A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 47. Veteran's Day, with Bugs. | 49. Crushed. |
|---|
48. Surrounded
Control Room. Several stacked screens of cam footage from Team Kitty: all show flailing crabs, or nothing at all, just a shimmering, writhing dark.
[ Base ] Control 1: Team Kitty, this is Control. Come in, Team Kitty.
[ Base ] Control 2 : Scythe, this is Control. Report.
[ Base ] Control 1 : Team Kitty, sitrep please. We can't see a thing here.
Control 1. "****...! Oh God! Where are they in that mess?"
[ Base ] Control 2 : Team Kitty, report please.
The Warren. The first revision crabs have caught up with the new attackers. Nothing can be seen in the corridor except the remains of the wall and the mound of bugs.
...closer...
...closer, squeezing between two crabs...
Spots. "Crap."
The entire team is packed under Spots's and Claws's second-generation shield, forming a tight hemispherical bubble around them. The crabs are plastered to the edges, trying to get to them.
Whiskers. "Wow. Now I know we're in trouble."
Hairball and Fang chuckle. Scythe grins. Even Fang snorts with a smile.
Spots, squinting as a crab claw scrapes against the shield wall a few inches above her head. "I think we can hold like this for at least ten minutes."
Scythe. "Great, we can shoot our way clear, then."
Fang. "If we can ****ing get a clear shot..."
Scythe. "Well, let's get our backs to one another."
Some writhing ensues.
"****, that was my kidney!"
"Didn't need it anyway."
"Get outta my lap, Hairball."
"Thought you liked me."
"Not that much."
Scythe. "****, Control's been hammering on my circuit and I didn't see it." Changes channels. "Control, this is Team Kitty. Sitrep is ****ed up, but we're alive. We could use back-up."
"Hey, keep your elbow out of my face!"
[ Base ] Control 1 : Team Kitty, this is Control. All we're seeing is bug parts."
Scythe. "That's because we're under them."
Pause.
Claws, sotto voce. "Bet they're going dot-dot-dot."
Flea, disgusted. "This is so ****ed up."
| 47. Veteran's Day, with Bugs. | 49. Crushed. |
|---|
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