Hostile Presence Detected

Blood rushes to my head as my ship corkscrews through the asteroid field. Despite the steering compromise, I erratically manoeuvre the joystick, weaving to avoid debris. I have about 15 seconds until I pass out from the g-force, I pray these are not my last.

“Barracuda to Manta-Ray, come in Manta-Ray! Are you there? Over.”

“Mayday! Mayday! Asteroid hit star-port wing, ripped it clean off! I’m spiralling! Collision with planet imminent! Controlled crash procedure inish…in…initiated...”

***

I jolt awake, delirious and confused, before the memories flood back.

“Ssship, damage report”. I call through my swollen lips, slightly lisping the “s”.

“chhhhhsssssssssssshhhhhk” Manta-Ray hisses back from the mangled control panel. Loose wires erupt from the core, my blood slowly oozing round the unlit buttons and pooling in a dent where my face impacted. I think I’ve broken my nose; the pain is excruciating as I tenderly touch the bridge. I wiggle my toes, relieved to have sensation there. My swollen fingers on my left hand are purple tinged with green, but the bones appear to be intact. Not completely unscathed, I know I am lucky to have survived such a crash, and more still that I can walk away. I crawl through the broken glass onto the auburn sandy of Ceres, the oxygen rich planet my unit have been tasked with exploring, in the hopes of becoming the “New Earth”.

I reach back in and grab the heart shaped locket from the cockpit, opening it to the picture of my smiling daughter Luna. I promise I’ll get back to you little one. I shouldn’t have been so reckless, but I’d do anything to give you a proper home, not some space station but a proper planet where you can play in the sand and feel the breeze through your curly locks. One day, I promise!

I scour the horizon, recognising the mountainous range Petrous Ridge looming in the distance. With sunset in 2 hours bringing with it temperatures of minus 30, I struggle on my bruised legs towards SHELTER 2, our safety pod situated at the base of the mountains. Dragging each foot shakily one in front of the other, I overcome the pain by contemplating how fortunate my situation is – medical supplies, food, and a radio await me in SHELTER 2, I just need to will myself to get there. If I push myself, don’t falter for even a second, I can make it, I can live! I just need to overcome this last obstacle and soldier my damaged body on.

As dusk creeps in, chilling my bones and raising the hairs on my neck, a stitch at my side claws my ribs. So close, I count down my remaining journey, forcing myself to endure the last few steps to salvation.

Just a few hundred yards … Just a hundred yards … Just 20 yards …

“Access Denied” The firm feminine voice commands as I scan my hand. No no no! I try again with my undamaged hand, but to no avail.

“Access Denied. Access Denied. Access Denied.”

Briefly forgetting that I had already damaged my hand, I hurl a punch at the intercom, eyes watering in pain as I cry out.

“Commander Ryker recognised. Welcome back”.

In utter amazement, the bolted steel shutters slam sideways, opening to allow my safe passage, and I cannot help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. SHELTER 2 was our latest unfinished base, but the security should have been completed by now – even a minor safety compromise could have irrevocable consequences. With this in mind, I punch in the codes to deadlock the shutters, keeping out all unauthorised (and potentially authorised) visitors.

Harsh fluorescent lights flicker on as I proceed down the corridor to the central hub, blinded by their glare. Squinting in the sudden brightness, I see “medical supply cupboard” etched onto one of the lockers. Rummaging through the pack, I snap the ice pack and gently lower the cold compress onto my nose, wincing as I do.

“Commander Ryker detected” Announced an androgynous computerised voice, causing me to spin on the spot.

“Android! Good to shee you buddy.” I rasp, my bloated lips still struggling to properly pronounce my s’s.

“System error. SHELTER 2 running at 80% capacity. Security system malfunction. Security compromised for 36 hours and 19minutes and counting. Repair needed.” Well that explains why the damn door didn’t let me in.

“Android, I need you to relay the following messh-ssage to Barracuda. Barracuda, this is Commander Ryker. Manta-Ray desssshtroyed in impact; I’m sssh-stranded in SHhhhELTER 2. Enough food onboard for a crew of thirty for a year, so I’m in no imminent danger there. I require minor medical attention for my broken nose. A resssscue team needs to be deployed, but I order you to wait until the ash-teroids have passssssed. I will not be resh-ponsible for casualties trying to shh-save my life. Resssspond when you receive this. Over.”

“Message relayed to Barracuda” Informed Android’s monotone voice.

“Android, has it been received?”

“System error. Unable to confirm”.

“Helpful” I reply roughly, vexed by the situation, wondering what to do as I wait for possible rescue. Stomach rumbling, I shuffle to the Nutritional Supply room, in search of protein packs. Squeezing the contents of the silver sachet down my throat, I did not realise the extent of my hunger until now. The normally bland sludgy food supplement actually tasted of cottage pie – I must still be delirious! Taking another, I devour the mushed peas, savouring the hot meal, and enjoying the accompanying fullness of my satisfied belly. Now pleasantly stuffed and my pain numb from ice pack, my eyelids start to droop as sleep takes hold.

“Hostile presence detected”. Groggy from a haunted sleep, I can’t be sure if I dreamed Android’s words, until he states them again.

“Hostile presence detected”. I jump to my feet, grimacing as I do so.

“Where, Android?”

“Hostile presence approaching SHELTER 2, entrance gate”. Grabbing my rifle, I hobble to the monitor to check the live camera feed, collapsing in the chair. The camera shows the blank horizon, and the edge of the surrounding mountains, no figures, no ships, no threats.

“Ugh Android, there’s nothing there you stupid bot! You’re broken!” Exasperated, I rest my arms on the desk, using them as a pillow for my head. Slowing my breathing, I try to calm myself, willing sleep to return. Just as I start to drift off, I’m interrupted once again.

“Hostile presence detected”. Glancing at the screen, once again I am met by a screen blank but for a desert landscape.

“Android if you don’t shut up they’ll be a hostile presence in HERE!”

Bang Bang Bang!

I turn in disbelief to see a figure stood outside the entrance, knocking on the metal shutters. With fear building in my chest, heart thudding, I push the comms button.

“Hello?”

“Open the doors commander Ryker, it’s Barracuda. Over.”

“Barracuda? Wow, I … coming!” Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I have a newfound strength to race from my chair and bolt to the door, shocked and relieved by the speed of my rescue.

“Commander Ryker, hostile presence detected, do not engage”.

“Shut up Android, it’s rescue”.

As I reach the metal doors, I can hear the faint female voice repeating “Access denied” to my rescuer, clearly having the same trouble I had.

“Hostile presence detected. Do not engage”.

“You’re wrong Android, you’re broken! Just like these stupid doors!” I yell undeterred, typing in the code to open the shutters, grinning from ear to ear.

Rushing through the doors like a convict escaping prison, I embrace my rescuer, weeping with relief. Though I’d not met this particular pilot, I had to commend his flying abilities – he must have travelled through the asteroids to get here so quickly, dodging them far better than I had!

“Thank you, thank you, but you shouldn’t have risked ….” I trail off as the pilot transforms in front of me – growing 10 feet tall, claws tearing through his hands as his pink skin turns black and leathery, stretching across this demon before me. The monster roars, exposing rows of razor-sharp teeth in his now elongated mouth. Instinct kicking in before my brain comprehends what is happening, I’m somehow back inside desperately punching in the code to deadlock the doors. The snarling beast bangs away, denting the steel, but cannot get through. Spark's erupt above my head as the lights explode simultaneously; plunging me into darkness, before the eerie green glow of the emergency lighting buzzes into life.

“Hostile presence detected”

“Yes thank you Android!” I snap, shaking from my latest near-death experience. What the hell is happening? What is that creature?

“Android, what is that creature?”

“System error. Data storage compromised.”

“Does anything in this place work!”

What the hell do I do? Rocking back and forth I listen until the bangs cease. Perhaps the creature left, or maybe they’re just resting. I can’t be certain they won’t come back, I’ve got to get out of here.

“Android, new message to Barracuda. Barracuda this is Commander Ryker, hostile creature attacking SHELTER 2, I am in imminent danger! Send rescue missing urgently without delay. The creature can shape shift, and is outside the base, so don’t be fooled like I was. If you see anything looking like me outside the base, shoot to kill. I repeat shoot to kill! Send your best troops, situation is volatile! Over.”

“System error, message not relayed. System error”

“Android I’ve had it up to here with you!”

“Hostile presence no longer detected”

Back at the monitor, Android is right about something, the creature is gone.

***

Days pass, and still Android warns “Hostile presence detected”, every few hours, and yet the screen is always blank. Is Android wrong? Is the creature able to turn invisible? I don’t know what to believe. I can feel myself going slowly insane, living in fear and yet nothing there. Not now anyway. But it’s the not knowing, the not being sure, the endless waiting, and Android’s constant warnings pushing me to the edge. I’m losing it. Every creak, I jump, every “Hostile presence detected” warning, I check the screen.

***

As weeks pass, I begin to wonder whether the creature even existed? Maybe I had really bad concussion from my landing, it’s not unheard of. But how will I ever know? I’d have to wait until I saw the creature again. If I did.

As an epiphany hits me with the same velocity as Manta-Ray’s dashboard, I realise that I can never be rescued. If the rescue team ever does arrive, how will I know it’s them when it could be the creature. How can I be rescued if I can’t tell them apart. What do I do?

“Hostile presence detected”.

I glance at the screen, not prepared for the silhouette facing back, almost falling out of my chair.

Bang Bang Bang!

I push the comms button.

“Hello?”

“Open the doors commander Ryker, it’s Barracuda. Over.”