Alien: Lockdown

Part 3~ It Begins

U.S.S Anna-Lee Status Report
Crew: 46, 2 KIA
66 Hours Till Destination
Alarm Status: Neutral
Ship Status: Under Repair, Drifting

Cargo Bay

Dietz cautiously entered the cargo bay, and heard commotion coming from the far left corner. Someone came running from around a crate, and spotted him.

"You, hurry! They need help, over in the corner!" the man called out.

He pointed sporadically towards the corner, and rushed past Dietz.

"Where the hell are you going?" Dietz grabbed the man by the arm.

"I'm going to get more help," the man shoved his arm away.

He kept running and went past Dietz out the door. What the hell? He thought to himself. He jogged over to where the man had come from, and followed the sounds of yelling till he arrived at a disturbing site.

Two men were laying on the ground with spider-like creatures wrapped around their faces. Or maybe crablike was a better term. Dietz didn't know, he only knew that whatever they were spelled bad news.

"Private Dietz, where's the rest of your unit?" someone asked.

He looked away from the bodies and saw the Cargo Chief, Laidlaw. He looked anxious and worried, as anyone else would be. He also had his hand on his hip, as if to reach for a sidearm.

"Most everyone is helping with repairs. What the hell are those things?" Dietz asked.

"That's what we'd like to know. We've got a problem. One of my guys is in there," Laidlaw walked over to a military looking crate.

A technician stood at the door, fiddling with the control panel. Another crew member stood at the ready, a pipe in hand.

"I'm guessing there's more of those things right?" asked Dietz.

"More of what they came from. It's...you'll just have to see it. One of them got to him, he's out. We need to get in and grab him, and make sure none of them get us too. You up for it?" asked Laidlaw.

Dietz looked back at the other two men. They were still breathing somehow, seemingly still alive. There wasn't any blood, so the creatures hadn't violently attacked, per say. But that just made it even weirder and didn't add up.

There'd be time to figure out what the creatures were later. Now, it was time to act.

"Let's do it," Dietz put his hand on his sidearm.

"That thing loaded?" asked Laidlaw.

"With rubber bullets. It should be enough to drive them away," Dietz replied.

"I sure hope so," muttered the other crew member.

"I'll go first. Dietz, you stay close behind me, and Jim'll bring up the rear. Harry, stay here at the door and be ready...just in case," said Laidlaw.

"And what if those things get you too?" Harry asked.

Laidlaw paused and looked down at the ground. He thought it over for a moment before giving his answer. Dietz felt apprehension rise in his chest.

"Then lock the door and don't open it."

Med Bay One

Captain Stone watched as his two dead crew were prepared for the journey back home. Med-tech Stallings pumped an agent into their bloodstream that would hold back bodily decay and the raunch stink of death. Then the two would be placed inside medical pods to be preserved.