I Monstrum

Chapter 15 -Search and Capture

      "I can't believe that we're back in this miserable maze again! We must be crazy."
      "Yes Joe, here we are again, putting up with you."
      "Very funny Graham. I also can't believe I let you and Steve talk me into this. And why do we have to carry this awkward contraption and all these containers? I can't believe we're doing all this for a murdering monster. What did it ever do for us except kill our friends?"
      "Joe, if you don't shut your mouth, I'm going to close it for you. Maybe, I'll step aside and let Samantha do that. I'm sure she would enjoy the task."
      "Okay, I was just pointing out how I feel."
      "We already know how you feel. You don't have to constantly remind us. Now, quiet. Steve said to keep talk at a bare minimum, remember? Only necessary comments that contribute to the mission."
      "Alright, okay."
      As they crept down the tunnel toward the creature's lair, they all wondered where the monster was. Did it know they were here?

***

      More! Are these the same as those before? ...So, they've come back. What do they want? ...What are they carrying? They are getting closer to my vespiary. Some of my hatchlings have emerged. They are helpless. I must protect them. They all have hard shells this time. I can tell… I can still break them open and expose their hot, soft insides. If I have to, I will do it again.

***

      "Okay people! Here is the chamber. You know what to do. Just like we practiced. Graham and Joe, get the trap set, over there. The rest of you, slowly approach the eggs... Wait a minute. What's that? Stop!"
      "It's one of the young! It must have hatched."
      "Are you sure Sam?"
      "Yes, I got a good look at it. It's about the size of a kitten, but a lot faster."
      "Be careful, they may be deadly too. This is now going to be even more difficult than we thought. For now, ignore the little guys unless they attack. Concentrate on capturing the adult creature. I'm surprised we haven't seen it yet. Rachel, open up all the containers and start collecting the eggs. After that, we'll need to catch the little guys too. Hopefully the containers are strong enough to hold them. While your collecting the eggs keep your eyes open. Meanwhile, Sam and I will try to lure the creature into the trap. If it ever shows up."
      As if in answer to his last statement, Rachel started to yell and point. "There it is, over there! It wants to stop me!"
      "Samantha concentrate on its face."
      "Yes sir!"
      Her first shot struck its 'face' dead on. Steve also commenced firing on the creature. 11 shots later the creature collapsed at Rachel's feet. She jumped back and pointed her weapon at its face.
      "I think it's unconscious now."
      "Okay Rachel, back up a little bit more. It might not be..."
      The monster moved one of its forward appendages so fast that no one had time to react. It struck Rachel square in the chest. The impact flung her across the chamber, into the wall. She fell to the floor.
Samantha looked to the right and saw Steve in the air and firing his weapon at the same time. He was incredible! The creature reared up to fend off his attack. From her vantage point she could only fire into its flank. The creature leapt towards Steve.
      "No! Steve!"
      She started running. Firing all the way.                 Remarkably Rachel was back on her feet firing too. By the time Sam got there, the creature had Steve pinned to the ground. It struck Steve with his main appendages once in the head just above his visor and four times in the chest. Sam yelled full voice, "No! Stop it! I-said-stop-it! Now!" Sam slid in right beside Steve and fired three times directly into the monsters mouth. It fell on top of both of them. It was very heavy. She squirmed around onto her stomach, got her legs underneath her and pushed herself free. Her thigh screamed in pain from her still healing injury, but it quickly subsided as she broke free. She grabbed Steve by the arms and dragged him free.
      "Hurry you guys! Drag the trap here and everyone help me roll it onto the trap! After the creature was on the flat surface of the trap, Joe pushed the button on the remote. 
     "Take that! Now we got you!"
      The trap sprung, collecting all of the appendages of the creature and curling the creature up into a tight ball.
      "Okay, everyone capture the little ones and collect the eggs. Don't mix them. I'll see to Steve."
      Rachel's whole body ached. She was now operating on pure adrenaline. She knew that soon she would be suffering much more. 
In order to collect the eggs Rachel first had to cut through the membrane that housed them all. Fortunately there were already rips in it where the little creatures broke through. With the aid of the modified collector that Joe had prepared for her, she easily made a large opening and started removing the eggs two-by-two. She didn't want to risk carrying more. She would feel terrible if she dropped one...
      Samantha knelt beside Steve. She lightly tapped his visor.
      "Steve?" No response. She sobbed, tapping a little more loudly.
      "Steve!"
      His eyes quickly opened wide.
      "Sam, did you Uhh... capture it? Is it... restrained?"
      "Yes, don't worry about that now. Listen, we're going to get you out of here."
      "I didn't expect the creature would jump at me, when I uh… was jumping at it. I'm sorry I uhh..." Steve tried to move his arms and legs. No feeling in any of them. There was plenty of feeling in his head, which he could move, albeit, with excruciating pain in his neck and head as a reward for his effort.
      "No, just stay still!" 
      "Hey," Steve painfully chuckled, "what happened... to sir?"
      "You know I have to take command of the mission."
      "Sam, I'm not... gonna make it. You should just leave me behind." He closed his eyes in a grimace.
      "Are you kidding? We leave no one behind! Especially someone who is still breathing."
      Steve gasped, "I wonder how long that will last."
      "Hey! Don't you dare say that, Steve." Her voice quavered, but she took a breath and steeled herself.       "My first orders to you are to shut up and keep breathing. Do you hear that soldier?" She shouted. "I said, do you hear that soldier!"
      Steve opened his eyes, "Yes, sir!" Then his eyes fluttered closed again as he slipped into unconsciousness.
      "Steve… Steve!" Samantha checked his vitals as indicated on his forearm display. They seemed stable enough.
She put her visor against his. "Steve…" A tear dropped off the bridge of her nose and splattered against the inside of her visor. If she could kiss him right now, she would. She stood up.
      "Okay people, report!"
      "Looks like the little guys are not dangerous," said Graham holding one up for her to see, "their shell is still soft. As far as I can tell, only three hatched. We've already got two. Rachel still has about half the eggs to collect. How's Steve?"
      "He's unconscious, but his vitals seem stable enough. Thankfully, his suit seems to have saved him. It's a good thing we all had them reinforced with extra armored plating. However, he was really shook around in that thing. I think he has a bad concussion and possibly spinal injuries, because he couldn't move while he was conscious. We need to get him back, right away. I'll help Rachel."
      In a few minutes they were ready to leave. The trap and containers for the creature and its young had their own transport systems. Joe was operating the controls while chatting with the creature. Saying things like, "Whatcha gonna do now, huh?"
      They had placed Steve on the top relatively flat surface of the trapped beast. This should be okay, as long as the creature didn't wake up and knock him off. They needed one hand to control the return of the containers with a weapon gripped in their other hand. They began the long walk back to the shuttle.
      "Are you okay Rachel? You were hit really hard back there. Plus that crash into the tunnel wall."
      "I think I'm okay. I have a headache and my legs feel shaky."
      "Let me know if you have any more trouble."
      "Okay."
      "Thanks for helping when it was attacking Steve."
      "Hey no problem, Steve is a hero Sam. I know you know that, but you should have seen him when he was carrying you out last time. He just wouldn't give up. All he cared about was getting us all out alive, especially you. Scott told me he promised to sacrifice himself to save us if our lives were endangered."
      "Really?"
      "Yeah, that must have been some conversation they had. Scott knew I would go if asked, so he told Steve that he didn't want me to go and that Steve should make that promise to him"
      "Wow. Our men really do care about us."
      Rachel chuckled, "Yes, they do."
      "Ew, we're sounding too mushy. You did really well back there, I was surprised to see you so quickly on your feet again. It's like you've had military training."
      "No, I just had big brothers. Let's just say... we were competitive."
      "Sam... Sam!"
      "I'm right here."
      "What's happening? Where are we?"
      "We're on our way back to the shuttle. Don't worry, just relax and try to enjoy the ride."
      "I can't see."
      "It's likely only temporary."
      "I know... So you've put me... on top of the creature?"
      "Yes, that's right."
      "Good idea."
      "Thanks. We've strapped you to it, just incase it moves, so you don't fall."
      "Sounds… like a good precaution."
      "How's Rachel?"
      "She's shaken up a bit. She has a headache and her legs are shaky."
      "Tell her she did a good job."
      "I already did."
      "Good. So, she's uh.. in the front, the guys are in the middle... with the creature and you're the rear guard?"
      "Yes, Steve you should rest."
      "Yeah, okay. You're doing well Sam. Don't worry, you'll get us all back uh… safe uh... and… sound."
"Steve?" She jumped up and checked his vitals again. They were still okay, but she really wanted to get him to the doctor. She jumped down and headed to her position in the rear.
      "Oh boy."
      "What is it Joe?"
      "The creature just… shivered."
      "It will start moving again, Rachel join me near its mouth. We'll point our weapons toward its mouth. Get close enough so you don't miss. If it struggles, shoot it."
The creature did start to struggle, but it stopped when they shot it in the mouth once again. It's four slightly rounded black shiny eyes gleamed in their headlamp lights. It knows it can't get free...
      "Okay, Rach. I think it's learned its lesson. You can resume leading the way. I can guard the rear from here anyway. It knows what this weapon can do."
      "Okay."

***

      No! I can't move! My younglings! Are they still in my vespiary? Have they been taken? These little monsters have much harder shells than they did before. How can I protect my younglings from them? ...I can only wait. I hate these monsters!"

***

      "Sam."
      "Yes, Steve?"
      "I… think my helmet is starting to leak."
      "How do you know?"
      "I hear a... faint hiss."
      "Just a sec. Hey Rach. I'm gonna need you to take my place watching the creature for a minute."
      When Rachel replaced her, Sam climbed up beside Steve, checked, and sure enough there was a leak. It was where the creature had struck his helmet. Maybe the creature had actually punctured his helmet and the inner lining had finally given way under the pressure. She got out the tape and did her best to seal it off.
      "There you go, good as new!"
      "Thanks... How are we doing?"
      "We're doing well, we'll have you out of here soon. How are you feeling?"
      "Mostly the same... I still can't see. I keep blacking out. I think I have spinal injuries and a concussion."
      "You may be right, but let's expect your symptoms are only temporary. Try to keep positive, you're doing great."
      "You... should have been a nurse."
      "Really, and miss all this fun? No thanks."
      "Listen Sam. When we uh… when we get back to the shuttle, we'll need to meet with another... shuttle to bring me back so I can get medical help… You'll need to finish the mission Sam. I promised... Scott I would sacrifice myself rather than have harm come to Rachel or you…"
      "You've already tried that Steve. You did great. You even survived."
      "Yes, but I can't protect you now. Sam… I'm worried about you. I know you would do the same for all the others… all of them… heh, even Joe. Sam… I don't want to lose you. Please… please be careful."
      "Listen, you're not going to lose me. All the difficult part is done. Now hush up and get some rest."
      "No Sam, releasing... the creature will also be dangerous. Make sure you… find an open space with no creatures. Be fast. Let it see its young. Make sure the shuttle is uh... lifting off before you remotely release it… Remember, it can jump."
      "Don't worry Steve. We'll do the drop quickly, and leave. Now get some rest."
      "Okay."
      When they finally exited the tunnel and were approaching the shuttle the creature began to struggle again. She once again shot it in the mouth. Only once was enough. The creature was held fast with its appendages all balled up. It was completely helpless. It took ten minutes to load everything including Steve. They lifted off and were on their way to meet the shuttle that was being sent for Steve. Half an hour later three medics brought him on their shuttle and departed. Steve slept through the whole procedure. He was still in his suit. Sam wouldn't remove it so as not to risk further injury to him. She wished they could have said a proper goodbye...
      As she watched through the view port, the shuttle quickly disappeared. She put her hand on the cool screen and said, "See you soon."