Vargas and his crew had barely caught their breath when the first rumble shook the chamber. It came from deep within the walls, a low, grating sound that seemed to echo through the entire ship. The organic matter embedded in the steel began to pulse, as if responding to some unspoken command.

Then, without warning, the walls began to burn.

Not in flames, but with a corrosive, sizzling sound as holes melted open, revealing the horrors that lay within.

The Broods.

They came crawling through the holes in the walls, their pale, sinewy bodies writhing as they forced their way out. Each one was a nightmare given form—about eight feet tall, hunched, with elongated limbs that ended in sharp, bone-like claws. Their skin was almost translucent, veined with sickly green and black, and their faces… twisted, featureless except for a gaping maw full of jagged teeth that dripped with acid. Their mouths oozed a viscous, glowing fluid that hissed as it hit the ground, burning through metal and flesh alike.

Just like the queen they fed on the mutated forms, twisting themselves into a mockery of the human form.

They moved fast, scuttling out of the holes like insects, their limbs clawing at the metal walls as they descended on the crew. There were dozens of them—no, hundreds. The Brood were pouring out from every direction, their eyes empty voids, and their movements terrifyingly coordinated. The smell of burning metal and flesh filled the chamber as the acidic fluid began eating away at the organic walls, creating more passageways for the swarm to flood through.

"Contact! More incoming!" Nera yelled, her voice cutting through the cacophony of screeching and hissing. "Seems to be infiltrators at the front!"

Infiltrators were the creatures in the front. They had elongated heads and their mouths were lined with cadmium preventing the acid they inject from burning them. They were perfect for drilling holes into the metal of ships.

"Fall back!" Vargas commanded, but his voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of gunfire.

Vesik was the first to open fire, his dark-hole cannon blasting a hole straight through the first wave of Broods. A small gravity well formed square on the brood's chest, collapsing nearby broods into its event horizon. Another creature leaped toward him, but Keera fired a burst of plasma into its midsection, vaporizing it in mid-air.

But for every Brood they killed, more took their place.

The walls of the ship were alive now, writhing and pulsating with the horrific creatures. Blood sprayed from the organic walls as the crew's bullets, beams, and plasma tore through the Brood, the floor slick with the ichor of their fallen enemies. Yet the tide of bodies showed no signs of slowing.

"They just keep coming!" Keera shouted, her plasma rifle overheating as she fired another shot, the recoil knocking her back slightly.

Nera was beside her, expertly unloading her rounds, her face calm but focused. "This isn't going to hold, we need a plan, Vargas!"

The Inquisitor watched as the creatures closed in, their numbers overwhelming. He could feel the oppressive weight of the Brood's presence, their hunger, their relentless, mindless drive to consume. The ship itself felt like it was alive with their energy, pulsating with an eldritch hunger that was far beyond mere biology.

Vargas' aura flared as he extended his middle and pointer fingers up. They couldn't hold them off forever. Not at this rate.

He had no choice.

Awakened…Mine…Give…False…

Faint unintelligible whispers pierced his mind like a sharp phase-blade, gnawing at his thoughts like claws raking through his consciousness. It was a garbled, unintelligible cacophony, and he focused his mind away from the pain.

The nearby brood drones, once organized and swarming with deadly precision, now stopped in their tracks. Their pale, eyeless faces turned toward Vargas as the dark energy wrapped around them like chains, twisting and tightening. The creatures began to writhe, their mouths opening in unnatural, distorted screams that echoed through the ship's twisted halls.

Vargas' technique didn't just paralyze them—it broke them.

The brood drones, driven by the malevolent force of their hive mind, suddenly snapped. The connection between them shattered, and in their confusion and panic, they turned on one another. Tentacles lashed out wildly, slicing through flesh and bone with horrific speed. The creatures, once united in their hunger for organic life, now clawed and bit into each other, their acidic saliva dripping and hissing as it ate through the walls and floors.

One drone, its grotesque face twisted in terror, lunged at another, its claws slashing through its brood-mate's flesh, spraying black ichor across the walls. Another creature ripped its own arm off, shrieking in agony as its body contorted, gnashing its sharp, serrated teeth in an unhinged frenzy.

As Vargas' technique surged through the ship, he felt the energy ripple outward, faster and more violently than expected. The brood weren't the only ones affected.

Behind him, he heard the unmistakable sound of retching. Keera doubled over, clutching her stomach, her face pale as she vomited onto the metal floor. Her eyes were wide with terror, and she stumbled back, her legs trembling.

"V-Vargas…" she gasped, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve, her breath ragged. Her entire body shook, as if an overwhelming force had gripped her mind and twisted it.

Vesik, the grizzled gunman, stood rigid, his face contorted in agony. He pressed his palms against his ears, trying to block out the whatever noise that pierced through his skull like needles. Blood dripped from his ears, staining his hands as he groaned in pain, teeth clenched tightly.

Even Nera, always composed and in control, was shaken. She gripped her rifle tightly, knuckling white as her legs wobbled. Her nose bled profusely, and she wiped the blood away quickly, her breathing uneven as she struggled to maintain her focus.

"Sorry…just bear with it a little longer", Vargas comforted, still maintaining his composure and his gaze fixed on the pandemonium before him.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The sound of tearing flesh and splintering bones filled the corridor as the brood's bodies piled up, some of them twitching and writhing on the ground in their death throes. Blood sprayed across the walls, mixing with the thick, organic substance that coated the ship's interior.

But Vargas knew it wasn't over.

Vargas felt the pressure in his skull ease as he forcibly dropped the technique, releasing the mental grip on both the brood and his crew. The violent, chaotic aura dissipated, leaving only the horrifying sounds of the brood screeching and tearing at each other. His team, though still shaken, was finally able to breathe.

"We're done here," Vargas barked, his voice sharp and decisive. "Fall back to the ship, now!".

Keera, pale and still trembling, was the first to recover. She coughed, wiping more blood from her lips, and shouldered her rifle. "Got it, boss," she rasped, and started toward the exit, glancing nervously at the walls where the brood continued to stir.

Vesik followed, his face grim, though his towering frame still held steady despite the ordeal. "I'll cover the rear," he growled, his eyes scanning the broken walls where the creatures hissed and writhed.

Nera wiped the last of the blood from her nose, taking a deep breath before nodding at Vargas. "We need to move fast," she said, her voice strained but steady.

The crew began their retreat through the derelict ship, their weapons trained on the dark corridors as the sounds of the brood echoed behind them. The walls were slick with bile and organic matter, pulsating as if the ship itself were alive. Despite the chaos, Vargas kept them moving with cold efficiency, guiding them through the twisted passageways back toward the hangar bay where the Black Aegis awaited.

They burst through the final bulkhead door, the sleek, ominous outline of their ship looming in the dim light. The hatch was already open, and Ralo stood at the ramp, tapping his data pad nervously.

"What the hell happened there?" Ralo asked as the crew staggered aboard. "I saw some crazy readings—"

His question died as he saw the state of the crew. Keera leaned against the bulkhead, still pale and covered in blood. Vesik was shaking his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears, while Nera wiped at her face, trying to control the trembling in her hands.

"They're fine," Vargas said sharply, ushering Ralo up the ramp and into the ship. "Get to the cockpit. We're leaving."

Ralo hesitated, his wide eyes darting between the crew and Vargas. "Did you—"

"I said get us out of here, Ralo," Vargas snapped, cutting him off.

Without another word, Ralo turned and bolted toward the cockpit. Vargas followed him in, settling into the captain's seat as the ship's systems came to life with a low hum. His hands flew over the controls, and the Black Aegis lurched as it lifted off the deck of the derelict ship.

"Strap in," Vargas ordered over the intercom. The crew, still reeling, wordlessly followed the command.

The Black Aegis shot out of the ship's hangar, leaving the twisted, eldritch monstrosity behind as it floated lifeless in the void. Vargas spared one last glance at the grotesque amalgamation of ships—its massive, jagged silhouette flickering in the distance.

"Ralo," Vargas said, his voice low and controlled, "bring up the Hellstorm missiles."

Ralo's eyes widened as he tapped on the console. "You sure, boss? Those things will—"

"I'm sure," Vargas interrupted. "Target that thing and get ready to fire."

The targeting systems locked onto the derelict, its twisted metal and organic masses illuminated in the display. With a cold, detached precision, Vargas entered the launch codes.

The Black Aegis shook slightly as the Hellstorm missiles roared from the launch tubes, streaking across the void toward the derelict craft. They hit the ship with devastating force, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a blinding flash, the entire structure erupted in an enormous fireball of energy and plasma, disintegrating in the cold vacuum of space.

The twisted metal, the grotesque organic walls, the eldritch brood—it all vanished in an instant, consumed by the blazing inferno.

The Aegis' shields flickered with life as bits of debris collided with it, but otherwise the ship was undamaged and his crew was still alive.

The twisted metal, the grotesque organic walls, the eldritch brood—it all vanished in an instant, consumed by the blazing inferno.

Vargas watched the explosion through the viewport, his expression unreadable. The rest of the crew sat silently in their seats, still reeling from the aftermath of the battle—and from his technique.

Ralo, still in shock, glanced over at Vargas. "What... what the hell was that thing?"

Vargas leaned back in his chair, his cold mask slipping for a moment as he glanced over his crew. "Nothing we'll be seeing again," he said quietly, his eyes hardening as the last remnants of the derelict ship dissolved into the void.

With a sharp command, the Black Aegis pivoted, and they shot into the depths of space, leaving the horrors of the brood behind.

Vargas leaned back in his chair, the dim glow of the holocom casting flickering shadows on his face. The image of Investigator Khalis appeared, the holographic projection hovering above the table. Khalis, a seasoned investigator with sharp features and a stern demeanor, stared at him through the transmission, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Vargas," Khalis began, his voice heavy with authority, "what did you find out there?"

Vargas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We stumbled onto a brood queen. One of the big ones—pale white, masses of tentacles, the whole abominable look. The ship wasn't just derelict; it was a breeding ground. I torched the entire thing with Hellstorm missiles. There's nothing left."

Khalis' expression darkened. "A brood queen? That's troubling. If one of them was there, it means a hive fleet isn't far behind."

Vargas nodded grimly, his mind racing. The Brood were a nightmare for anyone who had ever encountered them. Originating from beyond the known universe the Brood were a mysterious and malevolent race that consumed all organic life they encountered. Their invasion strategy was simple: infest, devour, grow, directed by a hive mind.

"They aren't like most threats," Vargas continued, his tone hardening. "The Brood don't negotiate. They don't care about diplomacy or power. They exist to devour. Entire worlds have been reduced to husks after a Brood fleet passes through. They feed on biomass—humans, animals, plants. Anything organic is consumed, broken down, and used to fuel the hive mind.

The more they devour, the stronger they become, adapting with every new species they absorb."

Khalis nodded solemnly. "Yes. They're a plague on the universe. Wherever they go, they strip everything down to bare rock. Once a queen is established, it's only a matter of time before a full hive fleet shows up. They hide in places like that derelict ship, waiting for the right moment to infest a planet."

"Not this time," Vargas said, his voice cold. "I put a stop to it. But if a queen was here, it means they're probing this sector."

Khalis took a deep breath, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We've seen Brood activity increasing along the outer edges of the galaxy. Scouts, mostly, but a queen means it's worse than we thought. You might've just delayed the inevitable by taking her out."

Vargas' eyes narrowed. "What do you need from me, Khalis?"

"Right now, just your cooperation with HQ's report," Khalis said, pulling up some files on his end. "We need to prepare the Federation's forces for a potential invasion. The Brood don't send queens unless they've marked a sector for consumption. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the hive fleet arrives."

"I figured as much," Vargas replied, his fingers tapping the edge of his console. "This queen was weak, still establishing herself, but if the full fleet shows up..."

Khalis grimaced. "We'll have to call it into the Capital, they'll know how to deal with it. A Brood invasion is a galaxy-wide threat, and we can't afford to underestimate it."

Vargas leaned forward, his tone serious. "The Brood… they don't leave survivors, Khalis. They corrupt and infest whatever they touch. If they're coming here, we need to be ready to burn entire worlds if necessary."

Khalis nodded. "I understand. I'll escalate this to the High Council. We'll need every available ship, every defense we can muster."

As the conversation continued, Vargas couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. It was theorized by many that the Brood would be the ultimate end to humanity.

And now, a queen had been found on a derelict ship, waiting to infest a planet, to build her army of horrors.

"For now be on standby, I understand you are going to investigate Beirut, please let me know if you need any assistance. I owe you for this one"

"Thank you, Khalis. I will keep that in mind. For now we will make a quick stop for ammunition and check ups".

Vargas signed off, his mind heavy with the reality of what was to come. The Brood were far from done.