Chapter - 1
Above the surface of Mars, portal energy crawls along the craterous surface of its smaller moon. A final escape vehicle sails away from Deimos before vanishing from orbit.
Within one of the many drifting escape pods, the paranormal division devotees witness Deimos disappear from sensors. Stunned silence filled the cabin as Director Wright, Dr. Carmichael, Dr. Kronos and Dr. Nexson stared into the emptiness.
"This can't be happening" Kronos says.
"I'm ruined" Wright babbles.
"Unbelievable" Nexson remarks.
The subspace relay began flashing as it picks up emergency transmissions from UAAF Command, UAC Central and others from the Phobos colony. Susan touches the receiver and listens to a transmission, the channel opens with a burst of crackling interference.
"We are experiencing a station emergency, an explosion is overheard in the call followed by sizzling electronics, requesting immediate assistance, Phobos is under attack"
The Director buries his face in his hands.
They listened in silence as static overtook the channel, the communication system interrupts their distressing thoughts.
"Video linkup established"
A video call connects, a UAC Councilor appears on the screen.
"Hello? What's happened to Deimos colony? We've lost contact with all channels, a total black-out!" they rave.
"There was an incident with the Gate B teleporter, it's unleashed an infestation of alien creatures and the reason for the blackout is that Deimos is gone" the Director explains.
"What do you mean it's gone? What happened?" Crawford asks.
"It appears to have been transported. We just watched it vanish from it's orbit" Wright explains.
Councilor Crawford stared grimly.
"You're saying that Deimos just blinked out of existence? That the colony is gone?" the Councilor asks.
Wright exchanges a breath.
"That is affirmative" Scott replies, the Councilor's image darkens with anger.
"Are you playing games with me? Tell me everything you know about this!" Crawford demands loudly.
Scott's eyes dart from side to side, face flinching nervously.
"Well, uh..." he begins, the Councilor's eyes watched unmoved.
Nexson approaches the console, knowing they were about to say too much.
"We'll get back to you, Councilor" he says, reaching for the disconnect icon.
"Rupert, stay away fro-" Crawford angrily shouts before the call was cut.
Scott let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Rupert" he says.
"Listen, no one can learn about our involvement. If they dig into our activities we could be held responsible" says Nexson.
"He's right, we must get our stories straight" Scott agrees.
"Video linkup requested" the computer chirps.
"You can guess who that is" says Victor, the notification repeats as they stood in thought.
"Since the computer logs were lost along with the moon and our subspace channels are encrypted, there's not enough to implicate us" reasons Susan.
"That's right, except… Chief Revok and Major Mills know we were in Echo Labs when it was locked down" Kronos recalls grimly.
A silent moment passed as they contemplate.
"They don't know that for sure. All they know is that we were on the monorail. We can just say that was misheard" Kronos schemes.
"Okay, good. We can say we came from performing equipment checks at Environmental Control and that this was an accident. We can't risk exposing the Paranormal Division" states Nexson, his syllables clipped in a serious tone.
Location: Phobos, UAC Colony, Central Processing
Frightened personnel dash along a winding hall, they could hear snarls getting closer from behind. They were nearing collapse when they reached a long stretch, the Data Storage Vault was at the end of the hall. Hexagon tiles line the floor, strips of beige cushioning was attached to the circular walls. Conduits of gas, water and optical cables ran along the ceiling. They reach the Data Vault and Dr. Manning looks into the retina scanner.
"Authorization Accepted" echoes the computer voice.
Warning lights flanking the vault began flashing brightly, a buzzing alarm assaults their ears. Two marines turn a corridor behind them.
"Bogies at three O'clock" they report, opening fire.
Despite the brightness of the hall, the creatures advanced with a cloud of ensuing darkness. A quake was heard within the vault as the door slide apart, two more barriers behind unbolt and open. They scrambled through the still widening passage and look back toward the Marines still ensued in their duties.
"Christ, these things are ugly"
"There's so many, where are they coming from?" they exchange, spraying chaingun rounds with skillful expertise.
Dr. Diane Stone shouts to the marines, but her words were drowned by the sound of bending metal. A sealed door next to the marines was quickly ripped from its frame by large dark claws, revealing a towering creature with furious red eyes loudly stomping the hexagon tiles with flat hooves. They swing their guns toward the advancing creature, it reached its arm back and a swirl of green energy swam along the valleys of its massive hand.
The Hell Knight roars as rounds impact its torso, it hurls the plasma, slipping past the Marines and colliding against the wall. The Knight stomps closer, grabbing a Marine by the throat and slamming the other into the wall in the process.
"Urp...Help...me" manages the marine as the grip tightened.
It begins tearing his limbs, accompanied by sounds of ripping muscle tendons and popping joints. The walls of the passage were dripping in blood, the other Marine climbs to his feet and runs toward the vault. The huge creature was already stomping toward him.
"Close the doors!" the marine shouts into the vault, tucking the chaingun closely.
Dr. Manning taps the command icon. The creature's stomping grew faster, it was a few meters behind as the marine clears the narrowing doors. He runs into the vault, the creature was steps behind when Dr. Manning over-rides the controls. The doors narrow around the creature, it grips the sides of the barriers. The Hell Knight roars, pushing with all it's strength but the doors continued to close as bones snap and blood pools. The vault gradually seals, spewing a stream of blood gushing from the seam.