SciFi Voyage Of Truth #Wattys2016

Chapter 2

Located directly below the mezzanine, is the lobby level, which rarely receives Variable disturbances. It is the more secured stadium and exclusively used by the Iotas. The Arvelee's commanders are hired to protect their priority packages coming on and off the ship. They are stationed at the rear of the stadium, covering the loading docks during the Iota's private transactions.

Commander Dena patiently lies on her stomach and observes the many exchanges through her binoculars. On the opposite side of the stadium, is her aggravated friend, Commander Locy. She whispers in her TDA to Dena, "Does your back hurt over there as much as mine? To top it off, I think I'm coming down with something." Locy sniffles, squirms for comfort and stretches her lower back. She squints toward the unresponsive Dena and rolls her eyes. "Since you're so busy ignoring me, I guess I can take a break now." Locy pushes herself up and begins to rotate her aiming wrist.

"Get back in position," Dena demands. "We're officially blind on your side."

Locy scoffs at her request. "Stop exaggerating. You know nothing happens down here."

"Yes, because the Iotas trust us and everyone knows what to expect."

"Well, I expect to work comfortably from now on. Who do we need to talk to, to get a softer platform over here? Like a roll out mat with some sort of memory foam."

Dena sighs and ignores her complaints, but Locy continues, "I can't be the only commander on board who feels this way. I should start a petition and ask around, huh? How's your back?"

"Shh," Dena whispers.

"Don't shh me. I'm asking out of concern for you. Wouldn't you like a memory foam platform?"

"My back is fine, okay?"

Locy folds her arms and mumbles, "Sometimes I just want to shoot her in the face."

"I heard that," Dena reveals. "Your radio is still on, genius."

Embarrassed, Locy clears her throat and quickly closes their connection.

Dena grabs her binoculars and notices an abnormal crate being rolled into the docks. She watches an opposing Iota solider stop the delivery from being loaded on board. Two other soldiers arrive and begin to corner the delivering soldier against his own crate. They ruffle his clothing and argue aggressively, pointing at the box. The accused solider pleads his case with confused shrugs and prayer hands.

Dena sighs and quietly radios Locy. "Heads up, looks like we might have a problem on Dock 3."

Locy reaches for her binoculars, but is met with a spell of dizziness. She holds up her wobbly head and attempts to regain focus. She is swarmed by soft whispering, haunting her from all directions. Locy flips to her hip and searches for the voices mocking and repeating her name. She begs, "No, no stop it. Why don't you just leave me alone?" She plugs her ears and vigorously tries to drown the internal badgering. The ghostly voices overlap louder with specific eerie demands. "Let go and lead us, Locy. Do not shun us. Listen!"

She rips opens her eyes and finds her body completely engulfed inside a painless, blurry, orange tint.

Again, she hears Dena calling, but this time muffled and distorted. "Locy, do you copy? Locy!"

"Yeah," she answers, low and uncertain. She is thrown into a strange trance at the sight of a dangling Leviathan staring down at her. Drool drips from the creature's open jaw and jagged teeth gnash under its snout. Frozen in place with rolling chills, Locy feels as if the idle beast is ripping her courage to pieces. Locy opens fire, but the recoil jerks her out of the hallucination. The shot hits the ceiling and rubble showers Dena's platform.