Nemesis Earth: An Alien Contact Military Sci-Fi Thriller by Nick Snape

Author:Nick Snape [Snape, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 41

Khoikhoi Atoll, Planet Stratan

The crystal-laden water washed over the metal hull, the microship descending slowly into the depths of an ocean overseen by the largest entity they had ever encountered. Smith fiddled with the controls, checking each parameter, with the AI constantly attempting to fend off his attention.

“Let it do its job. You’re only going to get it in an even worse mood than normal.” Finn pulled at his seatbelt, unclipping it briefly while checking over the pouches on the Battle Armour. He glanced over to his blue squad mate, the cyborg eyes fixed on the data stream pouring over the ship’s screens, rather than the view of the coral and ocean life they passed by.

“Easy for you to say. You know it’s nap time. Me? I could be ripped into little pieces and fed to those bloody metallic crabs. Next time Yasuko does a search for me, I’ll be lighting up every ocean on Stratan.”

Finn tried to hide the smile, failing miserably as he reached over and clapped Smith on the armoured shoulder. “You’ll be fine. Everything will be crystal clear after this meeting.”

“Oh, now you start with the jokes. What’s next – this is a ‘gem’ of an idea? I’ve gone through them all, Finn. None of them feel funny right now.” Smith’s hands stopped their flurry of activity, resting on the console top, just the tips tapping away.

“Wow. You really are worried. There’s me thinking you were just winding me up.”

“I’ve kind of got used to being dead, you know. And being able to make a difference. I don’t want this to end, Finn. That thing tore me apart with a thought, and this time it not only knows what’s coming, it’s not in the mood for a civil conversation.”

Finn turned the co-pilot chair fully, face-to-face with his corporal. “Well, that’s okay, ‘cos we aren’t very civil. I get it, let’s see if we can persuade it to leave me awake first. Tone itself down. Then we can do this together – if your lights are going out, then I’ll soon be following, won’t I?”

Smith’s eyes flicked up, taking in the soldier Finn had become. The man he’d restrained himself from drumming out of the training reserve platoon due to his history and friendship with Zuri. How this beat up derelict had changed over the last few months. Changed? Maybe, or just returned to the soldier who’d near sacrificed himself to save Bhakshi and his command unit, the soldier everyone who’d known him claimed he had been. Even Jenks. Yes, his mood swings and temper were still there, but channelled ‒ except when Zuri was in danger. There’s no way on Earth he would have expected Finn to be the one at his side when the crap went down.

Yet here we are. Hah. We’re not even on Earth!

“Yeah. It’d be good to have company when we’re roaming the ocean as crab food.”

Finn snorted, turning back to watch the beauty of the ocean wash past the screen. “Good to see you’ve crystallised your thoughts on that.

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