Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 153 of 365. Sol standard year]
Days after of Crash landing/ 1
Uninhabited Island / Ruins/ Unknown Builder
Galactic Standard Time / 1250
As he led the way deeper into the complex, Rodolphe looked back at Zane and Bryce. So far, they hadnât talked about their situations in depth but he knew they had to. The one thing his family taught him was that trust was necessary to survive. And the group needed all the advantages they could get. The fact was that all three of them were outside the law and they had to trust each other. And as he looked around, he tried to think of anything. He had been in places like this, but the way it was leftâ¦â¦ something was wrong. Very wrong.
As they turned a corner, they saw another long hallway. Only this one was leading them along where the river was going. At least he thought so. He had to admit that this place was giving his sense of direction a hard time, but he thought he was right.
âNone of this makes sense. I mean how old even is this place?â Zane asked suddenly
Rodolphe looked around at the walls. The strange crystals that gave off light made that question hard to answer. If he was right then they were semi-organic crystals that gave off light while taking food from the air. Or not, he might be wrong. Still how they hadnât found any bugs something that to keep them away.
âHard to say, but it wasnât built recently,â Rodolphe said bluntly.
âNo kiddingâ¦â¦wait, youâre not kidding. Iâm guessing your moon didnât have many trees?â Bryce asked.
Rodolphe shook his head. âDesert World. Not much greenery. What water sources that werenât artificial were all under the Corpâs control. They called them âplaces to prepare for our endâ. Places they said were arks. In realityâ¦. Pleasure domes.â
âThe more I hear about them, the more I want to kill some of them,â Zane said. There was a dark edge in his voice that made Rodolphe smile.
âJoin the club, weâve got t-shirts. So, the forest?â Rodolphe asked.
âThat kind of growthâ¦.. it takes decades. This place had to have been built at least a few centuries ago. Maybe even longer. And that meant this place might have been made by them,â Zane said bluntly.
âWho built this?â Bryce asked.
Rodolphe was about to ask as well but then he stopped. He slowly looked around, his eyes seeing the hallway in a new light. The idea was suddenly there, hitting him. It made so much sense, at least with what he now knew. And then he tried to think what they could have done with genetics research. And he felt horror when he remembered the cages.
âThe Builder of the Ruins. You know about the Ruins right?â Zane and
âNo? And they are?â Bryce asked.
âPlaces that were built by a dead race. They had technology and knowledge beyond what we know. Iâm talking about places miles wide that canât have fire. Another the fruit trees flower all year round, and the fruit is so good! Places like that.â
Rodolphe nodded, and then he thought about it. He went still as he looked around, a strange feeling going through him. âGuys, I just remembered something. Theyâve never found a ruin like this before.â
As the others stopped, Rudolphe only looked back. Each Ruin that the Federation let the people know about were always found in pieces. The last few rooms, half a structure at most. This place was something else, it was like they had all died! But what could haveâ¦â¦. Rodolphe looked around, a cold feeling going down his spine. He had to have been wrong, there was no way. If that was true, then how were the three humans still alive?
âOh by the Sandsâ¦â¦. Guys? I just had a thought. These people were able to make wonders of science right? Could this place have pulled the ship down?â Bryce asked in horror.
âThe chance is there. But how did we get to the capsules? And where is the rest of the ship?â Zane asked as he looked around.
Rodolphe didnât hear him. He was too busy thinking of the worst thing that this place could be. If this was the Ruin that brought the ship down, what else was it? What was this place made to do?
âYou knowâ¦.. Whatever happened here, I donât think a battle was the cause. Maybe a spark, but not the cause,â Rodolphe said as he looked around.
âSo not a battle. But the sparkâ¦. So you thinking either a revolt or abandoned? This place I mean. But who revolted?â Zane asked.
Rodolphe kept his eyes ahead of them and sighed. âDonât know. Iâve raided a few places where they were doing genetic âworkâ. And this has to have been doing something with those cages. But the damage is too. I donât know. Thereâs something off about this place.â
ââ¦..whatever they studied here? They made them first,â Bryce said softly, his voice echoing down the corridor.
Rudolphe felt a flash of fear and terror. The way Bryce spoke sounded like he had experience being the test subject. And that was bothering himâ¦.. âTell me that Students arenât a way to say âTest Subjectsâ. Please tell me that.â
âCanât. We didnât even know what was done to us. The group Iâm withâ¦.. they said Iâve got a few extra genes. I heal faster, but some of the othersâ¦.. they were different. Canât say more,â Bryce said softly. At the glare Rodolphe was giving him Bryce just shrugged. âIâ¦â¦ some of the others just didnât act normal. Not even our normal, they just wereâ¦. Different.â
âExplains the monsters weâve seen. I mean it does, right?â Zane asked with a sigh.
Rodolphe jolted in place, turning around to see Bryce nod.
âYeah, unfortunately. The creatures are explained. And this is so bad,â Bryce said with a shudder.
âWhat do you mean, the monsters?!â Rodolphe demanded.
Bryce and Zane looked at each other, and after a few moments, Bryce spoke.
âAt the school. There were animals. Iâm talking normal animals given other genetic traits. One of the most long-lived was a breed of cat with wings!â Bryce said as he looked at Rodolphe.
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Rodolphe looked at Bryce for a few moments. He thought about his world, the people heâs lost fighting for it. The times that a village was found destroyed, and the horrors that came from the deep desert. He paled as he realized just where such monsters had come from. He thought he had seen the true depths that the corp would go, but now he wasnât so sure. One thing he knew for sure, he had to get back in contact with his people.
âWhatâs the matter Rodolphe?â Zane asked softly.
Rudolphe just looked into space, trying to think about what to say. Finally, he decided to just do it straight, and say what he was thinking.
âMy world, we hadâ¦.. monsters. Our cities were built around mines on mountains. The deep deserts around said mountains? Thatâs where the city killers came from. And each was a mutant, a mass of different DNA lines,â Rodolphe said bitterly.
Zane and Bryce glared into space, a hard look in their eyes.
âHey, Rodolphe? When we find the scum, I get one of the shots into his stomach while we interrogate him,â Bryce said with a growl.
Rodolphe only nodded, a smirk on his face. Things were looking up.
But then they all heard a strange droning sound ahead. They all looked up to see something completely unexpected.
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The creature slithered through the corridors of the Creatorâs place. As it moved its tongue flicked out, looking for any sign of its prey. The far strikers had escaped, and so far it couldnât find anything that might show how they had. They had to be farther ahead of it, there wasnât any other way they could have gone. And just being here was something that none of its kind had ever dared before.
The way the place wasnât alive was wrong. There was always something when the creature had come near the Creatorâs place. A strange feeling that always kept the creature away. But now, that same sense was gone. This and the treasure trove of Strength it had gained already. It might not be able to take Strength fast, but it was slowly changing. Already it felt the effect, the strange new growths forming all around it. From the long one down its body to the claws on its hands, and even its mouth. As the fire cooled it became something new, something strong! And now it would hunt down those three little things, and kill them before eating them. It was only fair after all.
It moved farther before it slowly went still as the burning on its head died down. It opened its new sense and looked around, seeing the world anew. It was different and it was on top of its sight but there was more to it, a newness. It was looking through the walls, seeing the heat within them. And it saw nothing, just the strange hard things on the walls. Now and then a spark of warmth would move along the walls, but it had no idea what that was about.
Still, there was something about this place that called to its new senses. Something was there, something that it had to find. There was nothing else to do but keep moving, and hope that it found the three little morsels.
As it tried to think about where to go, it smelled something, something new. A strange smell, one that didnât talk of strength, but food. It was unlike anything it had ever senses before. It moved its head around until it found the smell, coming up from a small hole. It sent its tongue through it and then took in the whole scent.
It smelt of every food it had ever eaten, all together as one! The creature tried to get at the hole, make it bigger but nothing. The Creatorâs den was made of things stronger than its claws. It looked around, trying to find anything but then it caught something ahead. The smell of the All-Food, but weaker than the hole.
It shot down the hallway, looking to find the scent. Forget about the little ones, it had something better!
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As Zane looked at the golden spheres floating there, he tried not to let his fear show. The guards of the Ruin, they were always robots. Based on how much of the place was left determined what the Guards were. Most of the time they were small boxes that floated above the ground or humanoids about six feet tall. But not these.
There were five of them, each one about three feet tall and wide. They had four green glass eye circles around a black hole in a cross formation.
âSo, the Ruins usually have these things?â Bryce asked with a shaky tone.
âNo, not like these things. Move backward, slowly,â Rodolphe said softly.
Zane kept his eyes locked on the spheres. He had seen floating drones before, but there was something about them. The way they were set up, they had to be combat models. And they looked too new, likeâ¦..! He went still as a terrible thought appeared in his mind. It would explain a bit about these things, but the chance of that being true! It went against everything that was known about the Ruins! How was it even possible? âOh, Nova!â
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Templates 10049 found. Hunter Units beginning scan now.
Alert; Templates 10049 sub-type discovered. Genetic line does not match the standard template
Alpha Unit receiving data.
Data received. No data about genetic template in file.
Data received beyond perimeters of orders, requesting directive from Hunter Alpha
Hunter Alpha; Orders to group. Prepare to send data back within a chosen unit. All constructs move in and take custody of Templates 10049. Further study of Templates ordered by this Unit.
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âWhat do we do?â Zane asked as they looked at the drones.
Bryce looked all around the hallway. It was a good ten feet wide, and there were no doors or side passage. That meant they had to hope they could get around the drones. If they were automated then maybe the humans werenât in the things programming. And he knew all about drones, getting around their programming was how he had been able to escape.
âThis might be very bad!â Rodolphe said as he slowly moved his hand towards his rifle.
âChill man! Letâs see what they're programmed to do first! Maybe they're having a problem with us being here! They might be just repair drones!â
âNo Bryce, that doesnât matter,â Zane said softly. âAll Ruins robots, they always attack people no matter what they are.â
Bryce blinked, slowly looking at the drones. Suddenly a bright green light came from each robot and scanned the group. Then the yellow eyes glowed bright, and a green bolt came from one of them. It flew towards Rodolphe who dodged it and fired back! The bolt was intercepted by the blast from another of the drones, and the hallway was silent.
âWhy arenât they doing anything?â Rodolphe asked, shocked at their inaction. âDo we try and make it to the cage room!?â
âNo. And donât ask. JUST GO UNDER THEM!â Bryce called out and he dashed forward. He ducked down as he ran, the other two following as he ran under the drones.
As he looked over his shoulder, Bryce saw that the drones had turned around, and were following them!
âNow what?!â Zane demanded.
âSimple, dodge!â Bryce called out as he ducked his head as a blot flew over it.
As the three ran down the hallway, they started to move randomly. Each one of them dodged left or right as the drones tried to hit them.
After a few minutes, Bryce saw a corridor ahead of them. âTO THE RIGHT, NOW!â
As they turned into the opening, Bryce saw a door ahead of them to the left.
Rudolphe saw it too and ran towards it. âIN IN!â
As Bryce and Zane followed him through the door, Rodolphe slammed it shut as soon as they passed by the door. He slammed his body against it as the others turned towards him.
âQuick, find something to hold the door closed!â Zane said as Bryce turned towards Rodolphe.
âTheyâll just cut through!â Bryce objected and Rodolphe laughed.
âYeah, well not even the guards of a Ruin can damage it! All weâve got to do is block this and weâre safe for a while!â Rudolphe said with a grin.
As the door buckled Bryce turned around and saw a small bench made of a strange metal. Grabbing it he strained his muscles and pulled it to the door. Rodolphe had kept the door closed but then as it opened a sliver Bryce made and pushed the bench against it. As Rodolphe kept it closed Bryce looked around for anything else.
He saw Zane and then what Zane saw. He stared for a moment then shook his head, snapping out of his shock. âLater Zane! Grab that chair!â
Zane grabbed a metal chair made of the same material and tried to move it but struggled against the weight. Bryce ran over and grabbed it. Together the two of them moved the chair to the door and pushed it against the door. After a few minutes, the pounding stopped and they all sank to the floor, panting.
âThat was something. And we found something I doubt anyone else ever had. New Ruins guards,â Zane said bitterly.
Bryce felt his heart stop as he heard what Zane said.
âWHAT DO YOU MEAN, NEW!?â Rodolphe demanded as he spun his head and looked at Zane.
Zane only looked at the others and sighed, shaking his head. âMost Ruin Guards are always in a state of disrepair. And add in that those out there were of a model that has never been reported before. It all adds up to one thing. This place is still active.â
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Rodolphee just stared into space as he tried and failed to come up with anything to prove Zane wrong. The idea of an active Ruin, one that was nearly completely in one piece? Every single one that was found before now was always almost completely destroyed! This was against all the accepted theories about who created the Ruins! The idea that after all those years, the last Complex of the ones who built the Ruins was still active?
âAnd then thereâs that,â Bryce said softly.
Rodolphe looked up and felt his breath leave him. Ahead of him by about ten or twenty feet was a large glass wall. It looked out onto a large forest. Rodolphe got up and walked towards it, his eyes on the rainbow of leaves until he reached the glass. He heard gasps from the others as a tear dropped from his right eye. The glass window overlooked a large beautiful forest. The ground was thirty feet below them and the forest looked to be over twenty miles wide. About thirty feet up was a ceiling where multicolored birds flew around. All around the ceiling were were more of the light crystals. From each came shining light that rained down at the forest below them.
âFor anyone on my homeworld, this would be heaven itself,â Rodolphe said with a choked tone.
âYeahâ¦. I mean look at that! I can see a lot of those pod trees, and over there! Is that a lake!?â Bryce asked in awe.
âWhat in the name of the Stars and Nova is this place?! Was the forest above just the result of one of these breaking through to the surface!?â Zane asked, shocked nearly beyond words.
Rodolphe stepped back and whistled. He looked around the chamber they were in, finally seeing it for what it was. âMy friends, I think weâve found a good place to set up camp. Anyone got any food?â
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Hunter Alpha to Hunter Constructs; Templates have locked themselves into Observation Platform 1. Passage through doorway imposable at this time by constructs on site. Searching for alternate routes through blueprint. Route found. Time for travel too long for secondary mission.
Processing data.
New Directives; After Primary Mission, Hunter units will converge and track down group of Templates 10049
Returning to Primary mission; Hunting Rouge Bio Weapon. All but unit designated âCourierâ are to follow primary directive.