As I stepped out onto this new world, I felt nervous and more than a little afraid. I couldn't give up right away though, if I did then what had happened to me and the other supposed ninety-nine people would happen again, and there was no guarentee that it would go any better than all this had.

"Cai, what's the first thing I should do?" I asked as I looked around at the strangely alien, yet almost familiar world. The plants were all a red color with the smaller ones close to the ground being darker than the taller ones that only came to waist height on me. The sky was nearly black except for the blue sun that shone about midway across it and there seemed to be an orange moon floating up there too. Other than all that, the rocks looked like rocks and the dirt was dirt colored; I'd like to think that the plants were all red because someone had dropped a bunch of paint on them or something, didn't have anything to justify the sky or the sun but I could just not look up and try to forget about all that.

"I believe you said that the first part of your plan consisted of 'gettting out of the coffin,'" Cai answered my question. "The second part was to 'get off this damn planet.' given that you are no longer inside the Atmospheric Entry Pod I believe it is safe to assume that it is time to commence the second part of your plan."

I swear he just snarked at me, like some tv butler and I have to have to admit, I'm a bit impressed.

"I meant whats the first thing I should do to get off this rock?" I clarified, regretting just a little that I was stuck with only Cai and myself for company.

"I would recommend that you construct the necessary communications device so that you can make contact with the ship in orbit and have a rescue shuttle sent for you. If you require it then I will guide you as you construct the device. Do you need me to guide you?"

"I've never put anything more complex than a model dino skeleton together and I was a kid then with step by step instructions," I told him. "I think I burned all that because I couldn't do it."

"Then I will guide you as needed," Cai said. "We will require a device that can channel the neccessary frequency of the communications device and possesses the size needed for the frequency to mass together before being sent outward. The body of the Atmospheric Entry Pod will serve nicely for this. We will need a power source capable of supplying any and all needs for the signal until it has been recieved. I believe that we can create one using the batteries and life support systems of fifteen of the destroyed Atmospheric Entry Pods, you will need to search for them. Finally, we will require a communications device that is capable of operating at the neccessary frequency. One was kept within the storage segment of the Atmospheric Entry Pod that contained the expected commanding officer that was designated HW-00-MA. The wreckage of his pod is currently detected 12 kilometers to the east. Do you have any questions HW-99-SM?"

"Which way is east?" I asked before following it up with: "Why do you keep calling me HW-99-SM?"

"East is twenty-four degrees to your right," Cai answered me in order. "HW-99-SM is your designated number within the Warden of Life command chains. It stands for Human Warrior numbered Ninety-nine Swordsman. Is there an issue with your designation?"

"Let's start with the fact that I'm not a warrior," I told him as I tried to orient myself twenty-four degrees. It should come as no surprise that I failed to do that. "And then I'm also not a swordsman. Can't you just use my name?"

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Your designation was chosen as your name because the Wardens were unsure as to what your name was," Cai said. "Please turn seventeen degrees to your left to align yourself with the correct destination. If you were to tell me your name then I could update your personal designation."

"My name is Rickshaw," I said as I turned just slightly to the left and hoped that I got it right this time. "Rickshaw James. You can call me Rick I guess."

"Very well, Rick. I will update your personal designation to 'Rickshaw James also known as Rick.' Is this acceptable?"

"Yea it's fine," I said as I began to walk forward, Cai hadn't corrected me so I guess I was facing the right way.

"Please make a fifteen degree correction to your right to align yourself with the correct destination."

Speak of the devil I guess.

After walking for about an hour, I finally got my first look at these Scourge things that I was expected to fight against. Didn't help that I got the look right as they looked at me. They reminded me of dogs with four legs and a tail and a body that looked like it was meant for running down prey as a pack. That was where the similarities ended. Rather than being covered in fur and being man's best friend, these were hairless and had a mane of tentacles that extended out to the middle of their backs, in addition to the third set of legs that could move in a full range of motion like my arms.

As soon as we saw one another, Cai was immediately telling me what they were.

"Quadrapedal Scourge lifeforms," Cai began, "have an extra set of legs that they can use much like arms to allow them to more easily capture their prey before consuming it. These legs can also function to give them enhanced balance on rough terrain or to make them faster. The tentacle mane possesses several stinging needles at the tips that can administer a massive dose of paralytic venom. It is recommended that you remove or avoid those."

As soon as Cai finished all three of them sprang at me with a baying howl that also reminded me of dogs. While they were in midair, I did not heroically draw my sword and dispatch them with three clean strokes, nor did I run away and hide like a coward. Instead I stepped backward, tripped on a rock, and fell on my ass as they all sailed overhead. I guess Lady Luck had to smile on me at some point. While I gaped at them as they landed heavily, tangled together from colliding in midair above me, Cai was already urging me to either run or fight. I chose to fight, like an idiot.

Hear me out now, I wanted to know what I was up against. I was already going to have to find and kill all of them in a certain radius before I could get off this planet so killing these would let me know more about what I was facing; that or end my little adventure for good.

I drew my sword and approached the tangled mass of Scourge as one of them stood and began to pull at the others with their main of stinging tentacles, were they stuck? As the standing one pulled the other two growled and pulled right back at it, yanking it down to the ground again and giving me an opening to attack, I hoped. I moved quickly, hoping to at least cause more than bruises or shallow cuts when I attacked them; as they struggled together, their backs to me, I thrust my sword out in front of me and stabbed it deeply into what I later learned was a sweet spot. Just behind where the ribs end and going up toward the head, my sword hit at least four vital organs in the beast; heart included.

The Scourge I had stabbed jerked to a sudden stop as all its muscles spasmed and as I yanked my sword out of its body, it collapsed to its side pulling one of the remaining two to the ground with it. The third seeing me, gave a vicious yank with its mane and ripped several of the tentacles out as it swiped its arm toward me. Thankfully I had the good senses to jump away before it hit me with its claws, the tail that hit me in midair hurt a little more than that though.

As I stood up and prepared for round two, I watched as the second Scourge managed to stand up and untangle itself from the dead one. Guess I was screwed anyway.