Castaway Planet

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

Days after of Crash landing/ 1

Uninhabited Island / Unnamed Cavern

Galactic Standard Time / 1730

Je’ndra sent a pulse of aether to her boots and teleported backwards. She landed on top of the capsule and looked around, her heart beating fast as she felt fear.

Je’ndra kept silent as she looked around. All around the crater was a mass of insects like the one she had just slain. There had hundreds of them, and from the few eggs she could see she realized just where they were.

“[We’re in a nest! Protect the prince!]” She called out before jumping towards the side facing the door to the capsule. She dropped her pistol and as it faded away, two green colored blades formed in her hands.

As landed within the bug horde, she slashed out, slicing through the insects. Such was her strength and skill that she killed with each slash, each blow splitting a bug in two.

The bugs moved backwards for a moment before a loud screech was heard. That seemed to be a signal because all the bugs charged at her. Two green bolts flew, killing each one hit. She smiled as she heard the war cry of his planet as Ken’tricx jumped up and landed on the crater’s rim.

As he stood there, two floating gun pods formed next to him before they started firing into the swarm. One insect charged through the bolts from the pods only to die from the green axe that Ken’tricx summoned to his left hand that he used to split the insect’s head.

“[Come YOU BUGS! COME AND DIE! ALLLLRAAA!]” He bellowed as he stood there and let his bolts do his talking.

Je’ndra felt a smirk form and almost laughed as she fought her way to him. As she slashed down another of the bugs, of them jumped at her. Before it could reach her, however, it was killed by the fire from one of the gun pods. As she reached her teammate, she spun around and slashed down at one of the bugs trailing her. “[ You took your time Ken’tricx. And it’s just you right?]”

Ken’tricx laughed heartily as he slammed his axe down on another of the bugs and grinned under his mask. “[Yeah captain, you just get me for a dance partner! Our pathfinder is playing lone guard until that!]”

Before she could say anything she heard the sound of two aether engines. Risking a glance, she saw two green three-foot-long blurs shoot up from the crater. Each one had a golden beak on an avian body. The wings had engines in the center of them and where the talons would be were instead two small guns. One hovered above the crater and fired at the bugs, the other flew around the cave, scanning for anything that might threaten them.

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Within the capsule, Olv’xic grinned behind his mask as he looked at what his drones were sending him. With his birds out there, they would soon know then enemy numbers. He didn’t expect them to give them too much trouble but then the worst enemy was a stupid one. He frowned as he noticed that they were only fighting one genetic strain of insect, you would think a swarm would have workers and warriors if this was their hive……. “[This doesn’t make sense….]”

“[What doesn’t?],” An unfamiliar voice asked. Olv’xic blinked before he turned and saw the Prince looking at him. He swallowed, to think the Prince would talk to one like him, he almost died of shame there and then.

“[My prince! It…… it’s the genes of the bugs. They’re all the same but if this was their hive then I would expect differences between Warriors and Workers castes. But they all have only one genetic set],” Olv’xic said with a small voice.

“[Then they’ve only been fighting one caste? And can you tell what one it is?]” Ar’thor asked in wonder and Olv’xic opened his mouth to reply when he felt the spark of terror in his head.

Olv’xic went still as he registered what the Prince had said. As he thought about it, he felt terror grip his heart. The observation the Prince had made explained everything, if they were only fighting one caste then that would explain the genetic data he had gotten. As he looked at it a stray thought reared its head and because of that his fear grew.

“[No…. No!],” Olv’xic spat as he sent his explorer on a wide sweep of the caves.

“[What did you find!?]” Tar’lroia demanded from the airlock.

Olv’xic swallowed and sent a private message to her. “[The prince suggested they’re fighting only one gene caste. That means they might be Workers, and if their Workers, where are the Warrior strain? Or their reproductive caste?]”

Tar’lroia swallowed as she understood his worry. The bugs up there were dying in lots, but if they were just the weakest, then how strong were the strongest? Unlike Olv’xic, she could see a strategy at work from the swarm’s actions. All they needed to do was let any foes tire out from killing the weaklings, then once they were winded send in the heavies to kill the weakened prey.

“[Go, find the queen. Now!],” Tar’lroia said forcibly.

Olv’xic went still and looked at her, a thousand questions in his stare and she made a team sign for ‘don’t ask questions’. He nodded and sent the commands to his drone and swallowed as he tried to think of reasons for the orders.

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Drone # 982 stopped in its flight and flew away from combat. The orders had been to provide a second overwatch had changed, it was time to search and destroy. It flew over the swarm and activated its sensor systems and ‘saw’ two tunnels. Its sensors saw that one of them seemed to be artificial and the other wasn’t. Commands were sent and it went down the one to the right. After half a minute of flight, it came out into a large chamber with a new kind of bug within.

These had the same face as the others but these were built like centaurs with a stinger tail on their end. The drone flew higher and spun around, activating its shield moments before spikes shot from the tails. The spinning shield kept it safe but it flew past them uncontrolled, flying down a corridor the bugs had been guarding. With screeches some of the centaur bugs followed after the drone, the rest stayed behind to cover the passageway to the main chamber.

As the drone flew down the narrow tunnel, it kept sending what it was seeing to its master. Finally, after a few moments, its engine carried it into a large chamber twenty feet tall and wide.

At the center of the chamber was a vision out of a nightmare. It was large and made of the same black chitin as the others, but this one was a good fifteen feet high. Its circular maw was surrounded by four eyes on stalks and between them were four pincers. Its head was connected to a large body that was connected to four egg sacks with four spike legs between them.

Around it was a large amount of bloody meat that had been carried to it by the bugs currently fighting in the main chamber.

By them were four members of a different strain of the bugs. These had chitin claws and their bodies were hunched over, giving them the appearance of apes. Like all the others, they had four eyes and horns around a round maw. But this maw was extended a good half foot, the horns seeming to be holding it in place.

As the drone flew around the cavern it received new commands, to try and find another way out. It started to carry out the orders when something shot behind it. A glob of something hit the cavern wall and started to sizzle as it ate away the rock. Looking into its memory banks, it saw that the glob of liquid had been shot by the ape bugs. As it zeroed in on them, it saw that all four of them were looking at the drone and firing the blobs from their maws.

As the drone spun to generate its shield, it noticed two other passageways, one leading down into darkness and the other to a side chamber guarded by three of the ape bugs.

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Olv’xic paled in horror as he saw the data his drone was sending. He couldn’t believe what he is seeing, it boggled his mind. He expected something but this, no way in the stars! “[Emergency message to all squad! Boss it’s bad, the Warrior strains are massing to charge once these things are dead! And there are more of them, some kinda acid shooting ones guarding a big Queen!]”

“[WHAT!?]” Je’ndra exclaimed in rage.

“[Yeah! I sent one of my drones and found it! Guarded by Warriors in a cavern just before the big momma herself!] Olv’xic exclaimed in fear and he heard Ken’tricx swear.

“[So the only caves back there go to the Queen chamber?!] Ken’tricx asked with anger in his voice. Olv’xic blinked and looked over the data his drone sent him and shook his head.

[NO…… There’s another passage back there, the queen one is down a bug made one

As Je’ndra killed another of the bugs, she felt a scowl form on her face. The fact that the enemy had planned to let them kill these things was a bitter pill to swallow. The fact that the enemy was waiting to send in their experienced ones when the expendables were gone was worse. Normally, she would have gone and killed the head and then kill the main body, but that was only if her whole team was here. With the Prince in theater, that plan was impossible. Then the only other choice was to find a way to deny the reinforcements.

“[Listen all of you! Ro’borlar keep holding the line down there, nothing gets by you! Olv’xic, send a bomb wing and block that passage! I don’t want any of those things to get

“[And what about us then?]” Ken’tricx asked as he looked at the bugs before them.

“[Ken’tricx, destroy!]” Je’ndra as she jumped towards the right, slashing with her swords as she let her battle rage free.

“[You know how to command me boss!]” Ken’tricx said with a laugh as he desummoned his axe and two large rotating riffles appeared in his hands. With a battle cry, he started to fire at the swarm.

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Within the capsule, Olv’xic nodded and sent a command to his drone with the Queen’s chamber to buy as much time as it could before it died. As he sent his drone to automatic he moved towards the

“[What are you doing?]”

The question of the Prince almost caused him to stop but he kept moving and sighed. “[Sending a bomb to block the approach of our enemies my Prince.]”

As Olv’xic held out a hand a large spear five foot long with four engines and a manta wing shape on top appeared in his hands. He looked down at it and smirked under his mask. He had created the plans himself, and that was enough for a Medal of Tactical Valor. His ‘bomb wing’ as Je’ndra had saved the lives of his and his team a few times, in cases just like this. But something about this place was hitting all his tells for danger, and that he was being watched! He still had two classes of drones he was saving for something special, but given their situation, he probably wouldn’t be able to get new ones soon.

“[Bomb-Wing deployed boss lady, and my hunter is bringing pain to the enemy],” Olv’xic said as he called up the view from his flying bomb.

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Drone # 982 had received its last orders and it calculated the best actions to take. As it had flown around the chamber, the ape bugs had learned to try and guess where it flew and had almost hit it. As it swung around again it finally opened fire on the Queen, the bolts that hit its body caused it to screech in pain and the others screeched in fury. It banked to dodge more globs from the ape bugs as it aimed at the egg sacks.

dodging another glob of acid it flew towards the tunnel that had been guarded by the other ape bugs. However, before it could fly through the passage a glob of acid had hit one of its body and right wing. It lost control of its flight and its communication port as it fell into the passageway. Its engine carried it down as an explosion was heard in the distance, the result of the flying bomb. It fell fifty feet until it crashed against the rock floor. As it died, its sensors flickered off, but before it lost all power it saw a large black something near it.

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When she heard the explosion in the distance, Je’ndra just grinned and laughed. So far they had been able to kill all maybe a third of them. But then she didn’t see anything that might change that. The bugs all went still before they screeched and started to attack each other.

“[Get back Je’ndra, get back!]” Ken’tricx called out in horror as they watched the savagery. Je’ndra jumped backwards and spun the air to land next to him.

As soon as she landed the two of them moved backwards and watched in shock. The bugs savaged each other, one of them bit into one as another grabbed it with its claws and pulled it in two. The victim just attacked its savor and tore its head before two others fell on it.

“[What’s happening?! Je’ndra report!],” Tar’lroia demanded over the coms and Je’ndra took a deep breath.

“[I don’t know, I just don’t know],” Je’ndra said absently and then Olv’xic laughed in glee.

“[It was the bomb! When the passage was blocked, it must have stopped however it was ordering its kids! Without it, they’ll kill themselves!]” Olv’xic said in glee.

As Je’ndra and Ken’tricx watched the carnage, they had to agree with his guess. The bugs had killed half their numbers already, and if they continued they would be next soon.

When they had killed all but fifty of them they all turned towards the crater. With screeches, the bugs all charged at the two warriors.

“[Come on Ken’tricx! Let’s kill them!]” Je’ndra ordered as she summoned her swords.

Ken’tricx just laughed as he formed his axe. With a yell, the two of them charged at the bugs.

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Bellow Ro’borlar summoned his sickles as he looked up at the crater’s rim. All his blood called for him to go and help his comrades, but he had his orders. He had always been the lone wolf, but at least he had seen the battle so he could help. A screech from above made him worry for the others as the head of one of the bugs appeared. He almost moved to attack it before he saw that the head was being held by

“[What’s the matter Ro’borlar, worried about the bugs?]” Ken’tricx asked as he poked his head over the edge.

Ro’borlar just shook his head and felt disgusted at Ken’tricx’s actions. Ken’tricx was the team’s jokester, and this was just like him. “[So you killed them all?]”

“[Yeah, time for you to go to work my friend],” Ken’tricx said and Ro’borlar smiled as he walked towards the crater wall.

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Alert, Templates 99850 have destroyed much of Guard Template IDE 004. They have broken passage to main cavern, all that remains is emergence tunnel into Guard Template IDE 004 hive. Way into Gestation Facilities at risk of breach. Recommendations?

Send in Destroyer Template.

Complying. Alert; One Destroyer Construct still active within control area, Combat Construct R Chassis, subtype G

……Reasons for low Destroyer Construct supply?

All other Destroyer and Purge Constructs sent to deal with Mad Template from Location 0999, raised objections were dismissed. All of Complex’s Constructs were destroyed in Purging Actions.

…….Purger Construct Supply?

None, again all Combat Constructs sent to Purging Action

…….Request for resupply approved, will send message to Central and bring in Combat Constructs for all Facilities. Begin to convert Worker Constructs for combat as per directives.

……Confirmed. Will decrees gestation and repair operations

Acceptable.

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“[…… so this place is part of a mountain. I saw water in the distance, I think we’re either on a coast or an island. Those bugs found some great land to build on. This is a prime place to stay, but the residents would probably have a problem with it],” Ro’borlar said bluntly half an hour later. While he had gone out to scout, Je’ndra had ordered all the resources the escape had to be put into their aether bags. The Prince’s armor was connected to Kon’gric’s, and the rest were ready to move out at the top of the crater.

“[Nothing better then?]” Ken’tricx asked dryly and Ro’borlar hesitated a few moments.

“[Wayfinder?]” Je’ndra asked in a hard voice and Ro’borlar sighed and looked away.

“[I saw other escape capsules, some in new craters. I think they are from the Federation’s ship. We’re not alone here at least],” Ro’borlar said bluntly and the group all looked at each other.

Tar’lroia looked at the others and seemed to come to a decision and spoke up. “[There is strength in numbers after all. And they might be civilians after all].”

Olv’xic looked around at the others and sighed loudly, getting everyone’s attention. “[And the acid shots there have to be working on making a new tunnel, we’re racing the clock],”

“[But we might have to show them our faces, our skin! That secret is something we’ve kept since we’ve made contact! The alliance means it will be shared but for us to break cover when a decision hasn’t been made!]”

“[Then I will make the decision],” Prince Ar’thor said bluntly, and they all looked at him as he looked over his guard’s shoulder. As they all looked at Prince Ar’thor and he looked at them all in turn.

“[My aether bag has an emergency bunker in it],” Ar’thor said bluntly as he looked at every mask before him. “[Leader Je’ndra will one of those work to keep the secret longer?]”

“[Yes, it would. But to hold a bunker in your bag………. The sheer power it takes for that much space…… is that why you don’t have any supplies in it?] Je’ndra asked, still in shock.

“[Grandfather was kind of overprotective. But it worked out],” Ar’thor said and looked away, obviously embarrassed about it.

Suddenly something broke through the cavern’s roof. As the thing hit the ground, it was hidden from sight by the dust and debrief its passage had created.