Something skitters in the dark...

On the bridge of the Northern Winds, Captain Huron stood at the very centre of the control room. His feet poised, his posture straight, he tugged to straighten his uniform coat with his free hand as the other held a ceramic dish, hot tea wisping a thin trail of steam while a tag hung idly at the edge of the small elegant cup. Behind him two navigators kept watch on the gravitational eddies the binary star generated, their orbit constantly supervised as they maintained a vigil over the grey moon orbiting the massive gas giant furthest from the two competing stars. To his left sitting by a display screen and cupping a microphone to her ear, the communications officer continued to reach the outpost on the surface of the planet, asking for any kind of response from the dark grey orb being displayed on the wide LCD screen hanging at the front wall of the bridge. Bobbing the tiny bag in the cup before carefully setting it at the edge of his dish, the Captain sipped at his tea in hand while he stared at the sight, the high definition screen offering a near 3 dimensional image of the gas giant and its sole surviving natural satellite.

Caliban

Aligning with the roiling orange gas giant behind it as it blocked out the blue-red light from its twin stars, the image was not unlike a red lidless eye staring back at him. Its baleful glare piercing through the screen to stare into the aged and weathered captain. With another delicate sip of his tea Captain Jacob Huron stared back, unblinking, uncaring as he slowly turned back to the woman at his left. “Is there any progress with the connection ensign?” Turning to her commanding officer the young helmsman nodded as she set the controls to the matching frequency. “I believe so sir, making the connection... Now.” With the image of the planet switching off the screen, the display blurred as static cleared and re-tuned. A fuzzy image of a man's face coming into focus as the white noise smoothed out into audible sounds. “Northern Winds? This is team leader Harold Clover captain, we've managed to secure the outpost on the planet.” Setting his tea down on the control consul the captain stepped forward to address his chief of security on the screen. “What do you have to report chief? What is the condition of the outpost's crew?”

“Sir the outpost is deserted, there's no one here, we've gone over the entire complex and reviewed the data logs of the staff stationed here. There is no evidence of any kind hinting to where they had gone or the reasons for their absence, they're just... Gone Sir.” Narrowing his eyes at the report, the grey haired captain leaned closer, reading the facial expressions of his chief down on the planet. “Thirty people do not simply disappear Mr. Clover, tell me every detail of your findings.” Losing sight of the man for a brief moment Chief Clover returned to the screen with a series of reports in hand, switching between data slates as he read the findings from his men. “After checking all six habitat domes we found the outpost to be completely empty. If they had been killed in some way then it wasn't here, there's no evidence of a conflict or struggle of any kind nor are there any bodies to identify. If anything we found several pieces of equipment abandoned in mid use, food left out and decomposing on tables as well as personal quarters left open with clothing on the floor. It's as if the whole crew just up and vanished Captain Huron.”

Taking a slow deep breath through his nose the old man nodded before looking back at the screen. “Chief Clover I want you to remain on the planet for now and keep searching for the missing personnel, I will contact you again in 6 hours, over and out.” Switching the feed off, Captain Huron retrieved his tea cup off the consul and took another sip. Switching the feed back to the display of the planet, he took another sip as Caliban once again stared back at him. “Sir?” Questioned the helmsman as she turned to address her captain. “How could an entire outpost just vanish like that? I mean thirty people...” Looking over to the confused woman as she sat by the communication's consul controls, the captain remained standing as he answered. “Helmsman Jules people DO NOT just vanish, if there are no bodies then they are not dead, if there are no signs of a struggle then they are unharmed, and if they are NOT in the outpost then they are somewhere else.” Nodding from the aloof response the woman turned back to her post and continued her task managing telecommunications. A single wary thought gnawed away at the back of her mind. If they are not in the outpost then where are they now?

***

Clicking off the screen and leaning back in his chair, Chief Clover sighed as he placed the data sheets on the table in front of him. Rubbing the bridge of his nose he looked over to the two red jacketed engineers as they put away their tools and equipment after repairing the comm-hub. The communications dome connecting to the rest of the outpost was the smallest of the linked structures, barely 20 meters in diameter the space was cramped with databanks and computers. A pair of chairs sat in front of screens and controls linking the dome to a massive satellite array outside, perched right on top of the roof as the thing turned and aimed up into the night sky where the Northern Winds orbited high above. “I bet you two are itching to head back to medical and see how Susan's doing huh?”

Taking his red cap off to wipe his sweat soaked hair, Jake Blair nodded as Mary Osprey stood up from putting her equipment back, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder in agreement. “We've been pretty worried since medical took her in Sir, after her fainting in storage it's all we've been thinking about.” Seeing the two look longingly back at him the man smirked before nodding back at the two workers. “Well... Since we know this place is still in working order and thanks to the both of you everything is recharged and refuelled, you can go ahead and visit her, the rest of the hard work is with me and my security team now.” Giving their shared thanks Jake and Mary left the communications dome, crossing the automated doors as they practically jogged down the corridor to the medical bay. Looking back at the reports at the table Harold Clover sighed shaking his head as he tried to make sense of the information at his fingertips, or more accurately lack of information. “Just where did you dirt squatters run off to anyway? It's not like there's a beach resort down here.”

Minutes after weaving through the corridors to the medical dome both engineers slowed down as they walked through the sliding doors. Stepping into the wide space of the medical and research complex both Looked over to where they saw Susan last, she had been moved over to one of the beds at the wall, her bunk cordoned off by curtains as an IV drip fed into her wrist. A small screen anchored to the wall above the bunk showed her vitals as the frail woman slept. Stepping up from her chair to see the two visitors Dr. Faust smiled as she welcomed Jake and Mary, “Well hello you two, checking in on your friend? She's still in a coma but she's stable, I've been monitoring her for the last six hours.” Moving over on her swivel chair the young physician gave room for both engineers to join her at the table. “But THIS you've got to see...” Gesturing the two over to look at her work, Mary cringed as she turned away from the metal pan where the creature that had bitten her friend laid on its back, splayed open with pins while being dissected.

It was the size of a baseball, with six segmented legs and a pair of stubby claws it didn't seem dangerous at all, with its creamy white shell and round black eyes it almost seemed cute. If not for what it did to their friend laying on the bed at the wall. “W-what is it doc? Some kind of a bug or crab?” Wondered Jake as he looked closer to the open shell and blue flesh of the dead thing. “I have absolutely no idea, its anatomy doesn't make any sense to me.” Sliding a data sheet over to the man he squinted as he tried to understand what he was looking at, a digital x-ray of the animal's insides were mapped out on the screen with information tabs pointing at key areas of its anatomy. “Do you see the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys and reproductive organs? Because I sure as hell don't!” Taking the slate back from the confused man, Dr. Faust pointed back to the dead creature. “From what I can tell this thing's only function is to walk around and drop dead once its fatty reserves are depleted. Well... That and sting engineers in the hand.”

Pressing her thumb on an exposed organ inside its shell the small mouth parts opened to reveal a sharp tongue or stinger sticking out over 2 inches from its body. “I found a gland that produced a strange kind of venom connected to this proboscis, I'm having it analyzed and to be safe I've pumped Susan's bloodstream with a polyvalent anti-toxin we have with us. Whether it works or not will tell soon.” Looking back at his friend he saw Mary stepping up to the bed and hold Susan's pale hand, worry written on her face as her blue and green eyes looked at the bandaged palm. “So... What was your name again? You kind of shot me down when we were landing.” Smirking up at the man as he smiled back, the young doctor stood up and pulled his cap down to his nose before walking over to Susan's side to check her vitals. “It's Melisa, and sorry to disappoint you but right now the little guy on the table is more interesting to me than you are.” Shrugging her shoulders as Mary giggled beside her Jake rolled his eyes as he reset his hat. “Yeah yeah workaholic, I get it... Hey wasn't there another doctors here? Where's the other guy?”

***

Curious to see what was still fresh and available Dr. Jennings had made his way down the corridors to the cafeteria dome at the centre of the complex. While there the only things he could find were coffee containers and a few condiments in refrigeration. Checking the cupboards while on his knees he winced as his legs cramped from being in such a position for so long. Until it dawned on him, snapping his fingers in the process, he stood up with a huff and made his was back out to storage. Walking down the wide corridors he peered through the plexi-glass windows looking out into the black and grey desert outside. The orange gas giant was ever present as it took up more than a third of the night sky, tiny eddies and storms could be made out on its surface as a ring of stone and ice formed around its rotating equator. The desert itself was smooth like water, an obsidian ocean that stood calm and serene, with small sand banks moving with the fading wind storm outside.

Heading up to the sealed door to the storage dome, the doctor clicked the side control to open its doors and steeled himself for the chill in the air rushing out. Stepping inside he rubbed his hands over his arms to keep warm, looking over to the stacks of crates and cylinders that lined the fifty meter dome like a warehouse. Moving his way through the rows of containers he read off the labels marking the contents of the boxes, moving through spare parts, equipment and batteries before heading into the foods and perishables. “All this for some fucking food...” Finally finding the shelf with stocked goods for the cafeteria Dr. Jennings picked up a small cylinder of granulated sugar and stopped when he heard a strange clicking in the distance, the sounds of shuffling containers being kicked around at the far end of the dome. “Hello? Anyone there?” Setting the sugar down on the shelf he tightened his jacket over his shoulders to keep warm and stepped out of the aisle of shelves to find the source of the clicking. The noise getting louder as he passed the many rows of crates and containers until he rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

Taking a step back the man pushed his glasses back up with shaking hands, the shrill clicks growing more excited as he reached down to the small communicator in his side pocket “Chief Clover? C-can you hear me?” Hearing white noise for a few seconds the small device beeped as a voice called out on the other end. “This is Clover, who's this?” Sweat beading his cool skin the man took a fearful step back before answering. “This is Jennings, I... I have a situation here in storage, bring Faust and a few guards to the back of the storage room... And hurry.” Steeling himself as the communicator beeped, he kept it in his hands as he tried calming the thing in front of him. “Everything's going to be all right friend, just... Just stay calm...”

Lt. Eugene Grumby didn't understand a word the old doctor tried to tell him, his glassy black eyes staring back at the stocky old man in the blue jacket as he took careful steps back. The back of his green jacket and clothing had torn open sometime during his meal, a large oval shell covered in saucer sized dimples pushed out from his back forcing him to hunch over. His arms were now covered in a milky white chitin exoskeleton, his sleeves torn open and hanging off his arms in tatters, his fingers and thumbs had merged into three pronged claws that rubbed together as he watched the man move away. His face was chalk white, his nose and ears melted back into his head as his lower jaw was split open at the chin. A pair of fangs pushed his upper lip up for room as his two lower jaw bones clicked and snipped at the air like mandibles. Unable to see behind him Jennings had tripped over an empty container on the ground, falling back with a yelp as he hit his head on the cold tiled floor.

With a screech that pierced the doctor’s ears, the creature once called Lt. Eugene Grumby descended on the prone man, his cries of terror drowned out as claws and fangs sunk into his warm flesh.

***

“EVERYONE WITH ME!” Yelled the chief as he clicked the safety off his rifle, along with two other guards right behind him. Dr. Faust stood by with a medical kit in hand while Jake and Mary trailed behind just in case, the two keeping a safe distance as the four clicked open the storage room doors and poured in. Storming down the aisles to the back of the dome they could hear screaming coming from the back of the dome, the chill air ignored as they ran towards the source of the pained screams. Weaving through the tall stacks and aisles of crates and equipment Harold snapped to attention and aimed his rifle at the first thing he saw once he banked a corner... His eyes went wide with terror and revulsion at what he found just as the other turned to his location. Dr. Faust and Mary screaming in the background as they all rounded on the sight.

Dr. Jennings was alive, but everyone watching wished he wasn't.

The shrivelled husk gasped and twitched as the thing clamped around his neck and shoulder and pulled more from him, his skin hanging off his bones as his eyes rolled back and sunk into their sockets, his clothing was baggy on his once portly frame as the thing drank more. Tearing cloths could be heard as the creature starting changing behind the human shield it had in front of it, hip bones cracking as its legs and feet out grew the pants and boots it wore, its gait shifting to a tall crouch as the legs split apart, dividing into six long segmented limbs that stood on two clawed toes each. Looking into the desiccated face of the dying doctor Chief Clover could no longer bear it and shot the man. The corpse dropping to the floor in a gelatinous heap as the monster retracted its two foot long tongue out of the shoulder wound. Looking to the group of people that disturbed its meal, the arachnid monstrosity clicked its mandibles, its claws snipping open and closed as it looked straight at the Chief of security and attacked, the shrill screech it gave made everyone wince as the man and two guards opened fire, blue blood spraying everywhere as its **** cries were far more painful to hear than anything else, intermixed with the booming sounds of magnetically propelled bullets cutting through its armour and flesh.

Seeing the thing slumped down on the ground, it stopped moving now that it had fifty smouldering holes in its body. A pool of blue ichor spread out from its body, touching Harold Clover's boot as he kept his rifle butted against his shoulder. Aiming at the thing's head just to be absolutely sure, he fired a single shot that pierced clean through its head and out the back of its skull. Looking over to the other body he could hear one of his men turn away and pry his visor off, vomiting behind a crate as the others stared on. Dr. Jennings corpse was barely skin and bones, the near mummified remains lying in a pile a few feet away, his bones looking almost deflated as his head seemed sunken in.

Mary had fallen to her knees, hot tears running down her cheeks as Jake held her close, trying to comfort the sobbing woman as the rest of the people breathed deeply and tried to each hold in their lunch. “What... What the hell is that thing?” Asked a worried guard as he looked down at the creature, its bowels hanging out of the shredded remains of its torso. Moving up to the tattered clothes on the floor Harold looked at the thing and frowned. “This... Thing is... WAS Lt. Grumby.” Turning to see to the others the Chief’s attention snapped back to the dead mutation on the ground as they all heard clicking sounds come from it. Breaking off of its back one at a time, the large dimples of its shell began to drop off, rolling on the ground for a few seconds before sprouting six little legs. A pair of stubby claws popped out from under their bodies as black glossy eyes opened to look straight at the group of humans nearby. A total of seven little arachnid crabs had spawned from the monster's back and hesitated as they bobbed their claws in front of them, then quickly scurried towards the six people. The booming blast of gunfire rung out again, forcing Jake and Mary to hold their ears as the guards and Chief shredded the swarm of creatures to bits and paste, before rounding back on the monster that spawned them and emptied out their ammo clips into its back.

“Just what the flying FUCK IS GOING ON?!”

***

A painful half hour later the entire team had gather and pulled two bodies into the med lab; one the shrivelled desiccated remains of Dr. Jennings, the other... The creature that was once Lt. Grumby. Setting the two side by side Dr. Faust went straight to work, heading to the lab counter to pick up her tools and equipment so she could start examinations. “Ok... Let's take a look at our friend here.” Whispered the young woman, blinking back tears as she steeled herself. Checking the thing as it laid on the gravity bed she looked over its legs and claws, moving the limbs in different positions as she explained out loud. “Subject possesses a thick exoskeleton about half an inch thick yet the open wounds at its torso and limbs reveal musculature and an endoskeleton underneath, suggesting the shell is simply for protection, the six segmented legs are joined at a junction under his body, the hipbones augmented to fit and operate six legs as opposed to two.” Lifting its three fingered claw she moved the digits in different directions, forming a fist and other hand gestures possible with the thing. “The claws possess opposable thumbs but have limited dexterity, the tips are sharp but not especially so.” Placing her hands at either side of its head she lifted it up and opened its mouth. “The eyes... Are completely black, possessing eyelids with no sclera or irises. Small holes at either side of the subject's head show ear sockets but no pinna, there are also nasal cavities but no nose.” Moving lower she pulled open the upper jaw, the fangs rearing up as she did so. “The upper jawbone possesses a pair of erectile fangs nearly an inch in length, the lower jawbones are hinged at either side of the skull by cartilage and muscle, both possessing erectile fangs of their own and... Molars?”

“Molars? You saying he could still chew? Oooph!...” Getting an elbow in the side by Jake the guard remained silent as Dr. Faust continued. “Lets take a look at this.” Reaching into its mouth she pulled at the barb of it's tongue and pulled until there was resistance, dropping the two foot long to lull at the side of its head. “The tongue has bundles of tendons lining its two foot length, meaning it could have a great deal of strength behind its use. Hmm... It appears to be hollow.” Looking over to the remains of Dr. Jennings she stepped over to examine him. “The doctor's bones are almost completely gelatinous!” Pressing her fingers into the skin and bones of what was left she pulled at the arm and winced as the bones bent downward like rubber. “If I'm right, that tongue... Thing injects a powerful digestive enzyme into its victim and dissolves them from the inside out, then it just slurps it all back up like a smoothy until there's nothing left, not even the skin and bones!”

Mary swallowed hard as she tried to block the mental image, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the memory of the man's ****. “What about those things that came out of his back? They look like that little guy you got on the table.” Gasping in shock Dr. Faust snapped to the table where her dissected creature sat and back to the floating table, turning the creature around to look at it's back she found the spots where the small crab creatures had grown from, lining her fingers over the soft tissue they were latched on. “That's how they reproduce...” Stepping back she looked over to the rest of the team as they showed various signs of confusion. “These... Parasites act like virus cells, they have no other purpose but to find a living thing and inject their DNA into the victim and die off, the host takes on the new genetic material and changes, becoming a hybrid and starts producing more of these things until it can't anymore. Repeating the process all over again.”

“All the cloths on the ground...” Mumbled officer Corgens. “There were cloths all over the living quarters, on the floor... They weren't thrown there, that's were they died... Or changed!”

“Guys?”

The doctor paced as she thought her findings through, her eyes livid as the facts came together. “These things must have been limited by their ecology, that's why they had enough nutrients in their bodies to keep going for a week, finding host victims in this desert would have been like winning the lottery, and the natural hosts they have available here must have a short lifespan as well or else there would by thousands of these things scurrying around out there.”

“Guys?”

“But this! When that first bug bit its first human things changed down here, instead of a host that might live a few months to a year you've got something that can live eighty to a hundred years.” Waving to the honeycombed shell on Grumby's shell the doctor began to truly worry. “We lost contact with this outpost three months ago, which means if even HALF of the crew had been exposed then we've got at least over a dozen of these hybrids spawning swarms every time they eat enough to do it!”

“GUYS!!!”

Everyone turned to the red haired engineer as she stood over the empty bunk at the wall, an IV drip leaking on the floor as the vitals display flat lined from a lack of data. “Where's Susan?!”

Outside the outpost, the winds blew over the black sands of the desert plains, the night sky filled with the ever present orange glow of the gas giant dominating the horizon as dust devils coiled and disappeared seconds after forming. A tiny white shape poked its body out of the dust to crawl out into the open, its black eyes staring at the silvery domes of the outpost in the distance. Bobbing its stubby claws the creature began crawling towards it, followed by others that decided to reveal themselves under the black sands of the dunes they shared as a hiding spot. One became a dozen, a dozen became hundreds as a small army of white shapes crawled over the landscape. A deep hiss blew sand out of the black dune as a large shape lifted itself out of hiding, its mandibles clicking as it began to scuttle along with the creatures at its feet. Five more shapes pulled themselves free from the sands as they joined the scuttling masses, the lights from the outpost had attracted them all back, there were new hosts to add to the swarm.