“A distress beacon has been activated Sir” reported Sergeant Zen Haggar of the Gnossian Advance Force. Captain Korthos Caine eyed his young protégée. “It could be misdirection, a trap even” he responded. Zen shuffled awkwardly, and checked the charge on his beam rifle. “I don’t think so Sir… fourth called in the all clear on that sector only an hour ago.”
“Then what could it be?” The Captain asked, ushering his Sergeant to attempt an answer.
“A comms malfunction?”
“Possible, our gear seems to be suffering in the atmosphere… it’s not used to the humidity.”
“We should still check it out though… better safe than sorry…”
The Gnossians advanced deeper into the thick and oppressive darkness of the jungle.
Nothing could be seen but shadows.
“Movement ahead!” Called one of the men, but it was too late. Gnossian technology clashed with Selenoid might. Beam Rifles flickered amongst the trees as Energy Spikes danced from victim to victim. Screams we’re heard coming from every direction.
The Gnossian right flank broke under the alien onslaught. “Those damn cowards!” Captain Caine spat down the radio.
They held off the first wave, but barely, and then thundering through the trees came the second.
“This is it” cried Caine, “but I’m not going to go down easy.”
But before Caine could completely resign himself to his fate the comforting flicker of beam rifles echoed through the jungle.
Zen’s men came to the rescue, but it was too little too late.
“Run Zen!” screamed Caine as an energy spike was driven through his chest. He looked up at his killer, a faceless mound of flesh and veins, it clicked something in an alien tongue and then Caine slipped into the deep blackness of death. The screen on the universal translator that hung from his belt flashed to life, it read: “This world is ours sapien chieftain!”
Deathzap 