Spots: Just Another Patrol

A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth

15. Chow.	17. Righteous Anger.

16. Just Another Patrol

Three days later, in the Warren. The Seabees are putting down grid flooring; they are not armored but carry rifles because so few Marines are available to escort their teams. Claws, Spots and the two Fangs stand guard.

"Wonder where our servin' is... everyone else's had one."

"Maybe we'll get lucky?"

"We're Marines, Spots. We never get lucky."

One Seabee looks up. "Hey, don't jinx it."

Claws grins. The crew works steadily along the corridor's curve.

Fang2. "I think I feel som—BREAKTHROUGH!"

The corridor's walls erupt, separating Claws, Spots and one builder from the Fangs and the team. Grid flooring flies to the sides, crates of it spill.

"****!"

Claws. "GET THEM BACK!"

Fang2. "Going!"

Claws pushes the unarmored builder in front of him. "RUN! First fox-run, go right!" Claws and Spots cover the builder's retreat as the wave rushes for them.

"TURN, TURN NOW!"

"****!! What the ****—"

Claws shoves him through the narrow tunnel. "Shield!"

Spots drops at the tunnel mouth, shield arm in front. Claws hovers over her shoulder, rifle pointed. The tunnel is small enough that the bugs have to come through one by one, hauling their dead out of the way. While Claws shoots—

Spots. "Fang! You good?"

Fang2, voice quick. "We got back, the team's fine. Most of the bugs ****ing chased off after you. You got them?"

The bugs stop trying to clamber through the hole. Spots squints. "I think we migh—"

Claws: "****! They're gonna come through! Go go go!"

They dash down the corridor, the builder streaming curses. Behind them, the fox-run explodes outward. The hall fills with a hail of thin alien needles. Spots puts her arm behind her head, shield still active. It flashes constantly as the projectiles bounce off it.

Claws. "****! Turn on three! One! Two! Thr—"

He and Spots fling themselves around and shoot. Beyond the oncoming rush of arms and pincers is the tall figure of a King. Claws aims—shoots—the King goes down and the other bugs begin flailing in confusion. Spots and Claws pick them off.

Then, silence.

"See, guns are handy."

Builder. "Nukes are handier. ****!"

Claws, grinning at builder. "You and I know that."

Spots. "I never said guns weren't useful, Claws." Exasperation. "Sometimes I think you people think I've never used one before I showed up here."

Claws. "Uh... guilty as charged."

Spots, wrinkling nose. "If I was the cursing kind..."

"You'd probably be saying '**** you' right now. I get it." Pause. "Sorry, Guitart."

Builder. "Uh... can we get back now?"

"In a minute, we have to call in the King. He's got a new shell."

"What's that mean?"

Spots. "It means we're in trouble."

"**** yes. They've never worked around the ****ing fox-run before."

15. Chow.	17. Righteous Anger.