It Waits In The Dark
By:
Nicholas C. Johnson
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Chapter one:
I was thrown from my battle station rather abruptly. My ship is hit with a
barrage of enemy missiles. In my line of work, over the past ten years had not been
an entirely new experience. I had been serving as a soldier, in the war efforts against
an alien race named the Isca, since the tender age of eighteen. In the days in which I
enlisted times were dire, and the United Earth Government was recruiting any ablebodied, humans at this point to aid the war efforts against these space invaders. The
threat has not dissipated, in the ten years time in which I have been serving. While I
am not entirely aware of the political goings on of the planet earth, there have been
faint rumors of enlistments of earthlings under the age of eighteen, in recent times.
The UEG has been at war, with a species of near reptilian aliens named the
Isca, for nearly a century at this point. The Isca’s primary interest in waging war
upon the Earth and the human race is for a constant supply of food. The Mammal
family, of course, being the primary source of food for reptiles, subjugation, and
farming of the human race, became a fascination of the Isca. While wiping out the
entire race, of man is probably not the intention, of the Isca, complete subjugation of
man was.
On the whole history of Man, we as a species have not toiled well under the
thought of complete subjugation of another. This human defiance has continued into
this new world order. Thus we have been fighting for the most basic of rights that
humankind deems, the power of freedom.
My name is Commander Keith King, in charge of security upon the battleship
Pluto. I am the second in command of the starship, only secondary to Captain Lloyd
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Jackson. To be quite honest with anyone who may read this transmission of mine
The war has not been going well for the UEG for the last several years. The Isca
managed to build a colony upon Neptune, where it was quickly able to resupply its
troops and fight cruisers. For this reason, the Isca had been able to wage an almost
full frontal assault on the people of Earth over the last decade. With insurmountable
casualties, as well as the un-calculable amount of damage to the defense systems of
the human race.
At this point the Mar’s colony is the UEG’s focal point in the war, due to its
strategic location, it forms the last defense perimeter to Earth. To lose Mar's would
most likely mean that the Isca would be able to conquer the entirety of Earth in only
a few short months. Which would undoubtedly lead to the enslavement, of the entire
human race. Earth would necessarily turn into, a cattle ranch of humans, which as
this reader may see does not sit well with the United Earth Government.
My location was the battleship Pluto, which is one of the last flagships of the
United Earth Government. Our Mission is of the utmost importance, to the UEG. The
Scientist’s of earth had been able to develop a cold fusion bomb, which was
powerful enough to destroy the entire Isca encampment on Neptune, and kill any
Isca then on Neptune, due to the reptiles extreme weakness to cold. This Cold
Fusion bomb, is thus the hope of a changing the tide of battle in favor of Earth. The
advantage has not been ours for an exceedingly long time, and this would surely
change things for the better. The brainiacs in the think tanks of the earth even think,
that this blow may lead to the cessation of attacks on the part of the Isca, and would
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mostly serve as a bump on the nose of a giant reptile. Our mission would thus either
end in our deaths, and the destruction of the only flagship still sturdy enough to
survive an assault from the Isca, and our Earth, on all the people the crew of this
ship still hold dear.
Chapter 2:
Now that the setting has been laid for you my reader let me tell you of my
current plight. Our ship as I noted before was taking hit’s from enemy fighter ship’s
outside the Orbit of Neptune. The Battleship Pluto, unfortunately, could not take
much more damage, as from the report of our chief engineer, she seemed to be
falling apart at the seems. Right at that moment, another mighty blast hit the
command center of our ship. The last thing I remember seeing and hearing, at this
juncture was that my of the chief engineer claiming abandon ship, as the Pluto, had
taken all that it could handle. The attack surely meant that Earth's last hope was a
failure, and our mission was ending just as the people of earth feared it might, in the
subjugation of the entire human race.
Another sight I managed to glimpse out of the corner of my eye was that of
my Captain Lloyd Jackson, being crushed by the rafters of the ship, as the command
center ultimately fell apart. This death mostly meant that I was now in charge of the
Pluto, or what was left of the Pluto. Fearing, that my final mission would end in
utter failure, as well as my untimely death, I ran with haste as fast as my legs could
take me to the weapons room where the cold fusion bomb was located.
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My Idea was to activate the Cold Fusion bomb, and to use the carcass of the
battleship Pluto, to carry the weapon, to the surface of Neptune, where it would
detonate, as was intended by the scientists of the earth. I feared death no longer. I
was willing to give my life for the cause. My life certainly was concluding no matter
how I spent my final moments. I could mean the continued freedom of the Earth,
and all of the people that I loved upon that planet, as well as the future, of the human
race as a whole.
As I raced through the ship, which at this point was crumbling, as the paper
would if it was held over a fire. I just barely made it to the weapons room, before the
door which allowed me entry, was bared by the support beams which continued to
fall from the ceiling of the Battleship. I saw the Cold Fusion bomb, and I approached
it. By using my command codes, I was able to activate the cold fusion bomb, in only a
few short seconds.
Once the bomb was activated, it would only have one minute until
detonation. One minute which I hoped would be well enough for the continued
catapult of the Battleship Pluto to the surface of Neptune, where the Cold Fusion
bomb, would unleash its devastation upon the wicked Isca. I at this point, had all
but succumbed to my yet coming defeat, which was sure to take place quick due to
my entrapment, with the mega bomb.
It was at that second, I heard a sickening crunch, which propelled through
the wall of the battleship. I saw an Isca fighter ship, which had crashed through the
side of the Pluto. Its Pilot did not appear to have survived this crash, into the bottom
of the vessel. It was at this moment, my brain formulated, a plan with a limited
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success rate. If I could complete my plan, I may be able to escape with my life. As the
clock on the Cold Fusion Bomb, currently ticked away I realized I had 30 second’s to
evacuate if I was going to attempt to do so. I frantically made my way to the downed
Isca fighter, which was now right in front of me. I activated the hatch, to enter the
fighter. I then frantically began slamming the buttons of the fighter once inside. As I
did not read the Isca language, and I did not have time to take a crash course on
Iscan verbs, as the clock of the cold fusion bomb continued to tick to zero.
All of a sudden I heard a rumbling. The rumbling was coming, from what I
believed to be the engine of the ship, in the blink of an eye, I had reversed the small
fighter out of the ship, and was now outside the exterior, of the Pluto, as I watched
the massive battleship slowly fall to the surface of Neptune. I was still frantically
hitting the buttons which laid before me in an attempt to fly out of the radius zone of
the bomb. At that moment, there was a bright blue flash of light.
Chapter 3:
Much to my surprise, I awoke. Assuming The cold fusion device being set off
was, surely would have destroyed my small foreign vessel. I felt around my body,
feeling reasonably sure that the shock my body was feeling at this point was
preventing me from feeling some major trauma that must have occurred due to the
chain reaction of explosions. Much to my continuing surprise, my body was still
intact, with only minor lacerations on my body. Of course, I could not see a thing,
which I felt was odd, in space as there is often the light of passing stars near you
which illuminate the insides of the spaceship at least a bit.
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The Foreign Spaceship was currently pitch black, except for a faint dim light
in space which I could only see by squinting, and a soft orange glow from the
command station of the small alien vessel. I made haste, at re-initiating the light of
the cabin, of the spaceship so I could perhaps begin, to learn of my position in the
universe, and how long I would have to travel, before, I could be rescued by a
friendly vessel.
After several minutes of calculated fumbling, I assumed that the controls of
the Alien ship could not be that much different, from Earth's fighter class ships.
These ships built for limited space travel, however, were well equipped for
dogfighting with the enemy, and would almost certainly include only the essential
program's needed to fly this ship's against the enemy. Thus, with my knowledge of
similar vessels, I was finally able to re-engage the lights of the cabin of the vessel.
The light's helped me reorient myself, "how long was I out?" I wondered to myself,
and "where was I?" as I continued looking through the view screen of the ship,
which did not seem to produce any indication, of where my ship or I may are located
in the known, yet ever extending universe. Except for the before mentioned faint
glint of what appeared to be a small star in the distance. Other than this star, it
appeared as if there was complete darkness in space.
My second action after reinitiating the lights was an attempt to reestablish
the communication systems of the vessel. Hoping that, once established, I would be
able to communicate, with the Mar’s colony, or through a communication relay, I
would be able to talk with the UEG, who undoubtedly was quite interested at the
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information, I currently possessed of the status of the detonation of the cold fusion
bomb. However, before I started this daunting task I set, the ship’s impulse engine,
and began to slowly make my way to the faint glinting star in the distance, assuming
it must be the Sun of earth, which meant I was most likely thrown quite far from the
explosion of the bomb.
I set upon my task of fixing the communication system. I am not an engineer
by trade. I worried that I would be unable to make the repairs necessary on the alien
technology to put out a general distress call into space, hoping that some species,
either neutral to my plight, or an ally would intercept the transmission, and aid me
on my mission, back to Earth.
It was just as I feared; the technology was very foreign to me. I knew that I
would need to work diligently on the communication system to hope to repair the
system. That day I worked for several hours, never seeming to get any closer to my
goal, of having a working communication system. I was, however, moving at a
crawl's pace to the tiny star in the distance.
Chapter 4:
To my pleasant surprise, the Isca ship had plenty of water aboard it. Water
being the most precious recourse to most of the beings in the known universe I
knew would be essential, to my continued survival, In this Alien Space vessel.
Unfortunately, however, there was no food on the ship. At least no food that I
recognized to be edible for the Human Species. This sad fact meant that I had
roughly 21 day's or three week's time to either be rescued. Or make it to the small
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spaceport, where hopefully the local inhabitant's would probably have something
that I could eat, as well as star maps to help me with my quest in my journey back to
earth.
Many of those first few day’s I spent adrift were spent in continuation, of my
attempted fixes of the communication’s system of the Isca vessel. Much to my
dismay, my work was not going as well as I had hoped it would. This task, however,
kept my mind sharp, it helped keep my mind off of the aching hunger, I had begun to
feel. Finally, after the fifth day I spent adrift it seemed as if I was able to fix the
communication system!
Once fixed, I could feel the sweat roll down my brow. As I excitedly grasped
the communication device and started to search for any sign of life near me. Any
sign of life, which might help me with my plight. Much to my dismay, there did not
seem to be any responses to my distress signal. There did not seem to be any radio
chatter of any sort. Which I was not entirely surprised about, due to what appeared
to be my extreme distance, from any habitable star system which was evident, by
how far removed I was still from the single dim starlight that I saw in the distance.
I continued to search for any sign's of life near me. I also began to broadcast a
general emergency signal, which detailed, my exploits from the time of the
destruction of the Battleship Pluto to now. This broadcast would be sent over space,
at a distance much faster than my ship would be able to travel, and I assumed that
this emergency broadcast would most likely be intercepted by some alien ship
before I ultimately starved to death. At this point, I rationalized to myself that even if
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the Isca, managed to get there hands on me I would not be killed immediately as I
assuredly had the strategic information they would be very keen in having.
Chapter 5:
Seven more earth day’s had passed. I was almost out of the water ration that
was so kindly left by the Isca. I also had still not heard any other broadcast, or
response to my continued distress signal. I was, however, getting closer and closer
to the single star in the sky. It was getting brighter and brighter, and with its
increase in luminosity, so did my optimism, that I was heading somewhere which
some form of intelligent life which would be able to help me. "Surely there must be
someone who will aid me in this star system." I would say excitedly to myself.
I knew I would be able to hold out for a few more days. A few more day's
until I reached what would most likely be a thriving star system. Once they rescued
me, I assumed. I would surely be whisked out of the ravaged Isca fighter ship, and
into a medical facility. Were they would treat my light wounds, feed me a proper
meal, and make sure that I had plenty of ration’s before I continued to make my way
towards earth.
Perhaps these friendly aliens would have a form of travel, which we human's
had not yet witnessed, and they would aid me in my request to return to earth. Not
only would I be a hero for the destruction, of the Neptune colony, but I would have
united Earthling's with allies that would be able to aid, continued support in the war
effort against the Isca. “My name will be in history books!” I would rationalize to
myself, every hour, every day. It was the only thing I had left at that point.
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Chapter 6:
Five more day's had passed, with them I grew more and more unstable, as it
been several days since I had had any water and even more days since I had any
food. I was now getting so close to the star, that I could barely contain my
excitement.
One thing still confused me though, the lack of any sort of chatter over the
communications system. By this point in time, I had assumed that I had not been as
successful, with my attempted repairs on the ship as I had thought I was, initially. " I
must have repaired it incorrectly." I rationalized to myself. "It is alien technology
isn't it, I probably just put the wrong part in the wrong place, and never fixed it
right, but someone would notice me at any time now. Someone would surely notice
my near exhausted ship, and would come to my aid without the use of the
communication system."
It was in these moment's that I looked back out at the single star in the sky.
The star, which for this entire voyage was my sole reason for hope. As I looked back
at the star, I saw something else. I hadn't been able to make out this detail at this
point. The Star, which I was now very close to, seemed to be attached to something
else.
The light of the star faintly illuminated, what seemed to be a grey tentacle,
which was attached to something. Something, which I was now able to make out
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faintly. It was at this moment that the words "oh my god" quietly slipped out of my
mouth.
All I could make out was the horrible face, of what could only be called a
monster. It had a giant grey scaly head, with giant atrocious bone teeth. If I didn't
know any better, I would have sworn that this creature was smiling. Smiling, a
horrible smile with its disgusting razor-sharp bone teeth. I could faintly see the
outline of this monstrosity in the distance. It was a giant; it must have been at least
several hundred feet tall. I would not give consideration, at how much the beast
would have weighed only to say. That this creature made my ship look like a tiny
peanut, in comparison to its hugeness.
It seemed to have humanoid features, except it had the wings of a bat. The
wings were giant horrible bat wing's, which as it appeared to me, were plenty
powerful enough for this beast to move at high speed, for any duration, which it may
need to travel. A battleship would not have been able to conquer this beast. In fact, I
doubted that two battleships would have been able to do much but slow it down.
As it looked out upon the creature. It looked back with substantial, and
horrible red eyes. The monster seemed to let out a chuckle. At least the sound could
only be defined as a chuckle because the sounds that it was making were so horrible,
that I lost my appetite, which I would have found relatively impossible because I had
not eaten in over fifteen days. After the creature let out this horrible sound, it
changed its face from the horrific bone smile that I had first witnessed. The beast
was opening its mouth the teeth, which were angled inward were going to make it
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reasonably trying to escape from this magnificent monster. My ship then began to
get drawn towards the great darkness, which was the mouth of the creature.
It was at that moment I now knew. I know what was waiting, waiting in the
dark.
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Post Script
It Lives were no light could enter. Only in the darkest depths of the vast
universe does it slumber. However, it employs a bright light, which is attached to via
a tentacle to its disgusting head. The high light which is used to lure any being
foolish enough to enter those dark spots of the universe, where creatures of this
nature make their homes. The beast moves at a slow speed throughout the universe
quickly as it is adept at luring its prey to it.
The Monster's head resembled an anglerfish from the bottom of earth's
oceans. The beast has cosmic grey skin. However, few who have ever encountered a
monstrosity of this horror, have lived to tell the tale. The teeth of the monster are
giant, and bony as well as angled inward, to more efficiently gobble up any entity
that it may come across. Its enormous body resembled one of a bat of earth, which
large veiny wings which could easily carry this monstrosity to any place in the
known universe. The beast is also massive, at about 500 feet in height, and unknown
weight. The evil of this nature has existed in this universe since the time of the big
bang, with no one source sure of where evil like this could have possibly originated
from. This evil still exists in the universe today. The Evil wait's patiently in the dark
for its prey.
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