“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which is never shown.’’
Mark Ewain
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Along with the others, the only thing on my mind was the heaviness of the briefing.
With the uprising in 2030 of the New Earth Government (NEG) world wide peace had been achieved by the establishment of the Inquisition Legions.
It usually takes event of murder or terrorism for a squad to be on the move.
Even then, with such important case the briefing would be done in a light mood.
But not today.
Even with my medical background in the military, I felt suffocated by the atmosphere.
A bombshell was dropped, louder than the heaviest hydrogen missile.
For the first time in 50 years, Mars colony New Hope had ceased all communication.
Usually not a big deal, it happens two or three days a year or more according to the sun temperament. But never it should happen for prolongated times.
And it does not take a great scientist mind to know that something is amiss. Lost in my thoughts, I tried to shake off this inscrutable anxiety.
“We are only going in, assessing the situation, taking in witness report or evidence and leaving as soon as possible. Remember, this is a recon mission, not an enforcing one. ‘’
The silence was broken by the man near the pilot seat.
Officer McGhall, 30 years of age or so. I had read his medical data, and they were very disturbing.
Suspected of sexual harassment, alcohol addiction and a prominent violent personality.
How he made it into the Legions, it surpasses me. Not that any others were any better.
The two marines were twins, diagnostic showed that they were psychopathic hunters, the pilot was a drug addict and now a speed junky, and the engineer was an augmented maniac.
Just thinking about this squad made my anxiety goes up faster than a star pulse.
“Thirty second remaining before landing! ‘’
The yell of the junky over the friction sound and vibrating of the shuttle made me refocus on the mission.
So many possibilities for a week-long communication outage, so many theories - some so far-fetched that they only could be in horror novels - that in front of them if nightmares were real they would be dreams of paradise.
The clanging sound, signalling the docking of the magnetic anchor, was followed by the return of light in the passenger compartment.
Lights flared up, and grunts of annoyance were heard along the sound of mechanics opening.
Standing up and stretching, I couldn’t help a small yawn.
‘’Quite the sight. A scarecrow yawning.’’
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The five-man squad got out of the sleek shuttle.
The Mars atmosphere was now breathable, but still too thin to sustain Earthling inhabitants.
It was still covered with red rock, but the temperature was significantly hotter.
Standing at a comfortable +10°C in average.
Even so, the bright white of the 13th squad’s armour was still resplendent, untainted by the red dust around the landing pad.
All around the shuttle, greyish red modules with grand glass roof and solar panels were standing tall, casting shadows on the group.
The squad stood there, surveying the surroundings amidst the roaring wind.
“Still no one coming to greet us, it seems that the colonists have become quite arrogant.’’
The gruffy officer let out a sigh at the remark of one of the twins.
“Let’s go, we should see in the common quarter module if they can explain themselves.’’
With it, McGhall led the group, a hand on the handle of his sword, the other on his holster.
For the 13th squad, caution always outstripped every sort of politeness and courtesy.
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History proved it that the careless always die first, no matter their standing. And thus, they all marched forward, arms ready.
The silence and calmness emanating from the colony contrasted with the wildness of Mars, unnerving the Doctor even more.
“Sir, no signal from the equipment on the door. The facility should have at least recognized Human lifeform approaching, something is definitely amiss with this colony.’’
“Dear engineer, if it wasn’t the case, you would not be here now and us neither.’’
The officer retorted, slightly angered by the obvious statement from the engineer, serving only to increase the overall stress that the squad was facing.
“Sir, the system inside the command of the door is fried. All of it - electric to mechanics - is badly damaged, as if it sustained heavy blaster fire on its control panel. The question is: who, why and more importantly how? I clearly remember the weapon banishment on Earth to Mars cargo.’’
“Indeed, steel head, indeed. Officer, permission to blast that door open?’’
The rough voice of the one of the twin sounded in the radio communication.
“Negative marine, violence is a last resort in this assignment. Steel head, force it to open mechanically.’’
“Please stop calling me that, officer McGhall. It should take an instant to connect myself to the system. ‘’
The armour with the crimson-red shoulder pad placed its palm on the door and it opened with screeching noises akin to the old tales of Earth’s banshee.
“The door is opening, all arms ready to open fire, torchlight at full power!’’
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“The door is opening, all arms ready to open fire, torchlight at full power!’’
Ever so slowly, the gap widened letting the massive amount of light coming from the torches in.
Immediately, a pungent smell got out, as if breathed out by a massive beast.
“What the fuck was that?’’
I did not know who muttered that on the comms’, but it was a question that we all had.
This foul stench reminded me of a long rotten meat, which was ominous, to say the least.
Moreover, it is only at the doorstep.
Fear invaded me, as we walked into the base plunged in darkness.
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The squad entered, tense and alert.
A sickly and greenish fog hovered at waist height, amidst a deafening silence.
The rays of torches were clearly visible, changing the figures of the men into moving lighthouses.
“Did we enter a graveyard?’’ The doctor questioned, full of disbelief.
His question was answered by a disgusting, horrible and inhuman gurgling, shattering the silence and nearly stunning him.
A hideous and organic clatter sound reached out, coming from all around the squad who was in the centre of the common quarters, before vanishing suddenly.
Despite the fog and the foul, unhealthy air, everything looked clean, too clean.
Something was wrong, so wrong that even the stern and trained officer started to feel the stress creeping up.
It was a wrongness that came so strong, that it could come from the very instinct of a living being…
“Move on, to the living quarters. Stay close to each other.
Radio check every thirty seconds and visual contact at every moment.
Fire at will at any moving unidentified or unknown target.
I’m taking video feed, and we are leaving.
The colony should be investigated by a full legion, this is completely different from what I expected. ‘’
The officer commanded, and what followed would forever be engraved in my mind.
“And what happened after that?’’ A man with a white and grey military uniform asked.
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Roar and clatter after roar and clatter and disgusting, repelling gurgling sounds were heard.
‘Mistakes were made by me, the squad and Central Command.
They were things unsaid done in the name of Humanity betterment, but it is gone so far, too far.
Those things are unnatural.’
Major McGhall last transmission.
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The squad arrived at the door of the living quarter.
“Sir, the door is functional, but it was locked and sealed. It has also a message in the code lines."
“What’s written?”
“The colony is lost.
I repeat, all is lost. All is lost, hear me.
They have unleashed something. A disgusting simulacrum of life.
All is lost, all is lost.
We have sealed it in the living quarters. Thousands were lost.
We’re hiding in the command centre, but we know we are condemned.
Hear me, this base is lost, go back and flee before it is too late hear me.
ALL IS LOST “
“That’s pretty much everything sir. The rest is just chained letter, as if the writer’s gone mad and just hammered the terminal.’’
“Good. Fall back, we’re not opening that door. Go to the Command centre at full speed. We shall not linger any longer.’’
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“Did you reach it?’’ The man in front of him asked, his beret on the table, military uniform still without fold.
“Yes. But the doors were already knocked down, as if hit by a massive ram.’’
The man wrote down and asked another question.
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“Officer, the gates are already down’’
The stress was now crushing every one of us, that we were hearing our blood rush at every heartbeat.
“Check for life. I have the video feed, I am sending a copy to each of the squad.
Now be ready, were going back to – “
A loud sound of metal being torn asunder cut him, followed by a shrill roar, many, many times stronger that the firsts.
“Everyone to the shuttle. Use your fastest speed. Go fast and do not turn back. It is an order. Do not turn back. A copy of my whole investigation folder is sent to each of you.
Now GO!”
The tone of the officer was grim.
We all ran as if Death itself was at our back.
Even then, the officer stayed behind with the two marines.
Even then, they didn’t last more than a minute before gunshot sounds died and silence imposed.
Even then, I was the only one to reach the shuttle.
I never saw the entity responsible for the annihilation of the 13th.
All I saw, from the shuttle glass bay, was a six-parted jaw filled with shark like teeth, and 5 bladed tendrils. retreating into the shadow of the colony.
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All was lost, indeed.