This story is based on the worst nightmare I've ever had. I cut off the excerpt before I got to the horrible stuff, but look up the full story at your own risk.
*
"Thank God for Earth-like atmospheres," James said. "This would be even harder if we had to wear environmental suits."
"If we had to wear environmental suits, these animals probably wouldn't be edible," Eckert replied. "And from the looks of it, we still have no chance of catching them. It makes me wonder what sort of predators there are here—evolution clearly favored the swift."
The Initiative's xenobiologist would no doubt have complained upon the discovery that they were attempting to catch and eat an unidentified species, but said xenobiologist had taken another escape pod when the ship was attacked, and they'd failed to make transponder contact with her. Zurie knew she'd been sleeping with James, and privately, she almost hoped the bitch had gone straight into the sun. Almost.
In the distance, a creature resembling a deer-sized squirrel stood atop a slight rise, nibbling at a patch of moss. James, the only one with a handgun, carefully sighted and aimed, and missed by at least a foot. The giant squirrel vanished far too quickly for a second shot.
"Nice aim, Officer," Zurie attempted. "If I ever need someone to hunt elephants with, I'll let you know." The xenobiologist had been constantly abrasive, so perhaps sarcasm would get his attention . . .
"Can you even use a gun?" James asked. Not waiting for a response, he sent a transponder message to Ceto. "I still have one bullet left. We'll go out a little further, and try to find an easy target."
Zurie sighed. How did all those girls get into James Kearn's pants? Granted, their continued survival was a bigger issue than her sex life, but if she went any longer without getting laid, even Ceto might start to look appealing.
"I'll keep trying to hail a friendly ship," Ceto replied. "If I can't find one soon, we'll need to find another way to hunt—at this rate, our food supplies won't last long."
"Officer Kearn, are you sure this is wise?" Eckert ventured. "We're a long ways from the pod—"
"Stow it, Doctor. I'm not living on emergency rations unless I have to."
-- -- -- --
Predictably, the complainer was the first to die.
James always put the loudest and whiniest member of his crew on point when exploring a potentially dangerous region. Eckert had watched for threats from all sides, and from above as well, but he failed to predict the sudden collapse of what appeared to be solid ground. With a brief cry of "Shit!", he vanished into darkness.
"Doctor?" James called down into the hole. "Are you okay?"
A thousand high-pitched screeches answered his question. By that point, Zurie was already running.
After a minute or so, she risked a look back. James was gaining on her, but a swarm of little white worms was gaining on him, covering the ground in a solid stream. Evidently, these were what the local fauna had evolved to flee from.
Well, it wasn't like she could help him. She'd run a few marathons in her time, and placed reasonably well. She wasn't about to be caught by any overgrown maggots—
A gunshot rang out, and pain lanced through her gut. She fell, and the worms swarmed over her. They stopped to secure the easy prey, their bites immobilizing her body, and with no pursuit, James vanished into the distance.
Predictably, James Kearn would not be the one to die.
*
"Thank God for Earth-like atmospheres," James said. "This would be even harder if we had to wear environmental suits."
"If we had to wear environmental suits, these animals probably wouldn't be edible," Eckert replied. "And from the looks of it, we still have no chance of catching them. It makes me wonder what sort of predators there are here—evolution clearly favored the swift."
The Initiative's xenobiologist would no doubt have complained upon the discovery that they were attempting to catch and eat an unidentified species, but said xenobiologist had taken another escape pod when the ship was attacked, and they'd failed to make transponder contact with her. Zurie knew she'd been sleeping with James, and privately, she almost hoped the bitch had gone straight into the sun. Almost.
In the distance, a creature resembling a deer-sized squirrel stood atop a slight rise, nibbling at a patch of moss. James, the only one with a handgun, carefully sighted and aimed, and missed by at least a foot. The giant squirrel vanished far too quickly for a second shot.
"Nice aim, Officer," Zurie attempted. "If I ever need someone to hunt elephants with, I'll let you know." The xenobiologist had been constantly abrasive, so perhaps sarcasm would get his attention . . .
"Can you even use a gun?" James asked. Not waiting for a response, he sent a transponder message to Ceto. "I still have one bullet left. We'll go out a little further, and try to find an easy target."
Zurie sighed. How did all those girls get into James Kearn's pants? Granted, their continued survival was a bigger issue than her sex life, but if she went any longer without getting laid, even Ceto might start to look appealing.
"I'll keep trying to hail a friendly ship," Ceto replied. "If I can't find one soon, we'll need to find another way to hunt—at this rate, our food supplies won't last long."
"Officer Kearn, are you sure this is wise?" Eckert ventured. "We're a long ways from the pod—"
"Stow it, Doctor. I'm not living on emergency rations unless I have to."
-- -- -- --
Predictably, the complainer was the first to die.
James always put the loudest and whiniest member of his crew on point when exploring a potentially dangerous region. Eckert had watched for threats from all sides, and from above as well, but he failed to predict the sudden collapse of what appeared to be solid ground. With a brief cry of "Shit!", he vanished into darkness.
"Doctor?" James called down into the hole. "Are you okay?"
A thousand high-pitched screeches answered his question. By that point, Zurie was already running.
After a minute or so, she risked a look back. James was gaining on her, but a swarm of little white worms was gaining on him, covering the ground in a solid stream. Evidently, these were what the local fauna had evolved to flee from.
Well, it wasn't like she could help him. She'd run a few marathons in her time, and placed reasonably well. She wasn't about to be caught by any overgrown maggots—
A gunshot rang out, and pain lanced through her gut. She fell, and the worms swarmed over her. They stopped to secure the easy prey, their bites immobilizing her body, and with no pursuit, James vanished into the distance.
Predictably, James Kearn would not be the one to die.
