Chronicle of the Unknown Sector. (#Wattys2015)

Part 24: Raveners return.

Several days after their victory over the Slavers on Planet Gorzil, Pablo along with his wife Gab and the remainder of Serpent Company scoured outward from their captured stronghold which previously served as the Slavers headquarters. Patrolling the forest blanketed rocky terrain, troops eyes poised on spotting threats or whites, snapping of twigs under armoured boot and rustling of branches filled the silent almost tranquil air until suddenly Pablo raised his enclosed fist halting both his stride and that of his company raising their rifles on alert for anything.

Gab and Vera scurrying ahead to see what he'd found, Pablo knelt down rolling over a moss covered object revealing to be a rotted corpse seeming almost to of frozen stiff from fear causing Vera to look away whilst Gab drew closer to him lowering her voice before asking "What could of happened to him?"

Pablo noticing a combat-feed attached to the corpses ear-comm removing it's chip before plugging it into his data-slate replaying the final moments prior to the mans demise, the video display playing a night vision log, at first it was just a wandering soldier stepping on twigs and brushing foliage overhead right up until the point of a sharp snap to the soldiers far left caused him to dart his weapon in that general direction with a slow pace of breath. Turning his attention frontward again continuing a few steps before darting his attention right hearing shouts followed by gunfire with flashing muzzles visible finishing off with a slow turning back frontward as a Ravener began to stalk forward forcing the trooper to fire prior to being overpowered as the video display cut off with his agonizing scream.

Slowly narrowing his eye and gritting of his teeth Pablo lowered his gaze, later kneeling down with a thud removing the troopers dog-tags raising to his feet shortly after. "They're still lingering." he uttered under his breath tightening his hand holding the tags, "Serpent Company, we got possible Ravener presence. Watch your angles and call out any movements, we maybe dealing with an evolved one this time." he explained peering over his shoulder picking up his pulse rifle proceeding onward followed in close proximity by his men.

Further the company took the more tension grew amongst them, entering a clearing into vast dried desert littered with metallic scrap of ships and bones of massive native beasts causing Pablo to scan the area slowly with his cybernetic eye spotting nothing, utilizing hand-signals he issued orders to set up camp by a ships debris alongside forming a security perimeter.

With troopers tending to their assigned duties whilst the remainder rested up from the long trek, Pablo sat down slumply leaning against the solid metal hull piece of the ship wreck peering around before receiving a piece of good news.

"Sir, the evacuation of the former slaves is under way" radioed into his ear as he exhaling a sigh of minor relief knowing if they were to delay any further meant more risk of a Ravener attack on unarmed civilians.

"Understood, keep my posted. Serpent out." he replied calmly taking out his canteen drinking a swig of the water inside peering around.

"You seem troubled hun, what's on your mind?" Gab asked knowing already what troubled her husband with his facial expression turned in full view of her.

"We all knew the Raveners would crop up again sooner or later, just wasn't sure when. But now we do." he grunted in a tiresome manner running his cybernetic hand through his hair. Before Gab was able to reply everyone's gaze turned to a trooper in the distance suffocating as smog formed around him venturing toward them, "SECURE HELMETS!" Pablo shouted as he along with everyone else scurried frantically placing their helmets on pressurizing the air filters as their breathing created distinct sounds in the silent eerie area.

"CONTACT!" a trooper yelled out with pulse rifles firing moment after, the lesser experienced members calling out they could neither see them or weren't sure where they were.