Two soldiers operated the base’s instruments. They were performing a routine check, which they would not normally do. They were outnumbered. In a tiny number to be precise. No one else but the two of them were in charge of that base. All the tasks, which should be distributed equally, were on their backs.

Alaya, a Siberian husky, operated the desk in the center of the room, the largest of them. After checking some messages she had received in the morning, she slid her fingers over a thin sheet of glass and opened a window where the weather conditions were displayed. At the moment, it was -12°C cold, with winds of 67 km/h and humidity below 1%. These were the conditions of the place surrounding her base. The extreme cold and strong winds were the most common features of the region, a thick layer of ice that was difficult to pierce, in addition to snowing day and night. Even though she had been in the region for six months, she knew little about the snowdrifts. The entire area around the base was covered by a dense fog. If you looked through the pane of glass in the tower you could see nothing. Only a huge white wall.

Alaya looked at the mist, wondering if it would ever call a truce. Then she looked at Scott, a human novice who arrived three months ago. He stared at the communication panel with a faraway look. He kept both fists on the table, twisting his fingers inside his palms. He tapped one of his feet. His boot produced a rhythmic tapping that echoed throughout the room. If Alaya remembered correctly, he had been in that same position for quite some time.

"You still don’t know how to use this?"

With a snap, Scott awoke from his reverie. He saw Alaya’s impassive face. Her blue eyes stared deep into his being. This had been going on for at least three months. A chill ran down his spine, and Scott turned back to his panel. His window displayed contacts he didn’t know, calls in progress from other Army channels, a clock showing the milliseconds, and more other information he thought was useless.

"It’s impossible." Scott stretched out his arms and relaxed in his chair. ─ I’m really going to need all this?

Alaya rolled her eyes, scratched her forehead and stared at Scott.

"Try making a command." Scott denied with his head. "Try. Now."

Scott swallowed something and turned to the table. He placed his finger on the edge of the glass and slid it to the other side. With the gesture made, all the displayed information changed. He reclined in his chair, wanting to move away from the table. It was like stepping into a dangerous territory, any mistake could be fatal. His subconscious was saying that if he performed a wrong command, it could trigger a missile big enough to destroy the Continent. But that base didn’t have a missile of such caliber.

Alaya stood up and ran her eyes over his desk. It showed a map laying out several bases in the Army-controlled expanse, each with its own communication channel.

"You need to know your panel." Alaya pointed to the bases and the ends of the windows that led into other sections. "Or do you think we’ll never need reinforcements?"

Scott got the message and concentrated on exploring the communication panel. He ventured a few more touches across the map and headed for another window. Numbers and information filled his eyes wherever he went. He was still indecisive with every command. Despite that, he would do whatever was necessary to not have his soul exploited by Alaya.

After an hour of boring tasks, and few discoveries made by Scott, a bright spot shone in the sky. Its strong light penetrated the white curtain and reached the tower. The bored soldiers were curious about that small flame that burned in the icy air. Alaya walked up to the window pane and observed it. The point fell in a curved line. The glow intensified and its size grew as it descended through the mist. That would probably be the only unusual event in her day. But, although it seemed harmless, it awakened a tightness in Alaya’s chest. Perhaps she was sensing danger, or her mind was looking for a chance to distract herself. Either way, the tail of the bright dot continued to burn across the sky, leaving a trail wherever it passed. Soon after, it fell into the snow.

"Alaya, you need see this." Scott pointed to his desk.

Alaya approached. A radar appeared without Scott’s command. On it, a green dot was displayed.

Alaya’s heart skipped a beat. The chances of it being an enemy attack were real. She stared at the radar, thinking of a defense strategy. Until other smaller dots grew out of the larger one and began to circle around it.

"Holy shit." Alaya whispered to herself. Two soldiers would not be able to defend the base against an attack of mechanized troops.

She calculated a possible distance from the object to the base. Scott seemed to decipher the radar phenomenon, although he wasn’t a strategist with years of experience.

"There’s something wrong with this." Scott brought his hand to his chin.

"And you’re going to check it." Alaya dragged Scott’s chair. "Get up."

She sat down at the table and took full control of it. With a familiar gesture, she opened the base’s communication radios and activated one of them. Scott, lost at her side, brought one hand to his head, scratching his freshly trimmed hair, while the other twisted his uniform.

"Alaya, I left last time." His lip quivered. "We need follow that relay indicated by the Army, right?"

Alaya glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. A shudder ran through his body.

"Remember our agreement?" Alaya ran her hand over the panel. "Until you learn how to use this, I’m the one who will be in control in case you need to leave."

Scott held up a finger to speak, however, gave up as he opened his mouth. Alaya had that look again. He stared at the fog outside, the same one that kept him awake at night with the possibility of hiding some threat. His posture withered with a sigh. He walked to the tower hatch, opened it, and climbed down the stairs.

***

Alaya followed Scott on the radar. She couldn’t follow him on the cameras. They were on the table at the back of the room, leaning against the glass. A green arrow indicated Scott’s position, close to the green dot.

"Follow it a few more meters north and you’ll reach the object."

Scott’s heavy breathing was transmitted over the radio. Shivers ran down Alaya’s sensitive body. Her fur stood on end. It reminded her of the moans of pain she had heard in the war fields long ago. As much as those bloody memories would find an edge to torment her, she would not lose her composure over a silly thing.

Scott reached for the object, Alaya could see. But he punished her with silence. He took a break, exhaled into the radio and said:

"Alaya, there’s a meteorite here, sunk in the snow."

Meteorites were not common in remote regions. Maybe there weren’t even records. Or, it could be Scott’s prank to cash out his dissatisfaction at having to go out in the middle of a blizzard.

Alaya rubbed her face and sighed.

"Scott, I already told you to not play these games with me."

"I’m not kidding. It’s a meteorite."

"Oh yeah?" Alaya leaned back in her chair. "Describe it to me."

Scott’s footsteps reach Alaya’s ears and soon silence is established. Not even the blizzard was present over the radio. He babbles a few words, making a mental list.

"The meteorite is larger than the others spotted by the Army and has several holes scattered across its surface." He took a deep breath. "And from what I can see, these holes are deep and have a goo inside them."

Alaya’s eyes slipped to the radar. A green dot, almost the size of a pixel, was approaching Scott.

"There’s something near you."

Scott’s breathing faded from the radio. Alaya propped her elbows on the table, waiting for the dot to meet him. Wanted to see his reaction. Or rather, listen.

The drag of Scott’s boots cut across the radio. The heavy swaying of his clothes and his excited breathing also hit her harder than she expected.

"What the fuck, Scott!" Alaya covered her ears. "What’s going on?"

"There’s a worm here!"

Scott shouted and more louder footsteps traveled over the radio.

"What do you mean a worm?"

The radar glowed. Two more green dots were walking towards him.

"I don’t know. It’s just like a worm, but this one is the size of a big ball and its skin has a grayish skin." Scott contains his agitation, seeming to analyze the being. "It isn’t possible to identify the species."

Alaya stared into the mist outside. She didn’t know any gray worms, much less one the size of a ball. And that still lived in the ice. Another screech reached Alaya, with a swearing. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the radar. The two dots from before reached him.

"Scott, what happened?"

"These wretched worms jumped on my helmet."

Alaya raised an eyebrow. The radar indicated that other dots were approaching, now in greater number. They formed a circle around Scott that was slowly closing in. A suspicious attitude about her eyes.

"Be careful. There are more of those critters around."

Scott kept panting through the radio. Analyzing the sound, he seemed to be fighting these worms and losing badly. Until he screamed again, with a thump.

"There’s a lot of these worms here. They’re crawling up my legs."

"So shoot them."

Scott drew his heavy rifle. Firing echoed through the room along with screams. The noise scratched Alaya’s ears. She had to cover them to keep them from bursting. Scott seems to make a request, but the transmission suffers interference. Only an inaudible bit of his voice is delivered to Alaya. She checked the radar once more. The encirclement that the dots had formed had closed in on Scott. In addition, more of them were marching towards him.

"Scott, what’s going on" She shook her mouth as she spoke.

Alaya’s pressure pressed lightly against her chest. The simple act of breathing became more difficult. She pulled the air through her mouth, and it almost didn’t come. Her hands searched for something to squeeze and found nothing. Then they tugged at her uniform. She sank her back into the chair and waited for his response.

More than twenty seconds passed and Scott did not answer her. Instead, his groans tortured her. They came in sequence, one louder than the other. And they gave no indication that they were going to stop.

Alaya’s pressure rose up her chest, until it touched her neck. Her fingertips tingled and she punched the table.

"Stop yelling and answer me!"

Communication was cut off. Alaya swallowed a lump in her throat and slid her finger across the panel. She checked the radios and found that Scott’s was out of range. Maybe he was dead. The possibility nagged at her. She shook her head and stood up. She set off for the pane and looked out into the mist. Small flashes of fire were visible amidst the white immensity, but soon ceased.

She ran to the table next to the pane. Alaya activated the panel in an anxious gesture and opened the base’s external cameras. She checked each one and found nothing. No sign of him. She kept looking at each camera, again and again. Until a detail caught her attention. There was a trail in the snow near the base walls. Whatever had formed it, it was under the snow and followed in a straight line. Alaya watched it attentively. She noticed that it was growing, continuing to crawl until it hit the wall.

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A warning jumped on her panel, accompanied by a red light and the shrill sounding of the siren.

“The base is being invaded”

Alaya’s eyes widened. A sharp pain shot through her head and made her eyes twitch. This couldn’t be real.

Another warning came up:

“Call for reinforcements from the nearest base?”

Alaya declined the offer. The nearest base was five hours away. They could invade the base, kill her, take her body, and the reinforcements still be far away.

Another warning appeared next:

“The ventilation system in area 4 has been damaged.”

***

Alaya went down the stairs of the tower and ran into one of the base’s armories. The room was covered with weapons and ammunition as far as she could see. That was an eye-popping sight for any soldier. Alaya grabbed a rifle, made a quick inspection, and threw it behind her back. She picked up a pistol, also inspected it, and put it in its holster. She opened her jacket pockets and filled them with ammunition combs. Lastly, she took a flashlight and a machete. Before, she saw the blade, which glinted to her eyes. She put it in her leather cloak and hung it beside her leg. Thus, ready and armed, Alaya made her way through the corridors of the base.

She walked at a brisk pace. Nothing was out of the ordinary. She heard nothing, as usual. Nevertheless, she didn't let her guard down. It hadn’t reached area 4. Alaya entered a corridor where a yellow strip stretched across its walls. Followed it to the end and arrived at the place.

Area 4 was not visited by Alaya as often as the others. She only checked that corner from time to time. Even so, she knew the area very well. She checked the inside of the rooms through their windows. Everything was in its proper place. She checked their ventilation ducts. All were open and their grates were gone. Alaya put one of her ears to the ventilation duct and, as she hear it out, there was nothing there.

She turned around, and just as she was about to return, the light went out. Darkness dominated the cold corridor, making it a dangerous place. Alaya was safe in the light, but when she went into the dark, she put her own confidence at risk. Especially if her base was being invaded.

A robotic voice said over the radio:

“Power system has been damaged. Area 4 distribution has been compromised.”

Alaya propped herself on the wall, stuck her hand in her pocket, and pulled out the flashlight. With the beam of light in hand, she surveyed the area a second time. Nothing had moved and the ventilation remained open. Until a gurgling emerged behind her, followed by a watery drag. Alaya turned around, finding the loneliness of the corridor. She checked both sides and followed the path back to the tower. Her flashlight was facing the duct above her head. The sound had come from there, she was sure. Her hearing never failed.

Alaya turned at the end of the corridor and jumped back. A worm, identical to the one described by Scott, was stuck to the wall. It was fat, gray-skinned with red lines running across its entire body, like the veins of a human. She kept her distance and observed it.

The being seemed quiet. It moved its head lazily, looking to its left and right. Thus, it knew of Alaya’s presence. It moved. Its skin wrinkled and slid forward a few inches. The smoothness of its movement, the slowness and wrinkles of its skin mesmerized Alaya. It was weird and satisfying to see.

The worm stood close to Alaya’s face and shrank its body. In a sudden movement, it lunged at Alaya. She dodged it. The mesmerizing effect had worn off. Alaya stuck to the wall and turned back. The worm walked across the corridor to the other wall and, though overcome by an apparent laziness, didn’t fall to the floor.

Alaya’s heart pounded against her chest, awakening an instinct inside her. The worm crawled along the icy metal of the wall, leveling itself with Alaya’s face. She raised her rifle, pointed the barrel at the worm and fired a single shot. Its body exploded like a water bladder. A thick layer of a reddish-brown liquid soiled the wall and Alaya’s uniform. She took a few steps back in disgust. Apparently it was blood, but it had no odor.

Alaya looked at the huge stain on the wall and found pieces of the worm’s body. A louder gurgling came from nearby. From the other side of the corridor. Where Alaya had returned. She wielded her rifle and turned in one of the last arches of the corridor. Fear made her tremble from head to toe.

The corridor was infested by the worms. Some crawled on the floor, others on the walls or ceiling. All walking with a sluggishness, until they came across Alaya. She jumped backwards twice and let her body weaken. The crinkling of their bodies, almost synchronized, caught her. However, their gurgling made her nauseous. She felt like throwing up. They were coming towards her, some ready to pounce. Alaya pulled herself together as soon as the worms threatened to jump towards her.

She shot the first ones in front of her. They were too slow to run away or counterattack. Their soft bodies burst into pieces like jelly, always with a single shot. Their blood smeared on the others, painting them in red. It was not enough to disguise themselves over Alaya’s eyes. Some of the bolder ones even tried to jump on her. Yet, they failed.

Alaya kept firing, until a dry shot interrupted her. She stopped and relaxed her arms. She scanned the liquid-flooded corridor. There was no sign of the worms, apart from the blood. She lowered her guard, going to lean on the wall, careful not to slip. She took a comb from her pocket and reloaded the rifle, feeling its weight again.

She cocked the gun. The same gurgling resurfaced, behind her ear. It was close, she could feel it. Alaya turned back. A worm jumped on her shoulder. She jumped and hit the wall. The worm crawled up her shoulder. The slimy, icy body of the creature made her shiver in revulsion. Its head settled into Alaya’s fur and brushed against them. She watched it with her mouth open as her feet hit the floor. She wanted to throw it into the wall and watch its body explode like the others, but she couldn’t. A greater force kept her from acting.

The worm stopped moving and fixed its head on Alaya’s skin. She stopped her agitation and looked at it, her eyes wide open. A stabbing pain pierced her shoulder. Small, sharp teeth touched her bone. Alaya let out a scream that echoed down the hall. Her hand freed itself from what held her back. Alaya caught the worm and threw it against a window, bursting its body against the glass. The worm’s blood stained its transparency.

She checked the wound, finding a small hole that was bleeding. She wouldn’t die from that, unless the bite infected her with a disease. She made her way down the bloody corridor and stopped. The gurgling of worms reverberated through the place. Alaya threw the flashlight to the end of the corridor behind her. There were more worms nearby, in even greater numbers. There were so many that she could not even see the metal of the wall or the ceiling. She gave a command over the radio and a door closed in the middle of the corridor, taking the worms out of her sight.

Alaya leaned against the wall. She took a moment to breathe, rubbed her face, and walked back down the hallway from before. She was panting from the rush of adrenaline that had invaded her body, but it wasn’t going to bring her down.

She continued on her way to the tower. Then stopped in the corridor where she killed the first worm. The pool of blood remained stuck on the wall, only this was not the problem. There were other worms feeding on the remains of their companion. Alaya could hear the worms sucking up the liquid. A shiver shook her body.

She raised her rifle and fired at the creatures. Killed one and two more appeared in her sights. Killed two, and four more appeared. With a little blood spilled, she stopped. Alaya noticed. The more she exterminated, the more they appeared. They were attracted by her shots. The deaths of her companions marked her as a threat to be put down. They came from everywhere, occupying the corridor on both sides. Some appeared from other parts of the corridor, others from the ventilation ducts, and a handful sprang up without giving a clue as to where they came from.

The rifle unloaded. Alaya turned around and ran away. She jumped over the worms on the ground. She dodged the ones that dared to attack her. She even stepped on one, soiling her boot. She slipped, held on to the arch of a door, and entered a room. With a command, the door closed. The cacophony of worms ceased.

She was in a cold, stuffy room. Particles of dust got into her nose and made it twitch. Alaya propped on the door and lowered herself down to sit on the floor. She took a deep breath. An abnormal weight got on her shoulders and a pain touched her bones. Fatigue caught her up and it was not the first time this had happened.

Alaya caught her breath and tried to find the courage to stand up. With difficulty, she stood up. She took the flashlight and illuminated the space. There were boxes stacked on long shelves. It was one of the base’s storage. Alaya leaned on the nearest shelf and began a check. She wedged herself between two shelves and inspected each one with the light in her hands. At first glance, there was no evidence of the worms. But those were only the first, there were still so many others. A threat could lurk in the storage.

Alaya checked one by one and found nothing. Near the last shelves was an empty space. There was nothing but a few boxes. She illuminated that part, at the corners of the walls. The beam of light shaked in her hand. There was a guy seated on the floor.

He was cross-legged, staring at the wall. A worm was sticking to his head, pulsing, as if it was sucking out his brain. Alaya aimed the light at him. He didn't show a reaction, even after the worm pulsed harder. She walked towards him. With a short distance left, she called out to him:

"Scott?"

He, in an almost robotic movement, stood up and turned his face to Alaya. Scott had a grayish skin, just like worms. Veins were red and bulging from his arms. His eyes were taken over by a deep black. There was no life in them. He didn’t look like the Scott that Alaya knew. A trail of blood ran down his head, starting where the worm had settled, running down his face and ending at his neck.

He advanced with a staggering gait. His feet were not straight. His body didn’t move with agreement between the limbs, like an uncoordinated puppet. Alaya leaned against the shelf and wielded her rifle, waiting for his attack.

Scott threw himself on top of her. Alaya fled to the side. He crashed against the shelf and fell. A metallic bang went through the place. Soon, in a sequence, the others fell like domino pieces, causing a longer bang.

Among the boxes and shelves stretched out on the floor, Scott raised a hand and made his way to the surface. Alaya discarded her rifle and drew the pistol. He emerged from the crates and caught Alaya with his eyes. He stepped and his feet sank into the cardboard. He fell again. Then he crawled to the piece of ground that was clean.

Alaya cocked her pistol and put him in her sights. Scott extricated himself from the boxes at his feet and stood up. He stretched one arm toward Alaya, stiffened the fingers of his hand, and fired at her. She aimed at his head, yet she didn’t have the courage to shoot. She aimed at his shoulder and fired. Scott threw himself to the side, but kept marching. Alaya jumped back and shot him in the legs, near his knees. Scott stopped. He seemed to kneel down. Babbled something and raised his face. Screamed, showing his yellow teeth to Alaya.

A small cry escaped from her throat.

"Scott, stop it!"

A tear trickled from her eye into the fur on her cheek. Scott remained still, as if pondering a possibility. The worm pulsed in his head, vigorously. He shook it, fighting against a will. It remained agitated. He stretched out his arm and lunged at Alaya.

Alaya slammed her back against the wall. A numbness ran up her spine. Scott pressed against her body, forcing her to struggle. She held him with her arms, despite the difficulty. He was stronger than she remembered.

Scott was screaming in her ear and Alaya was pushing him away, but it was no use. Scott threw his head forward and chased Alaya’s neck to bite her. He couldn’t. She pressed her forearm against his chin and stopped him. Scott then sought to attack her face. He narrowly missed biting her nose.

A rotten breath rose up her nostrils. Her eyes watered. She ran one hand down Scott’s neck and held him by the head. She gave him an attempt to bite her again. He lunged for her shoulder, however, didn’t reach it. He threw himself at Alaya’s side. She concentrated her hatred in the palm of her hand and slammed his face against the wall. Scott stopped, bewildered. The tension in his body gave a rest.

Alaya smashed Scott’s face one, two, three more times. The fourth time, she changed her mind. She wrapped her arm against Scott’s head and pressed him. He whimpered, breathless. Scott grabbed Alaya’s arm and drove his nails into her. They sank into her skin and wanted more. Alaya’s face contorted into a grimace. With a sudden movement, she threw him against the floor.

His back cracked with the blow. Scott was getting back on his feet again. Alaya groped the floor. A cold steel touched her finger. It was her pistol. Alaya pulled it to herself and stuck her finger on the trigger. She turned around, aiming. Scott trotted up to her. Alaya shot him in the chest.

He stopped and took his hand to the spot where the shot had been fired. It was a hole a few centimeters thick that was already oozing blood. Scott looked at Alaya, enraged, gritting his teeth. Alaya aimed at his head, between his eyes.

She fired.

Scott remained standing, with his head down. His body heaved back and toppled over. His hands and feet were not shaking. The energy and excitement dissipated. He was dead.

The pistol slipped from Alaya’s hands. She sat on the ground, crossing her legs around herself. The distress and fear of dying gave her a moment’s peace. Nevertheless, she cried. Cried loudly. She moistened the fur on her face and sank it into her legs. She had lost another comrade. He was a worthless one, but she cared about him. She had already lost so many, she didn’t want to know about more deaths.

A jelly-like thing fell to the ground. It was the worm that had detached itself from Scott’s head. Its body shriveled and trembled, oozing in every direction. It looked frightened. It wanted to run away, to hide under the boxes.

Alaya stood up in an instant. She launched herself against the worm and wedged the sole of her boot into it. Its body exploded like an ink balloon, spreading its blood.

"You wretch!" Alaya growled.

She kept tapping her foot and rubbing it against the remains of the worm. She didn’t stop until she felt satisfied. A pleasure climbed her muscles and relaxed her.

Alaya collapsed. Fatigue attacked her again. She saw Scott’s body, dropped and motionless. She staggered over to him, knelt down, and grabbed his clothes. Alaya cried into his uniform and sobbed.

"I left you to die."

If he hadn’t left the base, he would probably be alive. Wouldn’t know how to fight the worms. But nothing that Alaya’s penetrating gaze couldn’t solve. But now it wouldn’t be possible. Scott was dead in her arms.

"I can’t believe I left you to die!"

Alaya bellowed one last time and hugged him. He was freezing.

She looked at the puddle of blood from the worm and remembered the others that roamed the base. The deep sadness gave way to fury. It burned in her chest and moved her. Alaya dropped Scott’s body and picked up her rifle. She switched the magazine and jumped over the crates to the storage door.

The hallway was crowded. They seemed to wait for her until she came out. As a form of thanks, Alaya raised her rifle and shot the first ones she encountered.

Their blood flew all over the hallway, dyeing its colleagues and Alaya. Some challenged her. They jumped, wanting to take a piece of her. But they were no match for Alaya. She knocked them down and finished them off with a stomp. When the ammunition in the rifle ran out, Alaya drew her pistol. When the pistol’s bullets ran out, she pulled out her machete. She blew them all away with the butts of her pistol, or sliced them with her blade. She unloaded her fury in the blows. The hallway had turned into a pool of blood. Alaya’s clothes were soaked to the same level. She could camouflage herself with the wall. She scanned the corridor and made sure there was no sign of life. Apparently, she managed to extinguish the worms. She dropped her weapons and, with a dragging gait, left the corridor.

***

Alaya took a long, hot bath. And cried a little. Scott’s death would stay in her head forever, as would the others. She rubbed her fur to get rid of the blood that refused to come out. However, Alaya’s insistence spoke louder. She took her time because she wanted to and because she needed to. Until the steam from the bath weighed down her lungs. That was the signal she needed to finish.

She dried herself off and put on some more comfortable clothes. She looked around the room and saw her parents in the picture frame on the desk. They were wearing their uniforms, they were generals. At now, they are busy planning the State’s defenses at the Army Headquarters, miles away from that base.

Alaya sat in her chair and slid her fingers across a small panel on the wall, triggering a voice recorder.

"October 11, 2077. Today, my base was invaded by alien worms and I lost another comrade…"