Terranus: Origins: Book one of the 'Terranus' series.

by Joe Crouch

  Flickering into life, the face of a race of aliens Sean had yet to witness was displayed, they seemed to be smaller than he was, but also wider and stoutly built judging by its shoulders. Their ears extruded out from the front of its head, rising sharply before drooping off at the ends, those must be as long as my forearm he thought. It spoke in a language his translator couldn’t understand, but a panicked tone seemed to be universal, the alien gesticulated wildly as it spoke. The alien turned sharply, a faint whimpering came over the speakers before it was ended by a vicious cracking noise. Slumping against the camera, the alien slid to the floor and blocked the picture. After a few moments of silence, the image fizzled out of existence, leaving a blank light illuminating the table. Everyone was in shock, not only was the threat real, but they seemed to have already gained entry into the facility.

  “Alright,” Fez huffed, “The threat is real, and heavily armed. Judging from the sounds they have plasma cannons, who knows if they have any higher-grade weapons.” He looked around the room, seeing the scared look on his inexperienced officer’s faces, “One positive came of this, at least now we can prepare a specific weapon type, it increases our chances of survival a little.” His words were far from comforting, all seated in the room knew how lethal a plasma blast was, even with the high-tech armour the Ioutions had developed. Leaning into the conversation, Sean spoke up.

  “This is an enemy everyone here has far more experience fighting than I do, I know none of you are soldiers, but if we take things slowly, watch each other’s backs, we could get through this.” Nodding, Fez changed the display to show a layout of the complex, potential breach points were marked out along its exterior. They spent the next few hours making up a plan of attack, the entry point was an inconspicuous side entrance, once they agreed upon this, their armaments were decided. The team was ready to go, now it was just a matter of time.

  * * *

  Sean sat on the bridge, watching the clock on his display as it ticked down towards zero, the time when they would exit slip space. Hitting zero, a rumble rippled through the ship’s hull as a bright blue flash filled the room as the ship exited slip space and drifted out into normal space. “Operations, sweep the system for signatures but attempt to keep our own emissions as low as possible.” It was a tense few moments before the officer spoke up.

  “No enemy signatures, Captain, only light traffic.” Sean looked down at his display, he was amazed at what he saw. The system was buzzing with activity, signatures small and large traversed through the open space heading towards their slip points. Fez looked over noticing his amazement.

  “Your first real interaction with a busy world, isn’t it?” Sean was frozen, the experience was beyond anything he could have imagined, the universe is alive with different species he thought, all trading and working together.

  “It’s incredible, we really are part of something bigger than ourselves,” said Sean. Fez smiled at the Human and continued watching his sensors.

  “Wait until you see a hub world, the traffic lanes move slower than Fez,” Yumie interjected. Shaking his head in disbelief, Sean carried on watching the different points on his map dance around the system, some disappearing and new ones slipping in. They were two hours out from acquiring orbit, enough time for everyone to suit up and make finals checks. He looked over his weapon, unsure if he should take it.

  “Isn’t this a bit large for close-quarters combat?” he asked Fez. The alien walked over to a rack, picked up a weapon and handed it to him. “What’s this?” he asked.

  “It’s a high-energy repeater, it charges bursts of energy before unleashing them towards its target, it’s not as intimidating as the other, but it might serve you well.” A high-energy repeater, he thought, like an assault rifle? Weighing up the idea, he decided to take both, so he snapped the repeater onto the grip placed on the front of his chest piece and swung the larger rifle over his back. Once geared up, they made their way towards a shuttle. After a brief once over, Yumie looked back at Fez, Sean and Farel sitting there and nodded. The distinctive ‘hum’ of the engines starting up filled the ship, the grav-plating locked them into place at the same time. Before long, the craft lifted off the ground and sped out through the hangar’s shielding, heading towards their orbital entry point.

  Traversing through the atmosphere was never a pleasant experience, but the stealthy craft they were in compensated for it well. It glided down through the mesosphere, levelling out as Yumie took control. Sean looked out a porthole, they were gliding a little above the surface, just far enough away as to not kick up snow, giving away their position. The planet was full of alien looking fauna, greens and purples dominated the landscape, with some trees sweeping high above the canopy, swaying slightly in the mild wind that was building. There weren’t many communities that had settled here, it was a mostly industrialised world used for mining, the visible scarring from its practices tore into the planet’s crust. Leaning forward, he looked out the cockpit window. A slow beeping sound resonated throughout the compartment. “Don’t worry everyone, it’s just letting me know we’re too close to the surface,” Yumie shouted, his neck craned around the corner.

  “Turn your damn head around then, Yumie!” Sean screamed back, gripping the armrests of his seat, somehow imagining it would protect him from any imminent danger. The Ioution’s smile sent an eerie chill down his spine. After a few moments of careful flying, the ship cruised into a large ravine, keeping low and slow enough to avoid detection. The area seemed minuscule from orbit, but once they were inside, is size became apparent, it’s two sides were separated by what he thought must be at least half a mile. The walls were craggy and covered in a glistening ice that reflected the sun’s advances. The shuttle passed under a naturally formed ice bridge, kicking snow off its surface, small rocks pelted the ship’s hull.

  Pulling the nose up to kill off some of their momentum, Yumie lowered the craft down into the deep snow while extending the landing struts and placing everyone down safely on the ground. Fez leant over, still harnessed in his chair and opened the hatch, a rush of cold air and snow ripped through the ship and slammed into Sean’s extremities, numbing all his senses. Everyone stood and stared out into the snowy wilderness that greeted them. Wind ripped across the barren landscape, picking up snow as it did, coating the area in a thin cloud of fog-like mist. Wiping away the bitterness from his face, he turned to face the others. “I fucking hate this planet already,” he exclaimed. No one was faring any better, the Ioutions were milling around jogging in position to keep warm.

  “I know no one wants to be here, but this has turned from reconnaissance into a possible search and rescue, we don’t know the foe for sure, but I’m almost certain we all have a pretty good guess.” Silence filled the air as the captain finished, everyone afraid of saying what was on their mind.

  “Xuron,” Farel muttered, sharing a worried glance with the group as he said it. The Xuron’s weaponry wasn’t far behind the Ioutions, but it was their thick outer layer and natural agility which had everyone thinking twice about engaging them head on. No surface was out of limits, they possessed great speed in the sprint, but could also cling to walls and ceilings, using their two free appendages to still operate a weapon.

  Getting everyone in a line, Fez gave the order and the group advanced forward, trudging through the knee-high snow that covered everything in sight. They stuck close to the ravine wall as they made their way up a small walkway that had formed along the crags, giving them easier access to a way out. The path wasn’t a pleasant one, it was narrow, often at times the group had to press their back up against the cold ice to slide across a small passing. “This was a ridiculous idea, Fez, why couldn’t we just land closer to the facility?” Sean bemoaned, getting no response from the alien as he concentrated on the crossing. “This is why I don’t…” he was cut off by the screams that rang out from behind him. Darting his head around, he saw Farel hanging onto a fine ledge, his entire body dangling and swaying about in
the high winds. “I’ve got you, don’t worry!” he shouted while he shuffled his way back across, getting on one knee.

  “Don’t you dare propose to me here, Earthling!” Farel cried from below him. Ignoring the comment, Sean slammed his stabiliser into the rock face and leant over the ledge, looking down into the snow storm that had formed below, obscuring the ground where they landed. He lowered himself down, Sean grabbed Farel’s wrist while joining them both together at the waist. It wasn’t long before Fez had made his way over, activating the stabilising machine which yanked on them both, thumping them against the misshaped wall. Wiping the snow away from his brow, Sean slumped to the ground, his legs dangling over the edge.

  “You owe me a beer,” he huffed as he caught his breath, drawing strange looks from the Ioution he had just saved.

  “I’ll replicate you whatever you want – I promise.” Laughing, he offered his hand out to pull Sean to his feet. The next twenty or so minutes went smoothly, the pathway widened and allowed them more breathing room.

  “It looks like this is as far as we go,” Fez said while scanning the landscape. In front of them a large pile of rocks from an earlier landslide blocked their advance, pushing on the mound with his foot, Sean concurred.

  “Can’t I just blast it out the way?” he asked, knowing the answer already.

  “No,” Fez replied, “If there was a landslide here naturally, then imagine what a blast will cause.” Nodding, he looked around for another route, eyeing up the icy structures that covered much of every surface, but there was nothing. Fez fumbled through his backpack, unpacking a small dome-shaped device he placed it on the ground. With a single command, the device sparked into life, a vibrant, deep blue beam shot vertically giving off little sound as it did. Fez picked up a loose rock and threw it with all his might towards the Human, instinctively ducking, he looked up and noticed the rock was not only floating, but ascending.

  “No way,” he gasped, “Is this a fancy lift?” Giving no answer, Fez stepped into the light, relaxing as he did. Seemingly frozen in time, his body was elevated towards the sky with little effort. After a few moments, the stream of light threw him out onto the snowy surface above them, peering over the edge, he waved the others to follow suit. Stepping into the beam, Sean felt his entire body tense and cramp, a gravitational force apparent below and above him, seeming to push and pull him upwards simultaneously. The sensation was odd, it was as if he was being compressed at his feet and stretched at his head, it left a warmth all over that relaxed him. Nearing its apex, the light spat him out, sending him head first into a large pile of snow.

  Regrouping, they were now near the facility and much closer to their chosen entry point. Once again, Fez took point, the team formed up behind him as they kicked snow away clearing a path. Looking around in every direction, the area was a bright white, the snows high albedo reflected a large portion of the natural light away. As they drew closer, the team slowed, crouching down as they walked. “Sean, sweep the area with your rifle, does it detect any life signs?” Fez barked. Lying flat on his stomach, he swung his rifle around from his back and looked down the scope. Any signature would be highlighted in red, friend or foe unless they wore an identifiable marker. Sweeping in all directions, there was nothing of note.

  “It looks like it’s all clear, we’re good to move.” Fez gathered the team and continued at a cautious pace. They each pressed close to the cold, icy wall, shuffling along its face until they reached a small structure. The captain peaked his head around the corner, slowly advancing forward as he did. He gave a quick wave for everyone to follow. The group arrived at a metal door that was white from the ice build-up that formed on its surface. Sean looked around, there appeared to be various instruments extruding from the ice, antenna, ventilation and many things he didn’t recognise. The four gathered around, crouching down, reducing their targetable area. Fez raised a hand and wiped away debris that had formed on the electronic keypad barring their entrance. Inputting a code, the door made four loud clicks and gently opened to reveal a large hallway with a desk at the end. Cautiously stepping through, the lights around them pinged to life, flashing in and out from existence before they blew, leaving the area dark. The terminal that activated to their left bathed the entrance in a faint blue.

  “Welcome to Assira Weapons Test & Research, if you need anything, please find your nearest representative…”

  Chapter 8

  A cold wind whistled through the barren hallways as the team formed up into tactical positions either side of the long corridor they had arrived in. The area was frozen; icicles had begun to take hold on the various constructs on every ceiling, offering a potential hazard at any moment. What once seemed to be a high specification industrial facility now was laid to waste by blast marks that scared the walls as well as the outside natural environment which now was free to move through the compound. The area in front of them was dark, the dim sunlight penetrating through the cracks above reflected off the metallic surfaces as if trying to guide them towards safety. The walls were lined with various terminals, maps, and signs in a new language. Adjacent to them, the screen still chirped away, revealing their position to anyone within the vicinity. Stepping up, Fez slammed the butt of his weapon into the screen, disabling the distraction for good.

  Doors lined the corridor, each leading off to a different, individual room. A large reception desk at the end of the hallway gave them a stark reminder that the facility was once inhabited. Leading the way, and without speaking, Fez motioned for the four-man-team to stick to the wall and advance forward towards the nearest entry. Creeping slowly along the corridor, the thin layer of ice and snow underfoot that blew in from the door behind impacted and created an unavoidable noise as they moved.

  The team stacked up on either side of the doorway, their visible breath quickening as their nerves increased. Leaning over Fez twisted the door handle, but it didn’t budge, it was either frozen solid or locked, a wave of relief washed over the jittery team for a moment. They again crept forward, lights that still worked flashed on overhead and the ones they left behind were now fading away. Stacking up for the second time, this time, Fez turned the handle and to his surprise, it clicked open. Sean cautiously poked open the door with the barrel of his repeater as Fez leant around the corner, pointing his gun into the now revealed room. It was empty and at closer inspection it seemed to be a glorified waiting room, literature, tables and chairs were scattered around like there had been a struggle. Moving out from the area, they neared the reception desk. The area was large, two sets of metallic, icy stairs snaked up from the floor to behind where the counter sat. It was once a pleasant place, the stone used for the flooring was unfamiliar, but it glistened a radiant blue as faint lights flickered on next to them.

  They formed up with their backs against the desk while kneeling. “Which way, Captain?” Sean asked. They had three options, the stairs which lead up a level, or one of the two large industrial, metallic looking doors either side of the room. Fez glanced around, weighing up his options. Keying commands on his wrist computer, a map of the facility blinked into view on everyone’s HUD that occupied the visors attached to their helmets. Deciding, Fez deactivated the map and motioned for the squad to position themselves on the left side door. They formed up but the door wasn’t going to be as easy as just turning the knob and it opening. Its entrance was barred by a sophisticated computer that could only be accessed through the data pad that glowed weakly on the wall. The captain turned to Farel and nodded, the engineer took the hint and rushed forwards. He fumbled around in a bag, pulling out a tablet device and some tools, he used one of the implements to pry the face off the device allowing him to plug in his system. The team formed up around the specialist as he worked, growing more and more impatient as the time ticked by with no results.

  Snow was carried on the breeze that rushed in through their self-made entrance, the snapping of the door drew the team’s attention back to focus. Splitting in two, the door
slid aside, sinking into the walls above and below. Before anyone could respond, a violent hissing came from beyond. Sean looked up and as if in slow motion, a brown, scaly being beat its insect-like wings and raised its weapon. A plasma bolt impacted above Yumie’s head, charring the once polished surface. Scattering, the team took cover as the aliens continued to spray their fire around wildly. Peering around the edge of the door, he caught a glimpse of movement scurrying along the ceiling, coming out from the shadows and dropping down, the Xuron drew a weapon. By now, Fez had shoved his weapon around the corner and was firing blindly down the hallway, the small energy bolts lanced from the front of the weapon at a frantic rate, the striking light show was almost blinding as the energy dissipated off the walls and floor. The beings seemed hesitant, so he took the opportunity to drop down prone and position his large rifle. His untrained form allowed the scope to sway, he wrestled with the weapon as he struggled to get a fix on the closest alien. There were two large antennae extruding out from their skull, its face was fractured as if its individual scales, like plates beneath the surface of Earth, could move. Hesitating no longer, he got a fix and let out a steady breath, the loud crack that came from his weapon reverberated all around the large, open room.