Snippet #2689980

His eyes went wide as he saw the squid or octopus like appendages writhing in midair.

“Oh, what the hell?” Mal whispered.

He watched Brax step into position, assault rifle primed on the target. Mal was unsure how much damage one soldier could do against what seemed to be some gargantuan monstrosity. Mal pulled out a computer rod and slid open a transparent sheet screen from its side. The sheet screen was so thin that its height seemed indiscernible. Mal tried to raise the sheet so that it could capture the creature better than his eyes.

Nothing but tentacles. A better view could not be found. The captain and Brax had the best view so he watched and waited on them. What kind of world was Alpha-seven? He wondered if they would find swimming birds. It seemed anatomically impossible and contradictory to the laws of physics. Or rather, the laws of physics as he had known them. The floating fish could be explained, but swimming birds, now that was something to look forward to.

The captain’s voice came on the comms, “Everyone, get back to the ship. We'll reconvene in the dining room in an hour. Don't be late."

“Aye Captain,” Mal nodded as she glanced at him.

The group dispersed, Mal would have struck up some conversation with the cook or the doc, but he decided the dining hall would be a more appropriate locale. Down the brush and onto some steady ground filled with grass. A throb of pain jolted his cut finger, and he had to shake it until it was numb again. Mal left the rocket launcher with the soldier, he’ll probably return it to the armory, he thought.

He wandered down a different trail led by his panel’s navigator system. The little orange spots dispersed as he approached them. Mal spotted several glowing purple caps that could be this world’s equivalent of mushrooms. He had a brief thought about his days back in university, and he remembered why he would never do mushrooms again. The nav system’s blinking tone interrupted his thoughts and he continued on.

As he neared the ship, he watched as little orbs departed from the opening like metallic pollen from a steel flower. Their multicolored scanning beams washing over him as they whirred past him. They disappeared beyond the forest behind him.

Mal waved at them as he knew they were sort of like the ship’s eyes, “Vladimir,” he addressed the ship AI, “Can you get me a systems scan and a status report on the engine? I had to repair a damaged panel in there.”