The Last Shuttle
Expedition Epsilon Part 1 - An adrenaline-fueled evacuation to The Evolution
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Expedition Epsilon
Part 1: The last Shuttle
One week later
Explosions of all magnitudes rang in the distance causing the ground to shake slightly. Fires raged amongst the city, and clouds in the night sky danced in shades of amber. It looked as if Hell had surfaced on Earth and was at war with humanity. The haze of smoke filled the air around the shuttle, making it difficult to spot the dark colored transport craft that sat in the middle of a football field within a crumbling stadium.
The football stadium proved to be the only means of a secure and defendable location in the entire city. Luckily it had not been compromised yet, but that wouldn’t last forever. Welded doors, heavily armed snipers on the roof, manned checkpoints and unmanned sentry turrets – or UST’s as the military called them – all have been at full tilt for the last week. One of many safe zones, it has loaded hundreds of transports and shuttled tens of thousands of survivors deemed as qualified personnel for the mission. Many like it had already fallen across the world, unable to defend themselves against the rapidly evolving monsters sweeping the Earth.
This safe zone wouldn’t fall; Specialist Miles Helios would make sure of that. Leading a group of independent, augmented special forces known as the Seekers, they were given command over the US army’s men stationed here and they had held down this stadium with only one casualty in the last week. Unfortunately the casualty was one of his men, Ramirez, but he shoved that memory deep down to focus on the mission. He had been placed at this zone, specifically because it had the highest number of valuable personnel to evacuate – Dr. Ricci saw to that.
1012 flights; That is how many successful evacuations his team had accomplished so far. Able to cram a little over 100 people per flight, with multiple shuttles, they had saved over 100,000 people – at least the ones that had qualified to be saved. His team of 7, now 6, has been searching non-stop for the most valuable people in this location, while the army sorted the fleeing mass for experience in engineering, carpentry, gardening, maintenance, mechanics and so on. This was the last ship out.
“Where the hell are the MVP’s Flanagan?!” Helios shouted over the intercom.
“I’m not sure sir, they should’a been here by now!” Kyle Flanagan responded in his irish accent, “Comms’ve been silent for an hour no–”
“I don’t care! Find me their location; We need to evac NOW!” Helios looked into the distance on the roof of the stadium, holding a scanner in his hands that was rapidly showing more and more red spots. He spoke softer, but still firmly, “Scans picked up a huge amount of Tardi’s headed our way – too many, thousands”
“Oh shite” Flanagan anxiously responded. Immediately he was back to shouting over the comms, attempting to contact Kai. Flanagan stood at the base of the shuttle, waiting for the makeshift gates to open and reveal the armored transport. He shouted into what seemed like thin air, since he wasn't wearing a headset – this was because Flanagan was the comms. An implanted wireless communication device in his brain allowed him to speak to any device within a 30 mile radius; while an AI software actively showed him the most likely frequencies and locations he was trying to target on a lens placed over his eyes.
Helios’ face soured from stress that another one of his team members may not make it. They had to leave whether Kai returned with the 3 surgeons, meteorologist and geologist they sent him out for or not. “God dammit Flanagan what about ‘NOW’ did you not unders–!”
“I got’m sir, he's 2 miles out and rippin’ trough teh ruins ta get here! He has one bogie on’is six that is gainin’ on them. He’s tellin’ me ta tell ye…nevermind sir.” Flanagan tapered off
“Spit it out!” Helios roared over the comms.
“He said ta get yer panties outta a bunch, uh, picklepuss.” Flanagan reluctantly murmured. “Oh, and ta up yer game – he’s killed one more Tardi than ye.”
“Asshole.” Helios muttered to himself. If Kai wasn’t there in minutes they would have to leave without him. The horde was 5 miles off and closing fast, they couldn’t risk the rest of the passengers. Bowing his head, he was preparing himself for another difficult decision. “Flanagan, tell O’Hearn to start the shuttle.”
“Copy — on it sir.” Flanagan quickly replied
Helios began to turn around and head to the shuttle, when in the distance he saw a dust plume rise up. He held his scope up to his eye and saw the armored transport barreling towards them, with a tardigrade in tow that was nearly matching their speed – a fast one. Helios smirked and thought to himself, “The bastard made it.”
The armored transport was running at top speed, pushing 90 mph, to keep the little lead it had over the tardigrade. You could hear the engine roaring over the explosives in the distance, a testament to the massive engine that propelled it. Within 30 seconds of being spotted they were almost at the parking lot entrance of the stadium.
The snipers started engaging the massive tardigrade with mounted anti-material rifles that were positioned on the roof. The 20 mm depleted uranium shells just pinged off the tardigrades armor as if they were airsoft bb’s hitting steel; the UST’s and small arms fire from the army had an even lesser effect. No damage could be done to the mutated beast until it revealed its weak spot by opening its protective, transparent faceplate.
It was an ugly thing, as if a trilobite produced offspring with a gorilla. This one had evolved for speed, as such it was much smaller and slender than others that had been observed; it stood around 12 feet tall. However, it was no less powerful or deadly. It sported four muscular legs that were similar to a spiders, yet galloped as a horse would. Four arms – two arms with claws to grab and two with spiked ends to impale. Its massive spiked torso still had blood and fragments of clothing smattered across it from what had to be prior kills. The vile insect-like head was entirely encased in retractable transparent armor, allowing it to see and be protected when under attack or retract the armor to feed.
Makoa Kai raced across the parking lot towards the gates that were built by the army soldiers, expecting it to open and conclude his 7 hour mission – they did not. Instead of ramming into the gate he swung the truck around and drifted to a stop in front of it before laying on the horn to let them in. The truck, as armored as it was, wouldn't make it through those gate doors. The tardigrade would be on them in seconds. “Hey Flanagan, open the fucking gates!”
A thud that dented the rooftop alerted everyone inside the truck. They looked up to see Helios through slits in the roof; he had jumped 100 feet down onto the truck taking the landing easily with his cybernetic legs. Within the blink of an eye the tardigrade was upon him. Assuming he was an easy kill, the tardigrade opened its faceplate ready for another meal – exactly what Helios was waiting for.
His augmented arms snapped to his back and pulled out a claymore style sword from its sheath as if it was made from styrofoam. It popped and crackled with electricity that could be seen arcing all over the blade. Given the name Volt by Helios, it was an experimental weapon made from a chromium and tungsten alloy that was charged with enough electricity to compare it to a lightning strike; it was gifted to him by Dr. Ricci's team – outdated, yet extremely effective. He lunged upward into the beast's mouth with the blade, piercing the plate in the roof of its mouth. Letting go of the sword, he allowed it to swing its head downwards toward him before kicking the hilt of the sword with the full strength of his leg. The sword cracked through the plate and out through the back of its head. It fell to the ground convulsing from the electricity coursing through its body. Seconds passed before the eyes exploded and a black slime oozed from its mouth, signifying its death.
Helios pulled his sword out, jumped down from the roof of the truck and slammed his fist a few times on the hood to let them know it was safe. Kai was the first one out of the truck, followed by a female and 2 males. The MVP’s all looked shaken and relieved that they were out of that situation. Kai just looked grumpy.
“Who’s got their panties bunched up now?” Helios mocked Kai, “I believe we are back to being even, asshole.”
“Show off.” Kai snorted before walking towards the gate that was now opening.
“Hey, not so fast, where are our other two surgeons?” Helios asked Kai, stepping in front of him.
“You see the blood on the Kaimoni, eh? Kai responded grumpily, “yeah, that was them.”
Helios just nodded, he knew more than anyone that not everyone could be saved. “Get everyone on the shuttle now and make sure the army doesn’t know this is the last ride up. We have orders to leave them — can’t save ‘em all” He started back towards the gates in order to return to the shuttle when an altercation at one of the checkpoints caught his eye – he headed over.
“I said get back now or I will be forced to fire on you!” a random soldier yelled at a family trying to pass through the checkpoint. These were the only people to show up at this safe zone today, most others are presumed dead by now.
“Please, let us in! There’s no time, they’re right behind us! I’m a gunsmith and my wife’s an artist, we can help!” The father yelled at the panicked soldier while shielding his wife and kids.
“Get the fuck back, I will shoot!” The soldier yelled, tightening his finger around the trigger.
Two gunshots erupted out of nowhere. The soldier fell dead with a bullet hole through his head, behind him stood Helios. The man looked Helios in the eyes with a confused stare, before his attention turned to his wife falling to the ground behind him. She had been shot by the soldier through the heart and was fading quickly. Her husband held her in his arms trying to comfort her, while the kids were screaming and crying. She brushed her hand across his cheek while mouthing the words “I love you” before her soul left her. It took only seconds for this family's world to change.
In the distance the horde of tardigrades was visible now, and they did not have much time before they were completely overrun. Thousands of distorted, mutated creatures of all shapes and sizes rushed towards them.
“We need to go now.” Helios told the man, putting a hand on his shoulder. The man looked up at him with tears in his eyes, back at his wife for a long moment, and then to his kids. He stood up and picked up his daughter, while Helios picked up his son. They took off towards the shuttle and boarded as soon as they got there.
“Huikau, what is this?” Kai asked Helios as he was strapping the boy into a seat. “I thought we couldn’t take anymore?”
“Well you fucked up and lost two of our MVP’s – bought them a ticket.” Helios told him. “Not everyone can be taken, but I can damn well choose who I save. Everyone here?”
Kai nodded, confirming that their entire team, MVP’s and other passengers were all onboard. Their pilot, O’Hearn, finished his pre-flight check before take-off. The horde of tardigrades had reached the parking lot and was quickly headed for the gate, everyone could hear the guttural barking and hissing that they communicated with. As soon as the first one rounded the open gate, O’Hearn punched the throttle and lifted off.
Helios relaxed in his seat, something he hadn’t felt in over a week. In fact, everyone seemed to have a major weight lifted off of their shoulders, besides the stranger and kids that he rescued. He understood why. At least they were alive to grieve and have some hope for a future – he took comfort in that, after having lost Ramirez. One life was robbed, and three were given a new chance. He felt Ramirez would have been proud of that. All that was left was to survive the short flight to the Evolution.
*Don’t forget to vote at the end for your favorite choice!*
“2 minutes until touch-down.” O’Hearn relayed to the ship over the intercom. This was the first time they’d heard him speak in a while. He didn’t talk much, but the team knew why.
Everyone stirred in preparation of seeing their new home for the next 1500 years – everyone except the stranger. He was slumped in his seat, eyes wide open and staring at the floor as if he was reliving the death of his wife over and over again. Helios couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man, he’s lost more brothers than he cares to think about and it made him numb to it, but he still remembered the first time he lost someone he loved.
As they landed in the hangar aboard the Evolution, Helios unbuckled himself and stretched before heading over to the man he saved. “It doesn’t get better,” He said softly to the man, “but you have your kids and a future with them. Live it for her, I’m sure she’d want that for you all. What’s your name?”
Through sniffles the man responded, “Daniel, Daniel Grayson.”
“Well Grayson, why don’t you and your kids follow Flanagan here, he will show you to the onboarding area of the Evolution.” Helios told him, while eyeing Flanagan. Flanagan’s eyes said “Fuck you”, but his actions said otherwise. He took them without argument, and even gave the girl a piggyback ride.
“O’Hearn, Killinger and Orphus get over to onboarding and settle into our bunks and then join us at the bridge.” They all nodded and left swiftly, ready for some well-earned rest. “Let’s go Kai, Ricci needs to see us. I heard she had a worse week than we did.”
Kai got up from his seat, and smiled at Helios before saying, “Maika’i puka”
“You know I don’t speak Hawaiian, prick.” Helios joked with him, pushing him towards the opening shuttle doors. “What did you say anyway?”
“Uh, I said sir yes sir!” Kai wisecracked, while trying to hold back laughing.
“You know, I’m just gonna choose to believe that for now.” Helios said before throwing his arm around his friend's shoulder and starting towards the bridge.
After a week of pure hell everything seemed to be a success with the final ship delivering the last of Evolution's crew for launch, and it would have been – if not for the unwelcome guest that hitched a ride on the last shuttle.
I think this was the most fun I have had yet writing for one of these stories! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did creating it. It would not be possible if not for your choices made, so thank you for helping me create this wild sci-fi adventure! Keep on choosing and see where this story goes! Expedition Epsilon will return in 3 weeks after the next issues of Perthro: The Rune of Mystery and Trapped Within Darkness. Look out for the character sheet of Helios, coming out on Tuesday for paid subscribers! You could earn a free premium membership if your refer 3 people, and you will have access to the character sheets! I hope you have a great week, and as always — Choose Fiction!
Amazing! The monsters are extremely terrifying! I'm super excited to read more I really love the way the story is going so far !
Absolutely fantastic writing my dude. I was hearing the entire story in r.c. brays voice lol. Very intense and gripping story