Tweet
This is my first attempt at Smac fiction, so I'm doing a story about an emerging colony. This is the first chapter in the story. I'll be adding more later.
Centauri
Chapter 1
Five recon rovers rolled swiftly along the alien backdrop, several miles away, the beginnings of a human colony were beginning to appear. In one rover, Demetre Jameson surveyed the alien landscape, and considered his life so far. At age twenty-three, he had signed up as part of the U.N. Planetscape Mission. He remembered boarding the U.N. Unity with a glorious vision of abounding hope. Of course, almost right after he had been taken out of cryosequence to help repair a malfunctioning drive in the unity, the mission had almost instantly gone to hell. The crew split into different factions following the death of captain Garland, and he had opted to try and salvage the mission, and had went with Second in command, Pravin Lai. They called themselves the “peacekeepers.” Right now though, their mission was one of scouting. Him, a small security team, and a two xenobioligists had been sent out to survey the area around the landing sight and collect specimens of the local wildlife.
He was pulled from his idle daydreams by a green flashing up ahead from one of the other rovers. The xenobioligists had finally decided on a pace to do the survey.
He pulled the rover to a stop and stepped out into the partly cloudy sky. Nearby, the other rovers stopped, and a few figures stepped out. He recognized his friend Bax, wearing his customary good-natured smile and U.N. beret. A few other security members stepped out, and the two xenobiologists emerged. The Team commander Lt. John Briggs motioned for everyone to gather.
One of the Xenobioligists, Stara Jole, spoke first, “we’ll need to setu7p a small observation over there,” she said, motioning to a small rise in the terrain. Lt. nodded his approval and motioned to the rest of the team to follow. The two Biologists knelt down, and unpacked a small case with surveying materials and small bio-flasks to take samples. They worked slowly, one reading off numbers to the other, who busily scribbled them into a notebook. Demetre gave an inward sigh, and balanced his shredder rifle across his shoulder.
“So what do you think?” Bax asked, surveying the landscape from the small peak.”
‘I don’t know,” answered Demetre. He could definitely understand Bax’s meaning though. As he looked across the alien landscape, he was reminded that he was seeing things no man had ever seen before. He was reminded of the historic moments so far on this mission. His first glimpse of Chiron through a window on the "Unity", The glorious sights of planet fall, and now, this, the majestic scenery of a new world.
“So what do you think, huh?” Bax asked again, “Pretty hot, isn’t she?” That was Bax all right. Here they were, poised on one of the biggest moments of human history, and he was checking out Dr. Jole.
Demetre chuckled and looked at Bax.
“Come on,” he said, nudging Demetre, “say something to her.
Demetre considered it for a moment, but was interrupted by the voice of Ensign Jacobs, a young security personnel.
“Uh sir?” He said, trying to catch Lt. Briggs’ eye, “I just felt something move.” Most of the team looked up at him, but Demetre just shook his head and turned back to the landscape, and the possibility of maybe, after service hours, asking Stara out.
“No, I’m serious,” said the young ensign again, this time a bit more desperate, ‘I felt some thing move. A few people laughed, and Lt. Briggs issued a stern warning.
“Ensign, this is not the time to play games, focus on your work, and stop trying to give us the jitters.”
Demetre nodded his head approvingly, but then, felt something slither past his ankle in the red, fungus-like grass.
“I felt it too,” Demetre said, and he could see a worried expression cross Briggs’ face. And the Xenobioligists looked up from their work.
Lt. Briggs spoke decisively, “right, Security team, Medium formation, central around the Xeno’s, guys, you might want to pack it up.” A worried look crossed Stara’s face, but she nodded her agreement, and began to pack up the surveying tools, along with grabbing several specimens and stuffing them, into the canisters.
“Wait a sec,” said Ensign Jacobs, as he rummaged around in the grass, “got him.” Jacobs pulled out a tiny, red worm in the grass, a look of pride on his face.
“Here, Dr., add this to your colle-“But he never finished that sentence, for the tiny worm burrowed into his skin, and the Ensign started to scream violently.
What the… he heard another member say, but then there they were, crawling up out of the grass, thousands of the tiny worms. Stara let out a piercing scream, as she watched the ensign’s body jolt violently and his eyes roll back in his head.
“Run!” Cried the commander, Get back to the rovers, Jameson, get Dr. Jole and the supplies. The security team was now firing rapidly at the ground, but to no avail. The tiny shells rarely hurt the worms, and there were just to many of them. But once the order was given, most of the team didn’t hesitate to start running.
Demetre didn’t think, he acted. He scrambled up the rise, towards Stara, who was now kneeling on the ground, watching her partner violently twitch.
“Come on!” Demetre shouted to her as he pulled on her slender wrist. But it was to no avail, she was fully panicking. Demetre didn’t have time for a psych analysis of her, so he merely hoisted her onto his shoulder, grabbed the cases of supplies, and took off running towards the Rover’s.
He opened the door to one rover and shoved the hysterical doctor in with the supplies. Next, he himself got in and slammed, the door, before any of the worms could crawl in. He slammed his foot on the accelerator, kicking the Speeder into gear and crushing the red worms crawling on his boots. He then directed the speeder swiftly away.
A few minutes later, Demetre realized that his life was no longer I imminent danger and he had a screaming scientist beside him. He stopped the rover and turned to look into her eyes.
“Stara, Stara…” He repeated, grabbing hold of her violently twisting head, so that her eyes began to meet his, “You’re ok, Listen to me Stara, you’re ok.” Stara met his gaze and stopped sobbing for a moment. He was struck by the fact that this women, this women he had seen pass above average on the pain endurance test, had been nearly shattered. But then, there were some things, no one could have anticipated, and no one could have tested. She began sobbing again, but now, into his shirt. He shh-ed softly to her, and told her it would be all right. He stopped for a moment, and thought about what other miracles he would witness, and what other horrors he would have to face.
***
Centauri
Chapter 1
Five recon rovers rolled swiftly along the alien backdrop, several miles away, the beginnings of a human colony were beginning to appear. In one rover, Demetre Jameson surveyed the alien landscape, and considered his life so far. At age twenty-three, he had signed up as part of the U.N. Planetscape Mission. He remembered boarding the U.N. Unity with a glorious vision of abounding hope. Of course, almost right after he had been taken out of cryosequence to help repair a malfunctioning drive in the unity, the mission had almost instantly gone to hell. The crew split into different factions following the death of captain Garland, and he had opted to try and salvage the mission, and had went with Second in command, Pravin Lai. They called themselves the “peacekeepers.” Right now though, their mission was one of scouting. Him, a small security team, and a two xenobioligists had been sent out to survey the area around the landing sight and collect specimens of the local wildlife.
He was pulled from his idle daydreams by a green flashing up ahead from one of the other rovers. The xenobioligists had finally decided on a pace to do the survey.
He pulled the rover to a stop and stepped out into the partly cloudy sky. Nearby, the other rovers stopped, and a few figures stepped out. He recognized his friend Bax, wearing his customary good-natured smile and U.N. beret. A few other security members stepped out, and the two xenobiologists emerged. The Team commander Lt. John Briggs motioned for everyone to gather.
One of the Xenobioligists, Stara Jole, spoke first, “we’ll need to setu7p a small observation over there,” she said, motioning to a small rise in the terrain. Lt. nodded his approval and motioned to the rest of the team to follow. The two Biologists knelt down, and unpacked a small case with surveying materials and small bio-flasks to take samples. They worked slowly, one reading off numbers to the other, who busily scribbled them into a notebook. Demetre gave an inward sigh, and balanced his shredder rifle across his shoulder.
“So what do you think?” Bax asked, surveying the landscape from the small peak.”
‘I don’t know,” answered Demetre. He could definitely understand Bax’s meaning though. As he looked across the alien landscape, he was reminded that he was seeing things no man had ever seen before. He was reminded of the historic moments so far on this mission. His first glimpse of Chiron through a window on the "Unity", The glorious sights of planet fall, and now, this, the majestic scenery of a new world.
“So what do you think, huh?” Bax asked again, “Pretty hot, isn’t she?” That was Bax all right. Here they were, poised on one of the biggest moments of human history, and he was checking out Dr. Jole.
Demetre chuckled and looked at Bax.
“Come on,” he said, nudging Demetre, “say something to her.
Demetre considered it for a moment, but was interrupted by the voice of Ensign Jacobs, a young security personnel.
“Uh sir?” He said, trying to catch Lt. Briggs’ eye, “I just felt something move.” Most of the team looked up at him, but Demetre just shook his head and turned back to the landscape, and the possibility of maybe, after service hours, asking Stara out.
“No, I’m serious,” said the young ensign again, this time a bit more desperate, ‘I felt some thing move. A few people laughed, and Lt. Briggs issued a stern warning.
“Ensign, this is not the time to play games, focus on your work, and stop trying to give us the jitters.”
Demetre nodded his head approvingly, but then, felt something slither past his ankle in the red, fungus-like grass.
“I felt it too,” Demetre said, and he could see a worried expression cross Briggs’ face. And the Xenobioligists looked up from their work.
Lt. Briggs spoke decisively, “right, Security team, Medium formation, central around the Xeno’s, guys, you might want to pack it up.” A worried look crossed Stara’s face, but she nodded her agreement, and began to pack up the surveying tools, along with grabbing several specimens and stuffing them, into the canisters.
“Wait a sec,” said Ensign Jacobs, as he rummaged around in the grass, “got him.” Jacobs pulled out a tiny, red worm in the grass, a look of pride on his face.
“Here, Dr., add this to your colle-“But he never finished that sentence, for the tiny worm burrowed into his skin, and the Ensign started to scream violently.
What the… he heard another member say, but then there they were, crawling up out of the grass, thousands of the tiny worms. Stara let out a piercing scream, as she watched the ensign’s body jolt violently and his eyes roll back in his head.
“Run!” Cried the commander, Get back to the rovers, Jameson, get Dr. Jole and the supplies. The security team was now firing rapidly at the ground, but to no avail. The tiny shells rarely hurt the worms, and there were just to many of them. But once the order was given, most of the team didn’t hesitate to start running.
Demetre didn’t think, he acted. He scrambled up the rise, towards Stara, who was now kneeling on the ground, watching her partner violently twitch.
“Come on!” Demetre shouted to her as he pulled on her slender wrist. But it was to no avail, she was fully panicking. Demetre didn’t have time for a psych analysis of her, so he merely hoisted her onto his shoulder, grabbed the cases of supplies, and took off running towards the Rover’s.
He opened the door to one rover and shoved the hysterical doctor in with the supplies. Next, he himself got in and slammed, the door, before any of the worms could crawl in. He slammed his foot on the accelerator, kicking the Speeder into gear and crushing the red worms crawling on his boots. He then directed the speeder swiftly away.
A few minutes later, Demetre realized that his life was no longer I imminent danger and he had a screaming scientist beside him. He stopped the rover and turned to look into her eyes.
“Stara, Stara…” He repeated, grabbing hold of her violently twisting head, so that her eyes began to meet his, “You’re ok, Listen to me Stara, you’re ok.” Stara met his gaze and stopped sobbing for a moment. He was struck by the fact that this women, this women he had seen pass above average on the pain endurance test, had been nearly shattered. But then, there were some things, no one could have anticipated, and no one could have tested. She began sobbing again, but now, into his shirt. He shh-ed softly to her, and told her it would be all right. He stopped for a moment, and thought about what other miracles he would witness, and what other horrors he would have to face.
***