Even though Alpha team had been ordered to get some rest, the squad berth was filled with restless energy. They were among the first groups to spend a significant amount of time away from the ship. Even those that managed to catch a few hours of sleep were plagued with dreams of what they might encounter on the surface.
As dawn broke over the still unnamed planet, Alpha team gathered in the hangar bay turned ready room for all ground teams. Checking and double checking their new equipment. The air was filled with nervous excitement as they waited for the final go ahead. They had heard stories from the army’s special warfare squads and could hardly wait to see it themselves.
As the last of the scientists trickled in, Alpha could sense the same excitement they were feeling but for a different reason. The scientists, driven by the insatiable thirst for knowledge, eagerly discussed what awaited them on the surface. Eyes sparkling with anticipation as they speculated about the flora and fauna that inhabited this new planet.
“Listen up, Alpha” Brasseur began as he made his way over to the squad his voice easily carrying across the space “I’ve got your orders here. The primary objective is to lead the scientists to a forest recorded by the recon guys that went out yesterday. Get them to sample absolutely everything” He looked at the squad something in sergeant Alfaro’s brain told him he wouldn’t like what came next. “The admiral denied my request to head out with your team, I’m to remain here to co-ordinate the teams”
Alfaro nodded, his expression flat as he processed the information. Something in his gut told him this was going to end up more than simply escorting some scientists. The scientists eager to explore were chattering excitedly as they finished their final checks, making sure they had everything they might need for the next days.
“Understood, sir,” Alfaro replied “We’ll get them back safely.” He turned to his team assessing them with critical eyes. They were experienced and well trained, but the alien terrain and potential threats loomed heavily on his mind.
“You heard the man. We’re still down one member, myself and Belley will move to Alpha one and Alpha two for the duration and Milford is going to Alpha three” he said with authority not looking for any opinions on his decisions.
“Still down one I’m sure one of the security guys would jump at the chance” Belley spoke up but was instantly shot down by Alfaro. “Not an option. They don’t have any of the training we do, atleast not yet. Right now they’d just slow us down.”
Belley nodded in agreement understanding where the sergeant was coming from. Alfaro wasn’t many things, but he was committed to the safety and efficiency of his people.
Alfaro turned his attention back to the holographic display, studying the terrain they would soon be traversing. The alien landscape “ We’ll need to be extra vigilant out there, while recon didn’t come up against anything hostile. I don’t want to take the chance on everything being sunshine and rainbows.” His voice serious “The first sign of something we can’t handle. We double time it back to the ship.”
Nods of affirmation was all the sergeant needed to know he was understood, and no one was going to try play hero.
“Form a column. I want scientists in the middle of us. If contacted Alpha one and two will go to skirmish lines until Alpha three can get the scientists away, then we fight our way back to the ship.”
The team quickly arranged themselves into a single file line, with the scientists in the middle. Alfaro and his fireteam were at the front, scanning the hilly plains for any potential threats. Private Okawa held her rifle tightly, still haunted by the memory of Zhao’s death during their escape from Yadvek. The image of him running across the street one moment and then falling to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut replayed in her mind on a continuous loop.
As they marched forward in, an eerie silence hung over the landscape, only broken by the occasional wind gust that rustled the long grass. The massive yellow sun casting long shadows in the morning. After four hours of walking with the occasional stop for the scientists to scan and catalogue interesting flora they were finally nearing the forest.
Sergeant Alfaro held up a fist, signalling a halt. He crouched down his eyes narrowing on the edge of the treeline. Corporal Belley moved up to him opening the squadwide communication channel. “What is it, Sarge?” he said in a low cautios voice despite knowing nothing would be able to hear him through the helmet.
Sergeant Alfaro remained silent for a moment his gaze stuck on a point in the treeline. “Though I saw something move at the edge of the treeline.”He replied, tone mirroring the corporals. “Most likely the bush moving in the breeze. Let’s keep moving.”
The team resumed their cautious advance, the low hum of weapons going from safe to fire as they approached the dense forest. As they neared the treeline, a sudden rustling caused them to freeze in place, corporal Belley tightened his grip on his rifle, heart pounding in his chest indicating for the team to take up defensive positions quietly.
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“Movement, two o’clock!” corporal Agafonov hissed snapping his weapon up at the rustling in the bush. As his finger slipped toward the trigger a large and fat hedgehog like creature waddled through the bush. It stared at Agafonov for a moment before making a peep and waddling back through the bush.
“Fuuuuuuuuck” he exhaled tensly and lowered his weapon. The adrenaline pouring out of his veins now the ‘threat’ had passed. He could see Alfaros mic go active and all he heard through it was a snicker.
“Now we know why the bush was rustling” Alfaro got out after everyone had a good chuckle to extinguish the last of the adrenaline in their systems.
The team pressed on, finally into the forest, their senses heightened and weapons ready for action as they navigated the dense alien foliage. The strange encounter that almost lead to a strange hedgehog like creature getting eviscerated served as a stark reminder they were no longer on familiar ground.
“This is good a place as any.” Alfaro said as they came upon a rare clearing in the trees. “Get the tents sorted and help the scientists with theirs if they need it.” Now the danger of the hedgehog creature had passed and they were setting up for night on the planet Alfaro took a moment to admire the alien forest.
An hour later they a small base of operations set up with only a couple of hours left until sun down the scientists wanted to get started right away.
Dr Anton wasted no time in assembling his field scanner, the sleek armour the scientists were made to wear just in case they came across any hostile life forms came with magnetic attachment points for all the tools they would need to catalogue the flora and fauna of this world. His assistant was a lanky woman that private lance corporal Milford had taken a liking to trapped on the landing ship together.
“Don’t stray too far from us Dr and stay with Milford he’ll keep you safe.”
The words echoed in Dr. Antons minds as he adjusted his equipment. The dense foliage of the forest. He could feel the watchful eyes of Milford a couple of feet away while the rest of the fireteam took up positions out of the way to give the scientists room to work.
Milford a seasoned marine scanned the perimeter like a hawk. When he caught Dr Anton looking at him he pulled his signature goofy smile and nodded at him then went straight back to scanning the treeline. “You confuse me lance corporal.” Dr Anton said, his voice barely above a whisper but it carried an edge of curiosity. The shadows of trees loomed large overhead, gnarled branches twisting like skeletal fingers cast unsettling shapes on the ground.
Milford turned slightly, still vigilant but intrigued by the doctors words.
“How so doctor, I think im a pretty straightforward guy” Milford said squinting at into the quickly approaching night.
“Not like that lance corporal” Anton chuckled as he attached his field scanner to a slot on the armour and pulled out his data slate “Your ability to be light-hearted at every turn even right now amidst all this” he gestured toward the alien forest.
Milford shrugged, the smile returning to his face “It’s another weapon, it keeps the fear away. If they see me grinning like an idiot people believe it can’t be too bad.”
Before they could finish their conversation the rest of Alpha three returned to Milford and the scientists side.
“Wes should start heading back, it’s pretty dark already and its only going to get darker. And Balogun thinks something is watching us.” Corporal Baker finished as he scanned the treeline hoping not to get caught out “What do you think Milford?” Despite holding a lower rank Milford had been in Alpha for just as long as sergeant Alfaro but never climbing to have his own team because of his light-hearted demeanour. “I think it’s a good call. Better to be safe than sorry, I hope your intuitions wrong Balogun” he said, briefly taking his eyes off the forest to see her nod toward him and return to cover her own sector.
“Time to head back to camp for the night” he said to none of the scientists in particular. Hearing a couple of grumbles about how they. were nowhere near done cataloging everything just in this small area.
As the small group headed back to camp, Milford kept turning around expecting to see a monster pop out of the shadows. “I hate the dark” he muttered to himself yet he still couldn’t shake the feeling of being stalked like prey.
Every rustle of leaves sent shivers down Milford’s spine, as he quickened his pace, glancing over his shoulder with increasing frequency. The others absorbed in their own tasks had not noticed his unease – until Elizabeth the scientist he finally got the name of caught onto his anxious demeanour.
“Milford,” she said softly voice barely above the sound of footsteps. “What’s got you on edge?”
“It’s just… it’s too quiet out here I cant shake the feeling something’s watching us.” He said tightening his grip on his rifle he knew he shouldn’t be scared, he knew he could handle anything in this forest.
“We’re almost back at camp, it’s been a long day for everyone. You need some sleep.”
He just nodded at her, sensing the conversation was over she hurried back to the rest of her group so he could do his job without distraction.
After a short debrief with sergeant Alfaro and a dinner of flavourless nutrient past the expedition turned in for the night leaving three members of Alpha two on watch.
Milford was awoken by lance corporal Miller for his turn on watch. After a couple hours of restless sleep Milford was glad to be doing anything else as he quickly put his armour on.
As the hours dragged on no one was aware of the horse sized black wolf moving silently through the forest with shadows pouring off of the beast it was almost invisible in the pre dawn darkness.
Milford yawned and stood up to stretch not knowing it would save his life as a visible slash of wind set him tumbling backwards
“Contact!” he managed to wheeze out, still breathless from the force of the impact on his chest. he pulled his pistol off the magnetic holster after the force had separated him from his rifle. The first slash had bitten deeply into his armour shattering ribs and shredding his left bicep. The pain was excruciating but he couldn’t afford to lose consciousness, not yet.
As he looked up he saw a massive wolf the size of an earth horse looming over him. He reacted by quickly firing off three rounds of low-velocity apers sending the wolf back with a howl of anger and agony as the rounds buried themselves in its flesh and produced a small explosion tearing chunks out of its skin.
He could hear his teammates shouting in the distance trying to take control of the situation as quickly as possible. He hobbled back towards the tents adrenaline pumping through his veins, masking the pain.
another slash of wind hit him hard, tearing through his lightly armoured hip and sending him sprawling to the floor. He bit down hard on his lip trying not to scream at the agony being inflicted upon him.
The creature seemed to sense Milford’s weakened state, slowly stalking toward him as he struggled against the darkness crawling into his vision.
Milford gathered what little stregth he had left firing off the rest of his magazine at the rapidly approaching beast. the bullets struck its furred body leaving gaping holes that oozed thick blood, yet it still advanced on him until a lucky shot entered the creatures eye and exploding deep in its brain turning it into a slurry. The wolf dropped almost onto his barely attached leg.
As the footsteps got closer and closer he could hear them calling out his name and telling him to hold on. As they arrived they all froze when they saw the carnage that had unfolded. Mai took a few shots at the wolf to make sure it stayed down while the rest turned their focus to a heavily wounded Milford.
The last thing Milford saw before losing consciousness was a barrage of text.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[YOU HAVE UNLOCKED ‘STATUS WINDOW’]
[YOU HAVE DEFEATED LVL.25 WIND WOLF]
[YOU HAVE GAINED 16417 EXP]
[YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL]
[YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL]
[YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL – LEVEL UP MESSAGES HIDDEN]
[YOU HAVE GAINED STAT POINTS]
[YOU HAVE GAINED ACHIEVEMENTS]
[EXTREMELY LOW HEALTH]