Author: Johannes "Jergen[K]" Cruz			Viewing: Chapter 3

Aegis eased himself out of the airlock first, then when he was positioned above the hatch looking down at Dachande, he locked himself to one of the 'Dragon's maintenance lines with a C-clip and helped the Sergeant out. As soon as they were both on the hull of the ship Dachande started moving forward with Aegis covering him in a crouch. "It should only take two minutes," Dachande mumbled to himself, taking a moment to look at one of the huge spikes that the alien vessel had embedded into the armor of Shadow Dragon. Multi-colored lights pulsed up the length of the tentacle through dozens of veins on its surface. Every few seconds it would throb, as though it were sucking the power hungrily from the stricken ship, and the lights running along its surface increased in their intensity. "This thing looks alive," Dachande said as he moved away and headed towards the bridge. "Looks like the same tech on the Xenomorphs," Aegis commented, taking a moment to look at the huge thing before moving on. Within moments both men were near the middle of the ship, and unfortunately they would have to move between two of the alien trunks that were embedded near Shadow Dragon's single plasma offensive turret. "We could go around," Dachande said, looking at the massive structures in front of him. Each of them was easily larger around than a man, and they appeared to be growing as they watched them. Aegis moved forward, looking at the structures, then reached out to touch one of them. "Get away from that Corporal," Dachande said, moving to pull Aegis back if need be. "I don't think it's a threat to us," Aegis said. "It seems only interested in the power from the ship." Just then his gloved fingers touched the surface of the tentacle, tracing a path near the glowing veins. "It's like stone," he said, stepping past it to the other side. Dachande paused for a moment, but reluctantly followed Aegis, being careful not to touch the formations with any part of his suit. "You are crazy Aegis," Dachande mumbled. On the bridge Mekhazzio had managed to restore auxiliary power to the ship's systems. The alien vessel had identified and attached itself to the main power conduits running under the armored hull of the 'Dragon, but it had not attacked the numerous redundant power systems that powered the communications and life-support gear in the event of an emergency. Although he couldn't pilot this ship, he could at least get her talking and keep her atmosphere circulating. "..'agon, this is Eden." The radio crackled to life, the familiar voice of Doctor Stewart flooded to cabin. "This is Shadow Dragon," Mekhazzio replied. "It's nice to hear a familiar voice." "Mekhazzio," Evelyn said, pausing for a moment. "I was afraid you had been destroyed. Your signal disappeared on the scopes, and everyone lost contact at the same time." "We have a situation Doctor," Mekhazzio began, sitting heavily in his seat, "but we haven't been destroyed yet." "What's happened up there Mekh?" Doctor Stewart asked, he voice full of questions. "That alien shell," Mekh said, whiping at his face, "It's alive, and it's attacked the ship." "How?" Evelyn asked. "I don't know for certain, it appears to have grown arms, and it drove them through the hull and has leeched all of my power from the drives." Mekhazzio worked over his console, tapping in commands that brought the computer online fully. "I'm going to connect you to the 'Dragon so you can ask her what's up." "Thanks Mekh," Evelyn said, motioning to Doctor Brinks to hand her a notepad. She copied down the authorization codes and frequencies needed to communicate directly with Shadow Dragon then handed the pad to Brinks. He nodded to her and left the room, all the while trying very hard to keep his excitement to himself. "You guys take care up there, I'm going to have a ship on the way, it shouldn't be more than half an hour." "Okay Doctor Stewart," Mekh responded. "Be nice to Shadow Dragon, she's already jealous enough that I speak with real women." "Our secret is safe with me pirate," Evelyn said as she cut the line. Setting down the transmitter, she sighed as she shook her head. Was there a safe place left anywhere in the universe? *** "Captain Lody," Saturn said into his communicator. "Get the platoon commanders to the APC for a deployment brief." "Check Sir," Lody said, turning to his platoon leader. "Staff Sergeant Raptor, get the men organized and have the platoons in formation when I get back." "Aye, Aye Sir," Raptor said as he turned to the men and started barking orders. Lody moved through the press, scanning the quickly moving marines for the familiar faces of Briggs and Diablo. Five minutes later he had them in tow and was heading for the Command APC, behind him the marines of Kindred Company were nearly formed up and ready for roll call. "Captain Lody reporting with the Platoon Commanders Diablo and Briggs as ordered Sir," Lody said as he pulled the port hatch of the APC open. "Please come in," Saturn said, turning from the command screens to look at his men. "It's good to see things are almost set up." The three officers nodded, taking seats around the armored vehicle's spacious crew compartment. Saturn threw a set of papers out on the table in front of them. "There are our orders gentlemen, and it's pretty clear why they wanted us here in such a hurry." The three officers spread the papers out in front of them and took turns reading over them. "I hope that you have managed to get those civilians out of our care by now because we need to be on the deck and moving within the hour." Saturn stood and paced the small area, as was his habit in times of tension. "They are expecting us to engage and fragment a company-sized element of organized mercenaries with an unknown number of armed civilian supporters. It seems that the destruction of earth has brought a tremendous number of refugees to the system, as was expected, and these people have taken it upon themselves to defy the local government and endanger those people lawfully living on Alexandria." Saturn paused, indicating the first message. "As you can see, the government of this world has formally requested the aid of Colonial Marine Corps forces, and this comes as a bit of a shock as Alexandria is a renegade planet, and has been independent of the United Earth Government for two years. Now they are asking for our help, and we are bound to give it to them because even though they see themselves as Confederates, our government does not. So, we are going to assist them with this uprising, and repel the invaders in the indicated sections." Saturn sat down, pulling the last two messages to him. "At approximately 0340 this morning a force landed and occupied this high ground." His finger stabbed down north of three red circles he had drawn near some farmland outside of Alexandria City. The farms sprawled over nearly one hundred miles, and were bisected by a large freeway that moved from the inland sea about forty miles to the city. "Utilizing this freeway they will be able to reach the city in just a few hours. There have been no reports of heavy armor, but I wouldn't completely count out the idea that they will have something hidden, mercenaries are known for being ingenious at this sort of attack." His finger indicated the circles, "I want the platoons in these two places, both of them can support the other, and we can command that highway easily, the third," he indicated the third circle deep inside the farmland near the sea, "I want occupied by Captain Lody and his Special Operations Group. We need you to blow the whistle when they are inbound. Normally we could use the ship's sensors, but we don't know how many of those vessels in orbit are supporting them, and I don't want my ride getting herself hulled before we can get out of here." "Expected resistance and authorization for force?" Captain Lody asked as he jotted down the grid coordinates for his squad and the other two platoons he would be supporting. "Since the Alexandrine militia is engaged with forces to the south we will be singularly charged with holding this position for as long as they need us to. Force is to be used, and this enemy has already begun operations against civilians in the area so expect them to resist us. The problem with this particular operation is very simple: there is no evacuation contingency. We can't leave the planet because there is nowhere to go, and the attackers are in the same boat we are. If we hope to defeat them we will have to destroy their forces with complete impunity, but to do that we will have to work nearly silently. They have an entire company of unidentified Mercs, and at least twice that number in rabble by the looks of it, and that outnumbers us almost six to one. Training and ability will keep us alive out there, but we can't mess this up, we don't have that latitude." Saturn paused, then pulled out three photographs that had been included in the information packet. Each one of them were reconnaissance photographs taken from an orbital satellite. "These were taken last night just after their landing. As you can see, the organization is very basic, they are using freight loaders to get the people down, so the group cannot be that well established." His finger pointed out a structure, "this is where they were encamped during the fly-by, but there is no guarantee they are still here. From the looks of the area, we are expecting close to two hundred regular mercenaries and at least that in armed civilians." Briggs and Diablo both shook their heads, "It's going to be a hard one," Briggs said, leaning over the photographs. Diablo nodded in agreement. "I know that Briggs, but there isn't much of a choice. If this group takes the town it will mean riots until nothing civilized remains on Alexandria. This is it Gentlemen, this is all we have left in the Universe, and I am not going to give it up to a pack of mercenary scum that think they can take it because they have guns." Saturn stopped, realizing he was dangerously close to starting an angry tirade when it was more important that he remain calm. "Understood Sir," Lody said. "Permission to dismiss the Platoon Commanders so that they may prepare their teams?" "Granted," Saturn said, nodding. "You are dismissed Lieutenants," with this command both Lieutenants saluted and Lody returned it. "I will return to the staging area in twenty minutes, see that we are ready to move out." Once both men were gone Lody closed the APC hatch and sat down heavily on the bench next to his Commander. "You would think they would be tired of blood by now," Saturn said, looking at his Executive Officer. "Man never tires of warfare Saturn," Lody began. "It just takes a rest from it now and again to make it more bloody than it was the last time." Saturn nodded, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on the briefing table. "You know why I am putting you back there don't you?" Lody nodded, "We will do what we have to Sir, don't doubt on that." Lody stood and replaced his helmet; buckling the chinstrap, "Just make sure it doesn't come to that." "You know Lody," Saturn said as he stood. "I have never regretted serving my Government, nor have I regretted the hard things we do out here." He paused, extending his hand to his second, "Because I have had the honor of serving with men like yourself, and the rest of our Marines." "Don't be so certain we aren't going to make it Sat," Lody said, shaking the man's hand. "Just because we haven't fought odds this bad before doesn't mean we can't win if we do." Saturn smiled, "make sure your marines feel the same way about it." Lody nodded, then left the APC, sliding the access doors shut and leaving Saturn alone inside. *** The mysterious cadre of Doctors hovered about their finished creations. Four men, each of them more massive than creation had ever intended, stood naked before them. Where already firm muscle had existed, it had been replaced by thicker fibers of tissue reinforced by genetic ingenuity. Each of the creations was well over six feet, nearing seven, and they weighed nearly five hundred pounds. Their chests and torsos resembled worked marble more than flesh, as though they had been molded from image of Greek statues. "This is a historic day Agent Smith," the lead Doctor said, scribbling something on a notepad he carried as he walked around the four specimens. "Each one of them is perfectly suited for the environments and situations we have encountered thus far in space. They are the next step in our evolution, the greatest step so far." Smith stepped past them, his eyes sweeping over their nearly inhuman bodies. "Will they be reliable?" "Absolutely," the Doctor replied. "We have allowed them to remember experiences, but the moral centers of the mind have been rendered inoperative. They will follow orders without question, and they will be capable of learning as they do so." Jotting down a few notes about one of the men the Doctor continued: "Each one of them possesses redundant organs, including a second dual-chambered heart and stomach. This way they can consume foods that you or I would find poisonous and still manage to utilize them for nutrients, and if they take a damaging strike in the chest they have a much better chance of survival because the second heart will keep circulation up to coma levels." Computer printouts finished from four separate terminals that were attached to the massive men via dozens of suction cups pasted over them. Doctors scurried to gather the reports, their eyes pouring over them in unison as they spoke quietly to one another. Agent Smith managed to get a good look at two of the documents before they were whisked away and placed with the data that had already been compiled. "They have also been treated with plates of highly dense armor beneath their rib cages so that small arms fire will be ineffective at penetrating to their vital organs," the head Doctor smiled as he faced smith. "They have a sense of smell equal to a dog, and the sight of an eagle, not to mention the strength of at least five well-built men." "I see Doctor," Smith responded. "Please excuse me if I do not have absolute faith, the last experiment you attempted ended badly." "Agent Smith," the Doctor said, an incredulous look on his face. "Earth was a perfectly acceptable sacrifice in the face of what we have achieved. I miss home as badly as you do, but the sacrifice was indeed worth the gain. Now we can hope to compete with the advanced genetics we have located amongst the stars. Our survival as a species will be more certain." Agent Smith did not reply, he simply walked past the four men, pausing to look at each one. Inside his skull his metallic right eye was snapping photographs of the entire scene, while the recording device implanted in his left ear recorded the entire conversation for later transmission to Headquarters. "They don't look right to me," Agent Smith said, after a long moment of silence. "That is because they have the skin and bodies of children, yet the features of men," the Doctor quickly pointed out. "You see, they have only been alive for a little more than a month, while they have the appearance of men that have lived for some thirty years. The skin has yet to be exposed to any elements, and as such is quite supple, like a child's." Smith simply nodded, walking to the end of the short line and peering at one of the specimens in the eyes. This one he had known in life, yet now he was different, strikingly familiar in the face, but his eyes were dead, as if the mind behind them was lacking power. "When will the first field test begin?" Smith queried, making sure his left ear was closest to the Doctor. "We have just finished the development of their armor," the Doctor said, indicating a line of scribbled text on his notepad. "We are sending them to quell a rebellion we have incited on Alexandria. There are already Colonial Marine units in position for comparative analysis." "Very well," Agent Smith said, turning to leave. "What about Agent Jones?" "He is in the infirmary going through the normal physicals," the Doctor turned to face another of the specimens, pricking him in his forearm for a blood sample. "You may collect him there." Smith left the chamber without a word and headed to the Infirmary. *** Ban ran towards the Galley. "Have you gotten the engineering group secure?" Ban yelled into his radio, his breath coming in even gasps between the words. "Yes Sergeant," Diehard called to him. "We have gotten word to the other ship as well and Preacher is getting ready to board us with a reinforced squad." "Tracker movement?" Ban queried as he flew down a stairwell to the next sublevel of the ship. "Negative," CCrew called to him. "You should have me in about ten seconds," Ban said as he replaced the radio on his web-belt and picked up the pace. He hadn't seen any of the creatures yet, but he knew they were out there, and he wasn't happy about being caught off guard with only a pistol to keep him alive. He damn well knew better than this, but he hadn't been thinking, his head hadn't been clear enough to remind him of the dangers, and now he might have to pay for that oversight. "You had better pull your head out old buddy," Ban mumbled to himself as he slapped the controls to seal off another passageway as he tore through it. "The Engineers are in the galley Sergeant," Diehard said, "and we just picked you up on the tracker but everything else shows clean." "Keep frosty down there," Ban responded, "they are on the way." Just as Ban turned down the last corridor he saw Diehard and CCrew's shoulder lamps pushing back the dimness of the intermittent ship lighting. Although the major habitats of the ship were well lighted, in an effort to save as much energy as possible, the passageways used to move between them were not. "Behind you Sergeant!" Diehard yelled, rising up and taking aim with his rifle. Ban spun about just in time to see the dark exoskeleton of a Xenomorph as it reflected the shoulder lamps of the marines in front of it. Kneeling down and taking aim Ban let three shots go from his sidearm, each round impacted the creature's head, and knocking it from the bulkhead it had been crawling down to reach him. In the familiar metallic voice of these creatures, the alien died, it's pressurized blood spraying out and melting the metal deck and overhead of the ship in smoky patches. "Hurry Sergeant,” CCrew called out. "I've got about three dozen signals and they are all over you!" Ban stood and launched himself for the hatch to the Galley. Just as he entered the room Diehards rifle thundered and the cries of the dying creatures filled the air as they were cut to pieces by the explosive ammunition. Ban sprinted into the galley and grabbed his gear and the welding torch he had left there with their pressure suits. He then sprinted back to the hatch, "What's the count now CCrew?" "It looks like at least two or three dozen Sergeant, but the shooting has stopped them for a moment,” CCrew spun around with the tracker, the high whine of multiple targets pierced the room as he looked at the blue and red readout. "Drop the hatch Diehard," Ban said, moving to it with the portable welding tool. "I'll seal it, but watch them CCrew and let me know if they are moving up to try and get at me." "You got it Sergeant," CCrew responded, shifting the weight of his pulse rifle to his other hip. The superheated tip of the welder instantly melted the heavy steel of the ship as Ban worked quickly to get the door in place. In less than a minute he had done one seam, and had moved to another. Scant seconds later Ban was done and he stepped back from the door then turned to CCrew, "what's new?" "They pulled back,” CCrew said, squinting at the readout. "It looks like they knew what you were doing and they aren't going to try and come through." "Oh hell," Ban said. "Diehard, get me Preacher over the net." "Check," Diehard said, turning to the small radio transmitter they had brought with them for communication between the vessels. "He's on Sergeant." Ban took the handset and depressed the speak toggle, "they bugged out down here Sir, it looks like they are either finding a way in, or they are going to try and get your boys on the trip over." "All right Sergeant," Preacher said slowly. "How is your position?" "Good Sir," Ban said. "I have us in the galley and the entrances are sealed. We can't lock down the ventilation areas, but we should be able to hold them." "Good show Ban," Preacher said. "I have a team on the way now, it wont be more than two minutes before they touch down." "Understood," Ban said, jumping to look at CCrew's tracker when it started to whine at him again. The white circles of enemy unidentified tracks were fanning out, moving to encircle them. "I am moving to the drop," Preacher said. "Preacher out." "Help is inbound!" Ban called as he strapped on his armor as quickly as he could and readied his pulse rifle and checked the ammunition count: ninety-nine rounds. "Tracks are inbound again," CCrew called out. "Cover the forward vents Diehard," Ban yelled. "I've got the kitchen hatchway, there are vents in there. Engineering crew, stay away from those vent openings and get low when the shooting starts." Grimly, the four engineering specialists nodded, their sweat soaked faces clearly showing the building tension that always rises in the calm before battle. The entire group shuffled out of the way and moved under a table so they could be as far out of the way as possible. "They have surrounded us and are moving in fast!" CCrew said, setting his tracker on one of the tables next to him and readying his weapon. Ban sprinted across the room and sealed the pressure door to the engine compartment. Unlike the other entrances to this area, the engine compartment was capable of being sealed via pressure door in the case of a hull rupture or engine fire, and would thus should be impenetrable through that passageway. "Six meters," CCrew called. Behind them Diehard chambered his pulse rifle and peered through the forward hatch's porthole. "The forward passageway is clear," he called out. Ban settled against one of the tables and took aim on the kitchen entrance. He could clearly hear the increasing volume of the tracker as the contacts closed on them. "Bridge, are you sealed up?" Ban queried. "Affirmative Marine," the pilot answered him. "We will hold tight until you give all clear, if not we have orders to separate from the ship for pickup." "Understood Sir," Ban replied. "Good luck up there." Just then a crash sounded from the kitchen, followed by a dozen others. "Eyes on!" Ban yelled as he opened fire. The familiar kick of his pulse rifle settled the weapon into his shoulder as he watched the first of the creatures fly backwards into the room in an explosion of ammunition and acid. "Hall is clean," Diehard said, moving laterally to Ban and preparing to help him out. CCrew opened fire as the creatures started to pour out of the vent he was aiming at. An instant later the cries of the wounded things filled the room, as they were each hit and fell thrashing to the deck. Tables and chairs started to fly in every direction as rounds exploded around them or aliens kicked them over in their mad scramble to reach their prey. Now all three marines were laying down steady bursts of fire, with each burst of ammunition bringing cries of rage and pain from their targets. Ban managed a quick look at his ammunition indicator and knew that he only had a few seconds more of ammunition, "Cover Diehard!" "You got it!" Diehard yelled over the din of his weapon as he targeted another of the things and brought it down. Ban went to one knee and tore a magazine out of the ammunition web around his legs. He slapped the magazine home and took aim again. "Up!" he yelled, allowing Diehard a second to rearm himself. Diehard repeated the same procedure Ban had just finished, then shifted to cover CCrew as he did the same. By the time all three marines had reloaded their weapons the room was nearly silent. The creatures had stopped attacking, but the tracker still whined at their presence all around them. Smoke curled up from acid burns in the ship's deck and the expended ammunition from the short firefight. "How are you engineers doing?" Ban called out. "We're still here," one of them called, weakly raising a hand out from under the table. "ETA until Preacher arrives?" Ban asked, looking at Diehard. Diehard looked at his watch, having set it when Preacher gave him the ETA he knew it would be accurate. "One minute, twenty-seven seconds." "They are coming again!" CCrew called, looking down at the tracker he had placed at his feet. Diehard and Ban took aim at the hatch again with CCrew covering the vent. "They are closer this time," CCrew said, his face showing confusion as he tried to understand the readings. "I don't get it, there aren't vents where the tracks are!" Ban and Diehard began to shift their rifles, their eyes sweeping the room for any movement. "I just don't," CCrew never had a chance to finish the sentence. Using the sublevel ventilation the aliens had managed to get under the room, and launch their attack. Taloned hands tore through the weakened deck of the Galley and grabbed at CCrew's armored boots. With a terrific pull he crashed through the floor to his waste. "CCrew!" Diehard said, rushing forward and firing into the floor around his friend. CCrew tried in vain to pull his legs up, but the creatures were much to strong for him to break free. With another terrific pull, he disappeared into the darkness before Diehard could get a grip on his hands to help him up. "No damn you! No!" Diehard dropped to his knees, firing as best he could, but there were no targets. "They attacked to get acid on the decks!" Ban yelled, moving back from the kitchen as he did so. Just as he moved the kitchen decks buckled, and then exploded upwards as dozens of the creatures broke free and started their rush. Ban fired a burst of ten-millimeter rounds into them, followed with a high explosive grenade that managed to kill most of the creatures while knocking him from his feet and sliding him across the galley floor. "The vents!" Diehard called as the yellow forms of Xenomorph parasites fell from the unguarded ventilation shaft. Before he could react the things had reached the engineering crew, and despite their feeble attempts at pistol fire, they were quickly overcome. Diehard poured fire into the doomed men and the mass of parasites as they rushed towards him. He managed to get to his feet just as the first of them was close enough to jump at him, but he easily destroyed it with rifle fire. "Die damn you, Die!" Ban got to his feet as quickly as he could, just in time to see Diehard's death. An alien warrior had managed to close the distance between the kitchen and Diehard without being noticed, and just before Diehard or Ban could do anything about his attack, he tackled the fighting marine, knocking him to the floor and pinning his arms to his side. Before Diehard could even scream the parasite was upon him, leaping for his face. His last conscious act was to bite down as hard as he could when the tube entered his throat. The blood from the creature burned though his mouth, chin and throat, killing him instantly. Ban fired his grenade launcher again, and watched with satisfaction as the alien holding Diehard fell back writhing on the floor. The parasites were scattered by the blast, most of them left flopping harmlessly on the deck as the shrapnel in their systems killed them. Knowing he could not continue the fight here Ban turned and ran to the pressure door sealing engineering. He slammed his hand down on the release switch, and ducked down under it as it began to rise. He paused for a moment to loose another grenade, and moved backwards into the upper engine room. Once clear of the door he hit the release, and sealed it again. Ban paused shaking from the stress of battle and soaked with sweat, and took the moment of respite to load his rifle before continuing deeper into the ship. He knew that somewhere near the aft sections of the vessel there were escape pods, and if he could get there he might get out alive before one of those things got to him. He never heard the thing that had crept up behind him as he had paused. As Ban turned, the parasite leapt. Ban had a second to scream before it muffled his cries with its body. *** Dachande eased his way into the bridge airlock. The two of them had managed to get to the forward of the ship without any trouble from the strange devices, and it had taken then just under the two minutes Dachande had estimated. Aegis moved up behind his Sergeant, his eyes cautiously watching one of the odd appendages that was embedded in the hull very near where they were entering. Dachande tapped Aegis’ boot when he was clear of the ladder, and stepped out of the way. Aegis felt a moment of raw fear as he turned his back on the thing and began to move into the Dragon. He handed his rifle down to Dachande, and started down. Mekhazzio had moved to them, and was now preparing to seal the hatch as soon as they were both aboard. He was the one that saw what happened. The alien appendage pulsed brightly for a moment before a tiny bud, reminiscent of some technological vine, extended itself towards Aegis like a striking snake. Just before impact it grew a needle-thin spike that easily penetrated the pressure suit's helmet and plunged into Aegis' skull. Aegis froze, his eyes flying wide at the attack, his body becoming completely unyielding as every muscle became rigid. Mekhazzio leapt forward, grabbing at one of Aegis' boots and pulled at him with all of the strength he could muster without breaking the man's leg. "That thing just hit him!" Mekhazzio called out to Dach as the marine gaped at him in surprise. Instantly Dachande was pulling his stricken friend into the ship. Mekhazzio quickly checked Aegis and noticed that the device that had struck him was gone, leaving a tiny hole in the back of the man's helmet. Satisfied that Aegis was going to be as safe as he could be, Mekhazzio activated that hatch and sealed them in. “Doctor Stewart,” Mekhazzio called over the net when they had managed to carry Aegis to the bridge. “Something just happened, and things just got a lot worse.”