[Teaser] By Duskfall
#13 of Sample/Teaser Stories
Through out Earth's history, there has been times when people and even entire civilizations has disappeared without a trace.
Some of these mysteries has been solved or at least explained to a degree.
Humanity wasn't the only ones who had such disappearances though.
The planet Dusk is one such planet that those that tried to tame the garden world had disappeared without a trace.
Those races that had tried to settle the planet now consider it a curse location and avoid the system entirely.
However, some can't help to be drawn in by the chance to unravel such mysteries and look for clues for the answers to the question of "What happened?"...
Well, we're back again for another horror story.
I wanted to do something for Halloween and well, my drawing drive is still nowhere to be found and I had an idea or two for a story to write.
I'd be lying if I said that this wasn't inspired by the fact that I've been watching a friend play the Metroid series on Twitch recently, which also included the new Metroid Dread.
Like my other story, Maiya Station Disaster, I'll be playing around with a few tropes and concepts,
but unlike the other story I have plans on only making this a short "one shot" story that I'm hoping to max out around 12 to 15k words
(We'll see what happens)
till then hope you enjoy this teaser.
"Any word from the people that we left here?" He asked.
"Nothing." Audie said as she checked the communications equipment. "Not a peep since we dropped them off three days ago."
"I don't like it." Their avian pilot chimed in with an annoyed click, a habit that he did with his beak when he was either irritated or nervios from something. "They knew the legends, same as us. They should have been in better contact, like they had promised to do."
"This world is cursed..." Asoan said as he also approached the canopy to look out at the landscape. "We should leave now and never come back."
"I second that." Trapoi said with another click of his beak. "We can be back in space in a minute if you give the word sir."
"No." The human captain said after a little thought. "We'll give them ten minutes. If they're not here or in contact within that time limit, then we'll take off. Not before." He turned and went back to his console and sat back down before muttering. "Those fools deserve at least that much."
The Lykain and Liunerthan exchanged looks before the wolf went back to his own station and the avian leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms out. The crew then fell into an eerie silence as they focused on their individual tasks. Tension grew as they waited for something to happen as five minutes passed in silence when a burst of static came across the ship's speakers, making everyone jump.
"What was that?"
"The comms!" Audie announced as she fidgeted with her controls. "Dad, Help." The elder Kingham didn't respond but began to work his magic on his own console. There was more static then slowly something more coherent could be heard over the interference.
"SS...97 Duti...athfind...this...7X Tri...er...known Hostile...taken...survey...request...diate evac... ETA...land...teen min...medi...ding...pon...ease..."
"Audie!"
"This is the Dutiful Pathfinder to survey team. Please repeat your last transmission. Over."
By this point, Asoan had gotten up and stood by the canopy again, looking over the landscape for any signs of life. Trapoi also got up and joined his wolf companion. It wasn't long before they spotted a dark shape stumbling out from among the ruined buildings.
"Captain!" Tripoli exclaimed as the wolf quickly left the bridge to go to the cargo hold.
When the Lykain got to the bottom of the stairs that deposited him into the hold, he quickly went to his locker and quickly got his fishbowl like helmet on and pressure sealed it to his head. He then went to another locker and entered his personal code that opened the door, giving him access to the custom rifle that he had bought. With all the mystery that fogged the planet's history, he wasn't taking any chances and slapped a large, dual battery into its slot. He primed the pulse rifle by cocking it as he went over to the ramp's controls. With a slap of a button the hydraulics to the outer door groaned to life as the ramp descended from the outside hull. He then made his way to the inner doors but instead of raising the garage like door in the center, he opted to use the smaller airlock on the side. Hoping that it would be safer to keep the planet's atmosphere outside of the ship. Taking a deep breath, Asoan opened the final barrier that separated him from the cursed planet. Stepping out of the airlock, he immediately brought his pulse rifle up into firing position and visually swept the area for potential hostials.