It was all just a memory, a fragment stretched taught across the ageless black expanse of space, he thought as his fragmented mind drifted and he remembered.

“It’s a city alright.” Mission Commander Duncan McKay whispered in awe, looking out the forward view port of the small craft.  The crew confirming what the sensors had already discovered.  There was a city, monolithic and vast, covering the dayside of the planet.  

There was a time when the city was believed to be sensor echoes and erroneous data.  But there was no debating its existence now. The buildings rivaled the advanced arcologies of earth.  They stood in chaotic grace; reminding McKay of a frozen splash of water.  It was as if a great hand had cast a stone into a placid lake and the buildings were shaped from the result.  Some buildings defied gravity, hovering disjointed above the alien landscape. 

The planet, originally designated Gliese 581g, was tidally locked.  This meant that one side of the planet always faced the sun, while the other remained cloaked in darkness.  Since its discovery, decades ago, the planet had been the source of human obsession.  World governments had committed countless dollars toward reaching the unclaimed jewel.  Gliese 581g had changed the fundamental course of humanity from science to doctrine.

Thousands of unmanned probes had surveyed the distant sphere, launched by a dozen different global coalitions.  There was no ambient artificial energy, no radio waves or broadcasts according to the long range telemetry.  The findings were both astonishing and bleak and every one fueled humanities desire to conquer the distant orb.   

McKay and his team were the first successful group to visit the distant planet.  Their ship, the Kashmir, used something the “experts” back at NASA called space fold.  It was an experimental propulsion drive and the initial trials had been less than promising.  But the promise of winning the race to distant 581g was worth the risk.

Kashmir’s success had relied on the ship not materializing inside a planet, out in deep space or within the gravitational pull of a star, planet, or countless other celestial hazards.  All of which were projected possibilities.  

The Kashmir was equipped with eight highly trained experts from all relevant fields of scientific study, ranging from archeology to exobiology.  And these men and women were defended by an elite team of marines.  All of them equipped with the most advanced technology, weapons and tools available.  Every contingency planned the crew was flung into the cosmos toward the distant planet.

There was only one string attached to their victory.  The Kashmir had the energy to use space fold once.  But they had won the race. 

“Attention passengers.” The voice of the pilot, Lieutenant Cyriaque Bosworth reported.  “We will be landing at the Genesis site momentarily. The local weather is thirty five degrees Celsius and sunny.  Please note that the fasten seat belt sign has been turned on.  Please lock your trays tables in the upright position. The flight crew would like to thank you for flying air Kashmir.”

Not a single chuckle was drawn from the anxious passengers, including the mission commander.  Entranced, they all continued to stare out over the ruins as the craft descended.

π

They set down in a rocky field just beyond the reach of the alien city, in the twilight shadow of the planet.  From the ground level the alien architecture was equally breathtaking.  Smooth organic curves with no visible seams or assembly.  McKay found it hard to look away from the sparkling cityscape as the rest of the crew dutifully ‘broke down’ the Kashmir and its modular components. The first objective was to setup a base camp, deploy the long range communication array and then begin to synthesize their MBA payload. 

The MBA’s, Multi-purpose Bio-organic Automaton’s, were programmable bio organic units developed on earth as a cheap labor force and logistical support for military and civilian operations.  They were chosen for the mission because they were easy to transport, deploy and program.  In their larval state each one was no larger than seven grams but once they were ‘cooked’ they quickly grew to the size of a regular human being.

Global human rights groups decried the use of the bi-pedal bio-organic automatons. Even though they were widely used for dangerous work or when the potential cost to human life was high.  The only conventional application the bio-machines were banned from was combat duty due to their hardwired imperatives against violence.  The MBA’s would be crucial in the construction of their regular maintenance operations and would become the backbone of the venture here on Giliese 581g. 

“We made it commander.” Bosworth sidled up next to McKay, his grin beaming wide and brighter than the light of 581g’s red sun.  The MBA handler, Kevin, began to deploy the ‘cooker’ chamber nearby assisting the civilian team leads, Doctor Anders and Doctor Malcolm. 

McKay nodded stiffly as they continued to work on the hydroponics module. 

The young, eager officer looked past McKay and on toward the alien city, its graceful spires sparkling in the eternal sunlight. “It’s beautiful.” Bosworth whispered.

“There’ll be plenty of time to sight see, lieutenant.  Let’s buckle down and get these structures up.” McKay grunted snatching the young lieutenant from his wonderment. 

“Aye, sir.” Bosworth acknowledged moving to assist.

π

With the lack of planetary rotation the crew had quickly conformed to a strict regiment of work and sleep in order to stave off the psychological effects of ‘eternal daylight’.  During rack time the modules were equipped with solar filters that regulated the light levels from normal to umbral darkness. 

It had been seven days since the Kashmir touched down on 581g and the crew had activated the communication beacon.  Receiving a reciprocal signal three days ago the small team was now preparing for their first foray into New Cydonia, named by the expedition scientists after the fabled cities of Mars. 

The first exploration team, designated Alpha, navigated the cracked topsoil littered with sprigs of wild grass as they set out toward New Cydonia for the first time.  Despite the illusion of proximity it took them hours to traverse the bleak trail to the alien city. 

The outlying buildings were a squat, graceful ring emerging from the rocky plains. They stood guard around the web work of inner spires. Up close it all dwarfed anything made by human hands.  Like ripples in a pond, McKay thought, taking it all in. The team began by inspecting the ancient, seamless structures.

No people, no remains, just monuments standing in silent testament to a long dead civilization.  The question as to what happened to the people nagged McKay, Ever since he first saw the structures from orbit.  The city was immaculately preserved.  The telltale signs of war or cataclysm eerily absent. 

But no answer was immediately forthcoming. 

For weeks the teams continued to send messages to Earth with what little data they were able to glean from the ancient structures.  The former inhabitants appeared to have no discernable written language, no signs or iconography, nothing to guide the linguists and anthropologists of the expedition so most of their initial analysis was educated guess work. 

On the forty first day of the expedition McKay sat in his assigned domicile going over command communications from Earth as the door burst open.  Lieutenant Bosworth rushed into the room, a look of giddy panic splayed across his face.

“Sir,” he began excitedly. “Doctor Malcolm has found something in the city.  It’s a power source!”

“Power source?” McKay asked coolly.  None of the Kashmir’s orbital scans had indicated anything but empty tombs from orbit. 

“Yes sir!  It’s in the south eastern corner of the city.” He quickly produced his scan-pad. “Here are the coordinates.  It’s three kilometers past the first checkpoint.”

Commander McKay accepted the pad, looking over the limited telemetry.  It was an energy source all right, artificial and powerful.  “We will need a better reading.    Take one of the more powerful Kashmir scanning modules and setup a sensor cluster.  We can have the civilians teams analyze the data and assess any threat before proceeding.”

Lieutenant Bosworth nodded curtly. “Dr. Malcolm has expressed a desire to go back and get the readings today.  I could take a small team-“

“No Lieutenant.  We follow protocol.  The energy reading could be a defensive structure or something dangerous.  Beta team has been in the field all day.  It’s time to rack.  It can wait till morning.”

π

Beta team deployed the sensor clusters and relays the following day.  The bulbous antennae examined the energy source with every test ranging from primitive x-ray to quantum signature analysis.  The data instantly relayed back to Camp Pioneer, the colloquial name the inhabitants had given the main settlement.  Despite the wealth of data it was impossible to ascertain the sources threat.  It was powerful, stationary and unchanged since it had first appeared.

After several days of suspended rotation McKay took Alpha team into the city in search of the source.  They quickly and quietly scurried through the massive canyons and down wide roadways that melded into the shimmering buildings.  Up close it was as if the city was a massive, natural phenomenon.  But it wasn’t, McKay felt it in his guts.  This place was no more natural than a shopping mall in a desert.

They approached a wider area littered with exotic flora, gigantic flowers and awkward overgrown fungus.  For a moment McKay felt as if it was as if they had stumbled down the rabbit hole. 

“The energy reading is coming from the… arboretum.” Dr. Malcolm indicated standing amidst the other  marines.

“Of course it is.” Commander McKay grumbled checking his side arm and drawing his phased plasma rifle. The weapon had seen many battles on earth in theatres ranging from Iran to the South Pacific; he hoped that he had retired it permanently.

“Weapons out.” The commander ordered moving cautiously into the surreal, whispering jungle.  The team obediently followed. Every few meters Dr. Malcolm corrected their course as they moved toward the energy source.  In the distance they heard a low baritone hum. 

Finally they broke into a clearing carpeted with cobbled stones and sprigs of overgrown scrub grass.  In the center was a pedestal of earthen stone.  It was like the buildings of the city except it was decorated with millions of tiny hieroglyphs.  It floated eerily, a half meter above the ground.  

“Remarkable.” Dr. Malcolm whispered as he emerged into the clearing beside the commander.  The hum had increased as they stood, just on the perimeter of the glade.  It had changed to an almost hypnotic whir.    

“What is it Doctor.” McKay asked.  Doctor Malcolm looked down at his scanner noting a sudden increase in the power level, his eyes widening with anxiety. 

“There is a sudden spike in the e-band readin-“Doctor Malcolm began but he never finished the statement.  A sudden, coronal light burst from the etched stone pillar, blasting steadily and quickly outward.

There was no time to panic, no time to run for cover, just a burst of light and then darkness.

π

McKay opened his heavy eyes and for a moment tried to remember what had happened.  Slowly he pulled himself up into a kneeling position.  He immediately regretted the decision as he was overcome with nausea.  He was in the clearing still, all around him his team was scattered in unconscious heaps.  All except Doctor Malcolm, who hovered before the earthen pedestal, hanging limp like a marionette. 

“Doctor,” McKay coughed his voice suddenly hoarse.  He was weak and his stomach felt leaden.  Doctor Malcolm, eyes upturned toward the pillar, ignored the commander. 

“Doctor,” Duncan repeated battling the queasiness as he retrieved his weapon, using it as a crutch to pull himself upward.

Suddenly Tom Malcolm fell to the spongy ground, his strings inexplicably cut.  He lay very still as McKay half-stumbled, half-crawled toward the inert doctor.  He placed a gloved hand on the doctor’s exposed neck as his suit sensor’s registered weak but stable vital signs.  McKay grabbed the doctor and began to drag him away from the pillar.  The commander’s biological imperative warned him that they needed to flee.

As they breached the perimeter of the secluded glade Doctor Malcolm’s eyes snapped open. He looked up at the commander. 

“Release me.” Doctor Malcolm spoke but his voice was not his own.  It was deeper, distant, otherworldly.

Temporarily taken aback McKay obeyed as he stared at the Doctor.  The young man drifted to his feet.  He hovered above McKay, looking down upon the stunned commander. 

“Authoritarian social structure,” the doctor spoke aloud, as if his internal monologue had been damaged.  He analyzed McKay’s rifle. “Primitive, photon accelerated weaponry…  Genetic identification markers indicate aggressive mid stage of development.  You should not be here until much later. Why have you awakened us?”

Not sure of who or what he was talking to Duncan stood. “I don’t know what you mean.  Who am I speaking with?”  He wasn’t a diplomat or a scientist.  He couldn’t think of anyone less qualified to make first contact.  But he made his best attempt.

The being tilted its head slightly, analyzing the commander for a moment. “You are too primitive to comprehend.” The creature replied dismissively as it drifted back toward the clearing, unfettered by gravity. 

“Now wait a god damned minute.” McKay growled moving to intercept the specter.

The avatar ignored him, approaching the etched pillar. It began to hum anew.  Before McKay could stop the Doctor, the hum reached its crescendo and the coronal light beaconed out from the platform.

π

McKay awoke again, this time in the seclusion of his fabricated module and for a moment he thought he had awakened from a dream.  The cabin was empty and silent save for the beep of medical equipment. 

Doctor Ander’s entered the small domicile.  “You’re awake.” She offered him a small grin as she checked her diagnostic equipment.

“What happened?” McKay groaned.  He felt as if there was an elephant sitting on his chest.

“Beta team found you on the edge of the city.  You missed your check in.” The sandy haired doctor explained vaguely.

“Where is my team?  How long was I out?” The commander asked realizing that he was very, very weak.

“You’ve been out for a few days.   I wouldn’t try to get up to quickly.  You’re going to need to get some solid food and rest.  Your team…” She paused for a moment before continuing, deciding to push forward.  “They’re dead, all except Doctor Malcolm.”

McKay bolted upright in his bunk, the familiar nausea threatening to force him down again.  “I want to see Malcolm.”

“He’s still unconscious and neither of you are in a condition to -”The doctors communicator chirped to life drawing her from her carefully rehearsed admonishment. “Anders, go ahead.”

There was a brief pause. “Alright, bring him to the commander’s module.” She finished putting the communicator away.

“Doctor Malcolm just regained consciousness.  Kevin is bringing him over.” Anders explained her expression riddled with worry.

Moments later the MBA emerged with Doctor Malcolm in tow.  The good doctor was not floating above the ground and appeared lucid despite his ashen complexion.  “Commander, the Umod spoke to me.  They… it’s so hard to focus.” He cried excitedly.

“Umod?” Anders asked.

“They spoke directly to me.” Doctor Malcolm explained as if Anders understood the reference.  “It was so clear but now its all just fragments-“

And before Doctor Malcolm could finish the sentence he collapsed to the floor of the domicile, mouth foaming and eyes lolling into the back of his skull.  Anders quickly moved to clear the area around the Doctor as he convulsed in grand mal seizure. “Kevin, get my scanner and 30cc’s of hydroexcelline.” She ordered the automaton.

The vacant MBA obeyed, rushing from the domicile and returning moments later with the Doctor’s items.  With one hand Anders pressed the dermal transfer against Malcolm’s neck.  The sedative surged through his system suppressing the convulsions as she consulted her scanner, running it over her sedated colleague. 

“He’s stable….” Ander’s mumbled aloud. “Kevin, get him back to his bunk.  I will be there shortly.”

Kevin nodded as he gently lifted Doctor Malcolm from the floor.  Ander’s waited for him to leave before turning to the commander.  Malcolm’s words suddenly taking root. 

“Umod?” She asked, her voice a conspiratorial whisper.

Duncan nodded looking past her and to the doorway. “They spoke to me too.”

She paused for a moment, her heart racing with equal parts fear and excitement. “What did they say?”

The commander looked at her soberly recalling the brief encounter.

“We shouldn’t be here.”

π

Doctor Thomas Malcolm was unconscious for several hours after the incident.  McKay, weak but still mobile, had insisted on accompanying Anders to the wounded Doctors bedside and persisted to stay even after she had left for her scheduled rest cycle.  He sat vigilant by the Doctor Malcolm’s bedside.  His only company the MBA, Kevin, the scientist’s pet machine.

He didn’t bother to converse with the bio-unit.  He wasn’t one of those misguided fools that thought MBA’s had souls.  To him they didn’t have anymore soul than a tire, a bullet or a toaster.  They were cleverly programmed to mimic human actions but that was all.  Some, like Kevin, were programmed with more advanced algorithms that simulated human intelligence but they were just programmed animals to him. 

McKay felt the need to discuss events with Malcolm before briefing the camp.  It was perhaps the paranoid part of him that believed an alien intelligence had violated them both, the only two survivors. 

Doctor Malcolm opened his eyes snatching the commander from his thoughts.  The younger man stiffly turned his head to look at the commander.  “What happened?” Doctor Malcolm muttered the sedative still clearly working.

“It doesn’t matter, now.  I need you to tell me everything you know about the Umod.” The commander prompted.

 Before Doctor Malcolm could reply the commander’s communicator chirped, derailing their discussion. “Commander, our sensors have detected a… disturbance.  I think you better get out here sir.”

McKay quickly stood turning toward the MBA. “Make sure he doesn’t leave this bed.” The commander instructed moving to the module door.  He yanked the heavy portal open stepping out into the unusually windy camp. 

Dozens of MBA’s milled about securing equipment and ensuring module integrity, enacting planned emergency protocols. Bosworth stood in the middle of the chaos frantically directing the automatons.  The commander shuffled past the busy MBA herd calling out to the Lieutenant. “Lieutenant sitrep?”

The young officer looked to his haggard commander. “Long range scanners picked up a storm.  It appeared out of no where.  We’re securing the camp in preparation.”

“What kind of storm?”

“We’re not sure.  Malcolm’s team says it’s like nothing that the mission specialists predicted.  They’re calling it a plasma storm.” Bosworth explained over the yowling wind and blowing grit, directing an idle group of MBA’s to secure the nearby science module.

 “I want these modules locked down asap Lieutenant.  I want the crew and MBA’s stowed as soon as the primary equipment is secure.” McKay ordered moving away from the young officer in search of Anders.

He found Doctor Anders with her team near the primary laboratory outbuilding.  In Malcolm’s absence she had inherited several new team members. They now worked to store samples within the Kashmir’s hardened carcass.  “Doctor, how big is this storm going to be?”

Anders looked up from her scans, sandy hair blowing in the wind.  “It will come in waves.  We will reach the outer threshold in approximately ten minutes.  According to the data the storm is a collection of toxic gas and sheets of super heated plasma.  If we don’t get into the shelters-”

The husk of the Kashmir had been converted upon arrival to accommodate the crew in the event of almost any predictable weather phenomena they would encounter.  Regrettably, plasma storms were not on the original list but Ander’s seemed sure that the remains of the craft would be able to sustain them during the coming storm.  The ship was designed to withstand space travel, a terrestrial storm, in theory, would be weak by comparison.

McKay nodded curtly. “Understood.” He yelled as the winds began to wail. And the commander wondered again what more was in store for his crew. 

π

One half of the crew settled into the starboard escape pods while the other half populated the port side.  It wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t accommodating, but it was safer than the alternative.   

The commander sat huddled in the darkness.  Around him strapped into the five man pod, sat Kevin, Doctor Malcolm and two other scientists; Rodriquez and Tate.  They said nothing as the fiery storm screamed over them, the cacophony of noise and heat raking across the Kashmir. The horrible, burning waves crashed down upon the ship, the carcass shuddering and bucking as the sheets of fiery plasma threatened to burn through the dense structural alloys. 

Almost three cycles passed, according to the pods internal clock, before the storm began to let up.  And as suddenly as it appeared it had vanished leaving only the Kashmir as witness to its destructive power. 

The escape pods interface blinked to life as the whirring groan of atmospheric normalization pierced the silence.  In order to save oxygen none of them had talked much while they were interred in the cramped space.   

“Is everyone okay?” McKay asked as the automated controls ran through the required diagnostics that would allow them to emerge from the pod.

“I am undamaged.” Kevin replied.

Both the doctors confirmed their status as the rolling, tumbling gears of the pods exit hatch began to churn deep within the poly alloy walls.  With a snap hiss the small portal yawned open revealing the smells and sounds of open air.

“Let’s survey the damage.” McKay offered climbing out from the mouth of the open pod.

Around them the hulk of the Kashmir smoldered. The storm baked the outer hull to darkened slag.  The ship was stripped to its inner layers by the oppressive heat.  The escape pods fared little better during the onslaught.  If the storm had lasted any longer McKay didn’t want to think of the outcome. 

The camp itself had been scoured from the surface of the alien plain.  Not a single scrap of the Kashmir modules or payload remained.  It was as if the planet had willed them gone and the storm carried out the malicious deed. 

“MBA-“The commander turned to Kevin, refusing to use the devices pet name-“check the other pods for survivors.  Rodriquez, Tate, see if you can get a bead on any of the remote equipment.”

The commander climbed down from the hatch as the rest of the team vacated the nearly depleted pod one-by-one, except Malcolm.  He had fallen into a coma during the second cycle and they had been unable to wake him. 

As the other occupants moved to their assigned tasks McKay surveyed the smoldering hulk of the Kashmir.  The ship was never meant to return to earth, it was always a one way trip for the graceful craft, but after three days of merciless heat it had been reduced to smoldering scrap.

The other pods began to hiss open around him revealing the rest of the crew.  Anders and Bosworth emerged stiffly from the second and third spheres, the sandy haired doctor squinting against the sunlight.  She looked out over the empty plateau, her mouth agape but her eyes hard.  He would need to organize the survivors before hopeless panic set in.

“Commander,” Kevin called from the starboard side of the Kashmir. “Come quick.”

Instinctively McKay drew his side arm as the Bosworth moved to join him.  The pair quickly made their way around the carcass.  The MBA stood before the three pod array double checking the external control interfaces.  Most of the external components had been burned away in the storm but some of the primary indicators still functioned from beneath melted plates that looked more like wax then forged metal.

“What is it, Kevin?” Bosworth asked lowering his weapon.  They moved to join the MBA.

It looked at the still smoking spheres, the hatches wide open and pointing toward the sun. “These pods have no life.” Kevin replied, its voice almost mournful. 

π

The pod array had lost power and backups had failed according to the diagnostic.  The pods had malfunctioned and opened to the hungry storm, an offering to the fiery hurricane god.  The passengers were immolated instantly as the energy washed over them.  Unfortunately there was no time to mourn their loss. 

The commander quickly took a headcount.  Aside from the human survivors in McKay’s pod there was Anders, Bosworth, Chapman and Durst.  The rest of the survivors were lower functioning MBA drones.  Devices that couldn’t hold a weapon or formulate a logical thought, and any hope of programming them to do so was lost to the storm.

The situation had gone from bleak to unsustainable far too quickly.  Yet McKay refused to despair, he was sure he had been in worse situations although he couldn’t remember any of them.  And, despite their hubris, this had always been a possibility.  The scientists on Earth were optimistic that they could tame this world with a handful of equipment and a small army of MBA’s, but now?  They had been conquered by this unknown variable.  But they would not give up.

“The situation is simple.” The commander began as the remaining crew gathered around.  His palms were sweaty despite the climate controlled ACE, and his gut wrenched tight as he continued to speak. “We have very few supplies and most of our equipment was lost in the storm.  In order to survive we will need to find shelter, food and water. 

“Our scanners have previously indicated a freshwater eco system in the twilight rim of the planet, closer to the dark side hemisphere.  We will pack up whatever is left and head there immediately.  Is that understood?”  But no one offered an affirmative.  Eyes all cast downward in fear and regret.

Most of the survivors were civilians.  Never much for civilian types McKay could see the defeat in their eyes.  The second they had discovered the decimated starboard pod array most had given up.   The loss of their comrades was too much to bear.  But if any of them were to survive they could not give up mentally or physically.  McKay knew this above all else.

“We will survive this.  Is that understood?” He boomed again looking out at the downturned heads.

“Sir, yes sir.” Bosworth replied his back stiff and face upturned in respect near the rear of the crowd.

“Is that understood!” McKay echoed again, turning the question into a hopeful mantra. 

This time Chapman and Durst replied with their Lieutenant.  Their confidence and bravado served to rally the scared and humbled civilian scientists. “Sir, yes sir.” They replied in benediction.

And McKay continued to ask the question until everyone of them replied in kind.  They needed to be strong, now more than ever. 

π

“Umod Laran…” Doctor Malcolm mumbled as the two MBA’s assigned to carrying his litter continued to walk in lock step behind the wandering refugees.  The Kashmir had disappeared over the crimson horizon an hour ago.  The wayward crew continued to make their way to the deep twilight of the planet in search of water and food.

Doctor Anders continued to monitor her colleague’s vital signs but could do little else to help stir him from the unexplained state.  Brain scans indicated an unexplained increase in synaptic activity but she could do little to stop it.  Not confident that stopping it would do much good even if she could.  “Ark…” He grumbled  his eyes fluttering as he spoke.

Anders halted the caravan kneeling next to the wounded Doctor. “Tom, can you hear me?” She asked softly as commander McKay moved to join them. 

“Annalee?” Doctor Malcolm groaned turning to meet her somber gaze.

She took his hand. “Yeah Tom, it’s me.”

“Where’s the commander?”

“I’m here Doctor.” McKay responded looking down at Tom Malcolm’s vacant gaze.

“There is a way off this planet.” Doctor Malcolm groaned hand falling to his forehead trying to physically suppress what appeared to be a sharp pain. “The Umod Laran showed me…”

“The Care Taker, it gave me the knowledge to return us all to earth.” Doctor Malcolm explained his voice suddenly stern.  McKay nodded hoping that the Doctor wasn’t suffering from dementia.  

“How?” McKay asked. The rest of the caravan began to break and gather around the trio.

“A ship located in the twilight of the planet.  Umod Laran called it an ark.  But I think it meant ship.”

“You think?” Commander McKay replied his tone suspect.

“I do not have a grasp of their language entirely… yet.  I need access to the orbital maps to plot the coordinates.”  Doctor Malcolm explained groping as if in the darkness.  Bosworth moved toward the small group, in his hand the navigational map they used to travel toward the water source.  Doctor Malcolm’s eyes remained vacant; he looked up from his litter. “God damnit why is it so dark in here?”

  “I’m sorry Tom…  You’re blind.” Doctor Anders explained.

For a moment the Doctor’s face contorted in shock but the reaction quickly bled away into rigid resolve. “No matter. I’m sure my vision will return.  The coordinates are 12°58′0″N 77°34′0″E.  If we head there we will find the ark temple in the twilight of the planet.”

Bosworth dutifully tapped the coordinates into the mapping device. “Doctor, are you sure these coordinates are correct?  The location isn’t in the twilight area; they’re several kilometers inside the dark side hemisphere.”

π

And the lieutenant was correct.  After the short exchange Commander McKay had decided to setup camp until they could analyze the new data.  He sat with Bosworth double checking the doctor’s coordinates.  Confirming their destination was in fact located on the dark side of Giliese 581g.

McKay, Bosworth, Anders and Malcolm sat huddled together as the MBA’s made camp and the others rested.  Malcolm, quite lucid now, his vision steadily returning, explained the Umod, once known as the people of the sun, in broad strokes.

Apparently they were an ancient race responsible for seeding the primordial oceans of countless worlds.  581g had been one of many planetary outposts, an outpost established to develop other worlds.  . They had breathed life into the Earths core and seeded the biosphere with the necessary elements for macro evolution.  The story of their power, uttered as fact by Doctor Malcolm, was both fantastic and terrifying. 

“What happened to them?” Anders asked as the others turned the story over in their head.

“I’m not sure.  Umod Laran was left to guide us, to teach us when we reached our peak evolutionary potential.  It called the disappearance of the Umod from this planet the Exodus, although it gave me no details.” Malcolm explained.

It was hard for mortal minds to comprehend, realizing that the city alone was a testament to the Umod’s technical prowess if nothing else; to the Umod it was a mere outpost.  Something told McKay that the tale was true despite his secular mind trying hard to deny it.  That part of him that always wanted to believe in a God being, the word Umod, it somehow filled him with peace.  As if some sort of genetic memory was triggered and a veil lifted.

“Umod Laran also cautioned us to stay away from the dark side of the planet.  Those that evolved there, the Ereshkigal, are nightmare creatures.  If we enter their territory…” Doctor Malcolm cautioned, letting the conclusion hang. “But the temple coordinates appear to be wrong.  I just can’t seem to figure out why?”

“I think I have a solution Doctor,” offered Tate approaching the small group, making her eavesdropping painfully apparent.  “It could be that a million plus years of gravitational pull has made the planet shift.  The coordinates could have been in the twilight area millions of years ago and now the planet has moved.”

Ignoring the fact that Tate had overheard much of their private conversation commander McKay consulted to the orbital map.

Emboldened by the lack of reprimand Tate continued. “I guess the best question is do these Ereshkigal still exist?” 

π

The question was valid.

Scientifically speaking the chances of a species surviving millions of years without the guiding hand of evolutionary change was improbable.  It was highly possible that the Ereshkigal had suffered some sort of extinction event in the dark side area of the planet, perhaps the equivalent of the dayside plasma storms or some other geological phenomena.  So Commander McKay considered the risk minimal and they set off toward the temple after some much needed rest.

The sky slowly changed from russet red to deep purple. The landscape changed from harsh rocky fields to thick rust colored grass lands and then lush, shadow jungles.  Bosworth and McKay took point as Chapman and Durst took the rear guard.  Several cycles later the sun finally disappeared as they crossed the lip of the jungles waiting maw.  The first and last sunset they would ever see on Giliese 581g, McKay hoped as he entered the dense canopy.

The jungle was eerie, where the sounds of insects chirping should have been evident only empty silence prevailed.  They all walked in hushed silence for nearly an hour, superstitiously afraid to utter a word in dark.  The further they progressed into the jungle the more the blackness consumed them.

The marines wore their ACE suits but the scientists wore more conservative AE models ill equipped to travel by night.  Commander McKay and Lieutenant Bosworth scanned the jungle with their HUD sensors leading most of the group blindly through the densely packed foliage.

During the fifth cycle of walking in the darkness the first word was also became the first and only sign of trouble.

“Did you see that?” Bosworth asked weaving his weapon along the side of the caravan.

But before McKay could respond the jungle walls collapsed in upon the screaming, panicked procession.  The marines fired blindly but his reaction was instinctive and futile as the jungle, having conspired against the human group, folded in around them.  The panic quickly subsided and there was only silence again.  

π

“Are you okay commander?” The voice was familiar and watery as McKay struggled to open his bleary eyes.  His visor had been removed and the smells of smoke and animal fat permeated his senses.

“I’m alright.” He replied to the MBA, Kevin, as he checked his ACE for physical damage.  Around him sat Anders, Malcolm, Bosworth and two other MBA’s.  The rest of the crew was suspiciously absent in the dark, hide enclosure.  It appeared to be a tent only much larger.  “Lieutenant, where are we?”

Bosworth turned to face McKay, his eyes hollow and distant. “I’m not sure sir.”

“Where is the rest of the team?” McKay demanded as his young lieutenant’s gaze wandered toward the covered doorway.  Bosworth couldn’t speak, it was clear he was on the verge of breaking down, they all felt the toll.

“They were taken.” Anders replied out of turn.  “The creatures took them and…” She began to sob burying her face in her dirty hands.  Malcolm offered her a desperate hug as the commander looked down at the entranced group. 

Why hadn’t they tried to escape?  They were all armed but made no attempt to flee.  As if in reply, the hide portal flew wide and in entered three towering creatures.  Their skin was black and shiny like obsidian; they had long violent clawed hands and stood atop powerful digitigrade legs.   They all had aquiline, slit mouthed faces with nightmarish multi faceted eyes that glittered in the gossamer light.  But their most terrifying attribute was their hair, if you could call it that. It was a wild mane of slithering tentacles that slurped and crawled of their own volition, flittering across their upper torsos, washing their bodies in trails of slimy residue.

The lead creature made a chirping, clicking noise that could have been interpreted as language before suddenly grabbing hold of Anders arm.  “No!” She screamed, struggling to break free of the creature’s grip.

McKay drew his booted sidearm, a .45 caliber that most considered an antique, and rattled off several rounds into the group.  Their thick hide stopped the primitive bullets. The trailing creatures roared across the large tent and wrested the gun away from the commander.  The force of the attack knocked him down as the creatures knelt analyzing the human and his curious, loud device.  Stricken by a sudden terror, McKay made no move to escape, as the one of the attacking creatures pinned him to the ground. Slurping tentacles probed McKay’s exposed face and neck.

Suddenly, the creature analyzing McKay stood hoisting the half ton soldier to his feet like he were a rag doll.  He issued a series of clicks and chirps as the rest of the trio ushered the remaining humans out into the night.

They were in a village at the base of a great standalone structure, clearly Umod in design.  Rounded, nomadic huts built of thick animal bone and dense hide ringed the base of the glittering spire.  In the center of the camp burned a blue fire, like a butane torch atop a primitive carved totem. Around which crouched dozens of the creatures chattering and chirping at one another. 

Behind them, strung up on racks like slaughtered cattle was an outdoor abattoir of human flesh.  The MBA’s, Tate and Chapman; McKay recognized only a few.  The rest were so completely butchered it was hard to imagine them ever as human or even proto-human.

Helplessly the remaining group was herded to the center, to the flame totem, where they would no doubt earn a similar fate.  As they came to a stop amidst the group the tribal chieftain, the alpha, identified by being the most robust and powerful, stood.  He held what appeared to be a badly gnawed MBA leg; it contained  synthetic tissues that were not unlike human flesh.

“Malcolm.” McKay whispered looking toward the Umod structure.  “Is that the Ark Temple?”

Malcolm stared up at the watery structure. “Yes… It is.”

“Then we need to get inside.” McKay continued as the chieftain stalked toward them.  “Bosworth I want you to cover their escape with your ACE’s emergency flares.  These things don’t like the light by the look of it.”

“Aye sir.” Bosworth replied his wits outweighing his panic.

“I’m not sure if I can get us in Commander.” Doctor Malcolm stammered.

“You need to find a way Doctor or we’re all dead.” McKay responded coldly turning to face the approaching creature.

The chieftain arrived at the group.  The powerful creature threw the leg to the ground issuing a deep, animalistic growl followed by a short series of chirps.  He knelt in close to McKay, who despite his terror maintained a rock solid upper lip.  The creature’s tentacles probed him as the other creature had.  The whole time McKay summoned his inner reserves to battle the fear and revulsion.  He allowed the tentacles passage across his body and as they moved toward his waist.

His attack was instant and violent as he grabbed hold of one of the chieftains many probing appendages and tore it free, bolstered by his ACE’s enhanced strength he ripped the gory tentacle free. 

The creature made a very human yowl as it bashed McKay away with a hammer like fist, clutching its injured head with the opposite claw.  The commander quickly tumbled to a standing position and pointed his gauntleted hands at the approaching creatures.  From the tops of his fists spat bursts of flame, tiny pin point flares meant to light an area in case of emergency evacuation.  The approaching creatures howled and retreated as McKay peppered the area with bright burning daylight.

“Run!” He heard Bosworth roar as the group bolted through the now chaotic camp and toward the base of the great spire temple.  McKay spun to follow drawing his reserve side arm and blasting the tents, setting them aflame as he went.  The creatures continued to cry out in blind fury as the humans sprinted toward their destination. 

His gambit had paid off for the moment at least.  He continued to take rear guard, spraying the flammable hides with bursts of charged plasma.  Within seconds the trail through the huts was in flames.  They arrived at the base of the spire looking helplessly back at the angrily clicking and chirping camp.

“Get us inside!” Bosworth demanded dropping to his knee and blasting several of the nearby tents for good measure.  The denizens howled and retreated into the darkness.

“I’m not sure how…” Malcolm reiterated, his voice shaking.  He ran a hand across the smooth, glossy surface of the pillar.  “The Umod Laran didn’t tell me how to access the temple.”

“Well Doctor.  You need to figure out a way in now or we become a monster buffet. Understood?” McKay called over his shoulder expelling the last of his flairs across the base of the pillar.

The chieftain appeared between the tents, bathed in dancing shadow. It moved toward the fiery perimeter snarling and hissing.  The clever creature quickly conquered its fear of artificial light, which unfortunately caused it no real harm.   The initial flight had been a survival reflex from creatures borne in darkness.  The chieftain swiftly realized this as it stalked in toward the small human group.  It’s face even more terrifying bathed in the wisps of dancing shadow. 

Doctor Malcolm stood looking up at the gargantuan structure climbing into the night sky. “Open damnit.” He muttered, concentrating hard on the Umod Laran and the knowledge he was given.  There must be something, Thomas Malcolm panicked.

And in that moment, that fraction of a thought, several things happened all at once.  The chieftain howled in rage, bursting toward the survivors.  Lieutenant Bosworth and Commander McKay raised their weapons to defend against the onslaught and a bright white coronal light enveloped them all.

All of a sudden they were high above the dark side of the planet, atop the monolithic temple spire, looking down upon the jungles.  The room gave the feeling of drifting in space, the dark tinted floors and panoramic windows inviting them to look out upon the eternal night sky. 

The chieftain, an unwilling stowaway, lay dazed upon the floor.  McKay moved toward the supine creature, weapon ready although he questioned its effectiveness.  He remembered his first exposure to the similar light source and it still made him feel sick.  The robust creature wouldn’t stay passive for long. 

“Tom you did it!” Bosworth cried looking at the haggard Doctor.  Thomas Malcolm offered the lieutenant an exhausted nod as he drifted toward the room’s only console.  Like the rest of the Umod architecture the device appeared to be an extension of the glossy floor.

“Good work Doctor.” McKay offered. “Can you get us home?  Sooner rather than later would be preferable.”

Malcolm was entranced by the crystalline console. “I think so.” He muttered as the console hummed to life.  Much like the care takers stone it seemed to accept the Doctor’s touch.  Earth, the doctor reached out to the device. Earth, he concentrated as the ark device began to whine.  But his thoughts were on the Umod as the ark device activated casting them all outward into the heavens.