Lord Wraith

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Not to mention the completely indecipherable interpersonal drama that seems to be unfolding, which I can't say is a turn-on.

@Dead Cruiser

You might be reading too much into a long-standing joke between Uni and Byrd.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

<Snipped quote by Simple Unicycle>

No you don't. I signed up three months ago and I've barely made progress.

@Retired

He said post not progress.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@IceHeart, great post! I liked how you tied in Lex's motives to the developments from the Crisis. Very interested in seeing how that unfolds moving forward.

Let's Gush!

I'm very pleased to announce that...

...is now in its Second Season! Spanning from March until now, the first Season accumulated over 300 posts and followed the adventures of than twenty different characters before culminating in a Crisis event that simultaneously attacked two cities and forced players to work together to resolve it. We've had our ups, we've our downs and together we've worked out more than a few kinks to ensure the game works for not only those involved but all interested party. I definitely want to take a moment to thank the players who have stuck with it and those who are now joining for the second season.

Looking forward to many more!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Season Two is officially launched but we're still accepting more players! You can check out the Season Two opener below!

_{An excerpt from Season Two - Out of Reach}

Placeholder

---

Smoke coupled with the smell of ash and weapons fire rose into the violet sky that surrounded the world of Centuri VI. Three of its moon were still visible, sitting high in the sky, unobscured by the sun even at midday. Despite never having had contact with Earth, Centuri VI’s architecture was incredibly similar to that found in some regions of the Terran Homeworld.

The Capitol; the home of the Centurii’s governing democracy, had seen better days. Buildings made of materials comparable to limestone and marble had been damaged from the sonic blasts of the insurgents’ weaponry. Entire buildings had been reduced to nothing more than rubble from the attack.

At the heart of the Capitol lay the Senate, Centuri IV’s governing body. The dome-shaped roof was supported by a series of columns that circled the building, raising it high above the ground. The Senators had been brought out one at a time, forced to kneel and wait. For what?

They did not know.

Each member of the governing body exchanged nervous glances with those on their left and their right. Any cries for help were silenced immediately, equally so any pleas for mercy. The armoured insurgents had no pity for the Senators.

Centuri VI had been a democracy for almost as long as recorded history existed. A planet made up predominantly of philosophers and artists, they had long considered themselves to be past the needless bloodshed of war. But unrest had spread across not only the Capitol but the world as a whole and soon the insurgents had enough numbers to go to war.

This was the closest any of the Senators had ever come to a violent death. Tear stained eyes were drawn towards the foreign weapons held by the insurgents. Neither the arms nor armour were of Centurii make. It was this advantage that had allowed their smaller numbers to quickly overwhelm the world’s governments.

The steady hum of a skiff echoed down the street as the sleek craft appeared within view. The narrow vehicle flew above the ground, the brake flaps deploying before it came to a sudden stop only yards from the line of soon to be executed men.

Atop the craft, a towering figure in black armour began to descend towards the ground. Wings appearing from the back of his suit allowing him to glide towards the ground before marching towards the Senators. Following behind him was a tall, lean figure.

But it was not Centurii.

<“Has not everything I promised come true?”> The figure asked, gesturing towards the men with one of its four arms.

<“You have.”> The armoured figure agreed, his helm retracting to reveal a scarred visage. His yellow skin was marred with red and orange bruising. The man’s right eye had been entirely replaced by an implant, the luminous circuitry visible within a large scar running the entire length of the right side of his face.

<“Too long have the old and cowardly forced all of Centuri to adhere to their ideal way of life. Now society will be able to begin anew, led by those who fought for it.”> The armoured figure smiled, nodding towards his men as twelve simultaneous shots rang out. In that same instant, the bodies of each Senator fell to the ground lifeless.

<“Now, you have more of this technology, you can bring us more to solidify power?”> The armoured man asked, turning back towards the alien.

<“Oh indeed,”> It smiled wickedly in response. < “I’m more than happy to oblige.”>

Above Centuri VI, the void of space was suddenly illuminated by a blinding flurry of lightning as the fabric between time and space was ripped apart like a once clenched jaw. The bow of a ship slipped through the gaping maw as a Hive Ship exited slipstream and came to orbit around the remote M-Class planet. Behind the massive vessel came another like it and another after that. Each of the ships entered into orbit around the Centuri VI. From the surface, the humanoid populace turned their eyes to the sky. Even from the surface, the Hive ships were visible around the planet.

The armoured figure turned towards the sky, a confused look crossing his face. He could not possibly understand the horror he had unleashed upon his world, but he knew enough to feel fear.

<“Deception!”> He roared, raising his weapon towards the alien. In response, it looked back towards him defiantly, clearly unphased by the sonic arm cannon levelled towards its face.

“Khaji-Da.” It replied, and suddenly, the armoured figure froze. The helmet emerging from within the armour and closing around the humanoid’s head. The eyes suddenly glowed red before it spoke.

<“Assuming direct control.”> Came the suit’s response, the weapon lowering away from the alien. The smug look of triumph passed over its face before it turned its gaze back towards the sky.

From within the Hive ships came a deafening humming noise. Hundreds of small vessels suddenly exited from the hexagonal patterning on the ships' underbelly. Diving through the atmosphere of the planet, the ships began to fire on those below. A man reached out to his child only to be struck down. A metal prong hooked into his back, injecting the man and forcibly transforming his body. Crying out to his child one last time, the man's eyes went blank as he lost his individuality becoming nothing but a drone to the invading aliens. Turning to his crying child, he extended a spike from his wrist before reaching down and submitting her to the same fate as he. More and more of the natives began to fall to this fate. From the Hive ships above, a haunting electronic voice echoed over the planet.

<“We are the Reach. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.”>

The message continued to play on a loop as the Reach began to bomb the planet from orbit. As they had done to the populace, the surface was transformed. The Reach penetrated the surface with pillars that unfolded to cocoon Centuri VI. Drilling to the planet's core, they were preparing the world for a metamorphosis, insuring it would survive the terraforming process. As the cocoon began to spread, the planet's resources were slowly absorbed as the Reach harvested each and every one of them. Their new drones slowly awakening from the transformation process as they began to assist the cocooning process, their new implants allowing them total comprehension as they became one with the hive mind. Descending through the atmosphere, the first of the Hive ships prepared to land as the other two departed from orbit.

This world, like many others, now belonged to the Reach.

Absolute Comics

Check out more here!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Omega Man Wow that is an old one. It'll need to be updated to the current CS format. If you're more interested in playing Angel, the previously interested party was turned away from the RP so you could pursue that avenue still if you wanted to.

Whichever idea you go with, please post the application in the OOC instead of the interest check. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

A N N O U N C E M E N T:

---

RE: SEASON TWO - THE MONSTER WITHIN ROADMAP

Good morning Vietnam! Absolute Comics!

As some of you may have already seen, I've posted the Season Two opener to kick off the new season and allow those of you who have been patiently waiting in the wings to begin posting. This does not prevent anyone who wants to wrap up their Season One with an epilogue from doing so, nor does it prevent anyone who isn't working by the 'Season' model from continuing their story in its current timeframe.

That said, there is a time skip of two to three months associated with the Season Two Opener. This time skip needs only be acknowledged if your stories already have an established point of reference and of course if you're directly referencing any events such as the creation of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. Otherwise, feel free to ignore the time skip or use it for your own means. Time is pretty wishy-washy in these style of games due to individual arc pacing so don't feel obligated to be a slave to it by any means.

The plan is for Season Two to run from now until the end of February 2020. This extended timeframe should accommodate for any hiccups caused by the numerous holidays between now and then including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. So plan your arcs accordingly. Learning from Season One, any Crisis events will be accompanied by an OOC post that both explains the situation and includes a list of objectives and suggestions towards which interested parties would be best suited for those goals. I found by providing objectives it gave players a clearer sense of direction but as a bit of a public service announcement, you don't need to treat the objectives as a 'to-do list'. It's preferred that objectives aren't all accomplished by one individual. Let others have some fun.

The Season One epilogue and Season Two opener teased at least two significant foes and both will be dealt with over the course of the season. What this means for you as a player is that I am aiming to have a mid-Season Crisis. It won't be as grand in scope as the Season end but ideally, we'll have two group events this Season.

Applications for Season Two will be accepted until November 30^th, 2019. After this point, I'm going to close the game to new parties until mid-February when we'll begin recruiting for Season Three. The reasoning behind this is that I feel there's a lot of pressure on people who join late in the game and it doesn't allow them the time to properly integrate into the world. Not only that but when current players at in the middle of an arc, it's difficult to reject new players who might be applying as NPCs or other supporting cast members.

Weekly Post Check-Ins will return next Monday! Players who have not posted within seven days will be tagged and gently reminded that they are obligated to post once within every fourteen-day period. If in fourteen days you still have not posted, you will receive a second gentle reminder that you are now overdue for a post. At the twenty-one day mark, that player and their character will be moved to the Inactive listing on the roster and their character will be eligible for application by any prospective player. Players who have been moved to inactive will have to re-apply before resuming posting and will be on probation for three weeks. If they are tagged twice on the Weekly Check-In during their probationary period they will be removed from the game and unable to reapply until the following season.

Which leads me to my final point. Each Season you get a clean slate! If you had been previously removed from the game, I'm willing to give you another chance, within reason. If you've been removed from multiple seasons then, no. You're simply abusing my olive branch. But if you had a rough go one season and something happened, then give it another go! Everyone deserves a second chance.

I think that's it from me for now. Any questions regarding this Season or the game, in general, feel free to post them here in the OOC. In fact, for broad questions, I would prefer them to be posted in the OOC so they aren't buried in the Discord. Questions regarding team-ups, crossovers and cameos you can, however, message me directly or in the Discord.

Thank you to everyone for your continued participation and looking forward to another Season of Absolute with both our returning players and newcomers.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

In the year of 2019, Earth experienced an unprecedented surge of metahuman activity and vigilantism. At least sixty percent of this surge was isolated within the United States of America prompting the METAHUMAN SUPREMACY FRONT to launch a terrorist attack simultaneously on both New York and Stary City. Led by the enigmatic STRYFE, the 'M.S.F.' unleashed a swarm of drones which when attached to a host, overwrote the individual's neural oscillations, replacing all thought and reason with rage.

Infecting hundreds with these drones, Stryfe intended to pin the crime on the metahuman population, the 'mutants' of the United States. But he underestimated his foes, and his plan was foiled thanks to the brave actions of those who chose to stand up to him. Despite being both defeated and exposed, Stryfe's plan was still successful framing WONDER WOMAN as a co-collaborator.

With metahuman prejudice at an all-time high, the United States Government was forced to expedite the create the creation of the DEPARTMENT OF METAHUMAN AFFAIRS. The D.M.A. led by CAMERON HODGE was charged with the responsibility of overseeing the creation of legislation regarding metahumans and handling the fears and concerns of the general populace.

Inspired by this, the Homeland Security branch known as the Advanced Research Group Uniting Superhumans, or A.R.G.U.S. created their own hero. Nathaniel Heywood, formerly of the United States Marine Corps was transformed into CITIZEN STEEL through the efforts of A.R.G.U.S. in cooperation with CADMUS LABS.

Now the face of the American Superhero Initiative, Citizen Steel is the first response to any threat within the United States borders. But even Citizen Steel can't protect the world alone. The same heroes who stopped Stryfe are still rising to the challenge day after day.

These are their stories.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ SEASON TWO: THE MONSTER WITHIN ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

_{Location: Centuri - VI - Sector 2842}

Season One #2.01: Out of Reach

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Season One - Gods Among Men

Smoke coupled with the smell of ash and weapons fire rose into the violet sky that surrounded the world of Centuri VI. Three of its moon were still visible, sitting high in the sky, unobscured by the sun even at midday. Despite never having had contact with Earth, Centuri VI’s architecture was incredibly similar to that found in some regions of the Terran Homeworld.

The Capitol; the home of the Centurii’s governing democracy, had seen better days. Buildings made of materials comparable to limestone and marble had been damaged from the sonic blasts of the insurgents’ weaponry. Entire buildings had been reduced to nothing more than rubble from the attack.

At the heart of the Capitol lay the Senate, Centuri IV’s governing body. The dome-shaped roof was supported by a series of columns that circled the building, raising it high above the ground. The Senators had been brought out one at a time, forced to kneel and wait. For what?

They did not know.

Each member of the governing body exchanged nervous glances with those on their left and their right. Any cries for help were silenced immediately, equally so any pleas for mercy. The armoured insurgents had no pity for the Senators.

Centuri VI had been a democracy for almost as long as recorded history existed. A planet made up predominantly of philosophers and artists, they had long considered themselves to be past the needless bloodshed of war. But unrest had spread across not only the Capitol but the world as a whole and soon the insurgents had enough numbers to go to war.

This was the closest any of the Senators had ever come to a violent death. Tear stained eyes were drawn towards the foreign weapons held by the insurgents. Neither the arms nor armour were of Centurii make. It was this advantage that had allowed their smaller numbers to quickly overwhelm the world’s governments.

The steady hum of a skiff echoed down the street as the sleek craft appeared within view. The narrow vehicle flew above the ground, the brake flaps deploying before it came to a sudden stop only yards from the line of soon to be executed men.

Atop the craft, a towering figure in black armour began to descend towards the ground. Wings appearing from the back of his suit allowing him to glide towards the ground before marching towards the Senators. Following behind him was a tall, lean figure.

But it was not Centurii.

<“Has not everything I promised come true?”> The figure asked, gesturing towards the men with one of its four arms.

<“You have.”> The armoured figure agreed, his helm retracting to reveal a scarred visage. His yellow skin was marred with red and orange bruising. The man’s right eye had been entirely replaced by an implant, the luminous circuitry visible within a large scar running the entire length of the right side of his face.

<“Too long have the old and cowardly forced all of Centuri to adhere to their ideal way of life. Now society will be able to begin anew, led by those who fought for it.”> The armoured figure smiled, nodding towards his men as twelve simultaneous shots rang out. In that same instant, the bodies of each Senator fell to the ground lifeless.

<“Now, you have more of this technology, you can bring us more to solidify power?”> The armoured man asked, turning back towards the alien.

<“Oh indeed,”> It smiled wickedly in response. < “I’m more than happy to oblige.”>

Above Centuri VI, the void of space was suddenly illuminated by a blinding flurry of lightning as the fabric between time and space was ripped apart like a once clenched jaw. The bow of a ship slipped through the gaping maw as a Hive Ship exited slipstream and came to orbit around the remote M-Class planet. Behind the massive vessel came another like it and another after that. Each of the ships entered into orbit around the Centuri VI. From the surface, the humanoid populace turned their eyes to the sky. Even from the surface, the Hive ships were visible around the planet.

The armoured figure turned towards the sky, a confused look crossing his face. He could not possibly understand the horror he had unleashed upon his world, but he knew enough to feel fear.

<“Deception!”> He roared, raising his weapon towards the alien. In response, it looked back towards him defiantly, clearly unphased by the sonic arm cannon levelled towards its face.

“Khaji-Da.” It replied, and suddenly, the armoured figure froze. The helmet emerging from within the armour and closing around the humanoid’s head. The eyes suddenly glowed red before it spoke.

<“Assuming direct control.”> Came the suit’s response, the weapon lowering away from the alien. The smug look of triumph passed over its face before it turned its gaze back towards the sky.

From within the Hive ships came a deafening humming noise. Hundreds of small vessels suddenly exited from the hexagonal patterning on the ships' underbelly. Diving through the atmosphere of the planet, the ships began to fire on those below. A man reached out to his child only to be struck down. A metal prong hooked into his back, injecting the man and forcibly transforming his body. Crying out to his child one last time, the man's eyes went blank as he lost his individuality becoming nothing but a drone to the invading aliens. Turning to his crying child, he extended a spike from his wrist before reaching down and submitting her to the same fate as he. More and more of the natives began to fall to this fate. From the Hive ships above, a haunting electronic voice echoed over the planet.

<“We are the Reach. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.”>

The message continued to play on a loop as the Reach began to bomb the planet from orbit. As they had done to the populace, the surface was transformed. The Reach penetrated the surface with pillars that unfolded to cocoon Centuri VI. Drilling to the planet's core, they were preparing the world for a metamorphosis, insuring it would survive the terraforming process. As the cocoon began to spread, the planet's resources were slowly absorbed as the Reach harvested each and every one of them. Their new drones slowly awakening from the transformation process as they began to assist the cocooning process, their new implants allowing them total comprehension as they became one with the hive mind. Descending through the atmosphere, the first of the Hive ships prepared to land as the other two departed from orbit.

This world, like many others, now belonged to the Reach.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ SEASON ONE: GODS AMONG MEN ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

_{Location: Stagg Enterprises - Los Angeles, California}

Season One Epilogue: First Contact

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Devastation and Reform

"What do you mean A.R.G.U.S. has issued a warrant for my arrest?" Simon Stagg's voice echoed across the lab. Every syllable of his question was emphasized with the man's outrage and indignation. "Wipe every drive related to project and contact your partner, tell them I need asylum immediately."

Shaking her head, Stagg's Chief Engineer, Dr. Marcia Monroe, reiterated his orders to her staff, emphasizing the urgency further before turning around to address her employer. Raising her head towards Stagg, he took a step backwards at the sight of her unnervingly icy glare.

"Sir, we aren't happy about this." Dr. Monroe stated humorlessly.

"I know, the plan wasn't supposed to go this way," Stagg replied dismissively. "Metropolis of all places should have been secure. Having a storehouse in Gotham would have been asking for trouble, but Metropolis? How could I have foreseen these complications? This is out of my control." He reiterated, frustration clearly displayed across his features.

"I hope for your sake, the Ambassador agrees." Dr. Monroe’s human appearance suddenly disappeared to reveal an alien visage. Between the interlocking chitinous plates that covered the alien's body, Stagg could see various elements of cybernetic enhancements bonded to her being. A pair of short antenna twitch impatiently from atop the alien's head, her annoyance only further emphasized by the four spiny arms folded across her thorax. The mandibles that sat on either side of the Engineer's jaw clicked together in a sound that Stagg knew to only mean disapproval.

"You were to provide an opening for us. This technology was not given to you to be stolen and used for your planet's own petty prejudice." The creature formerly known as Marcia Monroe snapped towards Stagg.

"Worry about that later, secure the specimen for transport and get us the hell out of here." Came Stagg’s agitated retort, his temper unphased by the female alien's unsettling appearance.

"The specimen reproduced." The alien replied flatly. Its voice sounded as though there were three individual speakers, all coming from the same mouth. To Stagg, it sounded as though there was the initial voice, a second with a moment’s delay and then a third that was gargling rocks. Nonetheless, her comment stopped Stagg dead in his tracks.

"Several hundred of its offspring are now lining the holding tank." She added, her expression appeared to mimic the human sentiment of satisfaction at the sight of Stagg’s own flabbergasted face.

"Why was I not inf-" His words were unexpectedly interrupted by the simultaneous blare of several klaxons throughout the laboratory.

"It is time to go, your world's authorities are here." The alien Monroe ordered.

"But the specimens!" Stagg protested.

“With any luck in our absence, they will destroy your world and provide the opening you failed to give.” The alien engineer snapped again, grabbing Stagg seconds before the door flew off its hinges.

Standing in the portal was a squad of fully armed soldiers. A chevron-shaped logo set against a red background was clearly evident on their body armour. The silence was broken by a man raising his hand to the side of his head, activating an open communications channel with his superiors.

“Director.” The man stated, his uniform bearing the rank of Captain. The Captain had taken up a strategic position, one behind a line of trigger happy soldiers. Each of them with a weapon trained on Stagg and Monroe. “I’ve got eyes on Stagg and his partner. What are our orders?”

“I need them alive, Captain.” Came a woman’s crystal clear response in the earpiece of every soldier. The reply prompted a nod from the man in charge before he turned his head forward again towards the fugitives.

“Copy,” Captain Rick Flag responded, motioning towards the squad. “You heard the Wall, they’re coming with us.”

Suddenly Monroe grabbed Stagg, raising an arm towards his throat while restraining the corporate executive. A long spike extended from below her wrist, the tip pressing against the nape of Stagg’s neck. The creature’s mandibles vibrated aggressively as it let out a low hiss towards the A.R.G.U.S. operatives.

Raising his weapon, Flag trained it on the alien currently holding Simon Stagg. He couldn’t be entirely sure where to aim for a vital organ, but he felt safe in assuming the head to be a good start.

“Lower your… arms.” He ordered a mixture of hesitation and confusion diminishing some of his authority. “Retract the weapon, and no one has to die here.” Nodding towards one of his soldiers, Flag ordered her to flank the pair while another followed suit on the opposite side of the room.

“You do.” The alien hissed, suddenly pulling away from Stagg. Flag didn’t hesitate. The assault rifle’s muzzle flashed as a single shot rang out. Pieces of chitin clattered onto the ground. A solid portion of the alien’s skull blown clean apart. Stumbling forward towards the other operatives, Stagg looked like a frazzled old man, his arms drawn close to his body and held limply in place.

Ignoring Stagg, Captain Flag kept his weapon trained on the downed creature.

“Lieutenant Leing, report.” He called towards the female operative.

“It’s dead Si--” The soldier answered only for the creature to leap forward. The spike below the alien’s wrist was outstretched, aimed towards Leing’s throat. A single shot rang out, shattering the weapon but Leing was sprayed with whatever contents it had held.

Recovering nearly instantly, the alien had scampered over to Stagg. Taking ahold of her ally, Monroe activated their escape. The hum of foreign machinery filled the room before engulfing it in a yellow glow. The wanted pair suddenly dematerialized before Flag’s very eyes, vanishing before the squad could fire a single shot.

“Damnit!” Flag cursed, rushing to where Stagg had stood only moments. Kicking the empty air, the Captain continued to curse until turning towards Lieutenant Leing. Kneeling down, he offered her a hand before helping the woman to her feet. Nodded her thanks, Leing was preoccupied with cleaning off whatever alien goo she had been sprayed with.

“Take a moment,” Flag ordered, “Get yourself cleaned up.” Turning around, he walked through the rest of his squad, motioning them to follow. Walking back out into the main bullpen of the office, Flag addressed the remaining Stagg employees.

“This entire facility now belongs to Advanced Research Group Uniting Superhumans. Anyone caught destroying evidence will be prosecuted. Anyone caught withholding information or assets will be prosecuted.” He fired a shot into the air, dust falling from the city before he spoke again. “Am I understood?”

Nervous nods let Flag know his message had been heard. Tapping his commlink, the Captain contacted his superior.

“Director Waller, Stagg Enterprises is secured.”

“And Stagg?” Waller’s asked.

“Abducted.” Flag stated flatly.

“Elaborate, Captain.”

“Upon breaching the premises, Stagg was found with an unknown alien ally. When provoked, the alien attempted to attack the squad before being forced to retreat. It managed to do so using some kind of teleportation device.” Flag explained. “We have no means of tracking the signal.”

“Captain!” Came the yell of one of the squad members. “You’re going to want to see this.”

“Take care of it then continue your report, Captain.” Waller ordered.

“Yes Ma’am.” Moving quickly, Flag located the squad member who had called for him. Approaching the man, he moved past him immediately upon seeing the large tank behind him.

“What the hell is that?”

“Looks like they’ve got their own private Seaworld,” The soldier replied. “It’s full of starfish.”

“I may not be a marine biologist, but I feel pretty safe in saying whatever those are, they aren’t starfish.”

“I’m inclined to agree.” Lieutenant Leing said, appearing behind the two men. “Whatever they are, they’ve been dissecting them. Running all sorts of experiments. Preliminary investigation suggests those creatures provided Stagg with the technology to control the public masses in New York and Star City.”

“Did you get all that?” Flag asked, tapping his ear piece again.

“Every word.” Came Waller’s reply. “Secure the specimens, Captain. I want them ready for transport immediat-” A scream drowned out the remainder of Waller’s words as Lieutenant Leing dropped to the ground.

“I need a medic!” Flag yelled, rushing to the Lieutenant’s side as he knelt down beside Leing. Her body was convulsing violently as though she were having a seizure. Instead, something else was happening inside of the woman. Whatever the alien had attempted to inject her with had been absorbed through Leing’s skin. It was now manifesting inside of the injured woman, spreading across her cells.

“Where’s that medic!” Flag yelled again.

“Shoot… me!” Leing begged, squeezing Flag’s arm tightly, “...Please!”

“Medic!” Flag repeated with a roar, “Hang in there, Lonna!” He was helpless to watch as the woman’s veins began to glow. Cybernetics like the alien had been covered in were slowly spreading onto her face and body.

“Captain, report.” Came Waller’s voice into Flag’s earpiece.

“Lieutenant Leing has been infected.” Flag replied. His tone was unwavering, but panic was knocking at the door. This was unlike anything he had ever seen before, except perhaps in old science fiction films.

“Quarantine and secure. Medics are on their way.” Waller reply was less than comforting. As usual, it was all business, devoid of any emotion.

“And if they can’t help?” Flag grimaced at the implications of his own words, his hand wandered to the butt of his rifle.

“You know what to do.”