Luciana DeLuca: A Science-Fantasy Adventure/Action Anthology
Set in the Starships Universe, this anthology is littered with adventure, a touch of fantasy, and a lot of futuristic science fiction. The short stories in this anthology were written in...
The Union of Galaxies has sent several Space Force fleets; from across all the Milky Way, the Jade system, and the Vortex Nebula. However, each fleet that was sent out has been lost. The SS-Valhalla crew was stationed at Acallaris Outpost, making us the closest to answer a distress signal. Our mission is to investigate and rescue. Until an anomaly appeared on the scanners. It forced us to land on this unknown planet.
After many hours of trekking through these woods, we have arrived at the coordinates of the anomaly's last known location, the same place indicated by the distress signal. And all hell has broken loose. I've never been more grateful to my brothers for teaching me how to use a knife and a hand-gun. The plants are living creatures.
A vine tightens around Captain Collins' leg, like an anaconda choking its prey. She cries out as First Officer Patrick Casey jabs at the serpent-like foliage with his tactical knife. I make a grimace, looking away as Ensign Dayana Carter and Dr. Richard Alden hold the captain down, firmly. My gaze goes to the green scenery around us. The unfamiliar forest is reminiscent of tropical jungle where I was born, but there is an eeriness that cannot replicated.
"I should have marked the trees," I mumble to myself, humming to drown out the captain's shouting. A rookie mistake in unknown territory.
"DeLuca, we could use your help over here!"
A familiar tingling sensation travels through my fingers and up my arms. It won't be the first time I do this, and it certainly won't be the last. However, I do make a conscious effort to avoid more people realizing what I can do. The crew of the SS-Valhalla has become my extended family over the last three months. Its difficult to keep any sort of secrets from them. Especially this-
I turn to the plant, letting my eyes trail to its roots. The vibrant green stem pulsates likes a cartoon garden hose, pushing an unknown substance from the ground toward Captain Collins' coiled leg. Without giving my actions further thought, I remove my glove and jab my hand into the ground. Blindly, my fingers come in contact with a worm-like object. It wriggles as I try hold it in my fist and press my thumb hard into one of the slimy tube. And in the same manner one flicks on an old-fashioned cigarette lighter, I flick my thumb.
Warmth fills the tip of my thumb, fading as it reaches my knuckles and the rest of my hand. I turn my gaze to the rest of the vine, watching it writhe and slither. Steam appears from its invisible pores. Rising into the air as it evaporates.
"Ha!" Casey exclaims in triumph as he severs the vine's head from the tail. Captain Collins moans as the doctor begins unraveling the vine from her leg. Drops of sweat stream from her forehead. She clenches her teeth, hissing as she shakes her arms free from their human restraints and grabs her knee.
"Dr. Alden," Ensign Carter says, dropping to her knees beside the captain. "How bad is it?"
I remove my hand from the ground, wiping the dirt and slime on my pant-leg.
"I know nothing of this place," the doctor replies as I join the huddle. "Without my resources on the ship-"
"We've come this far, I will not let this stop me from finding the sender of the signal," the captain hisses as she removes her leather belt and straps it above her wound.
"Captain, your injury could result to infection," the doctor urges, placing his hand on the captain's shoulder to prevent her from standing. "If it spreads, you will lose your leg."
Captain Ryleegh Collins is one of the most stubborn, bad-ass people I've ever met. Though pain shines through, her grin is determined.
"DeLuca," she says, fixing me with a stare. "Help me up."
I sigh and squat next to her left side, raising her arm over my shoulders. My grunt is mostly for show; the captain's weight is like a sack of potatoes, which is nothing for me.
"I'll be the judge of my limits," Captain goes on, taking a step forward while leaning her weight on me. "Casey, you're on point. Carter, take the rear."
A wind blows through the tree branches as the doctor stands on the captain's other side and rummages through his satchel. He produces a small syringe and jabs it into our captain's shoulder.
"Dammit, Alden!" she shouts, "That better be the good stuff."
"It's just Benzo," the doctor replies, tossing the used items to the ground. While I detest littering, marking this area with the syringe isn't the worst thing. Though the scorched plant should be enough to remember.
"Move out," Captain Collins says and First-Officer Casey leads the way forward. He reaches down to the holster in his boot and pulls out his tsuka. A simple twist to the handle triggers the retractable blade, which Casey begins whacking at the plants to clear a path for our troupe.
All the while we're walking, my gears are turning. Imprinting ever landmark as I indicate to Dayana which trees to mark with her knife. The indentation of a "V" is the perfect mark for our trail.
The captain holds in her pain, every so often she grunts as her wounded leg takes slight pressure. Doc has taken over as assistant-walker and I have begun marking trees. The only sound to be heard is the wind. Until a shriek echoes through the air. And when I turn around, Carter is nowhere to be seen. The path leading the way we came has been disrupted and flattened. Something has been dragged into the forest and that something is Ensign Carter.
Something has her. Something big; bigger than anything we're familiar with. If we don't figure out what it is, we'll all be dead.
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