THE FALL OF ROSENROT STATION

DEMON

They went out single file with Even and Sarah in front and Hosi the last one out. Even looked around. It was lit, save where the distance between arc lights was too far for proper illumination. However both light and shadow were just as empty as before. There was nothing to suggest the horrors that haunted the corridors and hallways.

Even unslung his needlegun and checked it over then held it in both hands, baseplate pressed against his right shoulder.

Sarah.

Directly down this corridor and we come to an access tunnel that takes us straight to the stairwell. It's right beside the containment chamber we dropped down into.

How far.

Hundred and twenty meters all up.

OK. So about five ten minutes then. If we take it slow and careful.

He turned around to face them.

No sound. He said curtly. Nothing. Unless - unless you see something. Let's go.

They went. For a moment Del stared speculatively at the sheet wrapped corpse then followed the rest.

They went down the corridor and as predicted there was an access tunnel that curved around to the left. There was a sign on the bulkhead a faded glyph of the stairwell and arrow pointing the way.

They came to a corpse. It was that of an eyeless and it lay in the middle of the corridor facing straight up. It's mouth hung open and displayed tens of curving fangs.

It was undersized. This, Even discovered when he approached, was because it had been torn in half.

The lower segment, everything below those broken white ribs, were gone. As he crouched to get a better view he saw the internal organs were gone also.

It was as if it had never had organs, but the cavity that existed belied the notion. It was however impossible to determine what those organs had been, and their analogy to mammalian organs.

The dome of its head was partially crushed, with a patina of bone fragments in a fracture pattern stuck to torn ribbons of black skin. There was a second injury, sustained after that one, whereby its skull had been struck into two pieces.

Even reached inside the skull and scraped out what remained of its brain. The entirety of the creatures oversized skull was filled with brain. There were no other organs neither eyes nor auditory structures. The brain even though it was just a remnant, was heavy and wrinkled with folds.

We have plenty of dissection data available. Said Del. Don't you think we are dangerously exposed right now.

Even straightened up and then wiped his hands, sticky with blood and other yellowish fluids, down the bulkhead. Then he wiped them again on the thighs of his coveralls. When he looked back at the group he could see faces wrinkled in disgust. Aside from Del who looked impatient.

There is nothing here. He said. Not yet.

They found the rest of the corpse ten or so meters away. The legs and pelvis.

The pelvis lay open, stripped of easily accessible meat, what remained lay between white bones.

Only the skin and legs were untouched, like black sticks that speared the pelvis.

No organs he said.

It ate them. Del said. Isn't it obvious.

Even did not reply.

Next they arrived at a box shaped foyer. There were lockers on the walls and a single large arc light that hissed and zapped continually. There was also a steel door, recessed about a meter beyond the end of the room and guarded by a scanner unit.