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What If Tales: After The Sky Fell [Part Two]
Posted By: Jin1<jermevans1990@gmail.com>
Date: 17 August 2007, 3:05 pm
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After the Sky Fell
Pt. 2
His mind raced, he couldn't focus and everything was hitting him too fast. But what could he do? He couldn't back down now. Not after what he saw. He shook the thoughts out of his skull and focused.
"So what exactly happened?" Palmer asked, he leaned against the cold metallic table looking down at the creature.
The scientist shrugged. "It's extensive, but I'll give you the short and sweet version of it. This is Airman Robin Harrison," He was looking at the human body. "He was part of response team that the base sent to secure the crash site."
"And it didn't end well…"
"Son… Nothing ends well when something crashes." The man's blue eyes seemed to glaze over in thought but then refocused. "His partner we interviewed talked about there was four survivors of the crash, and six dead. They added to the body count by nailing the one that mowed him down, and the rest seemingly surrendered when the base send a Sherman out."
Palmer nodded silently.
"We put the dead here in cold storage."
"And the others?"
The man ignored the question. "They are in more… appropriate facilities."
Palmer moved toward the inhuman body and looked down at it with skepticism. He touched its skin; it was smooth and cold to the touch. Reminded him of a human's. He looked at the far reaches of the chest and the head. Some type of armor.
"Have you tried getting this off?" Palmer motioned to the helmets and the chest plate.
"No. When Robin's partner fired at the creature it seemed to have some sort of shielding around it. And the military boys say that if we want the armor off, we would have to slice it. And the brass doesn't want that. So as of now what can you make of it?"
"Human… Humanoid. Maybe, eight… eight and a half feet tall. I think it could it be mammal or mammal like reptile. One mouth. Four mandibles, two eyes, one throat." Chadwick looked at one of the hands that dangled off the edge of the table. "And only three fingers."
"We know that, kid. Tell us something we don't know."
Palmer looked at the muscles; even dead the creature's muscles looked tightened. "It lives in a slightly higher gravitational environment. Its muscles must have almost no fat on them. Hoofed feet to spread weight out over a greater area and maybe a higher sprinting speed than the fastest man, but it looses maneuverability. Neck directly attached to the skull, larger brain capacity, I would say it thinks on a higher plane than we do."
A quick scan of the body, "And that's about it."
The man looked over Palmer, he smiled. "Good. Follow me."
What the hell is this? Follow the leader? He did what he was told, a heavy frown on his lips and a tired appearance in his eyes. He still hadn't time to comprehend everything, and his brain was drained from what he had heard and seen.
He was led by the man into the back of the freezer in which he opened a door which led outside. "So where are you from Mr. Palmer?"
"New York, why?"
"So why were you in town today?"
"Visiting a friend of the families, her father is sick." Palmer raised an eyebrow.
"Did you tell her, you were coming here? Did you tell anyone you were coming here?" The man turned around, but was still walking.
"No."
The man gave another smile, but this one put Chadwick on edge. The exposed teeth, the upturned lips and the narrowed eyes on that worn face. A Devilish smile reserved for when he knew something and no one else was in on it.
"Look," Palmer said, this man had to be a Government agent. "G-Man, I need to get back in town soon. When is all this going to be completed?"
"Soon." The "G-Man" opened a door to adjoining hanger. This one was bright, brighter than the light outside, Palmer could barely see a damn thing even with the aviator sunglasses on.
So many thoughts inside his head, but one screamed at him. Get the hell out of there.
Too late for that.
Like an obedient puppy he entered, the life scared out of him.
Brightness, the light burned through his retinal's, he squinted. As he did so, the lights instantly shut off, except for one, which was in the direct center of the hanger over looking something that was strapped down to a metal chair. It was larger than a human, of course, and Palmer knew instantly what it was.
"It won't talk to us." Palmer jumped. The G-Man stood behind him. "So we you to talk to it. It knows English, mighty damn well too. All we got out of it was: 'its gods will smite us with their unlimited power.' Or some crap like that."
"You want me to talk to it."
"Yes."
"Do I have a choice in the matter?"
"No." Palmer heard something of a round cycling into a chamber.
"I see." He forced a smile, removing the aviator glasses. "Well, let me get going then."
Ten large steps he was half way there, he stopped, wondered if he could make a break for the door but then where would he go? The Soviet Union? He heard Vodka was good for you.
He took the ten more steps and he saw the eyes of the creature looking at him. Its head cocked sideways, as if amused by Palmer's presence. He took a step forward, into the light. The creature narrowed its eyes and looked away.
Palmer frowned, what the hell was he suppose to ask?
"What's your name?" Awkward question, but did these creatures even have a name?
The creature didn't even glance at him. It looked down at a focused point on the floor. "Great…" Palmer took off his baseball cap and rubbed a hand through his hair. He then sighed, crouching down. "Look, whatever you are, but there is a good chance, that if either you or I don't compromise with each other, neither of us are leaving here alive. And sorry, but I'm not ready to die."
The beast finally glanced up. He gave a heavy set blink of its eyes.
"Your primitive race will die in a sea of holy fire." Its voice was deep, menacing. Palmer didn't flinch.
"Yeah, we get that a lot, but it's mostly from one human to another. We call it hell. So, what is your name?"
"I am Shipmaster Oslo Vatuee, the eyes of the Prophets." The creature seemed to be disoriented.
"So why are you here?"
It seemed to realize it had no hope. It began. "My ship was to scout Holy Paths to our God's worlds. We were caught in the wake of something that we could not comprehend. We dropped out of the paths for repairs. In your system. And we found your race, and watched as you destroyed yourselves."
"Wait a minute, how long were you in our system?"
"Five of your planets rotations around your star. We were caught in a plasma discharge from your star, and we evacuated our ship."
Palmer nodded. "Right, and what species are you. What is your race name?"
"I am from the Holy Covenant; my species would translate Elite in your primate tongue."
"Glad to know." Palmer stood, and the creature watched him. Palmer turned, and gave one final glance at the creature, he wanted to know more, but the shadow that was moving up silently from behind the beast told him other wise. So he disappeared into the black, only to meet an all too similar fate to his alien comrade.
The blow came hard, it hit the space of the neck and he crumpled like a rag doll, he groaned as his eyes closed. But one final thought came to his mind.
Looks like I'm not going to make it to dinner…
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