Space Odyssey: Spectre

Chapter 648: Apex Predators

After a few hours the Lance of Thanatos had left the system. Going back to the Underworld system to deliver the minerals and ores they acquired. It was the plan to start with. But they had acquired more than he thought they would. While on the other hand, the kitinol were not as aggressive as he thought.

"Who will do the first watch?" Captain Arclight asked. Both squads were finishing up some of the fencing. The mechs were each sitting and facing in a cardinal direction doing regular scans for kitinol and any other creature.

"You and Captain Be’sala work out having four shifts through the night each with four people who will be divided into two patrolling teams." Jace explained as he made his way down the mining device. Hopping down as he put his rifle on his back.

"What about the transport pilots and mech pilots?" Arclight asked.

"Mech pilots can set up automatic scanning and sleep in their mechs so they will be ready in the event of an emergency. The transport pilots can go to sleep now. They will need to wake up for the fourth shift. They need to prepare their craft for the day." Jace explained.

"Where are we sleeping?" One of the pilots asked.

"In the troop transport crafts. I will stay awake and watch over them. But keep only the back ramp open." Jace told them. "Any other questions?"

"No sir." Arclight answered so Jace began moving towards the transport crafts. He situated himself atop the mech transport since he could see the ramp openings of both transport crafts from the edge of it.

Jace sat up there watching the sunset. It was a unique view to see as the wind died down. Soon the red rays of sunlight appeared and bounced through the crystals. It was amazing to see and was only slightly muted by the rays of the electric laser fence. He enjoyed it for a moment before he could hear a screech in the distance.

He looked away and saw in the opposite direction of the sun were figures. "Patrols stay under coverings." Jace ordered. "Looks like there is something that is going to fly overhead." He explained as he watched the figures grow larger as the sun disappeared.

They looked like massive bats. They blended in easily with the dark. He watched them draw closer but then he noticed something. They were steering clear of the field of crystal spikes because they were still lit up, shining light through them. Fortunately they had lights up around as well.

But Jace could see they were considering coming down anyway. One of them actually dipped toward the new clearing. When it did, Jace got a good look at it. It had no eyes. It did have a large nostril and jagged teeth stick out of its maw and massive bat-like ears. Its wings and arms were connected and let it glide easily. While its feet were large and clawed and coated in something less organic. But there were secondary hands hidden just below its head that probably assisted it with eating.

Jace stood up and when he did the creature seemed to do a double take before flapping its wings and flying quickly upward. Almost like it was terrified. "That thing was as big as a transport craft and seemed to run from you commander." One of the mech pilots pointed out.

"Indeed." Jace frowned. He had a feeling this planet was less of a farm for the kitinol and more of a wilderness preserve.

He watched as those creatures flew approximately where the kitinol horde came from. Then they heard more screeches and Jace could make out as the creatures seemed to be diving down and then going up with claws full of kitinol. They were eating kitinol.

Now he was starting to get curious what exactly the Vexical Intelligence did to the planet that could do that. What could cause the normal life forms to evolve and develop to eat kitinol?

As he was lost in thought the night drew on. The giant bats did not come back over again. Instead he was met with smaller flying creatures that came to land on or near him but did not do much else.

There was of course a miniture bat. This species was white and seemed to literally absorb the faint electricity from his body. He could stop it but it was curious to see. Once they were satiated they flew away. Perhaps he could collect a few samples.

Then there were a few small birds with dark wings and multi-colored bodies. It landed and slept on high places around. But they were definitely not nocturnal. They clearly liked sleeping on metal though. Hopefully they would fly away when morning came.

The last creature was hopping bugs. They looked like crickets but were considerably larger and they seemed to excrete liquid as they moved along the spike crystals. He did notice that they were melting the spikes they had pulled out and seemed to be growing new ones where they pulled them from. Almost like maintaining the crystal spike forest was their job.

As he sat on the edge of the transport he was almost bored when he heard a screech of pain. The sound came from one of the patrols. He jumped up and ran over to the other side of the mining craft transport. Finding that one of the patrols was down between one of the mech’s legs.

One of the patrolling soldiers was looking around frantically with his gun. The other one was on the ground trying to stop the bleeding from their arm. Or rather the fact that they were missing an arm.

"Situation." Jace called out immediately as he pulled his weapon out and aimed in their direction.

"Invisible enemies." The injured patrolling soldier barked out. Jace already switched to electric vision and found the culprit. Or rather the culprits. They were a four legged creature with pointy feet like an insect with a long torso similar to a horse. A tail like a scorpion. Praying mantis arms and a sharp beaked head.

It was either a chimera or a kitinol. They would figure it out later. Because it was raising its scythe arm up to cut down the other patrolling soldier.

Jace fired a shot and the bullet tore through its head. The moment it did it reappeared, no longer invisible with some liquid shooting up before it fell to the ground dead. "Are you okay?" Jace asked as he started surveying the rest of the area. "All units check in." He ordered as he spotted a few more and then sent out an emergency alert to wake everyone up. It was only roughly midnight, but that would have to be enough sleep for them.

He began firing at each of these creatures when he saw them. Fortunately they came from the opposite side to where the rest of the soldiers were resting. They did not manage to get to them or the other patrolling group.

Klick-klick-klick

He shivered when he heard the noise and spun around to see something scraping across the roof of the transport. Leaving claw marks in its wake. It should have been invisible. But Jace was still seeing the electricity and could see the same creature.

There was a scraping noise as it sliced its claw along the front of his arm. Not even scratching it but still throwing him off balance as he was on the edge of the transport. He fell backwards as he fired at the creature killing it.

He did not have time to fully spin around before he landed on the ground. He crashed and fell to one knee. Nosie was already filling his communication channel as the rest of his group woke up from their short rest. He could hear gunfire and bursts of laser fire that filled the air along with literal fire.

One of, if not both of, the captains likely broke out the flamethrowers. An area of effect melting weapon like that would be more effective against invisible enemies that had to get in close.

But Jace’s priority right now was the only injury- scratch that, injuries from his mission so far. As he ran towards the downed patrol member he saw their partner get skewered by another of these things.

Jace’s bullet turned its upper torso to mist as he closed the distance and first checked on the severed limb of the first patrol member. It was a clean cut through the elbow. The suit had automatically closed up but failed at some points where there was damage so the limb up to the shoulder would probably have to be removed. But it was still bleeding at the moment.

He pulled out his knife and heated it up by channeling electricity through it. Then he pressed it against the wound and cauterized it closed. The young woman barely made a noise as she held up her sidearm looking for something to shoot.