Cambridge Stellar Research, Surveillance Mission #4

[equinosz]

The continuous complains started to annoy Roy, but still he managed to keep himself calm, after all he paid a part of their new ship. After ten meters the energy field was over.

-The energy field is over, captain, but still no breathable air. I guess it's used for the defense of the building. Source still unknown.

-Interesting... Maybe this is the cause, that this building still stands despite it's age. Curious... Hmm.. Nevermind, we have more important matters now, we can start guessing back on the ship.

Roy took the lead towards the building. Better say buildings, as there were actually two. A wall like building in a circle around a tower.

-Alfred, Ramlie! Go check the outer building. I want an exact map of it. Don't touch anything yet. I want a video survey of the whole structure. And Ramlie, as you're a materialist scientist you should check the integrity of the structures first. I don't want them to come down on us.

-Sure, sir. It won't take more than a minute. Scanning the tower-like building... I don't suggest going on to the top and jumping on the edge, it may fall down, but otherwise it's in better condition than the Equinox.

-Could you please stop it?

-Hey, you asked me, sir to take the scans and tell you if it's secure or not.

-Ramlie!

-Okay, okay. The outer building has a few points where we should enter without supporting the structure. But most of it is in a quite good state.

-Get a video survey of the safe places than. We'll check that hatch.

The two disappeared behind the building's nearest tumbled down part.
Roy, Henderson, his bodyguard and two other scientist entered the main building. There was a terrible mess inside. Different furniture everywhere, several bullets everywhere and a few corpses.

-What the hell did happen here?-asked Henderson.

-How the hell did the corpses remain so intact during thousands of years? Or are they relatively fresh? -asked Roy.

-No, sir, they're as old as the building- said one of the scientists, while he was scanning one of the corpses. -He death was caused by at least twenty .50 caliber bullets.

-The poor creature... Anyway... Here's the hatch. -Roy kicked over a table-like thing and opened the hatch on the floor. Henderson, you want to come with me.

-Of course!

-Than Boris, you stay here. -he ordered the man who was already scanning another corpse.

-Sure thing, sir. I'll check them all out.

Roy started to climb down on the ladder, followed by Henderson, his bodyguard and the last scientist.

When almost all of them was standing on the floor suddenly the hatch closed and some gases started to pour into the room.

-Don't worry, it's mainly oxigen... Mixed with CO2 and... and ammonia... But it's breathable. However I don't know how's that possible...

The underground part of the building didn't seemed like the upper parts at all. Everything was white and green colored and it was totally clear. No corpses, no ruins, no furniture thrown around.

A door opened from the airlock. It lead to a small room with monitors all around. It looked like an observation post or a security room. There was a half wall in the middle of the room with strange gates.

-What's that? -asked Henderson.

-Look, calm down, and let us do our job. I have no idea what that may be, but we will find it out with time. -answered Roy impatiently.

-Captain! Captain! Can you read me? We're under attack! Something is shooting at us! Alfred is dead! get the hell out of- the communication device only transferred static signals after.

-Move out! Now. -ordered Ray the group- Ramlie! If you can hear me get back to the ship! Equinox, this is Roy! Emergency situation! Arm yourselves, and expect us in 10 minutes. If we're not there take off the planet.

They ran towards the airlock and it opened automatically. But a small flying drone was behind the door. The scientist sticked at, and the bodyguard ran into him.

-Back! -shouted Henderson, but it was too late. The drone started shooting at them, the scientist fall to the ground in a second, the bodyguard could take a few steps back, but the bullets went through his body spitting blood on the ground and the wall.

Roy jumped behind a wall, and redyed his sidearm.

Henderson did the same, but before that he quickly grabbed the submachine gun, his bodyguard was carrying, and threw it to Roy. Than he pulled out a shotgun from his backpack.

-Who the hell are you? -asked Roy in his surprise.

-I guess that's not the right time to speak about me. I just like to be prepared for everything. Try to shoot it's engines!

Several bullets hit the wall near them. And when the fire seemed to be concentrated on Henderson's cover Roy leaned out and opened fire.

His shots hit the drone, but caused almost no damage, but he managed to pull the drone's attention on him, so Henderson could get a clear target.

The engine stopped working, as the small shrapnels teared it apart. The drone fall to the ground and it stopped shooting.

-Let's go!

They managed to reach the airlock, and exited the hatch. Above, they found Ramlie, and the guy who was scanning the corpses under heavy fire by another drone. Roy managed to aim carefully at it, as it continued to fire at the cover the two scientists were hiding. One single shot and the engine got blown up.

-Ramlie, I told you to get back!

-I didn't even knew if you have received my message, not to mention a possibly answer. Anyway, we should get out of here, before more of these machines arrive.

-You're right. We lost two down there and Alfred.

They managed to get back to the Equinox safely without any further difficulties.

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Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.