Singularity

Archive Log: 35

"No! No!" Daniels called out practically having to throw herself at Oram to stop him running any further. Upon growing close, the group had seen the erupting fire shoot upwards into the air from where they were. Just knowing his wife was onboard had Oram picking up running. He pushed passed everyone and was determined to get to the scene, as if he could do anything.
The lander, what remained, was ruined. All that seemingly existed now of it was a burned out husk. The structure was still there, but the inside was ruinous. Fire still burned angrily within, the flames licking outwards and whipping in the air. Smoke, thick and black winded upwards and outwards. There was no signs of life, human life that is. There was something, small and white in colour which came scuttling away from the scene, but it was gone in moments.
It left the scene just as Oram was basically tackled to the gravelly ground. He was incoherently talking, he was well aware to that. He could hear his own voice, but he couldn't quite piece together what it was he was saying. He just continued to try and scramble free from the younger female's grasp.
Daniels wasn't having it, she grasped on tight and refused to budge. "Captain! There is nothing you can do! They're gone. Do you hear me? She's gone, Chris!" She called out, short and blunt but she got his vacant eyes looking away from the wreckage and to her. There was no way to pussyfoot around this. If he went charging onwards, he was going to get lost in the fire too.
"No! No-!" Oram managed to shift and get Daniels off, only slightly. Her boot slipped in the stones and it was enough leeway for him to get himself up and sitting. He spotted something on the horizon and jumped up, he looked frantic and Daniels recovered quickly from her staggering to cling onto his shoulder again.
She saw the figure too, wading through the water, basically struggling to even walk as it kept a wide berth of the lander. Oram continued to try and drag himself closer, but Daniels refused to let go. They both stood and watched as the figure drew closer, Daniels recognised it as Onora. She possibly registered it was her long before Oram did.
When he did, Daniels had to yet again pull him away when he took to shaking Onora by her shoulders. The poor woman looked wide eyed, slightly terrified and very waterlogged. Her head lulled back and forth as Oram shook her. "Why is it you?!" He shouted at her, still shaking her and trying to shrug off Daniels's hands. "Why is it you?!" He sounded heartbroken, distraught and he looked it too. He soon ceased and peeled himself away and sunk to the ground, he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.
Onora knelt in front of him, and Daniels sat beside him. "I don't know what happened," Onora said, her voice hoarse sounding from clearly being in the water. Oram just stared blankly ahead, she didn't take his earlier words to heart. He wanted his wife. He wanted his wife to be the one walking away from the lander, not her.
Daniels looked her over, her coat seemed darkened from smoke and being singed. There were cuts and scrapes on her face, even a bruise slowly forming on her cheek as Onora sat motionless. Daniels didn't know what happened either, but she could figure she was outside and got caught by the blast.
Before Daniels could pick up asking Onora if she was really okay, the two women looked at each other and then over Daniels's shoulder. There were screams. Utterly inhuman, agonising screams at that. Daniels grabbed onto her gun and shot up, she turned and looked down at Onora, she looked wiped out, "Stay here, make sure he doesn't move." Daniels ordered, Onora just nodded her head. She was going to be no use to anyone, whatever was happening back there, Onora and Oram were probably best staying out of it.
Daniels made her way back to the group, only to see Walter standing motionless as the others seemed to pin Hallett down. The man was the source of the noises, he thrashed about for a few more moments before something slithered its way out of his mouth, accompanied by sprays of blood.
The sight was disgusting, yet with this, Hallett became motionless. The thing which escaped his body was twitching around on the floor. Whatever was encasing it fell away, a dim clicking emanated from it as spiny limbs pushed against the ground. A narrow body seated itself as an elongated head tilted and looked about its surroundings.
It looked out at them, as the group looked back at it. With a high pitched screech, it lowered itself to the ground and ran off. The thin and deadly looking tail whipped behind it as it disappeared into the long grass.
Someone got knocked over by it escaping, and Walter turned with a frown and watched it disappear. It was silent then. Those which were here, were unsuspecting to the fact that there were two of these things running about the planet now. The one which had come from Ledward had killed Karine, been shot at by Faris, and escaped the burning vehicle.
Beside Hallett's corpse, Lope remained. He held his hand tightly, expecting his partner's eyes to open and for something witty to come from him. But there was nothing. His eyes didn't open, no words were spoken, there was just this quiet emptiness which remained.
Walter observed the scene with a blank expression. Hearing shuffling, he turned and looked around. The fire of the lander illuminated most the ground and area by now, so it was easy for Walter to spy the figure awkwardly hobbling their way. His eyes widened at the sight of Onora, she looked worse for wear, but she was here.
Regardless of everything around them, and him. But he walked forwards, he passed Daniels trying to get in contact with Tennessee, and placed his hands on her shoulders. He was overall in charge of making sure all the crew were okay, he couldn't help Ledward, Karine or Faris. In all honesty, he believed Onora was dead too. He remembered her scared and worried voice over the coms, listened as it cut out from the explosion. Her death was something that he hadn't fully comprehended. He hadn't faced it, and now he didn't have to.
He looked her over, cut and bruised, but very much alive. She looked tiredly and concernedly up at him before patting his forearm. She smiled tightly and he let her go. Daniels caught sight of her and looked confused, Onora just shook her head with a sad look. Daniels caught on, Oram probably said something which didn't settle well with the biologist so she left. She was sure he wouldn't do anything, like dive into the fire...
Turning back around, Daniels tried the coms again. "Come on, T...you there? Come in, do you read me?" She was getting frantic now as her tone turned panicked. All she got in return was static. They were all very much off the grid still.
Walter stayed beside Onora, yet his eyes narrowed when he caught movement a little ways off from where Daniels stood. He looked to Onora, she looked confused yet followed his line of sight when he looked back. She leaned against her knees and narrowed her eyes, her eyes widened suddenly and she screamed instantly seeing the sudden charging of the white creature.
Walter ignored the clicks from the creature and ran forwards. Daniels, much like Onora screamed and moved as quickly as she could when Walter intercepted it. Sending a high kick its way, Walter didn't wish to notice how much it had grown since moments ago. But it had. With the size difference, it seemed its aggression had grown tenfold too. The way in which it whipped and wiggled its way on the ground to right itself to suddenly leap was fluid. Walter heard his name being shouted by Onora before he managed to place his hands behind himself and commenced scuttling backwards, trying to get as far away as possible.
Walter felt hands on his shoulders pulling him, trying to get him to a stand but it failed all the time he was trying to retreat. The laser sights of the aimed guns didn't seem to bother the creature as it solely intended on getting to Walter, seemingly.
Shrugging one hand off his shoulder, Walter lurched forwards. He failed to kick it, so the next best thing was to punch. Only, Walter didn't expect for his whole hand to suddenly be enveloped in the dark chasm of its mouth. His fist was lodged in while the creature stared at him with an eyeless face. Walter was sure it was looking at him, he guessed it would have to be considering it was seemingly trying to chew his hand off.
A few seconds later, Walter was freed and pulled as viscously as possible. He watched with wide eyes as the white skin of the creature gleamed in the firelight as it twirled and spun like an acrobat in the air. The tail lashing and whipping expertly to keep itself balanced and righted. Not once did this thing falter in its footing. Every movement was for a reason, and every movement was executed effortlessly.
Despite of the moment of being hauled and pushed away, Walter grabbed onto the person pulling him and hunkered down. From the yelp, he recognised it as Onora. Of course it was. Who else would seemingly throw caution to the wind in an effort to help him? He kept her head low as those of the security team took aim and fired. Even with how he was leaned over her, he caught sight of his wrist. His hand was no longer there. That thing had utterly destroyed it.
The silvery substance that was his blood was oozing out of the wound and onto the grassy ground. His eyes looked over the creature twirling and jumping about, it seemed unfazed by people shooting at it. It countered attacks easily enough, sharp claws lashed out as the tail shot out and followed up an attack.
One victim of such an attack was Ankor. The security officer possibly never saw the attack coming. This thing was so fast, that the time it took for Ankor to know what was happening, he was probably fading as he sunk to the ground, his jaw ripped off his face.
There was very little effort in dispatching them. It seemed like it took nothing at all, yet it was taking everything they had to try and land a shot. Eventually, enough seemingly became enough, with a defiant screech it turned tail and ran off, disappearing again.
Walter moved slowly, uncertainly, he let Onora up too and she looked about with wide eyes. He looked down when she grasped onto his arm, Walter watched as she tore a piece of fabric off her coat and wrapped it around him. To the side of them, Daniels scurried and grabbed a gun and knelt up. Ankor didn't need his gun anymore, she did.
The three of them hesitantly stood, Walter pushing Onora behind him as Daniels stood beside them with her gun readied. There was an echoing chirp in the distance. The thing was still out there, and it still seemed to want to hunt them down.
They were all looking in the wrong direction. From the pained screams behind the three, they turned and saw Rosenthal struggle against the thing which was much more aggressive, or it seemed like it. It clawed, scratched, screeched and continued attacking despite of everyone trying to rid the thing off of her.
There was momentary freedom for her, only to have to shield her eyes, just like everyone else. A blinding light appeared within the air, everything was bathed in a white light. The light seemed to disagree with the creature as an angry scream came from it before it turned and ran away, this time for good.
The noise which went with this sudden moment had everyone wincing, except Walter. He stood and watched this mysterious cloaked figure approach them. Walter kept his injured arm to himself, the other still instinctively in front of Onora. There was something about the casual way in which this person walked towards them, that didn't sit well with Walter. Onora's hands clutched at his jacket, he wasn't alone with feeling tense.
There was suspicions all around, yet the clicking of an empty gun had them looking forwards. "Follow me!" Despite of being void of ammunition, the gun was still rested against its shoulder. Regardless of waiting for a possible answer, the person turned and commenced walking away. Clearly entrusting that he would be followed, regardless of the states of some of the people present, and what had just happened to them all, he continued walking onwards.