"What is it, Private?"
"What happened to Gillet and Morrison and the others...they were just ripped apart," he said solemnly.
Although the fact they had been attacked was a surprise to Menard, the violence was not. He'd seen a lot worse. That much was obvious.
"Let's make sure we don't end the same way, ey? Those things out there want to kill us, but don't any of you forget what made us vulnerable. Gillet went out alone, and that not only led to his death, but of his comrades, too. Remember that the next time you think about wandering off. Stick together, and fight like hell when the time comes, and we'll see this through."
He led Newman back towards the bridge. They moved cautiously all the way, as much concerned about the creatures, as they were about the Captain taking shots at them again. But they soon stepped aboard the bridge and found the Captain was weaker than before. The pistol was still in his lap, but he looked to be fading fast.
"What are you still doing here?"
"Captain, I've just lost marines to whatever it is that attacked you. I need information. Anything you have on what we are facing here."
The Captain looked confused.
"Still here, you're still here because you can't leave." He shook his head.
"We are getting out of here alive, and so are you. Please, just tell me what happened."
"We...we had been here for nearly twenty-eight hours when we lost contact with a research team. The marines that went after them never came back, but those things, those monsters did."
"Are there any other survivors?"
"I...I don't know. I don't think so."
"But you are still here, how? How did you survive?"
The Captain mumbled, trying to make sense of it, and then suddenly his eyes opened wide as if he’d had some great revelation.
"Oh, no."
"What, what is it?"
"I didn't fight them off. They left me here," he said with horror in his eyes.
"What?"
"He's bait. They left one living to reel more of us in," said Newman.
Menard looked back and forth at their two faces as he tried to wrap his head around it.
"What the hell kind of sick enemy are we facing here? I fought the enemies of Bolormaa. I was down there in the dirt and the bodies and got through it, but we had an enemy that stood in front of us and fought."
"Think about it. They are not an army. They are pack hunters."
"How many are there?" Menard asked.
The Captain shook his head. He had no idea.
"How many have you seen?"
"Two, or three maybe."
"There were more than that out there."
"If they were willing to risk attacking us when they did, they must have come in some number," replied Newman.
"We need to get a signal out. I don't know how, but we need to find a way," he said to Newman.
Lee looked around the bridge for some other means to reach out to the ship in orbit, but the place was shredded. Gunfire littered several of the consoles where people had fired wildly. Others had been slashed with the claws of whatever it was they were facing.
I’d have no idea what to do even if all systems were normal. Who am I kidding?
"They’re coming. They are coming for us all. Nobody is getting out alive."
"Enough of that, Captain. You have two squads of Alliance Marines at your side. There isn't anything we can't accomplish."
"Two squads?" He started to laugh, but he coughed as he began to throw up blood, “We’re all going to die,” he finally added.
“Those things, how did they get aboard?”
The Captain didn’t seem bothered to respond, as if accepting he was going to die.
“Answer me, damn it!” Newman yelled.
“They waited for the ramp to be down and just came right on through. Tore us apart.”
“Right, but the ramp is sealed now, so how else could they get aboard?”
“Who said they ever left?” The Captain winced in pain.
Newman felt a chill run down his spine, realising that they were not alone. The creatures had left the Captain as bait, and it had worked. He heard the characteristic clicking sound that the beasts made. He turned just as one launched at him from the doorway to the bridge. He lifted his rifle, not in time to get a shot off, but at least enough to wedge it into the creature’s throat to stop it reaching him. He collapsed under its weight.
"Get it off me!"
He held his rifle with one hand on the stock and the other on the muzzle, the receiver jammed at the back of the beast's jaw as its teeth snapped at his face. Saliva was dripping down onto his armour, and it smelt rancid, but he had larger concerns. Menard lifted his rifle. He tried to take careful aim and not hit Newman, but the Captain fired wildly. One shot bounced from Menard's armour and another ricochet clipped his cheek. He winced in pain, and turned angrily to complain to the Captain, but another of the ricochets had hit him in the forehead. He was dead.
Menard turned back to help Newman as he heard him struggling. He took aim once more, but the creature looked up at the Sergeant, as if aware of the threat from the weapon he carried. It lashed out with its tail, and Menard was launched across the bridge. He crashed into a far wall and vanished from sight behind a console. Newman was on his own now, and he had one thought.
I'm not dying here like this.
The beast’s attack on Menard had taken the pressure off just enough for him to pivot the weapon and smack the creature on the side of the head with the stock. It yelped in pain, and he struck it again, rotating the weapon around to take a shot. But before he could, the beast swiped across the weapon with its claws. They slashed the receiver in half, narrowly missing his hands. The creature’s head lifted, and it made a screeching call, as if triumphantly celebrating its victory before finishing him.
But a single shot rang out, and blood spurted out over the wall beside them. The beast’s skull was penetrated, and the bullet blew out the back of its head. It collapsed down onto Newman, but as he pushed off the body, Menard offered out his hand. He took it and was hauled to his feet.
"Thanks," he said, relieved that he was still alive.
They both looked down at the creature in disbelief. Its skin was scaly and ridged. Its spike looked like a serrated blade and its claws terrifying, even when they knew it was dead.
"What is it?" Newman asked.
"I have no idea, but I think it's fair to say that this world is hostile to Human life."
Loud footsteps echoed from beyond the door to the bridge. Newman drew his sidearm, and they took aim, but Giles and two others rushed into view, and they soon lowered them.
"What the he...?" Giles was silenced as he spotted the body of the creature at their feet, "How the hell did that get in here?"
"It never left." Menard gritted his teeth.
He was furious, as much with himself for not predicting it, as he was for the beast having done the damage.
"Never left? How many more are still here?"
Gunfire erupted in the direction from where they had come.
"Come on!"
Menard led the way towards the entrance ramp where the others had been left, but as the hallway opened out, he saw the extent of the battle. The ramp was lowering, and one of their people lay dead beside the controls. Four more had been torn apart. The bodies of four creatures lay around them, as the few marines left standing were laying down fire. Menard weighed into the fight, as did the rest. But as the ramp finally struck the ground outside, it was swamped with more creatures, as far as their eyes could see. They were firing as quickly as they could, full auto at point-blank range. Olsen and Mac arrived just a moment after them. She was supporting him over her shoulder, and there was blood down his flank and side where he had been wounded.
"We've got to get that ramp closed!" Menard yelled.
He tried to go forward to reach it, but was forced to stop as the creatures began to make headway. He fired a burst into o
ne and leapt forward again.
"Sarge!" Newman cried.
Menard was hauled back just as the claws of a beast flew past where his neck had been a moment before. The two of them fired on the creature in a panicked rush, but more were pouring in. Menard looked at the control box for the ramp. Any attempt to reach it was futile.
"Fall back. Everyone back!"
He pointed to the corridor leading to the bridge.
"Giles, lead them on, now!"
They had no idea where they were going to fall back to, but with the horde of bloodthirsty creatures coming at them; they did not hesitate to run. Giles helped Mac through first. Newman reached the door to the corridor and reloaded his pistol, covering their retreat. He didn't have time to try and pick up one of the rifles on the floor. Several of them looked wrecked anyway. He kept firing as his comrades rushed through, and only Menard and Olsen remained. They were backing off slowly as they kept laying down a wall of automatic fire.
"Come on!"
Olsen ran empty and rushed for the door as she reloaded. Menard did the same as he too ran empty. Newman stepped inside ready to seal the doors. Olsen burst through, but as Menard reached the doorway, a creature bit into his right arm. It tried to pull him away. He screamed out in pain and was blocking the doorway. He was trying to pull back, but the creature was strong, and had its teeth stuck in his arm. Newman fired two rounds into the creature. The small calibre rounds penetrated, but didn't do enough to force the creature back. More were swarming in, and they both knew they had only seconds to act.
"Shut the door. Shut the door!" Menard screamed.
"What?"
"That's an order. Do it, fucking do it now!"
Newman hesitated for a moment, but he could see the determined look in the Sergeant's eyes. There was no doubt in his words. He hit the switch, and the doors slammed shut, slicing off the Sergeant's arm just below the shoulder. He dropped down onto one knee and cried in pain, but he fought through it and stayed conscious. Neyman leapt into action and pulled out a medical kit from his armour. He injected a needle into the wound, which made Menard cry out again. He followed it with a spray that covered the wound with a foam-like material. It hardened and sealed the wound. The bleeding had stopped, but Menard was still weak, and collapsed against the far wall. He looked surprisingly relaxed, but that was the drugs doing their work.
There was a crashing sound as the creatures beyond the door threw themselves at it. Nobody knew what to say or do. They were safe for now, but for how long? The door was beating like a drum until finally it stopped. There was a screeching as claws scraped across the metal, but could not penetrate.
"They've given up," Sykes said hopefully.
"No, they aren't stupid," replied Newman.
"What are you talking about?"
"They are just looking for another way in. You saw how smart they are," replied Olsen.
"What do we do, Sarge?" Sykes asked.
He remained stunned and very weak. He had no answers for them.
"We're getting slaughtered," said Benik.
Olsen was helping Mac. He looked to be in pain, but it wasn't life threatening.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Mac.
"I have."
"But that was in war, Sarge, what is this? This isn't a battle. We're being hunted like prey," replied Newman.
"How does that make it any different? They are the enemy. They want to kill us. Same old story."
"Enough of this, it isn't helping. What options do we have?" Olsen cut in.
Newman sighed, trying to think of something. With the Sergeant in such a bad way, he knew responsibility fell to him.
"Can we fly this ship out of here?"
"Not a chance, Gallo, the bridge has been ripped to shreds," replied Newman.
"We can wait for help?"
"With the door open, the air supply won't last all that long. We'll be down to what we are wearing before long, and nobody knows to even come looking," replied Giles.
"Can't fly out and can't stay? Then we have just one option," said Newman.
Menard nodded in agreement, knowing what he was going to say.
"There is one way out of this mess, and it’s back the way we came."
"Back to our ship?" Benik was amazed.
"What? That's insane," protested Gallo.
"Yes it is, but tell me there is another way."
They all fell silent.
"There are eight of us left, two of which are wounded, how the hell are we supposed to make it over a few klicks of open terrain against those things?"
"I don't know, Giles. All I do know is that if we stay here we die anyway. I'll take my chances out there, because we have none if we stay."
"Sarge?" Giles wanted him to weigh in to the situation.
"Newman is in charge now, and even if he wasn't, I'd say it's the right call. It's the only call," he replied wearily.
"We're going to get cut to ribbons out there," Benik whined.
"Maybe, but stay and we’ll die. I won't wait until we are out of air. If I am going to die, it will be out there trying my damndest to survive, not like a caged animal in here."
"He's right. We stay here, and we might as well be dead already. We fight through this or it's the end of the road." Olsen agreed with him.
Newman appreciated her support.
"Even if we wanted to, how would we get back through that door?" Benik asked.
"We don't use the door."
"What, Sarge?"
"Breaching charge, Giles..." He gasped as he found himself short on air.
"Yes, blast through to one of other exit points," said Newman.
"We're really doing this? We're really going to go out there where there’s a horde of god knows what trying to eat us?"
Newman looked around to each of them for support. He could order them to do whatever he wanted, but he needed their support. Each nodded in turn until Benik was left.
"Come on, this is our one and only chance. It's ugly, but it’s all the hope we have."
Finally, he begrudgingly accepted.
"All right, make sure you’re loaded and ready for action, because once we get out there all hell is going to break loose. Sykes, you will help Mac. I'll manage the Sarge. Olsen, you're on point." He held out his hand to Sykes for the charge.
He watched them reload before going ten metres down the corridor. He tapped gently on the wall, looking for a cavity. He found it and placed the charge, looking back to the others.
"Ready?"
Nobody said a word, but he knew they were. He twisted the arming cap and rushed back towards them, taking cover. The charge blew a few seconds later with a short sharp crack, more like a gunshot than an explosive charge. Olsen rushed to the breach.
"We're good," she smiled.
Newman couldn't understand how she could see any positivity in their situation, but he was glad somebody could. He helped Menard up and laid his good arm over his shoulder.
"Go on, go!"
They rushed to the breach and squeezed through. Olsen was already at an emergency escape hatch and turning the wheel to unlock it.
"Masks down," said Newman.
They sealed their suits just as she swung the door open. To their amazement it was clear outside, but they were suddenly drawn to the sound of footsteps approaching at speed, and in great number.
"Go on, move!"
Olsen jumped out first, and the others followed. Benik and Giles waited at the door for them to get through. As Newman reached the opening, the creatures took the bend inside the corridor. The two marines beside him opened fire, but he couldn't afford to hesitate and jumped through. The others came on after him after, firing a few bursts. Giles primed a grenade and launched it. He climbed out and sealed the hatch behind him. They barely heard the charge ignite inside the ship.
They were once again on the landing area with the wind and sand lashing them relentlessly, but to their relief there was no sign of the vicious crea
tures that were stalking them.
"What are you waiting for? Move!"
Menard winced in pain as he carried him forward. They made it thirty metres when out of the cloud of dust came the first of the beasts. Newman fired a few shots with his pistol. This time it put the creature down, but another two came after it. The rest of them opened fired as they continued to advance. They'd cut down six when the dust bowl opened up a little, and the true extent of what they were facing became clear. Hundreds of creatures were blocking their path for as far as they could see through the sand storm.
"Shit," said Newman.
The beasts were closing in on them from every direction. They were surrounded, and they had nowhere to run. It was hopeless.
"If we're going to die on this godforsaken shithole, make it a good death," said Menard.
"Fire!" Newman ordered.
They opened fire with everything they had as the creatures descended on their position. The Sergeant used his sidearm in his left hand, supporting his own weight as Newman loaded his next magazine. They were gunning down their attackers by the dozen, but it wasn't enough, and they were just ten metres away now. Newman slammed in the magazine and primed his weapon, but as he did so, a deafening roar rang out overhead. The ground shook beneath their feet as they felt the turbulence of engines bellowing above. Dust and dirt was thrown out around them, and the horde froze as spot lamps lit the scene. To their amazement they found themselves looking up at an Alliance light frigate.
"Who the hell would be crazy enough to bring that in to orbit in a place like this!” Giles yelled.
"A madman!" replied Sykes.
Three transport craft descended from the frigate before it had even stopped moving. They descended at such speed that they crashed to the ground, crushing many of the creatures unable to move quickly enough. The ramp lowered on the nearest one. It had landed first, and out stormed a mix of Human and Krys marines. Newman and the others could barely believe it.
"My god," said Olsen.
"Is that..." began Sykes.
The man leading the marines activated a shield on his arm and the Assegai he was carrying. A small thrusting sidearm shot out into a spear length weapon.
"It can't be?" Giles asked.
Beyond Earth- Civil War Page 3