image [https://i.postimg.cc/8kb8NzGq/cygnus-beetles-2.png]
The sun climbed over the crater ridge by the time they reached the third dig site. ARI's armed flying drone had already scouted the area, ensuring it was free of crystalline contamination. Mei parked her toploader nearby, while Pom disembarked to inspect the terrain.
"Let's hope this vein is clean," Sigrid said, her tone dry. "I'd rather not waste hours scraping, only for us to dump it all."
As they began to load the ore, Mei's voice came through the comms. "I have been thinking about those crystals you saw back there. If their structures are incomplete, perhaps it could be because this site lacked the type of materials that they need to grow."
"Like what?" Pom asked, adjusting his bucket's angle to scoop more efficiently.
"Metals," Mei replied. "The ore here is not very concentrated—it is raw and has low density. At the refinery, the processed material would be much richer. If the crystals are tied to metal, they might not be able to finish their growth cycle out here."
"That is a good point," Sigrid said. "It could explain why look stunted and why they grow those strange tendrils. Maybe they were trying to pull in material that just wasn't there."
Pom nodded, tipping his bucket into Mei's waiting toploader. "And if they're tied to metal, it could explain the beetles' behavior too. Remember how they were collecting metal from the ship wreckage?"
"Exactly," Mei said. "It is possible the beetles are harvesting to nurture the crystals. Or perhaps the crystals are part of how the beetles survive—like a symbiosis."
"Or," Sigrid added, her voice thoughtful, "it could mean that other hive we found is located on top of a large deposit of metal. That would explain why the beetles have concentrated there."
As they worked, their conversation stuck with them. The alien plants producing edible fruit, new crystals growths appearing, beetles acting strangely, and a possible relation to metal; All suggesting that whatever intelligence had created these incredibly complex organisms was somehow invested in specific locations for a real and practical reason. Yet, with ore loaded and machines humming steadily, their focus refocused on the immediate task-getting back to base with clean ore in the hold.
The convoy moved steadily across the crater plains, the low hum of their vehicles mixing with the rhythmic crunch of tires and treads against the sand. Mei was driving her toploader, the cabin filling with faint vibrations as the motors struggled with the heavy load. She glanced in the side mirror, catching movement-a faint glint catching the sunlight, following them.
"Pom, Sigrid," Mei called over the comms, tone cautious. "We are being followed."
Pom's voice crackled through her helmet speakers. "Followed? By what?"
"Beetles," Mei said. "A group of them. Maybe they have been stalking us from the last site."
"Let ARI handle it," Sigrid replied. "We've got an armed drone with us. It can keep them at bay."
Mei hesitated. "They're not attacking, though. Just following. Perhaps they aren't hostile."
As they approached the valley floor and began their trek across the plains that housed the base, things became even more worrying. There appeared another, much larger group of beetles up ahead in the distance, moving in their direction quickly.
ARI's voice pierced through the comms. "Recommendation: Engage defensive measures immediately. The behavior of these creatures poses a significant threat to personnel and equipment.
"Wait," Mei interrupted, her hand clamping tighter over the controls. "They're not attacking. They're interested in the ore. If the plants are friendly and responsive, perhaps the beetles are too. We should try to communicate instead of angering them again."
"That is illogical," ARI said. "Previous encounters indicate aggression upon contact. Defensive action is necessary.
"Let me handle this," Mei said, cutting the comms before anyone could protest. She brought her toploader to a halt and climbed out of the cabin, her containment suit rustling as she descended.
The first group of beetles were swarming the vehicle, their antennae twitching as they inspected the ore. Their small crystal growths on their carapaces reflected lights in otherworldly ways, and the creatures' movements were jittery but precise.
"Mei, get back in the cab!" Pom shouted over the comms, his voice sharp with concern.
Ignoring him, Mei approached the nearest beetle slowly, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "It's okay," she murmured. "I'm not going to hurt you..."
She extended her hand, palm open, toward one of the larger beetles. The creature paused, twitching its antennae toward her. For a moment, it seemed to consider her, its multi-faceted eyes glinting in the light. Mei peeled off her glove as the beetle cautiously approached, its antenna twirling as it neared Mei's hand. Suddenly, it sprang back.
Without warning, the creature lashed out, slashing her hand with a claw and hitting the visor of her helmet hard enough to stagger her while hissing and screeching loudly.
Before Mei had a chance to react, the other beetles charged forward in a rabid, blurring mass of gold, attacking her with ferocity. She screamed, scrambling backward toward the toploader as they rushed at her, clawing at the back of her legs and rending a deep gash across her arm.
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"Engaging defensive measures," ARI announced. Its drone opened fire, laser bursts slicing through the swarm, scattering some of the beetles while others fell smoking to the ground.
The two vehicles skidded to a stop. "Get back in your cab now!" Pom shouted, not waiting for an answer as he jumped from his seat and ran towards Mei as she scrambled up the ladder, clutching her bleeding arm.
The group of beetles ahead surged forward, as if emboldened by the fact that Mei was bleeding. They bypassed the other vehicles entirely, focusing their attack on solely on Mei's vehicle. The cabin rattled under their assault as they clawed at the windows, their mandibles chipping away at the reinforced glass.
"ARI, focus fire on the swarm near Mei!" Sigrid shouted over the comms, her own dozer moving to intercept some of the beetles.
Inside the cabin, Mei fought to control the vehicle as the creatures began breaking through the windows. Their claws reached inside and tore at the interior, their hissing filling the confined space. One beetle lunged toward her, its jagged mandibles snapping inches from her face.
Mei drew her sidearm, firing point-blank into the creature. The cabin filled with the acrid smell of burning chitin as the beetle fell back, but more poured in to take its place.
The door wrenched open, and Pom climbed into the cab, panting heavily. "Hold on!" he shouted, slamming the door shut behind him. A beetle latched onto him, its claws tearing into his jacket. Pom growled, pulling a knife from his belt and plunging it into the creature's underbelly. It shrieked and fell, its body twitching as it hit the floor.
"Mei, focus on driving!" Pom barked, pulling another beetle off her and stabbing it. "I'll deal with these things!"
She clenching her teeth and wrapping herself on the controls to attempt at trying to move. Outdoors, ARI's drone continued its assault-some beams of laser fire managed to cut through the swarm-but it did little to reduce the number of creatures. Sigrid's dozer had joined the fray, rammed the heavy vehicle into the swam, crushing some and scattering others, thus giving Mei's toploader a valuable moment of respite.
Pom and Mei fought side by side, the cabin a chaotic mess of hissing beetles and flashing gunfire. Mei's arm throbbed, blood seeping into the fabric where her suit had been torn, as she fired at the creatures swarming to get inside. Pom's knife flashed as he drove it into another beetle, his breathing ragged but determined.
Soon enough, the other two of ARI's drones arrived, and before long, the number of beetles began to run thin. ARI's drones let loose with another barrage, taking out the remaining beetles as Pom slammed the last of them against the cabin wall.
In the ensuing silence, Mei slumped against her seat, her hand shaking as she reloaded her weapon. Pom wiped the sweat and blood from his face, his knife still clutched tightly in his hand.
"We're clear," Sigrid's voice came through the comms, her tone grim. "But we've got to move. Now."
Mei nodded weakly and clutched the controls, nursing the battered toploader back into motion. Pom stayed in the cabin with her, knife at the ready, and guided them toward the safety of the base. Behind them, the smoldering husks of the beetles dot the ground.
"I thought they would understand me," Mei said in a murmur tinged with regret and incredulity.
Pom looked at her, his voice hard though not unkind. "This world doesn't care what you think, Mei. It never has".
As the battered convoy pressed on towards the base, the earth suddenly shuddered beneath them, accompanied by a low rumble. The trembling of the ground shook the vehicles and made the metal frames rattle in protest. Beyond the crater, the faint crackling of an electric sound filled the air, sharp and static-like, resonating. Pom gripped the edge of the cabin as the sound seemed to grow louder, making the hairs on his neck stand up.
But Mei froze, her breath catching, hands darting to her helmet in some instinctive, futile attempt to ward off the strange influence. Eyes wide, not quite focusing, she slumped into her seat, body shaking.
"Mei?" Pom shouted, grasping at her shoulder to keep her steady. "What's wrong?"
The crackling pulsed once, twice, like a distant, heartbeat, before falling silent. Mei gasped, her hands clenching the controls as if anchoring herself. Her voice was barely audible but shaking with fear. "It felt like… it was inside my head. Reaching into me. I don't know what that was."
Pom frowned deeper, his worry growing. "Whatever it was, it wasn't natural. ARI, what the hell is going on?"
"The seismic event is consistent with the earlier tremors observed during initial colony setup," ARI's calm voice came back over the comms. "However, the electric resonance remains unexplained. I am currently analyzing the recordings of the anomaly."
Mei blinked rapidly, her eyes refocusing. "That sound… it wasn't just noise. It felt… alive." She shuddered, leaning back in her seat as Pom kept a watchful eye on her, his grip tightening on his knife.
"Let's just get back to the base and get those wounds treated," Pom muttered, glancing uneasily at the long gashes exposed on Mei's arm. "I've had enough for one day."
The entry of the base drew closer as the battered convoy rolled in. Mei groaned under the strain of her injuries and slumped in her seat, visibly drained. Pom leapt from the vehicle as it stopped, rushing to Mei's side to help her out; after a moment's hesitation, she allowed him to steady her as she climbed down.
"You need to get to the infirmary," Pom said, his voice firm but laced with concern. "That suit's ripped, and you're bleeding out."
Before they could move far, ARI's quadruped drone skittered into their path, its lens fixed sharply on Pom. "Pom, stop," ARI's voice said firmly. "Your proximity to Mei in her compromised state poses a contamination risk.
Pom bristled. "What are you talking about? She's hurt, and she needs help!
"Her suit has been compromised," ARI replied, its tone flat and matter-of-fact. "You may now carry alien DNA or microbes, as she did after her initial infection. You must proceed to the decontamination shower immediately for cleaning and disinfection."
Pom hesitated, glancing between Mei and the drone. “And what happens to her? She’s bleeding out!”
"My drone will administer first aid," ARI said. "Do not delay. Containment is essential."
Mei gave Pom a weak smile, her face pale but resolute. "I'll be fine. Just… do what ARI says. We shouldn't be risking both of us."
Grumbling, Pom nodded and backed away. "Alright, but if you even think about screwing this up, ARI, I'm tearing that drone apart."
ARI didn't reply, already moving to Mei with precise, mechanical efficiency.
Mei gave Pom a faint smile, her voice soft but insistent. "It's okay, Pom. Go. I'll be fine."
Pom blew out an angry puff, his irritation evident. But he nodded and gestured to the decontamination area. As the drone directed Mei towards the infirmary, Pom stomped off with heavy strides, grumbling to himself.
Pom stood under the scalding water of the decontamination shower, scrubbing his skin while attempting to shake off the events of the day. The beetles, the earthquake, Mei's injuries-it felt like the planet was conspiring against them.
"This day can't possibly get any worse," he grumbled, rinsing away the last of the disinfectant.
Then, as if on cue, ARI's voice blared through the base-wide alarm system.
"Warning: Multiple hostile entities detected. Swarms originating from the plateau are converging on the base. Estimated arrival in seven minutes."
Pom's blood ran cold. He shut off the water, barely drying off as he scrambled to get his suit back on. His hands fumbled with the seals, the wetness making his fingers clumsy. "Of course," he muttered. "Of course this is happening... Why not..."
He bolted out of the decontamination area, damp hair clinging to his head as he sprinted toward the armory. He grabbed a rifle and an ammo box, his movements quick and practiced as he loaded a clip into the weapon.
"Let's see if I can give those things a bad day too..."