Castaway Planet

Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 153 of 365. Sol standard year]

Days after of Crash landing/ 1

Uninhabited Island / Ruins/ Unknown Builder

Galactic Standard Time / 1120

As the echoing roar died down, Rodolphe felt his pulse quicken. He had expected that this wouldn’t be as easy as it was, but this was not what he thought would happen at all.

“Did you all hear that terror roar!?” Bryce asked a note of terror in his voice.

Zane swallowed. “Yeah. Think whatever roared was one of the things that attacked us?”

“No bet,” Rodolphe said as he nodded, he looked back where they had come. So far they had only walked around twenty feet, but it felt like only five. They were still too close, they had to move! “Right, yeah. The new plan, we run!”

“Agreed!” Bryce and Zane said the three of them started to run into the darkness.

Rodolphe tried not to panic, but it was hard. That roar was unlike anything that he’d ever heard before. From the wild beasts of his world to the creatures of movies, the echo seemed to be primal. It was like whatever was released the roar was coming to eat them all, and nothing they could do would stop it. He had fought monsters and scum before, and felt nothing. But that thing was more vile and wicked than anything he’d ever heard before.

As they ran into the darkness, Rodolphe tried to figure out what had survived the cave-in. The snake thing might have survived, but how had it found a way through the rocks? The other things, one of them might have been able to force a way through, but would they still come after them?

The few beasts he had studied would have turned and run by now, but then this island might be different. From the swarms that that threw lightning at the beasts from the chamber, nothing was normal. No matter what direction his thoughts went, nothing made sense to him. All he truly knew was the bad feeling he had was growing worse. All he could do was hope that at the end of the day, they were all still alive.

As they passed through another patch of light, he looked ahead and tried to see the end. Only seeing more islands of light ahead, he cursed whatever had caused this. This place was so broken, that he wondered what had broken out.

What kind of weapons had the defenders used? What had defended this place? The shots were too orderly for robotic fighters, but they missed. Were the attackers just that fast? And how long was this corridor?

“So think we’ll be able to reach the end before whatever roared sees us?” Bryce asked.

For a second Rodolphe felt that something was wrong, but then he realized what. He turned and saw Bryce was treating this run like it was a small walk, and Zane wasn’t even winded yet! Zane wasn’t surprised, but Bryce?

“I hope so, I so do. We have to find somewhere we can make a stand. Can we set up an ambush around here? No, of course not,” Zane muttered as they ran into another patch of darkness.

“Don’t worry, if we’re lucky we’ll!” Rodolphe stopped talking as he ran into a wall. Bryce and Zane both threw out their arms and barely stopped before they ran into it as well

Rodolphe groaned as he stepped back, looking at what he had run into. It was unlike anything he had ever thought, it looked like a screen that showed empty space, more of the corridor. But as he put his hand forward, he felt a smooth surface, not a force field but a kind of matter. He stared at it in shock, his mind running all over. He had heard about something like this once before, nano-transmiters. The theory was that enough nanites could create a coating that would work like a view screen. But it was just a theory, not even past the possible design stage yet! The scientist behind it theorized they wouldn't be possible yet, not for centuries! This had to mean that whoever made this had a science that was so beyond the Federation they might as well be gods!

“What is this!?” Zane demanded to his left and Rodolphe turned to see Zane trying to push against the wall as Bryce just looked at it.

Rodolphe just swallowed and looked at them. “This my friends, is tech that’s so beyond us it’s not funny. A nano-transmitter wall.”

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“A what?” Zane asked dumbly as he hid his reaction. He had heard of the theory kind of tech, and that Rodolphe knew about it was surprising. He thought that the cannon folder of the Federation didn’t care about anything. That all they felt was their mission or making things to make booms. That he was even aware of that kind of theorized science made him that more dangerous. That meant that he had to have been tapped to be a commander, and that was a whole other problem than a spy.

“I….. think I read about that. A coating of nanites that like together to act like a view screen? But wasn’t that only….. oh. This wasn’t made by anyone from the Federation. That means that they might have technology beyond us,” Bryce said bitterly and Zane felt a spark of terror. His hatred of the Federation had blinded him, but Bryce was right. everything he said was true.

With that one realization, the threat this place was in his head increased tenfold. If whoever made this place had technology that was this far ahead, then what about their weapons? It had been destroyed for what he hoped was a long time, but this wasn’t a sure thing. If some of their weapons and defenses were still around, then the three of them were in a lot of danger.

“Don’t get too scared everyone. R`emember, the best tech can be destroyed by the lowest weapon. We’ll find a way around this. But remember, even nanites like this needs power,” Rodolphe said and for a moment, even Zane believed in him.

But then that feeling was torn in two and thrown off a cliff. As Zane looked around, his hands trying to find something, anything on the wall. A moment later, he found a small depression, a small hole in the wall that his hand could grab hold of. He looked at his hand for a moment, before he looked upwards. Unlike the rest of the corridor, the ceiling was lit up. About fifteen feet above them was a light source against the wall. For a second Zane looked at it, and then he understood what he was seeing.

“That’s it, this explains it! We have to go up! That’s the only way around this!” Zane exclaimed as he looked back where they had come, and smiled as all he saw back there was darkness.

“What do you mean?!” Rodolphe demanded as he looked up, blinking as he saw the lights above. “What the?”

“That’s why the corridor is so high! The way forward is up there! I bet these are a way for whoever made this place to get out of here!” Zane said as he laughed and shook his head.

“My stars…. It makes sense! You always have to have a low-tech way around problems! That’s security one o one! We’ve just got to climb over this!” Bryce said as he found an opening about a foot off the ground, the perfect place to put a foot.

Putting his right foot in it, he transferred his weight and pushed off the floor. He grabbed the wall with his left hand, his hand moving down a bit but he found a hole. Grabbing it he started to climb up, stopping once he was three feet off the ground. Turning his head to look at Rodolphe and Zane he saw them just standing there. He scowled and barked at them. “Move it you two!”

Zane looked at Bryce, trying to find any other way but when Rodolphe started to climb, he looked at him.

Rodolphe turned to look at Zane from five feet up, a scowl on his face. “Bryce is right, this is the best chance we’ve got. So move it!”

For a second, Zane looked back where they had come. He spent a few seconds trying to figure out if they should go back instead. They had no way to know what was up there, but going back was just as dangerous. He looked up at them and made a choice. So without a second to lose, he grabbed for a hold and started to climb after them.

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As he led the way up, Bryce looked ahead with his heat vision. Above them, about thirty feet was a lot of energy and heat. All he could do was hope that what he was seeing was a sign that they would have a way out up there. As he looked back down at Rodolphe and Zane following behind him, he swallowed and tried to keep calm. He hoped that they didn’t notice that he had looked up before he found the holds. If they did, and if they knew anything about his kind, then he would have to kill them.

He didn’t want to, but he had to protect his life! After they all escaped, they promised each other they would live free, and he won’t break that vow. He didn’t know just where they were, or what kind of planet this was, but if there was civilization here….. then he had a choice to make. Would he be the only survivor, or would he try and make it out of here on his own?

“Everyone doing okay?” Rodolphe called out and Bryce kept quiet, waiting for Zane to call out.

“Yeah, nothing more than a hard training course! I’ll be able to climb for another hour at least!” Zane barked out, a laugh in his voice.

“Fine. What about you Bryce? I can lead the way if you’re not up to it?” Rodolphe called out.

Bryce felt a spark of anger for a moment, but only a moment. He knew that Rodolphe had no idea about where he had come from, or how he was raised. For a second the old fear came through him, but only for a moment. He wasn’t there anymore, he was free. All he had to do was say he wanted Rodolphe to take the lead, and nothing would happen to him. But he needed to lead the way, he had to. He had the bio enhancement that let him see the holds, so he had to lead the way.

“I’m fine! Let’s keep moving! With luck, we’ve only got another sixty feet to climb!” Bryce called out as he turned around.

As he climbed higher he looked back up and blinked, almost letting go of the wall. Above him by about thirty feet three large masses of heat suddenly appeared. They shot out of someplace up there, shooting towards the door they had come through. For a second he waited for the others to call out but when they didn’t, he knew. Whatever he had seen was invisible, and that meant that something here still had power. But more to the point something was still using this place.

And that meant that this place was suddenly that more deadly. If it was still active, then why had this place been left in such a state? For a moment he almost called out, but he had to keep his secrets.

“You okay up there Bryce? Do you see anything!?” Zane called out and Bryce blinked for a second. He was so focused on his thoughts, that he had gone still and silent.

He couldn’t let that happen again, he couldn’t give them an excuse to let a doctor look him over. He had been able to hack the ship’s computer, keeping it from ordering him to get a physical. He didn’t know just what his body would tell them, he couldn’t risk it. His study of the ‘real world’ hadn’t been able to figure out what the laws for bio-enhancements like his were. He had to stay free.

“I’m fine! I just thought I heard something up here!” Bryce called out.

“I didn’t…. maybe we’re near an exit! Keep moving!” Rodolphe cried as he picked up speed.

Bryce smirked. Say what you would about Rodolphe, he knew how to keep someone motivated.

A moment later Bryce threw his arm out and felt only empty space. With a smirk, he moved his arm around and felt nothing, only a ledge he couldn’t see. He pulled his body up and over, smirking as he saw a doorway with a blue light coming through it.

“We found the way out! Come on, let's move!” Bryce called out as he looked over his shoulder at the others.

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The creature felt pleasure as the last of the strength finished being devoured, it sighed. So far most of the remains were so long dead that it hadn’t been able to take much. A few pieces were able to be taken, and that it had before. It had been able to gain so much wonderful Strength, but one of them was its new favorite. It had taken it from the remains of a Flyer, and it was just what it needed.

As it let the new Strength flow out, it felt pleasure that turned to shock as the waves bounced back to it. It ‘saw’ three of them, some of the Creator’s forces. They were some of the flyers it saw once, and the arms looked the same. When it had watched them kill that one Ruler, they had taken it away with them.

This time it wouldn’t hide, not that it could. As the three came closer to the creature it kept still. This was just like when it escaped from that one Ruler, it just had to wait. As soon as they get closer, then it will strike.

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Hunter Construct 1092 to Hunter Construct Pack 205, Biological Weapon Unit found.

Hunter Construct 1093, confirmed. Hunter Construct Pack 20, that all units surround and kill.

Hunter Construct 1095 confirmed order, moving in from the right.

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The cloaked Constructs moved towards the creature until suddenly the Creature struck! It reached out with its right arm, grabbed one of the cloaked Hunters, and threw it at another!

The two Constructs crashed together, both of them falling to the ground.

The Creature sprung out and lunged at the last one.

The Hunter Construct fired a red bolt at the Creature, its limited AI telling it to take down the Bioweapon fast. But the snake-like Creature shot out its tongue at one of the cages and pulled its body away from the shot.

The shot flew past where the Creature’s body had been. It hit the wall of cages and exploded. The blast sent cages down, falling onto the other two Hunter Constructs, crushing them.

Before the loan Hunter Construct could even react, the Creature lunged at it. This time it hit, coiling its body around the Construct, squeezing as they both fell to the ground.

They hit the ground, the Hunter Construct first. As its AI tried to deal with the impact, the Creature spat a blob of acid at its prey. As the acid ate into the Construct, it raised a shaky arm at the creature.

The creature shot out its arm, grabbing the limb and forcing it up. As the Construct fired, the Create spat another blob of acid and destroyed the limb where it met the body. The creature pulled the arm off the Construct and used the arm to beat its body.

As the last of the Construct’s power died, the creature screeched in victory.

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Hunter Construct 1092 to Hunter Construct Pack 205, respond.

Hunter Construct 1092 to Hunter Construct Pack 205, respond.

Hunter Construct 1092 to command. Mission failed, Hunter Construct 1093 and Hunter Construct 1095 offline. Creature has taken in abilities from dead bodies within ancient sample storage.

Command to Hunter Construct 1092, message received. Sending all free units to deal with Bioweapon. Hunter Construct 1092 ordered to go dark and power down. Sending repair and retrieval unit to recover Hunter Construct 1092 and rest of pack.

Hunter Construct 1092 received command. Shutting down all systems in 3……2……1

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The creature looked at the Creator’s hunters and stared in shock. It had only expected to fight until they killed it, but it had never thought it would win. This had never happened before, whenever anything had tried to fight back they had all lost. But this time, when they had one of them outnumbered and with all the advantages, they had lost.

It reared its head back and screeched in victory. If it died soon, it would die happy. For it had done what none of them had ever done. From the great Rulers to the Invaders, it had been the first to destroy the Hunters! They were not invincible! As it looked at the dead thing it tore at it, trying to find something to eat. After a few minutes of work, nothing was found that it could even suck on.

It looked down and tried to figure out how this thing had ever been a threat, it reached down and grabbed something. Pulling its hand back it saw a small silver sphere in its hand. It brought it to its mouth and bit down, making a small crack but nothing, no taste. It looked at it in disgust and threw it away, it flew into a cage and rolled under a corpse.

The creature huffed and looked around, trying to find if it missed anything. Not finding any more scents that even had a hint of a useful Strength, it turned away. As it moved down the row of cages, it tried to pick out the biped scent it wanted, what it had chased here. Finally, when it reached the end, it looked around and finally, finally found what it was after. It looked ahead and moved slowly. It reached an open down and moved out into a long corridor. As it moved it ‘saw’ the three it was hunting ahead of it, looking back at it from higher up.