Chapter Six: Quarta

Chapter Six: Quarta

The unending silence finally stirred Courtney to consciousness. She blinked trying to clear her vision, she could not figure out where she was. The last thing she remembered was being in the subway, trying to get the gun away from Paul.

"Gui'!" She screamed, sitting bolt upright, and regretting it. The intense pain in her hip sent her head swimming. She fought it looking frantically for the alien. She found him slumped against the bench she was on. She leaned out of the soyan, shakily touching his arm. He did not look good at all, his skin was cold and wet.

"No." She moaned, "No, you can't die on me now. Not after all this."

She froze when she heard the hiss of the door, and stared saucer eyed as two very large Predators came into the room. They were of equal height, their only differentiation being their markings. They moved gracefully for creatures of such bulk. She pressed herself against the far side of the soyan dome, as they approached their unconscious comrade. They lifted him up and brought him around to a bunk identical to the one she was in.

It had never occurred to Courtney that Gui'yata may not have been the lone predator on Earth this trip. The thought of a ship full of these creatures hunting Los Angeles sent an involuntary shudder through her.

The creatures did not even acknowledge her presence, and went about their task with a single-minded purpose. That gave Courtney no comfort however, and she refused to move until the two unfamiliar aliens had deposited Gui'Yata in the dome bed and left the room. Not a sound had been uttered, but their sheer presence had kept her silent. That was her first glimpse of the average height the Soua reached, and she would not soon forget it.

She slid painfully slow off her bunk, unsure of how much weight her tender hip would take. She watched the door cautiously as she made her way unsteadily to Gui'Yata's side. He looked to her to be pallid compared to his normal coloration.

She shook her head fighting back tears feeling strange for her own reaction. She was trying to figure out how she could feel so close to this creature that was so very different. After all, she had only come across him twice the whole time he had been on Earth. She lay a hand on his forehead.

"Oh, Gui'", she said, looking down. She was startled at the light touch on her arm. Quickly she looked up, taking tight hold of his hand.

"Courtney...Ok?" He grated softly. She nodded.

"I'm fine. I'm more worried about you."

"These creatures have a spectacular technology...will be Ok." he mimicked. He was beginning to learn this English, beginning to understand more, now that he would have no more use for it.

Gui'Yata faded out again, but Courtney continued to hold on to his hand. She jumped away from his side when a tendril appeared from the wall and began to move over Gui'Yatas injuries.

"Please return to your pod," a voice said inside Courtney's head.

"Who?" Courtney asked confused, not sure she had heard the statement.

"Please, you can do nothing more for him. You are not nearly well enough to be up." The voice said. The voice was neutral, no indication of gender though it did not seem mechanically generated.

Courtney stood, losing her already uncertain balance, several tendrils quickly appeared and caught her fall. They supported her as she made her way back to her soyan. The walls here were like liquid, she thought, the tendrils were not restricted to the area where they appeared, they followed her movements easily. She lay back on the soyan, watching the still form of her comrade-in-arms, watched the tentacle slide quickly over his body, until sleep overtook her.

Courtney woke for her fourth time since coming aboard the ship. The formed sressra around her hip tingled and itched. The substance seemed to be turning up at the edges, and the two glowing bars had begun to change to purple. Her hip still hurt, but it was not so excruciating that she could not walk and it was healing fast, faster than she thought possible.

It had been several days since Gui'Yata had been put in the soyara. That was only a guess, she was unsure how long she had been here. There was no change in the brilliance of the light in the room, and there was a constant humming. Time passed unchecked, Courtney kept wishing for her watch if only to keep her sanity.

She looked over at Gui'Yata, lying in the same position that they had put him in earlier that week.

"Is he going to be alright?" she asked Quarta for probably the fiftieth time.

"He will be up in several days. These creatures heal fast, even from such serious injuries as your friend's." Quarta answered patiently. It was still disconcerting to have the ship talking directly into her mind. But with time she supposed she could get used to it.

"How can you speak to me? I mean, are you a computer? And where did you learn English?" she voiced her confusion.

"No, I am not a computer, I am a living being." it sounded offended, the closest thing she had heard to emotion in the voice, "I am Quarta, this ship. I am of the line of Gosu, of the Taya."

"What!" Courtney said incredulously, wanting to be open minded, but finding herself doubting Quarta anyway.

Quarta went on, "In order to treat you I had to analyze you. I had to include in my study your brain wave patterns, and I pick up dialects easily. English is a fairly simple language to learn."

Courtney snorted in spite of herself, "Maybe for you!"

She paused as a thought took form, "Can... You teach me their language? Or translate for me?" she asked suddenly, not really knowing why, after all she was not staying long... was she? Anyway it would pass some of the dead time, Courtney was locked into, "I want to know what is being said to and about me."

Quarta agreed and began to teach her the nuances of the Predator language. Trying to differentiate between the clicks, coos and growls was at first very hard. But like jet noise, if you listened long enough each had a distinct sound. Courtney found as she learned that the language was very complex, very formal. Not only did vocalization make up a conversation, but inflection, poise, and hand signals. Trying to match a movement with a phrase particular to a rank, was difficult and time consuming. The more she learned the more she found that there was to learn. A twitch, positioning of the hands or posture could change the whole meaning of a phrase. That was a part of her society too, but here it was much more pronounced. A lot depended upon the ranks of those speaking to one another. She felt like she was trying to learn ten languages instead of just one.

During some of her training she found out just how highly regarded a Yanahara was. It was an honor that was not given often and certainly not without careful consideration. If it was given to a creature of a different race, then all that followed in a hunt on that planet were forbidden to harm the yanahara. The ship told her that was probably the only reason that some on aboard had not killed her.

The ship was very blunt, and what it thought it spoke, it was disturbing sometimes, but she was grateful for its frankness. It could mean the difference between living and dying, in this strange and rigid culture.

Courtney knew she had been here a long time, for she was becoming more and more proficient at communicating with her "Hosts". She began to wonder whether they were still planet bound or whether they were streaming toward some unknown galaxy. She asked the question out loud.

"No we are still on Earth, as soon as you are well enough you will be allowed to go. The elders dislike the idea of even having you aboard."

"I can understand that."

The door slid away and Sayka entered with her meal. He set it down at the end of her soyan, and placed his hand on his chest as a sign of respect for her rank. She thanked him with a slight nod, stroking the back of her hand.

"You are getting better." Ship told her.

Courtney was eating her xaca, a pale white meat served raw, when a Soua she had not seen before interrupted her. His coloration reminded her of Gui'Yata, he was taller though, and slightly thinner. And one of his arms was a sickly shade of green, the color of an infection. It moved naturally, and it did not look like it pained him, and she concluded that it probably was their version of a prosthetic device.

The Soua, the ship informed her, was Koratan, older sibling to Gui'Yata.

"I thought you said there was no such thing as family bonds?" she thought, knowing Quarta could hear.

"Theirs is a special case. They have been very close since they were young, and were taught under the same teacher."

Koratan did not even address her, but if she read his poise right he hated every fiber of her being. Holding his tongue only out of protocol for her standing. He walked to Gui'Yata's soyan and touched his arm. When he did not respond, he growled a question to the walls.

"How soon before he is well?" Was what Courtney deciphered, the ship obviously gave him an answer, because he nodded, "Quona requests his presence as soon as he is able."

On his way out he paused before Courtney, looking her over. His intense look made her feel dirty. He gave her the sign of reverence just before stepping out the door. But the way it was given was anything but.

Courtney sat frozen for a long time after Koratan left. She was more scared now than she had been when Gui'Yata was preparing himself for the hunt in her apartment.

She was so numb that she did not see the stirring from Gui'Yatas soyan. She started when he pushed himself into a sitting position, holding his left shoulder. Then she noticed for the first time the scar on his chest, four parallel marks, very thin, like knife cuts. It disappeared up into the shadows under his chin. It had been long healed and looked to her like a battle scar.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she slid off the soyan. The pressure on her still tender hip made her wince. Leaning heavily on the wall for support, she slowly made her way to his side. He glanced at her as she came up, his features twisted in a mask of pain.

"How do you feel?" she asked him in Sou.

A look of disbelief and confusion crossed his face, "Who taught you..." He asked in his native tongue, to see if she understood.

"Quarta. How do you feel Yaner?" she said again.

"Sore... I will heal." he replied brusquely, standing unsteadily.

"Where are you going?" she asked frantically.

"To the Quona, he requests my presence."

"Your in no..." he was out the door before she could finish her sentence.

He found his way to the Quonas chamber by rote, still weak, and not yet fully recovered. But the Quona was not to be kept waiting, not even for illness.

He paused before the entrance, composing himself, he could show no weakness now. The doors parted and Gui'Yata stepped inside.

Quona was seated on the floor among a pile of furs from various animals. Trophies lined all of the walls, from floor to ceiling. After all the Quona was over three hundred years old, that was a lot of time to hunt. He had seen corners of the galaxy that few had ventured into. That did not dampen Gui'Yata's reaction, he had never been to the Quonas quarters, and was more than a little awestruck by the collection.

The Quona made a noise that demanded his attention, bringing him back to the matter at hand. Gui'Yata placed his hand over his heart and bowed slightly, as his sign of respect.

Quona nodded giving Gui'Yata permission to be seated.

"I have answered your summons Quona."

"I am disturbed by your outburst in the soyara." Quona started bluntly.

Gui'Yata muffled his look of shock. He wanted to scream his outrage, at the fact Koratan had taken it up to the council. But out of respect for where he was, he kept silent.

"What is this wounded human to you that you would risk exposure to bring her among us?" Gui'Yata noted quickly that he had said human and not clusu.

"She is my Yanahara, out of debt to her for my life, elder." Quona looked shocked but the expression was quickly gone, a detached, composed expression faced him now.

"And why did you attack Koratan, your own flesh?"

"He wished to harm her. I brought her here so that she would live. She would not have survived had she been left. Koratan tasks my patience with his hatred, I gave him a warning nothing more." Quona looked confused, the two had been close until now, suddenly they were at each others throats like enemies, Gui'Yata noticed this and explained, "There was a time when his words would have had meaning to me, there were no questions, no bitterness. But I have been there, I saw a side of the clusu I had never seen before, not in any clusu I have previously encountered. The only help I received was from this lone woman," He paused, closing his eyes at the sudden stab of mental anguish the growing gap between him and his brother brought, "His words are just hollow, spiteful accusations, tainted by bad experiences, and failed honor."

"Tell me of your hunt." Quona said dismissing the conversation for a moment.

Gui'Yata recounted his experiences in vivid detail, being trapped, then found by the woman. Of hunting uncloaked, of his success, and of becoming the hunted. How the woman had put herself in harms way to save him.

"I felt it was only honorable to assist her in return." he finished.

The Quona considered this for many drawn out moments, "Most Soua would have killed the woman... and made a dreadful error. Your intelligence honors you... had you not allowed her to live you may not have returned to us. We would have counted you with the rising toll of hunters killed on this planet."

Gui'Yata sighed heavily, as his guilt left him. He had been sure that the Quona would condemn his actions. To hear praise... he was more than slightly relieved. In fact it was more than he dared hope for.

"With your permission elder, I still do not feel up to my duties, I would take my leave and return to the Soyara." he finally revealed, knowing it was now acceptable protocol to admit his weakness.

He nodded, and Gui'Yata rose to leave, "You are the rule bender, Gui'Yata, a Sai. That hunting name fits you well." Gui'Yata nodded without turning to face Quona. Sai essentially meant lawless one.

"Yes elder, my ties to tradition are not so strong as yours."

"All things change, or stagnation sets in. I allowed this clusu's presence among us pending your explanation..." He sighed, "And I have allowed your Yanahara to recover here, now she must leave, before it is too late."

He looked at the elder sternly, with just a touch of confusion.

"We are being watched, stalked, Sai."

"What?" Gui'Yata said whirling around again.

"The clusu have gathered troops together in the forest. We have been observing them, taking down some of those who stray too far from the group. But they are too many to attack openly. You must get her off the ship, before these sasiyi become bold enough to attack us. Little do they know how futile that effort will be."

Gui'Yata nodded again and left the room.

Quona almost laughed to himself surprised that Gui'Yata had not picked up on the intense pride that Quona felt for the boy. He had called his grandson Sai, for grating against tradition, but really Quona was just as bad. Soua ties to their family were not strong, with very few exceptions. Most Soua did not keep track of their kin, for it was extremely hard. Females almost always chose two to six mates during one cycle, and it became almost impossible to tell who the child's father had been. Most did not care as long as they had contributed to the gene pool, and lineage was never discussed. Quona had been ridiculed most of his later years for such a childish fascination in knowing who his offspring were. His mates had been obliging to him, and informed him when the births had been his. Gui'Yata and Koratan's mother had been a favorite daughter, Yasi, a fierce warrior, and had been a key player in the war against the Foowa, who had tried to take over Soona. She had mated first to Gana and then to Rasawo, Gui'Yatas father. "She probably has had more in your absence," he smirked.

Quona had been sure to leak the information to the two brothers, who were in the same creche, but only that the two of them were related. Gui'Yata was unaware of his blood tie to the Quona of the ship, however. Someday Quona would have to tell him. Gui'Yata was going to be an excellent Taura; someday he would be on a council and certainly he would be a Quona. His potential for being a leader far surpassed most of the young Soua he had seen train on this ship.

The watch commander peered from behind a tree, shifting to make himself more comfortable in his suit. He looked like something from an old outer space movie, silver and shiny, a reflective faceplate hiding his eyes. Restrictive uncomfortable, and hot to wear, but absolutely necessary considering their quarry saw any radiated heat.

One of them was out and about, pheromone scanners had picked him up, but he was nowhere to be seen. They had been warned that refracted light was used as camouflage. It was especially effective at night.

He passed the word and everyone was up in an instant. In two weeks they had amassed four hundred men, who surrounded the clearing, and most were anxious to see some action.

Paul Storen had pinned down the location of the ship and tracked the one creature on the hunt. He would not be here to see this victory though. They found Paul bled in a subway tunnel downtown. He had managed to wound the creature, before dying though. The blood trail had been easy to follow here.

It puzzled him though, all their information suggested that there was only one creature away from the ship during any one visit to the planet. With their comrade back they should have left long ago, but they still sent sentries out, a definite sign that they were not yet ready to leave. The higher echelons of the group were confident in reasoning that they were totally invisible to the creatures' sensors. And therefore the creatures were comfortable with lingering a bit longer. He was not so sure however. It was as if they were delayed for some reason.

They had picked up several teenagers, scared out of their mind. Those kids had said that a woman had confronted the thing with a gun and it had not killed her. And that she had followed after it into the tunnels when they heard shots fired. A human aiding one of these creatures? Could there be a human on board? But why would that obligate them to stay? It was near impossible to even think about. And those of his rank were not privy to that sort of information, the information he knew came from rumors only.

Even worse was the feeling that the creatures seemed to know that they were here, despite their precautions. Every now and again one of their rank would disappear, or a piece of equipment would come up non-functional, sabotaged. But there had been no out and out attack, and the leaders had made an attempt, though not a strong one, at investigating the incidents.

His commander came up behind him, "You got one Gerard?"

"Yes sir. Five minutes ago, bearing mark one four two, heading away." he replied systematically.

"OK, get your team together. We are not going to be able to hold their attention long. You're going to have to get in there and strike quick. Do as much damage as possible, and bring me a prisoner."

"I'll do my best sir."

The team followed their unwitting target closely, their suits were working, and the creature had not noticed them. They were being sure not to make any noise, Keyes men made the mistake of thinking the creatures were deaf six years ago, and that got them killed.

The creature stopped, and Gerard's men froze, he was out in the middle of the clearing somewhere. Gerard wished he could see one just once.

They were awestruck when the behemoth ship materialized, it put an aircraft carrier to shame. A hatch opened and their Pheromone signal disappeared into it. They were so overcome that they waited just about too long. They were forced to scramble through as the hatch was closing.

"Sir, we're in." Gerard whispered over his com link, awed by the chamber they had entered. "Roger," The commander replied to Gerards report, "You heard him, open fire!"

A myriad of lights pulsed and chased behind the walls, carved like ancient Aztec architecture, bathing the chamber in the yellow-orange of sunset. Heavy gas was thick on the deck, wisping into their faces, causing them to stifle coughs. Methane, Gerard noted silently as he stood and motioned for the men to move. He tapped his camera and got a reassuring nod from the soldier with the recorder. Good, they would have several different records of what they would see in here. Each of them was mounted with a mini-cam, and all accounts would be recorded simultaneously on the disc, to be replayed later at the higher command discretion.

They slowly moved across the chamber, splitting up into predicated groups, each group taking one of the many hallways leading away from the chamber.

Courtney was just about to the edge of her sanity when Gui'Yata finally returned to the Soyan. She started into an enthusiastic greeting until she saw how he looked.

"I have to escort you off the ship now." He said without prompting, "There is danger."

She nodded suddenly panicky. Life would never be the same for her, now that she had been on this ship, in the presence of these aliens. She was more than a little scared to return to 'normal' life.

She moved like a zombie out of the room and down the hall, walking in front of Gui'Yata. Were she not so anxious she would have appreciated the alien beauty in the walls of the ship. They had not even reached the first junction in the hall, when the ship rocked wildly. Courtney was hard put to remain standing with her already precarious balance. As it was she had bumped into Gui'Yata.

"What was that?!"

He was listening to something she could not hear, "We are under attack!" he said with only a hint of apprehension, "It has begun."

That is when they both heard the howl, Gui'Yata recognized it as a war cry. He spun to face one of the newer Taura, Nodada charging the two of them, his eyes intent on the human.

"She has brought this on us!" he cried, swinging a four-foot blade over his head. He did not seem to notice Gui'Yata, aiming for Courtney's paralyzed form.

Gui'Yata sidestepped the tip of the sword, and used the butt of his palm against Nodada's chin. The Souas momentum grounded him as if he were clotheslined.

Gui'Yata stood defensively between her and the Soua who was shaking his head out. He looked quickly over his shoulder at her.

"Go." he said succinctly, "Get out, head for the entrance and get out."

"Which way!" she said confused and frightened, she did not know the layout. She had not been conscious when she had come aboard.

He was not looking at her now because Nodada was getting to his feet, "Down the hall, you will come to the main chamber. The largest doors are the exit, get out as fast as you can, and hide from the soldiers. I wish you well. Now... go!"

Her muscles felt as if they were trying to go two different directions, as she turned to leave the alien.

As Courtney made her way down the passage she could hear muffled gunfire, she started as a man came flying around the corner, stopping abruptly in front of her. He trained his gun on her, but slowly lowered it in amazement and shock. His stance relaxed slightly.

"Who are you?" his muffled voice said, "What are you doing here?"

"What are YOU doing here?" she retorted, knowing he meant danger.

"We, we've come to destroy these creatures. I've got a contingency of men here."

"No!" Courtney said frantically pinning the man to the wall, "Get your people out of here. You don't know what your dealing with, they'll kill you!" the impact knocked off the mirrored hood. A shock of dark brown hair fell loose of the covering, a wide well boned face looked back at her.

His eyes searched her face, this lady was not all together sane.

"I'm taking you with me, I can't leave you here." She was in need of help. He could tell she had been aboard a while, they must have brainwashed her. For why else would she be walking freely on this ship. He roughly grabbed her arm.

"No!" she screamed, writhing to get out of his grip. But she was losing ground, the man was much stronger than she. He would have her outside within minutes. Her struggles increased. This was not what she had in mind when she was to leave the ship. She did not want to fall into the hands of these fanatics.

After temporarily dispatching Nodada, Gui'Yata sprinted down the hall after his charge, knowing there was more than one Soua who may try what Nodada had. He wanted to make sure she exited the ship safely. His instincts served him well, but not quite for the same reason. One of the soldiers had her, and was attempting to take her with him. This is not what he or the Quona had in mind, and he interceded.

The man stopped moving forward, and Courtney opened her eyes at the abrupt halt. The man's eyes were wide with horror. There was a large hand latched to his wrist, Courtney followed it up. It was Gui'Yata and he pushed the man back when he let Courtney's arm loose. Gerard stumbled.

"Ged oud!" Gui'Yata grumbled. His hands protectively on her shoulders.

"If you leave, you and your men might survive. If you try anything more you will all die." Courtney added, leaning on the large alien for support. After all she had first hand knowledge on the Souas destructive force.

Gerard nodded, dumbfounded, still shocked, he had wanted to see one of the creatures, now he wished he had not. He quickly backed away from the two. That bitch was crazy, he thought as he returned to the main chamber. His men were losing ground, he noticed immediately, many lay dead already.

"Fall back! Squad two fall back, get out of here!"

"But sir."

"Do as your told, get back, we're in over our heads."

Grudgingly most began to fall back, as their opponents began to appear. The sight of the creatures struck the group just as hard as it had Gerard. They were armed to the teeth with weapons more advanced than anything he had ever seen.

"Holy shit!" one man swore.

Their retreat was further hastened when the ship shuddered to life. The hatch they had come through, one that had opened to allow Courtney's departure, began to close and they were hard put to get out. Only Gerard and two other of his squad made it through before the opening sealed. Gerard looked at the two remaining members of his crew, mutual understanding passed between them as the ship reached full thrust. They ran for the nearest cover. Five others were left inside, alive. For how long was unknown.

Gui'Yata grabbed Courtney by the wrist, and dragged her toward the entrance, trying to tell Quarta to hold the door as long as possible. She was still in a sort of mental shock, everything was happening too fast for her, and she could not seem to get her feet under her fast enough to keep up with Gui'Yata's pace.

Unfortunately Gui'Yata was not fast enough, for the entrance had already sealed. Twelve of the crew had five soldiers surrounded, and there was the rumble he recognized as build up to lift thrust. He silently cursed himself.

The five men had their hearts in their throats as they realized that they were trapped. Slowly they turned to face the twelve aliens that were now all visible. A few of the soldiers let their guns clatter to the ground.

"We're dead!" one man whispered raggedly, the man next to him nodded, his mouth agape.

The circle of aliens began to close, and two of their company overcame the mind-numbing fear, and brought their weapons to bear. Both were determined to go out fighting, hoping to take a few of the aliens with them.

They were not to be that lucky, the first had not even depressed the trigger when he found himself in the tightening grip of the constricting net, he screamed as it painfully cut into his flesh, and then fell silent.

Gui'Yata realized just in time what was happening and skidded to a stop as he reached the entrance arch. Courtney bumped roughly into him, totally unprepared for the stop. She began to go around him, but he pulled her back and threw her roughly to the ground, as the second soldier sprayed the area with bullets. He went to his hands and knees over the top of her, as much for fear of crushing her, as to protect her.

The soldier was laughing maniacally as one of the creatures was hit, falling heavily to the ground. The creature next to him produced a blunt weapon, and the sound of compressed air was heard as the projectiles left the weapon. The tips impaled the man, pinning him securely to the door. The tips did not stop firing until the man was limp and the flesh all but shredded from his bones.

"Damn it!" Courtney heard Gui'Yata boom in English, over the final screams of the dying soldier. A small trickle of blood ran down from an arm muscle, and dripped on her already stained T-shirt. She was shaking uncontrollably, her body overrun with adrenalin, and suddenly she was frightened of Gui'Yata. Slowly he pushed himself to his feet, and she was unconsciously moving away from him. He reached out a hand to help her up, and she blinked. Her head cleared then and she forced herself to calm down. She took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet.

The other soldiers had cowered together, hands above their heads in submission, hoping not to get caught in the crossfire. As the noise and screaming died those that were left were roughly gathered up and taken to the bowels of the ship, they offered their captors no resistance.

"What's going on?!" Courtney said frightfully, regaining the use of her vocal cords, feeling the shudder in the ship grow almost palpable.

"We must leave." Gui'Yata replied in Sou, having heard the mental warning of the sentient ship, "Quarta is damaged, we must lift before it is no longer possible. They continue to attack from the outside."

"What about me? I was supposed to get off." she said in English, too scared to form the Sou words. She felt as if she was trapped in some unending nightmare, stifling, unable to breathe, unable to get free. There was a pause before Gui'Yata replied, for he had to wait for the translation from Quarta.

"It is too late, we have no more time, if we do not make it out of Earth's envelope we will be trapped. Besides it is not safe for even you to go out there. What would they do to a human with your kind of knowledge of us? Even the little you have learned... You must stay." he tried to make her see reason. A reason he should have argued with Quona, if he had thought about it before now.

Courtney nodded slowly realizing he was right, as visions of long hours of interrogation made her shudder.

"But what am I going to do? I am Clusu, an outsider, there is no place for me in this society!" she said despairingly, searching his face for the answer, sure that she would be dead within the next few days. Especially if she was thought to have been responsible.

Gui'Yata rested a large hand on her shoulder, looking her squarely in the face.

"You are Yanahara, very brave, very strong, as such you have a place already. As your Yaner, I will help you, protect you. Your title will be enough to keep you safe until you establish yourself."

She again nodded, solemn. Knowing it was a solution, but certainly not an easy one.

From behind one of the singed trees Gerard and his two remaining team members watched in horror, as the still working video cameras gave testament to the ferocity of the aliens. It was a gross fascination as he watched his men being slaughtered, their eyes glued to the small screen between them. The picture turned to snow, shortly after the incarceration of those remaining, as the vessel broke out of Earths gravity well.

He tore himself from the screen, though the others continued to watch expecting more to be shown to them. He leaned against the tree, his eyes darting wildly, how were they supposed to deal with a force so deadly? Did he want to try?