Depth Charge - red earth

Chapter 24

Selena was panting hard as she let her passengers off at the concrete bunker that was the site that Victor had mentioned.

Find a ship. We have to leave.

To where?

Selena looked up towards the blue planet. My home!

But there is nothing there. No food, no life.

Oh, there is plenty of life, Ryan. Maybe not all the type we would hope to encounter, but maybe there is a chance.

A chance for what?

This alien species will not stand for what is about to unfold on this planet. They will unite for an all out assault on whatever is left of this galaxy.

You mean there are more?

Yes, and they will follow you back to Earth.

But, didn't you say it was already inhabited by deep sea creatures.

Yes, but that is part of my plan ... Selena did not sound too sure of herself.

Ryan took the time to relay the conversation to Becky and Jeremy.

"What other choice do we have," replied Becky. "this planet will be destroyed in a year at least."

"What if humans defeat the creatures?" asked Jeremy. "At least that would give us a year to develop the technology to travel somewhere safe and re-populate."

They won't succeed!

What about the weapon? asked Ryan.

It is not a weapon of destruction, Ryan. It is a weapon of mutation! Leonard found a way to accelerate the instinctual growth of creatures.

So what will happen?

The creatures will transform.

Into what?

Something worse!

"What about Alice, Greg and Stacey?" begged Becky.

"That's right," replied Ryan. "We are not leaving without our friends!"

Selena sighed. It was going to be tight. Very well! Get the ship ready and position it over the camp.

Where are you going?

To help your friends, Ryan. I can't guarantee anything ...

The other humans won't know you are helping ... they will kill you.

I've survived this long. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.

How will I find you?

You'll see me, I'll make it obvious. If you don't see me, then just leave.

Masses of creatures began emerging from everywhere. The humans fired their special blue blasts of plasma into them. The creatures hissed and shrieked, repelling at the contact with the substance. Irritated, they moved backwards, trying to force themselves back into the tunnels.

"It's working!" proclaimed Victor to Meghan. "It's working!" 

It was quiet for a while as the creatures recoiled. Everyone waited anxiously to see what happened next. After about 5 minutes, Victor sent a dozen or so personnel into the tunnels to wee what had happened.

As they crawled below, Victor was listening on the comms. "Status report?"

"It stinks down here."

"What do you see?"

"It's just a mass of black ... hard cocoon like substance."

Victor seemed surprised himself that it had worked, but glad just the same.

"Wait ..." the voice crackled through the comms. "Something's happening. There is some movement."

Victor could feel it himself, a deep rumbling below.

"Argggghhh!"

"Team, check in, report!"

One scream after another echoed through the comms. The ground trembled more.

"Oh, no!"

Very large sections of Mars surface lifted into the air. New and even more hideously fearsome beasts emerged from below; things they had never imagined - Dragons, dinosaurs, giant lizards - and of great size. 

Panic!

Selena darted through the chaos of screaming humans and attacking creatures. Bodies were flying everywhere as a dragon picked up bunches of humans and scattered them randomly. The armies fired their blasters in vain; the shots didn't even pierce the skin of these transformed beasts. She had to find Greg and the others, quickly!

After entering the bunker, Ryan walked over to most suitable ship; it was the only one left.

"What about supplies?" asked Becky

"Grab what you can, we don't have time to look much."

Jeremy walked over to a cabinet. The type of foods they had were long life and high energy. Just what was needed for space exploration.

Climbing aboard, they crossed their fingers that the technology was going to work. After flicking the appropriate switches, the command module lit up and a large door overhead began to separate, making room for the ship to launch.