Parasites on a Distant Planet

DO: "Get geared up. We have five minutes till we reach our destination."
Kumo: "So you just want me to recover the black box correct?"
DO: "Yes. We got a strange distress single on a planet off the galaxy map."

He turns to the map table and presses the keypad showing a hologram of a Super Destroyer drifting away.

DO: "Looks as if they've been hit by unknown forces and crashed to the nearest planet off the system. The problem is that planet has been deemed uninhabitable and we haven't received any form of contact since then."
Kumo: "I'll see what I can do."

This wasn't a standard mission on an enemy planet so I hitched a ride with Pelican-1 to the planet below. It's a dense jungle with trees towering so high. It took a while till we finally pin-pointed the location of the crash site. A massive Super Destroyer half buried into the crust below. We land in a clearing nearby and I hop out of the Pelican while grabbing my gear. This planet was lively and full of nature, made me wonder why it was ever deemed uninhabitable.

Pelican-1: "Remember! The Democracy Officer stated to never remove your helmet under any circumstances!"
Kumo: "I hear you loud and clear!"

I wave him goodbye as he flies back to the Super Destroyer. Walking towards the wreckage I finally find the doors and use my strength to push it open. The ship even if wrecked still seemed functionable to do basic mechanics. Although is was oddly eerie. I grab my Liberator and turn on it's flashlight as I make my way down the halls.

My footsteps echo around the halls. The closer I get to the Command Deck the more bloody the site seems. Corpses of technicians and Helldivers are found either skewered or shot by what seems to be from our own weapons.

Kumo: "Friendly fire? Chaosdivers maybe? Or dissidents?"

I examine the corpse of the Helldiver and turn it's body around so he laid on his back. My eyes widen in horror as I see how mutilated his corpse got. It's as if whatever killed him started from the inside. The helmet was cracked open as well. Suddenly I hear sounds of rapid footsteps. Another sound in the hallways sounding slimy and vile. I grab my Liberator and flash my light down the hallway only to see what looked like a tentacle hurrying to hide around the corner. A noise behind me catches my attention as the Helldiver corpse I originally found was suddenly dragged away. All that was left was the trail of blood that was left behind.

I swallow the fear down my throat and cautiously walk forward, Liberator aimed high. Following the trail into a room I find the Helldiver sitting down against the wall with his head slumped downwards. I slowly walk towards the corpse until suddenly the door behind me shuts close. I turn around to inspect the door hurrying to the keypad to work it until I hear a slimy noise behind me. The corpse suddenly stands up, it's bones breaking as if it was a zombie reanimating from the dead.

Kumo: "What the hell..."

I aim my gun down at him and begin shooting down the corpse till my mag ran empty. The body slumped back down but began to shake violently. Terror filled my eyes as multiple tentacles shot out of his head splitting it wide open. The body rose up but now held by multiple tentacles like an octopus. One of the tentacles slowly rose up and pierced forward but I narrowly dived out of the way just in time. The force from that strike was enough to break down the door and I used it as my chance to run out the room.

What was once a quiet destroyer is now filled with sounds of life. Screeches that resembled Terminids but sounded distorted filled the halls.

Kumo: "Was that an Impaler mixed with a Helldiver? This must've been the spores around this planet I was warned about."

I run down the halls as quickly as I can but the screeches kept on getting louder. Seeing a vent to the side I quickly dive down and use my knife to pry it open. Jumping inside I close the vent and keep quiet. My heart was beating loudly like a jackhammer. Every one of my senses was on fire. This was nothing like I had experienced before, far from it. Through the tiny slits of the vent I make out more corpses slowly walking through the hallway. One had claws of a Warrior. Others had the fins of a Hunter or a grotesque body of a Bile Spewer. The spores on this planet seemed to have caused the bugs to invade the bodies of the Humans on this ship. Once the coast was clear I finally left the vents and head down to the Command Deck.

I stealthily take down a few abominations in the Command Deck. Most were just poor technicians and SEAF soldiers. Walking down to the hatch I press my thumb against the scanner and the Black Box was revealed. I place the Black Box into my backpack and make my way towards the exit of the room. Although I was met with the heavy sounds of thumping. Thinking fast I shut the door and press myself against the wall to my right.

However the door got blasted down to the ground followed by the distorted roars of a Charger mixed with a Helldiver. It had a massive hulking right arm and armored legs. I grit my teeth and open fire at its face but it blocked my shots with its arm. The Charger roared and ran forwards smacking me to the opposite wall. I groan in pain dazed from the impact but rolled just in time before it smashed its arm into the ground which would've turned my head into a fine paste. Seeing that the Charger was stuck I use this as my chance to run away.

Sounds of shots from my Talon ring through the halls as I kill any amalgamation in my way. Diving under a mixture of bile and blood being spit at me. Shooting down any Warriors or Hunters before their claws could slice at me. I was in a state of panic and raw adrenaline. I continue sprinting down the halls till I finally find my exit. By pure luck I managed to run outside just in time and slam the door shut before any of my vile pursuers can get me.

Extract. The only thing that was ringing through my mind. I input the stratagem code to call for an extract and slide down on the dirt and position myself facing the wreckage while I await for my Pelican. The sounds of the jungle were loud, at least until I steadied my breath. Then it was quiet, almost too quiet. All I could hear was my short breaths and the slight wind brushing through the trees.

Then there it was. The sounds of growls, of hisses, of tyranny. A sound I knew all too well. Luckily I was prepared. I detach the scope on my Liberator and place an experimental one on top.

Kumo: "Atlas was the one with the idea for this. Let's see how it works."

Pressing a knob on the top the scope came to life and switched to thermal. I press the scope up to my face and just as if it's on cue figures resembling Stalkers sprinting their way towards me. Some were combined together with Helldivers, some with technicians and other soldiers. Wings sprung from their bodies and arms replaced with their claws. Tongues dangle down from their chins and their heads jerked around wildly.

I start firing wildly aimed at each one of their heads. The screeches they made until they retreated sent shivers down my spine. Then drool dripped down to my arm. I quickly dived forward and turned around to see a tall and stretched out corpse of a Helldiver towering over me. Its body was split open and limbs replaced with the legs of Bile Titan. I screamed in horror and narrowly jumped away before it pierced me. I shot wildly at it but all I can focus on is the lifeless eyes of the Helldiver peering into my soul.

Suddenly the body bursts and splits in half from the shots of the Pelican. My escape is finally here. Pelican-1 yells into my radio.

Pelican-1: "Let's go! Super Earth just decided to glass this planet not too long ago!"

The Pelican swoops down with the backdoor open. I throw the black box inside and jumped in. I scramble to my feet and bang the door signaling us to leave. Before the backdoor closes I see the sight of Super Destroyers entering orbit and immediately begin multiple orbital lasers on the planet turning everything into ash. I look back at the wreckage as we fly away and close my eyes knowing that the people who died there can finally be put to rest.

DO: "We thank you for your service. Just remember that this mission shall forever remained classified."

He turns around to observe the burning planet. He turned slightly towards me and nods slowly.

DO: "Because you returned the black box and because you're my friend I decided to omit your files about this mission as well. You were never part of this and will not be penalized because of it."

I nod in gratitude and salute.

Kumo: "I won't forget what you've done for me."

DO: "Take care my friend."

He walks towards me to pat my shoulder then walks outside the room to meet two Truth Enforcers who escort him away. I give him one last look then turn away.