Beck's two heads of security, Dewey and Jeffers, watched from the primary outlook, watching the Vectra craft approaching the loading bay.
Jeffers approached the radar station and watched the craft's non-existent sonar blip. The ship they could see slowly inching its way toward the most advanced civilisation in human history didn't seem to exist. Jeffers picked up the microphone.
"Vectra three... Your pod arrived seventeen hours ago... Where have you been? Vectra Three? Pick up the microphone? Vectra Three respond or we will open fire. Vectra three! Respond before we open fire, and that's a nineteen-billion dollar ship so I'm not one hundred percent sure I want to. God dammit Vectra Three, I swear to god I'll blow your dumb ass out of the sky!" Jeffers commanded.
Jeffers looked at Dewey, who raised his head from its bowed position and nodded subtly.
"Fire" Jeffers ordered.
On his mark, Jeffers' minions punched in their respective codes. Two large doors slid open on the side of the barricade wall, as two large batteries extended out from the compartments. The batteries thruster back simultaneously, all on four-second intervals, sending large energy blasts shredding and ripping through the hull of the Vectra craft. After the stalling of the ion thrusters, the craft began to plummet down, eventually entering a steep nosedive and slowly crashing into the terrain of the asteroid, into a closed elevator pad blast hatch.
The entire observation and air traffic control crew was blinded yet satisfied by the tremendous explosion which obliterated the Vectra craft. The incinerated ship lay in a burning des integrated heap in the plaza of the landing bay. Nobody on board survived the crash, even if they had, they would have been vaporised by the explosion.
• • •
"Vectra Three... your pod arrived seventeen hours ago, where have you been?" The confused voice spoke over the microphone.
Kooi looked at the perspiring faces around him, debating with himself what to do next.
"Vectra Three? Pick up the microphone? Vectra Three respond or we will open fire!" The voice threatened.
"That's Jeffers... Traffic coordinator" said Soren.
"What should I say?" Fluttered Kooi.
"If Dewey is there, he will vaporise us. If his boss isn't there, he'd be bluffing and we need not worry. I can't be sure. We could prep the jettison, but three of us would be stuck here..." Soren explained.
"Vectra three! Respond before we open fire, and that's a nineteen-billion dollar ship so I'm not one hundred percent sure I want to!" The voice demanded, Jeffers reaching his last valid brain cell.
Soren, Tana, and Bridger ushered every other passenger into the saloon pod, which was comfortably cramped, pressurised, and durable. It would be inhabitable for as much as a few days.
As the doors closed, the saloon pod jettisoned out onto the horizon, out of the tower's sight. Tana slid into his EVA suit, as did Bridger and Soren.
The blast of energy ferociously exploded out of the battery, the same split second that Soren's foot released its grip of the Vectra's boarding ramp. The blast tore through the hull of the craft and shredded it. Nobody on board the unoccupied craft would have survived the blast, if they hadn't, they would have been killed by the fireball which erupted when the ship collided with the ground.
Soren awoke to the sound of his EVA suit's damage report, verbally analysing the significant shrapnel damage the suit had suffered. He looked around and saw Tana and Bridger, both slowly awakening. A searchlight was scanning the wreckage, searching for heat signatures.
Christ, these people are stupid... Soren thought to himself as the thermal sensor only picked up heat, which would be effective in space, however the remains of the ship were succumbing to the smouldering fuel tanks. The exterior of the ship finally broke. A manhole-sized crack in the hull sent a large ball of oxygen and loose parts of the craft exploded through the hull... And burst into flames. The vast fireball only survived for less than a second, which was how long it took for all of the Vectra's oxygen to diminish. It was also enough to send the search party back to the complex.
• • •
The saloon pod sat on the outskirts of the complex, sitting partially buried in a crater against the outmost defensive barrier on the edge of the light side of the asteroid. Kooi was placing the last rock for the day atop the Saloon pod. That was when he heard it. His first thought was that sound does not travel without waves, so how was there any noise? He turned and instantly began backing away, toward his companions in the pod.
"Jesus, Kooi... What the heck is that thing outside?!" Ronson exclaimed.
"Uh... Um... That is a giant cyborg flying wasp-spider-Yellow jacket" Kooi declared, unsure of the horrendous sight before his eyes.
"A what?" Asked Dane.
"I don't know why it's here, but I'm coming inside now! Ready up the airlock..." Kooi continued.
"What" repeated Dane.
When Dane looked outside and saw the horrifying creature outside, he screamed out one last repetition.
"WHAT?!"
The creature was absolutely massive. It was a 12-metre long beast which seemed organic but was coated in metallic armour plating with electronic motors and wiring. The two pairs of wire-filled organic wings were held high above the eight armoured legs with claws on the ends. A long sparking blade poked through the back of the beast, and a smaller injector hung below the thorax. The beast's eyes were a collage of cameras and real eyes. The mouth was full of spinning saw-blades acting as teeth.
The menacing creature was various shades of grey and black with chrome and red highlights, and small LED lights poking out at each joint, where each lamp was accompanied by a servo motor. It spat a red liquid toward the ground, which melted away on impact, creating a deep hole in the ground. The beast's belly was transparent and full of red liquid where tubes of baby beasts were being constructed. It looked up and glared at the Pod and began to march toward the Saloon.
Gill looked out the window and saw the claws scratching through the ground before looking up at the monstrosity looming above him.
"What the fuck is THAT?!"
• • •
The EVA suits sat alone in the airlock of the complex where the hourly patrols discovered them - and their breach.
YOU ARE READING
A is for Ares
Fiksi Umum[COMPLETE] A is a nameless man who goes by the first letter in the alphabet after a traumatic experience. He has found a cure to mental health - but he fails to realise his discovery's true nature. He doesn't know that he is a serial killer. Garrett...
