The unknown station. Upper atmosphere of Theta Iota 6.
17th May 2151.
I wonder how the Cap'n's doin' Trip thought to himself as he finished scanning the lock. Whilst the Marines Section B had their own technical specialist, it had been agreed that the chief engineer was more experienced, and better suited to opening doors. All the same it was turning out to be much harder than anticipated. They'd left the part of the station made from an old Vulcan ship. The area they were now in was completely unfamiliar to any of them. Sergeant Woo had ordered complete visual records to be kept, for intelligence purposes.
It wasn't just the architecture or design that was alien. The technology was unlike anything he'd seen before. Before even attempting to bypass the locking mechanism he had to carefully check everything, work out it's function, deduce voltage and amperage. One false connection could seal this hatch permanently, or set alarms off all over the station.
Eventually he was satisfied. At any rate, staring at the scanner's display wouldn't offer any more answers. He nodded at Woo, who held up one hand for him to wait. A few more hand signals summoned three marines who stood in single file, two in font of him, one behind, each placing a hand on the shoulder of the man in front.
"James, keep your boys on overwatch. Rest of you, you know the drill. Standard buttonhook formation. Priest, how's it look?"
Priest was the tech man, in James's squad, pressing a scanner tight against the wall. "Nothing on thermal or movement, Sarge."
"Alright, stand by, standby...Go!"
Tucker hit the controls, praying he'd not screwed any thing up. There was a soft clunk as the hatch unlocked. In a blur of movement the squad had entered the room beyond. A flurry of shouts came over the LOSIR communications net, words and phrases that meant nothing to Trip.
Then "Left clear!", "Right clear!", "Front clear!"
Woo's voice. "Immediate area clear. James's squad, enter room!"
"Squad entering room!" James called. Tucker and Sato were bundled quickly through the hatch, which was closed tightly behind them.
"Commander, seal the door please." Woo asked.
As Tucker went to work on the lock, Sato looked round. Priest's scans had suggested a very large area, and he was right. This was clearly a cargo bay, packed with large rectangular shipping containers stacked three high. She could understand why Woo had said that only the immediate area was clear of threats. It was massive, at least five stories in height, and thirty meters wide. The tracks for a suspended crane system hung from the ceiling. With the wall of containers blocking the view there was no way to see how long it was. Securing this place would take far more time and manpower than they'd had. But, they'd also have to pass through it to get to the ship repair area.
"Maybe ah should run a quick scan, sergeant, see if there's any dilithium here." Tucker suggested.
"Well, it'll take forever to check this place out manually. Go ahead. But keep it brief. The professor said there was a risk of being detected."
Tucker nodded. "It's an active scan. Ah'll start off at low power, an' slowly increase till ah get something."
As Partridge had promised, the geological scanner did indeed bleep. He turned the volume down, even though anyone close enough to hear them would have to be aware of their presence already.
Then, after a few seconds, he said "Hey. Got something already. Yeah. Definate traces, in that direction. Either this room, or in the next one along. So we just gotta go get it."
"Looks like there's two possible ways through here." Woo said. "OK, everyone take five, get your breath back. But stay alert."
Whilst the two UESPA's were content to sit on the floor to rest, the marines dropped to one knee, rifles at the ready, looking outward, prepared for possible conflict. Idly Sato unholstered her pistol, checking the magazine was firmly in place.
"Careful ma'am." Woo said, a cautious note in his voice. "Best keep that secured unless you really need it."
She nodded, and replaced it. After a moments reflection she drew her lucky deck, holding it up for Woo's approval. He grinned and gave an exaggerated nod.
She'd always found the techniques of card manipulation to be relaxing, almost soothing. A quiet focus for the mind. It was difficult at first, in the tight gloves, but soon she got the hang of it, at least well enough for a two handed riffle shuffle. She was just about to try some more advanced techniques when the sergeant decided to move on.
"OK, my squad will go right, James go left. You all got your painters?" He held up a pen shaped object. "Once we lose line of sight the LOSIR will be down. So we use these for communications. If you find a way through to the other side paint a green spot on the ceiling. Find the dilithium, collect it, fall back and paint gold. If there's no way through use blue, then fall back and follow us. Use red if you encounter hostiles. Try to avoid conflict if possible. If not possible, don't shoot if you can help it, the energy surge may be detected. Taking prisoners for questioning might be useful, but don't compromise the mission. Got it?"
"Got it boss. White spot to let you know we saw your message?" James replied. She aimed her painter at the floor to test it. The compact laser was a useful signaling device. She cycled through the colour settings a couple of times.
"Right. Commander Tucker, come with me please. Lieutenant Sato, go with James's squad. Take care, watch your backs, and good hunting."
***
The pathway to the left was little more than a meter wide, just a gap where the containers didn't quite meet the wall. There were also gaps between some of the containers themselves. At each of these the marines stopped, carefully checking that there was nothing unpleasant lurking in there, before continuing onwards. It made for slow progress, and Sato found it frustrating, but she could see it made more sense than getting ambushed. It was also better than the fast dash they'd made from the boarding site.
Tipping took the lead, followed by Priest. James herself was in the third spot. That surprised Sato, given the woman's alleged status as top close combat expert. Probably the fact she was squad leader had something to do with it. It was something to ask about later. Even with the supposedly secure LOSIR system, Sato didn't want to get into any unnecessary chatter now. She herself was in fourth place. The heavy weapons expert, Sandstrom, brought up the rear. Every few seconds he'd stop and check behind them.
Tipping's name flashed up in green on her HUD. "Problem." he said simply, bringing them to a halt.
James ordered "Show me."
Nothing seemed to be happening for a moment, then Sato realized that James was looking at an image transmitted from Tipping's helmet camera. She found the controls. Tipping's point of view came up inside her visor.
Ahead the containers had been placed so that they contacted the wall itself, forming a steel barrier.
Sato noticed James tap the laser painter at her belt. Not drawing it, just unconsciously checking it was still there.
"We could climb it." Priest suggested.
"Hmm. Let's check out some of those side passages first. We'd be much more visible up there. Besides, I don't fancy trying to haul you lazy asses all the way up there by myself. None of you can climb for toffee."
They backtracked to the nearest gap. It was very narrow.
"I don't think I'll fit in there, Corporal." Sandstrom said.
"You say that to all the girls. Alright, I'm smallest, I'll head on down and take a look."
James handed her rifle to Priest, and drew her pistol, before turning sideways to proceed.
Sato looked at the gap. "I can fit through there. I'll come with you. You shouldn't really go alone." she added.
James hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Lieutenant, you're OK...for a squid. Come on then."
***
For twenty meters they made their way into the gap. Hoshi had never been claustrophobic, but she could begin to understand why some people were so afflicted. Progress was slow.
"Should have left this body armour behind." she muttered. It took up a lot of room, and kept snagging on the containers ridged surfaces.
"Oh crap." James said succinctly. "Looks like a dead end. No...wait...I think...yes, yes it turns right at the end."
It did indeed turn at the end, and James reported that she could see a wider area further on. Before continuing she put a LOSIR relay beacon at the corner so they could stay in touch with the others.
They carefully entered a large, poorly lit area. Just a wide space between the shipping containers. James gave a quick description to the others, then asked Sato to scan for dilithium.
Almost instantly the device began to beep.
"We're practically on top of it." Sato said. "Somewhere in...this direction. Probably that yellow container."
It was locked, the chain of an electronic padlock wrapped round the handles. James's sent an image to Priest.
"Hey, that's Earth tech. Which is useful. I know how to bypass that. Without setting off the alarms. Here's what you do..."
Whilst Priest lead James through the details of lock breaking, Sato looked around.This place was filthy. All manner of rubbish and detritus covered the floor. Mostly ration wrappers, but also bits of bone. Her attention was caught by a small grill on the ground, like a small drain. The surrounding area was relatively clean, and glistened wetly. Nearby a length of hose lay coiled, water dribbling from the business end, the other attached to a short tube protruding from the floor.
"Got it." James announced, pulling the chain free. "OK. Hoshi, when I give the word...Hoshi? You with me? OK, I'll give the word, you pull the door open, I'll go in and check it's clear. Don't try to follow me, you don't know the drill. Ready...stand by, stand by...Go!"
Sato twisted the handle till she felt a solid clunk as the locking bars disengaged. Digging her feet in she heaved with both hands, feeling exertion burn across her shoulders. The gravity was low but that didn't help, the heavy door's inertia tried to hold it in place. Much slower than she liked it swung open, James darting inside. The door swung as far as it could before bouncing back. Sato grabbed hold, straining to stop it slamming shut. It ended up slightly ajar.
"Clear." James called. "Hoshi, get in here, I may need a hand. There's a lot of cases marked in a lot of languages. I can't make heads nor tails of it."
There were indeed a lot of cases, but it didn't take long to find what they needed. "Here we are, dah-pim-tukh. That's Vulcan for dilithium."
After checking to ensure that the case did indeed contain what they were looking for, they turned to leave.
"We got it, boys." said James as she stepped out. "We're on our...WHAT THE HELL!!"
There was a loud thump, and the floor shook as if something heavy had fallen. Sato, halfway out of the container, saw James reach for her gun. Then something banged against the container door, slamming it shut on her.
She was lucky. She'd been holding the case up in front of her. It, and her body armour, took the bunt of the impact. All the same she was sent sprawling back, winded and bruised.
Gasping, she struggled to her feet, drawing her pistol. Putting her shoulder to the door she heaved it open, pistol sweeping the area ahead. No sign of James or anyone else...wait. There was James, lying in a heap, all the way by the other wall.
Suddenly a massive hand thrust from behind the door, clamping on her wrist like a vice. Even through the forearm protection it hurt. The gun dropped from her numbed fingers.
She was yanked viciously upwards, gasping with pain as her shoulder dislocated. Into view swam a face from a nightmare. It was humanoid, but bloated, crude and brutal. Jagged teeth showed behind leering lips. Oily blue black hair hung in tangles. The skin was a sickly mottled verdigris. Brass and bronze piercings were scattered across exposed flesh, along with violently coloured tattoos.
It held her high, dangling from her injured arm, and roared triumphantly. Spittle sprayed across her visor.
She aimed a kick at it's face. There was a satisfying shnuuk as she felt it's nose spread under her heel. It roared again, this time in pain and anger, but didn't let go. Things were getting desperate. She coiled one ankle behind the beast's neck to anchor herself, and drove the toe of her other foot into it's throat.
That worked. It dropped her, staggering back, clutching it's neck. She landed poorly but the low gravity prevented serious injury. A spasm of pain ripped through her inured shoulder. Dazed, she stared at it. What the Hell is it? That kick would have crushed a human's trachea!
She heard garbled shouts from the rest of the squad, saw an icon on her HUD telling her that the life support system was boosting the oxygen supply in response to sudden exertion. None of that registered. Her eyes were on this hulking creature. It was massive. Half as tall as her again. Arms thick as her torso. Grotesquely over muscled. Only a crude cloth to preserve it's modesty.
It caught it's breath before she did, and began lumbering forward. She scrambled backwards though the detritus. Then...she felt wall behind her. The creature grinned cruelly as she found herself backed into a corner. No way out, no way out. From the corner of her eye she thought she saw James twitch, but even if the Marine was still active it was too late to help. Looks like my luck's run out...
Luck! That triggered a thought, an act of desperation. As the creature reached for her she grabbed a couple of playing cards from her pocket and sent them spinning into it's face. At this range the low gravity had no effect on her aim. It howled as the cards hit it's eyes, throwing it's hands up to instinctively protect itself.
With it distracted she dived forward, between it's splayed legs, and scrabbled out of immediate danger. Need to find my gun...There was no sign of it where she'd dropped it. Autumn's gun...if I can get that...
She was halfway to the fallen marine when a fast moving shadow caught her attention. On instinct she dived to one side, landing flat. Something slammed down next to her, right where she would have been. It leaped all that way! Low gee or not, I'd have been crushed!!
It lifted one massive foot, clearly intending to pulverize her. She tried to scramble away but the garbage gave poor traction. She cringed...
Something flashed through the air. A marine issue combat knife. It's blade penetrated half way into the monstrous chest. An almost comical look of surprise crossed the beast's face as it stared down, and it staggered back a few steps.
"Hoshi! Get on all fours, now!" James ordered.
It was a strange request, but now wasn't the time to quibble. As Sato got into position, putting her weight on her uninjured arm, she saw James running full pelt straight at her. To her utter astonishment the Corporal hopped up, putting a foot on her back and using her as a platform for a flying kick! A kick aimed not at the creature itself, but at the knife protruding from it's chest, driving it fully in.
It screamed, clawing at the handle, trying instinctively to pull the knife free. But Corporal James wasn't having any of it. She darted round behind it, drawing another knife from her belt. Not a standard issue one, but a recreation, in modern materials, of the famed Fairburn Sykes Commando knife. With all her strength she drove it into the thing's back, just left of the spine, blade slanted upwards, before twisting it to one side. On a human that would sever many blood vessels and possibly even the heart itself. She had no idea how it would work on this being.
It certainly didn't like it, thrashing around with enough violence to send her sprawling. Her knife remained stuck in it's back. Blood bubbled from the wound, and from it's mouth. It's bleeding into it's lungs, she realized.
It dropped to it's knees, reaching behind itself in a futile attempt to reach the knife. Finally it slumped forward. It's breathing ceased.
"Corporal James! Corporal James! Come in please!" Tipping's voice, over the LOSIR.
"I'm up. So's Lieutenant Sato. We got the...ah...." She paused, taking a long, shuddering breath. "We got the dilithium, but we're both hurt. I think we'll live though. Hoshi?"
"I've been better. I think I'd like to go see your medic now."
"Me too. I want to get my stuff back first. And let's not forget the dilithium." James looked down at the creature. "Seriously, what is that thing?"
"It's...it's..." Hoshi shrugged her good shoulder, and gave the only answer she could think of. "It's green."
. Also the patrols described sounded alot like the long range ranger patols undertaken during the Vietnam war, again adding a good sense of realism. Keep it up, I am looking forward to more! 
