“This is the last remaining base the enemy controls, Colonel.”
“Octavian, GET DOWN!” diving and screaming at the top of my lungs I watch as the last member of my family dies while I try to save his life. Shot from a mounted laser cannon I can only look on to my horror at his melted corpse. The cannons don’t let up and start targeting our armored vehicles and troop columns before they can get to cover.
“Damn it!” Quickly activating my combat suits radio I scream into the receiver, “Admiral Andes, we need aerial support ASAP! They have lasers that can reach way beyond the normal range and are wreaking havoc on our ground forces!”
“Start launching our fighters and bombers for strafe runs on the enemy compound. General Seneschal and his battalion are starting their approach and I don’t want a single casualty. And someone get that ‘thing’ off my broadcast channel!”
I’m about to refute his statement with a firm ass chewing when the signal goes dead before I can utter a single word. Trying to get in contact with the ship again I hear the fighters coming in to begin their assault on the compound. Turning to watch what would at least be some awesome explosions, I look at the formation coming towards us flying in low as if to begin bombardment behind…… Fuck. I hate officers.
The U.S.C.S. Marathon was currently en route to the coalition’s capital planet Amasis. After the admiralty sent a team of research vessels with armed support to the abandoned space station, the Marathon was tasked with bringing the stasis pod and all relevant information to them. Hoping to use the planets advanced labs to crack into the unknown pod and get an advantage in technology advancement fueled the decision.
While on the way to Amasis, Dr. Cineal and her team were constantly studying the strange stasis pod trying to get a glimpse into the technology and despite weeks of constant research, whatever method they used to construct and operate it was still beyond their best minds. Still drawing an unsatisfying result in spite of Commander Glenn’s constant need for a status update has earned them some reprieve from him the last couple of days. These last few days of unrushed work allowed the team to finally make what seemed like forward progress.
Reporting to the Commander, Dr. Cineal was a mix of melancholy and bliss. “We still have no clue on how to open the pod, but we have made progress on what is possibly inside. It’s not a human but one of similar build and constitution and vitals show it’s still alive!”
The Commander held a confused face when he asked, “It?”
“Right, since we can’t see inside the pod we have to go off the scans of our equipment. With the pod interfering with anything beyond brain activity and basic vital scans, we haven’t been able to confirm a gender. It could have no gender as far as we know. Also no data we received matched any known species of sentient life.” Answering the Commander she seemed to have an epiphany, “Bizarre that they would incorporate gravity in their stasis design. As far as we have deduced there is just no need for it and if implemented beyond the limits of the body it could have killed whatever is inside.”
“Strange indeed. Keep me posted on any new upd..” was all that he got out when he was interrupted.
“Karen you got to get in here! The pod is starting to act strangely!” the voice high and filled with excitement.
Entering the science lab both the Commander and Dr. Cineal could tell what the scientist was talking about. The pod was pulsating at almost twice the rate than when it was brought on the ship. Moving to the closest console hooked up to the pod, Dr. Cineal started studying the screen and asked towards the one who reported the incident, “What did you do to get this kind or reaction, Dr. Ricia?”
Dr. Mara Ricia was the only other female scientist on the ship and was constantly compared to Karen despite their different fields of study. She was quite tall for a women at 1.8 meters, an obvious contrast to Karen’s short 1.4. She had slightly bronzed skin due to her Sol-Hispanic descent with smooth dark brown hair.
“You know how the pod has been vibrating at a constant rate since we found it? Well we were tinkering with one of the drones to see if we could replic….”
Karen, her eyes shining, intruded, “That’s brilliant! Why didn’t we think anything of the pulses sooner? It must have been some kind of signal key.”
“Right, the pulses are increasing, but the gravity in and around the pod is steadily decreasing. Once it stabilizes with our ship it might subside. Maybe even revealing how to access the controls to the pod and open it.”
Hearing this Commander Glenn cut in, “Doctors, what is the estimated time until the gravity of the pod synchronizes with our ships?”
There is a slight pause as the two look towards the monitors while Dr. Ricia responds, “Rough guess is two hours, sir.”
The last two hours of constant and indiscriminant bombardment did more harm to our on troops than to the enemy stronghold as it had a planetary bombardment shield. Caring little for friendly fire our air support started bombing and strafing our troop’s defensive line to cut a line for General Seneschal’s assault on the base. Hope he brought some ion cannons or artillery to punch through that shield. Maybe then all our deaths could mean something.
On queue ion shells started raining on the shield and started to disrupt its energy. Grabbing my rifle, I run towards the nearest squad left after the friendly bombing. Laying prone as to not get hit by sniper or laser cannon fire I can hear them screaming at each other as I run up behind them.
“Fuck guys! Why are they bombing us, we are their own troops!”
“If we had one of those freaks like that one officer from the vids, maybe we could use him as a bullet sponge.”
“Prep your gear men we are following the General’s column of heavy vehicles.” I say once I’m within earshot over the chaotic sounds of the battlefield.
“Sir!” the group of men look at me in fear and try to get up fast enough to honor at least my rank but I kneel to cut them off. Before I can even engage with them I am bombarded with fear induced screams from one of the men.
“Sir, we didn’t survive all the battles this last 2 months on this shit planet just to be shot in the back from friendly fire! We are not like you and those frea…” as he pauses mid-sentence I look at the man’s rank and name on the outside of his suit and then to his face. I looked at his fear stricken eyes and knew this man has almost given up all hope.
“Lance Corporal Jenkins, I know this shit is going to hell right now. But the only way to survive long enough to maybe live after this battle is to get behind that column. Those tanks can provide us cover from both the enemy and our ‘friendlies’, I doubt the Admiral wants to bomb his precious 3rd Legion.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
I look towards the squad leader, “Spread the word to all our companies remaining soldiers, once that shield goes down the bombers are going to be flying in with a vengeance and we have had enough casualties today.”
As I watch him relay my orders, Jenkins asks, “Sir, where is the rest of your squad? I haven’t seen them since before we started taking fire.”
I look at him feeling strange and can only guess what my face looks like. “Those ‘freaks’ are dead. Last one was taken out by that cannon this morning.”
His face was one of disbelief at the news, “I-i-i-i.. I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t even know you guys could die!”
“Stow the feelings for now and know that everyone dies. My team survived so long despite the impossible odds due to their ingenuity and willingness to survive no matter what.” I lie to at least instill some confidence in the man.
That’s when the Sergeant informed me that all the remaining men of our company are beginning to file into the brigades armor column. We double time and get behind a tank when the base shields finally collapse.
Over the ground forces radio channel I could hear General Seneschal’s voice screaming to storm the stronghold while I watch the wall receive the first volley of artillery of the day. At least now I can’t get shot in the back or bombed by friendlies now. Oh goodie.
2 hours and 12 minutes have passed since Dr. Ricia’s guess when the pod finally synced gravity and the pulses ceased. Gradually one side of the pod seemed to ooze a display screen while the top of the pod slowly switched from a reflective plate to see through screen.
Hurriedly everyone in the lab turned to look at the contents of the pod that had alluded them for the better half of a month. Inside was a man easily over 2 meters tall with an almost Spartan-like physique with a well chiseled face that reminded Karen of the sculptures from the Sol system. Though looking like a sculpture his body was riddled with wounds that would have shattered in statue. His golden-brown hair was flowing in the now melting cryo-stasis fluid and his eye movement showed he was dreaming.
Commander Glenn with a puzzling expression looked towards Dr. Ricia and Cineal, “I thought you said it wasn’t human?”
“It shouldn’t be the vitals from the scans shown that it wasn’t human.” Dr. Ricia began working on a nearby console to show the Commander. She pulled up the average human data and compared it to the one inside the pod. Now that it was unlocked she could pull all vital information on the being inside.
“If you look at the screen, sir, you can see the average human on the left compared to the vitals of whatever that thing is on the right. He has higher cognitive ability than even the most brilliant human scientist, the strength of his muscles show he could lift over 6 times more than us, and his skeletal structure is coated with some unknown substance. Most likely something to allow him to carry such heavy weight.”
“There is also a cocktail over other chemicals within his bloodstream of unknown origin and purpose.” added Dr. Cineal. “Even with all the wounds we can see on the outside, no matter how deep and gruesome they look, have no abnormalities to his bones. This man maybe similar but is no human being, heavy genetic modification could not cause such a dramatic difference maybe not even cybernetics.”
“Would releasing such an advantaged person be wise, sir?” Dr. Ricia looked questioningly at the Commander. “At best he will be confused from being in stasis for so long. He may even suffer from some trauma and start attacking once he regains consciousness.”
Commander Glenn only paused for a few seconds, “Doctor your words do not fall on deaf ears, that’s why a squad of Marines are heading to this location. All that will be present for the defrosting of our abnormal snowman will be them, you two, and myself. Prepare sedatives just in case this goes south. I’d rather show up with a live captive than a dead sample when we reach the planet.”
After the room was vacated of nonessential personnel, Dr. Ricia and Cineal began the process of opening the cryo-stasis pod. “Sir, he should be coming to any minute.”
General Seneschal turned out to be a pretty shit commander despite being the Empires 3rd Legion poster boy. Besides being such a highly pedestalized man he cared nothing for the troops under his command. Even when he found out he had Auxilia support from my company he just plowed ahead into the fortress leading to many of his men being slaughtered needlessly.
Turns out a strategy like that can and will get you killed. Recklessly charging ahead he was ambushed and killed within a matter of minutes after we breached the enemy’s walls. With no one in knowing what to do, I had to step up and take command of his dwindling forces and try to salvage the battle.
Finally capturing the fort 3 hours later it was one of the Empires deadliest battles since wars back on Earth. News quickly traveled up the Chain of Command to the Admiral notifying him of Seneschals death and I was quickly summoned onto Admiral Andes’ battlecruiser the S.E.S. Vendetta, to my displeasure.
Admiral Andes military life lead too many stressful situations and his scrawny body showed it. He was a man in his mid-40s but he looked like he was at the apex of his 60s. His head was full of greyish white hair that looked like it would fall off with the slightest sneeze. Though his crew was overjoyed with our hard fought victory, his face betrayed his disapproval of seeing me on his ship.
“Colonel, I need you to follow me.” Trailing the Admiral out of the command deck we walk towards the conference room of his ship. Must be reporting to the Sol Senate of our victory. Was he sits in his chair the room dims and holo-projections of many other Admirals and Generals fill the room.
“Number 13, I see that you still live. Even bringing the Empire one of its greatest victories of the Fifth Reich,” I didn’t know the man but he clearly knew my history, hell even my number. They usually mix them up not bothering to identify who was what number. “But since you are the last one we can assume this trial is a failure and you must be terminated. Hopefully our scientist can reproduce your spectacular results, maybe even replicate that unique ability of yours.”
While he was in mid-sentence I was looking throughout the room to attempt to escape but was cut off by the tasers of the men that arrived after he was done speaking. “Admiral Andes, prepare this ‘thing’ for cryo-sleep and bring him to Installation 04.” was all I could hear from the unknown man before I lost consciousness.
“…..ase th south…… Id lather shop with life cap… dead sample…. rea.. the plant.”
Huh?
“Serr, eh swood becoming to any minute.”
What?