Malcolm loaded his Magnos Rifle. The package would be here shortly, whatever it was the Council wanted it.
His best friend Jac sat beside him smoking a Clasos Vien inside his helmet.(A vapor that can be produced into the helmet)
He had his rifle laying on the floor, slightly askew.
Malcolm checked his radar, no ship yet.
All they could do was wait.
The orbital platform was deserted, well with the exception of them.
They were stationed two hundred miles away from Delta Sargon.
No one even bothered to come out here, not even miners.
Their classy mark 34 Jet armor protected them from the void and darkness of space. It was of course still held down by the limitations of the 25th century.
There weren't any slim suits yet, or you know hyper space travel.
The suits needed constant refilling of the air tank.
Also, you had to have gravity emulators, which sucked.
The stars in the sky shone upon Malcolm and Jac. , it reminded Malcolm of how small they were.
Each star had planets, each one different from the Sol system.
He remembered when he was small and his father told him that when you look to a piece of the sky, when you saw stars.
They weren't stars, they were galaxies. Some 100 times bigger than ours.
Suddenly his earpiece buzzed with activity, "Orbital Platform 2203 please respond" said a female voice.
"Uh, this is Unit 23, confirm location" said Jac in his Martian accent.(People for mars usually had a southern-ish accent.)
"We are 100 miles out, we will be ther...." Suddenly and explosion could be heard and the screams of voices.
Malcolm was stunned, "Hello!Hello!" He screamed into the mic.
All he got was a static noise, then a raspy voice, "Don't worry just a minor malfunction, be there in ten" said the voice.
Malcolm looked over at Jac, "Prepare the loading station. Oh and Jac un clip the safety be prepared." Malcolm commanded.
Behind Jacs helmet he nodded and went, Over to the panel.
Malcolm's heart was racing, that was not a minor malfunction. Something bid had happened and he and Jac were about to find out what the "Thing" was.
In the distance the Ship was coming towards the at them.
The dock expanded upwards as two prongs opened up from the inside.
Malcolm couldn't see anything wrong with the ship as it flew toward them.
Jac was alert, his Magnos at his side.
The ship landed.
Tension filled the void as the two soldiers watched the door.
It opened and two people stepped out. One male , one female. The male had a gash on his head an the female had a cast on.
They greeted Malcolm and Jac, "We have the cargo, it is untouched and safe!" The Male shook Malcolm's hand.
"Then what was that explosion?" Asked Jac.
They both stated at each other, "Nothing, it was just a pipe." Said the Female.
"So where is the package, can we take a look?" Questioned Malcolm.
They both nodded.
The two soldiers walked into the ship, it was small, smaller than a normal class cruiser.
Probably made for stealth and recon. They opened the cargo bay. They took of their helmets, they were suddenly assaulted with massive amounts of stink.
"God smells like a fat guy barfed!" Jac retched.
In the back a long pod lay, silently.
It seemed to be covered in slime.
This had to be the cargo, Malcolm walked over to it.
What he saw shocked him. It was open. "Jac! Get out side now!" He yelled.
The two soldiers ran outside, helmets on, Magnos's primed.
Their the two people lay, retching on the ground.
Liquid spewed from their mouths and their eyes were white.
"Jac on my order shoot!" Yelled Malcolm. Their rifles buzzed with pulse energy.
But suddenly one of them grabbed Jacs neck and ripped out his throat.
Malcolm fired a rifle into the things head. The other one came rushing at him and lured a couple of high density lasers into it.
He heard a gurgle from Jacs body.
He looked over only or answer mankind's biggest question
We were not alone.
