Chapter Five
The shuttle's hold was surprisingly spacious, quite different from what Li was accustomed to in a dropship. The Major stretched his legs. "Folding space in thirty seconds," Achmed announced, more out of routine than necessity. Folding space to cover such a short distance was a bit indulgent on the crew's part, but it was either that or two weeks in cryo-sleep. And that always felt like shit. Li strapped himself in. Not that the measure was required, but it gave him a feeling of security. He glanced over at Alexis. She didn't seem very excited about this mission. Perhaps we do have something in common after all, Li jested silently to himself, … skepticism. His body suddenly went numb as everything in the room began to stretch sideways, and then just as abruptly the sensation was gone. "Objective reached," Achmed said. Khorfu was staring out the window. "Would you look at that," he whispered, "what the fuck is it…?" Li walked over to the window, where even Alexis was peering out into space. In the distance, floating against the backdrop of stars was the strangest object he had ever seen. Even from this distance it looked big. "It must be huge," Rosenberg stammered. Even Alexis looked stunned. It was immensely long and sleek, the shape of a slender fish or squinted eye. It was eerily beautiful in its simple design, as if it were the work some cosmic god. "This could be something new," Khorfu murmured to himself. The team-members allowed themselves an extra moment to soak it up, before getting back to business. "Run a full scan of the object," Khorfu voice took a serious turn, "… no point in rushing in blind." The crew waited for less than a minute, but it seemed much longer in the unnatural silence. Even the veteran inside Li felt the wonder as Achmed read the data appearing on his screen. "Seismic profile revealing most of the vessel's internal structure," he paused for a second, "… odd, the scan failed to penetrate here." He pointed at a dark spot on the image. Khorfu leaned over Achmed's shoulder. "They must have something to hide," he quipped, his humor unflagging even now. Alexis grumbled under her breath, "Question is … do we want to find it?" "EM reading coming up," Achmed continued. "Fields detected," his finger moved across the screen, "scattered here, here, and here ... it appears to be accelerating slightly, at regular intervals." Khorfu suddenly became quite serious. He turned to Li, "Any suggestions on how to proceed Major?" Li snapped out of his own reverie and assessed the images. "Nothing fancy ... we'll attach the airlock installation here and cut right in to that dark area. On our way back we'll check the EM source closest to where we'll be … over here I believe." "Sounds good. Priest will guide us in front," Khorfu hesitated for a moment, "… you OK with bringing up the rear Major?" Li nodded, "I recommend we bring the pulse rifles."
Hydraulics hissed as the airlock doors slid apart. There was nothing but darkness ahead. "Helmet lights on," Khorfu whispered. They were inside a wide, vaulted hall. The walls were sleek and metallic, much like the ship's exterior. "Priest, what are the atmospherics?" "39% nitrogen, 12.2% oxygen, 48% CO2 with a few trace elements." "Guess the helmets stay on Khorfu," Alexis gibed, "I know you're disappointed." "Just a little," Khorfu replied dryly. Li couldn't help chuckling to himself, not too loudly he hoped. "Priest, lead the way," Khorfu requested. Following the android's lead, the team walked to the end of the hall and entered a broad corridor "Two hundred metres to the next room," Priest informed them. "Let's keep a tight formation," Li said over the com-line. "Will do," Khorfu replied in the front. The team shuffled cautiously down the length of the passageway before finally reaching a large circular arena-like chamber. Li stepped in vigilantly after Achmed. It seemed quite empty. The individual team-members fanned out. "Hey Achmed check this out!" Rosenberg said loudly from the far-side of the chamber. "How did he get all the way there?" Achmed muttered to himself." "What's he doing over there?" Khorfu demanded, "Ah, fuck it. Proceed to his position." The team hurried over to where Rosenberg was gawking at something against the wall. Li drew in a sharp breath. In front of them was a giant rack holding a vast array of bladed weapons. "Look at the size of those things," Rosenberg pointed at what looked like a huge, jagged-edged sword, over six feet in length. "Those look like hunter weapons," Li cautioned. "Maybe, but we can't assume anything just now," said Khorfu. "Yes we can." Alexis called out. She had walked back toward the centre of the room. Li walked over followed by Khorfu and Achmed. The floor was scratched and blackened in several places, as if by contact with some caustic substance. "You still sure the hunters have nothing to do with this?" Li turned to Khorfu. He didn't reply. Rosenberg hurried up behind them, "Well whoever those weapons belonged to they're not around anymore … or we wouldn't be here, right?" "Let's not disappoint the old man," Khorfu finally said, "Priest, the objective if you please." "Down that way, captain." The team huddled up and entered another passageway. At the other end, they reached what appeared to be the bottom of a gigantic vertical tunnel stabbing up into the darkness. "Is this right?" Khorfu glanced at Priest. "There's no other way, captain." "Might be some sort of lift mechanism," Achmed suggested, peering up. "Let me guess, we won't know until we try," Alexis sighed. Li kept quiet. It wasn't his decision, but those weapons were a serious buzz-killer. "Well then it's settled … in we go," Khorfu sounded suspiciously enthusiastic. The team moved as one body through the wide entrance. As the last person stepped in, the disc-shaped floor began to rise, sliding smoothly up the huge tunnel. "Well, well I guess we'll be getting somewhere after all." Khorfu said. "Let's hope it brings us down later," Alexis said coolly. The lift reached an arched doorway and stopped. Priest stepped out and the rest followed suit. They walked a few paces down a short corridor and found themselves in a domed atrium. Achmed shone his helmet light at the arched walls. "Good Lord," Achmed mumbled, "do you see that?" Li looked at where he was staring. Sections of the wall were etched with strange symbols. "Rosenberg, take a look at them," Khorfu ordered. The young man looked for a minute. "Well what is it?" "I think it's Pilot script." "Don't tell me what you think, tell me what you know." Khorfu scoffed. "No, that can't be right …" Li began. "Most of it hasn't been decrypted, but I can read some parts … it begins with … I can't read this name … but one of the Jockeys 'has escaped the enemy … and 'searches for a weapon to defeat the death that does not see.' … not sure about the rest." "Well that'll cheer you up," Alexis quipped. "Priest," Khorfu called, "how close are we to the objective?" "It should be right behind the wall over there. I double-checked with the sonic resonator. Explosives required." The team backed up as Priest attached a mine to a section of the wall before rejoining them. She took a headcount before flicking the detonator. There was a sharp crack as an orange flash ripped across the wall. The team approached the blasted opening and stepped over the debris, moving quietly into the hidden chamber. It was much smaller than the atrium, but still large by human standards. Li tread lightly, scanning left and right. They went in deeper. "Something on the ground, three o'clock," Priest pointed in that direction. The team walked over. "Shit!" Khorfu barked. The thing on the ground lay on its back, spindly legs pointing upward. "Facehugger," Alexis whispered. "Hold on," Priest said calmly, kneeling over the shriveled form, "it's been dead for a long time." "Keep together, unsling your weapons," Li took charge, ignoring her, "safeties off, stay alert" The rest of the team hastily did as they were told. Li hoped they could handle themselves without shooting each other. "There's a big heap of something over there," Rosenberg pointed out, his voice shaky. "Approach with caution," Li ordered, "Captain please switch places with me." Khorfu readily complied. Approaching the object, Li caught his breath. Alexis gasped behind him. "One of them," she said quietly. Li didn't reply. The Pilot corpse lay twisted on the ground, legs splayed at a grotesque angle. It was clutching something to its chest. Priest was already looking at it, taking notes for the company no doubt. Li leaned in behind her. He peered closely. The thing was small in the Pilot's immense hands…worm-like. "Burster," Rosenberg whispered. Li glanced over his shoulder. The young man wore a stupefied expression behind his clear visor. Obviously he didn't have much experience with these things. Li hoped there'd be no encounters today. "Both host and burster are long-dead … corpses desiccated. I'll take samples for analysis," Priest said. "Do that," Li grunted, "and then we're heading back to the elevator and to the next objective."
The team-members were glad to make it back to the arena without encountering any live hostiles. Li had worried that the elevator might have returned to the bottom. He was relieved when it was there to lower them back down. "All right Priest," Khorfu said, "after what we've seen. I don't think we want to linger. Let's move to the second objective and finish this up as fast as we can." "Of course captain," she smiled cooperatively. "We'll have to take that corridor down that way." She led the way at a brisk pace. Tramping down dark passageways wasn't something Li liked to do with such frequency. Despite its enormous size, the place was starting to feel like a giant labyrinth. He sighed to himself. Can't wait to get this shit over with, the sooner the better. Priest led them into a large semi-cylindrical hallway this time. "There should be something at the end of this chamber," Priest said in her measured tone. If only people were as calm and collected, Li mused. They must've walked a hundred metres before reaching the end of the hallway. They spread out and searched the wall for any sign of a door. "Captain, over here," Achmed said over the radio. The team gathered around him, their helmet lights illuminating the sleek polished wall. Li scrutinized the surface carefully. He could discern the faint outline of a large panel, approximately twelve by ten feet. Khorfu turned to Priest, "Got any more of those explosives?"
Walking through the blasted entrance, Li was awe-struck by the immense size of the cavernous chamber. You could probably fit Central Park in here. Alexis gasped in front of him, gawking upward. Their lights couldn't even reach the ceiling, and the other end of the room was nowhere to be seen. And it wasn't just the size of the place that astonished them. The floor's sprawling expanse was covered in a gauzy layer of blue mist that reached up to Li's chest, suffusing the cavern with an eerie glow. In the distance, massive columns, like obelisks, shot up into the darkness, probably to support the unseen roof. Beneath the diaphanous layer were arranged row upon row of transparent cases neatly aligned with one another and stretching into the distance. There must have been thousands of them. Li submerged his head below the mist to peer through the transparent casing. He recoiled suddenly. Other members of the team saw them too. Inside the crystalline sarcophagus was a massive humanoid form covered in mottled yellow-green skin. It had mandibles on its face and thick squid-like hair, a large metallic object rested on its stomach … a mask. He recognized its proportions and its basic armor, almost identical to what he'd seen on Tau Ceti III. And those unmistakable tendrils coming out of its head … "He's one ugly motherfucker ain't he?" Khorfu said in amazement. "What the fuck are they doing on a Pilot ship?" "Kenzo said the species are connected somehow," Achmed reminded, "we can figure it out later. Priest should have everything recorded." The android nodded. "Look closely at the columns," she said. Li surveyed one of the pillars in the distance. If he looked carefully enough, he could make out objects stuck to its surface. He realized the column was studded with cryo-chambers similar to those at his feet, winding up the pillar's surface in a spiral. Right below the upright chambers Li could barely discern a scaffold-like ramp coiled around the pillar, like a staircase for the occupants. The Major knew all too well from experience what just two of these creatures could do. He was now confronted with enough to annihilate the entire USCM … more than enough. "We should take one back to the shuttle," Priest suggested. "Company protocol." "What was the Pilot doing with them?" Achmed asked rhetorically. Rosenberg actually replied, "Looks like he was assembling an army … how long do you think they've been here … since the Pilot's death?" "Captain, we should move one of these to the shuttle," Priest repeated, more urgently this time. "Huh? Yes, yes, of course," Khorfu mumbled, staring at the strange monoliths, "… old Kenzo would be ecstatic." "Sounds great, but just how do you suppose we'll do that?" Alexis had a tendency to ask good questions. "Well, the ones stuck to the pillars are at least 500 metres away, and we might not be able to detach them …," Achmed reasoned, "… the ones on the ground are the only real option right now." Khorfu turned to the android, "Priest can you manage to move one off the ground?" The team selected one of the cryo-chambers closest to the blasted doorway. "Rosenberg, give her a hand," Khorfu ordered the young man. The thing didn't move. Soon the entire team had joined in, pushing and heaving, except for Li who kept watch. He thought they looked quite silly, really, breaking their backs for company … and for what? "It's rooted to the ground," Rosenberg grunted. "All right, this ain't working," Khorfu declared, catching his breath, "What do you suggest Priest?" "I have a plasma-cutter," she stated matter-of-factly. "Seems like the only way, huh?" Khorfu huffed. "She has a what?" Li cut in. "A plasma-cutter," Achmed replied, "one of the Company's little secrets, it should slice through that glass or whatever it is." Li looked at Achmed and then at Khorfu, making sure that they were serious. "Are you out of your minds?" He blurted. "What if it revives?!" "If its cryo-chamber functions anything like ours, it won't wake up without the proper 'thawing' process," Priest countered. "If it's anything like ours," Alexis added, "that's a big if." Li gave her a grateful look and turned to Khorfu, "You're not serious." "It's important for the company Major. It's worth a try, plus …" Khorfu began. "All right, all right," Li gave up, "but if it wakes up I'm shooting it." He shot the android a dirty look. Unperturbed, Priest got to work. It took her more than ten minutes to remove a large panel from the top of the casing. Whatever the clear substance was it was tough. Li kept his rifle aimed at the creature but it didn't stir. He could see the rise and fall of the creature's chest as it breathed. "Alexis, take the mask and hold on to it, the Major will cover us. The rest of us will carry sleeping beauty with Priest," Khorfu whispered, as if speaking too loudly would wake the hunter, "let's lift him up together . . . ." With a concentrated effort, they lifted the slumbering XT as gently as they could out of its cradle. In this manner, they slowly made their way back to the shuttle.