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Shadow of the Beast
Posted By: Imperator<AndrewNewman@carolina.rr.com>
Date: 7 June 2005, 1:50 AM
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July 24, 2553
Deep Space Research Facility Whisper
In orbit of Black Hole catalogue no. 0122308 "THE MAW"
0302 Hours (Local Time)
"Test subject, doing well. It seems to be unconscious, the gas is taking effect." Doctor Samuel Wren and his staff were completely covered in HAZMAT suits, with oxygen tanks in a completely sterile room. Doctor Wren looked with disgust at the half-human corpse lying on the hospital bed in front of him. The dead, sickly yellow eyes stared back. Everything on that living, walking corpse was a yellow-green. What was once healthy pink gums were now crusted, brown, cut up fleshy masses with a few ground-down nubs that were once teeth.
Doctor Wren, using his scalpel, removed a chunk of dry flesh from the tongue, as well as one of the few teeth left. "Removing tissue and bone samples, nexus of the infection remains at minimal activity."
The nexus of infection referred to the foreign body the size of a soccer ball that filled the monster's chest cavity.
Wren's assistant, Doctor Stephen Crawford, was busy slicing through the subject's shin, until he removed the ropy tendons completely and was at the bone itself.
"Removing bone marrow," Crawford paused, inserting the drill. "Now." He saw the foamy substance fill the heavy-duty syringe. He looked up at his superior.
"We are beginning the extraction of the nexus of infection," Wren said.
Commander John Black, of the Office of Naval Intelligence, watched from the operation theater above. His face was expressionless, he simply watched the scientists below dissect the Flood creature. He found it hard to believe that an hour before, he had been watching a crazed, maniacal, uncontrollable thing flailing around at the walls. Then the gas was released, and it eventually seemed to lose its conscience. The team of scientists rushed in and strapped it to the table, and began the tests. Commander Black reached for the PA microphone, "Doctor Wren, please remove the samples from the lab now." He paused, trying to think of a way to say why without sounding too downtrodden
". . .In case something goes wrong."
Doctor Crowe was the one to safeguard the specimens. He gathered the vials in a holding tray and cautiously walked to the two-meter thick door. Once on the other side, he placed the tray on a conveyor belt where it would be whisked away to another part of the facility. A steel plate then slid over the hole where the conveyor was. Mechanical arms descended and ripped his outer protective clothing off. Every scrap of those clothes was then burned in front of him. Jets of cold water then sprayed down from the ceiling and on to Crowe.
Crowe, after being scanned and scanned again, was deemed sanitary and the opposite door opened. Feeling a bit relieved, Crowe strode out of the small chamber and into the group of scientists and soldiers beyond. The doctor noticed a small, older man working on a computer terminal ten feet away. From the imagery on the screen one could see that the older man was studying the specimens.
"Yes, this will prove quite useful," the man said. He turned and looked at Crowe, revealing the nameplate on the front of his coat which read Connor. "Michael Connor," the man gave Crowe a smile and extended his hand. Doctor Crowe noticed the man had a particularly strong grip in his handshake. "The foreign DNA in this tissue seems quite compatible for a benign hybridization."
"With what?" Doctor Crowe asked rhetorically.
"Now," Wren turned to his team, "Reports say the center of this infection lies in the center of the torso, here." He circled his finger around the chest of the sickly being. "But, judging from recorded accounts, it seems to have a distinct connection to the brain, which is why we're removing that first." He then turned and began to remove the large organ from the already-opened head. He pried at it for a few seconds. "Saw." An assistant promptly supplied Wren with the instrument.
Doctor Wren began cutting away at the spinal column, the center of which had grown thick and ropy. "If I can just, get this. . ."
All of the doctors heard a loud pop! But it wasn't from the creature's spine. They had failed to realize that the beast had no vital signs because, like a virus, it was technically not alive. The thing snapped the bonds keeping it down and leapt on Doctor Wren. Screams filled the room.
Commander Black, watching from above, snapped into action immediately. He ran to the wall where the failsafe button was, and opened the small metal lid to the keypad box. He fumbled as he desperately tried to type in the passcode. Three five eight, he thought. Shit! Three five nine two eight! The second metal lid on the wall popped open and Black slammed the red button inside, blowing the safety class that looked down on the theater.
He knew that the thick walls blocked any radio transmission, and no speakers were in the theater for fear of someone recording this day's events. Only Commander Black, the only person outside of the theater who could see what was going on, knew there had been a slip-up. Pulling his gun, the Commander shot wildly at the creature below, trying to disable it so they could continue the study.
But the beast had other plans. After finishing off Doctor Wren, it was about to disable another of the scientists when the new threat appeared. Up above, through the windows, an officer fired off rounds from his handgun and into the creature. The thing leaped up, fifteen feet onto the observation room, and jumped at the officer.
Black ran out of ammunition just as the beast leaped toward him. The creature landed on him, slamming him with its tentacle-like arms which hit with so much force that it lopped Black's ear clean off. Grabbing a nearby chair, the officer slammed the thing in its side, slowing it down a bit. The commander leapt at the PA microphone and managed to get out the phrase "Burn it" before the creature was on him again.
But that was all he needed. There was already a technician on standby in case this was announced. With the flip of a switch, a green mist was violently shot into the operation theater at high pressure, through the shattered window, and into the observation room. At the same time a metal cylinder on the ceiling opened into two pieces, then violently snapped together, causing a spark.
The spark ignited the mist, and both rooms were instantly sterilized. The process of burning repeated three times until it stopped.
Even the raging Flood could not survive the inferno, and it lay dead on top of its fallen prey, both of whom were put out of their misery.
Doctor Julius Crowe, a devious look on his face, scampered off, he had his specimen. Commander Black had given his life for this experiment, but it was well worth the sacrifice. The very thought of marines with the abilities of flood forms sent ripples of adrenaline through the doctor's body. The Colonel will like this, Doctor Crowe thought, carrying his vials, Yes, he will like this a lot.
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