"SHIT SARGE, THEY'RE IN FRONT OF US TOO!!!" Gunfire rang out from both sides of Sergeant Hound. "First and second fire team, get the bastards in the front, third and fourth, the rear." He threw his gun into his uninjured shoulder and cracked off a shot, knocking one creature off its feet and onto its back. Even as he watched it stood back up and rejoined its comrades, with a hole the size of a dinner plate blown out of its side. This time he aimed better, and took off its head. The body kept moving a few steps before falling, where it lay still.
The gun team managed to get thier plasma cannon into position and raked lethal energy across the front of the creatures, burning them to cinders. Another gun started firing, from behind the line of monsters. Third squad's gun team had arrived. With the added fire the men were able to punch through and get back to the bridge, all the while fighting the creatures behind them.
The battle raged for several minutes before the surviving creatures ran off back into the ship. The men were reloading and the gun team was swapping for fresh barrels while Hound filled in Townes on what had happened.
Another call came in over the radio from Sergeant Olridge, commander of second squad. "Sir...are any of the Navy personnel bioligists?" Townes blinked, puzzled at the odd question. Then he looked to the Navy men, one of whom raised a hand.
"I have a Ph.D. in Biology, as well as my engineering degree, sir."
"Yes Olridge, there is one, why?"
"You oughta send him sir...this is some pretty weird shit."
"What is it sergeant?"
"I don't know, but whatever it is it completely covers Security Station Beta Sir."
"He's on his way sergeant." Turning to Hound he said, "Are you up to taking him there?"
Sergeant Olridge and second squad moved cautiously down the dark corridors on the way to Security Station Beta. Nothing jumped out of the shadows at them, and that was always good. The dull thud-scrape of his men's armored boots on the floor was the only sound he heard most of the trip. Immediately outside the door he heard the excited transmissions from first squad. His men were extra careful in clearing the hall before gathering outside the door. The door slid open and the first man ran to the doorway and stopped.
"What the hell's the holdup Campbell?" Olridge demanded.
"Sir...you should see this."
Muscling the younger man from the doorway Olridge looked into the station. The entire surface was covered with a grayish red...mass. The walls were coated with a thick layer, and the doors were granted a thin film. A carpet that seemed to be several inches thick of it was on the floor. Grabbing his radio he said, "Sir...are any of the Navy personnel bioligists?"
A brief pause followed, then, "Yes Olridge, there is one, why?"
"You oughta send him sir...this is some pretty weird shit."
"What is it sergeant?"
"I don't know, but whatever it is it completely covers Security Station Beta Sir."
"He's on his way sergeant."
Sergeant Hound and his men headed out into the ship once more, with even less men than before. After the attack their gun team had been ordered to remain on the bridge, in case of another wave. Luckily the trip was uneventful, and they made it to the station without incident.
While the squid collected his samples the Marines took positions in the room. The biomass was spongey but firm, and it held them.
The Navy man stood and said, "We'll need to get to the med labs if you really expect me to be able to do anything with this."
Hound said, "I'll have to check, wait one." Grabbing his radio he contacted Lieutenant Townes. "Sir, the Navy tech says we need to get to the med lab before he can do anything with the samples he's collected. Permission to go there sir?"
Gunfire cut in over the radio, and Townes yelled, "Ne----------geant, get your men ------------idge immediately, the bastards ---- ming in waves! We ------- imme--------. Repeat, retu-------- bridge!"
The men set off double time towards the bridge when something new leapt out of the darkness.
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