Deus Lunar Base 7
Time - 22:45
Crew Size: 20
Objective: Locate and contain astral anomalies.
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"Activity is normal Captain. Should I proceed further?"
"Continue."
Captain Jones overlooked the surface of the moon from within the Lunar space station headquarters as Lead scientist Omar Quinn led himself and his four assistants into the landing sight of Artemis. They leap with low gravity as their heavy duty astronaut suits protect them from the astral radiation. Omar approaches a nightmare of a sight.
The large black orb vibrates with a hissing tone even in the silence of space. It lashes at the scientists but the wispy tendrils dissipate as they gently hit or grip the suits. The scientists begin seating up for their daily scan to monitor its status.
"All weapons set for defense." General Vargus says to Captain Jones.
"Thank you." Jones responds.
"Captain Jones, you are getting a call from your office." A woman's voice says over the space station intercoms. "It's from Deus Ex Machina."
"Take charge General Vargus. I will be back shortly." Jones says before marching out of the control room and traveling to his office.
He enters to the sound of his personal computer pinging an incoming call. He immediately pulls up the camera call and answers to the sight of Deus sitting at his desk within his lab.
"Good evening Deus, what do I owe the pleasure of this late night call?" Jones asks.
"I'm sorry Captain Jones. It would seem things aren't going according to plan down here." Deus said. "I hope you have retained Artemis."
"Of course sir." Jones said. "Her vitals have maintained consistency and there's no indication that the radiation she's admitting is harmful as long as we continue to use the proper precautions."
"Fantastic." Deus said. "Other than our usual check in I wanted to speak with you directly."
Captain Jones adjusted his posture due to his uncomfortable ignorance of Deus' actions. "Of course sir. What would you like to speak of?"
The gaze of Deus stared through the screen with a cold robot stillness. "Why do you assist me?"
"Pardon?" Jones asked.
"Why do you help me? You and everyone else on Lunar 7 aren't minuses. I choose all of you because of that fact and also because you're all the best in your field. But I was pondering why you agreed to help me?"
Jones reflected on the question before answering. "Because I would do anything to ensure the survival and protection of earth and its people. Humans and Minuses."
"I'm happy to hear that." Deus said. "I want you to know that your work will lead to a better world for everyone."
"Thank you sir." Jones said. "With your leadership I'm sure-"
Emergency! Emergency! Emergency!
Captain Jones' room was lit with a red hue of light as the call with Deus abruptly ended. In a haste of panic Jones runs to the control room. Upon entering he hears screams over the intercom and General Vargas barking orders.
"What the hell is going on!" Jones asks.
"I don't know!" Vargus barks. "One of the defense cannons shot Artemis."
"What!" Jones screams.
Captain Jones runs to the control room window to a sight of dark mist filling the lunar crater that nested Artemis. "Omar are you there!" Jones asks into a microphone.
The screams suddenly end and cold silence accompanied by the emergency broadcast fills the room.
"Yes Captain, I'm here." Omar says.
Jones wasn't expecting an answer and he was hesitant to respond. "Omar are you ok?"
"Of course." Omar says in an unnatural calm tone.
"What's happening out there?" Jones asks.
"She's awake sir." Omar says.
The dense black fog slowly rolls away to reveal a nightmarish scene. The spherical anomalie known as Artemis was left as a hollow shell in the center of the crater. A figure of radiant violet energy hovered above the base. The wicked wisps turned into tendrils upon the head of the new entity. A few of them traveled down into the crater and into the bodies of Omar and his assistant. Their eyes glowed with a hissing purple color as their suits began to fill with black mist.
"Dear god." Jones said.
"Fire the cannons!" General Vargus ordered.
As the cannons began their assault on Artemis, Omar gazed up at the control room on the edge of the crater. "Join us."
Omar's suit began to transform the most into crackling energy just before he emitted it out in a singular beam from his helmet. The blast cut the base in half as Captain Jones, General Vargus, and the crew of Lunar 7 were forced into the silent vacuum of space. Jones felt his lungs expanding and dizziness setting in as he floated towards oblivion. The last thing he saw before passing out was the bodies of his crew slowly being drawn in by the tendrils of Artemis, including himself.