the ships was their target: the lunar surface. The moon loomed like a beautiful white gem in a world of darkness.
“Kreed Marauder, now!” he ordered.
Without wasting a second, the Kreed activated their rocket packs and propelled forward through the void of space. The moon was just below them. Its gravity pulled them downward, assisting the rocket packs in their descent.
Free-falling to a planet’s surface never felt like falling to Ikharus. To him, it felt more like floating, like he was just a leaf in the wind. Right now, despite all the chaos around him, he felt like just that. It was strangely comforting.
A rebel freighter flew past him on the right side. Makeshift cannon bays seemed to have been welded onto its exterior. It looked terrible, but it did the trick. In an instant, it opened fire. The plasma blasts flew past Ikharus and his team and directly towards a Teceron-class Sorrevahni warship on the other side. This was one of the most powerful warships in existence. Ikharus laughed at the idea of this simple freighter taking it down.
Out of pure curiosity, he kept his head up to watch what happened next. As he expected, the Teceron-class ship’s shields caused the plasma to erupt just short of hitting the target. The massive warship charged up its own cannons, prompting the freighter to turn away.
Evasive maneuvers won’t save you. Your folly has already granted you your doom, he thought with a smirk on his face.
Sure enough, the Sorrevahni ship opened fire, sending bolts of heated plasma across the retreating ship’s portside. The walls melted. Crew flew out from the pressurized hull to suffocate in the blackness.
Kho Ikharus could feel the warmth of the blast through his suit. He checked the internal temperature on his HUD, making sure everything was still safe. It may have been warm, but according to the readings, he was fine.
They were getting closer to the lunar surface now. Ikharus could make out the various facilities and features on the ground.
“Packs off! Let gravity bring us in!” he ordered.
His team complied, turning off their rockets.
The
y were below the two ships now. Ikharus could no longer see the skirmish between them, but he felt another blast of heat. He assumed the Sorrevahni ship had fired another wave.
Within seconds, his question was answered. Debris from the freighter blew past him like fireballs. A smaller piece collided with his armored abdomen, knocking him slightly off course.
Ikharus used his arms and smaller thrusters to maneuver himself in the gravity, trying to bring himself back on track. Debris continued hitting him here and there, throwing off his trajectory.
“Squad Leader, there’s a lot of debris hitting us!” said Kal Ukhrani over the comm.
“Maintain course as best you can! The target remains!” he replied.
More debris smashed against him. This time a larger piece hit his left arm. Despite his thick suit, the impact left him in a lot of pain. Ikharus did the best to ignore it, though it was difficult, especially when he needed his arms to help reposition in free-fall.
“I’m detecting a target moving in,” Kho Evirak reported.
Ikharus glanced at his motion tracker. He noticed it too. The target registered smaller than a warship, but larger than a lone soldier. Whatever it was, it was fast.
He turned to face its direction. Sure enough, a small one-man Sorrevahni fighter headed their way.
The pilot doesn’t know which team we’re on. Does this Sorrevahni have the audacity to fire upon us?
Apparently the answer was yes.
The ship opened fire, barraging hot balls of plasma onto Kreed Marauder. Ikharus and his team spun and maneuvered in the air, dodging the blasts like dancers on stage. All the while, more freighter debris rained down upon them.
“Kal Ukhrani, I call upon your skills!” Ikharus said. It was time to test her renowned abilities as a sniper.
Ikharus could not see her from his angle, but within a few seconds, the fighter’s window was struck by a blast of plasma. The window shattered. The pilot squirmed for a few moments, but soon died as the cold blackness took another life.
So the rumors are true.
“We’re descending too fast,” the quiet Kal Khreznor said.
Ikharus checked his HUD. Unfortunately, she was right. Somehow in their evasive maneuvers, they’d managed to pick up speed.
