Galaxy Among Us: General

Mobilization

After weeks of testing, training, and preparing, all fleets are ready. Admirals and other high ranking officers like me have trained with weapons and vehicles and have conducted multiple scenario training. Common soldiers and those with higher ranks below Commanders have worked effortlessly to perfect themselves.

In the blink of an eye, the news of war spread throughout all the colonies, bases and human owned planets. Every single eye was focused on launch day.

Horns and sirens sounded off as the 4 new fleets began launching prep and sequences. A voice cried out in the distance to provide instructions." All troops, all troops proceed to your designated areas, launch will commence in 1 minute.

I looked out of my designated dreadnoughts cockpit."Bravo, Charley, Delta, this is Admiral Sanchez of the USS Orion, role call sequencing is a-go, all fleet preparations are completed and we await all finalized confirmations for fleet mobilization and deportation. Bravo, Charley, and Delta, are you a-go?" The leaders of the other fleets respond. " This is Bravo, were are ready sir." The holographic display shows a green status bar on the first fleet." This is Charley, we are good on our end Admiral." Finally Delta respond." We are a-okay, just give us the order and we will follow the command."

With all the fleets prepared, I begun the final preparations." This is Admiral Sanchez, calling on tower 148, authorization Alpha one zero, call sign, Tribulation, asking for clearance to begin deportation." At first static is all that can be heard on the coms, then a voice responds." Tribulation, this is tower 148, all personnel have been directed off the airpads, you are clear to depart."

The crew in the cockpit cheer as the tower operator says this. Rex who is sitting next to me catches my attention." Sir, I believe words of encouragement would help inspire all the troops. Also please be aware that all the world is currently watching our launch. Also, our coms linked to home base are being recorded live. The entire unvisre sees and hears all we are doing for now."

I sigh when I realize this, but due to my position I follow the advice Rex provides. I press the coms button as the ships take off into the atmosphere. " this is Admiral Sanchez, to all who may hear this, today is the dawn of a new age. Our enemy is unknown, unseen, but ultimately dangerous. If they find our home, those we love will suffer. If they attack our people, blood will needlessly be spilled. If they wage war, these generations of peace will be drowned out by violance and brutality. Let no man or women here today take the cowards way out. If we must fight, fight. If we must crawl to our victory, let us crawl. Our mission is but a simple one, to defend humanity, even if we must do it with our blood." All the coms are silent, until one voice echoes back. Godspeed  Tribulation, and may Heaven protect the." As the voice fades, the entire cockpit erupts with cheers. The camera displays in the cockpit show hundreds of soldiers cheering and celebrating. Logically they should be resting and mentally preparing, but I let them have their fun.

As the fleets drag through space, soldiers rest and relax. I turn to Rex as my eyes feel more and more heavy." Alright Rexy, wake me in 4 hour." Rex sighs as me and the rest of the human crew sleep.

After what seems to have been hours, I awake to strange errors and glitches on multiple camera displays. I look to my side to find Rex, but he is nowhere to be seen. Before I can wake the rest of the crew, a blur on one of the camera displays catches my eye. The camera positioned near seems odd enough, so I get up and go investigate.

As I make myself down to the 14th floor, I begin to feel more concerned. Up until now everything seemed normal, but as the elevator stopped the buttons and lights starting flickering. It's like car headlights bejng turns on and off really fast.
Curiously I press the open button but it doesn't open. I press it again, nothing happens. Finally on my last attempt it opens. As the view of the 14th floor widens a fient smell of blood catches my attention. Back in Boot Camp we learned to distinguish types of odors and the main odor we remembered was fresh human blood.

I scan the room with such perception and skill, that it can rival an eagles eyesight. Unable to find anything out of place I exit the elevator. I can't help think to myself." Maybe I am paranoid. It's most likely the 14th's floor functionality box." Rationalizing the events that have occurred, I head to the functionality box which controls level 14th's main functions. Each floor has a functionality box and the main functionality box acts as a back up. I spend nearly 20 minutes fixing the functionality box when I hear soft groans in the distance. My heart begins to race as thumps and groans grow louder. Annoyed I head in the direction of the noise. I walk and walk, passing darkened rooms and flickering lights. I keep walking, at one point I walk through a cloud of steam and gas that filled an entire room after a pipe had burst. I finally make my way to a corridor that connect the rest of the 14th floor to a cargo area. Before I can reach the cargo area I see it.

A being so terrying and ugly that words can't describe the fear i feel when I see it. It stands 7 ft tall, with three fingers on each hand. Connected to the fingers are 4 ft long claws. It's head and body are decayed, and it's mouth opens up kind of like a fly trap plant. I freeze, even afterjng noticing a man who's lower half has been peirced by the beast. The man in a haste yells out." Run! Warn everyone....." he spits out blood as he forces himself to talk." It's an invasion, theyre inside! They're ins-aaaaaahhhhhh! Stop it- ahhhhhhgggaa Sphtoooogggaa." The man dies on the spot. With his prey gone the beast turns to me. I run, I fucking run.

With great haste I run past every thing, the beast now enraged chases after. In my arrogance I decided to leave the suit in the cockpit and have no way to wake anyone up. As I run throughout the 14th floor I remember the layout of the floor." Okay, so if I go to this room in the West wing I can access the vents. From the vents I can crawl to the central hub with a phone that can be linked to all coms with administrator permissions." I think this all as I run. Surprisingly, I succeed. Once in the central hub I run, I'm too scared to feel safe and If I die, at least I saved my comrade. I find the phone in the central area of the hub and access all the coms and intercoms on all ships in the fleet." This is Admiral Sanchez, Red Alert, Alpha danger 00000010, Response Restriction Code: None. All personnel, lethal use, granted, group quantity, 5 or above. Enemies last located on the 14th floor of the USS Orion, all personnel begin role calls, area sweeps, and report to your overseers. All ships, begin conjoined docking sequence."

In a matter of minutes alarms are sounding off and chaps ensues. Gun fights erupt all over and screams can be heard. Before I can rest, saliva drips onto my shoulder. As I look up, all I see is an imprint of a foot above me. I stand still, thinking. In a moment of faith I jump to my right. Surprised that in alive I run. Whatever it is that drooled on me has destroyed the entire phone and console area I was at.