FSE

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Across the desert of dried up planets were the scars of the battle that took place overhead. The dry plants had quickly taken flame and burned black when a piece of debris had fallen anywhere near it. Pieces of the hull of the massive cluster of ships were in the middle of the largest scorched areas, and each area was the size of a building. The blazed burned out quickly despite the high oxygen levels, due to the lack of a more solid fuel.

Armored and armed stood the wolf upon the crest of a short hill. Over the ruined landscape, there were no signs of other battles than the fireballs that fell from orbit.

In the wreckage, there was no sign of life either it be the animals that inhabited the world or the aliens of the Velmarians or Creepers. A month had passed and the fires left their mark, making the developing desert barren. Somewhere amongst this broken world was the remains of a shelter city, also predicted to have been consumed by the Creepers.

Redding was upset being back at this planet when they've already searched and destroyed the ruins that were still orbiting above. Not to mention he was on leave for a day before the agent called him back to the shipyard. He only had time to enjoy his home planet for a few hours.

"Welcome back, Calvin," Dr. Wilma had greeted him back at the general living quarters. "Where have you been? There's been a lot of interesting reports I've heard about alien races. You didn't have anything to do with that mission, did you?"

Redding smiled in reply, sitting in his own room. He enjoyed the months prior to his reassignment to Drach'n Fury because Dr. Wilma's missions always required them going out to secluded bases and out in the wilderness. The secret missions, the life-threatening struggles and the killings all melted away out where life was so simple for the forest inhabitants.

Dr. Wilma smiled back before opening a large case that she had brought with her. "Remember the weapon I was developing? I've finally was able to make it perfect. No matter how many variables were found and corrected, the best and most accurate tool is always the wielder."

She gave the weapon to the wolf. Redding inspected it and noticed dozens of small differences in the prototype rifle he used last year. He glanced back up at her and smirked.

"I thought you'd want to try it out," responded the tigress. She stood from her seat. "The drive will be long but there's plenty of sunshine left in the day."

Even the drive out was far more pleasant than the cramped quarters and white walls of the Drach'n Fury. The weather was not in their favor with a dull rain that accompanied them through the majority of the drive once they were out of the main cities.

Captain Redding remembered that he had preferred the sun then, but now with the blazing hot sun above him, he wished it would rain. The armored suit he wore now kept him cool but even through that he could feel this planet's unnatural heat. Everything was dry and brittle, even the plants that weren't turned to ash, fractured to dust if his armored boot fell upon it.

The rain had stopped and left everything damped but Redding was used to the uncomfortable state of lying in the mud far out from the city. Through the scope he patiently watched, his vision impaired by the mist that still hung in the air. With a depth perception visual enhancement, the mist did little to hinder his vision.

Through trees, wisps and smoke, over two kilometers away a small snap echoed from a hole punctured through the plastic target. The same way it pierced through the flesh of the figure standing watch at the ruined shelter city. The silhouette fell to the ground, and no alarm was raised.

Redding had long ago learned to not regret the actions he is required to take. Even if there were survivors, the risk of infection is too great, one that the Intelligence agent made all too clear.

"Impressive shot."

Looking back over his shoulder, his chest still in the mud, Redding saw the dark figure of Natasha emerging from the foliage and shadows.

"You again?" remarked Dr. Wilma, shocked by the unwelcome presence. "What do you want?"

"Captain Redding, I need to speak to you."

"You have no right," said the tigress, turning her attention fully on the other feline. "He's on leave."

"Dr. Wilma, you're commissioned to make weapons for the military," commented Natasha, a glare quickly piercing through her. "I suggest you do stick to that."

The tigress teeth were clenched, locking her tongue behind. Redding obliged, but he had already known that he wouldn't like what this agent had to say. Natasha led the wolf through the foliage for more than a few steps, to ensure that Dr. Wilma wouldn't be eavesdropping.

"Normally I'd have the Vice Admiral relay orders to you while we're on the planet but the situation is getting more serious than we originally thought," she started. Captain Redding had no choice but to continue to listen. "We've accelerated all of our productions. Our other assets are busy but the probe we have over the planet with that cluster of ships has detected strange behavior of the Velmarian survivors."

News of survivors was strange enough, but Redding couldn't only conclude that they were infested if there were still bodies to infest.

"We haven't seen any signs of infestation," continued Natasha, assuming Redding's conclusion. "There's no attempt to rebuild, no attempt to salvage food or water and no interactions between the survivors. The assumption is that the survivors are studying the Creeper race in some underground facility. If that is true, they risk feeding the parasite and giving them a staging point to launch an invasion. We need you to go in and investigate the ruins."

Now Redding was doing just that, investigating the Velmarians and placing them on the other end of his scopes once again. The few shot down still didn't sound off any alarm but Redding still stayed clear of the areas while he snuck through the shelters searching for an entrance into any underground facility.

There was nothing. The bodies looked no different at first glance but Redding didn't waste any time studying them before returning to the center of the shelter city, where a well was dug into the ground. With a quick glance down the shaft, Redding froze at the sound of a chuckle. He spun around, weapon raised and stared into the young hatchling that Yukiomaru killed on the ship overhead.

"We're not what you think," said the hatchling. All of its wounds were missing but the clothes it wore were the same.

Redding slowly squeezed the trigger, aimed directly at the hatchling's head. Yukiomaru put his spear through the throat of this creature, several dozen kilometers above the surface, and then destroyed the vessel.

"You can kill me again," the hatchling continued. "It will change nothing."

The wolf was able to view the hatchling closer through his visor and noticed that his eyes were glazed over in a pale green. He's still infected but also speaking.

"It takes a while for us to develop like this, if the body is in good condition," said the Creeper. "Our Generals, like the one you call Aggressor, are significantly smarter than us."

A thousand questions went through his mind but Redding lacked the ability to communicate them to this creature. When the Creeper hesitated, Redding knew it was waiting for him to respond.

It laughed again. From the alleyways of the shelters came other creatures, with the botanical vines and flowers sprouting from their body.

"You explored beyond your planet," said the green-eyed creature. "You've found our enemies and distracted them. Now we've broken through the blockade. Your civilization and ships will make a fine addition to our own strength."

A beeping sound alerted inside Redding's helmet but he ignored it. He knew that he was surrounded.

"I was lucky to have been born since you only tried to kill me twice. Now Aggressor will come and claim your planets. Congratulations on seeing me. Few have seen our kind but none have lived to tell about it."

The obviously infested all moved at once and jumped at the armored wolf. He fired several rounds into the nearest leaping Creeper but was hit from behind and fell to the dust. Through the dust and the bodies piling on top of him, he saw the hatchling smile and turn to leave.

The stress on his armor began to screech and press against his fur. Redding pushed himself up, despite the bodies on him and fought off the Creepers but there was no end to them. Through the struggle, the screaming sound of an object falling to the ground overwhelmed everything else.

With the ground shaking, fires blossomed among the shelters with the flames washing over Redding and all the infected bodies over his body.

Armored, he suffered no damage but his armor was overheating quickly. With the distraction, he was able to fight off the remaining creatures and bring his weapon back up. Blood sprayed from the infected where they were pierced by Redding's shots.

"Captain Redding," Yukiomaru's voice came over his suits speakers. "A ship is inbound to pick you up. Prepare to leave immediately."

It didn't take long for the fires to burn down and Redding was able to slay several of the infected creatures but there was no sign of the infested hatchling. Immunities screamed overhead, blasting apart the city.

Several minutes later, Redding was able escape the city and the planet. Once the atmosphere no longer hindered his vision, the wolf was able to see Drach'n Fury, accompanied by Drach'n Breath, Drach'n Fang, Drach'n Claw, and another dozen capital ships.

"A Creeper advance wave has been detected approaching the Black Line," Yukiomaru said, his voice echoing over the fleet. "We're rendezvousing with the 'Guardian' fleet, the alien race of the ambassador Velsh'nark. General Vale will have command of our fleets to defend the black holes that form the Black Line. Estimated time to the battle is two weeks."