Captain P.O.V
Captain and Lag, after checking the south wing and finding only some expired resources and warehouses.
Captain: Lag, this is just their storage section. No need to continue searching here. We better get back with the rest. If this is the storage, then either east or north will be the main control. Oh, and inform the comms, will ya?
Lag: Yes, Cap. (into the comms) This is Lag. South wing clear. We only found some storage sections. How about your section? Over.
There's only a long silence that makes both of them taken aback.
Lag (to comms): Hello? Anyone there?
Still just silence and static sounds from the comms.
Captain: Try to communicate with the drop ship.
Lag (comms): Landing team to drop-off ship, over. Do you hear us?
Only silence and the echo of their own conversation remain—no sound from the comms other than static.
Captain: I have a bad feeling about this. Lag, activate the emergency vibration comms. Meet at the entrance.
Lag: Yes, Captain.
Lag then raises his hand, and the futuristic bracer on his wrist suddenly vibrates a bit. Then it keeps vibrating like it's sending something out. What no human eye could see is that the bracer emits a vibration wave signal, using the ship's metal surroundings to spread it faster.
At the other end of the ship, the bracers on Jansson, Reed, and Dan's wrists suddenly vibrate too, with the same frequency as Lag's. Then a message appears on their bracers:
"Regroup. Meet at the Entrance at once."
Lag: It's done, Cap.
Captain: Good. Let's go back, Lag. Oh, and check if the emergency beacon can be activated?
Lag: Sure, Cap.
Lag unloads his backpack, revealing a medium-sized cube. He touches several buttons on his bracer, and the cube slowly unfolds. A small hexagon tube appears, glowing blue. Lag scans the cube with his bracer, and on the display, an option to activate glows green.
Lag: Still works, Cap. At least we know we can still reach the main ship.
Captain: Well, finally some good news. Let's go meet the others.
Captain and Lag start walking back from where they came. As they near the entrance, they hear many footsteps ahead — the others have returned. They meet Reed's team first, who were assigned to the north wing.
Lag: Reed, thank god you're okay.
Reed: What's with the emergency, brother? We were still exploring the main bridge when the message arrived.
Captain: Wait, do you not realize the comms have been static this whole time?
Reed: Huh? Comms broken? Impossible. Jans just gave his status over the east wing a moment ago.
Captain: What? Try it again.
Reed: Sure, Cap.
(into comms) Reed: Jansson, copy. This is Reed. Where are you sons of bitches now?
Reed's comms slowly turn to static. After several minutes of silence, the comms crackle back to life with Jansson's voice.
Jansson (comms): Fuck you, sissy. I'm nearing the entrance now. No sign of Dan and his group, and no news about Captain and Lag.
Reed (comms): Captain and Lag are with me. We're coming to the entrance at once.
Reed: See, Cap? Comms are fine.
Captain: Huh, that's weird. But it doesn't matter now. We just need to regroup right away. Something's not right—I've got a bad feeling.
Reed & Lag: Sure, Cap.
The two groups merge and continue toward the main entrance. Suddenly, they all stop as they hear a roar-like sound.
RRRHHHGGGHHHAAAARGHHH!!
THUUM–CLANGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!
Reed: What the fuck is that sound?
Captain: A sound of no good. Hurry to the entrance!
The team runs as fast as they can toward the entrance—only to hear a loud scream.
DAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!
TRRTRRTRRRT! TRRTRRTRRRT! TRRTRRTRRRT!
Reed: Shit! That's Jansson's scream! Fuck—something must've happened to Dan!
Reed runs as fast as he can toward Jansson's voice. The rest of the team follows quickly. When they arrive, they're horrified—several mummified corpses lie on the floor.
Dan's body is pierced by several crimson spikes, bleeding heavily. They see Jansson shooting at the roof before suddenly, the same spikes that impaled Dan burst out again, stabbing the mercenary beside him.
Then something supernatural happens—the spikes, like tubes, draw out the mercenary's blood toward the roof. The mercenary's body mummifies and drops to the metal floor.
The same happens to Dan. Jansson fires at the spike draining Dan's blood, breaking it. Dan falls but is caught by Reed, who also fires at another spike descending from the roof.
The rest of the team quickly open fire on the ceiling, hindering the spike growth while regrouping.
Reed: Hey Dan! You okay? Hey, wake up! (shaking Dan)
Lag rushes to check Dan's condition.
Reed: How is he, brother?
Lag: Not good. His blood level is almost critical. We need a transfusion, ASAP!
(yelling to Captain) Lag: CAPTAIN! We need to evac fast! We're losing Dan!
Captain: All units, retreat! Go to the drop-off zone from before!
Several wounded mercenaries are helped by others as Captain and Jansson keep firing at the branching spikes from the ceiling.
As they retreat, the spikes grow even more numerous—stabbing fiercely into the ground. The team witnesses a horrifying sight as the spikes branch rapidly toward them. They run, shooting while retreating, hoping to slow the advance.
Captain: Reed! Contact the drop-off ship! Rescue us now!
Reed: Already done, Cap—but we need to wait!
Captain: We can't wait, god dammit!
They make their stand at the pickup zone, still firing at the spikes. One stabs Jansson's leg—blood leaks out as the spike pulses red and branches further.
Jansson: Fuck! The spike's absorbing my blood—it's fueling their growth!
He draws his energy knife, trying to cut the branches, but it quickly runs out of power as he loses more blood.
Jansson: Fuck! Reed, help!
Jansson isn't the only one—other wounded mercenaries are also impaled and quickly mummified. Lag suffers the same fate as Jansson, his body pierced by spikes, while Reed and Captain desperately hold the line.
As the situation grows grim, the sound of salvation is heard—the Fenix-class Light Cruiser. Its engines roar like angelic wings descending from above.
Rando (in the Fenix): Hello boys! Cavalry's here!
The Fenix's machine guns rotate, unleashing thousands of plasma rounds that rain down on the crimson spikes, slicing them apart. Rando keeps firing until the spikes are far enough, then slowly descends and opens the hatch for the team to board.
They quickly rush inside as the spikes twitch and spread, losing their targets. The team finally rests. Dan is brought to the ship's makeshift medical bay to stabilize him before the main ship transfusion.
Everyone feels relief—some sleep, others unload weapons. No one notices that, on the medical bay table, Dan's eyes slowly open.
A blood-red gleam shines, and a faint, mischievous grin appears on his face.
No one suspects that the Dan before them is fake—the real Dan died long before Lag's emergency signal.
Now, aboard the ship, travels the Vampire, disguised as Dan to escape the planet.
From Dan's and the mercenaries' memories, it knows the mission: the mercenaries only needed to provide proof to the Federation that they found the ship—no deep investigation required.
The descent was merely the Captain's initiative to confirm the ship and maybe rescue survivors if necessary.
The Vampire only needs to leave before the Federation arrives and conducts a full search—because it knows what the Federation truly wants: the blood it once carried when it was just a bat.
And now… it has a way out of the Planet
=================================================
Word Count = 1306
Thanks all for reading this Book
sorry for all who read as i release it once a week i will try to make it quicker next time
Once again thx for all the support and a Big Thanks for reading my book
Well then see you all again next chapter