Fragments Gallery
Space Owls
“Major!” someone screamed in the distance, “Major!”
Major Ulysses’s head snapped up from the confidential orders he had been perusing. The orders on the desk before him had just in came in and their contents suggested that there was more to this sullen planet than met the eye. The papers fell from his hands as he reached for the radio.
“This is Hale,” He snapped as he stood and grabbed his plasma rifle from where it rested, “I’m on my way. Report.”
“Dunno Sir,” growled Sergeant Reed, “Personnel all accounted for, I’ve a squad and we’re headin out to investigate.”
“Nothing here either Sir,” Interjected a new voice, Sergeant Bryant, she was on patrol with a squad today, “We’re also moving to investigate.”
“Understood. I’ll meet you both there.”
The radio buzzed as he slammed out the door of his office. Immediately outside was a courtyard of sorts set up in the middle of the research encampment. The primary areas; the armory, field hospital, mess hall and storage area; all also linked up to that courtyard. The yelling that had come from the northwest (following the magnetic poles of this particular planet, not Earth standard) so he set off in that direction.
The thick jungle was only a couple hundred meters from the encampment. Before entering the vegetation he hesitated to pull on a specialized gas mask; some of the spores the plants emitted within the jungle could influence a human’s... state of being. He didn’t want to end up high in a battle situation.
Hale cautiously forced his way through the dense vegetation. It seemed to him that the scream had come from somewhere around here. He drew his rifle up to his shoulder and let it rest there as he crept through the jungle. His vision was severely limited by the plants so he made sure to walk carefully.
Something fluttered up ahead and immediately he shifted to peer up at it through his scope. It was a bird, of sorts, that was descending towards him through the canopy of leaves. It had a wide grey head with circular flat face; its beak was narrow, short and looked viciously sharp. Two long broad and ashen wings jutted out to either side from the white chest and its body ended with a pair of talons and a grey tail. It seemed like an Earth-norm bird until you realized that the tail and chest were scaled rather than feathered.
The wings didn’t flap as the creature glided down towards him. A short distance from his head it slowed and then began to flap gently in place, its wings moved just enough for it to hover. Something happened to its chest and the scales began to gleam. Somehow the scales caught the light and tiny droplets seemed to form. The droplets glittered as jewels do while behind glass and on display; the entire effect was entrancing.
Hale’s arm loosened and his rifle fell to hang loosely in his grip at his side. How could a thing of such beauty be a threat?
More creatures began to emerge from the jungle. They too began to gleam and glitter in the light.
“What are those?” Sergeant Bryant murmured as she and her squad emerged from the forest. Hale tore his eyes from the bizarre creatures before him to look at her. She, like him moments before, had her eyes fixed on those glittering creatures. Their motions seemed to cause a form of light hypnosis. Now that her voice had shaken him free of his stupor that was evidence enough for him that these creatures could be dangerous; he’d seen plenty of predators who hunted with hypnosis and then killed their entranced prey.
“Soldiers snap out of it,” he growled as he brought his weapon up and locked it against his shoulder, “We don’t know what these creatures are capable of.”
The other soldiers snapped free of their trances and followed suite. The creatures before them showed no signs of concern; instead they continued to calmly flap in place.
“Stop!” yelled another voice from the jungle.
The shout startled Hale and he glanced in the direction of the voice. From the jungle emerged a group of scientists; they all appeared unhurt. With the arrival of the other group the birds began to rise; they seemed to be retreating back into the jungle. The soldiers began to relax as the creatures moved away.
“They’re harmless!” cried out the leader, “How could these beautiful creatures hurt us?”
“Who yelled earlier?” Hale asked, his exasperation and annoyance were clear on his face. It bothered him that this man’s words echoed his own thought from before.
“That was me,” stated the leader, Hale thought his name was Lynch, “You needed to see them!”
“Is that all?” asked an incredulous Hale, “I thought someone was dead!”
“No, no, no. It’s nothing like that,” Lynch stated, “So far as I can tell these little guys aren’t even remotely dangerous.”
Frustrated, Hale ran a hand through his hair. Lynch caught sight of the motion and sought to explain further.
“I didn’t use the radio did I? Doesn’t that mean it’s not an emergency?” Lynch nodded after speaking, as though that resolved the issue, and returned his attention to the retreating creatures.
Hale glared at the man. He hated babysitting these scientists but orders were orders. He’d do his duty even if it killed him.
“Doctor. If it is not an emergency then still use the radio and tell me why you’re calling me,” Hal said, his tone patronizing, “When you just yell, like you did, soldiers will come running.”
“Sorry boss,” Lynch’s tone was sarcastic. Clearly he didn’t really care.
Hale, Bryant and Reed, who had just arrived, all exchanged glances. They all were thinking the same thing; typical scientists and their disrespect for military protocol. Scientists treated expeditions like this as a school child treated a trip to the zoo. They couldn’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation; they were on a whole new planet with its own set of potential dangers.
Meanwhile the group of scientists, and half the soldiers, stared at the creatures floating away from them. The last creature vanished into the surrounding woods and all of the watchers blinked as though coming out of a deep sleep.
“Space owls,” murmured Bryant. Some of the scientist nodded at the words; clearly they agreed with the name.
Hale just scowled, it was just another day babysitting on the frontier.