" Welcome to hell ladies! Alpha and Bravo team, move ahead and scout the rest of the area. "
The com hissed before Sgt. Keller's voice was gone and there was just the methodical movement of steps. The sand shifted beneath each step, and even from within the cockpit of these death machines it still felt like the earth was shaking. It was supposed to just be a basic patrol, seeing if the bug nests we had cleared had stayed good and dead. We had no idea what the hell was coming our way.. nobody knew. We were running a tight formation, our sensors reported no life signs anywhere close to our position. We had been ordered to travel a good ten miles in, making sure there was nothing left.. but what we found was horrible.
The last dune before what had been the heart of the nest was trekked, and once reaching the top I gave the order to keep sharp. It was ironic to say the least because once I looked down I happened to be looking at nothing short of an army. They were twisted and grotesque, all swarming around the core.. digging beneath the sand trying to make their nest this time impenetrable. I would lie if I told you I wasn't scared, terrified even. We had hit them with every bit of firepower we had to spare yet in just a weeks' time they were almost back to full strength. " Radio in, tell them we have a serious fucking problem! "
Luck didn't seem to be going our way today, as the sand picked up and it seemed like the desert was going to engulf us. It was hard to see five feet ahead of you and this was a very dangerous time to not be able to see. The others were trying to back away, but with each step it simply brought more and more attention to us. Eventually the horrific screams of those bugs were heard along with the ground breaking phenomenon that could only be an army charging. " Get the fuck out of here! "
We still couldn't see ten feet ahead of us but it didn't matter. Everyone had turned and started running, the heavy thunderous steps crashing into the sand as those monsters chased after.. waiting for another meal to bring back to the queen. " Base! This is alpha squad requesting immediate evac! I repeat! Alpha squad requesting immediate evac! " There was no response, and in the confusion the change in landscape sent the mech falling, and rolling down the steep sand dune. She was flung around the cabin, smashing into the side, then being jerked forward as her forehead smashed into the thick resin window. Her left shoulder was most likely dislocated and blood poured across her face as she looked straight up, the monsters swarmed now trying to tear into the cabin with frightening malice.
" Looks like today is a good day to die after all.. " Right hand reached over to a keypad and fingers swiftly entered, 3679. There was nothing but silence in the moments that followed, eyes looking past those creatures and into the sun.. eventually they came to a close and was to be a last breathe exhaled, only a smile on her face.
From a distance Sgt. Keller waited for a sign from his patrol team but after hours nobody showed up. The sandstorm eventually came to a stop, and what he saw confirmed his greatest fears and also most horrible fantasies. The thick black mushroom cloud stood tall from the center of the hive, it seemed this was was not really over.
