district 10 Alien Strikes Back

第 1 章:异化的阴影维库斯·范·德·米卫（Vikus van der Merwe）蹲在第10区一栋倒塌的房子的阴影下,爪子里紧紧握着一块生锈的铁块.他用它在泥土中划出花朵的形状,花瓣歪歪扭扭的,就像孩子的笔迹一样.他盯着它看了几秒钟,然后用另一只爪子抚平它,轻声喃喃道:"塔尼亚会喜欢的...如果她还能认出我的话.三年过去了.自从宇宙飞船起飞后,克里斯托弗和他的虾人就带走了,留下维库斯在这片废墟中徘徊.他的身体已经不是人了——皮肤已经变成了灰黑色的甲壳,右臂变得畸形而有力,眼睛像虾人一样突出,闪烁着.他试图用刀子切掉这些疏离的部分,但伤口总是会愈合得更快,外壳会变得更硬.他放弃了.现在,他只是一个怪物,连照镜子都不敢看.第 10 区比以前更破旧.MNU 撤离后,这个地方变成了无人关心的垃圾场.空气中弥漫着腐烂和机油的气味.捕虾人住在帐篷和废金属堆里,靠从垃圾场捡来的东西生存.维库斯偶尔能听到他们低沉的嗡嗡声,那是一种奇怪的语言.他花了两年时间才学会了一些简单的问候.克里斯托弗曾说过,他会回来救他,但三年后,天空仍然是空的."维库斯."一个低沉的声音从背后传来,打断了他的思绪.他转头看到一个高大的虾人站在废墟的边缘,背上背着一块破损的电路板.那是Oliver,Wikus在这里唯一可以视为朋友的人."怎么了?"维库斯用虾语问道,他的声音嘶哑,仿佛喉咙里卡着沙子."MNU 赛车又来了.东边,两个小时前.奥利弗的复合眼眸微微颤抖,这是紧张的表现."他们带来了枪支,还有那种...抓人的机器.维库斯的壳微微收紧.他知道奥利弗说的是虾网,这是一种带电的金属网,可以击晕虾人并把他们拖走.当他还在 MNU 担任文员时,他曾在第 9 区看到过它,当时他站在安检线后面观看热闹.现在,他成了猎物."他们想做什么?"维库斯站起身来,他的爪子不自觉地握紧了."我不知道.但他们在东边的废墟下挖出了一些东西.大事.Oliver放下电路板,指着远处.那个地区曾经是 9 区的中心.三年前,它被炮火夷为平地,现在只剩下一堆残骸.维库斯眯起眼睛,隐约看到远处有几辆白色的装甲车,车顶上挂着探照灯.他感到一阵不安,不是因为 MNU,而是因为更深层次的东西——他体内的虾本能,警告着他."我们去看看.""他说着,迈出了一步,奥利弗也跟在后面.他们花了半个小时才接近东边的废墟.天很黑,探照灯的光束扫过夜空.维库斯和奥利弗躲在一辆翻倒的卡车后面,观察 MNU 的动向.七八名士兵围着一台挖掘机,机器的铲斗正在从泥土中挖出什么东西——一块巨大的金属碎片,表面刻着虾人字,发出微弱的蓝光."那是什么?"奥利弗低声问道.维库斯没有回答.他的目光被那块金属吸引,一股痛苦的回忆突然涌入他的脑海,不是他的,而是...虾人.他看到一艘飞船撞在泥泞的地面上,舱门被炸开,蓝色的液体流满了地面.那不是克里斯托弗的宇宙飞船,而是另一艘更小但更致命的宇宙飞船."这是一种武器."维库斯喃喃自语,声音中带着一丝恐惧."他们挖出了一件武器."他还没说完,一名士兵就转过身来,手中的探测器发出了一声尖锐的哔哔声.维库斯立即将奥利弗拉回阴影中,但为时已晚.探照灯扫过来,直接照在他身上."目标找到了!"士兵喊道,枪声紧随其后.维库斯推开奥利弗,把自己扔到一边.子弹飞过他的壳,溅起火花.他感到一阵刺痛,但并没有停下来,迅速爬上一堆废金属,跳到了另一边.士兵们追上来,虾网的电光在空中闪过."抓住他!那是 Van der Merwe!一个熟悉的声音传来.维库斯愣了一下,回头一看,原来是他的老同事彼得·范登堡,现在穿着MNU的制服,脸上带着冷笑.维库斯咬紧牙关,将爪子伸进泥土里,然后突然加速.他不知道自己能跑多远,但绝不能被抓住.他冲进一栋半倒塌的建筑,躲在墙后喘口气.枪声渐渐消失,但他的心仍然在狂跳."维库斯,你不能逃跑."彼得的声音从远处传来,带着嘲讽."你觉得你是人类?看看你自己,怪物!Wikus looked down and saw the dirt and blood on his claws. He closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. He was no longer a human, but he wasn't a complete shrimp man either. He was something in the middle, something abandoned by both sides.Just then, he heard a low hum from underground. He opened his eyes and saw the soil under his feet vibrating slightly. That piece of metal fragment... it was calling him.Chapter 2: Signal of AwakeningWikus knelt on the ground, pressing his palm against the vibrating soil. The sound became clearer and clearer, like some low-frequency pulse, drilling straight into his brain. He felt a splitting headache, but at the same time there was a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had heard it countless times in his dreams."Oliver!" he shouted, turning his head to look for his companions. Oliver crawled over from the other side of the ruins, his compound eyes widening even wider."What's wrong?" Oliver asked, his voice full of confusion."There's something underground." Wikus stood up and dug the soil with his claws. His strength was much greater than before, and he dug a shallow pit in a few strokes. At the bottom of the pit was a piece of metal with curved edges, like the shell of a spaceship."It's their stuff." Oliver whispered with awe in his tone.Wikus didn't say anything and continued to dig. The surface of the metal gradually revealed its full appearance, about two meters long, engraved with shrimp-man characters. He reached out to touch it, and as soon as his palm touched the surface, a blue light shot out from between the characters and pierced his eyes. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, but a series of images flashed through his mind: the spaceship took off, exploded, fell, and countless shrimp-men were engulfed by flames."Wikus!" Oliver grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away. "Are you okay?""It's okay..." Wikus panted, his voice trembling. "I saw... their past. That ship came to find us.""Looking for us?" Oliver wrinkled his shell."Their home planet is gone." Wikus slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on the piece of metal. "This is the last scout ship, it came with weapons. MNU doesn't know, they think it's just energy."Before he finished, there was the sound of an engine in the distance. MNU's armored vehicles were coming this way, and the searchlight swept over the ruins. Wikus gritted his teeth and pulled Oliver into the shadows."They can't take it away." He said, with a little more determination in his voice. "We have to take it back."Chapter 3: Reclaim the RelicVikus and Oliver crouched in the shadow of the ruins, the roar of the MNU armored vehicle's engine in their ears. The beam of light from the searchlight swept over their heads, illuminating the metal fragment in the distance - a part of the shrimp-man spaceship, which was being tied to the truck by the soldiers with a sling. Vikus's claws clenched unconsciously, and his nails scraped against the shell, making a harsh sound."We have to take it back." He whispered, his eyes fixed on the piece of metal. "That's ours.""How to take it?" Oliver's compound eyes trembled slightly, and there was doubt in his tone. "They have guns, and we only have claws."Vikus didn't answer. He closed his eyes and recalled the chaos in District 9 three years ago. At that time, he used shrimp-man weapons - the kind of guns that could blow people into blood mist - to fight against MNU mercenaries. He can still feel that kind of power now, stirring in his body. He looked down at his claws, and the joints were faintly glowing with blue light, like some kind of energy flowing."Follow me." He stood up and ran deep into the ruins. Oliver hesitated, but followed.They walked around several collapsed buildings and came to a basement that was blown open by artillery fire. This was once the hideout of the shrimp people, filled with abandoned alien technology: broken barrels, rusty energy cores, and some devices that Wikus could not recognize. He searched for a while and dragged out a shrimp rifle from under a pile of scrap metal. Although the gun body had cracks, the indicator light on the grip was still on."Is this still usable?" Oliver came over with surprise in his voice."You'll know if you try it." Wikus raised the gun and pulled the trigger at a steel plate in the distance. A blue light shot out, and the steel plate instantly exploded into pieces, and the fragments splashed more than ten meters away. He grinned, even though his face could no longer make human expressions."Enough." He said, stuffing the gun into Oliver's hand. "You cover me, I'll go grab that piece of metal."Oliver took the gun, his claws trembled, but he still nodded.The night deepened. The MNU soldiers were busy loading the truck and didn't notice the two figures approaching in the shadows. Wikus crawled along the ground, his shell rustling against the soil. He could smell the sweat on the soldiers, hear their curses and the orders on the radio. His senses were ten times sharper than before, which made him excited and uneasy."Hurry up, that thing is heavy!" a soldier shouted, pulling hard on the sling.Wikus glanced at Oliver, who was hiding behind a piece of concrete with his gun pointed at the truck. He took a deep breath and rushed out, rushing straight at the nearest soldier. The guy didn't even have time to turn around before he was knocked down by Wikus' claws, and his helmet hit the ground with a dull sound."Enemy attack!" another soldier shouted, raising his gun and firing. The bullet flew past Wikus' shell, sending a string of sparks. He rushed at the second man, knocked him away with force, then grabbed the rifle on the ground, pointed it at the truck and pulled the trigger. The gun didn't respond - human weapons were useless to him."Damn it!" He cursed, threw away the gun, and rushed to the sling. Just then, Oliver opened fire. Blue light shot out from behind the rubble, hitting the side of the truck. The explosion overturned half of the body of the truck, and the soldiers screamed and fled.Wikus grabbed the metal fragment in the chaos and dragged it to the rubble with all his strength. It was heavier than it looked, but he didn't feel tired. The power surging in his body made him like a machine. He dragged it back to the basement, and Oliver followed closely behind, with gunshots and explosions echoing behind him.In the basement, Wikus leaned the metal fragment against the wall and panted. The blue light still seeped out from the text, flickering rhythmically like breathing. He stretched out his claws to touch it, and the picture flooded into his mind again: inside the spaceship, the shrimp warriors operated their weapons and prepared to fight the enemy. He saw himself - no, not himself, but another shrimp man, who looked almost the same as he did now."What is this?" Oliver leaned over and asked in a low voice."A signaler." Wikus murmured, with a tremor in his voice. "It can call more ships... more of us.""More of us?" Oliver's compound eyes widened. "You mean, they are still alive?""I don't know." Wikus retracted his claws, his eyes complicated. "But if they come, humans are finished."He was silent for a while, then turned to Oliver. "We have to find Christopher. He knows how to use this."Chapter 4: Reunion of old friendsChristopher Johnson lives on the edge of District 10, in a shack made of scrap iron and canvas. The last time Wikus saw him was three years ago, when he was still half human and half shrimp, begging him to change himself back. Now, he stood in front of the shack, knocked on the door frame with his claws, and whispered: "Christopher, it's me."The curtain was lifted, and Christopher walked out. His shell was smoother than Wikus's, and there was a gleam of wisdom in his compound eyes. He saw Vikus, was stunned for a moment, and then hummed softly, as if to say hello."You have changed." Christopher said in the shrimp language, his tone calm."No way." Vikus smiled bitterly, his voice hoarse. "I found something, you have to see it."He asked Oliver to bring the metal fragments in and put them on the ground. Christopher squatted down, gently stroked the surface with his claws, and the blue light immediately became dazzling. He hummed a few times, as if talking to himself, and then looked up at Vikus."This is the beacon of the reconnaissance ship." He said. "It was buried when we fell. I thought it was destroyed long ago.""What can it do?" Vikus asked."Summon the fleet." Christopher stood up, his eyes heavy. "If there is still a fleet.""If?" Vikus wrinkled his shell. "Didn't you say you would come back to save me? Three years, Christopher, I've been waiting for three years!""I tried my best." Christopher growled, his voice filled with pain. "The home planet is gone, Wikus. It was destroyed by the enemy. We are the last."Wikus was stunned, and fragments of memories flashed through his mind: flames, explosions, and the fallen bodies of shrimp people. He felt a chill, not because of the cold, but because of some deeper despair."Then what should we do?" Oliver interrupted, his voice urgent. "MNU will not let us go, they will blow this place to the ground!"Christopher was silent for a while, then pointed to the beacon. "It can still be used. As long as it is activated, it can send a signal. If there is a fleet alive, they will come. But...""But what?" Wikus asked."If they come, they will not negotiate with humans." Christopher's compound eyes stared at him. "They will go to war."Wikus swallowed, and Tanya's face appeared in his mind. He could still remember her smile and her voice. But what will happen to her if the fleet comes? And those innocent people, those former colleagues and neighbors of his..."Do we have any other way?" he asked in a low voice.Christopher shook his head. "No. MNU will not stop. They want our technology and our blood. You saw what they are digging in the east."Vicus closed his eyes, his mind was full of confusion. He didn't want to be like this, didn't want to be the fuse of war. But he had no way out."Okay." He finally spoke, his voice firm. "Let's activate it."Chapter 5: The Spark of CounterattackFor the next two days, Vikus, Christopher and Oliver were busy repairing the beacon. They collected parts from the ruins and welded the circuits with shrimp tools. Vikus found that he was getting more and more adapted to these tasks. His claws were as flexible as human fingers, and he could even feel the energy flow in the metal.On the third night, the beacon was repaired. It was placed in the center of the basement, and a steady blue light lit up on the surface, like a beating heart. Christopher typed a string of commands and whispered, "Ready.""How fast will it be?" Wikus asked."I don't know." Christopher looked up at him. "Maybe a few days, maybe a few hours. If no one responds... we'll have to fight on our own."Wikus nodded and turned to look at Oliver. "Go gather the others. We need a team."After Oliver left, Wikus and Christopher guarded the beacon and waited in silence. He could feel the tension in the air, like the calm before the storm. His mind was full of Tanya, but he knew he couldn't go back.At midnight, the beacon suddenly lit up with a strong light, shooting straight into the sky. Wikus rushed out of the basement and saw a blue track in the night sky, like a meteor flying backwards. He heard a low hum in the distance. It was the shrimp people in District 10, and they saw it too."Are they here?" Oliver ran back, followed by a dozen shrimp people with simple weapons in their hands."I don't know." Wikus whispered, his eyes locked on the sky. "But we have to be prepared."Just then, there was an explosion in the distance. Wikus turned his head and saw flames rising from the ruins in the east. MNU armored vehicles drove in, followed by tanks."They know what we are doing." Christopher growled and grabbed a shrimp gun. "We have to hold on until the fleet comes!"Wikus didn't say anything, picked up the rifle on the ground, and rushed to the ruins. His heart beat like a war drum, and he knew that the war had begun.Chapter 6: The beginning of warThe flames of the explosion lit up the night sky of District 10, and the MNU armored vehicles rolled over the ruins, crushing the metal and soil on the ground with their tracks. Wikus stood on the top of a half-collapsed building, holding the shrimp rifle tightly in his claws, and his eyes swept down. His compound eyes captured the movement of each vehicle and the action of each soldier. His body was no longer human, but the tactical intuition - the experience honed from his time as an MNU clerk - was still engraved in his bones."How many people are there?" Christopher climbed up and asked in a low voice, pointing his gun at a tank that was being deployed in the distance."Thirty soldiers, three armored vehicles, and a tank." Wikus answered quickly, his voice hoarse. "They didn't bring heavy weapons, and they probably thought we were still scattered guerrillas.""They were wrong." Oliver emerged from the other side, followed by a dozen shrimp people. They held weapons that they had dug out from the ruins: broken energy guns, modified metal bars, and even a few homemade explosives. The shrimpmen had anger and fear in their eyes, their compound eyes flickering in the firelight."So what if I'm wrong?" Wikus smiled bitterly and turned to look at Christopher. "How long has the beacon been sending the signal?""Less than an hour." Christopher muttered. "If the fleet still exists, it will take at least a day to arrive.""One day." Wikus repeated, his eyes heavy. "We have to hold on for a day."He didn't say anything more, because the first shell was already whistling. The tank's main gun fired, and the shell landed more than ten meters to their left, collapsing an abandoned house, and dust and debris flew into the sky. Wikus immediately lay down and shouted: "Scatter! Find shelter!"The shrimpmen fled in all directions, some drilled into the ruins, and some climbed to high places. Oliver raised his gun and fired back, and the blue light shot at an armored vehicle, a big hole was blown out of the body of the vehicle, but another one quickly filled the position and fired machine guns at it. The bullet hit the wall next to Vikus, splashing sparks, and he rolled off the roof and landed in the mud."Damn it!" He cursed and climbed up, rushing behind a pile of scrap metal. He could hear the soldiers' shouts, the orders on the radio, and the roar of the tank tracks. His heart was beating like a drum, but he didn't have time to be afraid. He raised his gun, aimed at the tank's turret and pulled the trigger. The blue light hit the target, and the turret sparked, but it didn't explode - the armor was too thick."Vikus, cover me!" Christopher shouted, rushing towards the tank with a homemade bomb in his hand. Vikus immediately opened fire and suppressed the soldiers next to him. Christopher jumped onto the tank, stuffed the bomb into the gap between the tracks, and then jumped away. A few seconds later, the explosion sounded, the tracks were blown off, and the tank tilted to one side and couldn't move."Good job!" Vikus shouted, but before he finished speaking, a bullet grazed his shoulder and a crack was made in the shell. He growled in pain and turned to see Pete Vandenberg standing next to an armored vehicle, rifle in hand and a sneer on his face."Vikus, you're still alive?" Pete shouted, his voice full of mockery. "I thought you'd been rotting here for a long time!"Vikus didn't reply, and dodged to the side to avoid the next bullet. He could feel the anger burning in his body, not human anger, but something more primitive. He rushed towards Pete, as fast as a beast, swung his claws and slapped the other's gun away. Pete fell to the ground and looked at him in horror."You're not a human anymore!" Pete screamed and pulled out his pistol, but Vikus was faster and stepped on his wrist with one foot, and the sound of bone breaking was crisp and audible."I never wanted to be like this." Vikus growled, his voice full of pain. "But you made me."He didn't kill Pete, just kicked him unconscious, then picked up the rifle on the ground and turned to join the battle. The shrimps have gained the upper hand. Two armored vehicles were blown up, and some soldiers died and some fled. Wikus stood in the middle of the ruins, panting, looking at the flames and corpses around him. He knew that this was just the beginning.Chapter 7: The Birth of a LeaderAt dawn, the battle paused temporarily. The MNU troops retreated, leaving behind debris and several soldiers' bodies. The shrimps in Area 10 gathered around the basement, whispering about last night's battle. Wikus stood next to the beacon, gently stroking its surface with his claws. The blue light was still stable, but there was no movement in the sky."They will come back." Christopher walked over and whispered. "They will bring more people this time.""I know." Wikus nodded and looked at the crowd. "We have to organize ourselves and can't fight like this anymore.""Organize?" Oliver interrupted, his compound eyes widened. "We are not an army, Wikus. We are refugees.""Refugees can fight, too." Wikus turned to look at him, his tone firm. "You proved it last night. We have weapons, terrain, and..." He paused and pointed at himself. "And me."The shrimps fell silent, their eyes focused on him. Wikus felt a sense of pressure, but he did not back down. He walked to a high platform, raised his claws, and shouted in the shrimp language: "Listen! MNU will not let us go, they want our blood, our technology. They think we are bugs, but we are not! We have homes and lives, we have to defend them!"A low hum sounded, like a gust of wind blowing through the crowd. Wikus continued: "I am not one of you, I am a human being. But now, I am the same as you. I will lead you to fight back, not just defend, but fight back!"An old shrimp came out, his shell full of scars, and whispered: "Why do you lead us? You don't even know who you are."Wikus was stunned for a moment, then looked down at his claws. He laughed, his laughter was hoarse and bitter. "I know who I am. I am Wikus van der Merwe, once a dog of MNU, and now your brother. If you believe in me, I will take you to live. If you don't believe in me, you will die."The old shrimp man was silent for a while, then hummed a low sound, which was considered as recognition. The other shrimp men also nodded, and the low hums merged into one, like some kind of oath."Okay." Wikus turned to Christopher. "We need a plan. Weapons, bunkers, and manpower, all must be arranged."Christopher nodded and began to assign tasks. Oliver led people to collect weapons, the old shrimp man was responsible for strengthening the defense, and Wikus and Christopher studied the beacon to see if the signal could be accelerated.Chapter 8: The first step of the counterattackAt noon, the second wave of MNU's attack came. This time they brought helicopters and more troops, and they were obviously determined. Wikus stood on the top of the ruins, watching the black spots on the horizon getting closer and closer. His team was ready: fifty shrimp men, divided into three groups, ambushed in various parts of the ruins."They thought we would run," Wikus told Christopher, his claws tightening around his gun. "We won't run this time."The helicopter flew overhead and the machine guns began to fire. Wikus yelled, "Fire!" The shrimps rushed out from behind their bunkers, blue lights shooting into the air. A helicopter was hit and fell with smoke, smashing into the ruins and exploding into a fireball. The soldiers rushed out of the armored vehicles, but what greeted them was an ambush by the shrimps.Wikus led a team to rush to the flank, blew up a truck with an energy gun, and then pounced on the soldiers. His claws tore through the bulletproof vests like tearing paper. During the battle, he felt a strange pleasure, not the excitement of humans, but the instinct of shrimps - the urge to hunt.In less than half an hour, the MNU troops retreated again, leaving behind a dozen bodies and two crashed helicopters. Wikus stood in the center of the battlefield, panting, his body splattered with blood. He looked down at his claws and suddenly felt sick. He was no longer a human, but he didn't want to become a beast."Vicus!" Oliver ran over, his voice urgent. "There's movement in the east, not MNU, but...something else."Vicus turned his head and saw a cloud of dust rising from the distant horizon. He squinted his compound eyes and vaguely saw a few dilapidated trucks with humans standing on them - not soldiers, but civilians, holding guns in their hands."Who?" he asked in a low voice."I don't know." Oliver shook his head. "But they are coming here."Chapter 9: Unexpected AlliesThe dust gradually dissipated, and Wikus stood on the top of the ruins, staring at the dilapidated trucks with his compound eyes. The body of the truck was covered with scratches and rust, obviously not MNU equipment. The humans in the trucks were wearing messy clothes, some holding shotguns, and some holding homemade bombs. They stopped at the edge of Area 10, got out of the car, and looked around vigilantly."Not MNU." Christopher climbed up and whispered, holding the gun tightly in his claws. "Maybe scavengers.""Scavengers won't carry so many weapons." Wikus wrinkled his shell and looked at the crowd. He noticed a figure - a woman, standing in the front, wearing a tattered military jacket and holding a rifle in her hand. Her face was covered by dust, but the posture and the way she held the gun made his heart skip a beat."Tanya?" He murmured, his voice almost covered by the wind."What?" Oliver came closer, his compound eyes widened. "Do you know them?""Maybe." Without explaining, Wikus jumped off the ruins and walked towards the truck. Christopher shouted "Be careful", but he didn't stop. His claws scratched the dirt, and his heart beat faster and faster.The group saw him approaching and immediately raised their weapons. The woman - probably Tanya - shouted: "Stop! If you move any further, we will shoot!"Wikus stopped, raised his claws, and tried to keep his voice steady: "I am Wikus van der Merwe. Who are you?"There was a whisper in the crowd, and someone cursed "monster", but the woman waved them to be quiet. She took a few steps closer and squinted at him. Wikus finally saw her face clearly - it was Tanya, although she was thinner than three years ago and had a few more fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She stared at him for a few seconds, then whispered: "Wikus? Is it really you?""It's me." He nodded, his voice hoarse. "It's changed a little, but it's still me."Tania put down the gun, with a complicated expression. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just sighed. "I heard you were in District 10, but I didn't expect...you to become like this.""What are you doing here?" Wikus asked, not having time for small talk. His eyes swept over the people behind her, those weapons, those angry eyes. "You are not MNU, but you are not here to chat.""We are the resistance." Tanya looked straight at him, her tone firm. "MNU not only oppresses you, but also oppresses us. They turned Johannesburg into a prison, robbed our houses, and killed our families. We are here to find allies.""Allies?" Wikus was stunned for a moment, then laughed, his laughter was dry. "Do you think we can be allies? Look at me, Tanya, I'm not a human anymore.""You are still Wikus." She interrupted him, with a tremor in her voice. "The Wikus I know will not give up, will not become a running dog of MNU. I believe you won't do it now."Wikus was silent. He wanted to retort, wanted to tell her that he was no longer the person she knew, but he swallowed the words back when they came to his lips. He turned his head to look at Christopher and Oliver, who stood in the distance, watching vigilantly."How many of you are there?" he finally spoke."Fifty are here, and there are two hundred scattered outside the city." Tanya replied. "We have guns and explosives, but we don't have your technology. We know you are fighting MNU, and we want to fight too."Wikus lowered his head and thought. The shrimp people just repelled the attack of MNU, but the losses were not small. If the fleet does not come, they will be crushed sooner or later. Tanya's team may be an opportunity, but can he trust humans? Especially now, he can hardly recognize himself."Okay." He looked up at her. "Let's talk."Chapter 10: Fragile AllianceIn the basement, Wikus, Christopher and Tanya sat around the beacon. Oliver and a few shrimp people were guarding outside, staring at Tanya's men. The air was filled with tension, and the hostility between shrimp people and humans was like a taut string."What is this?" Tanya pointed at the beacon, and the blue light reflected on her face."A signaler to summon the fleet." Wikus answered calmly. "If there is still a fleet, they will come.""What are they coming for?" She frowned. "To help you, or to kill us?""I don't know." Wikus told the truth. "But if they don't come, we have to rely on ourselves. You can see that MNU will not stop."Tanya was silent for a while, then said: "We have intelligence. MNU has built a base in the eastern suburbs and stockpiled heavy weapons and drones. They plan to clear out District 10 in three days and kill you all.""Three days." Christopher whispered. "The fleet may not be able to catch up.""Then we have to act first." Wikus stood up and tapped the beacon with his claws. "Seize their base and take their weapons.""Are you crazy?" Tanya widened her eyes. "That's a military base, not a den of street thugs.""You're crazy to be alive now." Wikus grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. "We have the weapons of the Shrimp People, and you have the numbers. Let's do it together, okay?"Tanya bit her lip and looked at a tall man behind her - her deputy. The guy frowned and shook his head, but she waved him to shut up. "Okay. But we have to plan it out and don't do it recklessly."For the next few hours, they huddled in the basement to make a plan. Wikus drew a sketch of the base - he sketched out the standard layout of MNU from memory. Tanya provided intelligence, marking the locations of sentries and drones. Christopher checked the status of the Shrimp People's weapons to make sure they were usable."Front feint attack, flank attack." Wikus pointed to the sketch and said. "I'll lead the Shrimp People to charge from the front and attract fire. You sneak in from the east and blow up their power station.""Too risky." Tanya frowned. "You will have many deaths.""A lot of people have died already." Wikus whispered, his eyes heavy. "If we don't fight back, we will all die."She didn't argue again, just nodded.Chapter 11: Bloody Battle in East SuburbsOn the morning of the third day, Wikus stood at the edge of District 10, with a mixed team of fifty shrimp people and Tanya's twenty people behind him. The night was dark, and the sky was covered with dark clouds, as if they were about to come down. He raised his claws, hummed, and the team began to move.The East Suburbs Base was five kilometers away, a group of buildings surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire. As Wikus led the team closer, he saw the searchlights on the sentry tower sweeping back and forth, and the drones buzzing in the air. He took a deep breath and said to Christopher, "Start."Christopher raised his energy gun, aimed at the sentry tower and fired. The blue light exploded the top of the tower, and the alarm sounded immediately. The shrimp people rushed out of the bunker and rushed towards the main gate, and the light from the energy weapons intertwined in the night sky. The MNU soldiers returned fire, machine guns and rockets blasting the ruins into dust.Wikus rushed in front, clawing through the barbed wire and blowing up an armored vehicle with one shot. He felt the bullets graze his shell and roared in pain, but he didn't stop. His team followed closely behind, using brute force and weapons to tear through the defenses.Meanwhile, Tanya led the team to sneak in from the east. Her men climbed over the barbed wire, blew up a drone, and then rushed to the power station. Explosions sounded one after another, and the lights of the base flickered a few times and went out completely."Good job!" Wikus shouted through the headset - Tanya insisted on installing a simple communicator for him. He rushed inside the base and saw MNU soldiers in a mess in the dark. He led the team straight to the armory and blew open the door. It was filled with guns, rocket launchers, and several unassembled drones."Take what you can!" he shouted, and the shrimps immediately moved the weapons. Tanya's team arrived, loading up several boxes of ammunition.Just then, a heavy drone rose from behind the rubble, apparently with a backup power source. Its missiles locked onto Wikus, red lights flickering on his carapace. He yelled, "Scatter!" and threw himself to the side. The missiles exploded on the ground, and the shockwave threw him off and crashed into a wall."Wikus!" Tanya ran over and helped him up. His carapace was cracked in several places, and green blood was oozing out, but he was still alive."It's okay." He stood up, panting, and saw the drone turned towards Tanya. He lunged forward, pushing her away, clawing at the drone's wing. Energy exploded in his body, and he tore off a piece of metal, sparking and falling to the ground."You're crazy!" Tanya shouted, anger and worry in her voice."Get used to it." Wikus grinned and turned to look at the base. MNU's resistance had collapsed, and the remaining soldiers fled in all directions.Chapter 12: Shadow from the SkyAfter the battle at the East Suburbs Base, Wikus and his team retreated to Area 10 with the looted weapons. The sky was pale, and the air was filled with smoke and the smell of blood. His shell was full of cracks, and every step he took was painful like a needle, but he did not stop. His team - the shrimp people and Tanya's human resistance - followed silently behind, tired but with a hint of excitement of victory.In the basement, the beacon still flashed blue light, like an uneasy heart. Wikus squatted beside it, his claws gently stroking the surface. He could feel its pulse, as if calling for something. Christopher came over and whispered: "The signal has been sent for three days. If the fleet doesn't come, we have to rely on ourselves.""We can rely on ourselves." Wikus looked up at him, his voice hoarse. "We took their weapons, and we can fight better in the next battle.""The next battle?" Tanya interrupted and walked in. Her face was covered with dust, and her eyes were complicated. "Do you really think you can keep fighting? MNU won't stop. They will bring larger forces, even the army.""Then fight until they stop." Wikus stood up and looked at her directly. "Don't you want to fight too? For your family, your home?"Tanya bit her lip and said nothing. She turned her head to look at the beacon and whispered, "What if your fleet comes? They will kill us all, right?"Wikus was silent. He wanted to say no, but he knew it was a lie. The memories of the shrimp people surged in his mind - the home planet was destroyed, the people were slaughtered, and they would not have mercy on humans. He looked down at his claws and suddenly felt that they were terribly strange.At this moment, the basement shook. It was not an explosion, but some deeper vibration, like the ground was breathing. Wikus rushed out and saw a black shadow appear on the horizon, getting bigger and bigger, accompanied by a low roar."Here it comes." Christopher stood beside him and whispered. "Fleet."In the sky, dozens of shrimp-man spaceships tore through the clouds and slowly descended. They were larger than the one Christopher had three years ago, with a metallic luster on the surface, and the weapon bay doors slowly opened. Wikus felt a chill, not fear, but some kind of instinctive resonance. His body was shaking, as if responding to those spaceships."Wikus!" Tanya grabbed his arm, her voice urgent. "You have to talk to them! Don't let them go to war!""Talk?" Wikus smiled bitterly and turned to look at her. "They won't listen to me, Tanya. I'm not their leader, I'm just a signal.""Then try it!" She almost shouted, her eyes full of tears. "I don't want to die, and you don't want to die either, right?"Wikus was stunned. Her tears pierced his heart like a knife, reminding him of himself three years ago - the man who cried while holding her photo in District 9. He nodded and whispered, "Okay, I'll try."Chapter 13: The Final DecisionThe spaceship landed on the edge of District 10, stirring up a dust storm. A larger ship opened its hatch, and several fully armed shrimps came out. Their shells were smoother, their weapons were more advanced, and their compound eyes were cold. The leader was a head taller than Vikus, and he hummed a few times, as if asking something.Christopher stepped forward, answered in the shrimp language, and then pointed at Vikus. The leading shrimp turned to him and hummed: "Are you sending a signal?""It's me." Vikus nodded and replied in the same language. "We need help. Humans are killing us and stealing our things."The leading shrimp was silent for a while, then said: "We know. The home planet is gone, and this is our last home. Humans can't stay.""Can't stay?" Vikus wrinkled his shell. "Do you mean kill them all?""Yes." The leader's tone was calm, as if he was saying something that was a matter of course. "They destroyed us once, and they can't destroy us a second time."Vikus felt a chill. He turned to look at Tanya, who was standing far away. She couldn't understand the shrimp language, but her eyes were full of worry. Her face flashed through his mind, as well as those rebels, those innocent people. He took a deep breath and said, "It's not all like that. Some humans help us, like brothers.""Brothers?" The leader growled, as if mocking. "They are enemies.""No." Wikus stepped forward and looked at the other party. "I used to be a human, and became one of you. I know their mistakes, but I also know that they can change. I ask you, give me a chance."The leader was silent. The other shrimps hummed, as if arguing. Wikus felt the pressure pressing down like a mountain, but he didn't back down. He knew that this might be the only hope."Okay." The leader finally spoke. "We won't kill them all. But they have to give up this land and give it to us. If you resist, you will die."Wikus breathed a sigh of relief, turned to look at Tanya, and said in English: "They agreed to a ceasefire, but they want District 10 and the surrounding territory. You have to withdraw.""Withdraw?" Tanya's eyes widened. "There are tens of thousands of people here, Wikus! They have nowhere to go!""Then let them choose." Wikus' tone was heavy. "Withdraw, or fight to death."Tanya gritted her teeth and tears slid down. She turned and walked towards the rebels and whispered a few words. There was a quarrel in the crowd, some people shouted to fight, and some people collapsed on the ground. Wikus looked at her back, and his heart seemed to be hollowed out.Chapter 14: New OrderThree days later, the MNU troops withdrew from Johannesburg, and the shrimp fleet occupied District 10 and the eastern suburbs. The human rebels left with what they could take away, and Tanya was the last to leave. She stood by the truck and looked at Wikus with a complicated look."You're not coming with us?" she whispered."I can't leave." Wikus smiled bitterly and raised his claws. "I belong here."Tanya nodded, walked closer to him, and hugged him gently. His shell was as hard as stone, but she didn't let go. "I still love you, Wikus. Forever.""I love you too." He whispered, his voice choking. "I'm sorry."She said nothing more and turned to get in the car. The truck drove away, and the dust rose, covering her figure. Wikus stood there until the dust and fog cleared, leaving only the shadow of the shrimp man's spaceship in the sky.Christopher came over and whispered: "You did the right thing. We survived.""Survived." Wikus repeated, his eyes empty. "But at what cost?"He turned and walked towards the ruins, his claws clenched. He knew that this was not the end. Humans would not be willing, and the shrimp man would not stop. He was caught in the middle, and could never go back, and could only move forward.Sector 10 has become the new home of the Shrimp Man. The spaceship is transforming the land, and there is a strange smell in the air. Wikus stands on a high place, watching all this. He is no longer Wikus van der Merwe, nor is he a complete Shrimp Man. He is something new, the beginning of a new order.