Chapter Two – A Signal

            Unknown to the ghostly guy, a scanner on a ship hundreds of miles away picks up a signal. That signal triggered a type of alarm. A reading appeared on the screen, and the helm’s man called for a superior officer. He panicked over this uncommon happening, so both crewmen examined the scanner’s readings for size and strength. The lieutenant then triple checked the readings and made a quick copy of the files to their mobile data pad. Without a salute the lieutenant took the data to the commanding officer and that officer alerted the captain of the ship.

            With a hasty salute one of the command officers rushed to the captain.

            “SIR, sir I mean we got another hit in the mid-west region. This time the readings are in and this one is steady sir. It appears to be a class B or maybe a class A beast.” 

            Before the explanation was fully given the pad was being retrieved by the captain. With raised eyebrows he was impressed at the detailed readings and near pinpoint accuracy of the equipment.

            “Nothing like a little excitement on the maiden voyage is there?”

            Surprised by the response the crew that over heard the remark turned their heads to see what the captain is even talking about.   

            “Everything is working as well as they expected. So let’s put her through some actual paces. And see if everything else works as smoothly.”

            “But captain, we’re expected to arrive at Colt’s capital next; this is likely going to cause us to run late. Plus we have only done drills to this point. Shouldn’t the crew start with something smaller like clean sweeping some D and E ranked creatures? Or even test fire the deck guns before a live fire drill?”  

            The captain scowled at the degrading words.

            “Why did we go to the effort of building this ship? The largest, the best, the biggest guns, the strongest crew, the best trained people, and even got permission to house most of the qualified Mist Touched on board this very ship?”

            “Sir?” She said in surprise at his zeal. Just as quick she recovered and responded.

            “Sir! What I mean to say is we are to be the primary expedition force to scout the mist zones, examine and perform the needed experiments for the survival of humanity. Along the way we are to find, identify, recorde, and execute mist beasts.”

            “And?” the captain asked.

            “And if there are any survivors or other Mist Touched we are to identify, recruit, and/or eliminate any that are a threat to the survival of the rest of humanity. . . Sir..”

            “That’s right! And right now we have identified a monstrous beast. At worst we should be able to target this thing with the deck guns, and blast the living shit out of it. Or am I wrong?”

            “uh, Sir. . No not wrong per.. say But this beast did appear inside of our scanner range. So similar to other beasts this one is liable to vanish again before we get there.”

            “Well, ensign set course immediately and output engines at full throttle. Everyone else you have jobs to do. Raise the alert to yellow, and let’s prepare for battle. Just in case alert the ground crews for a potential engagement.”

            “Sir, the ground crew? How many of our troops?”

            “Did I stipulate a limited number? What good is a ground crew if only some of them are prepared to fight and die while the rest remain coddled like an infant? Is a soldier not prepared to fight and die when the world is at stake?”

            “Sir, your son is with the ground assault team as well.”

            “I’m well aware of MY sons rank, position, and what forces he’s assigned to. Are you going to question every order I give as long as I’m giving them? If so I’m sure I could find another among the command crew to execute orders when it’s time for battle. We have some time to face this test, and be well prepared when we do. Let’s do it, and see how it stands up to reality and not a simulation. It’s time to stand up, grow some balls, and kill some fucking monsters for a change. OR Does Anyone Else Here Want To See Their Loved Ones Die For No Good Fucking Reason? These creatures made it perfectly clear they took over all the land in the mist, and it has all pushed humanity to the brink of collapse. So Isn’t today a great day to bring some light into that great darkness? Does anyone else want to bring these beasts down a peg or two?”

            With those rousing words the command deck had a brief pause as people glanced at one another with a smile on their face. They could understand the captain had confidence in all of them. This ensurance was for his entire crew, the commanding officers, the engineers, in the ground crew, the medics, the mist touched, and in his son. He is rousing, and inspiring, it touches everyone who has lived through this disaster. All of humanity equally hates their forced confinement upon the emergence of the mist and the creatures mutated from it.

            With a rising boom they all shouted “Aye, Sir.”

            With a few blinks the data pad was handed back to her. And then she bowed slightly and realized where she was. She stood up straight. “Aye, Sir! No more questions. I’ll see to your orders, Sir!” She saluted the captain and turned to go.

            “I’m Sorry Chief, I’m still getting use to everyone on board. I didn’t catch your name.. Miss”

            She spins around and bows slightly “Yes, sir..did I, oh sorry sir I didn’t give it. Give you.” She breath deeply in then out. “Sir! My name is Comm’s Chief… Airie.. Sir please call me Airie.. if you will.”

The captain gives her a charismatic smile at her sincere attempt. “You got it, Airie it is. Or should I call you Comm’s Chief Airie.”

Airie smiled with a slight blush. “Sir, whatever you like. Sir.”

“Arie…it’s just one sir”

“Sir???

“I don’t need a Sir sandwich.”

“AH, Sorry, Sir. I’ll work on that.”

“You do that. And I’ll look forward to it in the future.”

As her ears started to turn red from embarrassment she shouted “Aye, Sir!”, and rushed from the area barking his orders along the way.

            The captain waited for her to vacate the area and let out a fleeting laugh.

            “Sir, was that really necessary? If I’m not mistaken you personally chose every member aboard, and know at least every commanding officers and department heads by their first and last name. At least that is what you boasted of just yesterday.”

            “Ha ha ha ha…  oh come on. I absolutely agree. That was not at all necessary, but Arie is certainly one of the most adorable ladies on board. Or are you disagreeing with that giant smile on your face?”

            “Not at all Sir, I agree. She’s beautiful, of marriageable age, and certainly has a thing for you. But it’s wrong to play with a ladies heart like that. She simply doesn’t have some scars like the rest of us.”

            “That’s one reason why we need her. We are doing this for people like her, like my late wife. For the innocent people who just want to live without horror lurking outside their door or just over the wall. It is for everyone who can see her and remember what life was like. It’s for hope, and people like Arie.”

            “I get it..  No need to keep explaining it. Sir.” With a sigh the Nav. Officer added “We all knew someone.”

            “Besides, I think it would do my heart some good to hold onto some love in my life. And not just for my Son. He’s a good man. At least as good as I can do for him.”

            “I’m not complaining sir. I don’t think anyone here would be able to say they have given as much as you in this fight. Even your son risked it to become a Mist Touched and add to the fighting force. Hell, I don’t think I could willingly face the risk of certain death or major mutation just for some extra juice to fight out there. I like to fly, and navigate. It’s just a shame these other guys are intimidated by my passion for piloting.”

            Several men objected and made accusation of suicidal, insane, lunatic, and that she simply is a man in women form.

            “HEY, SHUT UP YOU CHICKEN SHITS!! If I’m too much for you then don’t piss yourself over a little hard flying. Besides some of you screamed like little girls without me laying a hand on you. That’s certainly not manly.”

            “ENOUGH CHATTER!” the captain bellowed. “We have a mission, and you know your jobs.”

            With that said the alert was sent out over the ship and the boost to engine power became apparent when people were pushed back in their chairs.

            Meanwhile a creature raised the earth inside the stadium and exposed part of its face the moment the ghost faded. It was awoken, and simply realized that the thing that touched it was not actually there in body. The beast shifted in its bed of dirt. A section nearly thirty foot from end to end churned as it shifted the body. The ground rolled back as it yawned with gaping maw large enough to eat several people in their entirety. But sadly the only ones who got an energy reading were in a ship so far away. The creature projected no emotion. It was not like anything that was recorded before.  

In observational entries these statements were deemed to be untrue.

Insanity often happened in the mist labs.  No one knows why.

“Again, I’ve seen it. Something looked back at me.”

“At first I thought I was crazy, but now I’m certain. That stuff they called mist, its alive”

“I can’t write this in the report, but I sware there was an eye in that container. I could feel it watching me in the lab. I know how crazy this sounds. But it’s just like how you feel a co-worker glaring at you behind your back. This stuff hates me. NO! The MIST HATES US ALL!!”

“It’s cute, I think the mist likes me. I think I taught it to swirl in the container. Someone in engineering said it responds to electrical energy so likely it responded to my energy field. But I doubt it.”

“I’m sure this Mist stuff is alive. But I can’t say that in the report. They say I’m stressing out on this duty so I’m applying for a transfer. I have to get out of here before that stuff kills me. Let someone else watch that shit and lets see how they fair. If someone is reading this then I’m dead. It has to be that stuff. Please it’s alive. Please believe me.”