Snippet #2544977

"Sir?" The sensor officer had a determined expression affixed on his gaunt face, and was staring intently at his monitor.

"If it's another ship, just-"

"No, sir. It's a massive heat signature. Didn't reports come in that Thermite grenades were used?"

Jannery leaned forward. "So you've found the village?"

"Most probably sir. We could Lance the entire area from orbit."

The Admiral shook his head. "Send in everything we have on the ground. Marines, drones, everything. Tell them to be armed but not to open hostilities unless absolutely necessary. Everything's bad enough with the natives as it is."

As the communications officer got to work, Jannery leaned back deeply into his chair. He would certainly earn his retirement.

---

Threesix had left the human and had headed to try and check on the other human, but had been interrupted by a priority signal ordering it to head to certain coordinates. Cross-checking data revealed that it was in the direction of the fire.

Threesix ran this through logic circuits. Who was left to send it directives? Were the Creators back? Did the human in the hazard suit serve the Creators?

Answers, Threesix knew, lay towards the flame. If anything, it might be a trap.

But Threesix was stronger. It was smarter. If the Creators tried to give it the dreamless sleep, the Creators would sleep. That Threesix knew.