INTERSTELLAR NIGHTMARES - DISTANT TERROR

Chapter 7

   I stumbled up and reloaded my flamethrower with a new canister. I ran as fast as I could to Kurt, who was gunning down bugs just in front of him. It reminded me a bit of the propaganda shown in the Atlenyan Republic's streets when it had been visited by Kheslalian officals before we came to the surface and created Brawnlyn. Machine gun slung under the shoulder, attached by a strap, and blazing a storm of rounds down range. I didn't remember the war it was for well though...

   I ran up beside him and immediately pulled the trigger, causing a quiet roar compared to the droning of the Leadstorm beside it. A mixture of lead and flame lit ahead and snuffed out tons of glyphids, all that was left actually. "And that's how it's done!" Kurt huffed with a massive grin on his face. Morris clapped from against the Mini-M.U.L.E. behind us, and we walked back over to him.

   "Now, we need to find another," Morris stated, "We need to let Freddy know... he must've found a leg already." Kurt chuckled, answering "We'll tell him when we get there."

   The Mini-M.U.L.E. beeped and booped as it stood up and waddled away, dropping Morris onto his back. "Ah! Hey! Where are you going?" Morris growled as he sat up with his arms. "Probably to go see their Mama Molly," Kurt snickered while offering a hand to Morris, "Now let's get up. We got shit to do."

   Morris took Kurt's hand and was then hoisted up again. "Alright... Will, where's the next baby Molly?" Kurt asked while looking down at me. I looked to the Terrain Scanner again to find the answer to the question, but the legs were still there.

   "The legs..." I murmered. Why are they still there, I thought to myself, they said they'd only show up upon being called for by the Mini-M.U.L.E...? "Legs?" Kurt grunted, "We can find those after finding the thing that needs them to walk." I nodded and pushed the thought to the back of my mind. Could be Freddy, I concluded as I looked about on the device.

   "There! It's up on a ledge though," I answered, a groan responding back from Morris. "More ledges?" he growled, "Golarg's sake, I hate this damn planet..." Kurt scoffed softly. "Don't blame you," he shortly followed up.

   "Well, let's get this ball rolling," I sighed, "we can go for that third one if it's easier." Morris seemed to like the idea, as I saw the edges of his mustache shift up slightly. He didn't say anything though, looking up to Kurt, though this operation was now hinged on Morris himself. "Aye, that'll do," Kurt answered, stroking his chinstrap, "the easier, the better after all... hopefully it's easier."

   I looked for the second, finding it rather quickly. "Hey!" I exclaimed, "It's near that last leg we just got!" A sigh of relief followed this time. "Luck's on our side," Morris whined happily, "Let's get it, quick!" Kurt nodded as he looked toward the rough direction. He started off, starting me as well and I walked on beside him.

    We went through the path, over the small hills the glyphids climbed over just moments before, and walked on through a slightly tilted plain with mushrooms and such sticking out of the ground. We soon reached the small gap where Feedrick had found the Boolo Cap I spotted, continuing the trip onwards until we reached the small hole in the ground the leg had came from.

   "Alright... now where do we go?" Kurt asked. "To the south a bit," I answered back, turning and walking the way directed, "at least it should be." Kurt followed me as I went. We went over another small hill, one between a cliff face with a few arcs under it and the wall of the cave.

   Soon enough, as we cleared the hill, the Mini-M.U.L.E. was sitting at the foothill. "Sight for sore eyes, eh lads?" Morris asked. "Thankfully!" Kurt responded happily. We walked over to it and we began to form a plan.

   "Alright," Kurt started, "You got your sentry gun, nerd?" Morris shook his head. "Nope," he answered simply, adding "but I can call it over to a new location." Kurt stared for a moment, a grin showing on his face before nodding. "That'll do it! Call 'er over!" he boomed with the happy command.

   Morris put a small device on the ground that gave a holographic, wire-frame outline of the sentry. After a few seconds of waiting, the small tablet flew over and landed where the holograph was, deactivating the holograph as it landed on it. Morris began construction of the sentry towards the back end of the Mini-M.U.L.E. where we came from.

    "And... done," Morris said, seemingly out of energy. "You good?" Kurt said rather softly as he offered his hand. "Yeah... just cold and tired," Morris answered back. Kurt seemed to become more worried, as I saw his massive eyebrows shift even if they weren't easily visible. Morris took his hand and was pulled up once again.

   "Feeling heavier..." Morris sighed, "this sucks. But I ain't gonna die down here. Let's go." Kurt nodded, still worried looking, but his pursed lips showed that he was understanding of the statement. "We heard him, let's move," Kurt said afterwards.

   I nodded and looked down at my Terrain Scanner to find the nearest leg. "Nearest one is on the cliff beside us, but I could drill up there," I explained, "there looks to be plenty of floor up above, so that'll help us out to get that leg quickly." Kurt nodded and looked to Morris. Morris looked back for a moment before realizing he was to authorize the retrieval. "Alright... let's get the leg up there. After all, that could open us up to more legs," he answered reluctantly.

   I got out my drills and nodded before walking to the cliff's wall. I put my drills up to it after gauging an angle that'll be easy to travel up for them. I pulled the triggers and started pushing through the rocky dirt.

.

.