Along The Darkside of the Moon Chapter One: What Lurks in Darkness
Along the Dark side of the Moon Chapter One: What Lurks in Darkness.
Story and Characters © Michael .B ( Max The Wolf [YS] LT_Max_W_Charger [FA] )
Disclaimer is here for the fun of it again...YAY!!! No one to read this unless your 17,18, or 21 blah blah blah...ya know? Well onto the story my cretons.
( Authors Note: I started writing this out on paper when I lost power and such back last years and did this by Lamp light...and now I shall type it down here for all you to see...maybe if ya like it I can publish this thing. )
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Story Theme: Unknown Soldier - Breaking Benjamin
Ace's Theme: Themata - Karnivool
Crystals Theme: The Diary of Jane - Breaking Benjamin
Ending Theme: Zero Signal - Fear Factory
Story started: 7-19-2009 Finished: 11-29-2009
Prelude: Darkness is something most people fear, because they can't understand the most common factor that they are not alone in the vast amount of space.
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As the years passed by, vast changes on the field of scientific and military engineering. Drifting through the vacuum of space, a Amber Clad military ship drifted through the empty darkness. The soft shine of the stars lit up the side of the ship, reflecting off the soft gray metal that acted as its armor coating.
"I need a status report." the captain spoke up over the voices of the crew in the control room, the captain was a middle aged man, standing at six foot four inches tall, his emerald green eyes scanning over the room.
"We are running at half power sir." one of the workers said while looking up to the captain before returning to his work watching the ships engines status.
Slowly the captain gave a slight nod, then spoke once more. "Well get us full power...I don't want to be a easy target for any hostiles out there."
"Yes, Sir."
Slowly he walked away, back out into the hall, moving slowly to the bridge...giving slight nods to a few of the crew as he walked by. Soon he made it to the bridge, looking about the room before he walked up to the navigator. "Any ideas on where we are Tina?"
Slowly the young malamute looked back to the captain, her fur was a snow white with black stripes, her eyes a deep crystal blue and brown mix. Slowly she shook her head before looking back to the control panel in front of her. "No, sir...I can't find any markings or beacons out here anywhere. All I can say is that this is uncharted space." she said with a somewhat disappointed tone. Slowly she turned around once more to look to the captain. "Sir...what are we going to do with "Him"?" she spoke softly, referring to the Cryo pod down in the science lab.
The captain gave a slight shrug. "I don't know. Crystal had taken a interest in our guest. I'll let her decide."
Tina gave a nod before her console started beeping, pulling her attention back to the grid screen, tapping at a few keys before she spoke in a near whisper. "Sir...you need to see this."
"Put it on screen." the captain replied while looking to a large display screen near the 2D halo map. Tina gave a nod pressing a button, soon the screen lit up showing a black hole vortex open up behind the ship just before swarms of small slipstream fighters emerged from the vortex, followed by a large capital ship.
"Shit...how did they find us so fast?" he growled slightly before the whole ship rocked slightly from the impact of a maverick missile.
"Seams they want him back." Tina replied as she held onto the corner of the console just as it chimed in from the control room.
"Sir...We lost the Orbital Guns." spoke one of the workers before a hail of missiles slammed into the ship, one of the attacks getting a lucky hit and breaching the ships armor.
"SIR!" came the voice from another over on the other side of the bridge.
"We have a hull breach in sector B4 near the lab!"
The captain looked over with a nod. "Evacuate that area and seal it off!" he then moved to a wall mounted com system and hit a button "Crystal, do what you can and get that pod down to the escape platform...we're sending you someplace safe." he looked to Tina who gave a nod.
"I got just the place...a planet not far away...on the other side of the moon that is below us." Tina spoke softly.
"But what about you and the ship sir?" spoke a voice from the com.
"We'll be there after we deal with this problem...the enemy can not get back what is inside that pod." the captain replied.
Down in the Lab a young she-wolf was packing away some medical gear away in a case, before picking up a PDA and walking over to a group of guards who was loading a large Cryo pod upon a hover lift. Her fur was a deep snow white, her eyes a lovely pools of amber.
"You ready, Doctor?" one of the guards asked.
Crystal gave a nod while adjusting the strap of the case. "Lets go." she then followed the armed escort down the halls, to the escape pods that waited for others who would be coming. Once she was onboard with the Cryo pod, the doors sealed shut and launched the small escape craft into space at a blistering speed, sling-shooting the moon and streaking toward a large planet that rested on the other side. Once breaching the planets atmosphere it turned into a fireball streaking through the clouds and toward the ground below, and to slow down the rate of speed, four large metal panels sprung out from behind the ship, straining to slow it down before they all snapped off from the force, and the speed, sending the ship slamming into the ground and leaving a deep trench in its wake until it came to a stop under a grove of tall trees.
When Crystal slowly came too she slowly opened her eyes, looking up at the night sky that shown down upon her with millions of stars. Soon the smell of smoke reached her nose, causing her to look over to the side where she saw a small fire burning while a long stick rested upon another holding some kind of meat above the flames.
"Ugh...my head is killing me."
"That's what happens when you drop out of near mach three in under a second."
Hearing the voice, she looked past the flames to the damaged escape pod. A large shadow stood near by before it moved closer, the flames of the fire soon illuminating the owner of the voice...a tall male wolf. He stood near six foot, silver gray fur, deep sea green eyes and a slight scar down the right side of his face, over his eye.
As soon as she saw him, she looked to the side noticing the Cryo pod had opened, and doing the math quickly in her head she learned that he was the one inside it.
"Who are you?" she asked softly.
"Me? My names Ace." he replied while walking toward her, a first-aid kit in one paw, only to stop when she started to back away. He sighed softly. "That cut will get infected if you don't let me treat it right."
Slowly Crystal reached up, touching the throbbing spot on her head only to whimper softly as a jolt of pain shot through her head. Upon lowering her paw Ace walked over, kneeling down while opening the medic kit and digging around among the bandages and other supplies before he reached up slowly. "This might sting a bit..." he warned her while placing the small alcohol pad to the small cut just to the front of her ear. Upon feeling the pad touch, the she-wolf gave a soft whine, her paws curling into fists before she gave a shaky sigh.
"My names Crystal...I'm a...." she was cut off when Ace spoke up.
"You're a top notch Medical and Scientific researcher...Four Awards for finding the CKL-29 cell that now fuels half, if not all of the Marine core ships. A PHD in both Science and Medicine...Designer of the Biological Regenerator to re-grow dismembered body parts." he smiled while applying a bandage to her head.
"How did you know all of that?" she slowly looked to him.
"I saw your PDA.."
"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, her amber eyes wide with shock that some stranger just went through her stuff. To her it was like he rummaged through her underwear drawer.
Slowly he shook his head with a soft smile.
"Only the stuff that wasn't personal. I have that much respect for some one I don't know."
Slowly Crystal gave a soft nod, not totally happy...but at least he gave her a straight answer. Soon her stomach gave a slight growl, causing her to blush softly, the inside of her ears turning scarlet red, and her cheeks turning a soft pink color through the white fur.
Giving a slight snicker, he moved to the fire, pulling a piece of meat from the stick and tossing it over to her. Crystal caught the meat with one paw before she softly tossed it between one paw and the other until it cooled down enough to be held for a while. She watched him stand by the fire with his own piece of meat before speaking up softly.
"What about you? Who are you, and where did you come from?"
Slowly he turned his head to look at her, his ears flicking slightly. "Me? I'm a Marine Core grunt. Sergeant Ace Heart. My group used to call me "Ace of Hearts" because I was a hit with the ladies but eh...I guess that part don't matter much any more." he snickered softly before shaking his head. "The ship I was on was attacked while in route to a training detachment and I am guessing that it was the Kavel."
"How'd you get that scar?"
Slowly he looked back to her once more. "I got it in training. I took a turn, and hit a lose rock that jammed up the front left tire and sent the Warthog I was driving, over and I got clipped by the Gus cannon that was in back."
"Warthog? Are you talking about the LAV?" she spoke up softly. The LAV was a Light Assault Vehicle that carried three troopers...one driver, and two passengers...one in the passenger seat and one in the back to operate a 20mm chain gun or a large single barrel Gus Cannon.
"Yeah. Its standard for all Marine Core ships to have a good sized line up of the LAV and Tanks." he slowly ran a finger over the long scar before shrugging. Soon they both looked up when a loud rumbling sound filled the air. The command ship flew overhead with a trail of fire behind it before it disappeared behind a group of mountains.
"That's the command ship...we have to go!" Crystal said while standing up, only to become light headed and fall backwards into Aces arms as he held her up.
"You're in no shape to go hiking god knows how far to them mountains and besides...its stupid to head out at night in unfamiliar territory. We'll go first light...I promise." he spoke softly before looking down at her only to see that she had passed out.
Slowly he moved her to the fire and laid her down before looking toward the mountains, his eyes scanning over the darkness.
Above the planet a large golden ship hovered silently in the vacuum of space as slip fighters streaked all around it while drop-ships took off from the hanger bays. Standing silently in the control room a tall menacing figure stood, looking out the window over looking the bay. His body covered in a solid blue skin that mocked the texture of rubber, and upon that was layers of beautifully crafted armor that shined a royal blue and silver trim.
"Do we need to really go after him Commander Juval?"
Slowly Juval turned around, looking down upon a smaller figure, standing only four foot tall, gray skin and crude but effective orange armor and a breathing mask upon its face...Beady black eyes looking up timidly to its Commanding Officer. Soon the Grunt was sent flying backwards and into the wall when Juval's large boot connected with its chest. "Of coarse we do, and best you remember not to question my command, Cer!"
Soon a voice came from behind Juval...thick with royalty. "Have you located the cargo?"
Slowly Juval turned around to look at the holographic form of a elderly looking person sitting in a lavishly designed chair, sided by two others that looked almost the same. Gray, wrinkled skin, yellow eyes, and long, boney like fingers.
"Yes, we are sending troops down to the planet as we speak...the command ship has went down but not before releasing a escape pod...we will check out both areas..." Juval replied.
"Good...I want the beast returned...and kill all of those who stand in your way..."
"Yes, Elder." Juval spoke softly before the holographic display disappeared.
"Lets go."
Cer was slowly standing up from his spot upon the floor, shaking his head slightly before looking up to Juval with a puzzled look. "Go where?" soon he gave a squeak of surprise when Juval growled, looking down upon him with a hateful glare. Soon realizing just "where" they was going. "OH, there! Yes, sir.!" he replied before running off down the hall as Juval shook his head.
"Damn grunts...Useless is what they are." he muttered to himself as he walked down the hall to get ready to leave for the planet below.
When Crystal woke up, she noticed that she was being carried on Ace's back...the strap of the Medical kit was around his neck, and a nickel plated .45 handgun tucked between his belt. She sighed softly, holding on to him in a dream like state while taking in his scent...soon when he stopped walking; she looked up to see they was at the base of the mountains, the peaks covered with snow.
"Well...it'd take a week to get to the top...you ready?" Ace spoke softly, before he felt the she-wolfs paw touch his cheek, turning his head to the left as she pointed to a opening in the rock wall, almost hidden.
"What about that? Think it could go all the way through?"
"It wouldn't hurt to see...even if not, we know we have to go on the other side." he replied as Crystal slipped down off his back, stepping beside him slightly. "Okay...lets go." he gave a nod, walking off toward the cave entrance, stepping into a long beautifully crafted tunnel; the walls was smooth as glass, even the floor, seaming like ice...something dream like. After a little bit of time, they had emerged into a large open room...the roof seaming to be at least two hundred feet high, held up by large metal pillars. All around the room was power generators and other high end equipment. They came to a stop when the ground gave way to a sharp drop into a deep hole that spanned the width of the area. Ace peered carefully over the edge before he nudged a small rock off the side. He waited silently for the sound of it to hit bottom, but even with his acute sense of hearing, there was nothing.
"So...what do we do now?" Crystal asked, walking up behind him as he looked back slightly with a shrug.
"Don't fall down the hole..." he looked back to the other side and tilted his head before looking around slowly, looking for another way across. "There has to be another way." he then spotted what he needed...a small control panel on a platform that overlooked the pit. "I think I found the controls. Maybe it will lower a bridge or open another door." he spoke while walking to the small closed in ramp that led to the small platform...he then looked at the glowing, halo graphic keys, before pressing one...then a loud click echoed in the still air before the sound of metal moving was heard, soon four large metal beams moved out from the sides of the hole; two on each side, holding four large control systems...and once the beams stopped moving, a soft glow came from the control boxes, causing a blue energy field to form a bridge to the other side.
Crystal watched in awe at how sophisticated the place worked. She then turned around when Ace came back toward her, she then saw something move in the shadows, it looked like a long branch...but what branch ended in blade like claws.?
"There's something in the shadows." she spoke softly once he had gotten close to her, watching as he gave a soft nod.
"I know...there are three of them as I can count...maybe four...move slowly across the bridge, and when I tell you to...I want you to run to the other side." he scanned the other side of the pit for any movement, figuring that the creatures had to be only on there side. Crystal gave a nod, moving along the bridge with him following behind her, soon a loud growling hiss came from behind them. "RUN!" he yelled, turning to attack. When she had gotten to the other side, she turned around to see Ace backing his way toward her, as he fired into the darkness and for one spit second...her mind couldn't decide if it wanted to trust what her eyes saw or not. The muzzle flash had illuminated one of the attacking creatures to revel it was a large spider; about the size of a full grown cow. Soon a stray round from the .45 hit a power cell causing it to glow brightly, then explode shortly after; sending out fire and shrapnel in all directions. Ace made a run for the other side, leaving the oversized grenade take care of the attackers, but soon another power cell went off sending out a new wave of burning metal right toward him and Crystal...he then tackled her to the floor, both of them sliding across the slick, ice like rock as burning metal, and rock fell down around them. Slowly she looked up at him with shocked and still somewhat dumbfounded eyes before she blinked.
"Uh...Thank you." she blushed, causing Ace to laugh softly.
"It's no problem. Come on...lets get going before more of them show up." he replied as he stood up, taking her paw softly and lifting her to her feet. They then both started off down the next path, hoping that things would go smoothly from there on out but little did they know...they would soon have to fight for there very survival.
(To Be Continued)
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Another Lag I am doing...I'm still working on the others but I donno when I will get them all done...I have these damn spurt of the moment ideas and such and it never complies with what I have in the works as it is...do forgive me.
Comments, Faves, Watches and votes are welcome...Please enjoy.