After launching away from the Deimos moon base, the small escape pod sailed along the orbit of the red planet, a small metallic sliver in the dark vastness of space. On board, some of UAC's top-level researchers watch as Deimos disappears before their eyes. Empty space crawled along the craterous surface, enveloping meter by meter. A final escape pod zooms away from the surface, just before the moon vanished from its orbit. Stunned silence filled the cabin of the pod as Director Will Banks, Susan Carmichael, Victor Kronos and Rupert Nexson stared into the emptiness.
"What the hell was that?!" shouts Victor
"It's gone, the whole damn thing is gone!" Banks babbles.
"Unbelievable" says Nexson softly.
The subspace relay began flashing as it began picking up a series of emergency transmissions from Space Marine High Command, UAC Central and others from the Phobos colony. Susan touches the receiver and listened to a transmission from Phobos.The channel opened with an initial blast of static.
"To anyone who can hear this..." an explosion is overheard in the call, followed by sizzling electronics "...need immediate rescue" static muffles the voice, "...Repeat, Phobos is under attack".
The Director buries his face in his hands. They listened in silence as static overtook the channel until the pods computer interrupted their distressing thoughts.
"Video linkup established" it was from Councillor Crawford, overseer of Aerospace operations.
"Hello?" He says, "What's going on with the Deimos colony? We've lost contact with all channels, a total black-out!" he rants, the Councillor was wearing a suit with an ambassador's stripe along his chest. They paused in hesitation. "Well?" the Councillor asks impatiently.
"Ah...There was a problem with the Gate B teleporter" the Director begins.
"It's unleashed something horrible" he says. "The teleporter has triggered an infestation of feral alien creatures and the reason for the blackout is..." he says barely holding composure."...we just witnessed Deimos disappear"
"What?! Have you gone mad?" Crawford asks, shifting in his seat, his brow wrinkled in frustrated disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"It was crawling with energy, likely from the teleporter. We literally just watched it vanish from it's orbit" Rupert explains.
Councillor Crawford stared grimly. "You mean to tell me that Deimos just blinked out of existence? That the colonies are gone?" the Councillor asks angrily.
Rupert exchanges a sharp breath, disbelieving what he was about to say "That is affirmative" he replies, the Councillor's image darkens with anger.
"William, do you really think you can feed me this horse shit? Tell me everything you know!" Crawford demands loudly.
William's eyes dart from side to side, face flinching nervously.
"Well, uh..." he begins, the Councillor's eyes watched unmoved.
Nexson watched, knew they were about to say too much. He approaches the console.
"We're going to have to get back to you, Councillor" he says, reaching for the disconnect icon.
"Rupert, stay away fro-" Crawford angrily shouts before the call was cut.
The Director let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Rupert" he says.
"Listen, no one can learn about our involvement. If they dig into top level operations then things are only going to get worse for us" Says Nexson.
"Right, we've got to get this sorted out" William agrees.
"Video linkup requested" the computer chirps.
"You can guess who that is" says Victor, the notification repeated as they stood in thought.
"The moon is gone, there's nothing to investigate. The only evidence was in the computer logs, they're gone. Our subspace channels are secured, they can't be accessed" reasons Susan.
"That's right, except..." says Rupert "...Corporal Revok and Major Mills know we were in Echo Labs when it was locked down" he says grimly.
Victor was first to speak after another moment of contemplation.
"They don't know that for sure. All they know is that we were on the monorail. We can just say that was misheard" Kronos schemes.
"Okay, good. We're going to say we were coming from performing audits at Computer Station K-3 and that this was caused by a maintenance accident. We can't risk exposing the Paranormal Division" states Rupert, his syllables clipped in a serious tone.
Location: Phobos, UAC Colony, Central Processing
Frightened personnel dash along a winding hall, they could hear hideous snarls getting closer from behind. The three of them were nearing collapse when they reached a long stretch, the Data Storage Vault was at the end of the hall. The hallway was bright, hexagon tiles line the floor and strips of beige cushioning with a leathery surface rounded the circular reinforced walls. Various conduits of gas, water and optical cables ran along the ceiling in a grated cabinet. They reach the Data Vault and Dr. Manning looks into the retina scanner.
"Authorization Accepted" echoes the computer voice. Warning lights flanking the vault began flashing brightly, a buzzing alarm filled their ears. Two marines turn a corridor behind them.
"Bogies at two O'clock" one shouts.
They opened fire on the approaching creatures behind them. Despite the brightness of the hall, the creatures advanced with a cloud of ensuing darkness. A slight quake was heard within the vault and the doors began to slide apart, two other barriers behind it began to unbolt and open. They scrambled through the still widening passage, then look back toward their saviours. The marines were ensued in their duties.
"Christ, these are some ugly mothers"
"There's so many, where the fuck are they coming from?" they casually exchange as they sprayed fire.
They steadily held the rumbling chainguns with skillful expertise.
Dr. Diane Stone shouts to the marines, but her words were cut off by the sound of rapidly bending metal. A sealed door next to the marines was quickly ripped from its frame by large dark claws, revealing a towering creature with furious red eyes, loudly stomping the hexagon tiles with hoofed feet. They swing their guns toward the advancing creature, it reached its arm back and a swirl of shadowy, green energy swam along the valleys of its massive hand. They were already firing when it left the demon's hand. They make their final move when they dodge the blob of plasma, the demon had been stomping ever closer. The marines tried to spring backward, but the massive creature grabbed one by the throat with one clawed hand, slamming the other marine into the wall in the process.
"Urp...Help...me" manages the marine as the grip tightened.
It begins tearing his limbs, accompanied by grotesque sounds of ripping muscle tendons and popping joints, the surface of the passage was dripping in blood. The other marine climbs to his feet and runs toward the vault. The huge creature was already stomping toward him.
"Close the doors!" the marine shouts into the vault, tucking his chaingun closely, Dr. Manning taps the command icon.
The creature's stomping grew faster, it was a few meters behind as the marine passed the first of the large narrowing doors. He quickly dashes through the passage, the creature was steps behind when Dr. Manning quickly shuts off the vault's sensors. They watch as the creature grips the edges of the final door, the vault budged only minutely against the demon's strength. The vault continued to close, slowly crushing the beast. It roared loudly as bones snapped and blood leaked freely to the floor. The unfeeling vault crushed it between the three barriers as they closed, spewing a stream of bloody matter as it came to a final state. Blood runs down the seams of the vault.