active

1461481288017363

person_profile

eligible

NONE

373019659842858

Kenzie Kelly

120206296671290543

amzn.to

Learn More

NONE

dco

Join the adventure...

https://amzn.to/46B5Az6

Kenzie Kelly

https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/431537713_1330521604304816_6577880754273666430_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=AIsygNp5Q_YAX8YYTJV&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBt3_991EOVOphcrhPWS6LJi5zLUPwNwAe759km0BFXqA&oe=65FCF8B3

person_profile

Kenzie Kelly

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/431595557_721963226590929_2783645819069548970_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Q7PxJpv8TpYAX-wXGng&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAVIGMcfPykH9RTHPAuxcUkcfQZYvZyYn0nAVh6LHJecg&oe=65FD5DDE

FIRST CONTACT HAPPENED NOTHING like humans expected. No giant ships came down and blew up the White House, no spindly limbed creatures slinked through cornfields, no massive ships crash landed in the desert. Destroying the Eiffel Tower was expected, but it was human hubris that aliens would target Earth.

Instead, the blue planet and its residents were just bystanders in the wrong place during an intergalactic war. A desperate jump to lightspeed by one ship in an attempt to allude their pursuers went wrong, the tech having forgotten to input coordinates in their panic. Since they hadn’t been provided, the ship’s navigation system randomly generated a destination. Not willing to give up the chase, the second ship entered the jump in their wake.

In essence, a crewmember’s panic in concert with a random number generator dropped the two ships firing at each other out of hyperspace just shy of Earth orbit.

One of them ran through the Russian space station, obliterating it on impact.

Cora was in the main lab of the joint U.N. station, Shangris, bored out of her mind watching blobs float around a petri dish through the eyepieces of a microscope. She’d been waiting on delivery of another petri dish swimming with similar blobs of a different color when the alarm sounded. A calm voice echoed through the halls. “Evacuation protocols initiated. Please make your way to your designated emergency shuttle.”

The blaring sirens became intermittent chirps and the station lights pulsed red. All while the voice continued urging everyone to evacuate. Cora finished her notes on the single-celled organisms' behavior and gathered her things. She took time to grab a box of binder clips, which for some reason were scarce aboard the station and she wasn't about to have anyone walking off with hers during another drill. In the doorway, she heard the first pings against the hull. Before she cleared the door the intermittent tinkling became an insistent drumbeat. She reversed course, skirting her work table in the fastest route to the large window at the back of the lab.

Her mouth fell open. The box of binder clips fell from numb fingers and scattered across the floor like Jacks. Two giant ships shot at each other, the light from their guns streaking across the black background of space so bright she had to squint. One was sleek, like the body of a fish whose fins pulsed as they shot out laser fire. The other was rough, with sharp angled faces and bristling cannon barrels dotting it like porcupine quills. She stood transfixed until a large piece of metal bounced off the station with a screech. Following its path backwards made her gasp in horror. Normally floating not far away, all that remained of the Russion station was shrapnel. Bits of metal skittered along the Shangris’ hull. Bodies floated among the debris. She jumped when an arm hit the window, then spun and ran for the door.

Cora joined the mass of crew sprinting toward the shuttles. An older gentleman she didn't recognize stumbled and fell. She stopped to help him back on his feet. Movement outside the window caught her eye, and he kept going without her. A vaguely humanoid shape with a round, almost transparent body and tentacles instead of legs smacked into the station. It hung on, despite being slowly covered in ice crystals. Black eyes narrowed before it slammed its fist into the window, snapping Cora out of her trance.

The crowd had passed her by and the only people she saw as she raced to catch up were the station's marines running in the other direction to the command center. She flattened against the wall to let them pass. She was more grateful now than she ever was that they had the largest contingent of marines aboard any of the stations.

They were decked out in tactical gear and ready for a fight, but it didn't make her feel safer. They were sure to be outmatched by whatever weapons the aliens carried.

She entered the hangar bay in time to see the last of the shuttles leave.

“F*ck.”

Like all the crew, they gave her basic weapons training before her tour began. She thought it was ridiculous. The only threat was from Bob in accounting who had a tendency to get too handsy when drunk. She certainly didn't think a bullet was the appropriate resolution for that problem, no matter how much she wished it were.

Not to mention the marines stationed on board.

She kicked herself for not paying more attention.

No help for it now. Cora made her way to the locker next to the hangar door and pulled out a rifle. She released the magazine, checked for ammunition, and then panicked on the third attempt to put it back in. When she heard the snap confirming it seated back into the rifle, she swung the strap over her shoulder like the badass she absolutely wasn't and ran back the way she'd come.

The tentacled humanoid had fallen away from the corridor window. In its place was the last shuttle, making good time pulling away from the station. The tip of the nose had just begun to glow as they hit Earth's atmosphere when the sleek alien ship fired a solid beam. It cut through the shuttle like a hot spoon in ice cream and the two halves fell away, burning and breaking apart as they skipped along the atmosphere.

Cora hiked the strap of the rifle on her shoulder and ran before terror rooted her to the spot. The Shangris shuddered beneath her feet and she braced against the hull to keep her footing. The floor listed to one side. They'd lost the stabilizing thrusters.

She was almost to the command center when a hole in the hull opened in front of her. She turned back but not quick enough. Her feet shot out from under her and she landed hard on her knees. She hurtled toward the rift, scrabbling for purchase on the slick floor. A loud siren blared and she looked over her shoulder to gauge the distance to the next breach door. She curled into a tight ball as the emergency protocols kicked in and the door slammed down inches away. Her hands stung from being dragged along the deck and her knee twisted, but she hauled herself up and made her way back to her only remaining option—the lab.

Seven women who huddled in the center of the room looked up with wide, frightened eyes. “What’s happening? Where did those ships come from?” The tall woman’s voice shook. It was clear she was struggling to stay calm.

“I don’t know, but looks like we finally have proof that alien life exists.”

Two of them shook their heads at Cora, denying the evidence outside the window.

“The shuttles are gone.” A pretty blonde said. Someone in the back started weeping.

“I know.” Cora made her way to a stool and fell onto the seat. Her knee throbbed in protest, but she ignored it. “We’re also cut off from the command center. A hull breach in section four triggered the emergency door.”

“We’re going to die.” The tall woman whispered.

Cora knew she had to shut that shit down before her panic infected the others. “No. We’re not. The marines are still here, so there’s still a transport somewhere. They designed this lab to contain dangerous biologicals and chemicals, which means it’s reinforced, has its own life support and electrical systems, and can be locked down. We’ll shelter here, and wait for rescue.”

“What if it doesn’t come?”

Cora recognized the brunette standing at the window. They’d never formally met, but she was the lead botanical researcher and seemed smart and competent. She never sent samples to be analyzed without proper documentation. “They’ll come.”

“They’d better come fast,” said a woman whose hair had escaped from her ponytail and curled wild around her face.

From the cast-off body armor and the rifle on the floor, Cora pegged the woman as a marine. She didn't ask why she wasn't defending the station with the others. The answer was lying on the floor. She kneeled over Emily—a cute, perky woman with light brown hair, sparkling hazel eyes, and a personality that could make a goth emo turn kawaii. Everyone on the station knew Emily. She was a constant ray of sunshine, which you'd think would antagonize just about everyone, but she gave you no choice but to love her.

She’d been reduced to more of a “cloudy with no chance of sun.” Blood matted the right side of her head, seeping through a makeshift bandage. The marine was channeling all her weight down her arms and into her hands which were holding the right side of her torso together. She had a tourniquet just above her right knee. The bottom of the leg looked like what you pull out of a paper shredder after it’s jammed. Lines of blood on her shirt radiated across her belly and chest, snaking out from her side like lightning. A pool of blood crept ever larger underneath her. To say she was in trouble was ridiculous. Why she hadn’t died already was a mystery.

Not a minute later the sound of gunfire echoed down the hall. Two women screamed. Cora shushed them.

The brunette had moved to stand next to her, and Cora heard her whisper in wonder, “They’re using live ammunition.”

Cora didn't know live ammunition was on the station. They only ever used non-lethal projectiles, bullets with rubber tips so they wouldn't puncture the hull or beanbag rounds. If the threat was enough for the marines to use real bullets, it was bad.

The marine looking after Emily asked, “Does anyone else have medical training?” No one nodded. She turned to Cora. “I should be out there helping.”

“You are helping.” She waved at the prone figure on the floor. “Besides, we need you more than the rest of your unit. None of us have any more military training than what they gave us during orientation.” She was confident it was the truth. This was a scientific station and aside from the marines and engineers, the crew were scientists.

A group of six marines came into sight, backing down the hallway, loaded down with even more tactical armor than the others she passed and firing at an unseen enemy. Lasers sizzled where they hit their bodies, going through their armor like paper. The men screamed as they fell.

Cora’s knee twinged as she jumped up and craned her neck down the hallway, pressing her cheek against the wall to keep from exposing herself. She couldn't see their attackers, but she heard them. Under the sizzle of burning flesh, there was a sound like someone dragging a wet rope mop down the hall. As the ominous sloshing grew closer more marines fell, their screams cut off in eerie silence. Cora slammed her hand against a red button on the wall.

A thick glass door slid out and sealed the lab. Internal air handlers kicked on along with quick cycle filters designed to remove any particulates. The other women backed further away from the door. Some of them screamed again. The sound was deafening in the soundproof room. Cora shushed them again, angrier this time. They could hear nothing from outside. Only the women's hard breathing and frightened shuffling scored the silent movie playing on the other side of the door. They watched as three of the tentacled aliens slid past, saw the returning gunfire trickle and then stop.

One of the screamers was at it again when the aliens' attention turned to them. Their thin arms pounded on the door, testing it. One shot their weapon at it, but the door held. They began feeling the edge, looking for a way to open it. Cora braced herself against a support beam and shouldered her rifle. She took a deep breath and focused on the nearest target.

~*~

KIRAN DIDN'T THINK this small station was worth time better spent getting control of the Scozid ship, but they had involved an unknown race in an inter-galactic war. Even if they weren't the ones to initiate the jump to this far-flung corner of space, they would clean up the Scozid mess. As always.

“This vessel won’t hold.”

Kiran nodded at Turo, the lone Trelxak on his team. The cyborg’s analysis of the structure’s stability was a bit obvious. On approach they saw damage to almost all sectors of the station. “We’ll sweep for survivors. Take out any Scozid along the way.”

They made their way through an airlock already hissing from small punctures. “Turo, how much time do we have?”

“Not long. Maybe five minutes.”

“Right. Let’s be quick about this then.”

They moved with efficiency through what was left of the station. Most of the rooms were sealed with blast doors. Kiran's helmet crackled with updates from the Talia. The Scozid were still fighting, but their tactics were becoming desperate. They knew the larger warship was gaining the advantage.

As they cleared the station, a large piece of shrapnel flew through the hull and embedded itself in Turo's thigh. Alarms blared at the breach. They made it past a blast door just as it slammed down.

“I’m glad we don’t have to go back that way.”

Kiran snorted at Rozal’s sarcasm. He wasn’t worried. They’d find another way.

Craix chuckled as he looked at Turo’s wound. “It hit nothing important. You’ll be fine.”

Turo nodded. “I could have told you that.”

“Well your reflexes weren’t fast enough to get out of the way, so I thought maybe your circuits were broken.”

Turo shoved his teammate into the wall. Showing emotion was rare for him, but Craix always got under his skin.

“Cut it out.” Kiran’s command sobered them.

They were nearing the end of their sweep when the station shuddered. A support beam above Craix gave way and fell. He got a hand up and caught it, but the sharp tip sliced open his palm.

Turo leaned over and looked at the gash after Craix threw the beam aside. He deadpanned, “You’ll be fine. It hit nothing important.”

Craix growled, but let it go.

Brak, Kiran's second in command, tapped his arm and then the side of his helmet. Kiran turned the main com feed off and stopped to listen. Weapons fire. The five warriors jogged toward the sound, slowing as they reached a corner.

Kiran told Turo to take point. His cybernetics would allow him to get a complete picture of whatever was around the bend in a fraction of a second, his movement too quick for the others to see. “There are half a dozen bodies stacked in the hallway.” He grimaced. “Looks like the Scozid 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘶𝘨𝘦 went right through their primitive armor. They didn’t stand a chance. There are six Scozid. Three are examining a door, the rest appear to be watching the rear. All are armed.”

“All right.” Kiran said. “Check your gear. It’s time to pop some squid.”

~*~

CORA KNEW HER rifle would be no more effective than those of the dead marines. She didn't even have live ammunition, but it made her feel better to keep it trained on the aliens still trying to get inside.

The one centered in her scope exploded in a shower of fluid. Someone behind her screamed and she would have rolled her eyes if they weren’t riveted on the door.

The other aliens backed away, raising and firing their weapons. She couldn't see who was shooting. Whoever they were, they were a lot more effective than the marines. The two she could see popped like water balloons and what was left fell out of view. For several seconds all the women saw was red, oblong disks of weapon fire.

“Who’s firing, and what the *!?# were those things?” The brunette kept her voice low.

“I have no idea.” Cora matched her tone, knowing if the others overheard them it might raise the panic levels in the room. “The juicy aliens made mincemeat of the first marines. Maybe special forces?”

A man came into view. Larger than any marine she'd seen before and covered head to toe in black tactical armor, he fired a rifle down the hall. When the opposing alien's weapons found their target his armor split and smoked, but still he advanced.

Cora ran to press her cheek on the wall and get a better look. Two crouched men and three standing fired without flinching despite being hit over and over by the alien lasers. The nearest man dripped blood from a gash in his thigh. The one standing in the middle had blood dripping from his glove. She shuffled to the other side of the door to see the retreating aliens. All she saw in her limited field of view was a thick puddle of goo on the floor.

The weapons fire died out, and the crouching men stood. One disappeared down the hall before returning, nodding at the others. All five of them turned to look inside the lab, the faceless visors in their black helmets reflecting the frightened faces of the women.

One soldier stepped forward and put his hand on the door. Someone behind her screamed.

“Oh for star’s sake, shut up!”

Cora nodded her thanks at the brunette, glad she didn’t have to say it. The man knocked on the door and she backed up, leveling her rifle at him. “Who are you?” She enunciated every word so he could read her lips through the door.

He laid his weapon on the floor and held his hands out.

She pantomimed taking a helmet off. “Identify yourself.”

He turned back to the rest of the squad. Their helmets bobbed and shook accompanied by big hand gestures making it obvious they argued. One held up his hand and the rest went still. He stepped up to the door and slowly removed his helmet.

Cora stared into bright green eyes. His skin was blue. He had a square jaw, a straight nose, and the look of someone who knew how to win a fight. Cora checked the instinct to back up another step.

He tapped on the door and then motioned to open it. She shook her head. “Oh, hell no.”

His lips moved and he again motioned to open the door.

Cora enunciated, “No.”

His lips thinned and his eyebrows slashed down. He pointed to the weapon on the floor and held his hands palm up.

She nodded at him. “Yeah, I get it. You come in peace. I’m still not opening the door.”

A woman who had been silent separated from the group. “Shouldn’t we let them in? They saved us!”

Cora snapped her head around and looked at her. “You’re kidding, right? We don’t know who these aliens are. They could be just as bad as the squid things. They could be worse! We’re not opening that door until someone human is on the other side of it.”

While she stared down the other woman, the one who'd been weeping darted past them both and smacked the release button before Cora could stop her. The door whooshed open and the acrid smell of burned flesh, plastic, and unidentifiable things flooded the room.

Cora's eyes stung and tears streamed down her face but she kept her gun trained on what she assumed was the blue alien in front of her. It was hard to tell with the flood of tears in her eyes.

She blinked, frustrated at her blurred vision. She never experienced tear gas, but imagined this was what it felt like. Through the haze, she watched a frown cloud his face, turning him from intimidating to downright terrifying in an instant.

She snugged the butt of her rifle into her shoulder. She might not be able to see, but she could shoot in their general direction.

He let out a string of foreign words accented with clicks and growls. Another opened a pocket on the thigh of his pants and pulled out thin metal cylinders. The alien in front of her grabbed one and bent it in half with a snap before shaking it like a glow stick. He twisted it open to reveal a small, thin sheet. He shook out the cloth, pantomimed wiping his eyes and then held it out to her.

After a few beats, she lowered her rifle and snatched it. She cut her eyes at him as she brought it to her face. It smelled of clean air and she took a chance, rubbing one eye. It was cool and her eye cleared. She wiped her other eye and saw the other alien handing out similar cloths to all the women.

“Thank you.” She croaked before clearing her throat.

He nodded in acknowledgment.

𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦?

He stepped back and waved down the hall, pointing the direction he wanted them to go. Several women dashed out and ran. Cora kept her finger on the trigger while her alien spoke in that guttural language. One of the other soldiers peeled off and followed them.

The brunette botanist stepped up next to her again. “I don’t think we have much choice. The station is falling apart and if that group is any indication, there aren’t any marines left. We have to go with them.”

Cora gave her a hard look but sighed in resignation. “I guess you’re right. But I’m keeping the gun.”

She smiled. “Please do.”

The botanist stepped out and made her way down the hall, followed by the rest of the women. They picked their way around what remained of the squid-like aliens, trying hard to ignore the pile of dead soldiers. Two of the remaining aliens peeled off and walked behind, weapons pointed at the floor. Cora watched them go from inside the lab, staring at the alien in front of her. He backed up, angling his body to give the last alien room to get inside. That one bent to Emily, clicked a rapid string of words as he pulled things out of a pack. He sprayed a foam substance on her, covering her wounds. It crackled as it hardened. Then he slid his hands underneath her, careful not to injure her further as he picked her up. He nodded to the marine and she stood, following him out. The last alien stood like they had all the time in the world, waiting for her.

Cora sighed again and limped out. She didn’t like it, but she’d complain when they got off the station.

They'd almost reached the hanger when a loud snap echoed through the hallway, heralding a concussive blast. She threw her hands over her ears and fell to her already abused knees. The station shuddered, metal screaming as it twisted. She was thrown into the hull with a crunch she suspected was her arm breaking.

*!/$# 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.

The solid body of the alien wrapped around her as they slammed against the interior until she lost consciousness.

Keep reading for free in Kindle Unlimited!
eBook: https://amzn.to/46B5Az6
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3tEGOPX

Kenzie Kelly

https://facebook.com/kenzielkelly

LEARN_MORE