Hostile First Contact
Klaxons blare, dragging me from sleep. Everything shakes and I'm thrown from the bed, hitting the nearby desk hard. A growl escaping my muzzle as I drag myself up, clutching at my side, my ribs ache, possibly cracked.
My battle gear is still safely stored and reveals quickly once my paw slaps the locking pad next to locker. Pulling it on, growling around the pain from my side. The room shudders again and again. Whatever was happening, it was not a single event. As my paw extracts my battle rifle and clips my mind runs over recent events.
I was stationed to the Systems Cutter "Shoot first, forget to ask later". A medium class vessel on routine patrol duties, the tour was three months in and we were two weeks drive from the nearest colony. This region was only sparsely populated and exploration had not progressed far due to lack of exploitable resources.
A more violent shudder shook me from the recollection and I palmed my way out of the troop quarters, other troopers were staggering out from nearby quarters, spotting my squad mates, we soon formed up. Heading for the bridge, I slap my comm., calling out "Squad Tango here, Status Report?!" A new siren started to wail as I awaited the response. Hull breach! As a squad we tugged down helmets, sealed into our armour against atmospheric loss. Hoping it wasn't nearby.
"Squad Tango? Command here. Unknown hostile vessel has opened fire on us. Damage severe. Weapons inactive. Hostile sub craft heading towards port hull, decks 4 and 5, sections Juliet through Lima. Take your squad to deck 4 and prepare to repel hostiles!"
"Roger that, on our way. Deck 4 section Juliet sternwards." We took the nearest ladder down to deck 4 beneath and headed towards the designated area, passing sections Charlie and Delta, bulkheads sealing as we progressed, limiting routes for anything that might get past us.
A new sound echoed through the hull, the suit allowing us to hear it. A grinding sound followed by tearing metal. Final checks on weapons saw us ready, or so we hoped. Section Juliet was just ahead. Something loomed out before us. The shock of its outline froze us momentarily. A mass of glistening carapace and multi jointed limbs. It was vaguely insect like but standing eight feet tall and with approx eight limbs. Four supporting its body, the other four swinging towards us, a clicking sound came through the speakers followed by a flash. The trooper next to me, a tiger shrieked and fell. A large hole bored clean through his chest.
The rest of us opened fire. Rifles barking a loud staccato, the creature bucked and shook but didn't drop. Ichors flowing from a few punctures in its armour. "Hit the legs!" I barked and adjusted my aim, seeking out a joint that might prove more susceptible. More staccato filled the corridor as automatic rounds hammered 3 of the 4 lower limbs. A shriller clicking gave sign of success as the creature pitched forward, its upper limbs seeking purchase against the walls. It loosed more fire from a strange looking weapon clasped by 1 limb but we dove and narrowly avoided it. I rolled in close and swung my rifles barrel at what seemed like an eye in the upper body. Pulling the trigger I unloaded a full magazine into the orb and through to whatever brain might lurk behind it. The limbs spasm and finally it went still.
"Command? Tango here, hostiles engaged 1 enemy down, but also 1 trooper. Advise other units to target limbs and eyes. Very heavy protection on main body, weapons are ineffective at range".
"Copy that Tango. Sensors show more ahead of you use caution but clear out the deck".
"Received, over". Come on squad. We've still got work ahead. We hugged the walls and moved forward slowly. Weapons trained down range. Seeking anything out of the ordinary, a dark shape appeared round a corner just ahead. As one the squad fired. Focusing on the head area, it dropped out, leaking vital fluids across the deck.
Our squad was only four troops strong, but it should be enough if things continued like this. We continued onward. A short way into Kilo section we found their pod or boarding craft. I scouted it out with my second. The remaining troops taking point outside and scanning both sides of the corridor. The pod was small. No obvious seating or other comforts, just an open space and some storage areas, presumably for tools or weapons. It gave no clue as to how many hostiles may have come from it. It could have accommodated anything from six to eight if they had hunkered in tightly enough. This wasn't good news.
We moved out, passing Lima section and were now approaching the mess area. Lots of cover and a wide open space, great area for an ambush, only we were approaching it and there could be anything up to six hostiles in it. As one we moved forward slowly. Weapons scanning each area that came into view, cover was more limited for us and we would need to move carefully between it. The squad dived out into the nearest cover, instantly coming under fire. Surroundings splintered and melted as enemy weapons tore into them. Tango 5 leaned out trying to get a bead on an enemy, but his head vanished as a sniper took him out. His body slumped down, blood flowing from the severed neck.
A clatter next to me caught my attention; a moment's hesitation was all it took. As my mind registered that it must be a grenade it detonated. Darkness fell upon me.
...............
I came to with my head pounding. Everything hurt, and I was unable to move. As I lay there senses started to return. Constant clicking and clacking sounds told me the hostiles were nearby. Must've been some kind of stun weapon, perhaps they wanted captives. And now I was surrounded by them. Suddenly a monstrous head came into my field of vision. It clicked away, some liquid dripping from mandibles down onto me. I realised my armour was gone as the creatures saliva or equivalent there of dripped onto my fur. Then it drew something into view. A screen, upon it I could see my ship battered and burning, vital gases expelling into space. Then some kind of projectiles shot into view, converging on the Cutter. It vanished into a seething ball of energy. Exotic matter bursting into existence as power I could only guess at vaporised the poor ship. The clicking sounds intensified, presumably celebrating as my consciousness slipped away once more.
My recollection becomes hazy, moments only. Waking to more sounds, clicking, scraping, finding some kind of food before me. Hunger driving me to consume it, even though I can not tell what it could be, some kind of meat, liquids are also provided, enough to sustain me. Whatever these creatures want, it clearly involves me being alive. Consciousness slowly lengthens until finally something resembling normality returns.
...............
I wake up in what I have come to assume is a cell. Cold metal or metallic style surfaces of an unusual colour, somewhere between red and purple, shimmering almost. They bring me sustenance approximately once a day. Or what my frazzled body clock tells me is roughly a day. There is no change in illumination or any form of chronological display to judge by. There must be some form of surveillance but I can not tell where it is, the walls have no obvious flaws, seams or openings. A small corner of the cell seems to be set aside for toiletry requirements. I ponder if they take any pleasure in watching me, in forcing me to urinate and defecate so publicly. Each time my anger flares as I squat over the apparent drain.
Days seem to pass then one day just after I have finished in the corner a seam appears in the wall, stretching into a doorway. A creature enters this one different from those I fought on the ship, smaller, somehow almost regal in comparison. Although fed I am very weak and when I throw myself at it find myself caught and pinned by its limbs. It moves into the cell and the wall seals once again. Trapping us both inside, its head is more pronounced then the "warrior" types I faced before, and it inclines toward my own. Dizziness swamps me and I find myself in darkness once more, but not unconscious, this is something new. Then there is a voice, oddly toned and timbered, as if unused to words.
"What an ungainly and ugly way you things have to communicate. So restrictive and frustrating". A form emerges from the darkness, the creature that was holding me in the cell.
I look down to see myself naked before it, covering my modesty I snarl warningly. "What are you doing with me? Why did you attack our ship? Who are you?"
"You are suddenly so full of questions, but it is you who must provide me with answers, not the other way round." It steps closer. "What are you, animals?"
"My name is Sergeant Roger Davies, UN Space Corp, number 540936D. I will tell you nothing of us. I will not help you in any way! So release me or kill me already!"
"No-one said anything about telling us, you will show us all we need!" With that it stepped in close, a forelimb grabbing my throat in a tight grip, lifting me off the ground. "Show us what you are!"
Everything around us shimmered and images flashed by, too fast to make out, but they soon slowed and I realised they were my memories. Instants of my past being drawn out at random. There were flashes of my family life growing up, and of life in the Corp. I had to find a way to fight it, to keep those areas secret. I thought hard and the images shifted. Suddenly there was sound as well. Growling, murring, passionate sounds. Memories of sex were the most powerful I could think of, overcoming other, more delicate memories. The creature looked around oddly, presumably surprised by my ability to adjust what he saw.
"What is this? What are you doing to these other creatures? Tell me or I will kill you!" With that its grip tightened further and the edges of my vision dimmed, feeling life slipping away.
"Its m, m, mating." I gasped out as it tilted its head and the claw snapped shut, severing my throat.
Suddenly I was back and whole, I reached to my throat but it felt untouched. The creature was studying the flow of carnal images. Many from past experience, but many more from porn I had seen. Its attention turned back to me.
"What is this mating? Explain or you will suffer once again." Its claws lifted into a menacing position.
"Its how we reproduce and can be for pleasure." If I could focus it on this I might just side track it from military details.
"These bodies seem different, yours and those you are mating with, why?"
"We animals have different genders; I am male while those I mate with are female."
"What a waste to separate the species like that. And what if the same genders were to mate?"
"It happens but we can't create young that way. It's not my thing."
"Really, show me this male mating."
"No!" But as I tried to fight it the images came. Times I had ended up on the wrong kinds of sites or videos came up that were mislabelled. Scenes of males taking males rippled around us. I shrunk back and then noticed the creature changing. His form shimmered and shifted into that of a male stallion, similar to one which had flashed by moments before; a particularly well equipped stallion from a series of extreme penetration gay porn that I found by accident.
I tried to run but I couldn't make any distance between us, he moved closer, reaching down to stroke the huge stallion member jutting from his groin. "So you fear this do you Sergeant? Well you chose this. And now here comes your punishment. Then you will tell us all we need." He reached me, strong arms spinning and throwing me down on all fours. My cries and begging were unheeded he grabbed my rear, forcing himself on me. Mounting as I cried out. The huge member penetrated my tail hole. Tears welling as it drove inside. Part of my mind remembered it slitting my throat and how that had been false. But any hope of trying to pass this off vanished as the mid member ridge entered me and I shouted in agony.
This rape continued on and on. Forcing it into me, taking me in ways I could only dream of and fear. Each new fear from me made it chuckle and I realised it must be reading all I thought, turning it against me. Each time I tried to sidetrack my fears he pulled out and slammed that monstrous stallion member in to the hilt, agony replacing any hopes of rational thought or resistance. Eventually he pulled out and stops as he felt my mental defences crumbling.
"Now I want to know about your races and defences?"
"No! I won't betray them."
"Then I guess the stallion should return until you are ready to tell us."
A shrill sound punctured the bubble and it evaporated, we were back in the cell. The interrogator still held me in its claws but opened them and I crashed to the ground, huddling into a ball. There was no pain from my tail hole, logic telling me it had all been in my mind, but that mind was full of the image and pain of his forced mating me and I curled up tight, sobbing. I didn't see it leave but when I calmed enough to look around I was alone once again.
My rest was short lived as the next day saw my tormentor return. Once more I was snatched up in his grasp and reality altered. My stallion stood before me again. Smiling wickedly as I shuddered in his presence. There was no talk this time, I found myself driven onto my back as he mounted and entered me. The pain unbearable as his huge member slammed into me. I was sure it would tear me, and a feeling of something warm running through the fur beneath my hole seemed to confirm it. The stallion just laughed as I began to sob and he used me over and over again, my mind crumbling and retreating inward, trying to find sanctuary from this.
After what seemed like hours he left again, I found myself huddled into the corner trying to find solace in the fact my actual body was intact, but my mind kept going back to the torment and agony of his forcing himself onto me. No matter what I tried to think of it would keep going back to the pain.
This cycle repeated for day after day. Then there was a subtle change, he seemed different. And he revealed what new tortures awaited me.
"We made a swoop near your colony, its data nets were easy to infiltrate, and although we could not get into military nets we did get access to the entertainment. And what twisted mammals you can be. We trawled out all the sexual material we could find, seeking anything that would humiliate and break you." This it said with what I was beginning to perceive as its form of a smile, although its facial features lacked any lips.
I was snatched up and found myself surrounded by not only the stallion but a whole range of aggressive and aroused looking males, everything from bears to lions and an obscene elephant. My mind cringed at just the sight of them. This day would be long and finally break me. It began in the usual way. Mounted by the stallion as he brutally used me, but now I had these others working their members all around me. Taking turns to come and use my mouth as well. Sometimes two at a time, they now took turns at both ends of me. Now they were ejaculating inside and all over me. I had been able to hide that part from him, but they obviously had been studying what they gained from the colony net. After filling my tail with his seed I found the stallion stood before me, stroking his semen covered member up close to my face.
"I have something new for you as well now; you see we found many things you managed to hide from us about this mating."
With that I saw his member pulse and a dark golden stream erupted, hitting my face just as the elephant mounted and penetrated me. I screamed in abject agony as his huge member tore me anew and as I screamed so my mouth was filled with the acrid taste of the stallion's urine. He drove the tip into my maw and his stream continued beyond any normal bladders capacity, washing it over my tongue so I had to taste his stream. It was pungent in my nostrils and immensely strong over my taste buds. I choked and gagged repeatedly but there was no relent, then other hot piss covered my flanks as the others unleashed seemingly unending streams onto me. All the while the elephant continued his abuse of my hole; all I could do is whimper and hope he would tire of this soon. But he didn't tire, I guess he could see how I was reeling so instead increased further, driving me to the very brink and beyond. Something finally snapped and I cried for him to stop, that I would tell them anything.
In a flash I was back in the cell, dry and whole, shaking uncontrollably. But I noticed he was still a stallion and he spoke.
"Now tell us of your species and defences!"
I sobbed as the cell shimmered and images of ships and bases flew by. Images from civil uprisings and rebellions quashed by the navy, of ship to ship combat, hulls rippling and peeling as weapons scored and slashed through them. Gases expelling and even bodies sucked out into the vacuum. This seemed to appeal as he slowed scenes like that and focussed in. I realized they must be able to manipulate the memories further as it sent us sinking into one such scene, seeing a zebra flailing out from a breached rebel ship, we sank close to him and could see him pulse and struggle. Blood seeping from his eyes and mouth, skin freezing and peeling as decompression wreaked its messy demise on the poor animal. It seemed to take great pleasure from seeing this, my stomach twisted and tried to heave as I was forced to witness slow, gruesome close ups of several similar deaths. But I could not give him the detail and weaknesses that he sought; soon his frustration was unleashed upon me.
Breaking his connection with me he lashed out, his claw connecting high, throwing me back and hard against the wall, I slumped down and darkness embraced me.
...............
I awaken as soldier drones hoist me up and drag me from the cell, this is the first time I have seen outside it, but there is nothing really different from what I saw inside my cell. More metallic surfaces, little to no detail or substance to note, perhaps it was semi intelligent, able to react to contact from the aliens.
I find myself taken into what must pass for a bridge or command deck. There are a few aliens similar to my interrogator and I am brought before them. A nearby screen shows a distant planet which initially looks familiar, as I twist and try to make it out the nearest alien reaches for me and speaks directly into my mind.
"You were unable to give us all we needed so we will now get it directly. We are approaching your nearby planet and will now assault it to get what we seek. You have been brought before us to see it happen." The image zoomed in now until I could clearly see it was indeed our colony, although only briefly seen when we collected some stores before departing on patrol.
The image pulled back and flashes of light departed the ship, seething across space towards the planet. Their targets I could only guess at, orbital structures or anything that could give advance warning of what approached. Perhaps this was how the cutter had been ambushed as well. I did not need to wait long, spheres of exotic matter soon erupted in orbit of the planet, more weapons deployed and shot towards the next wave of targets, my guess would be planetary targets this time, military bases or ground based defence weapons.
Wave after wave of weapons deployed and descended towards the planet as the ship headed into orbit. A few dull thuds through the deck suggested not all the weapons had been eliminated, but the aliens did not show any concern and the ship entered a low orbit.
From the bridge I was shown various views of soldier drones working through the cities and bases across the planet. My heart sank ever lower as soldiers and civilians fell before the forces. Part of me wondered just how wide a search they were conducting; I had little idea about the ships size or compliment, but very much doubted they could be targeting the whole planet, surely starting out with the most built up areas or largest bases. Working on down the scale if they failed to get what they desired.
After an hour or so of being forced to watch I was led away, back to my cell, once more I curled up into a corner as I dwelled on what had befallen me and now the colonists on the planet below. Part of me wondering if this might still be faked, but knowing it was not. People were dying in unknown numbers and I was powerless to do anything.
A short time later the cell opened and my usual interrogator entered, grasping me as normal.
"We have located a military database, but are unable to access it. You will come to the surface and facilitate this."
"But I don't have clearance for such access. It won't do anything for me."
"You will come and you will get us access or you will die there. You are the last living captive from your ship. We can replace you from this planet, but it is more convenient to attempt using you before we resort to a planet wide hunt and capture."
With that more soldier drones entered and I was dragged out of the cell, away through random corridors until we emerged in some kind of shuttle bay. Odd looking vessels were everywhere, some entering and leaving the ship as I watched. We boarded one such shuttle and were soon on our way. I was forced to stand, held by the drones on each side of me. Searching their bodies with my eyes I sought out weapons or side arms that I might have been able to get hold of and use, but the numbers around me and movement of the shuttle made it hard to think about using it. If lucky I might get a couple of them, or the drones might just kill me the moment I went for the weapon. Better to wait for now, hope for an opening I could exploit.
We finally landed and I was marched out into the ruins of a base hanger, burnt and shattered vehicles surrounded us. Signs of fierce resistance which had clearly failed, the air was full of smells, most very repugnant. Burnt fur and flesh, voided bowels, and chemicals unknown assaulted my senses. Who knew what toxic gases might have been released by the combat here, I could only hope.
The drones formed up around the leader and me and we set off through the base. Passing signs of battle along the way, blood was everywhere, mangled and broken bodies lay regularly along the route, and it seemed prisoners had not been an interest here. It almost seemed like they were experimenting in just how many ways they could kill us. How many of these soldiers had families? How many of those might have been on base? I once again sobbed as I was led on, so much death, I felt part of me numbing to it, and hated that part of me that was able to set this to one side.
Deeper we went, the destruction lessening as resistance must've failed and thinned out. Deep into the bases core we went, until finally we entered a room full of computer equipment, servers and terminals lined the walls, alien equipment also stood in any remaining open space, presumably used to try and crack the systems here, tried and failed. I was brought up to a central terminal whose display was alive with script, none of which made any sense to me, but the system was clearly active. The leader kept a firm hold on me as I was positioned before the terminals keyboard.
"Now you do your work, get access for us, or you die here and now."
I tentatively tapped at the keys and the display changed. A message appeared, asking what the others were around me. This seemed odd, but I typed back that they were aliens who had control of the base, and that I needed access or would be killed. The response came back that I needed to clear the room and then I could access it.
"I need you to all leave the room, its security, it won't give me any access with others present, once I'm in I will call and you can get what you need from it. Is that ok?"
"If you try to trick us then you will suffer far more then you have until now." With that he directed the drones to leave, slowly followed by himself. Part of me couldn't believe how easily they accepted, but I knew they would replace me if I failed or tricked them so really, they had nothing to lose, or did they.
As I turned back to the terminal a new message and face appeared, this time it spoke.
"This is base AI Ghost In The Machine." It smirked at its own moniker.
"Who are you and what is the current status?"
I brought it up to speed and explained the situation; I had heard of these AI's but not had a chance to speak with one before.
"Do you have any remaining forms of communication? We have to get a warning out, maybe get the fleet to assemble and intercept them."
"Main communication systems all disabled, satellites knocked out, antennas melted. Checking secondaries, back up systems down, connections severed, unable to reach any standard communication channel, checking final solution."
"A final solution?"
"Emergency message pod linked to main generator, upon base destruction it launches as a means of passing final moments back to naval command. Uploading remaining image feeds and intelligence data, reactor safeties removed, building to critical mass."
A loud klaxon rang out, causing the aliens to charge back in. The AI cackled at them as they looked on dumbstruck, everything slowed down for me. The leader raised a weapon and I suddenly felt coldness in my chest, looking down I saw a far too neat hole and my lifeblood flowed down my fur. Dropping to my knees and then face forward, darkness descending on me permanently, as my death fast approached all I could think was. Fuck you bastards I hope you all fry!
The alien looked down on the dead figure then up to the terminal, oddly there was an image of a paw with middle digit raised. As it pondered the image there was a loud boom and everything went white, five square miles around the base vanished into a nuclear blast. From the fireball a small object emerged racing off into space, small enough to avoid detection by the ship further around in orbit, sailing away to the nearest base to sound the alarm.