Time passed on the planet, although not like earth, time continued to pass as it always does. The morning started like any other and no one was the wiser.
I happened to be in a tree when the call came through.
"These are great samples, Fiona." Dr. Moses called up. "You can come down now."
As I made my decent a disturbing call came over my radio. "All Alliance Personal report to active duty, I repeat report to Echo Site."
I dropped the rest of the way down only three to four feet maximum. As my feet hit the ground I stated, "We have to head back to your lab, Doctor, something's come up."
"What is it?"
"Dunno, but I have to report in."
It was at that point I no longer had to confirm the severity of the situation. Out in the distance from our makeshift town there came a loud explosion. The Doctor and his team started to grab their supplies and samples as quickly as they could.
"Go on if you need to, we'll be right behind you." Dr. Moses pleaded.
I nodded my head in agreement and took off in a sprint between the trees as I headed in the direction of the smell of fire.
As the landing pad where our supplies for the colony came into view I could see what was causing all of the commotion. It appeared as one of the transport vessels had made a crash landing. Several nearby dock workers were in the process of putting out the fire. Medical teams had been called and were arriving just as I was. From other parts of the complex I heard people screaming as burning metal for the ship started raining down. The only problem I saw among the chaos was that there was only one ship. We were expecting three. Two transport carriers with supplies and a frigate.
Realizing that this was not the site referred to in the alert message I then proceeded to the correct direction. As I passed one of the medics I heard him utter "There's no way anyone would survive a burning wreck like that."
I arrived last to Echo site, panting as I came upon the rest of the troops. Malcolm was standing near the back and I caught site of him and approached.
"What's going on?"
Malcolm hushed me with a loud shush, and then stated "We've been attacked."
"Attacked! Attacked by whom!"
"Shut up an' listen." Malcolm snapped back as he gestured toward the General.
General Williams was addressing the small number of troops stationed on Shanxi. While standing on a crate as we gathered around him in a circle he said. "At this point in time we are unable to determine who is responsible for this attack. All we know is that it is now human."
As the gasped died down one voice was hear from the far side of the crowd. "Are they prothean?"
"Now hold your questions," the general continued. "We have information that was sent to us from the arriving frigate. During the attack the frigate and her captain were able to depict there distress before I gave the order for them to return to the Alliance. As it stands one of the transport vessels was destroyed and the other so damaged it had to make a crash landing. Hopefully the frigate is still intact enough to tell someone about our plight."
An up roar of people shouting and complaining came from the crowd. Puzzled at such behavior from soldiers I began to look more intently at the people surrounding the general. It seemed as though there were people from all over Shanxi at this impromptu briefing. Were we really that few that the general was willing to let anyone assist with his plan of action? For surly he would have wanted to keep this information away form civilians to avoid panic.
The Williams raised his voice over the crowd and started to speak again.
"The captain's message stated that a blockage of these what ever they are aliens is preventing them from bringing supplies to the planet. Fortunately their technology doesn't appear to be more advanced than ours, but it is obvious that it is based off of the same prothean technology as ours."
General Williams turned to the section of the crowd I was standing. It seemed to have more soldiers in it than others.
"We haven't the ability to fight a blockade or to send out a message that would be interrupted by our new observers our only plan of action is to wait for aid. This is why I have you all here. Supplies are to be monitored and rationed from this point. Are only chance of survival is to wait it out."
With that said everyone when about the rest of the day counting rations, food storage, medial supplies, and any thing else we would need to count on while we waited to be rescued.
