Space Above and Beyond - #1 The Aliens Approach - Easton Royce by Easton Royce

Author:Easton Royce
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2013-11-06T05:00:00+00:00

Damphousse grabbed her canteen. "Right. That's probably one of the only things we have in common."

This was more than Nathan could stand. "What is wrong with all of you?" he shouted. "We're low on rations! And you're gonna waste water on that... that thing? No way!"

Nathan raised his M-190, pointing at the Alien's bead. The creature lurched against its ties, this time backward instead of forward, clearly terrified.

"This thing killed Pags!" Nathan screamed, as he tightened his finger on the trigger. "Who knows how many others it's killed."

Nathan knew that at this close range, he'd be able to blast the creature's head wide open, no matter how strong its body armor. But as much as he wanted to, he couldn't make himself pull the trigger. He didn't know why.

Unable to stand the smell in his nostrils or the fire in his head a moment longer, Nathan grabbed his helmet and stormed out the airlock.

When he was gone, Damphousse raised her canteen again. "Well, I'm giving it some water," she announced. "Any other objections?"

There was a brief silence.

"Go ahead," said Shane.

"Let's show it what it means to be human."

As Damphousse approached, the Alien turned to her, looking over the canteen curiously. Then it cocked its head. Beneath the armor was soft gray flesh, broken by three slits, like gills.

"That must be its mouth," said Wang, trying to hide his disgust.

It tilted its head further, leaning toward Damphousse and the nozzle of the canteen. She inserted the nozzle into one of the gills.

Slurp. Slurp. Damphousse could feel the weight of the canteen lighten as the thing sucked it dry in a matter of seconds.

The Alien sat still for a moment. Suddenly, it began to shake and lurch violently from side to side. Damphousse jumped back, unsure of what was happening. Cooper raised his weapon again. They all stared in horror as thick, green bile exploded from the creature's mouth. A phosphorescent slimy ooze, thick and putrid, poured down its black armor and onto the cabin floor.

The creature lurched just one more time. Its pained wails faded to a weak gurgle as its head fell forward and its hands went limp. The Marines stood silently staring at it, realizing that the only thing that these Aliens and humans had in common was death.

They dragged its body out and laid it next to Pags, whom they had carried all the way back from the crash site.

"Did we kill it?" Damphousse asked, "or did it kill itself?"

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