image [https://i.postimg.cc/8cLdVvjx/cygnus-crystal-field.png]

The late-afternoon sun cast elongated shadows across the rest stop’s angular pre-fab structures. Conceived as a minor outpost for salvaging the Dolya’s wreckage, the site now bristled with minor fortifications, automated turrets, and rows of incendiary canisters waiting to be deployed. The hauler and rovers had arrived earlier, bringing fresh and familiar faces—Mei, Pom, Luo Zuri, Casimir, Pell, and two CorpSec operatives Hu and Kucugur —to join those already on-site: Maximilian, Yao Guowei, Sigrid, and Otto.

A wide clearing between stacked crates served as a makeshift briefing area, with a portable holo-projector at its center. Atop a collapsible table lay an array of weapons—carbines, flamethrowers, incendiary grenades, and compact grenade launchers.

Maximilian stood to the side while Yao Guowei displayed a map of the nearby canyon and a rotating schematic of the hive’s location, his posture straight as a board, his voice echoing across the group in clipped, confident tones.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Yao Guowei began in a martial cadence reminiscent of MilOps’ officer corps, “we’re here to squash every last one of those alien insectoids at the hive. First, we must review the enemy capabilities. Some of you have encountered them in past engagements, but for everyone else, I have summarized their offensive capabilities. Here are their main types…”

“The Silver Behemoth – A massive specimen that shrugs off small-arms fire. This is our primary target. If it appears, we must be prepared to blast it with the heaviest ordnance, ARI’s explosives, or rely on sustained turret fire. Then there are the Spitters or Acid Projectors. These are tall, slender creatures capable of hurling highly corrosive liquid at mid-range targets. They melt metals and dissolve a wide range of materials. Use cover to avoid the acid splash. Then the third type – Chargers. These are stocky beetles with thick exoskeletons that plow through barricades. Their main threat is momentum and brute strength. Small-arms can weaken them, but incendiary and heavy weapons fire are the surest counters. Last, we have the regular rank and file – These form the bulk of the hive. They are smaller, faster beetles that swarm en masse and appear to be capable climbers. They attack with their clawed limbs. Dangerous in groups. Armored plating is less resilient, but their numbers compensate for that. ARI and automated turrets can handle them with ease, but not if they overrun the position.”

“Any questions so far?” Yao paused, scanning the circle of colonists. They watched him in rapt silence as he tapped the projector, images cycling to depict each of the identified alien creature types. “Good. Then onto our plan of attack.”

Yao Guowei cleared his throat and gestured at a terrain holo. A deep canyon spanned half the image, color-coded to show hidden incendiary charges and turret placements.

“Step One: Bait. We’ve established from prior encounters that these creatures exhibit heightened aggression toward individuals with the alien-plant DNA, in our case, doctor Qi Meifen,” he said, giving a courteous nod in her direction. “She will approach the hive perimeter, causing the swarm to mobilize.”

Mei shifted on her feet, visibly uncomfortable, but she gave a small nod. Pom scowled, arms crossed. Yao continued, ignoring the tension.

“Step Two: Extraction. As soon as the swarm emerges in full, we exfiltrate Doctor Mei via armored rover, ensuring her safety. The rest of you will hold pre-designated fallback positions. We must time this precisely so that the hive commits to the chase.”

He tapped the holo again, highlighting a narrow choke point in the canyon. “Step Three: Enticement. The creatures will follow, convinced they can catch up with their primary target. We guide them into the canyon, where the area is rigged with incendiary charges. The automated turrets, placed at elevated vantage points, will open fire, supplemented by overhead drones. If the plan works, we roast them all in one concentrated kill-box.”

A flicker of phosphorescent icons lit up on the map—defense turrets, caches of flamethrowers, and lines of trip-wire traps. “Finally, if the Silver Behemoth or another unknown creature emerges and refuses to die to conventional means, ARI can deploy heavy explosives by air. That is our failsafe. We cannot risk these things escaping and going into hiding, only to ambush us later... And last but not least: If there is any sign of any alien crystalline compound, use the sprays Dr. Mei manufactured. It contains chemicals that are likely to render the substance inert.”

As Yao concluded, the team exchanged grim nods. The team exchanged wary glances, recognizing the high stakes, precise maneuvers, and the ever-present risk that something might go horribly wrong.

Pom flicked a concerned glance toward Mei but said nothing. She simply looked down at her hands. Luo Zuri and Casimir shared a determined look, while Pell and the CorpSec pair adjusted their gear with professional acceptance.

Maximilian stepped in from the edge, arms folded. “We move at dawn. Until then, check your equipment and check each other. If anyone has doubts, speak now—because once we set this in motion, we won’t have time for second-guessing.”

The members of the crew glanced at each other, but no one spoke up. After a few moments, Maximilian dismissed them with a curt remark.

===

The grey dusk settled gently over the makeshift camp, and the team settled in for a final night’s rest before the planned offensive. Tired bodies found respite on cots and under shelter canopies, while the ring of automated turrets blinked their steady vigil into the early darkness. Gathered beside a stack of deployable barriers, Otto and Sigrid took the opportunity to catch up with Pom.

Pom rubbed at his temples; the tension clear on his face. “So… you both should know that ARI played a significant role in the officers’ deaths on the Dolya. Otto’s recovered logs confirmed it awakened them specifically to sign off on lethal decisions, and they inevitably died soon after. Elisa’s decided to let ARI stay online anyway, because the colony needs it.” He let the words hang, betraying the mixture of bitterness and reluctant acceptance in his voice.

Sigrid folded her arms, her gaze thoughtful. “If we survive tomorrow and secure the thorium, I wonder what future that leaves us with. We’ll have power, yes, but we still lack cohesion amongst the crew, especially now that we are waking up more and more people. And the planet’s not exactly resource rich. Maybe we can cultivate more of those alien plants—turn them into fibers, chemicals, or even some kind of biomass fuel.”

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Otto shook his head at that last thought. “Mei is the only one who can safely study them. Anyone else might end up as altered as she is. The Valley of Hope still intrigues me, though. We should revisit it. Maybe something about that grove is unique—it appears to have no crystals, and it is blooming. There could be another resource deposit underneath.”

Pom shifted his stance, recalling his earlier travels with Mei. “There’s also that weird signal we detected in the desert. We’ve never checked that out. Maybe we could, you know… Send a team over. See what’s causing it. Or… If those plants can be used to synthesize fuel… We should go pick up the landing craft!” A momentary enthusiasm sparked in his eyes, though he tempered it with a sigh. “But that’s a very long journey...”

They continued talking in hushed tones, joined by the crackle of campfires and the distant hum of a generator. Just as the conversation drifted to idle speculations, an odd rumbling echoed from the distance. It was so faint at first that Pom wondered if he imagined it.

Pom paused mid-sentence, brow furrowing. The heater rattled on its stand, and gravel skittered across the ground. The sound swelled abruptly into a deep roar, the earth trembling as though something immense shifted beneath it. The three staggered, nearly losing their footing as the quake intensified.

Pom felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, as though a strange, electric tension crackled in the air. A second later, the quake smashed through with a final jolt, nearly throwing them down. Shouts erupted across the camp, lights flickering as power lines wavered.

They rushed out from under the awning, scanning the horizon. The tremors subsided almost as quickly as they began, leaving the camp reeling.

All around them, people scrambled to readiness, weapons raised, eyes looking for an unseen threat. It was ARI’s voice—transmitted through a nearby drone—that cut through the chaos: “A local seismic event has just occurred. Magnitude is moderate, epicenter relatively close.”

Sigrid rubbed her shoulder, still shaky. “North again?” she asked, recalling the pattern from the last quake.

“Negative,” ARI responded. “This tremor originated southwest of our current position.”

Sigrid activated the holographic map console at the main storage area. She fumbled with the controls, bringing up a topographical overlay of the region. A red pulse indicated the quake’s origin, blinking ominously. She frowned. “Southwest… that is…”

“Aft section wreckage,” ARI said flatly. “Closer to the hive’s position.”

Otto stood near the flickering holo-map, eyes fixed on the blinking red dot that indicated the quake’s epicenter. “ARI,” he said, keeping his voice level, “send a scout drone to investigate that location immediately. I want to see what’s out there.”

“Confirmed,” ARI’s calm voice replied. “I have a light flying drone stationed at charging station nineteen. ETA to epicenter is seven minutes.” A small icon appeared on the holographic display, along with the drone’s projected trajectory through the night sky.

Maximilian and Yao Guowei approached, both wearing expressions of stony resolve.

“Any sign of trouble?” Maximilian asked, scanning the readouts on the holo-table.

“Too soon to say,” Otto said, adjusting the feed. “But I’ve got a bad feeling.”

Just then, Mei stepped from the shadows, pale and unsteady. Sigrid rushed to her side. “Mei, are you all right?”

Mei shook her head, eyes wide with a mixture of dread and exhaustion. “I feel dizzy. Like... something’s wrong. That quake felt alive.” She swallowed, drawing in an unsteady breath. “It’s like there’s something hiding in the darkness.”

Guowei took charge immediately, issuing orders for the rest of the camp to gear up. “All hands, to your positions! Wake anyone still asleep. Full readiness within ten minutes!”

Pom darted over to Guowei, rifle slung over his shoulder. “Need me on the rover?” he asked. Guowei nodded, passing him a commlink to coordinate with the drivers. “We’ll secure the vehicles for immediate fallback if needed,” Guowei said in a clipped voice.

Moments later, ARI’s monotone broke into the chatter: “Alert. Scout drone has detected large-scale movement on the ground prior to reaching epicenter.”

All eyes shot to the display as ARI continued. “Confirmed swarms of hostiles—multiple categories—advancing toward our current coordinates. Estimated arrival in three and a half hours.”

A hush followed. Otto, Maximilian, and Guowei exchanged grim glances. “Evacuate?” Otto ventured, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

Maximilian ran a hand through his cropped hair, exhaling sharply. “We need this position. The metals here are vital, both to us and to them. If we run, they will consume or destroy everything. We must stand and fight.”

ARI’s calm monotone cut through again. “The drone is approaching the epicentre now. Signal strength is poor. Stand by for visual.”

The holographic map flickered, images coalescing into a low-resolution feed. Through static and distortion, the camera panned across a barren swath of land where once they knew the Dolya’s wreckage had lain. Now, nothing remained. Lumps of gleaming crystal sprawled, jutting from the ground at odd angles. A few frames showed eerie luminescent flickers, shapes that defied standard geometry.

Sigrid leaned in, frowning. “That can’t be real… we’re dealing with image artifacts, right? Maybe a result from the quake’s weird energy?”

ARI analyzed the signal before answering. “The drone is experiencing severe signal degradation, source unknown.”

Before anyone could digest the revelation, the feed distorted further. Jagged lines sliced through the image. Then, silence—followed by a final, torn-up frame. The drone’s marker blinked off the map.

“ARI?” Otto pressed. “Did we lose it?”

“Yes,” ARI confirmed. “Signal terminated. Scout drone is offline.”

Maximilian’s fist slammed into the nearest crate, rattling it. “Damn it… All right, everyone, we know what’s coming. We have a few hours. Let’s build ourselves a fortress. Guowei, direct the fortifications. Otto, Guowei, handle turret placement. Pom, Luo Zuri, Sigrid—vehicles. Make sure their automated weapons are online. We may need them for a fast strike or fallback if the line breaks.”

Guowei stepped forward, voice projecting with military undertones. “First: deploy barricades on the southwestern approaches. We’ll funnel the swarm into a narrow kill zone. Second: mount half the turrets along the forward perimeter, spaced for crossfire. The rest stay in reserve at wreckage as fallback. Third: we place incendiary charges at intervals to create a layered defense, detonating them as the swarm approaches.”

The group broke, each heading to their assigned tasks: hauling barriers, calibrating turrets, laying down incendiary devices. The rumble of engines and the clang of metal shattered the quiet as the entire rest stop buzzed with a frantic energy. Overhead, the stars offered no comfort, shimmering coldly in the night sky.

Pom, Luo Zuri and Sigrid quickly organized the rovers and the Hauler, each equipped with upgraded weapon systems. They began loading crates of ammunition and testing targeting subroutines. “If things turn sour, we’ll load survivors and anything valuable onto the vehicles,” Sigrid said, double-checking the rovers’ new turret alignments. Luo Zuri merely nodded, lips set in a tight line.

Meanwhile, Otto and Guowei oversaw the turrets themselves—heavy metal constructs that would lock down on anchor points hammered into the ground. ARI’s remaining drones hovered overhead, scanning for vantage spots. Together, the team assembled the deployable barriers, welded scrap plating into makeshift firing windows, and carefully laid out incendiaries that could be triggered remotely.

Standing at the outskirts, Pom gazed into the darkness beyond the circle of floodlights, his thoughts swirling. An alien swarm was bearing down on them, its approach preceded by a quake that had wiped away an entire section of the wreck. We fight or we die, he thought, like every other day, but on a grander scale.

Time ticked by, second by second, as the colony’s ragtag defenders threw every resource and ounce of will into preparing for their desperate stand.