A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 10. Insomnia. | 12. Conversations. |
|---|
11. Turmoil
"You've probably heard the news—"
Fang2. "Yeah, the crabs are getting more aggressive."
"—yes. Which means from now on we patrol in teams of four. You're keeping your partners but we'll change out the pairs in the teams so that one pair can get extra rack-time between patrols."
Long pause. Then, Hairball.
"****, Boss."
"I know. But Dusty's got three Dogs on their backs and it's only getting worse out there."
Claws. "Any plans for relief?"
"Yeah. Me. I'll be tagging along during my watch so one of you can sleep in."
Claws again. "Wow, that's mighty kind of you."
"That's me. Sweet as your grandma. Any questions?" No one speaks. "Good. One final thing... word from up high is that we don't leave bodies anymore. Ever."
Fang2. "What the hell is that about?"
Whiskers. "We've always done retrieval."
"When we could. But if we can't, we don't leave prisoners. And if you're taken, you don't either. You get my drift."
Hairball. "****."
Fang. "You planning on getting captured, Hairball?"
Hairball. "Way things are shaping, might be the only way I get any shut-eye."
Armory. Spots and Claws are climbing into their armor. They are listening to the comm channel while doing their checks.
Hairball: Control, maintenance 4B is clear. Heading home.
Control: Copy that, Hairball. Your relief is suiting up.
Hairball: Great, ETA ten minutes.
Fang: BREAKTHROUGH—
Fang2: ****! Both walls!
Claws and Spots glance at one another, then start rushing through their final prep.
"Air supply, green. Ammo, topped. Reserve power, topped. All lights green. Seal checks—"
"Air supply, green ammo topped reserve power topped all lights green seal checks, airlock, go go go!"
They jump into the airlock. When the exterior door opens they burst through and sprint down the corridor. They turn a corner: the entire end of the hall is filled with flailing bodies. Hairball is running toward them with Whiskers over his back. Fang and Fang2 are laying down covering fire but aren't killing fast enough.
Claws and Spots add their guns. The bodies pile up so quickly the aliens have to stop to unplug the hall. The humans retreat.
Hairball: At the airlock.
Fang: Hold it open, we're almost there.
The ground beneath them shivers.
Fang2: What the—
The ground falls from beneath the two Fangs. Claws grabs Fang2's arm, Spots Fang's belt. Pincers and legs everywhere.
Fang2: **** DON'T LET GO
Claws hauls him back so hard he staggers backwards. Spots has an arm around Fang's waist, but the bugs are pulling her in.
Fang: LET GO!
Spots: No!
Fang: DAMMIT LET GO! She shoves an elbow at Spots's faceplate. Spots is startled just enough to loosen her grip and Fang wrestles free. She vanishes into the pit.
Spots: FANG!
Fang pops back into view, jumping off the thorax of a heaving bug.
Fang: RUN RUN NOW
They start running. The pit explodes behind them, blowing them forward. They slam into the airlock and the exterior door closes behind them.
Fang2: **** **** **** ****
Fang: Next time I tell you to do something, you do it. I know my job.
Claws: That was a damfool stunt and you know it.
Fang: I know what I'm doing.
Claws: You're not a super-special samurai, Fang, stop ****ing actin' like one.
Fang: I got news for you, newb. We're all supposed to be super-special samurai. If you think I'm acting like one it's because you can't ****ing cut it.
Fang2: ****, Fang, tone it down. You got balls, we get it. You don't have to shove them in our face.
Later. Barracks.
"Claws... does Fang want to die?"
"Just go to sleep, Spots."
"Maybe I'll say a prayer for her. Do you think it would help?"
"As long as she never finds out."
| 10. Insomnia. | 12. Conversations. |
|---|
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