Isolation-#Wattys2015

Excerpt 13- Force Recon

I actually slept pretty well that night, seemed that everyone did in all honesty. Wasn't sure why, but I was glad that I did because I was up nine the next morning and felt ready to kick ass. Sarah and Mike were the only other ones up, besides Allen, who I assumed had been up all night trying to bring just one more lab system back online. I sat up from the couch and stretched out, cracking the bones in my arms and back. I grabbed my pants and shirt from the corner and slid them on before setting my jacket over it. I pulled on my boots and put my vest on over it. I grabbed the High-Power and slung it over my back as I walked into the control, finding Allen nearly, but not quite, asleep at the console.

"What ya got for me Allen?", I asked leaning in the door way.

"Dead cameras", Allen answered, "a fifth drone showed up and disabled the lenses of the cameras, but I could hear through the audio feed a shit load of screaming, hollering and hissing. They pulled something of a decent size out of that room and whatever it was those drones chemical sensors detected an obscene amount of Number 12."

"Does Number 12 affect Xenomorps by any chance?", I asked.

Allen shook his head, "it can't take your acidic blood, the only Gene Mod agent that can is Number 40, and that was outlawed in genetic splicing because of it's tendency to bleach through hazmat suits and fuck shit up. Mike shouldn't have a problem either as his immune system is pretty much super human."

"Good to know", I said, "Sarah's cooking breakfast, come on."

Allen grunted as he stood from the chair and followed me into the lounge. We found the others gathered around the table as Sarah was placing the pan full of breakfast sausages around.

"All right", I said pulling out a chair, "meats."

"So I take it that Xenomorphs do derive nutritional benefits from food", Jacob said.

"Only K-Classes", I said, "Primal Xenomorphs rely more on water, which is why you mostly find them in damp conditions, like forests or aquatic planets."

"Okay", Jacob said, "I guess that makes more sense than not."

"So what are you guys up to today?", Matt asked trying un successfully to fit several sausages into his mouth.

"Back to the Biome's", I answered, "were going to check what Allen says used to be a cage for genetically enhanced Rhinos...which you all still haven't explained to me."

"It's a creature native to Ios", Matt said, "they have heavy, steel like armor around their necks, head and shoulders and they've been known to demolish sky scrapers with one charging attack. There problem is that their stupid, even a cockroach could out think one, all they know is "brake things, repeat."

"Thanks for that info", I said, "will the High-Power stop one?"

"What won't the High-Power stop?", Matt asked, "maybe a tank?"

I laughed, "good point."

"Was the story true?", Matt asked.

"What story?", I asked.

"About what happened to you?", Matt said, "I covered my ears...but I still heard it."

I sighed, "yeah, it was. I'd show you the scars...but they embarrass me."

"I understand", Matt said.

Breakfast went by fairly quickly. Once everything was cleaned up, I retrieved my PDA and Mike and I set out for the Biome's. At the end of the hall, we waited for the heavy door to swing open and were met by a cold blast of air. I looked up to see that the sky was bright blue and that the sun was shining.