
Subj : New Beginnings(24)
To   : All
From : Skyhawk #1
Date : Mon Jul 31 1995 01:14:25 PST

                             New Beginnings
                             By Daniel C. Harrison(Skyhawk)
                           
     "Getting a reading on those." Candar tried to zoom in on the structures.
"They are definitely artificial in nature. No sign of life though. We're
starting to enter the atmosphere now. Looks kind of bumpy, there's a strong jet
stream present."
     "Great. Mark adjusted pitch, "I hope this crate can deal with it. It does
fine in space but, it seems to act up in atmosphere flight. Our sleeping
beauty's should be awake now. Let Tom know that were in for some chop."
     "Okay." Candar hit the intercom and spread the word, all the time keeping
an eye on the mysterious structures that were present. Their landing would
bring them to within 75 kilometers of the strange objects. What were they? 
"Passengers informed, Captain. Landing gear down..."
     "Good. Stand by for landing. Throttle down."
     "Throttling." Candar reduced power as the "Grand Creation." came in for
her approach. "Captain, we're showing a red light on the left front gear.
There's a possibility of collapse."
     "Damn." Mark retracted the gear. "Recycle systems. Purge hydraulics of any
air."
     "Purging." Candar input the commands to have the gear system recycle and
bleed off any air present."Okay.,.showing green now. I have a good landing
field in sight. Still no sign of life. Temp is 65 with a strong wind present.
Gear locking."
     "Engage safety's" Mark locked the systems. "Were committed. Strap in."
He fastened his own harness. "Final approach..500 feet and closing.."
     Candar looked out the front viewport as the ship slowly descended. "Can't
see those structures anymore, they must be behind the hills. Do you want to
investigate them once were secured?"
     "Yes, they're something totally new. I want you to lead the party. Have
Frank and Lorri accompany you."
     "Okay." Candar braced herself. "Fifty feet..thirty...fifteen.."
     "Stand by for landing...now." Mark dropped the throttle and the reverse
power pulled the nose of the ship upward just as she touched ground. A slight
bump informed them they were down. Continuing to throttle back, Mark engaged
the brakes. "Landing complete. Tell our passengers they're home now. Once
they're off, we'll stay two days to make sure there are no problems and then
we'll take off."
     "Understood." Candar watched as the "Grand Creation" came to a stop. The
wind was whipping outside, she could see strange plants. To their left, a
beautiful lake was present. She exited her seat. "Those structures were just
over that rise. I'll keep in touch and let you know what happens."
     Mark nodded. "Take care. Don't do anything stupid. I want a full report as
soon as you reach those things."
     "Okay. boss man." She grinned and made her way down to the lower decks.
Everywhere as she moved through the corridors, rich people were walking,
stretching their legs. She answered a few questions than, making herself
scarce, he finally found her shipmates. "Lorri, Frank. Get your gear. Were
going hunting."
     "Hunting?" Lorri said with distaste.."What for?"
     "Would you believe, new life?" Candar grinned at her. The look from both
her shipmates spoke volumes. Other than a little bit of plant life which was
first discovered on Calypso, nothing of this magnitude had ever been
discovered. She laughed. "I'm not kidding. Let's go." She led the eay as they
headed off into the unknown..
     Candar topped the rise of the hill, Frank and Lorri close behind her. Her
eyes squinted against the light of a rising sun. They must have just hit early
morning. There below were hundreds of large hive-like structures. Lorri
shivered. "Not only is it cold but, those things give me the creeps. Sure this
is safe?"
     Candar shrugged. "No. But, we wont know till we try. Come on." She led the
way down the hill. As they approached, they could hear what sounded like a loud
humming sound. She stopped, listening. "What the hell is that?"
     "A swarm of giant bees." Lorri speculated. "Let's get out of here!"
     "Wait a minute." Candar turned to her shipmates. "Those colonists on our
ship are going to be living here. We have a responsibility to make sure this
place is safe. Let's approach, but cautiously."
     "No shit." Frank said. She could tell he was nervous too. "I don't like
this.."
     They approached slowly not knowing what to expect..the humming grew.
Candar glanced down at her sidearm. "Stand ready." She led the way closer.
     Lorri screamed. Out of one of the hives came a huge orange beetle shaped
creature. For a moment, it stared at them, it's four bulbous eyes rotating.
Then, making that same humming sound it moved forward. 
     "Screw this shit!" Frank turned and ran the other way. Candar turned.
"Wait a minute..." she suddenly screamed as, the creature grabbed her with some
sort of rubbery tentacle from it's mouth. It began dragging her toward it. "God
help me!!" She screamed fighting it.
     Lorri stopped. Turning, she drew her sidearm. "Duck your head, I'll blow
it's brains out!" She fired without waiting for an answer. The shots zinged
past Candar barely missing her head. Frank drew his weapon and pumped off a
full clip as Candar struggled free. The creature now bleeding a strange clear
fluid from the shots was screaming in a humlike noise. Other humming suddenly
increased and, four more appeared.
     "Get out of here!" Candar ran for all she was worth. Lorri was close
behind. She heard a terrible scream and, turning she saw Frank being ripped to
shreds, his arm flew past her head as the creatures  continued their advance.
"God!" She ran hard pushing herself up the hill. She heard a scream and knew
Lorri had tripped. Stopping at the top  she turned and saw Lorri's upper torso
and arms beating against a creature that was consuming her lower half! 
