Contact Alpha, A story of sci fi fantasy

Horrors unveiled

Don't worry I'm not dead, just busy.

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"I think see it, sir."

"What is it, Ian?"

"The Latte, sir. I think I found it, it's on visual feed, look."

Kansa put down his all-environment hydration pack and approach Ian. Looking at the same screen Ian is looking at, at first he sees nothing but forest, hills and mountains. But soon he realize there's something off, columns of smoke accumulate in a particular spot further away and a patch of newly destroyed trees leading to the smoke. As the drone carrying the camera move in closer, he can see there are a lot of strange flying alien creatures circling above the site, acting like crows or vultures, and below them is an unmistakably artificial object sticking out above the treeline. No doubt the smoldering gray chunk of metal lying among the greenery is the third transport ship that were missing. It is easily distinguishable from its surroundings by the sheer contrast of color, dull metal in the middle of lively green, and the black smoke columns around it.

"Yeah I can see it, that thing is definitely man made. Can you get the drone closer?"

"Will do. But I'm a little wary of these...vulture looking things circling about."

After receiving the unexpected and unnerving communication, Kansa and Ian have been frantically trying to locate the missing ship's location. Not wanting to create tension or panic among the survivors, they both decide to keep the information away from everybody until the right time. They finally got a lead after approximately fifteen minutes of scouring the land for any signs of a crash.

"Yep, it is confirmed. With all of those external cargo containers and fuel cells typical of a Contina class, that's the Latte." Ian informs with both hands and his third arm typing away at the keyboards with astonishing speed. "Proceeding to track location on map."

"So these can type?" Kansa asks, surprised at Ian's synthetic third arm, which protrudes out from a frame strapped on the back of his EVA suit. A quick glance on both of Ian's hand, Kansa can spot two extra synthetic fingers installed on a composite strap around his thumb. Ian now have up to 17 fingers, weirdly.

"Aye sir. If you practise with it long enough, or have mind augmentations, you can do precise stuff with them. I remember seeing some chaps do precision surgery on a grape with these, in minutes no less."

"Why so many fingers? And arms?" Kansa asks out of curiosity.

"You work faster with these. You can type faster, you can organize stuff faster, you can operate more things and you can carry more objects. It's really neat having these on for engineers and technicians." Ian answers, his action backing his words, tying at ludicrous speed across multiple keyboards.

"So you have augmentations? Which kind?"

"Aye sir, I do. Some for my brain, some for my eyes. Faster reflex and body motor function control basically, for the extra thumbs and arms." Ian answers while waving his third arms.

"Gotta get me some of these stuff someday, two arms are not enough for my job."

"What do you need them for? I though suit folks have it easy?"

"Nah, only the higher ups, the low levels like me have to work our asses out every waking hours. And they say being an official is wonderful, yeah right."

"Safe to say I'm having it easier than you then?" Ian chuckles.

"You could say it like that, yeah. So anyway...wait...Is that...Christ..." Kansa is interrupted by the horrific scene behind the screen showing the drone's visual feed. As the drone move in closer toward the Latte's half destroyed wreck.